A design handbook for phase change thermal control and energy storage devices. [selected paraffins

Science.gov (United States)

Humphries, W. R.; Griggs, E. I.

1977-01-01

Comprehensive survey is given of the thermal aspects of phase change material devices. Fundamental mechanisms of heat transfer within the phase change device are discussed. Performance in zero-g and one-g fields are examined as it relates to such a device. Computer models for phase change materials, with metal fillers, undergoing conductive and convective processes are detailed. Using these models, extensive parametric data are presented for a hypothetical configuration with a rectangular phase change housing, using straight fins as the filler, and paraffin as the phase change material. These data are generated over a range of realistic sizes, material properties, and thermal boundary conditions. A number of illustrative examples are given to demonstrate use of the parametric data. Also, a complete listing of phase change material property data are reproduced herein as an aid to the reader.

Optimal control in thermal engineering

CERN Document Server

Badescu, Viorel

2017-01-01

This book is the first major work covering applications in thermal engineering and offering a comprehensive introduction to optimal control theory, which has applications in mechanical engineering, particularly aircraft and missile trajectory optimization. The book is organized in three parts: The first part includes a brief presentation of function optimization and variational calculus, while the second part presents a summary of the optimal control theory. Lastly, the third part describes several applications of optimal control theory in solving various thermal engineering problems. These applications are grouped in four sections: heat transfer and thermal energy storage, solar thermal engineering, heat engines and lubrication.Clearly presented and easy-to-use, it is a valuable resource for thermal engineers and thermal-system designers as well as postgraduate students.

Research for the thermal change. Contributions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szczepanski, Petra; Wunschick, Franziska; Martin, Niklas

2016-01-01

The energy transition in the heating sector is not a sure-fire success and it is too slow. This is alarming since the heating / cooling sector is responsible for more than half of the final energy demand. That the ''thermal change'' has accelerated hardly despite many efforts by politics, industry and research in recent years, is the reason for the scientists the FVEE institutes to examine the perspectives of renewable energy and the need to increase efficiency in the heating sector systematically. therefore FVEE-2015 Annual Meeting, is entitled ''Research for the thermal change''. The contributions of this conference proceedings present the latest research results and show ways to implement the heat change technically, economically and politically. They are dedicated to the drivers, but also the barriers of heat change. The authors report on innovative projects to provide buildings with heat from geothermal energy, biomass and solar thermal energy. Several contributions are dedicated to the application of efficient components, such as thermal insulation, thermal storage and heat pumps. [de

Spacecraft Design Thermal Control Subsystem

Science.gov (United States)

Miyake, Robert N.

2008-01-01

The Thermal Control Subsystem engineers task is to maintain the temperature of all spacecraft components, subsystems, and the total flight system within specified limits for all flight modes from launch to end-of-mission. In some cases, specific stability and gradient temperature limits will be imposed on flight system elements. The Thermal Control Subsystem of "normal" flight systems, the mass, power, control, and sensing systems mass and power requirements are below 10% of the total flight system resources. In general the thermal control subsystem engineer is involved in all other flight subsystem designs.

Peak load shifting control using different cold thermal energy storage facilities in commercial buildings: A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Yongjun; Wang, Shengwei; Xiao, Fu; Gao, Diance

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Little study reviews the load shifting control using different facilities. • This study reviews load shifting control using building thermal mass. • This study reviews load shifting control using thermal energy storage systems. • This study reviews load shifting control using phase change material. • Efforts for developing more applicable load shifting control are addressed. - Abstract: For decades, load shifting control, one of most effective peak demand management methods, has attracted increasing attentions from both researchers and engineers. Different load shifting control strategies have been developed when diverse cold thermal energy storage facilities are used in commercial buildings. The facilities include building thermal mass (BTM), thermal energy storage system (TES) and phase change material (PCM). Little study has systematically reviewed these load shifting control strategies and therefore this study presents a comprehensive review of peak load shifting control strategies using these thermal energy storage facilities in commercial buildings. The research and applications of the load shifting control strategies are presented and discussed. The further efforts needed for developing more applicable load shifting control strategies using the facilities are also addressed

Thermal controls of Yellowstone cutthroat trout and invasive fishes under climate change

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Chokhachy, Robert K.; Alder, Jay R.; Hostetler, Steven W.; Gresswell, Robert E.; Shepard, Bradley

2013-01-01

We combine large observed data sets and dynamically downscaled climate data to explore historic and future (2050–2069) stream temperature changes over the topographically diverse Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (elevation range = 824–4017 m). We link future stream temperatures with fish growth models to investigate how changing thermal regimes could influence the future distribution and persistence of native Yellowstone cutthroat trout (YCT) and competing invasive species. We find that stream temperatures during the recent decade (2000–2009) surpass the anomalously warm period of the 1930s. Climate simulations indicate air temperatures will warm by 1 °C to >3 °C over the Greater Yellowstone by mid-21st century, resulting in concomitant increases in 2050–2069 peak stream temperatures and protracted periods of warming from May to September (MJJAS). Projected changes in thermal regimes during the MJJAS growing season modify the trajectories of daily growth rates at all elevations with pronounced growth during early and late summer. For high-elevation populations, we find considerable increases in fish body mass attributable both to warming of cold-water temperatures and to extended growing seasons. During peak July to August warming, mid-21st century temperatures will cause periods of increased thermal stress, rendering some low-elevation streams less suitable for YCT. The majority (80%) of sites currently inhabited by YCT, however, display minimal loss (changes in total body mass by midcentury; we attribute this response to the fact that many low-elevation populations of YCT have already been extirpated by historical changes in land use and invasions of non-native species. Our results further suggest that benefits to YCT populations due to warmer stream temperatures at currently cold sites could be offset by the interspecific effects of corresponding growth of sympatric, non-native species, underscoring the importance of developing climate adaptation

Thermal sensation and thermal comfort in changing environments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Velt, K.B.; Daanen, H.A.M.

2017-01-01

It is the purpose of this study to investigate thermal sensation (TS) and thermal comfort (TC) in changing environments. Therefore, 10 subjects stayed in a 30 °C, 50% relative humidity for 30 min in summer clothes and then moved to a 20 °C room where they remained seated for 30 min (Hot to Reference

Sensitivity of control times in function of core parameters and oscillations control in thermal nuclear systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amorim, E.S. do; D'Oliveira, A.B.; Galvao, O.B.; Oyama, K.

1981-03-01

Sensitivity of control times to variation of a thermal reactor core parameters is defined by suitable changes in the power coefficient, core size and fuel enrichment. A control strategy is developed based on control theory concepts and on considerations of the physics of the problem. Digital diffusion theory simulation is described which tends to verify the control concepts considered, face dumped oscillations introduced in one thermal nuclear power system. The effectivity of the control actions, in terms of eliminating oscillations, provided guidelines for the working-group engaged in the analysis of the control rods and its optimal performance. (Author) [pt

Thermal equilibrium, stability and burn control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohn, D.

1982-01-01

A number of aspects of the thermal stability and equilibrium control of ignited tokamak plasma have been investigated. Examined approaches were passive control (the effect of radial motion, the effect of radial motion and small additional transport loss), active control (the compression and decompression of plasma, subignited operation with small amount of variable external heating, and density control), and thermal equilibrium control (additional power loss from impurity radiation and enhanced transport from increased ripple). One-D calculation has been made on thermal instability eigen-modes. It was found that for electron thermal induction loss given by Alcator scaling and for neoclassical ion transport, there was at most one unstable mode with a temperature profile which maintains the temperature profile at thermal equilibrium. The effect of the coupling of temperature fluctuation and the fluctuation in major radius was investigated. Temperature driven radial motion combined with a small amount of ripple transport loss was found to be a very effective mechanism for passive thermal stability control. (Kato, T.)

Thermal conductivity and phase-change properties of aqueous alumina nanofluid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teng, Tun-Ping

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► The alumina nanofluid with chitosan was produced by two-step synthesis method. ► The k and phase-change properties of alumina nanofluid were examined. ► Adding Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles into water indeed improves the k. ► Adding the chitosan decreases the thermal conductivity of alumina nanofluid. ► The T cp and h c are 53.4% and 97.8% of those in DW with the optimal combination. - Abstract: This study uses thermal conductivity and differential scanning calorimeter experiments to explore the thermal conductivity and phase-change properties of alumina (Al 2 O 3 )–water nanofluid produced using a two-step synthesis method. Deionized water (DW) is used as a control group, and the Al 2 O 3 –water nanofluid uses chitosan as a dispersant. Nanoparticle morphology and materials were confirmed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The results show that adding Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles to DW improves DW thermal conductivity, but adding chitosan reduces the thermal conductivity of Al 2 O 3 –water nanofluid. Adding the nanoparticles to DW affects the phase-change peak temperature and phase change heat. The optimal combination is 0.1 wt.% chitosan and 0.5 wt.% Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles; the charging phase-change peak temperature and latent heat are 53.4% and 97.8% of those in DW, respectively

Pump and Flow Control Subassembly of Thermal Control Subsystem for Photovoltaic Power Module

Science.gov (United States)

Motil, Brian; Santen, Mark A.

1993-01-01

The pump and flow control subassembly (PFCS) is an orbital replacement unit (ORU) on the Space Station Freedom photovoltaic power module (PVM). The PFCS pumps liquid ammonia at a constant rate of approximately 1170 kg/hr while providing temperature control by flow regulation between the radiator and the bypass loop. Also, housed within the ORU is an accumulator to compensate for fluid volumetric changes as well as the electronics and firmware for monitoring and control of the photovoltaic thermal control system (PVTCS). Major electronic functions include signal conditioning, data interfacing and motor control. This paper will provide a description of each major component within the PFCS along with performance test data. In addition, this paper will discuss the flow control algorithm and describe how the nickel hydrogen batteries and associated power electronics will be thermally controlled through regulation of coolant flow to the radiator.

Recent progresses and achievements in photovoltaic-phase change material technology: A review with special treatment on photovoltaic thermal-phase change material systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Islam, M.M.; Pandey, A.K.; Hasanuzzaman, M.; Rahim, N.A.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Broad summary of phase change materials based cooling for photovoltaic modules. • Compendium on phase change materials that are mostly used in photovoltaic systems. • Extension of heat availability period by 75–100% with phase change material. • Heat storage potential improves by 33–50% more with phase change material. • Future trend and move in photovoltaic thermal research. - Abstract: This communication lays out an appraisal on the recent works of phase change materials based thermal management techniques for photovoltaic systems with special focus on the so called photovoltaic thermal-phase change material system. Attempt has also been made to draw wide-ranging classification of both photovoltaic and photovoltaic thermal systems and their conventional cooling or heat harvesting methods developed so far so that feasible phase change materials application area in these systems can be pointed out. In addition, a brief literature on phase change materials with particular focus on their solar application has also been presented. Overview of the researches and studies establish that using phase change materials for photovoltaic thermal control is technically viable if some issues like thermal conductivity or phase stability are properly addressed. The photovoltaic thermal-phase change material systems are found to offer 33% (maximum 50%) more heat storage potential than the conventional photovoltaic-thermal water system and that with 75–100% extended heat availability period and around 9% escalation in output. Reduction in temperature attained with photovoltaic thermal-phase change material system is better than that with regular photovoltaic-thermal water system, too. Studies also show the potential of another emerging technology of photovoltaic thermal-microencapsulated phase change material system that makes use of microencapsulated phase change materials in thermal regulation. Future focus areas on photovoltaic thermal-phase change

Sprayable Phase Change Coating Thermal Protection Material

Science.gov (United States)

Richardson, Rod W.; Hayes, Paul W.; Kaul, Raj

2005-01-01

NASA has expressed a need for reusable, environmentally friendly, phase change coating that is capable of withstanding the heat loads that have historically required an ablative thermal insulation. The Space Shuttle Program currently relies on ablative materials for thermal protection. The problem with an ablative insulation is that, by design, the material ablates away, in fulfilling its function of cooling the underlying substrate, thus preventing the insulation from being reused from flight to flight. The present generation of environmentally friendly, sprayable, ablative thermal insulation (MCC-l); currently use on the Space Shuttle SRBs, is very close to being a reusable insulation system. In actual flight conditions, as confirmed by the post-flight inspections of the SRBs, very little of the material ablates. Multi-flight thermal insulation use has not been qualified for the Space Shuttle. The gap that would have to be overcome in order to implement a reusable Phase Change Coating (PCC) is not unmanageable. PCC could be applied robotically with a spray process utilizing phase change material as filler to yield material of even higher strength and reliability as compared to MCC-1. The PCC filled coatings have also demonstrated potential as cryogenic thermal coatings. In experimental thermal tests, a thin application of PCC has provided the same thermal protection as a much thicker and heavier application of a traditional ablative thermal insulation. In addition, tests have shown that the structural integrity of the coating has been maintained and phase change performance after several aero-thermal cycles was not affected. Experimental tests have also shown that, unlike traditional ablative thermal insulations, PCC would not require an environmental seal coat, which has historically been required to prevent moisture absorption by the thermal insulation, prevent environmental degradation, and to improve the optical and aerodynamic properties. In order to reduce

Kinetically controlled thermal response of beta2-microglobulin amyloid fibrils.

Science.gov (United States)

Sasahara, Kenji; Naiki, Hironobu; Goto, Yuji

2005-09-23

Calorimetric measurements were carried out using a differential scanning calorimeter in the temperature range from 10 to 120 degrees C for characterizing the thermal response of beta2-microglobulin amyloid fibrils. The thermograms of amyloid fibril solution showed a remarkably large decrease in heat capacity that was essentially released upon the thermal unfolding of the fibrils, in which the magnitude of negative heat capacity change was not explicable in terms of the current accessible surface area model of protein structural thermodynamics. The heat capacity-temperature curve of amyloid fibrils prior to the fibril unfolding exhibited an unusual dependence on the fibril concentration and the heating rate. Particularly, the heat needed to induce the thermal response was found to be linearly dependent on the heating rate, indicating that its thermal response is under a kinetic control and precluding the interpretation in terms of equilibrium thermodynamics. Furthermore, amyloid fibrils of amyloid beta peptides also exhibited a heating rate-dependent exothermic process before the fibril unfolding, indicating that the kinetically controlled thermal response may be a common phenomenon to amyloid fibrils. We suggest that the heating rate-dependent negative change in heat capacity is coupled to the association of amyloid fibrils with characteristic hydration pattern.

Thermal Management of Transient Power Spikes in Electronics - Phase Change Energy Storage or Copper Heat Sinks?

OpenAIRE

Krishnan, S.; Garimella, S V

2004-01-01

A transient thermal analysis is performed to investigate thermal control of power semiconductors using phase change materials, and to compare the performance of this approach to that of copper heat sinks. Both the melting of the phase change material under a transient power spike input, as well as the resolidification process, are considered. Phase change materials of different kinds (paraffin waxes and metallic alloys) are considered, with and without the use of thermal conductivity enhancer...

Micro-Scalable Thermal Control Device

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Matthew E. (Inventor)

2002-01-01

A microscalable thermal control module consists of a Stirling cycle cooler that can be manipulated to operate at a selected temperature within the heating and cooling range of the module. The microscalable thermal control module is particularly suited for controlling the temperature of devices that must be maintained at precise temperatures. It is particularly suited for controlling the temperature of devices that need to be alternately heated or cooled. The module contains upper and lower opposing diaphragms, with a regenerator region containing a plurality of regenerators interposed between the diaphragms. Gaps exist on each side of each diaphragm to permit it to oscillate freely. The gap on the interior side one diaphragm is in fluid connection with the gap on the interior side of the other diaphragm through regenerators. As the diaphragms oscillate working gas is forced through the regenerators. The surface area of each regenerator is sufficiently large to effectively transfer thermal energy to and from the working gas as it is passed through them. The phase and amplitude of the oscillations can be manipulated electronically to control the steady state temperature of the active thermal control surface, and to switch the operation of the module from cooling to heating, or vice versa. The ability of the microscalable thermal control module to heat and cool may be enhanced by operating a plurality of modules in series, in parallel, or in connection through a shared bottom layer.

Performance maps for the control of thermal energy storage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Finck, Christian; Li, Rongling; Zeiler, Wim

2017-01-01

Predictive control in building energy systems requires the integration of the building, building system, and component dynamics. The prediction accuracy of these dynamics is crucial for practical applications. This paper introduces performance maps for the control of water tanks, phase change mat...... material tanks, and thermochemical material tanks. The results show that these performance maps can fully account for the dynamics of thermal energy storage tanks.......Predictive control in building energy systems requires the integration of the building, building system, and component dynamics. The prediction accuracy of these dynamics is crucial for practical applications. This paper introduces performance maps for the control of water tanks, phase change...

Impact of vacancy ordering on thermal transport in crystalline phase-change materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siegert, K S; Lange, F R L; Sittner, E R; Volker, H; Schlockermann, C; Wuttig, M; Siegrist, T

2015-01-01

Controlling thermal transport in solids is of paramount importance for many applications. Often thermal management is crucial for a device's performance, as it affects both reliability and power consumption. A number of intricate concepts have been developed to address this challenge, such as diamond-like coatings to enhance the thermal conductivity or low symmetry complex super-structures to reduce it. Here, a different approach is pursued, where we explore the potential of solids with a high yet controllable degree of disorder. Recently, it has been demonstrated that an unconventionally high degree of structural disorder characterizes a number of crystalline phase-change materials (PCMs). This disorder strongly impacts electronic transport and even leads to disorder induced localization (Anderson localization). This raises the question how thermal transport is affected by such conditions. Here thermal transport in highly disordered crystalline Ge–Sb–Te (GST) based PCMs is investigated. Glass-like thermal properties are observed for several crystalline PCMs, which are attributed to strong scattering by disordered point defects. A systematic study of different compounds along the pseudo-binary line between GeTe and Sb 2 Te 3 reveals that disordered vacancies act as point defects responsible for pronounced phonon scattering. Annealing causes a gradual ordering of the vacancies and leads to a more ‘crystal-like’ thermal conductivity. While both vibrational and electronic degrees of freedom are affected by disorder, the consequences differ for different stoichiometries. This opens up a pathway to tune electrical and thermal transport by controlling the degree of disorder. Materials with tailored transport properties may not only help to improve power efficiency and scaling in upcoming phase-change memories but are also of fundamental interest in the field of thermoelectric materials. (key issues review)

Impact of vacancy ordering on thermal transport in crystalline phase-change materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Siegert, K S; Lange, F R L; Sittner, E R; Volker, H; Schlockermann, C; Siegrist, T; Wuttig, M

2015-01-01

Controlling thermal transport in solids is of paramount importance for many applications. Often thermal management is crucial for a device's performance, as it affects both reliability and power consumption. A number of intricate concepts have been developed to address this challenge, such as diamond-like coatings to enhance the thermal conductivity or low symmetry complex super-structures to reduce it. Here, a different approach is pursued, where we explore the potential of solids with a high yet controllable degree of disorder. Recently, it has been demonstrated that an unconventionally high degree of structural disorder characterizes a number of crystalline phase-change materials (PCMs). This disorder strongly impacts electronic transport and even leads to disorder induced localization (Anderson localization). This raises the question how thermal transport is affected by such conditions. Here thermal transport in highly disordered crystalline Ge-Sb-Te (GST) based PCMs is investigated. Glass-like thermal properties are observed for several crystalline PCMs, which are attributed to strong scattering by disordered point defects. A systematic study of different compounds along the pseudo-binary line between GeTe and Sb2Te3 reveals that disordered vacancies act as point defects responsible for pronounced phonon scattering. Annealing causes a gradual ordering of the vacancies and leads to a more 'crystal-like' thermal conductivity. While both vibrational and electronic degrees of freedom are affected by disorder, the consequences differ for different stoichiometries. This opens up a pathway to tune electrical and thermal transport by controlling the degree of disorder. Materials with tailored transport properties may not only help to improve power efficiency and scaling in upcoming phase-change memories but are also of fundamental interest in the field of thermoelectric materials.

New method of thermal cycling stability test of phase change material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Putra Nandy

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Phase Change Material (PCM is the most promising material as thermal energy storage nowadays. As thermal energy storage, examination on endurance of material for long-term use is necessary to be carried out. Therefore, thermal cycling test is performed to ensure thermal stability of PCM. This study have found a new method on thermal cycling test of PCM sample by using thermoelectric as heating and cooling element. RT 22 HC was used as PCM sample on this thermal cycling test. The new method had many advantages compared to some references of the same test. It just needed a small container for PCM sample. The thermoelectric could release heat to PCM sample and absorb heat from PCM sample uniformly, respectively, was called as heating and cooling process. Hence, thermoelectric had to be supported by a relay control device to change its polarity so it could heat and cool PCM sample alternately and automatically. On the other hand, the thermoelectric was cheap, easy to be found and available in markets. It can be concluded that new method of thermal cycling test by using thermoelectric as source of heating and cooling can be a new reference for performing thermal cycling test on PCM.

Contamination Control for Thermal Engineers

Science.gov (United States)

Rivera, Rachel B.

2015-01-01

The presentation will be given at the 26th Annual Thermal Fluids Analysis Workshop (TFAWS 2015) hosted by the Goddard Spaceflight Center (GSFC) Thermal Engineering Branch (Code 545). This course will cover the basics of Contamination Control, including contamination control related failures, the effects of contamination on Flight Hardware, what contamination requirements translate to, design methodology, and implementing contamination control into Integration, Testing and Launch.

Negative thermal expansion materials: technological key for control of thermal expansion

OpenAIRE

Koshi Takenaka

2012-01-01

Most materials expand upon heating. However, although rare, some materials contract upon heating. Such negative thermal expansion (NTE) materials have enormous industrial merit because they can control the thermal expansion of materials. Recent progress in materials research enables us to obtain materials exhibiting negative coefficients of linear thermal expansion over −30 ppm K−1. Such giant NTE is opening a new phase of control of thermal expansion in composites. Specifically examining pra...

A quantitative index for classification of plantar thermal changes in the diabetic foot

Science.gov (United States)

Hernandez-Contreras, D.; Peregrina-Barreto, H.; Rangel-Magdaleno, J.; Gonzalez-Bernal, J. A.; Altamirano-Robles, L.

2017-03-01

One of the main complications caused by diabetes mellitus is the development of diabetic foot, which in turn, can lead to ulcerations. Because ulceration risks are linked to an increase in plantar temperatures, recent approaches analyze thermal changes. These approaches try to identify spatial patterns of temperature that could be characteristic of a diabetic group. However, this is a difficult task since thermal patterns have wide variations resulting on complex classification. Moreover, the measurement of contralateral plantar temperatures is important to determine whether there is an abnormal difference but, this only provides information when thermal changes are asymmetric and in absence of ulceration or amputation. Therefore, in this work is proposed a quantitative index for measuring the thermal change in the plantar region of participants diagnosed diabetes mellitus regards to a reliable reference (control) or regards to the contralateral foot (as usual). Also, a classification of the thermal changes based on a quantitative index is proposed. Such classification demonstrate the wide diversity of spatial distributions in the diabetic foot but also demonstrate that it is possible to identify common characteristics. An automatic process, based on the analysis of plantar angiosomes and image processing, is presented to quantify these thermal changes and to provide valuable information to the medical expert.

Feedback control of thermal instability by compression and decompression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okamoto, M.; Hirano, K.; Amano, T.; Ohnishi, M.

1983-01-01

Active feedback control of the fusion output power by means of plasma compression-decompression is considered with the purpose of achieving steady-state plasma ignition in a tokamak. A simple but realistic feedback control system is modelled and zero-dimensional energy balance equations are solved numerically by taking into account the errors in the measurements, a procedure that is necessary for the feedback control. It is shown that the control can stabilize the thermal runaway completely and maintain steady-state operation without any significant change in major radius or thermal output power. Linear stability is analysed for a general type of scaling law, and the dependence of the stability conditions on the scaling law is studied. The possibility of load-following operation is considered. Finally, a one-dimensional analysis is applied to the large-aspect-ratio case. (author)

Thermal conductivity of an organic phase change material/expanded graphite composite across the phase change temperature range and a novel thermal conductivity model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ling, Ziye; Chen, Jiajie; Xu, Tao; Fang, Xiaoming; Gao, Xuenong; Zhang, Zhengguo

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Expanded graphite can improve thermal conductivity of RT44HC by 20–60 times. • Thermal conductivity of PCM/EG composites keeps constant before/after melting. • Thermal conductivity of PCMs nearly doubled during phase changing. • Thermal conductivity of composite PCM increases with density and percentage of EG. • The simple model predicts thermal conductivity of EG-based composites accurately. - Abstract: This work studies factors that affect the thermal conductivity of an organic phase change material (PCM), RT44HC/expanded graphite (EG) composite, which include: EG mass fraction, composite PCM density and temperature. The increase of EG mass fraction and bulk density will both enhance thermal conductivity of composite PCMs, by up to 60 times. Thermal conductivity of RT44HC/EG composites remains independent on temperature outside the phase change range (40–45 °C), but nearly doubles during the phase change. The narrow temperature change during the phase change allows the maximum heat flux or minimum temperature for heat source if attaching PCMs to a first (constant temperature) or second (constant heat flux) thermal boundary. At last, a simple thermal conductivity model for EG-based composites is put forward, based on only two parameters: mass fraction of EG and bulk density of the composite. This model is validated with experiment data presented in this paper and in literature, showing this model has general applicability to any composite of EG and poor thermal conductive materials

Short-term changes in thermal perception associated with heatwave conditions in Melbourne, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, Cho Kwong Charlie; Gallant, Ailie J. E.; Tapper, Nigel J.

2018-05-01

Variations in human thermal perception have been described on timescales from minutes to seasons. However, the effect of weather-related thermal extremes on inter-daily changes to outdoor thermal perception has not been well characterised. This study used human thermal comfort data from an outdoor botanic garden in sub-urban Melbourne, Australia as a case study. We examined inter-daily variations in local visitors' thermal perception before (11-12 January 2014) and after (18-19 January 2014) a severe heatwave from 14 to 17 January 2014, when daily maximum temperature exceeded 41 °C for 4 consecutive days. We compared thermal comfort survey results (pre-heatwave: n = 342, post-heatwave: n = 294) with air temperature and the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) measurements. Even though the days preceding and following the heatwave had a similar range in temperature (19-25 °C) and UTCI (26-32 °C), the visitors felt cooler in the days following the heatwave (i.e. lower thermal sensation votes). In the 2 days following the heatwave, visitors also wore less clothing compared with before the heatwave. Our results show that the thermal perception of visitors changed significantly following their exposure to the heatwave, even after controlling for changes in clothing choices and the ages of survey participants. Psychological adaptation to heat (such as thermal history and expectation) might be one of the possible explanations for this inter-daily variability of local visitors' thermal perception.

CubeSat Form Factor Thermal Control Louvers

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Allison L. (Inventor)

2018-01-01

Thermal control louvers for CubeSats or small spacecraft may include a plurality of springs attached to a back panel of the thermal control louvers. The thermal control louvers may also include a front panel, which includes at least two end panels interlocked with one or more middle panels. The front panel may secure the springs, shafts, and flaps to the back panel.

Industrial application of thermal image processing and thermal control

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Lingxue

2001-09-01

Industrial application of infrared thermography is virtually boundless as it can be used in any situations where there are temperature differences. This technology has particularly been widely used in automotive industry for process evaluation and system design. In this work, thermal image processing technique will be introduced to quantitatively calculate the heat stored in a warm/hot object and consequently, a thermal control system will be proposed to accurately and actively manage the thermal distribution within the object in accordance with the heat calculated from the thermal images.

Negative thermal expansion materials: technological key for control of thermal expansion.

Science.gov (United States)

Takenaka, Koshi

2012-02-01

Most materials expand upon heating. However, although rare, some materials contract upon heating. Such negative thermal expansion (NTE) materials have enormous industrial merit because they can control the thermal expansion of materials. Recent progress in materials research enables us to obtain materials exhibiting negative coefficients of linear thermal expansion over -30 ppm K -1 . Such giant NTE is opening a new phase of control of thermal expansion in composites. Specifically examining practical aspects, this review briefly summarizes materials and mechanisms of NTE as well as composites containing NTE materials, based mainly on activities of the last decade.

Negative thermal expansion materials: technological key for control of thermal expansion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koshi Takenaka

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Most materials expand upon heating. However, although rare, some materials contract upon heating. Such negative thermal expansion (NTE materials have enormous industrial merit because they can control the thermal expansion of materials. Recent progress in materials research enables us to obtain materials exhibiting negative coefficients of linear thermal expansion over −30 ppm K−1. Such giant NTE is opening a new phase of control of thermal expansion in composites. Specifically examining practical aspects, this review briefly summarizes materials and mechanisms of NTE as well as composites containing NTE materials, based mainly on activities of the last decade.

Negative thermal expansion materials: technological key for control of thermal expansion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takenaka, Koshi

2012-01-01

Most materials expand upon heating. However, although rare, some materials contract upon heating. Such negative thermal expansion (NTE) materials have enormous industrial merit because they can control the thermal expansion of materials. Recent progress in materials research enables us to obtain materials exhibiting negative coefficients of linear thermal expansion over −30 ppm K −1 . Such giant NTE is opening a new phase of control of thermal expansion in composites. Specifically examining practical aspects, this review briefly summarizes materials and mechanisms of NTE as well as composites containing NTE materials, based mainly on activities of the last decade. (topical review)

CFD Analysis of Thermal Control System Using NX Thermal and Flow

Science.gov (United States)

Fortier, C. R.; Harris, M. F. (Editor); McConnell, S. (Editor)

2014-01-01

The Thermal Control Subsystem (TCS) is a key part of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) for the International Space Station (ISS). The purpose of this subsystem is to provide thermal control, mainly cooling, to the other APH subsystems. One of these subsystems, the Environmental Control Subsystem (ECS), controls the temperature and humidity of the growth chamber (GC) air to optimize the growth of plants in the habitat. The TCS provides thermal control to the ECS with three cold plates, which use Thermoelectric Coolers (TECs) to heat or cool water as needed to control the air temperature in the ECS system. In order to optimize the TCS design, pressure drop and heat transfer analyses were needed. The analysis for this system was performed in Siemens NX Thermal/Flow software (Version 8.5). NX Thermal/Flow has the ability to perform 1D or 3D flow solutions. The 1D flow solver can be used to represent simple geometries, such as pipes and tubes. The 1D flow method also has the ability to simulate either fluid only or fluid and wall regions. The 3D flow solver is similar to other Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) software. TCS performance was analyzed using both the 1D and 3D solvers. Each method produced different results, which will be evaluated and discussed.

Changes in Effective Thermal Conductivity During the Carbothermic Reduction of Magnetite Using Graphite

Science.gov (United States)

Kiamehr, Saeed; Ahmed, Hesham; Viswanathan, Nurni; Seetharaman, Seshadri

2017-06-01

Knowledge of the effective thermal diffusivity changes of systems undergoing reactions where heat transfer plays an important role in the reaction kinetics is essential for process understanding and control. Carbothermic reduction process of magnetite containing composites is a typical example of such systems. The reduction process in this case is highly endothermic and hence, the overall rate of the reaction is greatly influenced by the heat transfer through composite compact. Using Laser-Flash method, the change of effective thermal diffusivity of magnetite-graphite composite pellet was monitored in the dynamic mode over a pre-defined thermal cycle (heating at the rate of 7 K/min to 1423 K (1150 °C), holding the sample for 270 minutes at this temperature and then cooling it down to the room temperature at the same rate as heating). These measurements were supplemented by Thermogravimetric Analysis under comparable experimental conditions as well as quenching tests of the samples in order to combine the impact of various factors such as sample dilatations and changes in apparent density on the progress of the reaction. The present results show that monitoring thermal diffusivity changes during the course of reduction would be a very useful tool in a total understanding of the underlying physicochemical phenomena. At the end, effort is made to estimate the apparent thermal conductivity values based on the measured thermal diffusivity and dilatations.

Protection and thermal management of thermoelectric generator system using phase change materials: An experimental investigation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahmadi Atouei, Saeed; Rezaniakolaei, Alireza; Ranjbar, A.A.

2018-01-01

In most thermoelectric systems the thermal boundary conditions are transient, and thermal manage-ment of the system is critical to improve electrical performance of the system. In this study, effect of using phase change materials (PCM) to control the hot and cold side temperatures...

Thermal Energy Storage with Phase Change Material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lavinia Gabriela SOCACIU

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Thermal energy storage (TES systems provide several alternatives for efficient energy use and conservation. Phase change materials (PCMs for TES are materials supplying thermal regulation at particular phase change temperatures by absorbing and emitting the heat of the medium. TES in general and PCMs in particular, have been a main topic in research for the last 30 years, but although the information is quantitatively enormous, it is also spread widely in the literature, and difficult to find. PCMs absorb energy during the heating process as phase change takes place and release energy to the environment in the phase change range during a reverse cooling process. PCMs possesses the ability of latent thermal energy change their state with a certain temperature. PCMs for TES are generally solid-liquid phase change materials and therefore they need encapsulation. TES systems using PCMs as a storage medium offers advantages such as high TES capacity, small unit size and isothermal behaviour during charging and discharging when compared to the sensible TES.

Building envelope regulations on thermal comfort in glass facade buildings and energy-saving potential for PMV-based comfort control

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hwang, Ruey-Lung; Shu, Shiu-Ya [Department of Architecture, National United University, 1, Lien-Da, Kung-Ching Li, Miaoli, 36003 (China)

2011-04-15

This paper presents an investigation of the effect of building envelope regulation on thermal comfort and on the energy-saving potential for PMV-based comfort control in glass facade buildings. Occurrences and severity of overheating, based on the PMV-PPD model contained in ISO 7730, were used for the thermal comfort assessment. Parametric study simulations for an actual building with a large glass facade were carried out to predict the changes in thermal comfort levels in a space due to different glazing types, depths of overhang and glazing areas, which are the key parameters of the building envelope regulation index, named ENVLOAD, in Taiwan. The result demonstrates that the ENVLOAD has significant effect on thermal comfort. Additionally, comparative simulations between PMV-based comfort control and conventional thermostatic control were performed to investigate the changes in the energy-saving potential of a thermal comfort-controlled space due to changes of its ENVLOAD. The results demonstrate that the energy-saving potential in a PMV-based controlled space increases with low ENVLOAD conditions. (author)

Embedded Thermal Control for Spacecraft Subsystems Miniaturization

Science.gov (United States)

Didion, Jeffrey R.

2014-01-01

Optimization of spacecraft size, weight and power (SWaP) resources is an explicit technical priority at Goddard Space Flight Center. Embedded Thermal Control Subsystems are a promising technology with many cross cutting NSAA, DoD and commercial applications: 1.) CubeSatSmallSat spacecraft architecture, 2.) high performance computing, 3.) On-board spacecraft electronics, 4.) Power electronics and RF arrays. The Embedded Thermal Control Subsystem technology development efforts focus on component, board and enclosure level devices that will ultimately include intelligent capabilities. The presentation will discuss electric, capillary and hybrid based hardware research and development efforts at Goddard Space Flight Center. The Embedded Thermal Control Subsystem development program consists of interrelated sub-initiatives, e.g., chip component level thermal control devices, self-sensing thermal management, advanced manufactured structures. This presentation includes technical status and progress on each of these investigations. Future sub-initiatives, technical milestones and program goals will be presented.

Graphene Aerogel Templated Fabrication of Phase Change Microspheres as Thermal Buffers in Microelectronic Devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xuchun; Li, Guangyong; Hong, Guo; Guo, Qiang; Zhang, Xuetong

2017-11-29

Phase change materials, changing from solid to liquid and vice versa, are capable of storing and releasing a large amount of thermal energy during the phase change, and thus hold promise for numerous applications including thermal protection of electronic devices. Shaping these materials into microspheres for additional fascinating properties is efficient but challenging. In this regard, a novel phase change microsphere with the design for electrical-regulation and thermal storage/release properties was fabricated via the combination of monodispersed graphene aerogel microsphere (GAM) and phase change paraffin. A programmable method, i.e., coupling ink jetting-liquid marbling-supercritical drying (ILS) techniques, was demonstrated to produce monodispersed graphene aerogel microspheres (GAMs) with precise size-control. The resulting GAMs showed ultralow density, low electrical resistance, and high specific surface area with only ca. 5% diameter variation coefficient, and exhibited promising performance in smart switches. The phase change microspheres were obtained by capillary filling of phase change paraffin inside the GAMs and exhibited excellent properties, such as low electrical resistance, high latent heat, well sphericity, and thermal buffering. Assembling the phase change microsphere into the microcircuit, we found that this tiny device was quite sensitive and could respond to heat as low as 0.027 J.

Luminescent nanoprobes for thermal bio-sensing: Towards controlled photo-thermal therapies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jaque, Daniel, E-mail: daniel.jaque@uam.es [Fluorescence Imaging Group, Departamento de Fisica de Materiales, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid 28049 (Spain); Grupo de Fotônica e Fluidos Complexos (GFFC), Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, 57072-900 Maceió-AL (Brazil); Jacinto, Carlos [Grupo de Fotônica e Fluidos Complexos (GFFC), Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, 57072-900 Maceió-AL (Brazil)

2016-01-15

Photo-thermal therapies, based on the light-induced local heating of cancer tumors and tissues, are nowadays attracting an increasing attention due to their effectiveness, universality, and low cost. In order to avoid undesirable collateral damage in the healthy tissues surrounding the tumors, photo-thermal therapies should be achieved while monitoring tumor’s temperature in such a way that thermal therapy could be stopped before reaching the damage limit. Measuring tumor temperature is not an easy task at all and novel strategies should be adopted. In this work it is demonstrated how luminescent nanoparticles, in particular Neodymium doped LaF{sub 3} nanoparticles, could be used as multi-functional agents capable of simultaneous heating and thermal sensing. Advantages and disadvantages of such nanoparticles are discussed and the future perspectives are briefly raised. - Highlights: • Thermal control is essential in novel photo-thermal therapies. • Thermal control and heating can be achieved by Neodymium doped nanoparticles. • Perspectives of Neodymium doped nanoparticles in potential in vivo applications are discussed.

Automatic thermal control switches. [for use in Space Shuttle borne Get Away Special container

Science.gov (United States)

Wing, L. D.

1982-01-01

Two automatic, flexible connection thermal control switches have been designed and tested in a thermal vacuum facility and in the Get Away Special (GAS) container flown on the third Shuttle flight. The switches are complementary in that one switch passes heat when the plate on which it is mounted exceeds some selected temperature and the other switch will pass heat only when the mounting plate temperature is below the selected value. Both switches are driven and controlled by phase-change capsule motors and require no other power source or thermal sensors.

Preparation and thermal conductivity enhancement of composite phase change materials for electronic thermal management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Weixiong; Zhang, Guoqing; Ke, Xiufang; Yang, Xiaoqing; Wang, Ziyuan; Liu, Chenzhen

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A kind of composite phase change material board (PCMB) is prepared and tested. • PCMB presents a large thermal storage capacity and enhanced thermal conductivity. • PCMB displays much better cooling effect in comparison to natural air cooling. • PCMB presents different cooling characteristics in comparison to ribbed radiator. - Abstract: A kind of phase change material board (PCMB) was prepared for use in the thermal management of electronics, with paraffin and expanded graphite as the phase change material and matrix, respectively. The as-prepared PCMB presented a large thermal storage capacity of 141.74 J/g and enhanced thermal conductivity of 7.654 W/(m K). As a result, PCMB displayed much better cooling effect in comparison to natural air cooling, i.e., much lower heating rate and better uniformity of temperature distribution. On the other hand, compared with ribbed radiator technology, PCMB also presented different cooling characteristics, demonstrating that they were suitable for different practical application

Controlling Thermal Conduction by Graded Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Qin; Huang, Ji-Ping

2018-04-01

Manipulating thermal conductivities are fundamentally important for controlling the conduction of heat at will. Thermal cloaks and concentrators, which have been extensively studied recently, are actually graded materials designed according to coordinate transformation approaches, and their effective thermal conductivity is equal to that of the host medium outside the cloak or concentrator. Here we attempt to investigate a more general problem: what is the effective thermal conductivity of graded materials? In particular, we perform a first-principles approach to the analytic exact results of effective thermal conductivities of materials possessing either power-law or linear gradation profiles. On the other hand, by solving Laplace’s equation, we derive a differential equation for calculating the effective thermal conductivity of a material whose thermal conductivity varies along the radius with arbitrary gradation profiles. The two methods agree with each other for both external and internal heat sources, as confirmed by simulation and experiment. This work provides different methods for designing new thermal metamaterials (including thermal cloaks and concentrators), in order to control or manipulate the transfer of heat. Support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 11725521, by the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality under Grant No. 16ZR1445100

Indirect thermal control for improved reliability of Modular Multilevel Converter by utilizing circulating current

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dowlatabadi, Mohammadkazem Bakhshizadeh; Ma, Ke; Loh, Poh Chiang

2015-01-01

semiconductor devices are comprehensively investigated. Also a novel control strategy by utilizing the circulating current is proposed to enhance the reliability performance of MMC in order to limit the amplitude of thermal cycles. It is concluded that the circulating current may change the losses and thermal...

Experimental study of the influence of anticipated control on human thermal sensation and thermal comfort.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, X; Ouyang, Q; Zhu, Y; Feng, C; Zhang, X

2014-04-01

To investigate whether occupants' anticipated control of their thermal environment can influence their thermal comfort and to explain why the acceptable temperature range in naturally ventilated environments is greater than that in air-conditioned environments, a series of experiments were conducted in a climate chamber in which the thermal environment remained the same but the psychological environment varied. The results of the experiments show that the ability to control the environment can improve occupants' thermal sensation and thermal comfort. Specifically, occupants' anticipated control decreased their thermal sensation vote (TSV) by 0.4-0.5 and improved their thermal comfort vote (TCV) by 0.3-0.4 in neutral-warm environment. This improvement was due exclusively to psychological factors. In addition, having to pay the cost of cooling had no significant influence on the occupants' thermal sensation and thermal comfort in this experiment. Thus, having the ability to control the thermal environment can improve occupants' comfort even if there is a monetary cost involved. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Robust multi-model predictive control of multi-zone thermal plate system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Poom Jatunitanon

2018-02-01

Full Text Available A modern controller was designed by using the mathematical model of a multi–zone thermal plate system. An important requirement for this type of controller is that it must be able to keep the temperature set-point of each thermal zone. The mathematical model used in the design was determined through a system identification process. The results showed that when the operating condition is changed, the performance of the controller may be reduced as a result of the system parameter uncertainties. This paper proposes a weighting technique of combining the robust model predictive controller for each operating condition into a single robust multi-model predictive control. Simulation and experimental results showed that the proposed method performed better than the conventional multi-model predictive control in rise time of transient response, when used in a system designed to work over a wide range of operating conditions.

Preparation, characterization, and thermal properties of microencapsulated phase change material for thermal energy storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alkan, Cemil; Sari, Ahmet; Karaipekli, Ali [Department of Chemistry, Gaziosmanpasa University, 60240 Tokat (Turkey); Uzun, Orhan [Department of Physics, Gaziosmanpasa University, 60240 Tokat (Turkey)

2009-01-15

This study is focused on the preparation, characterization, and determination of thermal properties of microencapsulated docosane with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) as phase change material for thermal energy storage. Microencapsulation of docosane has been carried out by emulsion polymerization. The microencapsulated phase change material (MEPCM) was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Thermal properties and thermal stability of MEPCM were measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). DSC analysis indicated that the docosane in the microcapsules melts at 41.0 C and crystallizes at 40.6 C. It has latent heats of 54.6 and -48.7 J/g for melting and crystallization, respectively. TGA showed that the MEPCM degraded in three distinguishable steps and had good chemical stability. Accelerated thermal cycling tests also indicated that the MEPCM had good thermal reliability. Based on all these results, it can be concluded that the microencapsulated docosane as MEPCMs have good potential for thermal energy storage purposes such as solar space heating applications. (author)

Novel Magnetic-to-Thermal Conversion and Thermal Energy Management Composite Phase Change Material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoqiao Fan

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Superparamagnetic materials have elicited increasing interest due to their high-efficiency magnetothermal conversion. However, it is difficult to effectively manage the magnetothermal energy due to the continuous magnetothermal effect at present. In this study, we designed and synthesized a novel Fe3O4/PEG/SiO2 composite phase change material (PCM that can simultaneously realize magnetic-to-thermal conversion and thermal energy management because of outstanding thermal energy storage ability of PCM. The composite was fabricated by in situ doping of superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoclusters through a simple sol–gel method. The synthesized Fe3O4/PEG/SiO2 PCM exhibited good thermal stability, high phase change enthalpy, and excellent shape-stabilized property. This study provides an additional promising route for application of the magnetothermal effect.

Novel dynamic thermal characterization of multifunctional concretes with microencapsulated phase change materials

Science.gov (United States)

Pisello, Anna Laura; Fabiani, Claudia; D'Alessandro, Antonella; Cabeza, Luisa F.; Ubertini, Filippo; Cotana, Franco

2017-04-01

Concrete is widely applied in the construction sector for its reliable mechanical performance, its easiness of use and low costs. It also appears promising for enhancing the thermal-energy behavior of buildings thanks to its capability to be doped with multifunctional fillers. In fact, key studies acknowledged the benefits of thermally insulated concretes for applications in ceilings and walls. At the same time, thermal capacity also represents a key property to be optimized, especially for lightweight constructions. In this view, Thermal-Energy Storage (TES) systems have been recently integrated into building envelopes for increasing thermal inertia. More in detail, numerical experimental investigations showed how Phase Change materials (PCMs), as an acknowledged passive TES strategy, can be effectively included in building envelope, with promising results in terms of thermal buffer potentiality. In particular, this work builds upon previous papers aimed at developing the new PCM-filled concretes for structural applications and optimized thermalenergy efficiency, and it is focused on the development of a new experimental method for testing such composite materials in thermal-energy dynamic conditions simulated in laboratory by exposing samples to environmentally controlled microclimate while measuring thermal conductivity and diffusivity by means of transient plane source techniques. The key findings show how the new composites are able to increasingly delay the thermal wave with increasing the PCM concentration and how the thermal conductivity varies during the course of the phase change, in both melting and solidification processes. The new analysis produces useful findings in proposing an effective method for testing composite materials with adaptive thermal performance, much needed by the scientific community willing to study building envelopes dynamics.

Phase Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage

OpenAIRE

Stiebra, L; Cabulis, U; Knite, M

2014-01-01

Phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal energy storage (TES) have become an important subject of research in recent years. Using PCMs for thermal energy storage provides a solution to increase the efficiency of the storage and use of energy in many domestic and industrial sectors. Phase change TES systems offer a number of advantages over other systems (e.g. chemical storage systems): particularly small temperature distance between the storage and retrieval cycles, small unit sizes and lo...

Controlled Thermal Expansion Alloys

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — There has always been a need for controlled thermal expansion alloys suitable for mounting optics and detectors in spacecraft applications.  These alloys help...

Thermal oxidation for air toxics control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pennington, R.L.

1991-01-01

The Administration projects annual expenditures of $1.1 billion by 1995, increasing to $6.7 billion by 2005, in order to comply with the new Clean Air Act Title III hazardous air pollutant requirements. The Title III requirements include 189 hazardous air pollutants which must be reduced or eliminated by 2003. Twenty of the 189 listed pollutants account for approximately 75 percent of all hazardous air pollutant emissions. Ninety percent of these 20 pollutants can be effectively controlled through one or mote of the thermal oxidation technologies. This paper reports that the advantages and disadvantages of each thermal oxidation technology vary substantially and must be reviewed for each application in order to establish the most effective thermal oxidation solution. Effective thermal oxidation will meet MACT (maximum achievable control technology) emission standards

Thermal volume changes in clays and clay-stones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delage, P.; Sulem, J.; Mohajerani, M.; Tang, A.M.; Monfared, M.

2012-01-01

Document available in extended abstract form only. The disposal of high activity exothermic radioactive waste at great depth in clay host rocks will induce a temperature elevation that has been investigated in various underground research laboratories in Belgium, France and Switzerland through in-situ tests. Thermal effects are better known in clays (in particular Boom clay) than in clay-stone (e.g. Opalinus clay and Callovo-Oxfordian clay-stone). In terms of volume changes, Figure 1 confirms the findings of Hueckel and Baldi (1990) that volume changes depend on the over-consolidation ratio (OCR) of the clay. In drained conditions, normally consolidated clays exhibit plastic contraction when heated, whereas over-consolidated clay exhibit elastic dilation. The nature of thermal volume changes in heated clays obviously has a significant effect on thermally induced pore pressures, when drainage is not instantaneous like what occurs in-situ. Compared to clays, the thermal volume change behaviour of clay-stones is less well known than that of clays. clay-stone are a priori suspected to behave like over-consolidated clays. In this paper, a comparison of recent results obtained in the laboratory on the drained thermal volume changes of clay-stones is presented and discussed. It is difficult to run drained mechanical tests in clay-stones like the Opalinus clay and the Callovo-Oxfordian clay-stone because of their quite low permeability (10 -12 - 10 -13 m/s). This also holds true for thermal tests. Due to the significant difference in thermal expansion coefficient between minerals and water, it is necessary to adopt very slow heating rate (0.5 - 1 C/h) to avoid any thermal pressurization. To do so, a new hollow cylinder apparatus (100 mm external diameter, 60 mm internal diameter) with lateral drainages reducing the drainage length to half the sample thickness (10 mm) has been developed (Monfared et al. 2011). The results of a drained cyclic thermal test carried out on

Non-linear elastic thermal stress analysis with phase changes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amada, S.; Yang, W.H.

1978-01-01

The non-linear elastic, thermal stress analysis with temperature induced phase changes in the materials is presented. An infinite plate (or body) with a circular hole (or tunnel) is subjected to a thermal loading on its inner surface. The peak temperature around the hole reaches beyond the melting point of the material. The non-linear diffusion equation is solved numerically using the finite difference method. The material properties change rapidly at temperatures where the change of crystal structures and solid-liquid transition occur. The elastic stresses induced by the transient non-homogeneous temperature distribution are calculated. The stresses change remarkably when the phase changes occur and there are residual stresses remaining in the plate after one cycle of thermal loading. (Auth.)

Proportional and Integral Thermal Control System for Large Scale Heating Tests

Science.gov (United States)

Fleischer, Van Tran

2015-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Armstrong Flight Research Center (Edwards, California) Flight Loads Laboratory is a unique national laboratory that supports thermal, mechanical, thermal/mechanical, and structural dynamics research and testing. A Proportional Integral thermal control system was designed and implemented to support thermal tests. A thermal control algorithm supporting a quartz lamp heater was developed based on the Proportional Integral control concept and a linearized heating process. The thermal control equations were derived and expressed in terms of power levels, integral gain, proportional gain, and differences between thermal setpoints and skin temperatures. Besides the derived equations, user's predefined thermal test information generated in the form of thermal maps was used to implement the thermal control system capabilities. Graphite heater closed-loop thermal control and graphite heater open-loop power level were added later to fulfill the demand for higher temperature tests. Verification and validation tests were performed to ensure that the thermal control system requirements were achieved. This thermal control system has successfully supported many milestone thermal and thermal/mechanical tests for almost a decade with temperatures ranging from 50 F to 3000 F and temperature rise rates from -10 F/s to 70 F/s for a variety of test articles having unique thermal profiles and test setups.

Root zone temperature control with thermal energy storage in phase change materials for soilless greenhouse applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beyhan, Beyza; Paksoy, Halime; Daşgan, Yıldız

2013-01-01

Highlights: • PCM based passive root zone temperature control system was developed. • The system was tested with zucchinis and peppers in a greenhouse in Turkey. • Two different fatty acids and mixtures were determined as suitable PCMs. • The optimum temperature levels necessary for growth of vegetables were maintained. - Abstract: A new root zone temperature control system based on thermal energy storage in phase change materials (PCM) has been developed for soilless agriculture greenhouses. The aim was to obtain optimum growing temperatures around the roots of plants. The candidate PCMs were 40% oleic acid–60% decanoic acid mixture and oleic acid alone. Field experiments with these PCMs were carried out in November 2009 with Cucurbite Pepo and March 2010 with Capsicum annum plants. No additional heating system was used in the greenhouse during these periods. In the November 2009 tests with zucchini, 40% oleic acid + 60% capric acid mixture was the PCM and a temperature increase in the PCM container (versus the control container) was measured as 1.9 °C. In our March 2010 tests with peppers, both PCMs were tried and the PCM mixture was found to be more effective than using oleic acidalone. A maximum temperature difference achieved by the PCM mixture around the roots of peppers was 2.4 °C higher than that near the control plants

Thermal conductivity and latent heat thermal energy storage properties of LDPE/wax as a shape-stabilized composite phase change material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trigui, Abdelwaheb; Karkri, Mustapha; Krupa, Igor

2014-01-01

Highlights: • This study deals with the comparison of experimental results for different PCM composite to be used in passive solar walls. • This paper reports on the successful use of a specific experimental method in order to characterize the phase change effects. • The results have shown that most important thermal properties of these composites at the solid and liquid states. • Results indicate the thermal effectiveness of phase change material and significant amount of energy saving can be achieved. • Heat flux measurements are a very interesting experimental source of data which comes to complete the calorimetric device (DSC). - Abstract: Phase change material (PCM) composites based on low-density polyethylene (LDPE) with paraffin waxes were investigated in this study. The composites were prepared using a meltmixing method with a Brabender-Plastograph. The LDPE as the supporting matrix kept the molten waxes in compact shape during its phase transition from solid to liquid. Immiscibility of the PCMs (waxes) and the supporting matrix (LDPE) is a necessary property for effective energy storage. Therefore, this type paraffin can be used in a latent heat storage system without encapsulation. The objective of this research is to use PCM composite as integrated components in a passive solar wall. The proposed composite TROMBE wall allows daily storage of the solar energy in a building envelope and restitution in the evening, with a possible control of the air flux in a ventilated air layer. An experimental set-up was built to determine the thermal response of these composites to thermal solicitations. In addition, a DSC analysis was carried out. The results have shown that most important thermal properties of these composites at the solid and liquid states, like the “apparent” thermal conductivity, the heat storage capacity and the latent heat of fusion. Results indicate the performance of the proposed system is affected by the thermal effectiveness of

Improvements to the measurement of the thermal properties of phase change materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kravvaritis, E D; Antonopoulos, K A; Tzivanidis, C

2010-01-01

Improvements are proposed to the well-known T-history method, which is widely used for thermal properties measurement of phase change materials (PCM). Our improvements refer to the experimental arrangement, to the way of measurement processing, as well as to the kind and presentation format of the final results. The proposed arrangement has a controlled indoor environment and is fully automatic, without need for staff attendance, even for repeated sets of measurements of the same or different PCM simultaneously. The proposed way of measurement processing is based on the use of thermal delay (i.e. temperature difference) between PCM and a reference fluid at any specified time and not in the use of their time delay at any specified temperature. This fundamental change leads to increased accuracy and considerable reduction of duration and labour of the measurement processing, as proved by the performed measurements of various PCM. The effective thermal capacity function as a final result is proved to be more useful than the results of the original method. The new procedure is a first step towards defining specifications for the measurement of PCM thermal properties

Passive thermal management using phase change materials

Science.gov (United States)

Ganatra, Yash Yogesh

The trend of enhanced functionality and reducing thickness of mobile devices has. led to a rapid increase in power density and a potential thermal bottleneck since. thermal limits of components remain unchanged. Active cooling mechanisms are not. feasible due to size, weight and cost constraints. This work explores the feasibility. of a passive cooling system based on Phase Change Materials (PCMs) for thermal. management of mobile devices. PCMs stabilize temperatures due to the latent heat. of phase change thus increasing the operating time of the device before threshold. temperatures are exceeded. The primary contribution of this work is the identification. of key parameters which influence the design of a PCM based thermal management. system from both the experiments and the numerical models. This work first identifies strategies for integrating PCMs in an electronic device. A. detailed review of past research, including experimental techniques and computational. models, yields key material properties and metrics to evaluate the performance of. PCMs. Subsequently, a miniaturized version of a conventional thermal conductivity. measurement technique is developed to characterize thermal resistance of PCMs. Further, latent heat and transition temperatures are also characterized for a wide. range of PCMs. In-situ measurements with PCMs placed on the processor indicate that some. PCMs can extend the operating time of the device by as much as a factor of 2.48. relative to baseline tests (with no PCMs). This increase in operating time is investigated. by computational thermal models that explore various integration locations, both at the package and device level.

Thermal control system. [removing waste heat from industrial process spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Hewitt, D. R. (Inventor)

1983-01-01

The temperature of an exothermic process plant carried aboard an Earth orbiting spacecraft is regulated using a number of curved radiator panels accurately positioned in a circular arrangement to form an open receptacle. A module containing the process is insertable into the receptacle. Heat exchangers having broad exterior surfaces extending axially above the circumference of the module fit within arcuate spacings between adjacent radiator panels. Banks of variable conductance heat pipes partially embedded within and thermally coupled to the radiator panels extend across the spacings and are thermally coupled to broad exterior surfaces of the heat exchangers by flanges. Temperature sensors monitor the temperature of process fluid flowing from the module through the heat exchanges. Thermal conduction between the heat exchangers and the radiator panels is regulated by heating a control fluid within the heat pipes to vary the effective thermal length of the heat pipes in inverse proportion to changes in the temperature of the process fluid.

Thermal cycling fatigue of organic thermal interface materials using a thermal-displacement measurement technique

Science.gov (United States)

Steill, Jason Scott

The long term reliability of polymer-based thermal interface materials (TIM) is essential for modern electronic packages which require robust thermal management. The challenge for today's materials scientists and engineers is to maximize the heat flow from integrated circuits through a TIM and out the heat sink. Thermal cycling of the electronic package and non-uniformity in the heat flux with respect to the plan area can lead to void formation and delamination which re-introduces inefficient heat transfer. Measurement and understanding at the nano-scale is essential for TIM development. Finding and documenting the evolution of the defects is dependent upon a full understanding of the thermal probes response to changing environmental conditions and the effects of probe usage. The response of the thermal-displacement measurement technique was dominated by changes to the environment. Accurate measurement of the thermal performance was hindered by the inability to create a model system and control the operating conditions. This research highlights the need for continued study into the probe's thermal and mechanical response using tightly controlled test conditions.

Temperature-gated thermal rectifier for active heat flow control.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Jia; Hippalgaonkar, Kedar; Shen, Sheng; Wang, Kevin; Abate, Yohannes; Lee, Sangwook; Wu, Junqiao; Yin, Xiaobo; Majumdar, Arun; Zhang, Xiang

2014-08-13

Active heat flow control is essential for broad applications of heating, cooling, and energy conversion. Like electronic devices developed for the control of electric power, it is very desirable to develop advanced all-thermal solid-state devices that actively control heat flow without consuming other forms of energy. Here we demonstrate temperature-gated thermal rectification using vanadium dioxide beams in which the environmental temperature actively modulates asymmetric heat flow. In this three terminal device, there are two switchable states, which can be regulated by global heating. In the "Rectifier" state, we observe up to 28% thermal rectification. In the "Resistor" state, the thermal rectification is significantly suppressed (Rectifier state. This temperature-gated rectifier can have substantial implications ranging from autonomous thermal management of heating and cooling systems to efficient thermal energy conversion and storage.

Microkelvin thermal control system for the laser interferometer space antenna mission and beyond

Science.gov (United States)

Higuchi, Sei

2009-10-01

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission aims to detect directly gravitational waves from massive black holes and galactic binaries. Through detecting gravitational waves, we can study blackholes and the origin of the universe, which is inaccessible from the electromagnetic wave spectrum. It will open a new window to the universe. LISA is essentially a Michelson interferometer placed in space with a third spacecraft added. Gravitational waves are time-varying strain in space-time, which is detectable as a fractional change in a proper distance. LISA will monitor fractional changes in the interferometer arms of a nominally 5 million km. The fractional change in the arm length can be as small as 1 x 10-21 m/(m · Hz ) even for powerful sources. LISA makes use of the gravitational reference sensors (GRS) for drag-free control and will achieve the required sensitivity through management of specific acceleration noise. The total acceleration disturbance to each proof mass, which floats at the center of each GRS, is required to be below 3 x 10-15 m/(s2 · Hz ). Thermal variations due to, for example, solar irradiation, or temperature gradients across the proof mass housing, are expected to be significant disturbance source to the LISA sensitivity requirements. Even a small temperature gradient can produce distortions in the housing structure, which results in a mass attraction force. In this thesis, I focus on developing a thermal control system that aims to achieve the temperature stability of 10 muK / Hz over 0.1 mHz to 1 Hz. We have chosen glass-bead thermistors as the temperature sensor for feedback temperature control of the GRS. First, we created a temperature sensor design program in MATLAB that provides an optimal values of resistances in the thermistor bridge circuit for the given application. The spectral stability of the sensor achieves as low as 20 muK/ Hz at 1 mHz with a DC excitation source. The LISA thermal requirement is met by employing AC

Thermal performance analysis of a phase change thermal storage unit for space heating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Halawa, E.; Saman, W. [Institute for Sustainable Systems and Technologies School of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes SA 5095 (Australia)

2011-01-15

This paper presents the results of a comprehensive numerical study on the thermal performance of an air based phase change thermal storage unit (TSU) for space heating. The unit is designed for integration into space heating and cooling systems. The unit consists of a number of one dimensional phase change material (PCM) slabs contained in a rectangular duct where air passes between the slabs. The numerical analysis was based on an experimentally validated model. A parametric study has been carried out including the study on the effects of charge and discharge temperature differences, air mass flow rate, slab thicknesses, air gaps and slab dimensions on the air outlet temperatures and heat transfer rates of the thermal storage unit. The paper introduces and discusses quantities called charge and discharge temperature differences which play an important role in the melting and freezing processes. (author)

Transient thermal camouflage and heat signature control

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Tian-Zhi; Su, Yishu; Xu, Weikai; Yang, Xiao-Dong

2016-09-01

Thermal metamaterials have been proposed to manipulate heat flux as a new way to cloak or camouflage objects in the infrared world. To date, however, thermal metamaterials only operate in the steady-state and exhibit detectable, transient heat signatures. In this letter, the theoretical basis for a thermal camouflaging technique with controlled transient diffusion is presented. This technique renders an object invisible in real time. More importantly, the thermal camouflaging device instantaneously generates a pre-designed heat signature and behaves as a perfect thermal illusion device. A metamaterial coating with homogeneous and isotropic thermal conductivity, density, and volumetric heat capacity was fabricated and very good camouflaging performance was achieved.

Thermal control surfaces on the MSFC LDEF experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilkes, D.R.; Whitaker, A.F.; Zwiener, J.M.; Linton, R.C.; Shular, D.; Peters, P.N.; Gregory, J.C.

1992-01-01

There were five Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) experiments on the LDEF. Each of those experiments carried thermal control surfaces either as test samples or as operational surfaces. These materials experienced varying degrees of mechanical and optical damage. Some materials were virtually unchanged by the extended exposure while others suffered extensive degradation. The synergistic effects due to the constituents of the space environment are evident in the diversity of these material changes. The sample complement for the MSFC experiments is described along with results of the continuing analyses efforts

Thermal performance of a phase change material on a nickel-plated surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nurmawati, M.H.; Siow, K.S.; Rasiah, I.J.

2004-01-01

Thermal control becomes increasingly vital with IC chips becoming faster and smaller. The need to keep chips within acceptable operating temperatures is a growing challenge. Thermal interface materials (TIM) form the interfaces that improve heat transfer from the heat-generating chip to the heat dissipating thermal solution. One of the most commonly used materials in today's electronics industry is phase change material (PCM). Typically, the heat spreader is a nickel-plated copper surface. The compatibility of the PCM to this surface is crucial to the performance of the TIM. In this paper, we report on the performance of this interface. To that end, an instrument to suitably measure critical parameters, like the apparent and contact thermal resistance of the TIM, is developed according to the ASTM D5470 and calibrated. A brief theory of TIM is described and the properties of the PCM were investigated using the instrument. Thermal resistance measurements were made to investigate the effects of physical parameters like pressure, temperature and supplied power on the thermal performance of the material on nickel-plated surface. Conclusions were drawn on the effectiveness of the interface and their application in IC packages

Thermal modeling and temperature control of a PEM fuel cell system for forklift applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liso, Vincenzo; Nielsen, Mads Pagh; Kær, Søren Knudsen

2014-01-01

Temperature changes in PEM fuel cell stacks are considerably higher during load variations and have a negative impact as they generate thermal stresses and stack degradation. Cell hydration is also of vital importance in fuel cells and it is strongly dependent on operating temperature....... A combination of high temperature and reduced humidity increases the degradation rate. Stack thermal management and control are, thus, crucial issues in PEM fuel cell systems especially in automotive applications such as forklifts. In this paper we present a control–oriented dynamic model of a liquid–cooled PEM...... fuel cell system for studying temperature variations over fast load changes. A temperature dependent cell polarization and hydration model integrated with the compressor, humidifier and cooling system are simulated in dynamic condition. A feedback PID control was implemented for stack cooling...

Vapor Chamber with Phase Change Material-based Wick Structure for Thermal Control of Manned Spacecraft, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — In response to NASA SBIR solicitation H3.01 "Thermal Control for Future Human Exploration", Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (ACT) is proposing a novel Phase...

Embedded Thermal Control for Subsystems for Next Generation Spacecraft Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Didion, Jeffrey R.

2015-01-01

Thermal Fluids and Analysis Workshop, Silver Spring MD NCTS 21070-15. NASA, the Defense Department and commercial interests are actively engaged in developing miniaturized spacecraft systems and scientific instruments to leverage smaller cheaper spacecraft form factors such as CubeSats. This paper outlines research and development efforts among Goddard Space Flight Center personnel and its several partners to develop innovative embedded thermal control subsystems. Embedded thermal control subsystems is a cross cutting enabling technology integrating advanced manufacturing techniques to develop multifunctional intelligent structures to reduce Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) consumption of both the thermal control subsystem and overall spacecraft. Embedded thermal control subsystems permit heat acquisition and rejection at higher temperatures than state of the art systems by employing both advanced heat transfer equipment (integrated heat exchangers) and high heat transfer phenomena. The Goddard Space Flight Center Thermal Engineering Branch has active investigations seeking to characterize advanced thermal control systems for near term spacecraft missions. The embedded thermal control subsystem development effort consists of fundamental research as well as development of breadboard and prototype hardware and spaceflight validation efforts. This paper will outline relevant fundamental investigations of micro-scale heat transfer and electrically driven liquid film boiling. The hardware development efforts focus upon silicon based high heat flux applications (electronic chips, power electronics etc.) and multifunctional structures. Flight validation efforts include variable gravity campaigns and a proposed CubeSat based flight demonstration of a breadboard embedded thermal control system. The CubeSat investigation is technology demonstration will characterize in long-term low earth orbit a breadboard embedded thermal subsystem and its individual components to develop

Thermal treating of acrylic matrices as a tool for controlling drug release.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasanzadeh, Davood; Ghaffari, Solmaz; Monajjemzadeh, Farnaz; Al-Hallak, M H D-Kamal; Soltani, Ghazal; Azarmi, Shirzad

2009-12-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of thermal-treating on the release of ibuprofen from the granules prepared using aqueous dispersions of Eudragit. To accomplish this goal, different formulations were prepared using wet granulation method containing two different types of Eudragit aqueous dispersions, RS30D, RL30D and Avicel as filler. Tablets were prepared using direct compression method. The prepared tablets were thermally treated at 50 and 70 degrees C for 24 h. The drug release from tablets was assessed before and after thermal-treating. The results of release study showed that, thermally-treating the tablets at the temperatures higher than glass transition temperature (Tg) of the polymer can decrease the drug release from matrices. For mechanistic evaluation of the effect of thermal-treating, powder X-ray diffraction (XPD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and helium pycnometer have been employed. The SEM graphs showed that the tablets have smoother surface with less porosity after thermal-treating. FT-IR spectra showed no change in the spectrum of thermally-treated tablet compared to control. In DSC graphs, no crystalline change was seen in the heat-treated samples of ibuprofen tablets, but decreased and widened peak size were related to the probable formation of solid solution of ibuprofen in Eudragit matrix. The results of helium pycnometer showed a significant decrease in the total porosity of some heat-treated samples. This study revealed the importance of thermal treating on the drug release from sustained release tablets containing Eudragit polymer.

Thermal Vacuum Test of Ice as a Phase Change Material Integrated with a Radiator

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Steve A.; Leimkuehler, Thomas O.; Stephan, Ryan; Le, Hung V.

2010-01-01

Water may be used as radiation shielding for Solar Particle Events (SPE) to protect crewmembers in the Lunar Electric Rover (LER). Because the water is already present for radiation protection, it could also provide a mass efficient solution to the vehicle's thermal control system. This water can be frozen by heat rejection from a radiator and used as a Phase Change Material (PC1V1) for thermal storage. Use of this water as a PCM can eliminate the need for a pumped fluid loop thermal control system as well as reduce the required size of the radiator. This paper describes the testing and analysis performed for the Rover Engineering Development Unit (REDU), a scaled-down version of a water PCM heat sink for the LER. The REDU was tested in a thermal-vacuum chamber at environmental temperatures similar to those of a horizontal radiator panel on the lunar surface. Testing included complete freeze and melt cycles along with scaled transient heat load profiles simulating a 24-hour day for the rover.

Shape memory thermal conduction switch

Science.gov (United States)

Vaidyanathan, Rajan (Inventor); Krishnan, Vinu (Inventor); Notardonato, William U. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A thermal conduction switch includes a thermally-conductive first member having a first thermal contacting structure for securing the first member as a stationary member to a thermally regulated body or a body requiring thermal regulation. A movable thermally-conductive second member has a second thermal contacting surface. A thermally conductive coupler is interposed between the first member and the second member for thermally coupling the first member to the second member. At least one control spring is coupled between the first member and the second member. The control spring includes a NiTiFe comprising shape memory (SM) material that provides a phase change temperature <273 K, a transformation range <40 K, and a hysteresis of <10 K. A bias spring is between the first member and the second member. At the phase change the switch provides a distance change (displacement) between first and second member by at least 1 mm, such as 2 to 4 mm.

Towards the control of car underhood thermal conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khaled, Mahmoud; Harambat, Fabien; Peerhossaini, Hassan

2011-01-01

The present paper reports an experimental study of the aerothermal phenomena in the vehicle underhood compartment as investigated by measuring temperature, convective heat flux, and radiative heat flux. Measurements are carried out on a passenger vehicle in wind tunnel S4 of Saint-Cyr-France. The underhood space is instrumented by 120 surface and air thermocouples and 20 fluxmeters. Measurements are performed for three thermal functioning conditions while the engine is in operation and the front wheels are positioned on the test facility with power-absorption-controlled rollers. In the thermal analysis, particular attention is given to measuring absorbed convective heat fluxes at component surfaces. It is shown that, in some components, the outside air entering the engine compartment (for cooling certain components) can in fact heat other components. This problem arises from the underhood architecture, specifically the positioning of some components downstream of warmer components in the same airflow. Optimized thermal management suggests placing these components further upstream or isolating them from the hot stream by deflectors. Given style constraints, however, the use of air deflectors is more suitable than underhood architectural changes. Much of the present paper is devoted to heat flux analysis of the specific thermal behaviours in the underhood compartment (especially the absorption of convective heat fluxes) and to a description of a new control approach exploiting air deflectors to optimize underhood aerothermal management. - Research highlights: → We present a physical analysis of particular underhood aerothermal behaviors. → In this analysis, convective heat flux absorption should be noted. → A new optimization procedure based on this physical analysis is proposed. → It entails airflow redistribution in the underhood through deflectors. → The new procedures are simple and easy to implement in the car underhood.

Thermal Equilibrium Dynamic Control Based on DPWM Dual-Mode Modulation of High Power NPC Three-Level Inverter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shi-Zhou Xu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In some special applications of NPC three-level inverters, such as mine hoist, there exist special conditions of overloading during the whole hoisting process and large overload in starting stage, during which the power-loss calculation of power devices and thermal control are important factors affecting the thermal stability of inverters. The principles of SVPWM and DPWM were described in this paper firstly, based on which the dynamic power losses of the two modulations of hoist in single period were calculated. Secondly, a thermal equilibrium dynamic control based on DPMW dual-mode modulation was proposed, which can switch the modulation dynamically according to the change of dynamic power loss to realize dynamic control of power loss and thermal equilibrium of inverter. Finally, simulation and experiment prove the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.

A review of phase change materials for vehicle component thermal buffering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jankowski, Nicholas R.; McCluskey, F. Patrick

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A review of latent heat thermal energy storage for vehicle thermal load leveling. • Examined vehicle applications with transient thermal profiles from 0 to 800 °C. • >700 materials from over a dozen material classes examined for the applications. • Recommendations made for future application of high power density materials. - Abstract: The use of latent heat thermal energy storage for thermally buffering vehicle systems is reviewed. Vehicle systems with transient thermal profiles are classified according to operating temperatures in the range of 0–800 °C. Thermal conditions of those applications are examined relative to their impact on thermal buffer requirements, and prior phase change thermal enhancement studies for these applications are discussed. In addition a comprehensive overview of phase change materials covering the relevant operating range is given, including selection criteria and a detailed list of over 700 candidate materials from a number of material classes. Promising material candidates are identified for each vehicle system based on system temperature, specific and volumetric latent heat, and thermal conductivity. Based on the results of previous thermal load leveling efforts, there is the potential for making significant improvements in both emissions reduction and overall energy efficiency by further exploration of PCM thermal buffering on vehicles. Recommendations are made for further material characterization, with focus on the need for improved data for metallic and solid-state phase change materials for high energy density applications

The Calipso Thermal Control Subsystem

Science.gov (United States)

Gasbarre, Joseph F.; Ousley, Wes; Valentini, Marc; Thomas, Jason; Dejoie, Joel

2007-01-01

The Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) is a joint NASA-CNES mission to study the Earth s cloud and aerosol layers. The satellite is composed of a primary payload (built by Ball Aerospace) and a spacecraft platform bus (PROTEUS, built by Alcatel Alenia Space). The thermal control subsystem (TCS) for the CALIPSO satellite is a passive design utilizing radiators, multi-layer insulation (MLI) blankets, and both operational and survival surface heaters. The most temperature sensitive component within the satellite is the laser system. During thermal vacuum testing of the integrated satellite, the laser system s operational heaters were found to be inadequate in maintaining the lasers required set point. In response, a solution utilizing the laser system s survival heaters to augment the operational heaters was developed with collaboration between NASA, CNES, Ball Aerospace, and Alcatel-Alenia. The CALIPSO satellite launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on April 26th, 2006. Evaluation of both the platform and payload thermal control systems show they are performing as expected and maintaining the critical elements of the satellite within acceptable limits.

A thermal manikin with human thermoregulatory control: implementation and validation.

Science.gov (United States)

Foda, Ehab; Sirén, Kai

2012-09-01

Tens of different sorts of thermal manikins are employed worldwide, mainly in the evaluation of clothing thermal insulation and thermal environments. They are regulated thermally using simplified control modes. This paper reports on the implementation and validation of a new thermoregulatory control mode for thermal manikins. The new control mode is based on a multi-segmental Pierce (MSP) model. In this study, the MSP control mode was implemented, using the LabVIEW platform, onto the control system of the thermal manikin 'Therminator'. The MSP mode was then used to estimate the segmental equivalent temperature (t(eq)) along with constant surface temperature (CST) mode under two asymmetric thermal conditions. Furthermore, subjective tests under the same two conditions were carried out using 17 human subjects. The estimated segmental t(eq) from the experiments with the two modes and from the subjective assessment were compared in order to validate the use of the MSP mode for the estimation of t(eq). The results showed that the t(eq) values estimated by the MSP mode were closer to the subjective mean votes under the two test conditions for most body segments and compared favourably with values estimated by the CST mode.

Comparative analyses on dynamic performances of photovoltaic–thermal solar collectors integrated with phase change materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su, Di; Jia, Yuting; Alva, Guruprasad; Liu, Lingkun; Fang, Guiyin

2017-01-01

Highlights: • The dynamic model of photovoltaic–thermal collector with phase change material was developed. • The performances of photovoltaic–thermal collector are performed comparative analyses. • The performances of photovoltaic–thermal collector with phase change material were evaluated. • Upper phase change material mode can improve performances of photovoltaic–thermal collector. - Abstract: The operating conditions (especially temperature) of photovoltaic–thermal solar collectors have significant influence on dynamic performance of the hybrid photovoltaic–thermal solar collectors. Only a small percentage of incoming solar radiation can be converted into electricity, and the rest is converted into heat. This heat leads to a decrease in efficiency of the photovoltaic module. In order to improve the performance of the hybrid photovoltaic–thermal solar collector, we performed comparative analyses on a hybrid photovoltaic–thermal solar collector integrated with phase change material. Electrical and thermal parameters like solar cell temperature, outlet temperature of air, electrical power, thermal power, electrical efficiency, thermal efficiency and overall efficiency are simulated and analyzed to evaluate the dynamic performance of the hybrid photovoltaic–thermal collector. It is found that the position of phase change material layer in the photovoltaic–thermal collector has a significant effect on the performance of the photovoltaic–thermal collector. The results indicate that upper phase change material mode in the photovoltaic–thermal collector can significantly improve the thermal and electrical performance of photovoltaic–thermal collector. It is found that overall efficiency of photovoltaic–thermal collector in ‘upper phase change material’ mode is 10.7% higher than that in ‘no phase change material’ mode. Further, for a photovoltaic–thermal collector with upper phase change material, it is verified that 3 cm

Thermal sensation and thermophysiological responses with metabolic step-changes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Goto, Tomonobu; Toftum, Jørn; deDear, Richard

2006-01-01

at sedentary activity. In a second experimental series, subjects alternated between rest and exercise as well as between exercise at different intensities at two temperature levels. Measurements comprised skin and oesophageal temperatures, heart rate and subjective responses. Thermal sensation started to rise....... The sensitivity of thermal sensation to changes in core temperature was higher for activity down-steps than for up-steps. A model was proposed that estimates transient thermal sensation after metabolic step-changes. Based on predictions by the model, weighting factors were suggested to estimate a representative...... average metabolic rate with varying activity levels, e.g. for the prediction of thermal sensation by steady-state comfort models. The activity during the most recent 5 min should be weighted 65%, during the prior 10-5 min 25% and during the prior 20-10 min 10%....

Near-IR imaging of thermal changes in enamel during laser ablation

Science.gov (United States)

Maung, Linn H.; Lee, Chulsung; Fried, Daniel

2010-02-01

The objective of this work was to observe the various thermal-induced optical changes that occur in the near-infrared (NIR) during drilling in dentin and enamel with the laser and the high-speed dental handpiece. Tooth sections of ~ 3 mm-thickness were prepared from extracted human incisors (N=60). Samples were ablated with a mechanically scanned CO2 laser operating at a wavelength of 9.3-μm, a 300-Hz laser pulse repetition rate, and a laser pulse duration of 10-20 μs. An InGaAs imaging camera was used to acquire real-time NIR images at 1300-nm of thermal and mechanical changes (cracks). Enamel was rapidly removed by the CO2 laser without peripheral thermal damage by mechanically scanning the laser beam while a water spray was used to cool the sample. Comparison of the peripheral thermal and mechanical changes produced while cutting with the laser and the high-speed hand-piece suggest that enamel and dentin can be removed at high speed by the CO2 laser without excessive peripheral thermal or mechanical damage. Only 2 of the 15 samples ablated with the laser showed the formation of small cracks while 9 out of 15 samples exhibited crack formation with the dental hand-piece. The first indication of thermal change is a decrease in transparency due to loss of the mobile water from pores in the enamel which increase lightscattering. To test the hypothesis that peripheral thermal changes were caused by loss of mobile water in the enamel, thermal changes were intentionally induced by heating the surface. The mean attenuation coefficient of enamel increased significantly from 2.12 +/- 0.82 to 5.08 +/- 0.98 with loss of mobile water due to heating.

Synthesis and performances of novel solid–solid phase change materials with hexahydroxy compounds for thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Changzhong; Liu, Wenmin; Wang, Hongwei; Peng, Kelin

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Three new kinds of SSPCMs were synthesized with different skeleton materials. • The phase change properties and thermal stability of SSPCMs were investigated. • The maximum enthalpy in heating (cooling) process is 107.5 kJ/kg (102.9 kJ/kg). • The rigid groups and crosslinking structure of SSPCMs improve the thermal stability. • The SSPCMs could be applied in the temperature range of 30–70 °C. - Abstract: Three kinds of new polymeric SSPCMs with different crosslinking structures were synthesized and characterized for thermal energy storage. In the SSPCMs, three hexahydroxy compounds (sorbitol, dipentaerythritol and inositol) were individually employed as the molecular skeleton and polyethylene glycol (PEG) was used as the phase change functional chain. The molecular structure, crystalline properties, phase change behaviors, thermal reliability and stability of the synthesized SSPCMs were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG), respectively. The results show that the prepared SSPCMs possess high thermal energy storage density and an applicable temperature range of 30–70 °C, and the maximum phase change enthalpy in the heating and cooling process for the SSPCMs is 107.5 kJ/kg and 102.9 kJ/kg, respectively. The prepared SSPCMs have good reusability, excellent thermal reliability and stability from the heating-cooling thermal cycle test and TG curves. The resultant SSPCMs could be potentially applied in the areas of thermal energy storage and temperature-control

Thermally and magnetically controlled superconducting rectifiers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mulder, G.B.J.; TenKate, H.H.J.; Krooshoop, H.J.G.; Van de Klundert, L.J.M.

1989-01-01

The switches of a superconducting rectifier can be controlled either magnetically or thermally. The main purpose of this paper is to point out the differences between both methods of switching and discuss the consequences for the operation of the rectifier. The discussion is illustrated by the experimental results of a rectifier which was tested with magnetically as well as thermally controlled switches. It has an input current of 30 A, an output current of more than 1 kA and an operating frequency of a few Hertz. A superconducting magnet connected to this rectifier can be energized at a rate exceeding 1 MJ/hour and an efficiency of about 97%

Effect of carbon nanospheres on shape stabilization and thermal behavior of phase change materials for thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mehrali, Mohammad; Tahan Latibari, Sara; Mehrali, Mehdi; Mahlia, Teuku Meurah Indra; Cornelis Metselaar, Hendrik Simon

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Introducing novel form-stable PCM of stearic acid (SA)/carbon nanospheres (CNSs). • The highest stabilized SA content is 83 wt% in the SA/CNS composites. • Increasing thermal conductivity of composite phase change material with high amount of latent heat. - Abstract: Stearic acid (SA) is one of the main phase change materials (PCMs) for medium temperature thermal energy storage systems. In order to stabilize the shape and enhance the thermal conductivity of SA, the effects of adding carbon nanospheres (CNSs) as a carbon nanofiller were examined experimentally. The maximum mass fraction of SA retained in CNSs was found as 80 wt% without the leakage of SA in a melted state, even when it was heated over the melting point of SA. The dropping point test shows that there was clearly no liquid leakage through the phase change process at the operating temperature range of the composite PCMs. The thermal stability and thermal properties of composite PCMs were investigated with a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), respectively. The thermal conductivity of the SA/CNS composite was determined by the laser flash method. The thermal conductivity at 35 °C increased about 105% for the highest loading of CNS (50 wt%). The thermal cycling test proved that form-stable composite PCMs had good thermal reliability and chemical durability after 1000 cycles of melting and freezing, which is advantageous for latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES)

Emission and thermal performance upgrade through advanced control backfit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Banerjee, A.K. [Stone & Webster Engineering Corporation, Boston, MA (United States)

1994-12-31

Reducing emission and improving thermal performance of currently operating power plants is a high priority. A majority of these power plants are over 20 years old with old control systems. Upgrading the existing control systems with the latest technology has many benefits, the most cost beneficial are the reduction of emission and improving thermal performance. The payback period is usually less than two years. Virginia Power is installing Stone & Webster`s NO{sub x} Emissions Advisor and Advanced Steam Temperature Control systems on Possum Point Units 3 and 4 to achieve near term NO{sub x} reductions while maintaining high thermal performance. Testing has demonstrated NO{sub x} reductions of greater than 20 percent through the application of NO{sub x} Emissions Advisor on these units. The Advanced Steam Temperature Control system which has been operational at Virginia Power`s Mt. Storm Unit 1 has demonstrated a signification improvement in unit thermal performance and controllability. These control systems are being combined at Units 3 and 4 to reduce NO{sub x} emissions and achieve improved unit thermal performance and control response with the existing combustion hardware. Installation has been initiated and is expected to be completed by the spring of 1995. Possum Point Power Station Units 3 and 4 are pulverized coal, tangentially fired boilers producing 107 and 232 MW and have a distributed control system and a PC based performance monitoring system. The installation of the advanced control and automation system will utilize existing control equipment requiring the addition of several PCs and PLC.

Thermal Behavior of Mixtures of Perlite and Phase Change Materials in a Simulated Climate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Childs, K.W.; Childs, P.W.; Christian, J.E.; Petrie, T.W.

1995-01-01

Carefully controlled and well documented experiments have been done for two candidate configurations to control the heat load on a conditioned space. The 2:1 PCM/perlite mixture and the 6:1 PCM/perlite mixture, both on a weight basis, accomplished thermal control. The 2:1 system seemed to have enough PCM to be effective and involve a much larger fraction of its PCM in diurnal freezing and melting than the 6:1 system. It is a good starting point for engineering design of an optimum thermal control system. The results from the 2:1 system were reproduced with the computer program HEATING to prove that we know the relevant mechanisms and thermophysical properties of the PCM used in the system. Even without a model for the supersaturation and hysteresis that this material exhibited, HEATING reproduced the heat fluxes to the conditioned space in the experiments accurately enough to mirror the good thermal control performance of the system. The modified sensible heat capacity that was used in HEATING is a handy way to account for phase change effects and could be used in a subroutine to compute hourly phase change effects for whole building models like DOE-2. The experiments were done with PCM/perlite mixtures sealed in small methylmethacrylate boxes and covered top and bottom by XPS. The boxes allowed precise placement of the instrumentation used to follow the phase change effects. The XPS gave high R-value per unit thickness. A more practical prototype configuration such as PCM/perlite hermetically sealed in plastic pouches between layers of batts or blown-in insulation should be tested over a larger cross section. A good candidate is the whole attic cavity of the manufactured home test section used in the present work. Use of a PCM that does not exhibit supersaturation and hysteresis would make interpretation of the results easier. If the results of the larger scale test areas are as encouraging as the test cell results, a whole house model with a phase change

Accelerated long-term assessment of thermal and chemical stability of bio-based phase change materials

Science.gov (United States)

Thermal energy storage (TES) systems incorporated with phase change materials (PCMs) have potential applications to control energy use by building envelopes. However, it is essential to evaluate long term performance of the PCMs and cost effectiveness prior to full scale implementation. For this rea...

Heat transfer and thermal storage performance of an open thermosyphon type thermal storage unit with tubular phase change material canisters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Ping-Yang; Hu, Bo-Wen; Liu, Zhen-Hua

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A novel open heat pipe thermal storage unit is design to improve its performance. • Mechanism of its operation is phase-change heat transfer. • Tubular canisters with phase change material were placed in thermal storage unit. • Experiment and analysis are carried out to investigate its operation properties. - Abstract: A novel open thermosyphon-type thermal storage unit is presented to improve design and performance of heat pipe type thermal storage unit. In the present study, tubular canisters filled with a solid–liquid phase change material are vertically placed in the middle of the thermal storage unit. The phase change material melts at 100 °C. Water is presented as the phase-change heat transfer medium of the thermal storage unit. The tubular canister is wrapped tightly with a layer of stainless steel mesh to increase the surface wettability. The heat transfer mechanism of charging/discharging is similar to that of the thermosyphon. Heat transfer between the heat resource or cold resource and the phase change material in this device occurs in the form of a cyclic phase change of the heat-transfer medium, which occurs on the surface of the copper tubes and has an extremely high heat-transfer coefficient. A series of experiments and theoretical analyses are carried out to investigate the properties of the thermal storage unit, including power distribution, start-up performance, and temperature difference between the phase change material and the surrounding vapor. The results show that the whole system has excellent heat-storage/heat-release performance

Comprehensive NMR analysis of compositional changes of black garlic during thermal processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Tingfu; Wei, Feifei; Lu, Yi; Kodani, Yoshinori; Nakada, Mitsuhiko; Miyakawa, Takuya; Tanokura, Masaru

2015-01-21

Black garlic is a processed food product obtained by subjecting whole raw garlic to thermal processing that causes chemical reactions, such as the Maillard reaction, which change the composition of the garlic. In this paper, we report a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based comprehensive analysis of raw garlic and black garlic extracts to determine the compositional changes resulting from thermal processing. (1)H NMR spectra with a detailed signal assignment showed that 38 components were altered by thermal processing of raw garlic. For example, the contents of 11 l-amino acids increased during the first step of thermal processing over 5 days and then decreased. Multivariate data analysis revealed changes in the contents of fructose, glucose, acetic acid, formic acid, pyroglutamic acid, cycloalliin, and 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (5-HMF). Our results provide comprehensive information on changes in NMR-detectable components during thermal processing of whole garlic.

Power Admission Control with Predictive Thermal Management in Smart Buildings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yao, Jianguo; Costanzo, Giuseppe Tommaso; Zhu, Guchuan

2015-01-01

This paper presents a control scheme for thermal management in smart buildings based on predictive power admission control. This approach combines model predictive control with budget-schedulability analysis in order to reduce peak power consumption as well as ensure thermal comfort. First...

Fabrication and performance evaluation of flexible heat pipes for potential thermal control of foldable electronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Chao; Chang, Chao; Song, Chengyi; Shang, Wen; Wu, Jianbo; Tao, Peng; Deng, Tao

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A flexible and high-performance heat pipe is fabricated. • Bending effect on thermal performance of flexible heat pipes is evaluated. • Theoretical analysis is carried out to reveal the change of thermal resistance with bending. • Thermal control of foldable electronics with flexible heat pipes is demonstrated. - Abstract: In this work, we report the fabrication and thermal performance evaluation of flexible heat pipes prepared by using a fluororubber tube as the connector in the adiabatic section and using strong base treated hydrophilic copper meshes as the wick structure. Deionized water was chosen as working fluid and three different filling ratios (10%, 20%, and 30%) of working fluid were loaded into the heat pipe to investigate its impact on thermal performance. The fabricated heat pipes can be easily bended from 0"o to 180"o in the horizontal operation mode and demonstrated consistently low thermal resistances after repeated bending. It was found that with optimized amount of working fluid, the thermal resistance of flexible heat pipes increased with larger bending angles. Theoretical analysis reveals that bending disturbs the normal vapor flow from evaporator to condenser in the heat pipe, thus leads to increased liquid–vapor interfacial thermal resistance in the evaporator section. The flexible heat pipes have been successfully applied for thermal control of foldable electronic devices showing superior uniform heat-transfer performance.

The CALIPSO Integrated Thermal Control Subsystem

Science.gov (United States)

Gasbarre, Joseph F.; Ousley, Wes; Valentini, Marc; Thomas, Jason; Dejoie, Joel

2007-01-01

The Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) is a joint NASA-CNES mission to study the Earth's cloud and aerosol layers. The satellite is composed of a primary payload (built by Ball Aerospace) and a spacecraft platform bus (PROTEUS, built by Alcatel Alenia Space). The thermal control subsystem (TCS) for the CALIPSO satellite is a passive design utilizing radiators, multi-layer insulation (MLI) blankets, and both operational and survival surface heaters. The most temperature sensitive component within the satellite is the laser system. During thermal vacuum testing of the integrated satellite, the laser system's operational heaters were found to be inadequate in maintaining the lasers required set point. In response, a solution utilizing the laser system's survival heaters to augment the operational heaters was developed with collaboration between NASA, CNES, Ball Aerospace, and Alcatel-Alenia. The CALIPSO satellite launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on April 26th, 2006. Evaluation of both the platform and payload thermal control systems show they are performing as expected and maintaining the critical elements of the satellite within acceptable limits.

Modelling and Control of Thermal System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vratislav Hladky

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Work presented here deals with the modelling of thermal processes in a thermal system consisting of direct and indirect heat exchangers. The overal thermal properties of the medium and the system itself such as liquid mixing or heat capacity are shortly analysed and their features required for modelling are reasoned and therefore simplified or neglected. Special attention is given to modelling heat losses radiated into the surroundings through the walls as they are the main issue of the effective work with the heat systems. Final part of the paper proposes several ways of controlling the individual parts’ temperatures as well as the temperature of the system considering heating elements or flowage rate as actuators.

Electrochemical-thermal modeling and microscale phase change for passive internal thermal management of lithium ion batteries.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fuller, Thomas F. (Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA); Bandhauer, Todd (Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA); Garimella, Srinivas (Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA)

2012-01-01

A fully coupled electrochemical and thermal model for lithium-ion batteries is developed to investigate the impact of different thermal management strategies on battery performance. In contrast to previous modeling efforts focused either exclusively on particle electrochemistry on the one hand or overall vehicle simulations on the other, the present work predicts local electrochemical reaction rates using temperature-dependent data on commercially available batteries designed for high rates (C/LiFePO{sub 4}) in a computationally efficient manner. Simulation results show that conventional external cooling systems for these batteries, which have a low composite thermal conductivity ({approx}1 W/m-K), cause either large temperature rises or internal temperature gradients. Thus, a novel, passive internal cooling system that uses heat removal through liquid-vapor phase change is developed. Although there have been prior investigations of phase change at the microscales, fluid flow at the conditions expected here is not well understood. A first-principles based cooling system performance model is developed and validated experimentally, and is integrated into the coupled electrochemical-thermal model for assessment of performance improvement relative to conventional thermal management strategies. The proposed cooling system passively removes heat almost isothermally with negligible thermal resistances between the heat source and cooling fluid. Thus, the minimization of peak temperatures and gradients within batteries allow increased power and energy densities unencumbered by thermal limitations.

Dual Phase Change Thermal Diodes for Enhanced Rectification Ratios: Theory and Experiment

KAUST Repository

Cottrill, Anton L.; Wang, Song; Liu, Albert Tianxiang; Wang, Wen-Jun; Strano, Michael S.

2018-01-01

Thermal diodes are materials that allow for the preferential directional transport of heat and are highly promising devices for energy conservation, energy harvesting, and information processing applications. One form of a thermal diode consists of the junction between a phase change and phase invariant material, with rectification ratios that scale with the square root of the ratio of thermal conductivities of the two phases. In this work, the authors introduce and analyse the concept of a Dual Phase Change Thermal Diode (DPCTD) as the junction of two phase change materials with similar phase boundary temperatures but opposite temperature coefficients of thermal conductivity. Such systems possess a significantly enhanced optimal scaling of the rectification ratio as the square root of the product of the thermal conductivity ratios. Furthermore, the authors experimentally design and fabricate an ambient DPCTD enabled by the junction of an octadecane-impregnated polystyrene foam, polymerized using a high internal phase emulsion template (PFH-O) and a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) aqueous solution. The DPCTD shows a significantly enhanced thermal rectification ratio both experimentally (2.6) and theoretically (2.6) as compared with ideal thermal diodes composed only of the constituent materials.

Dual Phase Change Thermal Diodes for Enhanced Rectification Ratios: Theory and Experiment

KAUST Repository

Cottrill, Anton L.

2018-01-15

Thermal diodes are materials that allow for the preferential directional transport of heat and are highly promising devices for energy conservation, energy harvesting, and information processing applications. One form of a thermal diode consists of the junction between a phase change and phase invariant material, with rectification ratios that scale with the square root of the ratio of thermal conductivities of the two phases. In this work, the authors introduce and analyse the concept of a Dual Phase Change Thermal Diode (DPCTD) as the junction of two phase change materials with similar phase boundary temperatures but opposite temperature coefficients of thermal conductivity. Such systems possess a significantly enhanced optimal scaling of the rectification ratio as the square root of the product of the thermal conductivity ratios. Furthermore, the authors experimentally design and fabricate an ambient DPCTD enabled by the junction of an octadecane-impregnated polystyrene foam, polymerized using a high internal phase emulsion template (PFH-O) and a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) aqueous solution. The DPCTD shows a significantly enhanced thermal rectification ratio both experimentally (2.6) and theoretically (2.6) as compared with ideal thermal diodes composed only of the constituent materials.

Controlling Thermal Expansion: A Metal?Organic Frameworks Route

OpenAIRE

Balestra, Salvador R. G.; Bueno-Perez, Rocio; Hamad, Said; Dubbeldam, David; Ruiz-Salvador, A. Rabdel; Calero, Sofia

2016-01-01

Controlling thermal expansion is an important, not yet resolved, and challenging problem in materials research. A conceptual design is introduced here, for the first time, for the use of metal?organic frameworks (MOFs) as platforms for controlling thermal expansion devices that can operate in the negative, zero, and positive expansion regimes. A detailed computer simulation study, based on molecular dynamics, is presented to support the targeted application. MOF-5 has been selected as model m...

Hybrid model predictive control of a residential HVAC system with on-site thermal energy generation and storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fiorentini, Massimo; Wall, Josh; Ma, Zhenjun; Braslavsky, Julio H.; Cooper, Paul

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A comprehensive approach to managing thermal energy in residential buildings. • Solar-assisted HVAC system with on-site energy generation and storage. • Mixed logic-dynamical building model identified using experimental data. • Design and implementation of a logic-dynamical model predictive control strategy. • MPC applied to the Net-Zero Energy house winner of the Solar Decathlon China 2013. - Abstract: This paper describes the development, implementation and experimental investigation of a Hybrid Model Predictive Control (HMPC) strategy to control solar-assisted heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems with on-site thermal energy generation and storage. A comprehensive approach to the thermal energy management of a residential building is presented to optimise the scheduling of the available thermal energy resources to meet a comfort objective. The system has a hybrid nature with both continuous variables and discrete, logic-driven operating modes. The proposed control strategy is organized in two hierarchical levels. At the high-level, an HMPC controller with a 24-h prediction horizon and a 1-h control step is used to select the operating mode of the HVAC system. At the low-level, each operating mode is optimised using a 1-h rolling prediction horizon with a 5-min control step. The proposed control strategy has been practically implemented on the Building Management and Control System (BMCS) of a Net Zero-Energy Solar Decathlon house. This house features a sophisticated HVAC system comprising of an air-based photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collector and a phase change material (PCM) thermal storage integrated with the air-handling unit (AHU) of a ducted reverse-cycle heat pump system. The simulation and experimental results demonstrated the high performance achievable using an HMPC approach to optimising complex multimode HVAC systems in residential buildings, illustrating efficient selection of the appropriate operating modes

Simulation, optimization and control of a thermal cracking furnace

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masoumi, M.E.; Sadrameli, S.M.; Towfighi, J.; Niaei, A.

2006-01-01

The ethylene production process is one of the most important aspect of a petrochemical plant and the cracking furnace is the heart of the process. Since, ethylene is one of the raw materials in the chemical industry and the market situation of not only the feed and the product, but also the utility is rapidly changing, the optimal operation and control of the plant is important. A mathematical model, which describes the static and dynamic operations of a pilot plant furnace, was developed. The static simulation was used to predict the steady-state profiles of temperature, pressure and products yield. The dynamic simulation of the process was used to predict the transient behavior of thermal cracking reactor. Using a dynamic programming technique, an optimal temperature profile was developed along the reactor. Performances of temperature control loop were tested for different controller parameters and disturbances. The results of the simulation were tested experimentally in a computer control pilot plant

Gas Analysis and Control Methods for Thermal Batteries

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-01

when using highly efficient microporous thermal insulation packages. An easily implemented method of H2 gas removal from vendor thermal batteries is... microporous thermal insulation packages (1, 4, 5) or reduce volume requirements significantly. More rigorous gas control methods combined with...measured from the DCM pressures and known internal volumes of the 3 GHS that were measured using the ideal gas law with a 10-cc internal volume SS

Life support and internal thermal control system design for the Space Station Freedom

Science.gov (United States)

Humphries, R.; Mitchell, K.; Reuter, J.; Carrasquillo, R.; Beverly, B.

1991-01-01

A Review of the Space Station Freedom Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) as well as the Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) design, including recent changes resulting from an activity to restructure the program, is provided. The development state of the original Space Station Freedom ECLSS through the restructured configuration is considered and the selection of regenerative subsystems for oxygen and water reclamation is addressed. A survey of the present ground development and verification program is given.

Thermal battery for portable climate control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narayanan, Shankar; Li, Xiansen; Yang, Sungwoo; Kim, Hyunho; Umans, Ari; McKay, Ian S.; Wang, Evelyn N.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • ATB is adsorptive thermal battery delivering both heating and cooling via storage. • The novel design promotes transport and maximizes ATB performance. • A general theoretical framework is developed to analyze ATB performance. • NaX–water is used as the adsorbent–refrigerant pair as a specific case study. • The effect of key geometric parameters and operating conditions are presented. - Abstract: Current technologies that provide climate control in the transportation sector are quite inefficient. In gasoline-powered vehicles, the use of air-conditioning is known to result in higher emissions of greenhouse gases and pollutants apart from decreasing the gas-mileage. On the other hand, for electric vehicles (EVs), a drain in the onboard electric battery due to the operation of heating and cooling system results in a substantial decrease in the driving range. As an alternative to the conventional climate control system, we are developing an adsorption-based thermal battery (ATB), which is capable of storing thermal energy, and delivering both heating and cooling on demand, while requiring minimal electric power supply. Analogous to an electrical battery, the ATB can be charged for reuse. Furthermore, it promises to be compact, lightweight, and deliver high performance, which is desirable for mobile applications. In this study, we describe the design and operation of the ATB-based climate control system. We present a general theoretical framework to determine the maximum achievable heating and cooling performance using the ATB. The framework is then applied to study the feasibility of ATB integration in EVs, wherein we analyze the use of NaX zeolite–water as the adsorbent–refrigerant pair. In order to deliver the necessary heating and cooling performance, exceeding 2.5 kW h thermal capacity for EVs, the analysis determines the optimal design and operating conditions. While the use of the ATB in EVs can potentially enhance its driving

Preparation and hygrothermal properties of composite phase change humidity control materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Zhi; Qin, Menghao

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A new kind of phase change humidity control material (PCHCM) was prepared. • The PCHCM can moderate both the indoor temperature and humidity. • The silicon dioxide shell can improve the thermal properties of the composite. • The PCM microcapsules can improve the moisture buffer ability of the composite. • The CPCM/vesuvianite composite has a better hygrothermal performance than pure hygroscopic material. - Abstract: A novel phase change humidity control material (PCHCM) was prepared by using PCM microcapsules and different hygroscopic porous materials. The PCHCM composite can regulate the indoor hygrothermal environment by absorbing or releasing both heat and moisture. The PCM microcapsules were synthesized with methyl triethoxysilane by the sol–gel method. The vesuvianite, sepiolite and zeolite were used as hygroscopic materials. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to measure the morphology profiles of the microcapsules and PCHCM. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and the thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to determine the thermal properties and thermal stability. Both the moisture transfer coefficient and moisture buffer value (MBV) of different PCHCMs were measured by the improved cup method. The DSC results showed that the SiO 2 shell can reduce the super-cooling degree of PCM. The super-cooling degrees of microcapsules and PCHCM are lower than that of the pure PCM. The onset temperature of thermal degradation of the microcapsules and PCHCMs is higher than that of pure PCM. Both the moisture transfer coefficient and MBV of PCHCMs are higher than that of the pure hygroscopic materials. The results indicated the PCHCMs have better thermal properties and moisture buffer ability.

Non-steady experimental investigation on an integrated thermal management system for power battery with phase change materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi, Shang; Xie, Yongqi; Li, Ming; Yuan, Yanping; Yu, Jianzu; Wu, Hongwei; Liu, Bin; Liu, Nan

2017-01-01

Highlights: • An integrated thermal management system for power battery is designed. • The battery temperature rise is a non-steady process for charge and discharge. • A mathematical model can accurately represent temperature rise characteristics. • The heat generation power of the battery is calculated theoretically. • The excess temperatures and thermal resistances affect the system performance. - Abstract: A large amount of heat inside the power battery must be dissipated to maintain the temperature in a safe range for the hybrid power train during high-current charging/discharging processes. In this article, a combined experimental and theoretical study has been conducted to investigate a newly designed thermal management system integrating phase change material with air cooling. An unsteady mathematical model was developed for the battery with the integrated thermal management system. Meanwhile, the heat generation power, thermal resistance, and time constant were calculated. The effect of several control parameters, such as thermal resistance, initial temperature, melting temperature and ambient temperature, on the performance of the integrated thermal management system were analyzed. The results indicated that: (1) the calculated temperature rise of the battery was in good agreement with the experimental data. The appropriate operation temperature of the battery was attained by the action of the phase change storage energy unit which is composed of copper foam and n-Eicosane, (2) the remarkable decrease of the battery temperature can be achieved by reducing the convection thermal resistance or increasing the conductivity of the phase change storage energy unit, where the latter could be the better option due to no additional energy consumption. When convective resistance and thermal resistance between the battery surface and the phase change storage energy unit are less than 2.03 K/W and 1.85 K/W, respectively, the battery will not exceed the

System Level Analysis of a Water PCM HX Integrated into Orion's Thermal Control System

Science.gov (United States)

Navarro, Moses; Hansen, Scott; Seth, Rubik; Ungar, Eugene

2015-01-01

In a cyclical heat load environment such as low Lunar orbit, a spacecraft's radiators are not sized to reject the full heat load requirement. Traditionally, a supplemental heat rejection device (SHReD) such as an evaporator or sublimator is used to act as a "topper" to meet the additional heat rejection demands. Utilizing a Phase Change Material (PCM) heat exchanger (HX) as a SHReD provides an attractive alternative to evaporators and sublimators as PCM HXs do not use a consumable, thereby leading to reduced launch mass and volume requirements. In continued pursuit of water PCM HX development an Orion system level analysis was performed using Thermal Desktop for a water PCM HX integrated into Orion's thermal control system in a 100km Lunar orbit. The study verified of the thermal model by using a wax PCM and analyzed 1) placing the PCM on the Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) versus the External Thermal Control System (ETCS) 2) use of 30/70 PGW verses 50/50 PGW and 3) increasing the radiator area in order to reduce PCM freeze times. The analysis showed that for the assumed operating and boundary conditions utilizing a water PCM HX on Orion is not a viable option for any case. Additionally, it was found that the radiator area would have to be increased by at least 40% in order to support a viable water-based PCM HX.

Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis Tasks for ANAV NPPs in Support of Plant Operation and Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Batet

2007-11-01

Full Text Available Thermal-hydraulic analysis tasks aimed at supporting plant operation and control of nuclear power plants are an important issue for the Asociación Nuclear Ascó-Vandellòs (ANAV. ANAV is the consortium that runs the Ascó power plants (2 units and the Vandellòs-II power plant. The reactors are Westinghouse-design, 3-loop PWRs with an approximate electrical power of 1000 MW. The Technical University of Catalonia (UPC thermal-hydraulic analysis team has jointly worked together with ANAV engineers at different levels in the analysis and improvement of these reactors. This article is an illustration of the usefulness of computational analysis for operational support. The contents presented were operational between 1985 and 2001 and subsequently changed slightly following various organizational adjustments. The paper has two different parts. In the first part, it describes the specific aspects of thermal-hydraulic analysis tasks related to operation and control and, in the second part, it briefly presents the results of three examples of analyses that were performed. All the presented examples are related to actual situations in which the scenarios were studied by analysts using thermal-hydraulic codes and prepared nodalizations. The paper also includes a qualitative evaluation of the benefits obtained by ANAV through thermal-hydraulic analyses aimed at supporting operation and plant control.

Visualizing the Entropy Change of a Thermal Reservoir

Science.gov (United States)

Langbeheim, Elon; Safran, Samuel A.; Yerushalmi, Edit

2014-01-01

When a system exchanges energy with a constant-temperature environment, the entropy of the surroundings changes. A lattice model of a fluid thermal reservoir can provide a visualization of the microscopic changes that occur in the surroundings upon energy transfer from the system. This model can be used to clarify the consistency of phenomena such…

Preparation and thermal properties characterization of carbonate salt/carbon nanomaterial composite phase change material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tao, Y.B.; Lin, C.H.; He, Y.L.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Nanocomposite phase change materials were prepared and characterized. • Larger specific surface area is more efficient to enhance specific heat. • Columnar structure is more efficient to enhance thermal conductivity. • Thermal conductivity enhancement is the key. • Single walled carbon nanotube is the optimal nanomaterial additive. - Abstract: To enhance the performance of high temperature salt phase change material, four kinds of carbon nanomaterials with different microstructures were mixed into binary carbonate eutectic salts to prepare carbonate salt/nanomaterial composite phase change material. The microstructures of the nanomaterial and composite phase change material were characterized by scanning electron microscope. The thermal properties such as melting point, melting enthalpy, specific heat, thermal conductivity and total thermal energy storage capacity were characterized. The results show that the nanomaterial microstructure has great effects on composite phase change material thermal properties. The sheet structure Graphene is the best additive to enhance specific heat, which could be enhanced up to 18.57%. The single walled carbon nanotube with columnar structure is the best additive to enhance thermal conductivity, which could be enhanced up to 56.98%. Melting point increases but melting enthalpy decreases with nanomaterial specific surface area increase. Although the additives decrease the melting enthalpy of composite phase change material, they also enhance the specific heat. As a combined result, the additives have little effects on thermal energy storage capacity. So, for phase change material performance enhancement, more emphasis should be placed on thermal conductivity enhancement and single walled carbon nanotube is the optimal nanomaterial additive

Controllable laser thermal cleavage of sapphire wafers

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jiayu; Hu, Hong; Zhuang, Changhui; Ma, Guodong; Han, Junlong; Lei, Yulin

2018-03-01

Laser processing of substrates for light-emitting diodes (LEDs) offers advantages over other processing techniques and is therefore an active research area in both industrial and academic sectors. The processing of sapphire wafers is problematic because sapphire is a hard and brittle material. Semiconductor laser scribing processing suffers certain disadvantages that have yet to be overcome, thereby necessitating further investigation. In this work, a platform for controllable laser thermal cleavage was constructed. A sapphire LED wafer was modeled using the finite element method to simulate the thermal and stress distributions under different conditions. A guide groove cut by laser ablation before the cleavage process was observed to guide the crack extension and avoid deviation. The surface and cross section of sapphire wafers processed using controllable laser thermal cleavage were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy, and their morphology was compared to that of wafers processed using stealth dicing. The differences in luminous efficiency between substrates prepared using these two processing methods are explained.

Development of a low temperature phase change material package. [for spacecraft thermal control

Science.gov (United States)

Brennan, P. J.; Suelau, H. J.; Mcintosh, R.

1977-01-01

Test data obtained for a low temperature phase change material (PCM) canisters are presented. The canister was designed to provide up to 30 w-hrs of storage capacity at approximately -90 C with an overall thermal conductance which is greater than 8 w/deg C. N-heptane which is an n-paraffin and has a -90.6 C freezing point was used as the working fluid. The canister was fabricated from aluminum and has an aluminum honeycomb core. Its void volume permits service temperatures up to 70 C. Results obtained from component and system's tests indicate well defined melting and freezing points which are repeatable and within 1 C of each other. Subcooling effects are less than 0.5 C and are essentially negligible. Measured storage capacities are within 94 to 88% the theoretical.

Experimental investigation on the thermal performance of heat pipe-assisted phase change material based battery thermal management system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Weixiong; Yang, Xiaoqing; Zhang, Guoqing; Chen, Kai; Wang, Shuangfeng

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A heat pipe assisted phase change material based battery thermal management system is proposed. • The proposed system is compact and efficient from a view of practical application. • Cycling conditions are experimentally simulated for practical working environment. • The proposed system presents better thermal performance in comparison to other systems. • Combining forced air convection with heat pipe further enhances the cooling effect. - Abstract: In this paper, a heat pipe-assisted phase change material (PCM) based battery thermal management (BTM) system is designed to fulfill the comprehensive energy utilization for electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles. Combining the large heat storage capacity of the PCM with the excellent cooling effect of heat pipe, the as-constructed heat pipe-assisted PCM based BTM is feasible and effective with a relatively longer operation time and more suitable temperature. The experimental results show that the temperature maldistribution of battery module can be influenced by heat pipes when they are activated under high discharge rates of the batteries. Moreover, with forced air convection, the highest temperature could be controlled below 50 °C even under the highest discharge rate of 5C and a more stable and lower temperature fluctuation is obtained under cycling conditions. Meanwhile, the effectiveness of further increasing air velocity (i.e., more fan power consumption) is limited when the highest temperature continues to reduce at a lower rate due to the phase transition process of PCM. These results are expected to provide insights into the design and optimization of BTM systems.

Power Control and Monitoring Requirements for Thermal Vacuum/Thermal Balance Testing of the MAP Observatory

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Chris; Hinkle, R. Kenneth (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The specific heater control requirements for the thermal vacuum and thermal balance testing of the Microwave Anisotropy Probe (MAP) Observatory at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland are described. The testing was conducted in the 10m wide x 18.3m high Space Environment Simulator (SES) Thermal Vacuum Facility. The MAP thermal testing required accurate quantification of spacecraft and fixture power levels while minimizing heater electrical emissions. The special requirements of the MAP test necessitated construction of five (5) new heater racks.

Controlling thermal chaos in the mantle by positive feedback from radiative thermal conductivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Dubuffet

2002-01-01

Full Text Available The thermal conductivity of mantle materials has two components, the lattice component klat from phonons and the radiative component krad due to photons. These two contributions of variable thermal conductivity have a nonlinear dependence in the temperature, thus endowing the temperature equation in mantle convection with a strongly nonlinear character. The temperature derivatives of these two mechanisms have different signs, with ∂klat /∂T negative and dkrad /dT positive. This offers the possibility for the radiative conductivity to control the chaotic boundary layer instabilities developed in the deep mantle. We have parameterized the weight factor between krad and klat with a dimensionless parameter f , where f = 1 corresponds to the reference conductivity model. We have carried out two-dimensional, time-dependent calculations for variable thermal conductivity but constant viscosity in an aspect-ratio 6 box for surface Rayleigh numbers between 106 and 5 × 106. The averaged Péclet numbers of these flows lie between 200 and 2000. Along the boundary in f separating the chaotic and steady-state solutions, the number decreases and the Nusselt number increases with internal heating, illustrating the feedback between internal heating and radiative thermal conductivity. For purely basal heating situation, the time-dependent chaotic flows become stabilized for values of f of between 1.5 and 2. The bottom thermal boundary layer thickens and the surface heat flow increases with larger amounts of radiative conductivity. For magnitudes of internal heating characteristic of a chondritic mantle, much larger values of f , exceeding 10, are required to quench the bottom boundary layer instabilities. By isolating the individual conductive mechanisms, we have ascertained that the lattice conductivity is partly responsible for inducing boundary layer instabilities, while the radiative conductivity and purely depth-dependent conductivity exert a stabilizing

The ontogenetic changes in the thermal properties of blubber from Atlantic bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunkin, Robin C; McLellan, William A; Blum, James E; Pabst, D Ann

2005-04-01

In Atlantic bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus, both the thickness and lipid content of blubber vary across ontogeny and across individuals of differing reproductive and nutritional status. This study investigates how these changes in blubber morphology and composition influence its thermal properties. Thermal conductivity (W m(-1) deg.(-1), where deg. is degrees C) and thermal insulation (m(2) deg. W(-1)) of dolphin blubber were measured in individuals across an ontogenetic series (fetus through adult, N=36), pregnant females (N=4) and emaciated animals (N=5). These thermal properties were determined by the simultaneous use of two common experimental approaches, the heat flux disc method and the standard material method. Thickness, lipid and water content were measured for each blubber sample. Thermal conductivity and insulation varied significantly across ontogeny. Blubber from fetuses through sub-adults was less conductive (range=0.11-0.13+/-0.02 W m(-1) deg.(-1)) than that of adults (mean=0.18 W m(-1) deg.(-1)). The conductivity of blubber from pregnant females was similar to non-adult categories, while that of emaciated animals was significantly higher (0.24 +/- 0.04 W m deg.(-1)) than all other categories. Blubber from sub-adults and pregnant females had the highest insulation values while fetuses and emaciated animals had the lowest. In nutritionally dependent life history categories, changes in blubber's thermal insulation were characterized by stable blubber quality (i.e. conductivity) and increased blubber quantity (i.e. thickness). In nutritionally independent animals, blubber quantity remained stable while blubber quality varied. A final, unexpected observation was that heat flux measurements at the deep blubber surface were significantly higher than that at the superficial surface, a pattern not observed in control materials. This apparent ability to absorb heat, coupled with blubber's fatty acid composition, suggest that dolphin integument may

Phase-change materials: vibrational softening upon crystallization and its impact on thermal properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsunaga, Toshiyuki [Materials Science and Analysis Technology Centre, Panasonic Corporation, Osaka (Japan); Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute Hyogo (Japan); Yamada, Noboru [Digital and Network Technology Development Centre, Panasonic Corporation, Osaka (Japan); Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute Hyogo (Japan); Kojima, Rie [Digital and Network Technology Development Centre, Panasonic Corporation, Osaka (Japan); Shamoto, Shinichi [Neutron Science Research Centre, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, Ibaraki (Japan); Sato, Masugu; Tanida, Hajime; Uruga, Tomoya; Kohara, Shinji [Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, Hyogo (Japan); Takata, Masaki [SPring-8/RIKEN, Hyogo, Japan, Department of Advanced Materials Science, School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba (Japan); Zalden, Peter; Bruns, Gunnar; Wuttig, Matthias [I. Physikalisches Institut und JARA-FIT, RWTH Aachen Univ. (Germany); Sergueev, Ilya [European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble (France); Wille, Hans Christian [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, Hamburg (Germany); Hermann, Raphael Pierre [Juelich Centre for Neutron Science JCNS and Peter Gruenberg, Institut PGI, JARA-FIT, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH (Germany); Faculte des Sciences, Universite de Liege (Belgium)

2011-06-21

Crystallization of an amorphous solid is usually accompanied by a significant change of transport properties, such as an increase in thermal and electrical conductivity. This fact underlines the importance of crystalline order for the transport of charge and heat. Phase-change materials, however, reveal a remarkably low thermal conductivity in the crystalline state. The small change in this conductivity upon crystallization points to unique lattice properties. The present investigation reveals that the thermal properties of the amorphous and crystalline state of phase-change materials show remarkable differences such as higher thermal displacements and a more pronounced anharmonic behavior in the crystalline phase. These findings are related to the change of bonding upon crystallization, which leads to an increase of the sound velocity and a softening of the optical phonon modes at the same time. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Thermal properties of a novel nanoencapsulated phase change material for thermal energy storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fuensanta, Mónica, E-mail: monica.fuensanta@aidico.es [AIDICO, Technological Institute of Construction, Camí de Castella, 4, 03660 Novelda, Alicante (Spain); Paiphansiri, Umaporn [Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz (Germany); Romero-Sánchez, María Dolores, E-mail: md.romero@aidico.es [AIDICO, Technological Institute of Construction, Camí de Castella, 4, 03660 Novelda, Alicante (Spain); Guillem, Celia; López-Buendía, Ángel M. [AIDICO, Technological Institute of Construction, Camí de Castella, 4, 03660 Novelda, Alicante (Spain); Landfester, Katharina [Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz (Germany)

2013-08-10

Highlights: • A paraffin wax RT80 was encapsulated in styrene–butyl acrylate copolymer as polymer shell using miniemulsion polymerization process to obtain a novel nanoencapsulated PCM with 80 °C melting temperature. • Nano-PCMs have high compact structure, spherical morphology and thermal stability. • The nano-PCMs have potential applications as thermal energy storage materials. - Abstract: A novel nanoencapsulation of a paraffine type phase change material, RT80, in a styrene–butyl acrylate copolymer shell using the miniemulsion polymerization process was carried out. General characteristics of the RT80 nanoparticles in terms of thermal properties, morphology, chemical composition and particle size distribution were characterized by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). The influence of different monomers (styrene, butyl acrylate) and the surfactant/paraffin mass ratios on nanoparticles properties such as thermal capacity, particle size and morphology were systematically investigated. In all cases studied, encapsulation efficiency was close to 80 wt% with a particle size distribution between 52 and 112 nm and regular spherical shape and uniform structure. The amount of encapsulated paraffin achieved was comprised between 8 and 20%. Melting and crystallization heats were found to be approximately 5–25 J g{sup −1}, mainly depending on surfactant/paraffin mass ratio. Melting temperature of RT80 nanoparticles slightly decreased (1–7 °C) respect to the raw RT80. In addition, the encapsulated RT80 nanoparticles show thermal stability even after 200 thermal (heat-cooling) cycles.

Thermal properties of a novel nanoencapsulated phase change material for thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuensanta, Mónica; Paiphansiri, Umaporn; Romero-Sánchez, María Dolores; Guillem, Celia; López-Buendía, Ángel M.; Landfester, Katharina

2013-01-01

Highlights: • A paraffin wax RT80 was encapsulated in styrene–butyl acrylate copolymer as polymer shell using miniemulsion polymerization process to obtain a novel nanoencapsulated PCM with 80 °C melting temperature. • Nano-PCMs have high compact structure, spherical morphology and thermal stability. • The nano-PCMs have potential applications as thermal energy storage materials. - Abstract: A novel nanoencapsulation of a paraffine type phase change material, RT80, in a styrene–butyl acrylate copolymer shell using the miniemulsion polymerization process was carried out. General characteristics of the RT80 nanoparticles in terms of thermal properties, morphology, chemical composition and particle size distribution were characterized by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). The influence of different monomers (styrene, butyl acrylate) and the surfactant/paraffin mass ratios on nanoparticles properties such as thermal capacity, particle size and morphology were systematically investigated. In all cases studied, encapsulation efficiency was close to 80 wt% with a particle size distribution between 52 and 112 nm and regular spherical shape and uniform structure. The amount of encapsulated paraffin achieved was comprised between 8 and 20%. Melting and crystallization heats were found to be approximately 5–25 J g −1 , mainly depending on surfactant/paraffin mass ratio. Melting temperature of RT80 nanoparticles slightly decreased (1–7 °C) respect to the raw RT80. In addition, the encapsulated RT80 nanoparticles show thermal stability even after 200 thermal (heat-cooling) cycles

Process control and monitoring system: Thermal Power Plant Gacko

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeremovic, Dragan; Skoko, Maksim; Gjokanovic, Zdravko

2004-01-01

DCS Ovation system, manufactured by Westinghouse, USA, is described in this paper. Emphasize on concept of realization and basic characteristic in Thermal Power Plant Gacko is given in this paper. The most important, noticed by now, comparative effects and performances of new monitoring and control system according to classical monitoring and control system of 300 MW units Thermal Power Plant Gacko in Gacko, are given in the conclusion. (Author)

Thermal oxidation of cesium loaded Prussian blue as a precaution for exothermic phase change in extreme conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parajuli, Durga; Tanaka, Hisashi; Takahashi, Akira; Kawamoto, Tohru

2013-01-01

Cesium adsorbed Prussian blue is studied for the thermal oxidation. The TG-DTA shows exothermic phase change of micro aggregates of nano-PB at above 270°C. For this reason, Cs loaded PB was heated between 180 to 260°C. Heating at 180 removed only the water. Neither the oxidation of Iron nor the removal of cyanide is observed at this temperature. Oxidation of cyanide is observed upon heating above 200°C while loaded Cs is released after heating at >250°C followed by washing with water. Thermal oxidation between 200 to 220°C for more than 2 h showed control on exothermic phase change and loaded Cs is also not solubilized. (author)

Automatic Thermal Control System with Temperature Difference or Derivation Feedback

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Darina Matiskova

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Automatic thermal control systems seem to be non-linear systems with thermal inertias and time delay. A controller is also non-linear because its information and power signals are limited. The application of methods that are available to on-linear systems together with computer simulation and mathematical modelling creates a possibility to acquire important information about the researched system. This paper provides a new look at the heated system model and also designs the structure of the thermal system with temperature derivation feedback. The designed system was simulated by using a special software in Turbo Pascal. Time responses of this system are compared to responses of a conventional thermal system. The thermal system with temperature derivation feedback provides better transients, better quality of regulation and better dynamical properties.

Preterm infant thermal care: differing thermal environments produced by air versus skin servo-control incubators.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, K A; Burr, R

1999-06-01

Incubator thermal environments produced by skin versus air servo-control were compared. Infant abdominal skin and incubator air temperatures were recorded from 18 infants in skin servo-control and 14 infants in air servo-control (26- to 29-week gestational age, 14 +/- 2 days postnatal age) for 24 hours. Differences in incubator and infant temperature, neutral thermal environment (NTE) maintenance, and infant and incubator circadian rhythm were examined using analysis of variance and scatterplots. Skin servo-control resulted in more variable air temperature, yet more stable infant temperature, and more time within the NTE. Circadian rhythm of both infant and incubator temperature differed by control mode and the relationship between incubator and infant temperature rhythms was a function of control mode. The differences between incubator control modes extend beyond temperature stability and maintenance of NTE. Circadian rhythm of incubator and infant temperatures is influenced by incubator control.

Transient stress control of aeroengine disks based on active thermal management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding, Shuiting; Wang, Ziyao; Li, Guo; Liu, Chuankai; Yang, Liu

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The essence of cooling in turbine system is a process of thermal management. • Active thermal management is proposed to control transient stress of disks. • The correlation between thermal load and transient stress of disks is built. • Stress level can be declined by actively adjusting the thermal load distribution. • Artificial temperature gradient can be used to counteract stress from rotating. - Abstract: The physical essence of cooling in the turbine system is a process of thermal management. In order to overcome the limits of passive thermal management based on thermal protection, the concept of active thermal management based on thermal load redistribution has been proposed. On this basis, this paper focuses on a near real aeroengine disk during a transient process and studies the stress control mechanism of active thermal management in transient conditions by a semi-analytical method. Active thermal management is conducted by imposing extra heating energy on the disk hub, which is represented by the coefficient of extra heat flow η. The results show that the transient stress level can be effectively controlled by actively adjusting the thermal load distribution. The decline ratio of the peak equivalent stress of the disk hub can be 9.0% for active thermal management load condition (η = 0.2) compared with passive condition (η = 0), even at a rotation speed of 10,000 r/min. The reason may be that the temperature distribution of the disk turns into an artificial V-shape because of the extra heating energy on the hub, and the resulting thermal stresses induced by the negative temperature gradients counteract parts of the stress from rotating.

Study on paraffin/expanded graphite composite phase change thermal energy storage material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Zhengguo; Fang Xiaoming

2006-01-01

A paraffin/expanded graphite composite phase change thermal energy storage material was prepared by absorbing the paraffin into an expanded graphite that has an excellent absorbability. In such a composite, the paraffin serves as a latent heat storage material and the expanded graphite acts as the supporting material, which prevents leakage of the melted paraffin from its porous structure due to the capillary and surface tension forces. The inherent structure of the expanded graphite did not change in the composite material. The solid-liquid phase change temperature of the composite PCM was the same as that of the paraffin, and the latent heat of the paraffin/expanded graphite composite material was equivalent to the calculated value based on the mass ratio of the paraffin in the composite. The heat transfer rate of the paraffin/expanded graphite composite was obviously higher than that of the paraffin due to the combination with the expanded graphite that had a high thermal conductivity. The prepared paraffin/expanded graphite composite phase change material had a large thermal storage capacity and improved thermal conductivity and did not experience liquid leakage during its solid-liquid phase change

Quantifying demand flexibility of power-to-heat and thermal energy storage in the control of building heating systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Finck, Christian; Li, Rongling; Kramer, Rick

2018-01-01

restricted by power-to-heat conversion such as heat pumps and thermal energy storage possibilities of a building. To quantify building demand flexibility, it is essential to capture the dynamic response of the building energy system with thermal energy storage. To identify the maximum flexibility a building......’s energy system can provide, optimal control is required. In this paper, optimal control serves to determine in detail demand flexibility of an office building equipped with heat pump, electric heater, and thermal energy storage tanks. The demand flexibility is quantified using different performance...... of TES and power-to-heat in any case of charging, discharging or idle mode. A simulation case study is performed showing that a water tank, a phase change material tank, and a thermochemical material tank integrated with building heating system can be designed to provide flexibility with optimal control....

Performance of silvered Teflon (trademark) thermal control blankets on spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Pippin, Gary; Stuckey, Wayne; Hemminger, Carol

1993-01-01

Silverized Teflon (Ag/FEP) is a widely used passive thermal control material for space applications. The material has a very low alpha/e ratio (less than 0.1) for low operating temperatures and is fabricated with various FEP thicknesses (as the Teflon thickness increases, the emittance increases). It is low outgassing and, because of its flexibility, can be applied around complex, curved shapes. Ag/FEP has achieved multiyear lifetimes under a variety of exposure conditions. This has been demonstrated by the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF), Solar Max, Spacecraft Charging at High Altitudes (SCATHA), and other flight experiments. Ag/FEP material has been held in place on spacecraft by a variety of methods: mechanical clamping, direct adhesive bonding of tapes and sheets, and by Velcro(TM) tape adhesively bonded to back surfaces. On LDEF, for example, 5-mil blankets held by Velcro(TM) and clamping were used for thermal control over 3- by 4-ft areas on each of 17 trays. Adhesively bonded 2- and 5-mil sheets were used on other LDEF experiments, both for thermal control and as tape to hold other thermal control blankets in place. Performance data over extended time periods are available from a number of flights. The observed effects on optical properties, mechanical properties, and surface chemistry will be summarized in this paper. This leads to a discussion of performance life estimates and other design lessons for Ag/FEP thermal control material.

Phase change thermal energy storage methods for combat vehicles, phase 1

Science.gov (United States)

Lynch, F. E.

1986-06-01

Three alternative cooling methods, based on latent heat absorption during phase changes, were studied for potential use in combat vehicle microclimate temperature control. Metal hydrides absorb heat as they release hydrogen gas. Plastic crystals change from one solid phase to another, absorbing heat in the process. Liquid air boils at cryogenic temperature and absorbs additional sensible heat as the cold gas mixes with the microclimate air flow. System designs were prepared for each of the three microclimate cooling concepts. These designs provide details about the three phase change materials, their containers and the auxiliary equipment needed to implement each option onboard a combat vehicle. The three concepts were compared on the basis of system mass, system volume and the energy required to regenerate them after use. Metal hydrides were found to be the lightest and smallest option by a large margin. The energy needed to regenerate a hydride thermal storage system can be extracted from the vehicle's exhaust gases.

Radiation Heat Transfer Modeling Improved for Phase-Change, Thermal Energy Storage Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Kerslake, Thomas W.; Jacqmin, David A.

1998-01-01

Spacecraft solar dynamic power systems typically use high-temperature phase-change materials to efficiently store thermal energy for heat engine operation in orbital eclipse periods. Lithium fluoride salts are particularly well suited for this application because of their high heat of fusion, long-term stability, and appropriate melting point. Considerable attention has been focused on the development of thermal energy storage (TES) canisters that employ either pure lithium fluoride (LiF), with a melting point of 1121 K, or eutectic composition lithium-fluoride/calcium-difluoride (LiF-20CaF2), with a 1040 K melting point, as the phase-change material. Primary goals of TES canister development include maximizing the phase-change material melt fraction, minimizing the canister mass per unit of energy storage, and maximizing the phase-change material thermal charge/discharge rates within the limits posed by the container structure.

CubeSat Form Factor Thermal Control Louvers

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — As small spacecraft become a part of NASA’s repertoire of missions, one reoccurring theme is an increased need for thermal control as power budgets increase and...

System Level Analysis of a Water PCM HX Integrated Into Orion's Thermal Control System Abstract

Science.gov (United States)

Navarro, Moses; Hansen, Scott; Ungar, Eugene; Sheth, Rubik

2015-01-01

In a cyclical heat load environment such as low Lunar orbit, a spacecraft's radiators are not sized to reject the full heat load requirement. Traditionally, a supplemental heat rejection device (SHReD) such as an evaporator or sublimator is used to act as a "topper" to meet the additional heat rejection demands. Utilizing a Phase Change Material (PCM) heat exchanger (HX) as a SHReD provides an attractive alternative to evaporators and sublimators as PCM HXs do not use a consumable, thereby leading to reduced launch mass and volume requirements. In continued pursuit of water PCM HX development an Orion system level analysis was performed using Thermal Desktop for a water PCM HX integrated into Orion's thermal control system and in a 100km Lunar orbit. The study analyzed 1) placing the PCM on the Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) versus the External Thermal Control System (ETCS) 2) use of 30/70 PGW verses 50/50 PGW and 3) increasing the radiator area in order to reduce PCM freeze times. The analysis showed that for the assumed operating and boundary conditions utilizing a water PCM HX on Orion is not a viable option. Additionally, it was found that the radiator area would have to be increased over 20% in order to have a viable water-based PCM HX.

Preparation and thermal properties of short carbon fibers/erythritol phase change materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Qiang; Luo, Zhiling; Guo, Qilin; Wu, Gaohui

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Short carbon fiber (SCF)/erythritol phase change composites (PCCs) are prepared and tested. • The PCCs possess large heat capacity and high thermal conductivity. • The size of SCFs can affect thermal conductivities of SCF/erythritol PCCs. • The size of SCFs has negligible effects on melting points and enthalpies. • The SCF/erythritol PCCs show good temperature-regulated property. - Abstract: The thermal properties of the short carbon fibers (SCFs) filled erythritol phase change composites (PCCs) were investigated experimentally. The samples were prepared with different mass loadings of two kinds of SCFs, 1%, 2%, 4%, 7% and 10%. The melting points and phase change enthalpies were measured by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The effects of SCFs on the melting points are relatively small but the enthalpies were reduced with the loadings of SCFs. The greatest loss of enthalpies is 11.3% for composites filled with 10% SCFs. The thermal conductivities increased with the loadings of SCFs but not linearly. The highest thermal conductivity is 3.92 W/(m⋅K) for the composites with 10% longer SCFs, which was enhanced by 407.8% compared to pure erythritol (0.77 W/(m⋅K)). Composites filled with longer SCFs possess higher thermal conductivity and the mechanisms were discussed. A simple setup was made to test the temperature-regulated property of these materials. These include pure erythritol and phase change composites with different loading of SCFs. The PCCs have shown good application potential and the longer SCFs can lead to the better performance of PCCs.

Synthesis and nanoscale thermal encoding of phase-change nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Xuhui; Yu Bin; Meyyappan, M.

2007-01-01

Low-dimensional phase-change nanostructures provide a valuable research platform for understanding the phase-transition behavior and thermal properties at nanoscale and their potential in achieving superdense data storage. Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 nanowires have been grown using a vapor-liquid-solid technique and shown to exhibit distinctive properties that may overcome the present data storage scaling barrier. Local heating of an individual nanowire with a focused electron beam was used to shape a nano-bar-code on a Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 nanowire. The data encoding on Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 nanowire may promote novel device concepts to implement ultrahigh density, low energy, high speed data storage using phase-change nanomaterials with diverse thermal-programing strategies

Mineralogical control on thermal damage and the presence of a thermal Kaiser effect during temperature-cycling experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Browning, J.; Daoud, A.; Meredith, P. G.; Mitchell, T. M.

2017-12-01

Volcanic and geothermal systems are in part controlled by the mechanical and thermal stresses acting on them and so it is important to understand the response of volcanic rocks to thermo-mechanical loading. One such response is the well-known `Kaiser stress-memory' effect observed under cyclic mechanical loading. By contrast, the presence of an analogous `Kaiser temperature-memory effect' during cyclic thermal loading has received little attention. We have therefore explored the possibility of a Kaiser temperature-memory effect using three igneous rocks of different composition, grain size and origin; Slaufrudalur Granophyre (SGP), Nea Kameni Andesite (NKA) and Seljadalur Basalt (SB). We present results from a series of thermal stressing experiments in which acoustic emissions (AE) were recorded contemporaneously with changing temperature. Samples of each rock were subjected to both a single heating and cooling cycle to a maximum temperature of 900 °C and multiple heating/cooling cycles to peak temperatures of 350°C, 500°C, 700°C and 900 °C (all at a constant rate of 1°C/min on heating and a natural cooling rate of memory effect in SGP, but not in either NKA and SB. We further find that the vast majority of thermal crack damage is generated upon cooling in the finer grained materials (NKA and SB), but that substantial thermal crack damage is generated during heating in the coarser grained SGP. The total amount of crack damage generated due to heating or cooling is dependent on the mineral composition and, most importantly, the grain size and arrangement, as well as the maximum temperature to which the rock is exposed. Knowledge of thermal stress history and the presence of a Kaiser temperature-memory effect is potentially important in understanding magma chamber dynamics, where the cyclic nature of mechanical and thermal inflation and deflation can lead to sequential accumulation of damage, potentially leading to critical rupture.

Changes in Cold Surge Occurrence over East Asia in the Future: Role of Thermal Structure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin-Woo Heo

2018-06-01

Full Text Available The occurrence of wintertime cold surges (CSs over East Asia is largely controlled by the surface air temperature (SAT distribution at high latitudes and thermal advection in the lower troposphere. The thermodynamic background state over northeastern Asia is associated with the strength of the East Asian winter monsoon and the variation of Arctic Oscillation. This study assesses the importance of the SAT structure with thermal advection in determining the frequency of CS occurrences over East Asia through the analysis of nine atmosphere–ocean coupled global climate models participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5. The historical simulations can reproduce the observed typical characteristics of CS development. On the basis of this model performance, ensemble-averaged future simulations under the representative concentration pathway 8.5 project a reduction in CS frequency by 1.1 yr−1 in the late 21st century (2065–2095 compared to the present-day period (1975–2005. The major reason for less frequent CSs in the future is the weakened cold advection, caused by notable SAT warming over the northern part of East Asia. These results suggest that changes in the meridional SAT structure and the associated changes in thermal advection would play a more substantial role than local warming in determining future changes in the frequency of CS occurrences over East Asia.

A nano-graphite/paraffin phase change material with high thermal conductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Min

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Paraffin and NG formed a nanoscale compound. ► The thermal conductivity increased gradually with the content of NG. ► The thermal conductivity of the material containing 10% NG were 0.9362 W/m K. - Abstract: Nano-graphite (NG)/paraffin composites were prepared as composite phase change materials. NG has the function of improving the thermal conductivity of the composite. The microstructure and thermal properties of the materials were examined with environmental scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The results indicated that the NG layers were randomly dispersed in the paraffin, and the thermal conductivity increased gradually with the content of NG. Thermal conductivity of the material containing 10% NG were 0.9362 W/m K

Chemical Changes in Carbohydrates Produced by Thermal Processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoseney, R. Carl

1984-01-01

Discusses chemical changes that occur in the carbohydrates found in food products when these products are subjected to thermal processing. Topics considered include browning reactions, starch found in food systems, hydrolysis of carbohydrates, extrusion cooking, processing of cookies and candies, and alterations in gums. (JN)

Mapping Thermal Habitat of Ectotherms Based on Behavioral Thermoregulation in a Controlled Thermal Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Fei, T.; Skidmore, A.; Liu, Y.

2012-07-01

Thermal environment is especially important to ectotherm because a lot of physiological functions rely on the body temperature such as thermoregulation. The so-called behavioural thermoregulation function made use of the heterogeneity of the thermal properties within an individual's habitat to sustain the animal's physiological processes. This function links the spatial utilization and distribution of individual ectotherm with the thermal properties of habitat (thermal habitat). In this study we modelled the relationship between the two by a spatial explicit model that simulates the movements of a lizard in a controlled environment. The model incorporates a lizard's transient body temperatures with a cellular automaton algorithm as a way to link the physiology knowledge of the animal with the spatial utilization of its microhabitat. On a larger spatial scale, 'thermal roughness' of the habitat was defined and used to predict the habitat occupancy of the target species. The results showed the habitat occupancy can be modelled by the cellular automaton based algorithm at a smaller scale, and can be modelled by the thermal roughness index at a larger scale.

Outdoor thermal comfort.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikolopoulou, Marialena

2011-06-01

A review of the various approaches in understanding outdoor thermal comfort is presented. The emphasis on field surveys from around the world, particularly across Europe, enables us to understand thermal perception and evaluate outdoor thermal comfort conditions. The consistent low correlations between objective microclimatic variables, subjective thermal sensation and comfort outdoors, internationally, suggest that thermophysiology alone does not adequate describe these relationships. Focusing on the concept of adaptation, it tries to explain how this influences outdoor comfort, enabling us to inhabit and get satisfaction from outdoor spaces throughout the year. Beyond acclimatization and behavioral adaptation, through adjustments in clothing and changes to the metabolic heat, psychological adaptation plays a critical role to ensure thermal comfort and satisfaction with the outdoor environment. Such parameters include recent experiences and expectations; personal choice and perceived control, more important than whether that control is actually exercised; and the need for positive environmental stimulation suggesting that thermal neutrality is not a pre-requisite for thermal comfort. Ultimately, enhancing environmental diversity can influence thermal perception and experience of open spaces.

Handbook for replacement of process control systems in thermal power plants; Handbok - Utbytesbehov i kontrollsystem foer vaermekraftverk

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tuszynski, J. [Sydkraft Konsult AB, Malmoe (Sweden); Eriksson, Tage [Vattenfall Energisystem AB, Stockholm (Sweden)

1996-12-01

Modernization of control equipment in more complex power plants, such as thermal power plants, requires special attention due to the almost complete change-over to new computerised technology. The introduction of new technology gives rise to great changes in both the process control systems and in operation and maintenance routines. The change-over to computerised technology also causes lack of spare parts and service for older equipment. The older technology becomes obsolete due to the great advantages that comes with new technology. Therefore, the lifetime of control equipment is not only coupled to traditional ageing and wear, such as oxidation and fatigue of material, but also to the fact that the old equipment is getting out of date. It becomes more and more common that this out-of-date factor, rather than ageing, sets the limit for the useful life of the equipment. The Handbook for replacement of process control systems in thermal power plants is thought to be a first help for engineers and managers who has the responsibility for process control modernization. The Handbook points out the factors that determines the service life of the control equipment. It also suggests what information is required in order to take a decision on modernization. The Handbook at its present form constitutes a first approach that leaves room for an extension later on. Any request to expand the Handbook should be put forward to Vaermeforsk or its partners

Thermal stress management of a solid oxide fuel cell using neural network predictive control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hajimolana, S.A.; Tonekabonimoghadam, S.M.; Hussain, M.A.; Chakrabarti, M.H.; Jayakumar, N.S.; Hashim, M.A.

2013-01-01

In SOFC (solid oxide fuel cell) systems operating at high temperatures, temperature fluctuation induces a thermal stress in the electrodes and electrolyte ceramics; therefore, the cell temperature distribution is recommended to be kept as constant as possible. In the present work, a mathematical model based on first principles is presented to avert such temperature fluctuations. The fuel cell running on ammonia is divided into five subsystems and factors such as mass/energy/momentum transfer, diffusion through porous media, electrochemical reactions, and polarization losses inside the subsystems are presented. Dynamic cell-tube temperature responses of the cell to step changes in conditions of the feed streams is investigated. The results of simulation indicate that the transient response of the SOFC is mainly influenced by the temperature dynamics. It is also shown that the inlet stream temperatures are associated with the highest long term start-up time (467 s) among other parameters in terms of step changes. In contrast the step change in fuel velocity has the lowest influence on the start-up time (about 190 s from initial steady state to the new steady state) among other parameters. A NNPC (neural network predictive controller) is then implemented for thermal stress management by controlling the cell tube temperature to avoid performance degradation by manipulating the temperature of the inlet air stream. The regulatory performance of the NNPC is compared with a PI (proportional–integral) controller. The performance of the control system confirms that NNPC is a non-linear-model-based strategy which can assure less oscillating control responses with shorter settling times in comparison to the PI controller. - Highlights: • Effect of the operating parameters on the fuel cell temperature is analysed. • A neural network predictive controller (NNPC) is implemented. • The performance of NNPC is compared with the PI controller. • A detailed model is used for

Thermal buffering performance of composite phase change materials applied in low-temperature protective garments

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Kai; Jiao, Mingli; Yu, Yuanyuan; Zhu, Xueying; Liu, Rangtong; Cao, Jian

2017-07-01

Phase change material (PCM) is increasingly being applied in the manufacturing of functional thermo-regulated textiles and garments. This paper investigated the thermal buffering performance of different composite PCMs which are suitable for the application in functional low-temperature protective garments. First, according to the criteria selecting PCM for functional textiles/garments, three kinds of pure PCM were selected as samples, which were n-hexadecane, n-octadecane and n-eicosane. To get the adjustable phase change temperature range and higher phase change enthalpy, three kinds of composite PCM were prepared using the above pure PCM. To evaluate the thermal buffering performance of different composite PCM samples, the simulated low-temperature experiments were performed in the climate chamber, and the skin temperature variation curves in three different low temperature conditions were obtained. Finally composite PCM samples’ thermal buffering time, thermal buffering capacity and thermal buffering efficiency were calculated. Results show that the comprehensive thermal buffering performance of n-octadecane and n-eicosane composite PCM is the best.

Advances in thermal control and performance of the MMT M1 mirror

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, J. D.; Williams, G. G.; Callahan, S.; Comisso, B.; Ortiz, R.; Williams, J. T.

2010-07-01

Strategies for thermal control of the 6.5-meter diameter borosilicate honeycomb primary (M1) mirror at the MMT Observatory have included: 1) direct control of ventilation system chiller setpoints by the telescope operator, 2) semiautomated control of chiller setpoints, using a fixed offset from the ambient temperature, and 3) most recently, an automated temperature controller for conditioned air. Details of this automated controller, including the integration of multiple chillers, heat exchangers, and temperature/dew point sensors, are presented here. Constraints and sanity checks for thermal control are also discussed, including: 1) mirror and hardware safety, 2) aluminum coating preservation, and 3) optimization of M1 thermal conditions for science acquisition by minimizing both air-to-glass temperature differences, which cause mirror seeing, and internal glass temperature gradients, which cause wavefront errors. Consideration is given to special operating conditions, such as high dew and frost points. Precise temperature control of conditioned ventilation air as delivered to the M1 mirror cell is also discussed. The performance of the new automated controller is assessed and compared to previous control strategies. Finally, suggestions are made for further refinement of the M1 mirror thermal control system and related algorithms.

Aqueous preparation of polyethylene glycol/sulfonated graphene phase change composite with enhanced thermal performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Hairong; Jiang, Ming; Li, Qi; Li, Denian; Chen, Zongyi; Hu, Waping; Huang, Jing; Xu, Xizhe; Dong, Lijie; Xie, Haian; Xiong, Chuanxi

2013-01-01

Highlights: • We report an aqueous preparation technique of PEG/graphene phase change composite. • Hydrophilic sulfonated graphene (SG) nanosheets were synthesized. • Large increase in thermal conductivity is attained at low SG loading. • High latent heat is retained due to the low filler loading. • Affinity between SG and PEG contributes to the enhanced thermal performance. - Abstract: A polyethylene glycol (PEG)/sulfonated graphene (SG) phase change composite with enhanced thermal performance was prepared by solution processing in aqueous medium. It is remarkable that the addition of only 4 wt.% of SG to PEG could lead to a four times higher increase in thermal conductivity and a slight decrease in the phase change enthalpy, which is attributed to the formation of efficient thermal conductive network within the PEG matrix relevant to the excellent thermal property and unique 2-dimensional morphology of graphene as well as strong interface affinity between PEG matrix and SG nanosheets. The aqueous preparation technique is expected to pioneer a new way to prepare environment friendly organic phase change materials, and the production of PEG/SG composites is potentially scalable due to the facile fabricating process

A novel phase-change cement composite for thermal energy storage: Fabrication, thermal and mechanical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, He; Xing, Feng; Cui, Hong-Zhi; Chen, Da-Zhu; Ouyang, Xing; Xu, Su-Zhen; Wang, Jia-Xin; Huang, Yi-Tian; Zuo, Jian-Dong; Tang, Jiao-Ning

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A novel flaky graphite-doped phase-change microcapsule (FGD-MPCM) was prepared. • FGD-MPCM has substantial latent heat storage capacity (135.8 J/g). • FGD-MPCMs/cement composite is capable of reducing indoor temperature fluctuation. • Compressive strength of cement composite with 30% FGD-MPCMs can reach to 14.2 MPa. - Abstract: Facing upon the increasingly severe energy crisis, one of the key issues for reducing the building energy consumption is to pursue high-performance thermal energy storage technologies based on phase-change materials. In this study, a novel cement composite incorporated with flaky graphite-doped microencapsulated phase-change materials (FGD-MPCMs) was developed. Various techniques, such as field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), optical microscopy (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to analyse the composite structure and thermal performances. The results indicate that the spherical microcapsules are well dispersed in the cement matrix. When combined within the cement, the thermal stability of the microcapsules was highly improved, and the inclusion of greater amounts of FGD-MPCMs further increased the latent heat of the composite. The mechanical properties of the cement composites were affected with the increase of FGD-MPCMs dosage and the porosity of the composites. In spite of this, the compressive strength and flexural strength of the cement composite with 30% FGD-MPCM could still reach to as high as 14.2 MPa and 4.1 MPa, respectively. Results from the infrared thermography and the model room test suggested that the composite filled with FGD-MPCMs is capable of reducing indoor temperature fluctuation and exhibits good potential for application in buildings to enhance energy savings and thermal comfort.

Data on the interaction between thermal comfort and building control research.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, June Young; Nagy, Zoltan

2018-04-01

This dataset contains bibliography information regarding thermal comfort and building control research. In addition, the instruction of a data-driven literature survey method guides readers to reproduce their own literature survey on related bibliography datasets. Based on specific search terms, all relevant bibliographic datasets are downloaded. We explain the keyword co-occurrences of historical developments and recent trends, and the citation network which represents the interaction between thermal comfort and building control research. Results and discussions are described in the research article entitled "Comprehensive analysis of the relationship between thermal comfort and building control research - A data-driven literature review" (Park and Nagy, 2018).

Characterization of thermal and hydrodynamic properties for microencapsulated phase change slurry (MPCS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Lin; Wang, Ting; Zhao, Yan; Zhang, Xin-Rong

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Microencapsulated phase change slurry (MPCS) is reviewed and characterized for heat transfer and storage systems. • Basic formation, materials, properties are categorized and systematically analyzed. • Generalization and modelization of complex MPCS properties are made. • MPCS is identified to be one promising substitute in future energy systems. • Future research topics and applications are also specified. - Abstract: Microencapsulated phase change slurry (MPCS) is a new kind of multi-phase fluid that are proposed and utilized in heat transfer and heat storage systems. Different from traditional organic (paraffin or non-parafin) or inorganic phase change slurries, MPCS is able to maintain both high latent heat capacity and heat transfer rate under controlled volume changes and safe operation conditions. Consequently, in recent decade, MPCS has been widely proposed and tested in textile, building, cooling and heating, solar and thermal storage systems, etc. Based on those recent findings and application developments, characterizations of thermal and hydrodynamic properties for MPCS are made in this study. The basic objective of this paper is to summarize the features of MPCS properties and the establishment of models for MPCS properties and morphologies. The review and analysis are based on recent representative experimental studies, which are categorized into: properties, heat transfer characteristics, stability and applications. Due to the various materials and methods and carry fluids properties, no single model can cover the properties for all MPCS. In this study, each property is reviewed with its specific model and application regions. Basic trends are compared with other kinds of phase change materials. Finally, by investigating those results the future trends of MPCS are presented

Plasma effects on the passive external thermal control coating of Space Station Freedom

Science.gov (United States)

Carruth, Ralph, Jr.; Vaughn, Jason A.; Holt, James M.; Werp, Richard; Sudduth, Richard D.

1992-01-01

The current baseline chromic acid anodized thermal control coating on 6061-T6 aluminum meteoroid debris (M/D) shields for SSF has been evaluated. The degradation of the solar absorptance, alpha, and the thermal emittance, epsilon, of chromic acid anodized aluminum due to dielectric breakdown in plasma was measured to predict the on-orbit lifetime of the SSF M/D shields. The lifetime of the thermal control coating was based on the surface temperatures achieved with degradation of the thermal control properties, alpha and epsilon. The temperatures of each M/D shield from first element launch (FEL) through FEL+15 years were analyzed. It is shown that the baseline thermal control coating cannot withstand the -140 V potential between the conductive structure of the SSF and the current plasma environment.

Preparation, microstructure and thermal properties of Mg−Bi alloys as phase change materials for thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang, Dong; Sun, Zheng; Li, Yuanyuan; Cheng, Xiaomin

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The microstructure and thermal properties of Mg−Bi alloys are determined. • The relationship between melting enthalpies and phase composition are studied. • The activation energy of Mg−54%Bi alloy is calculated by multiple DSC technology. • Mg−54%Bi alloy is proposed as a phase change material at high (>420 °C) temperature. - Abstract: Comparing with Al-based phase change material, Mg-based phase change material is getting more and more attention due to its high corrosion resistance with encapsulation materials based on iron. This study focuses on the characterization of Mg−36%Bi, Mg−54%Bi and Mg−60%Bi (wt. %) alloys as phase change materials for thermal energy storage at high temperature. The phase compositions, microstructure and phase change temperatures were investigated by X-ray diffusion (XRD), electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) analysis, respectively. The results indicates that the microstructure of Mg−36%Bi and Mg−54%Bi alloys are mainly composed of α-Mg matrix and α-Mg + Mg_3Bi_2 eutectic phases, Mg−60%Bi alloy are mainly composed of the Mg_3Bi_2 phase and α-MgMg_3Bi_2 eutectic phases. The melting enthalpies of Mg−36%Bi, Mg−54%Bi and Mg−60%Bi alloys are 138.2, 180.5 and 48.7 J/g, with the phase change temperatures of 547.6, 546.3 and 548.1 °C, respectively. The Mg−54%Bi alloy has the highest melting enthalpy in three alloys. The main reason may be that it has more proportion of α-Mg + Mg_3Bi_2 eutectic phases. The thermal expansion of three alloys increases with increasing temperature. The values of the thermal conductivity decrease with increasing Bi content. Besides, the activation energy of Mg−54%Bi was calculated by multiple DSC technology.

Thermal stress control using waste steel fibers in massive concretes

Science.gov (United States)

Sarabi, Sahar; Bakhshi, Hossein; Sarkardeh, Hamed; Nikoo, Hamed Safaye

2017-11-01

One of the important subjects in massive concrete structures is the control of the generated heat of hydration and consequently the potential of cracking due to the thermal stress expansion. In the present study, using the waste turnery steel fibers in the massive concretes, the amount of used cement was reduced without changing the compressive strength. By substituting a part of the cement with waste steel fibers, the costs and the generated hydration heat were reduced and the tensile strength was increased. The results showed that by using 0.5% turnery waste steel fibers and consequently, reducing to 32% the cement content, the hydration heat reduced to 23.4% without changing the compressive strength. Moreover, the maximum heat gradient reduced from 18.5% in the plain concrete sample to 12% in the fiber-reinforced concrete sample.

Experiment study on the thermal properties of paraffin/kaolin thermal energy storage form-stable phase change materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lv, Peizhao; Liu, Chenzhen; Rao, Zhonghao

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Different particle sizes of kaolin were employed to load paraffin. • The effects and reasons of particle size on thermal conductivity were studied. • Thermal property and thermal stability of the composites were investigated. • The leakage and thermal storage and release rate of the composites were studied. • The effect of vacuum impregnation method on thermal conductivity was investigated. - Abstract: In this paper, different particle sizes of kaolin were employed to incorporate paraffin via vacuum impregnation method. The paraffin/kaolin composites were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) and Thermogravimetry (TG). The results showed that the paraffin/kaolin composite with the largest particle size of kaolin (K4) has the highest thermal conductivity (0.413 W/(m K) at 20 °C) among the diverse composites. The latent heat capacity of paraffin/K4 is 119.49 J/g and the phase change temperature is 62.4 °C. In addition, the thermal properties and thermal conductivities of paraffin/K4 with different mass fraction of K4 (0–60%) were investigated. The thermal conductivities of the composites were explained in microcosmic field. The phonon mean free path determines the thermal conductivity, and it can be significantly affected by temperature and the contact surface area. The leaks, thermal storage and release properties of pure paraffin and paraffin/kaolin composites were investigated and the composites presented good thermal stabilities.

Effect of relative humidity and temperature control on in-cabin thermal comfort state: Thermodynamic and psychometric analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alahmer, A.; Omar, M.A.; Mayyas, A.; Dongri, Shan

2011-01-01

This manuscript discusses the effect of manipulating the Relative Humidity RH of in-cabin environment on the thermal comfort and human occupants' thermal sensation. The study uses thermodynamic and psychometric analyses, to incorporate the effect of changing RH along with the dry bulb temperature on human comfort. Specifically, the study computes the effect of changing the relative humidity on the amount of heat rejected from the passenger compartment and the effect of relative humidity on occupants comfort zone. A practical system implementation is also discussed in terms of an evaporative cooler design. The results show that changing the RH along with dry bulb temperature inside vehicular cabins can improve the air conditioning efficiency by reducing the heat removed while improving the Human comfort sensations as measured by the Predicted Mean Value PMV and the Predicted Percentage Dissatisfied PPD indices. - Highlights: → Investigates the effect of controlling the RH and dry bulb temperature on in-cabin thermal comfort and sensation. → Conducts the thermodynamic and psychometric analyses for changing the RH and temperature for in-cabin air conditioning. → Discusses a possible system implementation through an evaporative cooler design.

Graphene-enhanced hybrid phase change materials for thermal management of Li-ion batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Goli, Pradyumna; Legedza, Stanislav; Dhar, Aditya; Salgado, Ruben; Renteria, Jacqueline; Balandin, Alexander A.

2014-02-01

Li-ion batteries are crucial components for progress in mobile communications and transport technologies. However, Li-ion batteries suffer from strong self-heating, which limits their life-time and creates reliability and environmental problems. Here we show that thermal management and the reliability of Li-ion batteries can be drastically improved using hybrid phase change material with graphene fillers. Conventional thermal management of batteries relies on the latent heat stored in the phase change material as its phase changes over a small temperature range, thereby reducing the temperature rise inside the battery. Incorporation of graphene to the hydrocarbon-based phase change material allows one to increase its thermal conductivity by more than two orders of magnitude while preserving its latent heat storage ability. A combination of the sensible and latent heat storage together with the improved heat conduction outside of the battery pack leads to a significant decrease in the temperature rise inside a typical Li-ion battery pack. The described combined heat storage-heat conduction approach can lead to a transformative change in thermal management of Li-ion and other types of batteries.

Tracking hydrothermal feature changes in response to seismicity and deformation at Mud Volcano thermal area, Yellowstone

Science.gov (United States)

Diefenbach, A. K.; Hurwitz, S.; Murphy, F.; Evans, W.

2013-12-01

The Mud Volcano thermal area in Yellowstone National Park comprises many hydrothermal features including fumaroles, mudpots, springs, and thermal pools. Observations of hydrothermal changes have been made for decades in the Mud Volcano thermal area, and include reports of significant changes (the appearance of new features, increased water levels in pools, vigor of activity, and tree mortality) following an earthquake swarm in 1978 that took place beneath the area. However, no quantitative method to map and measure surface feature changes through time has been applied. We present an analysis of aerial photographs from 1954 to present to track temporal changes in the boundaries between vegetated and thermally barren areas, as well as location, extent, color, clarity, and runoff patterns of hydrothermal features within the Mud Volcano thermal area. This study attempts to provide a detailed, long-term (>50 year) inventory of hydrothermal features and change detection at Mud Volcano thermal area that can be used to identify changes in hydrothermal activity in response to seismicity, uplift and subsidence episodes of the adjacent Sour Creek resurgent dome, or other potential causes.

Choosing Actuators for Automatic Control Systems of Thermal Power Plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gorbunov, A. I., E-mail: gor@tornado.nsk.ru [JSC “Tornado Modular Systems” (Russian Federation); Serdyukov, O. V. [Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Automation and Electrometry (Russian Federation)

2015-03-15

Two types of actuators for automatic control systems of thermal power plants are analyzed: (i) pulse-controlled actuator and (ii) analog-controlled actuator with positioning function. The actuators are compared in terms of control circuit, control accuracy, reliability, and cost.

Coral thermal tolerance: tuning gene expression to resist thermal stress.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anthony J Bellantuono

Full Text Available The acclimatization capacity of corals is a critical consideration in the persistence of coral reefs under stresses imposed by global climate change. The stress history of corals plays a role in subsequent response to heat stress, but the transcriptomic changes associated with these plastic changes have not been previously explored. In order to identify host transcriptomic changes associated with acquired thermal tolerance in the scleractinian coral Acropora millepora, corals preconditioned to a sub-lethal temperature of 3°C below bleaching threshold temperature were compared to both non-preconditioned corals and untreated controls using a cDNA microarray platform. After eight days of hyperthermal challenge, conditions under which non-preconditioned corals bleached and preconditioned corals (thermal-tolerant maintained Symbiodinium density, a clear differentiation in the transcriptional profiles was revealed among the condition examined. Among these changes, nine differentially expressed genes separated preconditioned corals from non-preconditioned corals, with 42 genes differentially expressed between control and preconditioned treatments, and 70 genes between non-preconditioned corals and controls. Differentially expressed genes included components of an apoptotic signaling cascade, which suggest the inhibition of apoptosis in preconditioned corals. Additionally, lectins and genes involved in response to oxidative stress were also detected. One dominant pattern was the apparent tuning of gene expression observed between preconditioned and non-preconditioned treatments; that is, differences in expression magnitude were more apparent than differences in the identity of genes differentially expressed. Our work revealed a transcriptomic signature underlying the tolerance associated with coral thermal history, and suggests that understanding the molecular mechanisms behind physiological acclimatization would be critical for the modeling of reefs

Fuzzy logic-based advanced on–off control for thermal comfort in residential buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Chang-Soon; Hyun, Chang-Ho; Park, Mignon

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Fuzzy logic-based advanced on–off control is proposed. • An anticipative control mechanism is implemented by using fuzzy theory. • Novel thermal analysis program including solar irradiation as a factor is developed. • The proposed controller solves over-heating and under-heating thermal problems. • Solar energy compensation method is applied to compensate for the solar energy. - Abstract: In this paper, an advanced on–off control method based on fuzzy logic is proposed for maintaining thermal comfort in residential buildings. Due to the time-lag of the control systems and the late building thermal response, an anticipative control mechanism is required to reduce energy loss and thermal discomfort. The proposed controller is implemented based on an on–off controller combined with a fuzzy algorithm. On–off control was chosen over other conventional control methods because of its structural simplicity. However, because conventional on–off control has a fixed operating range and a limited ability for improvements in control performance, fuzzy theory can be applied to overcome these limitations. Furthermore, a fuzzy-based solar energy compensation algorithm can be applied to the proposed controller to compensate for the energy gained from solar radiation according to the time of day. Simulations were conducted to compare the proposed controller with a conventional on–off controller under identical external conditions such as outdoor temperature and solar energy; these simulations were carried out by using a previously reported thermal analysis program that was modified to consider such external conditions. In addition, experiments were conducted in a residential building called Green Home Plus, in which hydronic radiant floor heating is used; in these experiments, the proposed system performed better than a system employing conventional on–off control methods

0-π phase-controllable thermal Josephson junction

Science.gov (United States)

Fornieri, Antonio; Timossi, Giuliano; Virtanen, Pauli; Solinas, Paolo; Giazotto, Francesco

2017-05-01

Two superconductors coupled by a weak link support an equilibrium Josephson electrical current that depends on the phase difference ϕ between the superconducting condensates. Yet, when a temperature gradient is imposed across the junction, the Josephson effect manifests itself through a coherent component of the heat current that flows opposite to the thermal gradient for |ϕ| heat currents can be inverted by adding a π shift to ϕ. In the static electrical case, this effect has been obtained in a few systems, for example via a ferromagnetic coupling or a non-equilibrium distribution in the weak link. These structures opened new possibilities for superconducting quantum logic and ultralow-power superconducting computers. Here, we report the first experimental realization of a thermal Josephson junction whose phase bias can be controlled from 0 to π. This is obtained thanks to a superconducting quantum interferometer that allows full control of the direction of the coherent energy transfer through the junction. This possibility, in conjunction with the completely superconducting nature of our system, provides temperature modulations with an unprecedented amplitude of ∼100 mK and transfer coefficients exceeding 1 K per flux quantum at 25 mK. Then, this quantum structure represents a fundamental step towards the realization of caloritronic logic components such as thermal transistors, switches and memory devices. These elements, combined with heat interferometers and diodes, would complete the thermal conversion of the most important phase-coherent electronic devices and benefit cryogenic microcircuits requiring energy management, such as quantum computing architectures and radiation sensors.

Comments on Thermal Physical Properties Testing Methods of Phase Change Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jingchao Xie

2013-01-01

Full Text Available There is no standard testing method of the thermal physical properties of phase change materials (PCM. This paper has shown advancements in this field. Developments and achievements in thermal physical properties testing methods of PCM were commented, including differential scanning calorimetry, T-history measurement, the water bath method, and differential thermal analysis. Testing principles, advantages and disadvantages, and important points for attention of each method were discussed. A foundation for standardized testing methods for PCM was made.

Aluminum and silicon based phase change materials for high capacity thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Zhengyun; Wang, Hui; Li, Xiaobo; Wang, Dezhi; Zhang, Qinyong; Chen, Gang; Ren, Zhifeng

2015-01-01

Six compositions of aluminum (Al) and silicon (Si) based materials: 87.8Al-12.2Si, 80Al–20Si, 70Al–30Si, 60Al–40Si, 45Al–40Si–15Fe, and 17Al–53Si–30Ni (atomic ratio), were investigated for potentially high thermal energy storage (TES) application from medium to high temperatures (550–1200 °C) through solid–liquid phase change. Thermal properties such as melting point, latent heat, specific heat, thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and laser flash apparatus. The results reveal that the thermal storage capacity of the Al–Si materials increases with increasing Si concentration. The melting point and latent heat of 45Al–40Si–15Fe and 17Al–53Si–30Ni are ∼869 °C and ∼562 J g −1 , and ∼1079 °C and ∼960 J g −1 , respectively. The measured thermal conductivity of Al–Si binary materials depend on Si concentration and is higher than 80 W m −1  K −1 from room temperature to 500 °C, which is almost two orders of magnitude higher than those of salts that are commonly used phase change material for thermal energy storage. - Highlights: • Six kinds of materials were investigated for thermal energy storage (550–1200 °C). • Partial melting of Al–Si materials show progressively changing temperatures. • Studied materials can be used in three different working temperature ranges. • Materials are potentially good candidates for thermal energy storage applications.

Microencapsulated n-octacosane as phase change material for thermal energy storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sari, Ahmet; Alkan, Cemil; Karaipekli, Ali [Department of Chemistry, Gaziosmanpasa University, 60240 Tokat (Turkey); Uzun, Orhan [Department of Physics, Gaziosmanpasa University, 60240 Tokat (Turkey)

2009-10-15

This study deals with preparation and characterization of polymethylmetracrylate (PMMA) microcapsules containing n-octacosane as phase change material for thermal energy storage. The surface morphology, particle size and particle size distribution (PSD) were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The chemical characterization of PMMA/octacosane microcapsules was made by FT-IR spectroscopy method. Thermal properties and thermal stability of microencapsulated octacosane were determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The melting and freezing temperatures and the latent heats of the microencapsulated octacosane as PCM were measured as 50.6 and 53.2 C, 86.4 and -88.5 J/g, respectively, by DSC analysis. TGA analysis indicated that the microencapsulated octacosane degrade in two steps and had good chemical stability. Thermal cycling test shows that the microcapsules have good thermal reliability with respect to the accelerated thermal cycling. Based on the results, it can be considered that the microencapsulated octacosane have good energy storage potential. (author)

Effect of multiple phase change materials (PCMs) slab configurations on thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaikh, Shadab; Lafdi, Khalid

2006-01-01

The present work involves the use of a two dimensional control volume based numerical method to conduct a study of a combined convection-diffusion phase change heat transfer process in varied configurations of composite PCM slabs. Simulations were conducted to investigate the impact of using different configurations of multiple PCM slabs arrangements with different melting temperatures, thermophysical properties and varied sets of boundary conditions on the total energy stored as compared to using a single PCM slab. The degree of enhancement of the energy storage has been shown in terms of the total energy stored rate. The numerical results from the parametric study indicated that the total energy charged rate can be significantly enhanced by using composite PCMs as compared to the single PCM. This enhancement in the energy storage can be of great importance to improve the thermal performance of latent thermal storage systems

Microencapsulation of phase change materials with carbon nanotubes reinforced shell for enhancement of thermal conductivity

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Weiwei; Xia, Yongpeng; Zhang, Huanzhi; Xu, Fen; Zou, Yongjin; Xiang, Cuili; Chu, Hailiang; Qiu, Shujun; Sun, Lixian

2017-03-01

Novel microencapsulated phase change materials (micro-PCMs) were synthesized via in-situ polymerization with modified carbon nanotubes(CNTs) reinforced melamine-formaldehyde resin as shell material and CNTs reinforced n-octadecane as PCMs core. DSC results confirm that the micro-PCMs possess good phase change behavior and excellent thermal cycling stability. Melting enthalpy of the micro-PCMs can achieve 133.1 J/g and has slight changes after 20 times of thermal cyclings. And the incorporation of CNTs supplies the micro-PCMs with fast thermal response rate which increases the crystallization temperature of the micro-PCMs. Moreover, the thermal conductivity of the micro-PCMs has been significantly enhanced by introducing CNTs into their shell and core materials. And the thermal conductivity of micro-PCMs with 1.67 wt.% CNTs can increase by 25%. These results exhibit that the obtained micro-PCMs have a good prospect in thermal energy storage applications.

Composite of wood-plastic and micro-encapsulated phase change material (MEPCM) used for thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jamekhorshid, A.; Sadrameli, S.M.; Barzin, R.; Farid, M.M.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A composite of wood–plastic-MEPCM has been produced. • Compression molding has been used for the composite preparation. • Thermal and properties were investigated using DSC analysis and cycling test. • Leakage test has been performed for the encapsulated PCM. • The composites can be used as a building material for thermal energy management. - Abstract: Application of phase change materials (PCMs) in lightweight building is growing due to the high latent heat of fusion of PCMs and their ability to control temperature by absorbing and releasing heat efficiently. Wood-plastic composites (WPC) are materials used in the interior parts of buildings that have improved properties compared to conventional materials. However, these materials have low energy storage capacity, which can be improved by incorporating PCM in them. Leakage of PCM is a major obstacle to the industrial applications, which can be solved through the use of microencapsulated PCM (MEPCM). This paper presents the performance tests conducted for a composite of wood-plastic-MEPCM for using in buildings for thermal storage. The wood-plastic-MEPCM composites were produced in this project using compression molding and their thermal and mechanical properties were investigated using DSC analysis, cycling test, leakage test, and three point bending analysis. The results showed that there is no leakage of PCM during phase change. The results also indicated that the composite has reasonable thermal properties, but its mechanical properties need to be improved by increasing the pressure during the molding process or by using extrusion method. The produced composites can be used as a building material for thermal energy management of building.

Application of phase change materials in thermal management of electronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kandasamy, Ravi; Wang Xiangqi; Mujumdar, Arun S.

2007-01-01

Application of a novel PCM package for thermal management of portable electronic devices was investigated experimentally for effects of various parameters e.g. power input, orientation of package, and various melting/freezing times under cyclic steady conditions. Also, a two-dimensional numerical study was made and compared the experimental results. Results show that increased power inputs increase the melting rate, while orientation of the package to gravity has negligible effect on the thermal performance of the PCM package. The thermal resistance of the device and the power level applied to the PCM package are of critical importance for design of a passive thermal control system. Comparison with numerical results confirms that PCM-based design is an excellent candidate design for transient electronic cooling applications

Optimal control theory applied to fusion plasma thermal stabilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sager, G.; Miley, G.; Maya, I.

1985-01-01

Many authors have investigated stability characteristics and performance of various burn control schemes. The work presented here represents the first application of optimal control theory to the problem of fusion plasma thermal stabilization. The objectives of this initial investigation were to develop analysis methods, demonstrate tractability, and present some preliminary results of optimal control theory in burn control research

Thermal energy storage using phase change materials fundamentals and applications

CERN Document Server

Fleischer, Amy S

2015-01-01

This book presents a comprehensive introduction to the use of solid‐liquid phase change materials to store significant amounts of energy in the latent heat of fusion. The proper selection of materials for different applications is covered in detail, as is the use of high conductivity additives to enhance thermal diffusivity. Dr. Fleischer explores how applications of PCMS have expanded over the past 10 years to include the development of high efficiency building materials to reduce heating and cooling needs, smart material design for clothing, portable electronic systems thermal management, solar thermal power plant design and many others. Additional future research directions and challenges are also discussed.

Desiccant wheel thermal performance modeling for indoor humidity optimal control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Nan; Zhang, Jiangfeng; Xia, Xiaohua

2013-01-01

Highlights: • An optimal humidity control model is formulated to control the indoor humidity. • MPC strategy is used to implement the optimal operation solution. • Practical applications of the MPC strategy is illustrated by the case study. - Abstract: Thermal comfort is an important concern in the energy efficiency improvement of commercial buildings. Thermal comfort research focuses mostly on temperature control, but humidity control is an important aspect to maintain indoor comfort too. In this paper, an optimal humidity control model (OHCM) is presented. Model predictive control (MPC) strategy is applied to implement the optimal operation of the desiccant wheel during working hours of a commercial building. The OHCM is revised to apply the MPC strategy. A case is studied to illustrate the practical applications of the MPC strategy

Full control and manipulation of heat signatures: cloaking, camouflage and thermal metamaterials.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Tiancheng; Bai, Xue; Thong, John T L; Li, Baowen; Qiu, Cheng-Wei

2014-03-19

Thermal camouflage and cloaking can transform an actual heat signature into a pre-controlled one. A viable recipe for controlling and manipulating heat signatures using thermal metamaterials to empower cloaking and camouflage in heat conduction is demonstrated. The thermal signature of the object is thus metamorphosed and perceived as multiple targets with different geometries and compositions, with the original object cloaked. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effects of thermal treatment on mineralogy and heavy metal behavior in iron oxide stabilized air pollution control residues

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Mette Abildgaard; Bender-Koch, C.; Starckpoole, M. M.

2000-01-01

Stabilization of air pollution control residues by coprecipitation with ferrous iron and subsequent thermal treatment (at 600 and 900 °C) has been examined as a means to reduce heavy metal leaching and to improve product stability. Changes in mineralogy and metal binding were analyzed using various...... analytical and environmental techniques. Ferrihydrite was formed initially but transformed upon thermal treatment to more stable and crystalline iron oxides (maghemite and hematite). For some metals leaching studies showed more substantial binding after thermal treatment, while other metals either....... Thermal treatment of the stabilized residues produced structures with an inherently better iron oxide stability. However, the concentration of metals in the leachate generally increased as a consequence of the decreased solubility of metals in the more stable iron oxide structure....

Adaptation of thermal power plants: The (ir)relevance of climate (change) information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogmans, Christian W.J.; Dijkema, Gerard P.J.; Vliet, Michelle T.H. van

2017-01-01

When does climate change information lead to adaptation? We analyze thermal power plant adaptation by means of investing in water-saving (cooling) technology to prevent a decrease in plant efficiency and load reduction. A comprehensive power plant investment model, forced with downscaled climate and hydrological projections, is then numerically solved to analyze the adaptation decisions of a selection of real power plants. We find that operators that base their decisions on current climatic conditions are likely to make identical choices and perform just as well as operators that are fully ‘informed’ about climate change. Where electricity supply is mainly generated by thermal power plants, heat waves, droughts and low river flow may impact electricity supply for decades to come. - Highlights: • We analyze adaptation to climate change by thermal power plants. • A numerical investment model is applied to a coal plant and a nuclear power plant. • The numerical analysis is based on climate and hydrological projections. • Climate change information has a relatively small effect on a power plant's NPV. • Uncertainty and no-regret benefits lower the value of climate change information.

Novel Formulations of Phase Change Materials—Epoxy Composites for Thermal Energy Storage

OpenAIRE

Maria Elena Arce; Miguel Angel Alvarez Feijoo; Andres Suarez Garcia; Claudia C. Luhrs

2018-01-01

This research aimed to evaluate the thermal properties of new formulations of phase change materials (PCMs)-epoxy composites, containing a thickening agent and a thermally conductive phase. The composite specimens produced consisted of composites fabricated using (a) inorganic PCMs (hydrated salts), epoxy resins and aluminum particulates or (b) organic PCM (paraffin), epoxy resins, and copper particles. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was used to analyze the thermal behavior of the sa...

Thermal compatibility of Sodium Nitrate/Expanded Perlite composite phase change materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Ruguang; Zhu, Jiaoqun; Zhou, Weibing; Cheng, Xiaomin; Li, Yuanyuan

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Expanded Perlite/Sodium Nitrate composites hardly reported in thermal storage fields. • The thermal compatibility and adsorption of Expanded Perlite were investigated. • The thermo physic properties of composites were determined. • The thermal stability and long term enthalpy changes of composites were investigated. - Abstract: The present work focused on the preparation and characterization of a new thermal storage material applied in thermal energy management. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that Expanded Perlite (EP) has a good thermal stability varying from 300 °C to 900 °C. Morphology of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that sodium nitrate is uniformly encapsulated and embedded in the three-dimensional network structure of EP. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy indicated that the EP is physically combined with the nitrate salt. Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) indicated that the composites have good thermal stability. The adsorption capacity of loose EP was 213.21%. When the EP mass fraction varying from 10% to 60%, thermal conductivity decreased with the content of EP increased, and the highest thermal conductivity is 1.14 W (m K)"−"1 at 300 °C. SEM revealed the network structure of EP provided thermal conduction paths which enhanced the thermal conductivity of the composites. All results indicated that EP could be a good adsorption material to be applied in the thermal storage fields.

A Morphing Radiator for High-Turndown Thermal Control of Crewed Space Exploration Vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Cognata, Thomas J.; Hardtl, Darren; Sheth, Rubik; Dinsmore, Craig

2015-01-01

Spacecraft designed for missions beyond low earth orbit (LEO) face a difficult thermal control challenge, particularly in the case of crewed vehicles where the thermal control system (TCS) must maintain a relatively constant internal environment temperature despite a vastly varying external thermal environment and despite heat rejection needs that are contrary to the potential of the environment. A thermal control system is in other words required to reject a higher heat load to warm environments and a lower heat load to cold environments, necessitating a quite high turndown ratio. A modern thermal control system is capable of a turndown ratio of on the order of 12:1, but for crew safety and environment compatibility these are massive multi-loop fluid systems. This paper discusses the analysis of a unique radiator design which employs the behavior of shape memory alloys (SMA) to vary the turndown of, and thus enable, a single-loop vehicle thermal control system for space exploration vehicles. This design, a morphing radiator, varies its shape in response to facesheet temperature to control view of space and primary surface emissivity. Because temperature dependence is inherent to SMA behavior, the design requires no accommodation for control, instrumentation, nor power supply in order to operate. Thermal and radiation modeling of the morphing radiator predict a turndown ranging from 11.9:1 to 35:1 independent of TCS configuration. Stress and deformation analyses predict the desired morphing behavior of the concept. A system level mass analysis shows that by enabling a single loop architecture this design could reduce the TCS mass by between 139 kg and 225 kg. The concept is demonstrated in proof-of-concept benchtop tests.

Low acclimation capacity of narrow-ranging thermal specialists exposes susceptibility to global climate change.

Science.gov (United States)

Markle, Tricia M; Kozak, Kenneth H

2018-05-01

Thermal acclimation is hypothesized to offer a selective advantage in seasonal habitats and may underlie disparities in geographic range size among closely-related species with similar ecologies. Understanding this relationship is also critical for identifying species that are more sensitive to warming climates. Here, we study North American plethodontid salamanders to investigate whether acclimation ability is associated with species' latitudinal extents and the thermal range of the environments they inhabit. We quantified variation in thermal physiology by measuring standard metabolic rate (SMR) at different test and acclimation temperatures for 16 species of salamanders with varying latitudinal extents. A phylogenetically-controlled Markov chain Monte Carlo generalized linear mixed model (MCMCglmm) was then employed to determine whether there are differences in SMR between wide- and narrow-ranging species at different acclimation temperatures. In addition, we tested for a relationship between the acclimation ability of species and the environmental temperature ranges they inhabit. Further, we investigated if there is a trade-off between critical thermal maximum (CTMax) and thermal acclimation ability. MCMCglmm results show a significant difference in acclimation ability between wide and narrow-ranging temperate salamanders. Salamanders with wide latitudinal distributions maintain or slightly increase SMR when subjected to higher test and acclimation temperatures, whereas several narrow-ranging species show significant metabolic depression. We also found significant, positive relationships between acclimation ability and environmental thermal range, and between acclimation ability and CTMax. Wide-ranging salamander species exhibit a greater capacity for thermal acclimation than narrow-ranging species, suggesting that selection for acclimation ability may have been a key factor enabling geographic expansion into areas with greater thermal variability. Further

Development of Tailorable Electrically Conductive Thermal Control Material Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Deshpande, M. S.; Harada, Y.

1997-01-01

The optical characteristics of surfaces on spacecraft are fundamental parameters in controlling its temperature. Passive thermal control coatings with designed solar absorptance and infrared emittance properties have been developed and have been in use for some time. In this total space environment, the coating must be stable and maintain its desired optical properties as well as mechanical properties for the course of the mission lifetime. The mission lifetimes are increasing and in our quest to save weight, newer substrates are being integrated which limit electrical grounding schemes. All of this has added to already existing concerns about spacecraft charging and related spacecraft failures or operational failures. The concern is even greater for thermal control surfaces that are very large. One way of alleviating such concerns is to design new thermal control material systems (TCMS) that can help to mitigate charging via providing charge leakage paths. The objective of this program was to develop two types of passive electrically conductive TCMS. The first was a highly absorbing/emitting black surface and the second was a low (alpha(sub s)/epsilon(sub N)) type white surface. The surface resistance goals for the black absorber was 10(exp 4) to 10(exp 9) Omega/square, and for the white surfaces it was 10(exp 6) to 10(exp 10) Omega/square. Several material system concepts were suggested and evaluated for space environment stability and electrical performance characterization. Our efforts in designing and evaluating these material systems have resulted in several developments. New concepts, pigments and binders have been developed to provide new engineering quality TCMS. Some of these have already found application on space hardware, some are waiting to be recognized by thermal designers, and some require further detailed studies to become state-of-the-art for future space hardware and space structures. Our studies on baseline state-of-the-art materials and

Control of thermal therapies with moving power deposition field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arora, Dhiraj; Minor, Mark A; Skliar, Mikhail; Roemer, Robert B

2006-01-01

A thermal therapy feedback control approach to control thermal dose using a moving power deposition field is developed and evaluated using simulations. A normal tissue safety objective is incorporated in the controller design by imposing constraints on temperature elevations at selected normal tissue locations. The proposed control technique consists of two stages. The first stage uses a model-based sliding mode controller that dynamically generates an 'ideal' power deposition profile which is generally unrealizable with available heating modalities. Subsequently, in order to approximately realize this spatially distributed idealized power deposition, a constrained quadratic optimizer is implemented to compute intensities and dwell times for a set of pre-selected power deposition fields created by a scanned focused transducer. The dwell times for various power deposition profiles are dynamically generated online as opposed to the commonly employed a priori-decided heating strategies. Dynamic intensity and trajectory generation safeguards the treatment outcome against modelling uncertainties and unknown disturbances. The controller is designed to enforce simultaneous activation of multiple normal tissue temperature constraints by rapidly switching between various power deposition profiles. The hypothesis behind the controller design is that the simultaneous activation of multiple constraints substantially reduces treatment time without compromising normal tissue safety. The controller performance and robustness with respect to parameter uncertainties is evaluated using simulations. The results demonstrate that the proposed controller can successfully deliver the desired thermal dose to the target while maintaining the temperatures at the user-specified normal tissue locations at or below the maximum allowable values. Although demonstrated for the case of a scanned focused ultrasound transducer, the developed approach can be extended to other heating modalities with

PID-controller with predictor and auto-tuning algorithm: study of efficiency for thermal plants

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzishchin, V. F.; Merzlikina, E. I.; Hoang, Van Va

2017-09-01

The problem of efficiency estimation of an automatic control system (ACS) with a Smith predictor and PID-algorithm for thermal plants is considered. In order to use the predictor, it is proposed to include an auto-tuning module (ATC) into the controller; the module calculates parameters for a second-order plant module with a time delay. The study was conducted using programmable logical controllers (PLC), one of which performed control, ATC, and predictor functions. A simulation model was used as a control plant, and there were two variants of the model: one of them was built on the basis of a separate PLC, and the other was a physical model of a thermal plant in the form of an electrical heater. Analysis of the efficiency of the ACS with the predictor was carried out for several variants of the second order plant model with time delay, and the analysis was performed on the basis of the comparison of transient processes in the system when the set point was changed and when a disturbance influenced the control plant. The recommendations are given on correction of the PID-algorithm parameters when the predictor is used by means of using the correcting coefficient k for the PID parameters. It is shown that, when the set point is changed, the use of the predictor is effective taking into account the parameters correction with k = 2. When the disturbances influence the plant, the use of the predictor is doubtful, because the transient process is too long. The reason for this is that, in the neighborhood of the zero frequency, the amplitude-frequency characteristic (AFC) of the system with the predictor has an ascent in comparison with the AFC of the system without the predictor.

Variable Emissive Smart Radiator for Dynamic Thermal Control

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Trending towards reduced power and mass budget on satellites with a longer mission life, there is a need for a reliable thermal control system that is more efficient...

Thermal analysis on organic phase change materials for heat storage applications

Science.gov (United States)

Lager, Daniel

2016-07-01

In this paper, methodologies based on thermal analysis to evaluate specific heat capacity, phase transition enthalpies, thermal cycling stability and thermal conductivity of organic phase change materials (PCMs) are discussed. Calibration routines for a disc type heat flow differential scanning calorimetry (hf-DSC) are compared and the applied heating rates are adapted due to the low thermal conductivity of the organic PCMs. An assessment of thermal conductivity measurements based on "Laser Flash Analysis" (LFA) and the "Transient Hot Bridge" method (THB) in solid and liquid state has been performed. It could be shown that a disc type hf-DSC is a useful method for measuring specific heat capacity, melting enthalpies and cycling stability of organic PCM if temperature and sensitivity calibration are adapted to the material and quantity to be measured. The LFA method shows repeatable and reproducible thermal diffusivity results in solid state and a high effort for sample preparation in comparison to THB in liquid state. Thermal conductivity results of the two applied methods show large deviations in liquid phase and have to be validated by further experiments.

Low concentration graphene nanoplatelets for shape stabilization and thermal transfer reinforcement of Mannitol: a phase change material for a medium-temperature thermal energy system

Science.gov (United States)

Jing, Gu; Dehong, Xia; Li, Wang; Wenqing, Ao; Zhaodong, Qi

2018-03-01

We report herein a novel series of Mannitol/GNPs (graphene nanoplatelets) composites with incremental GNPs loadings from 1 wt% to 10 wt% for further applications in medium-temperature thermal energy system. The phase change behavior and thermal conductivity of Mannitol/GNPs composite, a nanostructured PCM, have been evaluated as a function of GNPs content. Compared to the pristine Mannitol, the resultant stabilized composite with 8 wt% of GNPs displays an extremely high 1054% enhancement in thermal conductivity, and inherits 92% of phase change enthalpy of bulk Mannitol PCM (phase change material). More importantly, 92%Mannitol/GNPs composite still preserves its initial shape without any leakage even when subjected to a 400 consecutive melting/re-solidification cycles. The resulting Mannitol composites exhibit excellent chemical compatibility, large phase change enthalpy and improved thermal reliability, as compared to base PCM, which stands distinct in its class of organic with reference to the past literatures.

Control of Several Emissions during Olive Pomace Thermal Degradation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teresa Miranda

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Biomass plays an important role as an energy source, being an interesting alternative to fossil fuels due to its environment-friendly and sustainable characteristics. However, due to the exposure of customers to emissions during biomass heating, evolved pollutants should be taken into account and controlled. Changing raw materials or mixing them with another less pollutant biomass could be a suitable step to reduce pollution. This work studied the thermal behaviour of olive pomace, pyrenean oak and their blends under combustion using thermogravimetric analysis. It was possible to monitor the emissions released during the process by coupling mass spectrometry analysis. The experiments were carried out under non-isothermal conditions at the temperature range 25–750 °C and a heating rate of 20 °C·min−1. The following species were analysed: aromatic compounds (benzene and toluene, sulphur emissions (sulphur dioxide, 1,4-dioxin, hydrochloric acid, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides. The results indicated that pollutants were mainly evolved in two different stages, which are related to the thermal degradation steps. Thus, depending on the pollutant and raw material composition, different emission profiles were observed. Furthermore, intensity of the emission profiles was related, in some cases, to the composition of the precursor.

Tributaries affect the thermal response of lakes to climate change

Science.gov (United States)

Råman Vinnå, Love; Wüest, Alfred; Zappa, Massimiliano; Fink, Gabriel; Bouffard, Damien

2018-01-01

Thermal responses of inland waters to climate change varies on global and regional scales. The extent of warming is determined by system-specific characteristics such as fluvial input. Here we examine the impact of ongoing climate change on two alpine tributaries, the Aare River and the Rhône River, and their respective downstream peri-alpine lakes: Lake Biel and Lake Geneva. We propagate regional atmospheric temperature effects into river discharge projections. These, together with anthropogenic heat sources, are in turn incorporated into simple and efficient deterministic models that predict future water temperatures, river-borne suspended sediment concentration (SSC), lake stratification and river intrusion depth/volume in the lakes. Climate-induced shifts in river discharge regimes, including seasonal flow variations, act as positive and negative feedbacks in influencing river water temperature and SSC. Differences in temperature and heating regimes between rivers and lakes in turn result in large seasonal shifts in warming of downstream lakes. The extent of this repressive effect on warming is controlled by the lakes hydraulic residence time. Previous studies suggest that climate change will diminish deep-water oxygen renewal in lakes. We find that climate-related seasonal variations in river temperatures and SSC shift deep penetrating river intrusions from summer towards winter. Thus potentially counteracting the otherwise negative effects associated with climate change on deep-water oxygen content. Our findings provide a template for evaluating the response of similar hydrologic systems to on-going climate change.

Tributaries affect the thermal response of lakes to climate change

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Råman Vinnå

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Thermal responses of inland waters to climate change varies on global and regional scales. The extent of warming is determined by system-specific characteristics such as fluvial input. Here we examine the impact of ongoing climate change on two alpine tributaries, the Aare River and the Rhône River, and their respective downstream peri-alpine lakes: Lake Biel and Lake Geneva. We propagate regional atmospheric temperature effects into river discharge projections. These, together with anthropogenic heat sources, are in turn incorporated into simple and efficient deterministic models that predict future water temperatures, river-borne suspended sediment concentration (SSC, lake stratification and river intrusion depth/volume in the lakes. Climate-induced shifts in river discharge regimes, including seasonal flow variations, act as positive and negative feedbacks in influencing river water temperature and SSC. Differences in temperature and heating regimes between rivers and lakes in turn result in large seasonal shifts in warming of downstream lakes. The extent of this repressive effect on warming is controlled by the lakes hydraulic residence time. Previous studies suggest that climate change will diminish deep-water oxygen renewal in lakes. We find that climate-related seasonal variations in river temperatures and SSC shift deep penetrating river intrusions from summer towards winter. Thus potentially counteracting the otherwise negative effects associated with climate change on deep-water oxygen content. Our findings provide a template for evaluating the response of similar hydrologic systems to on-going climate change.

Research for the thermal change. Contributions; Forschung fuer die Waermewende. Beitraege

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szczepanski, Petra; Wunschick, Franziska; Martin, Niklas (comps.)

2016-05-15

The energy transition in the heating sector is not a sure-fire success and it is too slow. This is alarming since the heating / cooling sector is responsible for more than half of the final energy demand. That the ''thermal change'' has accelerated hardly despite many efforts by politics, industry and research in recent years, is the reason for the scientists the FVEE institutes to examine the perspectives of renewable energy and the need to increase efficiency in the heating sector systematically. therefore FVEE-2015 Annual Meeting, is entitled ''Research for the thermal change''. The contributions of this conference proceedings present the latest research results and show ways to implement the heat change technically, economically and politically. They are dedicated to the drivers, but also the barriers of heat change. The authors report on innovative projects to provide buildings with heat from geothermal energy, biomass and solar thermal energy. Several contributions are dedicated to the application of efficient components, such as thermal insulation, thermal storage and heat pumps. [German] Die Energiewende im Waermesektor ist kein Selbstlaeufer und kommt zu langsam voran. Das ist alarmierend, da der Waerme-/Kaeltesektor fuer ueber die Haelfte des Endenergiebedarfs verantwortlich ist. Dass die ''Waermewende'' trotz vielerlei Bemuehungen von Politik, Industrie und Forschung in den letzten Jahren kaum Fahrt aufgenommen hat, ist Anlass fuer die Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler der FVEE-Institute, die Perspektiven der erneuerbaren Energien und der notwendigen Effizienzsteigerung im Waermesektor systematisch zu untersuchen. Die FVEE-Jahrestagung 2015 steht deshalb unter dem Leitthema ''Forschung fuer die Waermewende''. Die Beitraege dieses Tagungsbandes praesentieren aktuelle Forschungsergebnisse und zeigen Wege auf, um die Waermewende technisch, wirtschaftlich und politisch

Polyethylene Glycol Based Graphene Aerogel Confined Phase Change Materials with High Thermal Stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Yang; Xiong, Weilai; Wang, Jianying; Li, Jinghua; Mei, Tao; Wang, Xianbao

2018-05-01

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) based graphene aerogel (GA) confined shaped-stabilized phase change materials (PCMs) are simply prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method. Three-dimensional GA inserted by PEG molecule chains, as a supporting material, obtained by reducing graphene oxide sheets, is used to keep their stabilized shape during a phase change process. The volume of GA is obviously expended after adding PEG, and only 9.8 wt% of GA make the composite achieve high energy efficiency without leakage during their phase change because of hydrogen bonding widely existing in the GA/PEG composites (GA-PCMs). The heat storage energy of GA-PCMs is 164.9 J/g, which is 90.2% of the phase change enthalpy of pure PEG. In addition, this composite inherits the natural thermal properties of graphene and thus shows enhanced thermal conductivity compared with pure PEG. This novel study provides an efficient way to fabricate shape-stabilized PCMs with a high content of PEG for thermal energy storage.

Palmitic acid/polypyrrole composites as form-stable phase change materials for thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silakhori, Mahyar; Metselaar, Hendrik Simon Cornelis; Mahlia, Teuku Meurah Indra; Fauzi, Hadi; Baradaran, Saeid; Naghavi, Mohammad Sajad

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A novel phase change composite of palmitic acid–polypyrrole(PA–PPy) was fabricated. • Thermal properties of PA–PPy are characterized in different mass ratios of PA–PPy. • Thermal cycling test showed that form stable PCM had a favorable thermal reliability. - Abstract: In this study a novel palmitic acid (PA)/polypyrrole (PPy) form-stable PCMs were readily prepared by in situ polymerization method. PA was used as thermal energy storage material and PPy was operated as supporting material. Form-stable PCMs were investigated by SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectrometer) analysis that illustrated PA Particles were wrapped by PPy particles. XRD (X-ray diffractometer) was used for crystalline phase of PA/PPy composites. Thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used for investigating Thermal stability and thermal energy storage properties of prepared form-stable PCMs. According to the obtained results the form stable PCMs exhibited favorable thermal stability in terms of their phase change temperature. The form-stable PCMs (79.9 wt% loading of PA) were considered as the highest loading PCM with desirable latent heat storage of 166.3 J/g and good thermal stability. Accelerated thermal cycling tests also showed that form stable PCM had an acceptable thermal reliability. As a consequence of acceptable thermal properties, thermal stability and chemical stability, we can consider the new kind of form stable PCMs for low temperature solar thermal energy storage applications

PID temperature controller in pig nursery: spatial characterization of thermal environment

Science.gov (United States)

de Souza Granja Barros, Juliana; Rossi, Luiz Antonio; Menezes de Souza, Zigomar

2018-05-01

The use of enhanced technologies of temperature control can improve the thermal conditions in environments of livestock facilities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatial distribution of the thermal environment variables in a pig nursery with a heating system with two temperature control technologies based on the geostatistical analysis. The following systems were evaluated: overhead electrical resistance with Proportional, Integral, and Derivative (PID) controller and overhead electrical resistance with a thermostat. We evaluated the climatic variables: dry bulb temperature (Tbs), air relative humidity (RH), temperature and humidity index (THI), and enthalpy in the winter, at 7:00, 12:00, and 18:00 h. The spatial distribution of these variables was mapped by kriging. The results showed that the resistance heating system with PID controllers improved the thermal comfort conditions in the pig nursery in the coldest hours, maintaining the spatial distribution of the air temperature more homogeneous in the pen. During the hottest weather, neither system provided comfort.

PID temperature controller in pig nursery: spatial characterization of thermal environment

Science.gov (United States)

de Souza Granja Barros, Juliana; Rossi, Luiz Antonio; Menezes de Souza, Zigomar

2017-11-01

The use of enhanced technologies of temperature control can improve the thermal conditions in environments of livestock facilities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatial distribution of the thermal environment variables in a pig nursery with a heating system with two temperature control technologies based on the geostatistical analysis. The following systems were evaluated: overhead electrical resistance with Proportional, Integral, and Derivative (PID) controller and overhead electrical resistance with a thermostat. We evaluated the climatic variables: dry bulb temperature (Tbs), air relative humidity (RH), temperature and humidity index (THI), and enthalpy in the winter, at 7:00, 12:00, and 18:00 h. The spatial distribution of these variables was mapped by kriging. The results showed that the resistance heating system with PID controllers improved the thermal comfort conditions in the pig nursery in the coldest hours, maintaining the spatial distribution of the air temperature more homogeneous in the pen. During the hottest weather, neither system provided comfort.

PID temperature controller in pig nursery: spatial characterization of thermal environment.

Science.gov (United States)

de Souza Granja Barros, Juliana; Rossi, Luiz Antonio; Menezes de Souza, Zigomar

2017-11-28

The use of enhanced technologies of temperature control can improve the thermal conditions in environments of livestock facilities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatial distribution of the thermal environment variables in a pig nursery with a heating system with two temperature control technologies based on the geostatistical analysis. The following systems were evaluated: overhead electrical resistance with Proportional, Integral, and Derivative (PID) controller and overhead electrical resistance with a thermostat. We evaluated the climatic variables: dry bulb temperature (Tbs), air relative humidity (RH), temperature and humidity index (THI), and enthalpy in the winter, at 7:00, 12:00, and 18:00 h. The spatial distribution of these variables was mapped by kriging. The results showed that the resistance heating system with PID controllers improved the thermal comfort conditions in the pig nursery in the coldest hours, maintaining the spatial distribution of the air temperature more homogeneous in the pen. During the hottest weather, neither system provided comfort.

Different Approaches to Control of TISO Thermal System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaroslava KRÁLOVÁ

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The contribution is aimed on problematic of multivariable control. Multivariable system can be controlled by multivariable controller or we can use decentralized control. Control of thermal system with two inputs and one output is shown in the paper. The goal of paper is to find what sort of results we can get by classical approaches and by more sophisticated strategies. Two discrete-time PID controllers are selected as a representative of classical approach and split-range with discrete-time PID controller is selected as a representative of more sophisticated strategy. Control strategies are compared in the view of control quality and costs, information and knowledge required by control design and application.

Determining solid-fluid interface temperature distribution during phase change of cryogenic propellants using transient thermal modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Bellur, K.; Médici, E. F.; Hermanson, J. C.; Choi, C. K.; Allen, J. S.

2018-04-01

Control of boil-off of cryogenic propellants is a continuing technical challenge for long duration space missions. Predicting phase change rates of cryogenic liquids requires an accurate estimation of solid-fluid interface temperature distributions in regions where a contact line or a thin liquid film exists. This paper described a methodology to predict inner wall temperature gradients with and without evaporation using discrete temperature measurements on the outer wall of a container. Phase change experiments with liquid hydrogen and methane in cylindrical test cells of various materials and sizes were conducted at the Neutron Imaging Facility at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Two types of tests were conducted. The first type of testing involved thermal cycling of an evacuated cell (dry) and the second involved controlled phase change with cryogenic liquids (wet). During both types of tests, temperatures were measured using Si-diode sensors mounted on the exterior surface of the test cells. Heat is transferred to the test cell by conduction through a helium exchange gas and through the cryostat sample holder. Thermal conduction through the sample holder is shown to be the dominant mode with the rate of heat transfer limited by six independent contact resistances. An iterative methodology is employed to determine contact resistances between the various components of the cryostat stick insert, test cell and lid using the dry test data. After the contact resistances are established, inner wall temperature distributions during wet tests are calculated.

Thermal Design and Thermal Behaviour of Radio Telescopes and their Enclosures

CERN Document Server

Greve, Albert

2010-01-01

Radio telescopes as well as communication antennas operate under the influence of gravity, temperature and wind. Among those, temperature influences may degrade the performance of a radio telescope through transient changes of the focus, pointing, path length and sensitivity, often in an unpredictable way. Thermal Design and Thermal Behaviour of Radio Telescopes and their Enclosures reviews the design and construction principles of radio telescopes in view of thermal aspects and heat transfer with the variable thermal environment; it explains supporting thermal model calculations and the application and efficiency of thermal protection and temperature control; it presents many measurements illustrating the thermal behaviour of telescopes in the environment of their observatory sites. The book benefits scientists and radio/communication engineers, telescope designers and construction firms as well as telescope operators, observatory staff, but also the observing astronomer who is directly confronted with the t...

Modeling and analysis of a robust thermal control system based on forced convection thermal switches

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Andrew D.; Palo, Scott E.

2006-05-01

There is a critical need, not just in the Department of Defense (DOD) but the entire space industry, to reduce the development time and overall cost of satellite missions. To that end, the DOD is actively pursuing the capability to reduce the deployment time of a new system from years to weeks or even days. The goal is to provide the advantages space affords not just to the strategic planner but also to the battlefield commanders. One of the most challenging aspects of this problem is the satellite's thermal control system (TCS). Traditionally the TCS must be vigorously designed, analyzed, tested, and optimized from the ground up for every satellite mission. This "reinvention of the wheel" is costly and time intensive. The next generation satellite TCS must be modular and scalable in order to cover a wide range of applications, orbits, and mission requirements. To meet these requirements a robust thermal control system utilizing forced convection thermal switches was investigated. The problem was investigated in two separate stages. The first focused on the overall design of the bus. The second stage focused on the overarching bus architecture and the design impacts of employing a thermal switch based TCS design. For the hot case, the fan provided additional cooling to increase the heat transfer rate of the subsystem. During the cold case, the result was a significant reduction in survival heater power.

Bayesian networks modeling for thermal error of numerical control machine tools

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Xin-hua YAO; Jian-zhong FU; Zi-chen CHEN

2008-01-01

The interaction between the heat source location,its intensity,thermal expansion coefficient,the machine system configuration and the running environment creates complex thermal behavior of a machine tool,and also makes thermal error prediction difficult.To address this issue,a novel prediction method for machine tool thermal error based on Bayesian networks (BNs) was presented.The method described causal relationships of factors inducing thermal deformation by graph theory and estimated the thermal error by Bayesian statistical techniques.Due to the effective combination of domain knowledge and sampled data,the BN method could adapt to the change of running state of machine,and obtain satisfactory prediction accuracy.Ex-periments on spindle thermal deformation were conducted to evaluate the modeling performance.Experimental results indicate that the BN method performs far better than the least squares(LS)analysis in terms of modeling estimation accuracy.

Experimental study of phase change materials for thermal storage in the temperature range of 300–400°C

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adinberg R.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Phase change materials (PCM based on inorganic salts having a temperature of fusion between 300 and 400°C, were investigated using a lab scale set-up dedicated for studying latent heat storage for concentrating solar thermal power (CSP technology. This experimental system provides thermal measurements of PCM specimens of about 1000 g under the heating temperature up to 450°C and enables simultaneous investigation of calorimetric properties of the loaded materials and heat transfer effects developed in the thermal storage during the charge and discharge phases. The measurement technique comprised temperature and pressure sensors, a control and data acquisition system and a thermal analysis model used to evaluate the experimental data. Results of the thermochemical tests conducted with a thermal storage medium composed of the ternary eutectic mixture of carbonate salts (34.5% K2CO3–33.4% Na2CO3–32.1% Li2CO3 and Diphyl (synthetic thermal oil, max working temperature 400°C used as the heat transfer fluid are presented and discussed in this paper.

PID temperature controller in pig nursery: improvements in performance, thermal comfort, and electricity use.

Science.gov (United States)

de Souza Granja Barros, Juliana; Rossi, Luiz Antonio; Sartor, Karina

2016-08-01

The use of smarter temperature control technologies in heating systems can optimize the use of electric power and performance of piglets. Two control technologies of a resistive heating system were assessed in a pig nursery: a PID (proportional, integral, and derivative) controller and a thermostat. The systems were evaluated regarding thermal environment, piglet performance, and use of electric power for 99 days. The heating system with PID controller improved the thermal environment conditions and was significantly (P PID-controlled heating system is more efficient in electricity use and provides better conditions for thermal comfort and animal performance than heating with thermostat.

Thermal expansion and volumetric changes during indium phosphide melting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glazov, V.M.; Davletov, K.; Nashel'skij, A.Ya.; Mamedov, M.M.

1977-01-01

The results of the measurements of a thermal expansion were summed up at various temperatures as a diagram in coordinates (Δ 1/1) approximately F(t). It was shown that an appreciable deviation of the relationship (Δ1/1) approximately f(t) from the linear law corresponded to a temperature of 500-550 deg C. It was noted that the said deviation was related to an appreciable thermal decomposition of indium phosphide as temperature increased. The strength of the inter-atomic bond of indium phosphide was calculated. Investigated were the volumetric changes of indium phosphide on melting. The resultant data were analyzed with the aid of the Clausius-Clapeyron equation

Solid state phase change materials for thermal energy storage in passive solar heated buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Benson, D. K.; Christensen, C.

1983-11-01

A set of solid state phase change materials was evaluated for possible use in passive solar thermal energy storage systems. The most promising materials are organic solid solutions of pentaerythritol, pentaglycerine and neopentyl glycol. Solid solution mixtures of these compounds can be tailored so that they exhibit solid-to-solid phase transformations at any desired temperature within the range from less than 25 deg to 188 deg. Thermophysical properties such as thermal conductivity, density and volumetric expansion were measured. Computer simulations were used to predict the performance of various Trombe wall designs incorporating solid state phase change materials. Optimum performance was found to be sensitive to the choice of phase change temperatures and to the thermal conductivity of the phase change material. A molecular mechanism of the solid state phase transition is proposed and supported by infrared spectroscopic evidence.

The response of human thermal sensation and its prediction to temperature step-change (cool-neutral-cool.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiuyuan Du

Full Text Available This paper reports on studies of the effect of temperature step-change (between a cool and a neutral environment on human thermal sensation and skin temperature. Experiments with three temperature conditions were carried out in a climate chamber during the period in winter. Twelve subjects participated in the experiments simulating moving inside and outside of rooms or cabins with air conditioning. Skin temperatures and thermal sensation were recorded. Results showed overshoot and asymmetry of TSV due to the step-change. Skin temperature changed immediately when subjects entered a new environment. When moving into a neutral environment from cool, dynamic thermal sensation was in the thermal comfort zone and overshoot was not obvious. Air-conditioning in a transitional area should be considered to limit temperature difference to not more than 5°C to decrease the unacceptability of temperature step-change. The linear relationship between thermal sensation and skin temperature or gradient of skin temperature does not apply in a step-change environment. There is a significant linear correlation between TSV and Qloss in the transient environment. Heat loss from the human skin surface can be used to predict dynamic thermal sensation instead of the heat transfer of the whole human body.

The Response of Human Thermal Sensation and Its Prediction to Temperature Step-Change (Cool-Neutral-Cool)

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Xiuyuan; Li, Baizhan; Liu, Hong; Yang, Dong; Yu, Wei; Liao, Jianke; Huang, Zhichao; Xia, Kechao

2014-01-01

This paper reports on studies of the effect of temperature step-change (between a cool and a neutral environment) on human thermal sensation and skin temperature. Experiments with three temperature conditions were carried out in a climate chamber during the period in winter. Twelve subjects participated in the experiments simulating moving inside and outside of rooms or cabins with air conditioning. Skin temperatures and thermal sensation were recorded. Results showed overshoot and asymmetry of TSV due to the step-change. Skin temperature changed immediately when subjects entered a new environment. When moving into a neutral environment from cool, dynamic thermal sensation was in the thermal comfort zone and overshoot was not obvious. Air-conditioning in a transitional area should be considered to limit temperature difference to not more than 5°C to decrease the unacceptability of temperature step-change. The linear relationship between thermal sensation and skin temperature or gradient of skin temperature does not apply in a step-change environment. There is a significant linear correlation between TSV and Qloss in the transient environment. Heat loss from the human skin surface can be used to predict dynamic thermal sensation instead of the heat transfer of the whole human body. PMID:25136808

Thermal Management of Software Changes in Product Lifecycle of Consumer Electronics

OpenAIRE

Muraoka , Yoshio; Seki , Kenichi; Nishimura , Hidekazu

2014-01-01

Part 6: Industry and Consumer Products; International audience; Because the power consumption of consumer electronic products varies according to processor execution, which depends on software, thermal risk may be increased by software changes, including software updates or the installation of new applications, even after hardware development has been completed. In this paper, we first introduce a typical system-level thermal simulation model, coupling the activities within modules related to...

Weld Nugget Temperature Control in Thermal Stir Welding

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, R. Jeffrey (Inventor)

2014-01-01

A control system for a thermal stir welding system is provided. The control system includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor is coupled to the welding system's containment plate assembly and generates signals indicative of temperature of a region adjacent and parallel to the welding system's stir rod. The controller is coupled to the sensor and generates at least one control signal using the sensor signals indicative of temperature. The controller is also coupled to the welding system such that at least one of rotational speed of the stir rod, heat supplied by the welding system's induction heater, and feed speed of the welding system's weld material feeder are controlled based on the control signal(s).

Thermal properties and stabilities of the eutectic mixture: 1,6-hexanediol/lauric acid as a phase change material for thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Lipeng; Ma, Guixiang; Xie, Shaolei; Sun, Jinhe; Jia, Yongzhong; Jing, Yan

2017-01-01

Highlights: • The eutectic mixture of 1,6-hexanediol/lauric acid was studied as a phase change material. • The mass fraction of 1,6-hexanediol in eutectic point is 70%. • The melting point and latent heat are measured to be 36.92 °C and 177.11 J g −1 . • The eutectic mixture showed good thermal and cyclic stabilities. - Abstract: Thermal properties and stabilities of the eutectic mixture: 1,6-hexanediol (HE) and lauric acid (LA) as a new phase change material (PCM) for latent heat thermal energy storage (TES) were investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results indicated that the aforementioned HE/LA mixture with eutectic composition (70/30 wt.%) was a suitable PCM in terms of melting point (T peak = 36.92 ± 0.71 °C) and latent heat of fusion (ΔH m = 177.11 ± 7.93 J g −1 ). After 1000 thermal cycles, the change in melting point for the eutectic mixture was in the range of −0.49% to −1.19%, and the change in latent heat of fusion was in the range of −0.22% to −3.24%. The eutectic mixture was thermally and chemically stable according to results of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), volatile test and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic analysis. Therefore, the HE/LA eutectic mixture is an effective TES material to reduce energy consumption.

A reference device for evaluating the thermal behavior of installed multilayered wall containing a phase change material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pagliolico, S.L.; Sassi, G.; Cascone, Y.; Bongiovanni, R.M.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Thermal analysis of installed wallboards embedding phase change material layer. • Simple devices and real conditions for thermal analysis toward a standardization. • Scanning calorimetric measurements as initial condition for data regression. • Bias correction of calorimetric measurements data by installation factors. • Practical approach to identify a reliable thermal curve for capacitive wallboards. - Abstract: Thermal inertia of lightweight building envelopes can be improved including phase change materials in multilayered wallboards. The thermal modeling of buildings for design purposes needs a robust description of the thermal properties of installed phase change materials. A standard method would improve the thermal characterization of commercial products. The aim of the study is to develop a simple methodology to obtain reliable thermal data for phase change materials integrated in multilayered wallboards. The methodology modifies differential scanning calorimetry measurements on phase change material by installation factors to obtain the apparent specific heat vs. temperature for the wallboard layer embedding phase change material. Simple cubic cells were realized as reference devices to simulate a confined environment. A dynamic model of heat transfer was developed to simulate the thermal behavior of devices. Installation factors were calculated by regression of the monitored temperatures inside and outside the devices operating under real environmental conditions. The apparent specific heat of phase change material, measured by differential scanning calorimetry at different rates, resulted in a spread of curves vs. temperature. Mean curves were used as initial condition for regression. The mean calculation method did not significantly affect the installed resulted curve. A unique curve of apparent specific heat vs. temperature best fit data measured over a wide range of experimental devices and conditions. Good regression

Thermal management of electric vehicle`s batteries using phase change materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rafalovich, A.; Longardner, W.; Keller, G.; Schmidter, T.C. [SHAPE, Inc., Indianapolis (United States); Fleming, F. [Hawker Energy Products Ltd, Newport (United Kingdom)

1994-12-31

SHAPE, Inc. (USA) and Hawker Energy Products Ltd. (UK) have successfully developed a passive thermal management system for sealed lead acid batteries featuring Phase Change Materials (PCM`s). The system utilizes a reversible, high energy density PCM with a transition temperature that is comparable to the optimum operating temperature of lead acid batteries. SHAPE`s thermal storage, containing non-toxic, non-hazardous, non-flammable PCM, absorbs excess heat generated by a battery and thus provides a substantial improvement in thermal stability, operating performance, and battery life. This thermal management system also assists in maintaining higher battery temperatures in cold weather environments. A mathematical model has been developed to accurately predict the thermal behavior of a battery, with and without PCM, during cycling. The results of this model have been verified through experimental battery cycling as well as through actual battery testing. The success of the model permits analysis of a thermally managed battery through an extreme range of ambient temperatures (-40 deg C to 40 deg C). (orig.)

Numerical study for enhancing the thermal conductivity of phase change material (PCM) storage using high thermal conductivity porous matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mesalhy, Osama; Lafdi, Khalid; Elgafy, Ahmed; Bowman, Keith

2005-01-01

In this paper, the melting process inside an irregular geometry filled with high thermal conductivity porous matrix saturated with phase change material PCM is investigated numerically. The numerical model is resting on solving the volume averaged conservation equations for mass, momentum and energy with phase change (melting) in the porous medium. The convection motion of the liquid phase inside the porous matrix is solved considering the Darcy, Brinkman and Forchiemer effects. A local thermal non-equilibrium assumption is considered due to the large difference in thermal properties between the solid matrix and PCM by applying a two energy equation model. The numerical code shows good agreement for pure PCM melting with another published numerical work. Through this study it is found that the presence of the porous matrix has a great effect on the heat transfer and melting rate of the PCM energy storage. Decreasing the porosity of the matrix increases the melting rate, but it also damps the convection motion. It is also found that the best technique to enhance the response of the PCM storage is to use a solid matrix with high porosity and high thermal conductivity

Nuclear thermal rocket engine operation and control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunn, S.V.; Savoie, M.T.; Hundal, R.

1993-06-01

The operation of a typical Rover/Nerva-derived nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) engine is characterized and the control requirements of the NTR are defined. A rationale for the selection of a candidate diverse redundant NTR engine control system is presented and the projected component operating requirements are related to the state of the art of candidate components and subsystems. The projected operational capabilities of the candidate system are delineated for the startup, full-thrust, shutdown, and decay heat removal phases of the engine operation. 9 refs

Film-Evaporation MEMS Tunable Array for Picosat Propulsion and Thermal Control

Science.gov (United States)

Alexeenko, Alina; Cardiff, Eric; Martinez, Andres; Petro, Andrew

2015-01-01

The Film-Evaporation MEMS Tunable Array (FEMTA) concept for propulsion and thermal control of picosats exploits microscale surface tension effect in conjunction with temperature- dependent vapor pressure to realize compact, tunable and low-power thermal valving system. The FEMTA is intended to be a self-contained propulsion unit requiring only a low-voltage DC power source to operate. The microfabricated thermal valving and very-high-integration level enables fast high-capacity cooling and high-resolution, low-power micropropulsion for picosats that is superior to existing smallsat micropropulsion and thermal management alternatives.

interThermalPhaseChangeFoam—A framework for two-phase flow simulations with thermally driven phase change

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahdi Nabil

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The volume-of-fluid (VOF approach is a mature technique for simulating two-phase flows. However, VOF simulation of phase-change heat transfer is still in its infancy. Multiple closure formulations have been proposed in the literature, each suited to different applications. While these have enabled significant research advances, few implementations are publicly available, actively maintained, or inter-operable. Here, a VOF solver is presented (interThermalPhaseChangeFoam, which incorporates an extensible framework for phase-change heat transfer modeling, enabling simulation of diverse phenomena in a single environment. The solver employs object oriented OpenFOAM library features, including Run-Time-Type-Identification to enable rapid implementation and run-time selection of phase change and surface tension force models. The solver is packaged with multiple phase change and surface tension closure models, adapted and refined from earlier studies. This code has previously been applied to study wavy film condensation, Taylor flow evaporation, nucleate boiling, and dropwise condensation. Tutorial cases are provided for simulation of horizontal film condensation, smooth and wavy falling film condensation, nucleate boiling, and bubble condensation. Validation and grid sensitivity studies, interfacial transport models, effects of spurious currents from surface tension models, effects of artificial heat transfer due to numerical factors, and parallel scaling performance are described in detail in the Supplemental Material (see Appendix A. By incorporating the framework and demonstration cases into a single environment, users can rapidly apply the solver to study phase-change processes of interest.

interThermalPhaseChangeFoam-A framework for two-phase flow simulations with thermally driven phase change

Science.gov (United States)

Nabil, Mahdi; Rattner, Alexander S.

The volume-of-fluid (VOF) approach is a mature technique for simulating two-phase flows. However, VOF simulation of phase-change heat transfer is still in its infancy. Multiple closure formulations have been proposed in the literature, each suited to different applications. While these have enabled significant research advances, few implementations are publicly available, actively maintained, or inter-operable. Here, a VOF solver is presented (interThermalPhaseChangeFoam), which incorporates an extensible framework for phase-change heat transfer modeling, enabling simulation of diverse phenomena in a single environment. The solver employs object oriented OpenFOAM library features, including Run-Time-Type-Identification to enable rapid implementation and run-time selection of phase change and surface tension force models. The solver is packaged with multiple phase change and surface tension closure models, adapted and refined from earlier studies. This code has previously been applied to study wavy film condensation, Taylor flow evaporation, nucleate boiling, and dropwise condensation. Tutorial cases are provided for simulation of horizontal film condensation, smooth and wavy falling film condensation, nucleate boiling, and bubble condensation. Validation and grid sensitivity studies, interfacial transport models, effects of spurious currents from surface tension models, effects of artificial heat transfer due to numerical factors, and parallel scaling performance are described in detail in the Supplemental Material (see Appendix A). By incorporating the framework and demonstration cases into a single environment, users can rapidly apply the solver to study phase-change processes of interest.

Characteristics of phase-change materials containing oxide nano-additives for thermal storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Teng, Tun-Ping; Yu, Chao-Chieh

2012-11-06

In this study, the authors report the production of nanocomposite-enhanced phase-change materials (NEPCMs) using the direct-synthesis method by mixing paraffin with alumina (Al2O3), titania (TiO2), silica (SiO2), and zinc oxide (ZnO) as the experimental samples. Al2O3, TiO2, SiO2, and ZnO were dispersed into three concentrations of 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 wt.%. Through heat conduction and differential scanning calorimeter experiments to evaluate the effects of varying concentrations of the nano-additives on the heat conduction performance and thermal storage characteristics of NEPCMs, their feasibility for use in thermal storage was determined. The experimental results demonstrate that TiO2 is more effective than the other additives in enhancing both the heat conduction and thermal storage performance of paraffin for most of the experimental parameters. Furthermore, TiO2 reduces the melting onset temperature and increases the solidification onset temperature of paraffin. This allows the phase-change heat to be applicable to a wider temperature range, and the highest decreased ratio of phase-change heat is only 0.46%, compared to that of paraffin. Therefore, this study demonstrates that TiO2, added to paraffin to form NEPCMs, has significant potential for enhancing the thermal storage characteristics of paraffin.

Conformational changes in matrix-isolated 6-methoxyindole: Effects of the thermal and infrared light excitations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopes Jesus, A. J. [CQC, Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra (Portugal); CQC, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3004-295 Coimbra (Portugal); Reva, I., E-mail: reva@qui.uc.pt; Fausto, R. [CQC, Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra (Portugal); Araujo-Andrade, C. [CQC, Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra (Portugal); Unidad Académica de Física de la Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, Zacatecas (Mexico); ICFO–The Institute of Photonic Sciences, 08860 Castelldefels (Barcelona) (Spain)

2016-03-28

Conformational changes induced thermally or upon infrared excitation of matrix-isolated 6-methoxyindole were investigated. Narrowband near-infrared excitation of the first overtone of the N–H stretching vibration of each one of the two identified conformers is found to induce a selective large-scale conversion of the pumped conformer into the other one. This easily controllable bidirectional process consists in the intramolecular reorientation of the methoxy group and allowed a full assignment of the infrared spectra of the two conformers. Matrices with different conformational compositions prepared by narrow-band irradiations were subsequently used to investigate the effects of both thermal and broadband infrared excitations on the conformational mixtures. Particular attention is given to the influence of the matrix medium (Ar vs. Xe) and conformational effects of exposition of the sample to the spectrometer light source during the measurements.

Joint excitation and reactive power control in thermal power plant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dragosavac Jasna

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The coordinated voltage and reactive power controller, designed for the thermal power plant, is presented in the paper. A brief explanation of the need for such device is given and justification for commissioning of such equipment is outlined. After short description of the theoretical background of the proposed control design, the achieved features of the commissioned equipment are fully given. Achieved performances are illustrated by recorded reactive power and bus voltage responses after commissioning of the described equipment into the largest thermal power plant in Serbia. As it can be seen in presented records, all design targets are met.

Experimental Investigation of Thermal Conductivity of Concrete Containing Micro-Encapsulated Phase Change Materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pomianowski, Michal Zbigniew; Heiselberg, Per; Jensen, Rasmus Lund

2011-01-01

in this article utilizes integration of the concrete and the microencapsulated Phase Change Material (PCM). PCM has the ability to absorb and release significant amounts of heat at a specific temperature range. As a consequence of admixing PCM to the concrete, new thermal properties like thermal conductivity...... and specific heat capacity have to be defined. This paper presents results from the measurements of the thermal conductivity of various microencapsulated PCM-concrete and PCM-cement-paste mixes. It was discovered that increase of the amount of PCM decreases the thermal conductivity of the concrete PCM mixture....... Finally, a theoretical calculation methodology of thermal conductivity for PCM-concrete mixes is developed....

Simulation of thermal environment in a three-layer vinyl greenhouse by natural ventilation control

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Tea-Hwan; Shin, Ki-Yeol; Yoon, Si-Won; Im, Yong-Hoon; Chang, Ki-Chang

2017-11-01

A high energy, efficient, harmonious, ecological greenhouse has been highlighted by advanced future agricultural technology recently. This greenhouse is essential for expanding the production cycle toward growth conditions through combined thermal environmental control. However, it has a negative effect on farming income via huge energy supply expenses. Because not only production income, but operating costs related to thermal load for thermal environment control is important in farming income, it needs studies such as a harmonious ecological greenhouse using natural ventilation control. This study is simulated for energy consumption and thermal environmental conditions in a three-layered greenhouse by natural ventilation using window opening. A virtual 3D model of a three-layered greenhouse was designed based on the real one in the Gangneung area. This 3D model was used to calculate a thermal environment state such as indoor temperature, relative humidity, and thermal load in the case of a window opening rate from 0 to 100%. There was also a heat exchange operated for heating or cooling controlled by various setting temperatures. The results show that the cooling load can be reduced by natural ventilation control in the summer season, and the heat exchange capacity for heating can also be simulated for growth conditions in the winter season.

Simulation of thermal environment in a three-layer vinyl greenhouse by natural ventilation control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin Tea-Hwan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A high energy, efficient, harmonious, ecological greenhouse has been highlighted by advanced future agricultural technology recently. This greenhouse is essential for expanding the production cycle toward growth conditions through combined thermal environmental control. However, it has a negative effect on farming income via huge energy supply expenses. Because not only production income, but operating costs related to thermal load for thermal environment control is important in farming income, it needs studies such as a harmonious ecological greenhouse using natural ventilation control. This study is simulated for energy consumption and thermal environmental conditions in a three-layered greenhouse by natural ventilation using window opening. A virtual 3D model of a three-layered greenhouse was designed based on the real one in the Gangneung area. This 3D model was used to calculate a thermal environment state such as indoor temperature, relative humidity, and thermal load in the case of a window opening rate from 0 to 100%. There was also a heat exchange operated for heating or cooling controlled by various setting temperatures. The results show that the cooling load can be reduced by natural ventilation control in the summer season, and the heat exchange capacity for heating can also be simulated for growth conditions in the winter season.

Thermal Characterization of Lauric-Stearic Acid/Expanded Graphite Eutectic Mixture as Phase Change Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Hua; Zhang, Peng; Meng, Zhaonan; Li, Ming

2015-04-01

The eutectic mixture of lauric acid (LA) and stearic acid (SA) is a desirable phase change material (PCM) due to the constant melting temperature and large latent heat. However, its poor thermal conductivity has hampered its broad utilization. In the present study, pure LA, SA and the mixtures with various mass fractions of LA-SA were used as the basic PCMs, and 10 wt% expanded graphite (EG) was added to enhance the thermal conductivities. The phase change behaviors, microstructural analysis, thermal conductivities and thermal stabilities of the mixtures of PCMs were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electronic microscope (SEM), transient plane source (TPS) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. The results show that the LA-SA binary mixture of mixture ratio of 76.3 wt%: 23.7 wt% forms an eutectic mixture, which melts at 38.99 °C and has a latent heat of 159.94 J/g. The melted fatty acids are well absorbed by the porous network of EG and they have a good thermal stability. Furthermore, poor thermal conductivities can be well enhanced by the addition of EG.

Influence of accelerated thermal charging and discharging cycles on thermo-physical properties of organic phase change materials for solar thermal energy storage applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raam Dheep, G.; Sreekumar, A.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Identification of organic phase change materials namely benzamide and sebacic acid. • Thermal reliability studies on identified phase change materials. • Measurement of phase transition temperature and latent heat of fusion. • Analysis of relative percentage difference (RPD%) in heat of fusion and melting temperature of benzamide and sebacic acid. - Abstract: Integration of appropriate thermal energy storage system plays a predominant role in upgrading the efficiency of solar thermal energy devices by reducing the incongruity between energy supply and demand. Latent heat thermal energy storage based on phase change materials (PCM) is found to be the most efficient and prospective method for storage of solar thermal energy. Ensuring the thermal reliability of PCM through large number of charging (melting) and discharging (solidification) cycles is a primary prerequisite to determine the suitability of PCM for a specific thermal energy storage applications. The present study explains the experimental analysis carried out on two PCM’s namely benzamide and sebacic acid to check the compatibility of the material in solar thermal energy storage applications. The selected materials were subjected to one thousand accelerated melting and solidification cycles in order to investigate the percentage of variation at different stages on latent heat of fusion, phase transition temperature, onset and peak melting temperature. Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) was used to determine the phase transition temperature and heat of fusion upon completion of every 100 thermal cycles and continued up to 1000 cycles. Relative Percentage Difference (RPD%) is calculated to find out the absolute deviation of melting temperature and latent heat of fusion with respect to zeroth cycle. The experimental study recorded a melting temperatures of benzamide and sebacic acid as 125.09 °C and 135.92 °C with latent heat of fusion of 285.1 (J/g) and 374.4 (J/g). The

Automatic control of human thermal comfort with a liquid-cooled garment

Science.gov (United States)

Kuznetz, L. H.

1977-01-01

Water cooling in a liquid-cooled garment is used to maintain the thermal comfort of crewmembers during extravehicular activity. The feasibility of a simple control that will operate automatically to maintain the thermal comfort is established. Data on three test subjects are included to support the conclusion that heat balance can be maintained well within allowable medical limits. The controller concept was also successfully demonstrated for ground-based applications and shows potential for any tasks involving the use of liquid-cooled garments.

Carbon nanotube/paraffin/montmorillonite composite phase change material for thermal energy storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Min; Guo, Qiangang; Nutt, Steven

2017-04-01

A composite phase change material (PCM) comprised of organic montmorillonite (OMMT)/paraffin/grafted multi-walled nanotube (MWNT) is synthesized via ultrasonic dispersion and liquid intercalation. The microstructure of the composite PCM has been characterized to determine the phase distribution, and thermal properties (latent heat and thermal conductivity) have been measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and a thermal constant analyzer. The results show that paraffin molecules are intercalated in the montmorillonite layers and the grafted MWNTs are dispersed in the montmorillonite layers. The latent heat is 47.1 J/g, and the thermal conductivity of the OMMT/paraffin/grafted MWNT composites is 34% higher than that of the OMMT/paraffin composites and 65% higher than that of paraffin.

Control of surface thermal scratch of strip in tandem cold rolling

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jinshan; Li, Changsheng

2014-07-01

The thermal scratch seriously affects the surface quality of the cold rolled stainless steel strip. Some researchers have carried out qualitative and theoretical studies in this field. However, there is currently a lack of research on effective forecast and control of thermal scratch defects in practical production, especially in tandem cold rolling. In order to establish precise mathematical model of oil film thickness in deformation zone, the lubrication in cold rolling process of SUS410L stainless steel strip is studied, and major factors affecting oil film thickness are also analyzed. According to the principle of statistics, mathematical model of critical oil film thickness in deformation zone for thermal scratch is built, with fitting and regression analytical method, and then based on temperature comparison method, the criterion for deciding thermal scratch defects is put forward. Storing and calling data through SQL Server 2010, a software on thermal scratch defects control is developed through Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 by MFC technique for stainless steel in tandem cold rolling, and then it is put into practical production. Statistics indicate that the hit rate of thermal scratch is as high as 92.38%, and the occurrence rate of thermal scratch is decreased by 89.13%. Owing to the application of the software, the rolling speed is increased by approximately 9.3%. The software developed provides an effective solution to the problem of thermal scratch defects in tandem cold rolling, and helps to promote products surface quality of stainless steel strips in practical production.

Changes in electromagnetic properties during thermal aging of duplex stainless steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goto, T.; Kamimura, T.; Yamaoka, T.

1995-01-01

Cast duplex stainless steels used in primary pressure-boundary components of pressurized water reactors have been found to be susceptible to thermal aging embrittlement at reactor operating temperature. Extensive studies and investigations on the aging mechanism itself have been conducted in order to evaluate end-of-life aging. Three types of testing employing electromagnetic techniques, i.e., electric resistivity testing, coercivity measurement testing and Barkhausen noise testing have been investigated in order to search for an effective nondestructive method to evaluate the thermal aging of cast duplex stainless steels. Changes in impact strength, micro-Vickers hardness of ferrite phase and electromagnetic properties were studied in two CF8M materials with differing ferrite content that were subjected to long-term heating. The values measured using the electromagnetic techniques were correlated with Charpy-impact energy values and the observed microstructural changes were used to assess the potential that these techniques have for use as NDE methods. Each of these techniques was found to be sensitive to different processes that occur during thermal aging. Therefore, an integrated method using these techniques is now under development

Optimization of Thermal Object Nonlinear Control Systems by Energy Efficiency Criterion.

Science.gov (United States)

Velichkin, Vladimir A.; Zavyalov, Vladimir A.

2018-03-01

This article presents the results of thermal object functioning control analysis (heat exchanger, dryer, heat treatment chamber, etc.). The results were used to determine a mathematical model of the generalized thermal control object. The appropriate optimality criterion was chosen to make the control more energy-efficient. The mathematical programming task was formulated based on the chosen optimality criterion, control object mathematical model and technological constraints. The “maximum energy efficiency” criterion helped avoid solving a system of nonlinear differential equations and solve the formulated problem of mathematical programming in an analytical way. It should be noted that in the case under review the search for optimal control and optimal trajectory reduces to solving an algebraic system of equations. In addition, it is shown that the optimal trajectory does not depend on the dynamic characteristics of the control object.

Ultraviolet and visible BRDF data on spacecraft thermal control and optical baffle materials

Science.gov (United States)

Viehmann, W.; Predmore, R. E.

1987-01-01

Bidirectional scattering functions of numerous optical baffle materials and of spacecraft thermal control coatings and surfaces are presented. Measurements were made at 254 nm and at 633 nm. The coatings and surfaces include high-reflectance white paints, low-reflectance optical blacks, thermal control blankets, and various conversion coatings on aluminum.

Thermal Storage Power Balancing with Model Predictive Control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Halvgaard, Rasmus; Poulsen, Niels Kjølstad; Madsen, Henrik

2013-01-01

The method described in this paper balances power production and consumption with a large number of thermal loads. Linear controllers are used for the loads to track a temperature set point, while Model Predictive Control (MPC) and model estimation of the load behavior are used for coordination....... The total power consumption of all loads is controlled indirectly through a real-time price. The MPC incorporates forecasts of the power production and disturbances that influence the loads, e.g. time-varying weather forecasts, in order to react ahead of time. A simulation scenario demonstrates...

Experimental results of thermally controlled superconducting switches for high frequency operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mulder, G.B.J.; IerAvest, D.; Tenkate, H.H.J.; Krooshoop, H.J.G.; Van de Klundert, L.

1988-01-01

The aim of this study is to develop thermally controlled switches which are to be used in superconducting rectifiers operating at a few hertz and 1 kA. Usually, the operating frequency of thermally controlled rectifiers is limited to about 0.1 Hz due to the thermal recovery times of the switches. The thermal switches have to satisfy two conditions which are specific for the application in a superconducting rectifier: a) they have to operate in the repetitive mode so beside short activation times, fast recovery times of the switches are equally important, b) the power required to effect and maintain the normal state of the switches should be low since it will determine the rectifier efficiency. To what extent these obviously conflicting demands can be satisfied depends on the material and geometry of the switch. This paper presents a theoretical model of the thermal behaviour of a switch. The calculations are compared with experimental results of several switches having recovery times between 40 and 200 ms. Also, the feasibility of such switches for application in superconducting rectifiers operating at a few hertz with an acceptable efficiency is demonstrated

Orion Active Thermal Control System Dynamic Modeling Using Simulink/MATLAB

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiao-Yen J.; Yuko, James

2010-01-01

This paper presents dynamic modeling of the crew exploration vehicle (Orion) active thermal control system (ATCS) using Simulink (Simulink, developed by The MathWorks). The model includes major components in ATCS, such as heat exchangers and radiator panels. The mathematical models of the heat exchanger and radiator are described first. Four different orbits were used to validate the radiator model. The current model results were compared with an independent Thermal Desktop (TD) (Thermal Desktop, PC/CAD-based thermal model builder, developed in Cullimore & Ring (C&R) Technologies) model results and showed good agreement for all orbits. In addition, the Orion ATCS performance was presented for three orbits and the current model results were compared with three sets of solutions- FloCAD (FloCAD, PC/CAD-based thermal/fluid model builder, developed in C&R Technologies) model results, SINDA/FLUINT (SINDA/FLUINT, a generalized thermal/fluid network-style solver ) model results, and independent Simulink model results. For each case, the fluid temperatures at every component on both the crew module and service module sides were plotted and compared. The overall agreement is reasonable for all orbits, with similar behavior and trends for the system. Some discrepancies exist because the control algorithm might vary from model to model. Finally, the ATCS performance for a 45-hr nominal mission timeline was simulated to demonstrate the capability of the model. The results show that the ATCS performs as expected and approximately 2.3 lb water was consumed in the sublimator within the 45 hr timeline before Orion docked at the International Space Station.

Maximizing the energy storage performance of phase change thermal storage systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amin, N.A.M.; Bruno, F.; Belusko, M. [South Australia Univ., Mawson Lakes, South Australia (Australia). Inst. for Sustainable Systems and Technologies

2009-07-01

The demand for electricity in South Australia is highly influenced by the need for refrigeration and air-conditioning. An extensive literature review has been conducted on the use of phase change materials (PCMs) in thermal storage systems. PCMs use latent heat at the solid-liquid phase transition point to store thermal energy. They are considered to be useful as a thermal energy storage (TES) material because they can provide much higher energy storage densities compared to conventional sensible thermal storage materials. This paper reviewed the main disadvantages of using PCMs for energy storage, such as low heat transfer, super cooling and system design issues. Other issues with PCMs include incongruence and corrosion of heat exchanger surfaces. The authors suggested that in order to address these problems, future research should focus on maximizing heat transfer by optimizing the configuration of the encapsulation through a parametric analysis using a PCM numerical model. The effective conductivity in encapsulated PCMs in a latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) system can also be increased by using conductors in the encapsulation that have high thermal conductivity. 47 refs., 1 tab., 1 fig.

Preparation and characterization of sepiolite-based phase change material nanocomposites for thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konuklu, Yeliz; Ersoy, Orkun

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Sepiolite-based phase change material nanocomposites were prepared. • An easy direct impregnation process was used. • This paper is one of the first study about sepiolite-based phase change material nanocomposites. • Influence of PCM type on thermal properties of nanocomposites was reported. - Abstract: This paper is one of the first study about the preparation and characterization of sepiolite-based phase change material nanocomposites for thermal energy storage applications. Sepiolite is an important natural fibrous raw material. Nanoscale fibrous tubular structure of sepiolite becomes important in nanocomposite preparation. In this study, sepiolite/paraffin and sepiolite/decanoic acid nanocomposites were manufactured by the direct impregnation method. By the preparation of nanocomposites, PCM move in tubular channels of sepiolite, phase changing occurs in these tubes and surface area increases like as in microencapsulation. The structure and properties of nanocomposites PCMs (CPCM) have been characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The SEM results prove the successful preparation of phase change material/sepiolite nanocomposites and point out that the fibers of sepiolite is modified with phase change materials in the nanocomposite. The phase change enthalpies of melting and freezing were about 62.08 J/g and −62.05 J/g for sepiolite/paraffin nanocomposites and 35.69 J/g and −34.55 J/g for sepiolite/decanoic acid nanocomposites, respectively. The results show that PCM/sepiolite nanocomposites were prepared successfully and their properties are very suitable for thermal energy storage applications.

Experimental data showing the thermal behavior of a flat roof with phase change material.

Science.gov (United States)

Tokuç, Ayça; Başaran, Tahsin; Yesügey, S Cengiz

2015-12-01

The selection and configuration of building materials for optimal energy efficiency in a building require some assumptions and models for the thermal behavior of the utilized materials. Although the models for many materials can be considered acceptable for simulation and calculation purposes, the work for modeling the real time behavior of phase change materials is still under development. The data given in this article shows the thermal behavior of a flat roof element with a phase change material (PCM) layer. The temperature and energy given to and taken from the building element are reported. In addition the solid-liquid behavior of the PCM is tracked through images. The resulting thermal behavior of the phase change material is discussed and simulated in [1] A. Tokuç, T. Başaran, S.C. Yesügey, An experimental and numerical investigation on the use of phase change materials in building elements: the case of a flat roof in Istanbul, Build. Energy, vol. 102, 2015, pp. 91-104.

Vibration, buckling and smart control of microtubules using piezoelectric nanoshells under electric voltage in thermal environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farajpour, A., E-mail: ariobarzan.oderj@gmail.com; Rastgoo, A.; Mohammadi, M.

2017-03-15

Piezoelectric nanomaterials such as zinc oxide (ZnO) are of low toxicity and have many biomedical applications including optical imaging, drug delivery, biosensing and harvesting biomechanical energy using hybrid nanogenerators. In this paper, the vibration, buckling and smart control of microtubules (MTs) embedded in an elastic medium in thermal environment using a piezoelectric nanoshell (PNS) are investigated. The MT and PNS are considered to be coupled by a filament network. The PNS is subjected to thermal loads and an external electric voltage which operates to control the mechanical behavior of the MT. Using the nonlocal continuum mechanics, the governing differential equations are derived. An exact solution is presented for simply supported boundary conditions. The differential quadrature method is also used to solve the governing equations for other boundary conditions. A detailed parametric study is conducted to investigate the effects of the elastic constants of surrounding medium and internal filament matrix, scale coefficient, electric voltage, the radius-to-thickness ratio of PNSs and temperature change on the smart control of MTs. It is found that the applied electric voltage can be used as an effective controlling parameter for the vibration and buckling of MTs.

Occupant feedback based model predictive control for thermal comfort and energy optimization: A chamber experimental evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Xiao; Wang, Qian; Srebric, Jelena

2016-01-01

Highlights: • This study evaluates an occupant-feedback driven Model Predictive Controller (MPC). • The MPC adjusts indoor temperature based on a dynamic thermal sensation (DTS) model. • A chamber model for predicting chamber air temperature is developed and validated. • Experiments show that MPC using DTS performs better than using Predicted Mean Vote. - Abstract: In current centralized building climate control, occupants do not have much opportunity to intervene the automated control system. This study explores the benefit of using thermal comfort feedback from occupants in the model predictive control (MPC) design based on a novel dynamic thermal sensation (DTS) model. This DTS model based MPC was evaluated in chamber experiments. A hierarchical structure for thermal control was adopted in the chamber experiments. At the high level, an MPC controller calculates the optimal supply air temperature of the chamber heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, using the feedback of occupants’ votes on thermal sensation. At the low level, the actual supply air temperature is controlled by the chiller/heater using a PI control to achieve the optimal set point. This DTS-based MPC was also compared to an MPC designed based on the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) model for thermal sensation. The experiment results demonstrated that the DTS-based MPC using occupant feedback allows significant energy saving while maintaining occupant thermal comfort compared to the PMV-based MPC.

Performance Assessment of Low-Temperature Thermal Storage with Electromagnetic Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ya-Wei Lee

2014-08-01

Full Text Available This study presents electromagnetic-controlled thermal storage (ECTS that can be directly implemented in strategies of low-temperature waste heat recovery for energy-consuming equipment. A magnetic nanofluid (MNF prepared from fine iron ferrite ferromagnetic particles is recommended as a latent heat medium (LHM. During electromagnetic induction, local flow fluctuations are generated and thermal convection in the MNF can be enhanced. The achieved results demonstrated that ECTS has a wide operational range and an optimum storage efficiency of 84.46%. Thus, a self-perturbation mode used to enhance thermal energy transportation can be designed for numerous waste heat management applications.

Applications of graphite-enabled phase change material composites to improve thermal performance of cementitious materials

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Mingli; Lin, Zhibin; Wu, Lili; Wang, Jinhui; Gong, Na

2017-11-01

Enhancing the thermal efficiency to decrease the energy consumption of structures has been the topic of much research. In this study, a graphite-enabled microencapsulated phase change material (GE-MEPCM) was used in the production of a novel thermal energy storage engineered cementitious composite feathering high heat storage capacity and enhanced thermal conductivity. The surface morphology and particle size of the microencapsulated phase change material (MEPCM) were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thermal properties of MEPCM was determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). In addition, thermal and mechanical properties of the cementitious mortar with different admixtures were explored and compared with those of a cementitious composite. It was shown that the latent heat of MEPCM was 162 J/g, offering much better thermal energy storage capacity to the cementitious composite. However, MEPCM was found to decrease the thermal conductivity of the composite, which can be effectively solved by adding natural graphite (NG). Moreover, the incorporation of MEPCM has a certain decrease in the compressive strength, mainly due to the weak interfaces between MEPCM and cement matrix.

Phase change thermal storage for a solar total energy system

Science.gov (United States)

Rice, R. E.; Cohen, B. M.

1978-01-01

An analytical and experimental program is being conducted on a one-tenth scale model of a high-temperature (584 K) phase-change thermal energy storage system for installation in a solar total energy test facility at Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. The thermal storage medium is anhydrous sodium hydroxide with 8% sodium nitrate. The program will produce data on the dynamic response of the system to repeated cycles of charging and discharging simulating those of the test facility. Data will be correlated with a mathematical model which will then be used in the design of the full-scale system.

A thermal control system for long-term survival of scientific instruments on lunar surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ogawa, K., E-mail: ogawa@astrobio.k.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Department of Complexity Science and Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba (Japan); Iijima, Y.; Tanaka, S. [Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo, Sagamihara, Kanagawa (Japan); Sakatani, N. [The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Shonan Village, Hayama, Kanagawa (Japan); Otake, H. [JAXA Space Exploration Center, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo, Sagamihara, Kanagawa (Japan)

2014-03-15

A thermal control system is being developed for scientific instruments placed on the lunar surface. This thermal control system, Lunar Mission Survival Module (MSM), was designed for scientific instruments that are planned to be operated for over a year in the future Japanese lunar landing mission SELENE-2. For the long-term operations, the lunar surface is a severe environment because the soil (regolith) temperature varies widely from nighttime −200 degC to daytime 100 degC approximately in which space electronics can hardly survive. The MSM has a tent of multi-layered insulators and performs a “regolith mound”. Temperature of internal devices is less variable just like in the lunar underground layers. The insulators retain heat in the regolith soil in the daylight, and it can keep the device warm in the night. We conducted the concept design of the lunar survival module, and estimated its potential by a thermal mathematical model on the assumption of using a lunar seismometer designed for SELENE-2. Thermal vacuum tests were also conducted by using a thermal evaluation model in order to estimate the validity of some thermal parameters assumed in the computed thermal model. The numerical and experimental results indicated a sufficient survivability potential of the concept of our thermal control system.

A thermal control system for long-term survival of scientific instruments on lunar surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogawa, K; Iijima, Y; Sakatani, N; Otake, H; Tanaka, S

2014-03-01

A thermal control system is being developed for scientific instruments placed on the lunar surface. This thermal control system, Lunar Mission Survival Module (MSM), was designed for scientific instruments that are planned to be operated for over a year in the future Japanese lunar landing mission SELENE-2. For the long-term operations, the lunar surface is a severe environment because the soil (regolith) temperature varies widely from nighttime -200 degC to daytime 100 degC approximately in which space electronics can hardly survive. The MSM has a tent of multi-layered insulators and performs a "regolith mound". Temperature of internal devices is less variable just like in the lunar underground layers. The insulators retain heat in the regolith soil in the daylight, and it can keep the device warm in the night. We conducted the concept design of the lunar survival module, and estimated its potential by a thermal mathematical model on the assumption of using a lunar seismometer designed for SELENE-2. Thermal vacuum tests were also conducted by using a thermal evaluation model in order to estimate the validity of some thermal parameters assumed in the computed thermal model. The numerical and experimental results indicated a sufficient survivability potential of the concept of our thermal control system.

A thermal control system for long-term survival of scientific instruments on lunar surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogawa, K.; Iijima, Y.; Tanaka, S.; Sakatani, N.; Otake, H.

2014-01-01

A thermal control system is being developed for scientific instruments placed on the lunar surface. This thermal control system, Lunar Mission Survival Module (MSM), was designed for scientific instruments that are planned to be operated for over a year in the future Japanese lunar landing mission SELENE-2. For the long-term operations, the lunar surface is a severe environment because the soil (regolith) temperature varies widely from nighttime −200 degC to daytime 100 degC approximately in which space electronics can hardly survive. The MSM has a tent of multi-layered insulators and performs a “regolith mound”. Temperature of internal devices is less variable just like in the lunar underground layers. The insulators retain heat in the regolith soil in the daylight, and it can keep the device warm in the night. We conducted the concept design of the lunar survival module, and estimated its potential by a thermal mathematical model on the assumption of using a lunar seismometer designed for SELENE-2. Thermal vacuum tests were also conducted by using a thermal evaluation model in order to estimate the validity of some thermal parameters assumed in the computed thermal model. The numerical and experimental results indicated a sufficient survivability potential of the concept of our thermal control system

An automatic energy-saving and thermal monitoring/controlling system for a pond

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheng Ching-Chien

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Because of low temperatures and oxygen in cold water, fish will die when cold currents arrive. This will cause tremendous loss of money. In order reduce the cooling of the pond, an automatic thermal detecting and cold-roofing system using a wind-proofing device, heaters, and thermal detectors is proposed. To reduce heat loss due to thermal convection above the pond surface, a motor-driven wind-proofing device automatically controlled by a PLC controller is adopted. Here, the wind-proofing device, thermal detectors, and heating system are connected to the PLC controller. The PLC will also be connected to the PC interface. The temperature thresholds used to trigger the heater and the wind proofing device can be set at the PC interface. Two options for manipulating the heating and the automatic heating can be selected. The related wind-proofing area and the number of heaters will be determined according to the current temperature. Moreover, the PLC can be wirelessly connected to the server PC in the control room. The pond keeper can monitor everything online and control the pond water's temperature. With this, the problem of fish dying in a cold wave can be solved. Consequently, to reduce the electrical exhaust when heating up the pond water, green energy, solar energy and wind energy, is used.

Computational Design of Non-natural Sugar Alcohols to Increase Thermal Storage Density: Beyond Existing Organic Phase Change Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Inagaki, Taichi; Ishida, Toyokazu

2016-09-14

Thermal storage, a technology that enables us to control thermal energy, makes it possible to reuse a huge amount of waste heat, and materials with the ability to treat larger thermal energy are in high demand for energy-saving societies. Sugar alcohols are now one promising candidate for phase change materials (PCMs) because of their large thermal storage density. In this study, we computationally design experimentally unknown non-natural sugar alcohols and predict their thermal storage density as a basic step toward the development of new high performance PCMs. The non-natural sugar alcohol molecules are constructed in silico in accordance with the previously suggested molecular design guidelines: linear elongation of a carbon backbone, separated distribution of OH groups, and even numbers of carbon atoms. Their crystal structures are then predicted using the random search method and first-principles calculations. Our molecular simulation results clearly demonstrate that the non-natural sugar alcohols have potential ability to have thermal storage density up to ∼450-500 kJ/kg, which is significantly larger than the maximum thermal storage density of the present known organic PCMs (∼350 kJ/kg). This computational study suggests that, even in the case of H-bonded molecular crystals where the electrostatic energy contributes mainly to thermal storage density, the molecular distortion and van der Waals energies are also important factors to increase thermal storage density. In addition, the comparison between the three eight-carbon non-natural sugar alcohol isomers indicates that the selection of preferable isomers is also essential for large thermal storage density.

Replacement of Ablators with Phase-Change Material for Thermal Protection of STS Elements

Science.gov (United States)

Kaul, Raj K.; Stuckey, Irvin; Munafo, Paul M. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

As part of the research and development program to develop new Thermal Protection System (TPS) materials for aerospace applications at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), an experimental study was conducted on a new concept for a non-ablative TPS material. Potential loss of TPS material and ablation by-products from the External Tank (ET) or Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) during Shuttle flight with the related Orbiter tile damage necessitates development of a non-ablative thermal protection system. The new Thermal Management Coating (TMC) consists of phase-change material encapsulated in micro spheres and a two-part resin system to adhere the coating to the structure material. The TMC uses a phase-change material to dissipate the heat produced during supersonic flight rather than an ablative material. This new material absorbs energy as it goes through a phase change during the heating portion of the flight profile and then the energy is slowly released as the phase-change material cools and returns to its solid state inside the micro spheres. The coating was subjected to different test conditions simulating design flight environments at the NASA/MSFC Improved Hot Gas Facility (IHGF) to study its performance.

Enhanced thermal properties of novel shape-stabilized PEG composite phase change materials with radial mesoporous silica sphere for thermal energy storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Min, Xin; Fang, Minghao; Huang, Zhaohui; Liu, Yan'gai; Huang, Yaoting; Wen, Ruilong; Qian, Tingting; Wu, Xiaowen

2015-08-11

Radial mesoporous silica (RMS) sphere was tailor-made for further applications in producing shape-stabilized composite phase change materials (ss-CPCMs) through a facile self-assembly process using CTAB as the main template and TEOS as SiO2 precursor. Novel ss-CPCMs composed of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and RMS were prepared through vacuum impregnating method. Various techniques were employed to characterize the structural and thermal properties of the ss-CPCMs. The DSC results indicated that the PEG/RMS ss-CPCM was a promising candidate for building thermal energy storage applications due to its large latent heat, suitable phase change temperature, good thermal reliability, as well as the excellent chemical compatibility and thermal stability. Importantly, the possible formation mechanisms of both RMS sphere and PEG/RMS composite have also been proposed. The results also indicated that the properties of the PEG/RMS ss-CPCMs are influenced by the adsorption limitation of the PEG molecule from RMS sphere with mesoporous structure and the effect of RMS, as the impurities, on the perfect crystallization of PEG.

Thermal stability control system of photo-elastic interferometer in the PEM-FTs

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, M. J.; Jing, N.; Li, K. W.; Wang, Z. B.

2018-01-01

A drifting model for the resonant frequency and retardation amplitude of a photo-elastic modulator (PEM) in the photo-elastic modulated Fourier transform spectrometer (PEM-FTs) is presented. A multi-parameter broadband-matching driving control method is proposed to improve the thermal stability of the PEM interferometer. The automatically frequency-modulated technology of the driving signal based on digital phase-locked technology is used to track the PEM's changing resonant frequency. Simultaneously the maximum optical-path-difference of a laser's interferogram is measured to adjust the amplitude of the PEM's driving signal so that the spectral resolution is stable. In the experiment, the multi-parameter broadband-matching control method is applied to the driving control system of the PEM-FTs. Control of resonant frequency and retardation amplitude stabilizes the maximum optical-path-difference to approximately 236 μm and results in a spectral resolution of 42 cm-1. This corresponds to a relative error smaller than 2.16% (4.28 standard deviation). The experiment shows that the method can effectively stabilize the spectral resolution of the PEM-FTs.

Preparation, Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Cement Board with Expanded Perlite Based Composite Phase Change Material for Improving Buildings Thermal Behavior

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rongda Ye

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Here we demonstrate the mechanical properties, thermal conductivity, and thermal energy storage performance of construction elements made of cement and form-stable PCM-Rubitherm® RT 28 HC (RT28/expanded perlite (EP composite phase change materials (PCMs. The composite PCMs were prepared by adsorbing RT28 into the pores of EP, in which the mass fraction of RT28 should be limited to be no more than 40 wt %. The adsorbed RT28 is observed to be uniformly confined into the pores of EP. The phase change temperatures of the RT28/EP composite PCMs are very close to that of the pure RT28. The apparent density and compression strength of the composite cubes increase linearly with the mass fraction of RT28. Compared with the thermal conductivity of the boards composed of cement and EP, the thermal conductivities of the composite boards containing RT28 increase by 15%–35% with the mass fraction increasing of RT28. The cubic test rooms that consist of six boards were built to evaluate the thermal energy storage performance, it is found that the maximum temperature different between the outside surface of the top board with the indoor temperature using the composite boards is 13.3 °C higher than that of the boards containing no RT28. The thermal mass increase of the built environment due to the application of composite boards can contribute to improving the indoor thermal comfort and reducing the energy consumption in the buildings.

Preparation, Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Cement Board with Expanded Perlite Based Composite Phase Change Material for Improving Buildings Thermal Behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Rongda; Fang, Xiaoming; Zhang, Zhengguo; Gao, Xuenong

2015-11-13

Here we demonstrate the mechanical properties, thermal conductivity, and thermal energy storage performance of construction elements made of cement and form-stable PCM-Rubitherm® RT 28 HC (RT28)/expanded perlite (EP) composite phase change materials (PCMs). The composite PCMs were prepared by adsorbing RT28 into the pores of EP, in which the mass fraction of RT28 should be limited to be no more than 40 wt %. The adsorbed RT28 is observed to be uniformly confined into the pores of EP. The phase change temperatures of the RT28/EP composite PCMs are very close to that of the pure RT28. The apparent density and compression strength of the composite cubes increase linearly with the mass fraction of RT28. Compared with the thermal conductivity of the boards composed of cement and EP, the thermal conductivities of the composite boards containing RT28 increase by 15%-35% with the mass fraction increasing of RT28. The cubic test rooms that consist of six boards were built to evaluate the thermal energy storage performance, it is found that the maximum temperature different between the outside surface of the top board with the indoor temperature using the composite boards is 13.3 °C higher than that of the boards containing no RT28. The thermal mass increase of the built environment due to the application of composite boards can contribute to improving the indoor thermal comfort and reducing the energy consumption in the buildings.

Thermal characteristics of expanded perlite/paraffin composite phase change material with enhanced thermal conductivity using carbon nanotubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karaipekli, Ali; Biçer, Alper; Sarı, Ahmet; Tyagi, Vineet Veer

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Expanded perlite/n-eicosane composite for thermal energy storage was prepared. • Addition of CNTs increases considerably the thermal conductivity of the composite. • The composite PCM including 1 wt% CNTs is promising material. - Abstract: Paraffins constitute a class of solid-liquid organic phase change materials (PCMs). However, low thermal conductivity limits their feasibility in thermal energy storage (TES) applications. Carbon nano tubes (CNTs) are one of the best materials to increase the thermal conductivity of paraffins. In this regard, the present study is focus on the preparation, characterization, and improvement of thermal conductivity using CNTs as well as determination of TES properties of expanded perlite (ExP)/n-eicosane (C20) composite as a novel type of form-stable composite PCM (F-SCPCM). It was found that the ExP could retain C20 at weight fraction of 60% without leakage. The SEM and FTIR analyses were carried out to characterize the microstructure and chemical properties of the composite PCM. The TES properties of the prepared F-SCPCM were determined using DSC and TG analyses. The analysis results showed that the components of the composite are in good compatibleness and C20 used as PCM are well-infiltrated into the structure of ExP/CNTs matrix. The DSC analysis indicated that the ExP/C20/CNTs (1 wt%) composite has a melting point of 36.12 °C and latent heat of 157.43 J/g. The TG analysis indicated that the F-SCPCM has better thermal durability compared with pure C20 and also it has good long term-TES reliability. In addition, the effects of CNTs on the thermal conductivity of the composite PCM were investigated. Compared to ExP/C20 composite, the use of CNTs has apparent improving effect for the thermal conductivity without considerably affecting the compatibility of components, TES properties, and thermal stability.

Working gas temperature and pressure changes for microscale thermal creep-driven flow caused by discontinuous wall temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Yen-Lin

2010-01-01

Microscale temperature gradient-driven (thermal creep/transpiration) gas flows have attracted significant interest during the past decade. For free molecular and transitional conditions, applying temperature gradients to a flow channel's walls induces the thermal creep effect. This results in a working gas flowing through the channel from cold to hot, which is generally accompanied by a rising pressure from cold to hot in the channel. Working gas temperature and pressure distributions can vary significantly, depending on a flow channel's configuration and wall temperature distribution. Understanding working gas temperature excursions, both increases and decreases, is essential to ensure the effective use of thermal creep flows in microscale applications. In this study, the characterizations of working gas temperature variations, due to both temperature discontinuities and more gradual changes, on a variety of flow channel walls, were systematically investigated using the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. A micro/meso-scale pump, the Knudsen compressor, was chosen to illustrate the importance of controlling working gas temperature in thermal creep-driven flows. Gas pressure and temperature variations, through several Knudsen compressor stage configurations, were studied to determine the most advantageous flow phenomena for the efficient operation of Knudsen compressors.

Thermal Stress Effect on Density Changes of Hemp Hurds Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Schwarzova, Ivana; Cigasova, Julia; Stevulova, Nadezda

2016-12-01

The aim of this article is to study the behavior of prepared biocomposites based on hemp hurds as a filling agent in composite system. In addition to the filler and water, an alternative binder, called MgO-cement was used. For this objective were prepared three types of samples; samples based on untreated hemp hurds as a referential material and samples based on chemically (with NaOH solution) and physically (by ultrasonic procedure) treated hemp hurds. The thermal stress effect on bulk density changes of hemp hurds composites was monitored. Gradual increase in temperature led to composites density reduction of 30-40 %. This process is connected with mass loss of the adsorbed moisture and physically bound water and also with degradation of organic compounds present in hemp hurds aggregates such as pectin, hemicelluloses and cellulose. Therefore the changes in the chemical composition of treated hemp hurds in comparison to original sample and its thermal decomposition were also studied.

Thermal Stress Effect on Density Changes of Hemp Hurds Composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schwarzova Ivana

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to study the behavior of prepared biocomposites based on hemp hurds as a filling agent in composite system. In addition to the filler and water, an alternative binder, called MgO-cement was used. For this objective were prepared three types of samples; samples based on untreated hemp hurds as a referential material and samples based on chemically (with NaOH solution and physically (by ultrasonic procedure treated hemp hurds. The thermal stress effect on bulk density changes of hemp hurds composites was monitored. Gradual increase in temperature led to composites density reduction of 30-40 %. This process is connected with mass loss of the adsorbed moisture and physically bound water and also with degradation of organic compounds present in hemp hurds aggregates such as pectin, hemicelluloses and cellulose. Therefore the changes in the chemical composition of treated hemp hurds in comparison to original sample and its thermal decomposition were also studied.

Phase-Change Thermal Energy Storage

Science.gov (United States)

1989-11-01

The goal of this program is to advance the engineering and scientific understanding of solar thermal technology and to establish the technology base from which private industry can develop solar thermal power production options for introduction into the competitive energy market. Solar thermal technology concentrates the solar flux using tracking mirrors or lenses onto a receiver where the solar energy is absorbed as heat and converted into electricity or incorporated into products as process heat. The two primary solar thermal technologies, central receivers and distributed receivers, employ various point and line-focus optics to concentrate sunlight. Current central receiver systems use fields of heliostats (two-axes tracking mirrors) to focus the sun's radiant energy onto a single, tower-mounted receiver. Point focus concentrators up to 17 meters in diameter track the sun in two axes and use parabolic dish mirrors or Fresnel lenses to focus radiant energy onto a receiver. Troughs and bowls are line-focus tracking reflectors that concentrate sunlight onto receiver tubes along their focal lines. Concentrating collector modules can be used alone or in a multimodule system. The concentrated radiant energy absorbed by the solar thermal receiver is transported to the conversion process by a circulating working fluid. Receiver temperatures range from 100 C in low-temperature troughs to over 1500 C in dish and central receiver systems.

Evaluating local and overall thermal comfort in buildings using thermal manikins

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Foda, E.

2012-07-01

Evaluation methods of human thermal comfort that are based on whole-body heat balance with its surroundings may not be adequate for evaluations in non-uniform thermal conditions. Under these conditions, the human body's segments may experience a wide range of room physical parameters and the evaluation of the local (segmental) thermal comfort becomes necessary. In this work, subjective measurements of skin temperature were carried out to investigate the human body's local responses due to a step change in the room temperature; and the variability in the body's local temperatures under different indoor conditions and exposures as well as the physiological steady state local temperatures. Then, a multi-segmental model of human thermoregulation was developed based on these findings to predict the local skin temperatures of individuals' body segments with a good accuracy. The model predictability of skin temperature was verified for steady state and dynamic conditions using measured data at uniform neutral, cold and warm as well as different asymmetric thermal conditions. The model showed very good predictability with average absolute deviation ranged from 0.3-0.8 K. The model was then implemented onto the control system of the thermal manikin 'THERMINATOR' to adjust the segmental skin temperature set-points based on the indoor conditions. This new control for the manikin was experimentally validated for the prediction of local and overall thermal comfort using the equivalent temperature measure. THERMINATOR with the new control mode was then employed in the evaluation of localized floor-heating system variants towards maximum energy efficiency. This aimed at illustrating a design strategy using the thermal manikin to find the optimum geometry and surface area of a floor-heater for a single seated person. Furthermore, a psychological comfort model that is based on local skin temperature was adapted for the use with the model of human

A Multi-Environment Thermal Control System With Freeze-Tolerant Radiator

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Weibo; Fogg, David; Mancini, Nick; Steele, John; Quinn, Gregory; Bue, Grant; Littibridge, Sean

2013-01-01

Future space exploration missions require advanced thermal control systems (TCS) to dissipate heat from spacecraft, rovers, or habitats operating in environments that can vary from extremely hot to extremely cold. A lightweight, reliable TCS is being developed to effectively control cabin and equipment temperatures under widely varying heat loads and ambient temperatures. The system uses freeze-tolerant radiators, which eliminate the need for a secondary circulation loop or heat pipe systems. Each radiator has a self-regulating variable thermal conductance to its ambient environment. The TCS uses a nontoxic, water-based working fluid that is compatible with existing lightweight aluminum heat exchangers. The TCS is lightweight, compact, and requires very little pumping power. The critical characteristics of the core enabling technologies were demonstrated. Functional testing with condenser tubes demonstrated the key operating characteristics required for a reliable, freeze-tolerant TCS, namely (1) self-regulating thermal conductance with short transient responses to varying thermal loads, (2) repeatable performance through freeze-thaw cycles, and (3) fast start-up from a fully frozen state. Preliminary coolant tests demonstrated that the corrosion inhibitor in the water-based coolant can reduce the corrosion rate on aluminum by an order of magnitude. Performance comparison with state-of-the-art designs shows significant mass and power saving benefits of this technology.

Passive Set-Point Thermal Control Skin for Spacecraft, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Current manned and unmanned spacecraft require sophisticated thermal control technologies to keep systems at temperatures within their proper operating ranges....

The use of lipids as phase change materials for thermal energy storage

Science.gov (United States)

Phase change materials (PCMs) are substances capable of absorbing and releasing large 2 amounts of thermal energy (heat or cold) as latent heat over constant temperature as they 3 undergo a change in state of matter (phase transition), commonly, between solid and 4 liquid phases. Since the late 194...

Laboratory electron exposure of TSS-1 thermal control coating

Science.gov (United States)

Vaughn, J. A.; Mccollum, M.; Carruth, M. R., Jr.

1995-01-01

RM400, a conductive thermal control coating, was developed for use on the exterior shell of the tethered satellite. Testing was performed by the Engineering Physics Division to quantify effects of the space environment on this coating and its conductive and optical properties. Included in this testing was exposure of RM400 to electrons with energies ranging from 0.1 to 1 keV, to simulate electrons accelerated from the ambient space plasma when the tethered satellite is fully deployed. During this testing, the coating was found to luminesce, and a prolonged exposure of the coating to high-energy electrons caused the coating to darken. This report describes the tests done to quantify the degradation of the thermal control properties caused by electron exposure and to measure the luminescence as a function of electron energy and current density to the satellite.

Automatic generation control application with craziness based particle swarm optimization in a thermal power system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gozde, Haluk; Taplamacioglu, M. Cengiz [Gazi University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, 06750 Maltepe, Ankara (Turkey)

2011-01-15

In this study, a novel gain scheduling Proportional-plus-Integral (PI) control strategy is suggested for automatic generation control (AGC) of the two area thermal power system with governor dead-band nonlinearity. In this strategy, the control is evaluated as an optimization problem, and two different cost functions with tuned weight coefficients are derived in order to increase the performance of convergence to the global optima. One of the cost functions is derived through the frequency deviations of the control areas and tie-line power changes. On the other hand, the other one includes the rate of changes which can be variable depends on the time in these deviations. These weight coefficients of the cost functions are also optimized as the controller gains have been done. The craziness based particle swarm optimization (CRAZYPSO) algorithm is preferred to optimize the parameters, because of convergence superiority. At the end of the study, the performance of the control system is compared with the performance which is obtained with classical integral of the squared error (ISE) and the integral of time weighted squared error (ITSE) cost functions through transient response analysis method. The results show that the obtained optimal PI-controller improves the dynamic performance of the power system as expected as mentioned in literature. (author)

Experimental data showing the thermal behavior of a flat roof with phase change material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayça Tokuç

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The selection and configuration of building materials for optimal energy efficiency in a building require some assumptions and models for the thermal behavior of the utilized materials. Although the models for many materials can be considered acceptable for simulation and calculation purposes, the work for modeling the real time behavior of phase change materials is still under development. The data given in this article shows the thermal behavior of a flat roof element with a phase change material (PCM layer. The temperature and energy given to and taken from the building element are reported. In addition the solid–liquid behavior of the PCM is tracked through images. The resulting thermal behavior of the phase change material is discussed and simulated in [1] A. Tokuç, T. Başaran, S.C. Yesügey, An experimental and numerical investigation on the use of phase change materials in building elements: the case of a flat roof in Istanbul, Build. Energy, vol. 102, 2015, pp. 91–104.

Effect of Personal Control over Thermal Environment in a Laboratorium Setting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kulve, M. te; Boerstra, A. C.; Toftum, Jørn

Field studies have demonstrated that personal control over the indoor climate may increase comfort and could reduce SBS symptoms. A laboratory study was performed to investigate if being in control over the thermal environment influences comfort, symptoms and performance. The central hypothesis...... was that human responses to a thermal indoor environment depend on the availability of control opportunities. This was tested in a field lab where subjects had a personal desk fan with a stepless controller at their workplace. Two conditions were tested: one (the first) with individual control and one without......, but with identical indoor climate exposure as recorded during the first session. During both experimental conditions, 23 subjects were exposed for 120 min to an operative temperature of 28 °C and they were provided with a personal desk fan. During the first exposure subjects were allowed to adjust air velocity (and...

Thermal Protection Performance of Carbon Aerogels Filled with Magnesium Chloride Hexahydrate as a Phase Change Material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Kazemi

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Carbon aerogels are comprised of a class of low density open-cell foams with large void space, nanometer pore size and composed of sparsely semi-colloidal nanometer sized particles forming an open porous structure. Phase change materials are those with high heat of fusion that could absorb and release a large amount of energy at the time of phase transition. These materials are mostly used as thermal energy storage materials but in addition they could serve as an obstacle for passage of heat during phase changes and this has led to their use in thermal protection systems. In this study, the effect of magnesium chloride hexahydrate, as a phase change material (melting point 115°C, on thermal properties of carbon aerogels is investigated. Thermal performance tests are designed and used for comparing the temperature-time behavior of the samples. DSC is applied to obtain the latent heat of melting of the phase change materials and the SEM tests are used to analyze the microstructure and morphology of carbon aerogels. The results show that the low percentage of phase change materials in carbon aerogels does not have any significant positive effect on carbon aerogels thermal properties. However, these properties are improved by increasing the percentage of phase change materials. With high percentage of phase change materials, a sample surface at 300°C would display an opposite surface with a significant drop in temperature increases, while at 115-200°C, with carbon aerogels, having no phase change materials, there is a severe reduction in the rate of temperature increase of the sample.

A Tunable Mid-Infrared Solid-State Laser with a Compact Thermal Control System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deyang Yu

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Tunable mid-infrared lasers are widely used in laser spectroscopy, gas sensing and many other related areas. In order to solve heat dissipation problems and improve the environmental temperature adaptability of solid-state laser sources, a tunable all-fiber laser pumped optical parametric oscillator (OPO was established, and a compact thermal control system based on thermoelectric coolers, an automatic temperature control circuit, cooling fins, fans and heat pipes was integrated and designed for the laser. This system is compact, light and air-cooling which satisfies the demand for miniaturization of lasers. A mathematical model and method was established to estimate the cooling capacity of this thermal control system under different ambient environments. A finite-element model was built and simulated to analyze the thermal transfer process. Experiments in room and high temperature environments were carried out and showed that the substrate temperature of a pump module could be maintained at a stable value with controlled precision to 0.2 degrees, while the output power stability of the laser was within ±1%. The experimental results indicate that this compact air-cooling thermal control system could effectively solve the heat dissipation problem of mid-infrared solid-state lasers with a one hundred watts level pump module in room and high temperature environments.

Predictive Optimal Control of Active and Passive Building Thermal Storage Inventory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gregor P. Henze; Moncef Krarti

2005-09-30

Cooling of commercial buildings contributes significantly to the peak demand placed on an electrical utility grid. Time-of-use electricity rates encourage shifting of electrical loads to off-peak periods at night and weekends. Buildings can respond to these pricing signals by shifting cooling-related thermal loads either by precooling the building's massive structure or the use of active thermal energy storage systems such as ice storage. While these two thermal batteries have been engaged separately in the past, this project investigated the merits of harnessing both storage media concurrently in the context of predictive optimal control. To pursue the analysis, modeling, and simulation research of Phase 1, two separate simulation environments were developed. Based on the new dynamic building simulation program EnergyPlus, a utility rate module, two thermal energy storage models were added. Also, a sequential optimization approach to the cost minimization problem using direct search, gradient-based, and dynamic programming methods was incorporated. The objective function was the total utility bill including the cost of reheat and a time-of-use electricity rate either with or without demand charges. An alternative simulation environment based on TRNSYS and Matlab was developed to allow for comparison and cross-validation with EnergyPlus. The initial evaluation of the theoretical potential of the combined optimal control assumed perfect weather prediction and match between the building model and the actual building counterpart. The analysis showed that the combined utilization leads to cost savings that is significantly greater than either storage but less than the sum of the individual savings. The findings reveal that the cooling-related on-peak electrical demand of commercial buildings can be considerably reduced. A subsequent analysis of the impact of forecasting uncertainty in the required short-term weather forecasts determined that it takes only very

Thermally Conductive Tape Based on Carbon Nanotube Array, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Future NASA missions require thermal control systems that can accommodate large changes in ambient temperature. The two essential aspects of an effective thermal...

Revisiting concepts of thermal physiology: Predicting responses of mammals to climate change.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Duncan; Snelling, Edward P; Hetem, Robyn S; Maloney, Shane K; Strauss, Willem Maartin; Fuller, Andrea

2018-02-26

The accuracy of predictive models (also known as mechanistic or causal models) of animal responses to climate change depends on properly incorporating the principles of heat transfer and thermoregulation into those models. Regrettably, proper incorporation of these principles is not always evident. We have revisited the relevant principles of thermal physiology and analysed how they have been applied in predictive models of large mammals, which are particularly vulnerable, to climate change. We considered dry heat exchange, evaporative heat transfer, the thermoneutral zone and homeothermy, and we examined the roles of size and shape in the thermal physiology of large mammals. We report on the following misconceptions in influential predictive models: underestimation of the role of radiant heat transfer, misassignment of the role and misunderstanding of the sustainability of evaporative cooling, misinterpretation of the thermoneutral zone as a zone of thermal tolerance or as a zone of sustainable energetics, confusion of upper critical temperature and critical thermal maximum, overestimation of the metabolic energy cost of evaporative cooling, failure to appreciate that the current advantages of size and shape will become disadvantageous as climate change advances, misassumptions about skin temperature and, lastly, misconceptions about the relationship between body core temperature and its variability with body mass in large mammals. Not all misconceptions invalidate the models, but we believe that preventing inappropriate assumptions from propagating will improve model accuracy, especially as models progress beyond their current typically static format to include genetic and epigenetic adaptation that can result in phenotypic plasticity. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2018 British Ecological Society.

Thermal Stability Test of Sugar Alcohols as Phase Change Materials for Medium Temperature Energy Storage Application

OpenAIRE

Solé, Aran; Neumann, Hannah; Niedermaier, Sophia; Cabeza, Luisa F.; Palomo, Elena

2014-01-01

Sugar alcohols are potential phase change materials candidates as they present high phase change enthalpy values, are non-toxic and low cost products. Three promising sugar-alcohols were selected: D-mannitol, myo-inositol and dulcitol under high melting enthalpy and temperature criterion. Thermal cycling tests were performed to study its cycling stability which can be determining when selecting the suitable phase change material. D-mannitol and dulcitol present poor thermal stability...

Technological change in Swiss thermal waste treatment: An expert-based socio-technical analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spoerri, Andy; Lang, Daniel J.; Staeubli, Beat; Scholz, Roland W.

2010-01-01

Understanding technological change provides a crucial basis for governing sustainability transitions. In this paper we present an analysis of technological change using the example of Swiss thermal waste processing. In recent years, increased concerns about the low quality of residues from grate-firing systems led to the examination of alternative technologies. Yet despite clear indications of a potential better performance with respect to residue quality, none of these alternatives has been adopted. Based on a two-stage knowledge integration among 15 leading experts, in a retrospective analysis we identified factors that have significantly affected technological change in Swiss thermal waste processing. These factors were then related to three technological options representing different types of technological change, i.e., from incremental improvements of the existing to the implementation of a new technology. The results indicate that technological change is currently in a technological lock-in and provide detailed insights on the causes. The lock-in results in the step-wise further development of the status quo grate-firing system despite its limitations for improving the residue qualities. Almost all factors (legal, economic, societal, technological) of the existing 'thermal waste management' system have been well adapted to the cost- and energy-efficient grate-firing technology, blocking innovative technologies from entering the Swiss market. In addition, pressures from the context, e.g., societal pressure related to landfill risks, have not been strong enough to promote non-incremental change.

Multifunctional Lattices with Low Thermal Expansion and Low Thermal Conductivity

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Hang; Liu, Lu; Pasini, Damiano

Systems in space are vulnerable to large temperature changes when travelling into and out of the Earth's shadow. Variations in temperature can lead to undesired geometric changes in susceptible applications requiring very fine precision. In addition, temperature-sensitive electronic equipment hosted in a satellite needs adequate thermal-control to guarantee a moderate ambient temperature. To address these specifications, materials with low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and low coefficient of thermal conductivity (CTC) over a wide range of temperatures are often sought, especially for bearing components in satellites. Besides low CTE and low CTC, these materials should also provide desirable stiffness, strength and extraordinarily low mass. This work presents ultralightweight bi-material lattices with tunable CTE and CTC, besides high stiffness and strength. We show that the compensation of the thermal expansion and joint rotation at the lattice joints can be used as an effective strategy to tailor thermomechanical performance. Proof-of-concept lattices are fabricated from Al and Ti alloy sheets via a simple snap-fit technique and vacuum brazing, and their CTE and CTC are assessed via a combination of experiments and theory. Corresponding Author.

Effects of simultaneous climate change and geomorphic evolution on thermal characteristics of a shallow Alaskan lake

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, Jennifer R.; Schindler, Daniel E.; Balistrieri, Laurie S.; Ruggerone, Gregory T.

2011-01-01

We used a hydrodynamics model to assess the consequences of climate warming and contemporary geomorphic evolution for thermal conditions in a large, shallow Alaskan lake. We evaluated the effects of both known climate and landscape change, including rapid outlet erosion and migration of the principal inlet stream, over the past 50 yr as well as future scenarios of geomorphic restoration. Compared to effects of air temperature during the past 50 yr, lake thermal properties showed little sensitivity to substantial (~60%) loss of lake volume, as the lake maximum depth declined from 6 m to 4 m driven by outlet erosion. The direction and magnitude of future lake thermal responses will be driven largely by the extent of inlet stream migration when it occurs simultaneously with outlet erosion. Maintaining connectivity with inlet streams had substantial effects on buffering lake thermal responses to warming climate. Failing to account for changing rates and types of geomorphic processes under continuing climate change may misidentify the primary drivers of lake thermal responses and reduce our ability to understand the consequences for aquatic organisms.

Numerical investigation of phase change materials thermal capacitor for pipe flow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kurnia Jundika Candra

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This study addresses the performance of phase change material as thermal capacitor. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD model is developed to take into account the conjugate heat transfer between water as the heat transfer fluid (HTF and PCM as thermal capacitor. A pulsating inlet temperature with constant inlet velocity is prescribed to represent temperature variation. The performance of thermal capacitor is evaluated by closely monitoring outlet temperature and comparing it with inlet temperature to examine the reduction in temperature fluctuation. To intensify heat transfer between HTF and PCM, extended surfaces (fins are installed on PCM side. The results indicate that PCM thermal capacitor can reduce temperature fluctuation by ∼ 1 °C. This reduction can be improved further when extended surface is installed with ∼ 1.5 °C reduction in temperature fluctuation is achieved. Moreover, it is found that the maximum temperature is delayed at the outlet due to slow conjugate heat transfer between HTF and PCM. Inlet velocity is found to have considerable influence of the temperature fluctuation reduction: Slower inlet velocity results in a better temperature fluctuation reduction. This study is expected to serve as a guideline in designing PCM-based thermal capacitor.

Thermal changes of the environment and their influence on reinforced concrete structures

Science.gov (United States)

Fojtik, R.; Cajka, R.

2018-04-01

The thermal expansion of concrete elements concerns both monolithic and prefabricated structures. Inappropriate design of dilation segments may cause minor but even larger failures. Critical environment factors are temperature-changing operations, such as unheated underground garages, where temperature fluctuations may occur depending on the exterior conditions. This paper numerically and experimentally analyses the thermal deformation of selected girders in the underground garages and the consequent structure failures, their causes, possible prevention and appropriate remediation.

Pretest Calculations of Temperature Changes for Field Thermal Conductivity Tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

N.S. Brodsky

2002-01-01

A large volume fraction of the potential monitored geologic repository at Yucca Mountain may reside in the Tptpll (Tertiary, Paintbrush Group, Topopah Spring Tuff, crystal poor, lower lithophysal) lithostratigraphic unit. This unit is characterized by voids, or lithophysae, which range in size from centimeters to meters. A series of thermal conductivity field tests are planned in the Enhanced Characterization of the Repository Block (ECRB) Cross Drift. The objective of the pretest calculation described in this document is to predict changes in temperatures in the surrounding rock for these tests for a given heater power and a set of thermal transport properties. The calculation can be extended, as described in this document, to obtain thermal conductivity, thermal capacitance (density x heat capacity, J · m -3 · K -1 ), and thermal diffusivity from the field data. The work has been conducted under the ''Technical Work Plan For: Testing and Monitoring'' (BSC 2001). One of the outcomes of this analysis is to determine the initial output of the heater. This heater output must be sufficiently high that it will provide results in a reasonably short period of time (within several weeks or a month) and be sufficiently high that the heat increase is detectable by the instruments employed in the test. The test will be conducted in stages and heater output will be step increased as the test progresses. If the initial temperature is set too high, the experiment will not have as many steps and thus fewer thermal conductivity data points will result

Thermal analysis of hybrid single-phase, two-phase and heat pump thermal control system (TCS) for future spacecraft

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, S.H.; Mudawar, I.; Hasan, Mohammad M.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Hybrid Thermal Control System (H-TCS) is proposed for future spacecraft. • Thermodynamic performance of H-TCS is examined for different space missions. • Operational modes including single-phase, two-phase and heat pump are explored. • R134a is deemed most appropriate working fluid. - Abstract: An urgent need presently exists to develop a new class of versatile spacecraft capable of conducting different types of missions and enduring varying gravitational and temperature environments, including Lunar, Martian and Near Earth Object (NEOs). This study concerns the spacecraft's Thermal Control System (TCS), which tackles heat acquisition, especially from crew and avionics, heat transport, and ultimate heat rejection by radiation. The primary goal of the study is to explore the design and thermal performance of a Hybrid Thermal Control System (H-TCS) that would satisfy the diverse thermal requirements of the different space missions. The H-TCS must endure both ‘cold’ and ‘hot’ environments, reduce weight and size, and enhance thermodynamic performance. Four different operational modes are considered: single-phase, two-phase, basic heat pump and heat pump with liquid-side, suction-side heat exchanger. A thermodynamic trade study is conducted for six different working fluids to assess important performance parameters including mass flow rate of the working fluid, maximum pressure, radiator area, compressor/pump work, and coefficient of performance (COP). R134a is determined to be most suitable based on its ability to provide a balanced compromise between reducing flow rate and maintaining low system pressure, and a moderate coefficient of performance (COP); this fluid is also both nontoxic and nonflammable, and features zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and low global warming potential (GWP). It is shown how specific mission stages dictate which mode of operation is most suitable, and this information is used to size the radiator for the

Modelling and Design of Active Thermal Controls for Power Electronics of Motor Drive Applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vernica, Ionut; Blaabjerg, Frede; Ma, Ke

2017-01-01

of active thermal control methods for the power devices of a motor drive application. The motor drive system together with the thermal cycling of the power devices have been modelled, and adverse temperature swings could be noticed during the start-up and deceleration periods of the motor. Based...... on the electrical response of the system, the junction temperature of the semiconductor devices is estimated, and consequently three active thermal control methods are proposed and practically designed with respect to the following parameters: switching frequency, deceleration slope and modulation technique....... Finally, experimental results are provided in order to validate the effectiveness of the proposed control methods....

Thermal performance analysis of reciprocating compressor with stepless capacity control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bin, Tang; Yuanyang, Zhao; Liansheng, Li; Guangbin, Liu; Le, Wang; Qichao, Yang; Haiping, Xu; Feng, Zhu; Wenhui, Meng

2013-01-01

On the basic principle of stepless capacity control system for large reciprocating compressor, the thermal cycle was analyzed. The equations for the process of suction, reverse flow, compression, discharge and expansion of clearance gas were established. According to these equations, p–V diagrams at various situations were simulated. An experimental platform was setup and the compressor with designed stepless capacity control system run well. The experimental results show that the capacity of compressor can be regulated steplessly, and the motor power is reduced proportionally with respect to the reduction of capacity. During the suction process, both the flow resistance of valve and the pressure fluctuation in cylinder can be reduced by opening the suction valves with the actuators. The simulated and experimental results showed good coincidence. The clearance volume and valve clearance Mach number had a negative influence on the thermal performance of compressor with stepless capacity control system. -- Highlights: ► Flow resistance of valve can be reduced and pressure fluctuation can be reduced. ► Equivalent Mach number of reverse flow is much higher than that of suction process. ► Response of stepless capacity control system is important for regulation accuracy. ► Clearance and valve clearance Mach number have influence on thermal performance

The experimental exploration of nano-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}/paraffin on thermal behavior of phase change materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Yanyang [Advanced Materials Institute and Clearer Production Key Laboratory, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055 (China); Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing 100084 (China); Luo, Jie; Song, Guolin; Liu, Yuan [Advanced Materials Institute and Clearer Production Key Laboratory, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055 (China); Tang, Guoyi, E-mail: tanggy@tsinghua.edu.cn [Advanced Materials Institute and Clearer Production Key Laboratory, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055 (China); Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing 100084 (China)

2014-12-10

Highlights: • A new high thermal conductivity phase change materials. • Experimental study of strengthening thermal conductivity of phase change materials. • Theoretical analyses of thermal conductivity and crystallization. • Increased latent heat of phase change materials. - Abstract: In this study, nano-Si3N4 was employed to enhance thermal performance of phase change materials (PCMs), and a new formula was proposed to explain the relationship between the thermal conductivity and the latent heat. Ultrasonically stirred, the composite PCMs were prepared at 80 °C with different additional rate (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10wt%). The experimental results showed that the thermal conductivity of composite PCMs increased with the increasing Si3N4 loading contents, and the thermal conductivity increased by 35% while the thermal diffusivity increased by 47% at 10wt% Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} additional fraction. Additionally, there was an interesting phenomenon. The latent heat of the composite PCMs at 1wt% addition rate was 3.4% higher than that of paraffin, that has been rarely reported in articles. An explanation was provided from crystallography and thermodynamic. A calculation method was also performed with relative errors in the range of 5.68%.

Development of demonstration advanced thermal reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nishimura, Seiji; Oguchi, Isao; Touhei, Kazushige

1982-08-01

The design of the advanced thermal demonstration reactor with 600 MWe output was started in 1975. In order to make the compact core, 648 fuel assemblies, each comprising 36 fuel rods, were used, and the mean channel output was increased by 20% as compared with the prototype reactor. The heavy water dumping mechanism for the calandria was abolished. Advanced thermal reactors are suitable to burn plutonium, since the control rod worth does not change, the void reactivity coefficient of coolant shifts to the negative side, and the harmful influence of high order plutonium is small. The void reactivity coefficient is nearly zero, the fluctuation of output in relation to pressure disturbance is small, and the local output change of fuel by the operation of control rods is small, therefore, the operation following load change is relatively easy. The coolant recirculation system is of independent loop construction dividing the core into two, and steam and water are separated in respective steam drums. At present, the rationalizing design is in progress by the leadership of the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp. The outline of the demonstration reactor, the reactor construction, the nuclear-thermal-hydraulic characteristics and the output control characteristics are reported.

Development of demonstration advanced thermal reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishimura, Seiji; Oguchi, Isao; Touhei, Kazushige.

1982-01-01

The design of the advanced thermal demonstration reactor with 600 MWe output was started in 1975. In order to make the compact core, 648 fuel assemblies, each comprising 36 fuel rods, were used, and the mean channel output was increased by 20% as compared with the prototype reactor. The heavy water dumping mechanism for the calandria was abolished. Advanced thermal reactors are suitable to burn plutonium, since the control rod worth does not change, the void reactivity coefficient of coolant shifts to the negative side, and the harmful influence of high order plutonium is small. The void reactivity coefficient is nearly zero, the fluctuation of output in relation to pressure disturbance is small, and the local output change of fuel by the operation of control rods is small, therefore, the operation following load change is relatively easy. The coolant recirculation system is of independent loop construction dividing the core into two, and steam and water are separated in respective steam drums. At present, the rationalizing design is in progress by the leadership of the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp. The outline of the demonstration reactor, the reactor construction, the nuclear-thermal-hydraulic characteristics and the output control characteristics are reported. (Kako, I.)

Morphological changes induced by thermal treatment and gamma irradiation on the males' hind legs of Spodoptera littoralis (Noctuidae; Lepidoptera

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mai S. EL-Degwi

2015-10-01

Full Text Available External morphology of males' hind legs of Spodoptera littoralis subjected to thermal treatment (33 °C and 37 °C or/and irradiated with substerilizing doses of gamma radiation (75, 100 and 150 Gy were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM in the parental generation. Five types of sensilla have been distinguished; three types of trichoid sensilla (T1,T2 and T3, sensilla basiconica and sensilla auricillica, which are considered as olfactory chemoreceptors. Moreover, sensilla chaetica are contact chemoreceptors, whereas sensilla styloconica are thermo–hygro/gustatory mechanoreceptors. The impact of thermal treatment or/and gamma irradiation reflect a clear morphological change in S. littoralis legs'sensilla, claws, spurs and scales. Otherwise, the degree of deformity was thermal and dose dependent, as it increased with an increase of the degree of temperature and dose of irradiation applied. Substerilizing doses 75 and 100 Gy, either alone or combined with thermal treatment 33 °C, have low undesirable effects on the hind legs with successful mobility or courtship behavior. Consequently, synergistic effect of gamma radiation and thermal stress induced successful application in the integrated pest management program for controlling S. littoralis.

Shape-stabilized phase change materials with high thermal conductivity based on paraffin/graphene oxide composite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mehrali, Mohammad; Latibari, Sara Tahan; Mehrali, Mehdi; Metselaar, Hendrik Simon Cornelis; Silakhori, Mahyar

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► The composite PCM was prepared with impregnation method. ► Shapes stabilized phase change material made with paraffin and GO composite. ► Determine effects of GO composite on shape stabilized PCM properties. ► The composite PCM has good thermal stability and form-stability. ► The composite PCM has much higher thermal conductivity than that of paraffin. - Abstract: This paper mainly focuses on the preparation, characterization, thermal properties and thermal stability and reliability of new form-stable composite phase change materials (PCMs) prepared by vacuum impregnation of paraffin within graphene oxide (GO) sheets. SEM and FT-IR techniques and TGA and DSC analysis are used for characterization of material and thermal properties. The composite PCM contained 48.3 wt.% of paraffin without leakage of melted PCM and therefore this composite found to be a form-stable composite PCM. SEM results indicate that the paraffin bounded into the pores of GO. FT-IR analysis showed there was no chemical reaction between paraffin and GO. Temperatures of melting and freezing and latent heats of the composite were 53.57 and 44.59 °C and 63.76 and 64.89 kJ/kg, respectively. Thermal cycling tests were done by 2500 melting/freezing cycling for verification of the form-stable composite PCM in terms of thermal reliability and chemical stability. Thermal conductivity of the composite PCM was highly improved from 0.305 to 0.985 (W/mk). As a result, the prepared paraffin/GO composite is appropriate PCM for thermal energy storage applications because of their acceptable thermal properties, good thermal reliability, chemical stability and thermal conductivities

Enhanced thermal expansion control rod drive lines for improving passive safety of fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edelmann, M.; Baumann, W.; Kuechle, M.; Kussmaul, G.; Vaeth, W.; Bertram, A.

1992-01-01

The paper presents a device for increasing the thermal expansion effect of control rod drive lines on negative reactivity feedback in fast reactors. The enhanced thermal expansion of this device can be utilized for both passive rod drop and forced insertion of absorbers in unprotected transients, e.g. ULOF. In this way the reactor is automatically brought into a permanently subcritical state and temperatures are kept well below the boiling point of the coolant. A prototype of such a device called ATHENa (German: Shut-down by THermal Expansion of Na) is presently under construction and will be tested. The paper presents the principle, design features and thermal properties of ATHENs as well as results of reactor dynamics calculations of ULOF's for EFR with enhanced thermal expansion control rod drive lines. (author)

Longitudinal thermal heterogeneity in rivers and refugia for coldwater species: Effects of scale and climate change

Science.gov (United States)

Fullerton, A.H.; Torgersen, Christian E.; Lawer, J.J.; Steel, E. A.; Ebersole, J.L.; Lee, S.Y.

2018-01-01

Climate-change driven increases in water temperature pose challenges for aquatic organisms. Predictions of impacts typically do not account for fine-grained spatiotemporal thermal patterns in rivers. Patches of cooler water could serve as refuges for anadromous species like salmon that migrate during summer. We used high-resolution remotely sensed water temperature data to characterize summer thermal heterogeneity patterns for 11,308 km of second–seventh-order rivers throughout the Pacific Northwest and northern California (USA). We evaluated (1) water temperature patterns at different spatial resolutions, (2) the frequency, size, and spacing of cool thermal patches suitable for Pacific salmon (i.e., contiguous stretches ≥ 0.25 km, ≤ 15 °C and ≥ 2 °C, aooler than adjacent water), and (3) potential influences of climate change on availability of cool patches. Thermal heterogeneity was nonlinearly related to the spatial resolution of water temperature data, and heterogeneity at fine resolution ( 2.7 and  5.7 and < 49.4 km. Thermal heterogeneity varied among rivers, some of which had long uninterrupted stretches of warm water ≥ 20 °C, and others had many smaller cool patches. Our models predicted little change in future thermal heterogeneity among rivers, but within-river patterns sometimes changed markedly compared to contemporary patterns. These results can inform long-term monitoring programs as well as near-term climate-adaptation strategies.

A Hybrid Power Control Concept for PV Inverters with Reduced Thermal Loading

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yang, Yongheng; Wang, Huai; Blaabjerg, Frede

2014-01-01

on a single-phase PV inverter under yearly operation is presented with analyses of the thermal loading, lifetime, and annual energy yield. It has revealed the trade-off factors to select the power limit and also verified the feasibility and the effectiveness of the proposed control concept.......This letter proposes a hybrid power control concept for grid-connected Photovoltaic (PV) inverters. The control strategy is based on either a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) control or a Constant Power Generation (CPG) control depending on the instantaneous available power from the PV panels....... The essence of the proposed concept lies in the selection of an appropriate power limit for the CPG control to achieve an improved thermal performance and an increased utilization factor of PV inverters,and thus to cater for a higher penetration level of PV systems with intermittent nature. A case study...

Time-Separating Heating and Sensor Functions of Thermistors in Precision Thermal Control Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Hyung J.; Sukhatme, Kalyani G.; Mahoney, John C.; Penanen, Konstantin Penanen; Vargas, Rudolph, Jr.

2010-01-01

A method allows combining the functions of a heater and a thermometer in a single device, a thermistor, with minimal temperature read errors. Because thermistors typically have a much smaller thermal mass than the objects they monitor, the thermal time to equilibrate the thermometer to the temperature of the object is typically much shorter than the thermal time of the object to change its temperature in response to an external perturbation.

Changes of intermediary taurine and tryptophan metabolism after combined radiation-thermal injury

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konnova, L.A.; Novoselova, G.S.

1986-01-01

The dynamics of changes of the taurine and tryptophane concentration in blood serum of rats has been studied during 30 days after 3b degree burn of 15% of body surface after total even exposure to radiation in doses of 3 and 6 Gy, and after combined radiation thermal injury. Combined radiation-thermal injury was found to be characterized by reduced concentration of taurine but an increase of the tryptophane level from the second-third day after the injury

Ultrafast crystallization and thermal stability of In-Ge doped eutectic Sb70Te30 phase change material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee Meiling; Miao Xiangshui; Ting Leehou; Shi Luping

2008-01-01

Effect of In and Ge doping in the form of In 2 Ge 8 Sb 85 Te 5 on optical and thermal properties of eutectic Sb 70 Te 30 alloys was investigated. Crystalline structure of In 2 Ge 8 Sb 85 Te 5 phase change material consists of a mixture of phases. Thermal analysis shows higher crystallization temperature and activation energy for crystallization. Isothermal reflectivity-time measurement shows a growth-dominated crystallization mechanism. Ultrafast crystallization speed of 30 ns is realized upon irradiation by blue laser beam. The use of ultrafast and thermally stable In 2 Ge 8 Sb 85 Te 5 phase change material as mask layer in aperture-type super-resolution near-field phase change disk is realized to increase the carrier-to-noise ratio and thermal stability

Electric vehicles batteries thermal management systems employing phase change materials

Science.gov (United States)

Ianniciello, Lucia; Biwolé, Pascal Henry; Achard, Patrick

2018-02-01

Battery thermal management is necessary for electric vehicles (EVs), especially for Li-ion batteries, due to the heat dissipation effects on those batteries. Usually, air or coolant circuits are employed as thermal management systems in Li-ion batteries. However, those systems are expensive in terms of investment and operating costs. Phase change materials (PCMs) may represent an alternative which could be cheaper and easier to operate. In fact, PCMs can be used as passive or semi-passive systems, enabling the global system to sustain near-autonomous operations. This article presents the previous developments introducing PCMs for EVs battery cooling. Different systems are reviewed and solutions are proposed to enhance PCMs efficiency in those systems.

A new method for measuring the thermal regulatory properties of phase change material (PCM) fabrics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wan, X; Fan, J

2009-01-01

Several methods already exist for the measurement of the thermal regulatory properties of fabrics containing phase change materials (PCMs). However, they do not adequately simulate the actual use condition; consequently the measurements may not have relevance to the performance of PCM fabrics in actual use. Here we report on the development of a new method, which better simulates the real use situation. In this method, a hot plate, simulating the human body, generates a constant amount of heat depending on the type of human activity to be simulated. The hot plate covered by the PCM fabric is then exposed to a thermal transient simulating a wearer moving from one thermal environment to another; the changes of surface temperature and heat loss of the hot plate are then recorded and used to characterize the thermal regulatory properties of the PCM fabrics

Evidence for thermally assisted threshold switching behavior in nanoscale phase-change memory cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Gallo, Manuel; Athmanathan, Aravinthan; Krebs, Daniel; Sebastian, Abu

2016-01-01

In spite of decades of research, the details of electrical transport in phase-change materials are still debated. In particular, the so-called threshold switching phenomenon that allows the current density to increase steeply when a sufficiently high voltage is applied is still not well understood, even though there is wide consensus that threshold switching is solely of electronic origin. However, the high thermal efficiency and fast thermal dynamics associated with nanoscale phase-change memory (PCM) devices motivate us to reassess a thermally assisted threshold switching mechanism, at least in these devices. The time/temperature dependence of the threshold switching voltage and current in doped Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 nanoscale PCM cells was measured over 6 decades in time at temperatures ranging from 40 °C to 160 °C. We observe a nearly constant threshold switching power across this wide range of operating conditions. We also measured the transient dynamics associated with threshold switching as a function of the applied voltage. By using a field- and temperature-dependent description of the electrical transport combined with a thermal feedback, quantitative agreement with experimental data of the threshold switching dynamics was obtained using realistic physical parameters

Preparation, characterization, and thermal properties of starch microencapsulated fatty acids as phase change materials thermal energy storage applications

Science.gov (United States)

Stable starch-oil composites can be prepared from renewable resources by excess steam jet-cooking aqueous slurries of starch and vegetable oils or other hydrophobic materials. Fatty acids such as stearic acid are promising phase change materials (PCMs) for latent heat thermal energy storage applica...

Development of a Microelectromechanical System for Small Satellite Thermal Control

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Beasley, Matthew

2004-01-01

.... This new direction requires a similar evolution in thermal control. Previous techniques such as heat pipes and conventional radiators have large masses themselves and are not scaleable to fit these smaller designs...

Thermal Changes of Maize Seed by Laser Irradiation

Science.gov (United States)

Hernandez-Aguilar, C.; Dominguez-Pacheco, A.; Cruz-Orea, A.

2015-09-01

In this research, the thermal evolution in maize seeds ( Zea mays L.) was studied when low-intensity laser irradiation was applied during 60 s. The seeds were irradiated in three different conditions: suspended in air, placed on an aluminum surface, and finally placed on a cardboard; the evolution of the seed temperature was measured by an infrared camera. Photoacoustic spectroscopy and the Rosencwaig and Gersho model were used to determine the optical absorption coefficient (β ) of the seeds. The results indicate that using 650 nm laser light and 27.4 mW, it is possible to produce temperature changes (up to 9.06°C after 1 min) on the seeds. Comparing the mean temperature of the seeds, during and after the incidence of light from a laser, it was found that there were statistically significant differences (P≤ 0.05) from time t1 to time t_{16} (t1 to t_{16}) and t3 to t_{16}, for the laser turned on and off, respectively. The seed condition that had the highest temperature variation, relative to the initial temperature (during the irradiation laser exposure), involved the seeds suspended in air. With regard to the stage of decay of the temperature, it was found that the seed condition that decays more slowly was the seed placed on the cardboard. It was also found that black-dyed maize seeds are optically opaque in the 300 nm to 700 nm range Also, the thermal diffusion length is smaller than the optical penetration length. In the present investigation, it was shown that there is a thermal component associated with the mechanisms of laser biostimulation, which is also a function of the container materials of the seed. In this way, the effects of laser treatment on maize seeds involve at least a temperature effect. It is important to know the temperature changes in the seeds that have been irradiated with a laser beam since they could have substantial practical and theoretical importance.

Study on thermal property of lauric–palmitic–stearic acid/vermiculite composite as form-stable phase change material for energy storage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nan Zhang

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The form-stable composite phase change material of lauric–palmitic–stearic acid ternary eutectic mixture/vermiculite was prepared by vacuum impregnation method for thermal energy storage. The maximum mass fraction of lauric–palmitic–stearic acid ternary eutectic mixture retained in vermiculite was determined as 50 wt% without melted phase change material seepage from the composite phase change material. Fourier transformation infrared spectroscope and scanning electron microscope were used to characterize the structure and morphology of the prepared lauric–palmitic–stearic acid ternary eutectic mixture/vermiculite form-stable composite phase change material, and the results indicate that lauric–palmitic–stearic acid ternary eutectic mixture was well confined into the layer porous structure of vermiculite by physical reaction. The melting and freezing temperatures and latent heats were measured by differential scanning calorimeter as 31.4°C and 30.3°C, and 75.8 and 73.2 J/g, respectively. Thermal cycling test showed that there was no significant change in the thermal properties of lauric–palmitic–stearic acid ternary eutectic mixture/vermiculite form-stable composite phase change material after 1000 thermal cycles. Moreover, 2 wt% expanded graphite was added to improve the thermal conductivity of lauric–palmitic–stearic acid ternary eutectic mixture/vermiculite form-stable composite phase change material. All results indicated that the prepared lauric–palmitic–stearic acid ternary eutectic mixture/vermiculite form-stable composite phase change material had suitable thermal properties and good thermal reliability for the application of thermal energy storage in building energy efficiency.

The relationship between bioclimatic thermal stress and subjective thermal sensation in pedestrian spaces

Science.gov (United States)

Pearlmutter, David; Jiao, Dixin; Garb, Yaakov

2014-12-01

Outdoor thermal comfort has important implications for urban planning and energy consumption in the built environment. To better understand the relation of subjective thermal experience to bioclimatic thermal stress in such contexts, this study compares micrometeorological and perceptual data from urban spaces in the hot-arid Negev region of Israel. Pedestrians reported on their thermal sensation in these spaces, whereas radiation and convection-related data were used to compute the Index of Thermal Stress (ITS) and physiologically equivalent temperature (PET). The former is a straightforward characterization of energy exchanges between the human body and its surroundings, without any conversion to an "equivalent temperature." Although the relation of ITS to subjective thermal sensation has been analyzed in the past under controlled indoor conditions, this paper offers the first analysis of this relation in an outdoor setting. ITS alone can account for nearly 60 % of the variance in pedestrians' thermal sensation under outdoor conditions, somewhat more than PET. A series of regressions with individual contextual variables and ITS identified those factors which accounted for additional variance in thermal sensation, whereas multivariate analyses indicated the considerable predictive power ( R-square = 0.74) of models including multiple contextual variables in addition to ITS. Our findings indicate that pedestrians experiencing variable outdoor conditions have a greater tolerance for incremental changes in thermal stress than has been shown previously under controlled indoor conditions, with a tapering of responses at high values of ITS. However, the thresholds of ITS corresponding to thermal "neutrality" and thermal "acceptability" are quite consistent regardless of context.

Investigation of Effect Additive Phase Change Materials on the Thermal Conductivity

Science.gov (United States)

Nakielska, Magdalena; Chalamoński, Mariusz; Pawłowski, Krzysztof

2017-10-01

The aim of worldwide policy is to reduce the amount of consumed energy and conventional fuels. An important branch of the economy that affects the energy balance of the country is construction industry. In Poland, since January 1st, 2017 new limit values have been valid regarding energy saving and thermal insulation of buildings. To meet the requirements of more and more stringent technical and environmental standards, new technological solutions are currently being looked for. When it comes to the use of new materials, phase-change materials are being widely introduced into construction industry. Thanks to phase-change materials, we can increase the amount of heat storage. Great thermal inertia of the building provides more stable conditions inside the rooms and allows the use of unconventional sources of energy such as solar energy. A way to reduce the energy consumption of the object is the use of modern solutions for ventilation systems. An example is the solar chimney, which supports natural ventilation in order to improve internal comfort of the rooms. Numerous studies are being carried out in order to determine the optimal construction of solar chimneys in terms of materials and construction parameters. One of the elements of solar chimneys is an absorption plate, which affects the amount of accumulated heat in the construction. In order to carry out the research on the thermal capacity of the absorption plate, the first research work has been already planned. The work presents the research results of a heat-transfer coefficient of the absorption plates samples made of cement, aggregate, water, and phase-change material in different volume percentage. The work also presents methodology and the research process of phase-change material samples.

An analysis of the changes on intermediate products during the thermal processing of black garlic.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Heng; Sun, Linjuan; Chen, Min; Wang, Jun

2018-01-15

The thermal processing of black garlic was simulated. Fresh garlic was incubated at 55°C with 80% humidity and sampled every 5 or 10days. The changes in relevant products were as follows: the fructan content was decreased by 84.79%, and the fructose content was increased by 508.11%. The contents of Maillard reaction intermediate products were first increased and then decreased. The colour of garlic gradually became dark and the pH decreased from 6.13 to 4.00. By analyzing these changes, the mechanism of black garlic formation and the changes on the Maillard reaction were revealed. The sweetness of black garlic resulted mainly from the fructose that was produced, and the black colour was largely due to the Maillard reaction between fructose/glucose and amino acids. An understanding of this process is useful to explain the formation mechanism of black garlic and could lead to better control of the quality of black garlic. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The performance of thermal control coatings on LDEF and implications to future spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkes, Donald R.; Miller, Edgar R.; Mell, Richard J.; Lemaster, Paul S.; Zwiener, James M.

1993-01-01

The stability of thermal control coatings over the lifetime of a satellite or space platform is crucial to the success of the mission. With the increasing size, complexity, and duration of future missions, the stability of these materials becomes even more important. The Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) offered an excellent testbed to study the stability and interaction of thermal control coatings in the low-Earth orbit (LEO) space environment. Several experiments on LDEF exposed thermal control coatings to the space environment. This paper provides an overview of the different materials flown and their stability during the extended LDEF mission. The exposure conditions, exposure environment, and measurements of materials properties (both in-space and postflight) are described. The relevance of the results and the implications to the design and operation of future space vehicles are also discussed.

The Neural-fuzzy Thermal Error Compensation Controller on CNC Machining Center

Science.gov (United States)

Tseng, Pai-Chung; Chen, Shen-Len

The geometric errors and structural thermal deformation are factors that influence the machining accuracy of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining center. Therefore, researchers pay attention to thermal error compensation technologies on CNC machine tools. Some real-time error compensation techniques have been successfully demonstrated in both laboratories and industrial sites. The compensation results still need to be enhanced. In this research, the neural-fuzzy theory has been conducted to derive a thermal prediction model. An IC-type thermometer has been used to detect the heat sources temperature variation. The thermal drifts are online measured by a touch-triggered probe with a standard bar. A thermal prediction model is then derived by neural-fuzzy theory based on the temperature variation and the thermal drifts. A Graphic User Interface (GUI) system is also built to conduct the user friendly operation interface with Insprise C++ Builder. The experimental results show that the thermal prediction model developed by neural-fuzzy theory methodology can improve machining accuracy from 80µm to 3µm. Comparison with the multi-variable linear regression analysis the compensation accuracy is increased from ±10µm to ±3µm.

Prediction and control of the coefficient of thermal expansion of concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ziegeldorf, S.; Kleiser, K.; Hilsdorf, H.K.

1979-01-01

Prediction and control of the coefficient of thermal expansion of concrete. In this report various procedures for the prediction of the coefficient of thermal expansion of concrete are summarized. The values predicted with these procedures are compared to experimental data. In the experimental investigation the coefficient of thermal expansion of various types of aggregates and types of concrete both in a dry and a moist state in the temperature range RT/180 0 C have been measured. The most significant result obtained is that for equal volume fractions the thermal properties of coarse aggregates have a more pronounced effect upon thermal expansion of concrete than those of fine aggregates. In the analysis an attempt has been made to estimate the thermal expansion of concrete from the properties of the concrete components by means of a finite element procedure. On the basis of the experimental data and of the analysis of internal temperature stresses in the concrete a simple relationship for the determination of the coefficient of thermal expansion of concrete has been deduced. In this relationship different thermal properties of coarse and fine aggregates may be taken into account. Compared to other methods this relationship yields, both for dry and for moist concrete, values which are in good agreement with the experimental data. (orig.) [de

Phase-change radiative thermal diode

OpenAIRE

Ben-Abdallah, Philippe; Biehs, Svend-Age

2013-01-01

A thermal diode transports heat mainly in one preferential direction rather than in the opposite direction. This behavior is generally due to the non-linear dependence of certain physical properties with respect to the temperature. Here we introduce a radiative thermal diode which rectifies heat transport thanks to the phase transitions of materials. Rectification coefficients greater than 70% and up to 90% are shown, even for small temperature differences. This result could have important ap...

Optical pump-and-probe test system for thermal characterization of thin metal and phase-change films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watabe, Kazuo; Polynkin, Pavel; Mansuripur, Masud

2005-01-01

A single-shot optical pump-and-probe test system is reported. The system is designed for thermal characterization of thin-film samples that can change their phase state under the influence of a short and intense laser pulse on a subnanosecond time scale. In combination with numerical analysis, the system can be used to estimate thermal constants of thin films, such as specific heat and thermal conductivity. In-plane and out-of plane thermal conductivity can be estimated independently. The system is intended for use in research on optical data storage and material processing with pulsed laser light. The system design issues are discussed. As application examples, we report on using the system to study thermal dynamics in two different thin-film samples: a gold film on a glass substrate (a single-phase system) and the quadrilayer phase-change stack typical in optical data-storage applications

Influence of thermal history on the photostructural changes in glassy As15S85 studied by Raman scattering and ab initio calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolar, J.; Strizik, L.; Kohoutek, T.; Wagner, T.; Voyiatzis, G. A.; Chrissanthopoulos, A.; Yannopoulos, S. N.

2013-01-01

Photostructural changes—the hallmark of non-crystalline chalcogenides—are in essence the basis of a number of photoinduced effects, i.e., changes of their physical properties, which are exploited in a variety of applications, especially in photonics and optoelectronics. Despite the vast number of investigations of photostructural changes, there is currently lack of systematic studies on how the thermal history, which affects glass structure, modifies the extent of photostructural changes. In this article, we study the role of thermal history on photostructural changes in glassy As 15 S 85 . This particular sulfur-rich composition has been chosen based on the colossal photostructural response it exhibits under near-band gap light irradiation, which inherently originates from its nanoscale phase-separated nature. To control the thermal history, the glass was quenched to various temperatures and each of these quenched products was annealed under four different conditions. Off-resonant Raman scattering was used to study the equilibrium study of each product. Structural changes of interest involve changes of the sulfur atoms participating into S 8 rings and S n chains. Their ratio was found to depend on quenching/annealing conditions. Near-band gap light was used to perturb the rings-to-chain ratio and at the same time to record these changes through Raman scattering, revealing an intricate behavior of photostructural changes. Ab initio calculations were employed to determine the stability of various sulfur clusters/molecules thus aiding the correlation of the particular photo-response of glassy As 15 S 85 with its structural constituents

Minimum scale controlled topology optimization and experimental test of a micro thermal actuator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heo, S.; Yoon, Gil Ho; Kim, Y.Y.

2008-01-01

This paper is concerned with the optimal topology design, fabrication and test of a micro thermal actuator. Because the minimum scale was controlled during the design optimization process, the production yield rate of the actuator was improved considerably; alternatively, the optimization design ...... tested. The test showed that control over the minimum length scale in the design process greatly improves the yield rate and reduces the performance deviation....... without scale control resulted in a very low yield rate. Using the minimum scale controlling topology design method developed earlier by the authors, micro thermal actuators were designed and fabricated through a MEMS process. Moreover, both their performance and production yield were experimentally...

Preparation and characterization of macrocapsules containing microencapsulated PCMs (phase change materials) for thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Pengju; Lu, Lixin; Qiu, Xiaolin; Tang, Yali; Wang, Jun

2015-01-01

This paper was aimed to prepare, characterize and determine the comprehensive evaluation of promising composite macrocapsules containing microencapsulated PCMs (phase change materials) with calcium alginate gels as the matrix material. Macrocapsules containing microcapsules were fabricated by piercing-solidifying incuber method. Two kinds of microcapsules with n-tetradecane as core material, UF (urea-formaldehyde) and PMMA (poly(methyl methacrylate)) respectively as shell materials were prepared initially. For application concerns, thermal durability and mechanical property of macrocapsules were investigated by TGA (thermal gravimetric analysis) and Texture Analyser for the first time, respectively. The results showed excellent thermal stability and the compressive resistance of macrocapsules was sufficient for common application. The morphology and chemical structure of the prepared microcapsules and macrocapsules were characterized by SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and FT-IR (fourier transform infrared) spectroscopy method. Phase change behaviors and thermal durability of microcapsules and macrocapsules were investigated by DSC (differential scanning calorimetry). In order to improve latent heat of composite microcapsules, the core-shell weight ratio of tetradecane/UF shell microcapsules was chosen as 5.5:1 which obtained the phase change enthalpy of 194.1 J g −1 determined by DSC. In conclusion, these properties make it a feasible composite in applications of textile, building and cold-chain transportation. - Highlights: • We improved the phase change enthalpy with a higher core-shell ratio. • Urea-formaldehyde was firstly used as a shell material in the composite. • Mechanical and thermal durability property of the macrocapsules was firstly investigated in our work.

Experimental analysis of a low cost phase change material emulsion for its use as thermal storage system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delgado, Mónica; Lázaro, Ana; Mazo, Javier; Peñalosa, Conchita; Dolado, Pablo; Zalba, Belén

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A low cost PCM emulsion has been analyzed as thermal energy storage system. • Its thermophysical and rheological properties have been determined. • The system shows advantages in terms of energy density and heat transfer rate. • The PCM emulsion system has been compared to other thermal energy storage systems. - Abstract: A 46 l commercial tank with a helical coil heat exchanger and containing a low cost phase change material emulsion has been experimentally analyzed as a thermal energy storage system in terms of volumetric energy density and heat transfer rate, for its subsequent comparison with other thermal energy storage systems. This phase change material emulsion shows a phase change temperature range between 30 and 50 °C, its solids content is about 60% with an average particle size of 1 μm. The low cost phase change material emulsion shows a thermal storage capacity by mass 50% higher than water and an increase in viscosity up to 2–5 orders of magnitude. The results have shown that the global heat transfer coefficient of the phase change material emulsion tank is around 2–6 times higher than for conventional latent systems previously analyzed in literature, although 5 times lower than if it contains water. The phase change material emulsion tank presents an energy density 34% higher than the water tank, which makes it a promising solution. Measures to improve its performance are also studied in this work.

Thermally controlled coupling of a rolled-up microtube integrated with a waveguide on a silicon electronic-photonic integrated circuit.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Qiuhang; Tian, Zhaobing; Veerasubramanian, Venkat; Dastjerdi, M Hadi Tavakoli; Mi, Zetian; Plant, David V

2014-05-01

We report on the first experimental demonstration of the thermal control of coupling strength between a rolled-up microtube and a waveguide on a silicon electronic-photonic integrated circuit. The microtubes are fabricated by selectively releasing a coherently strained GaAs/InGaAs heterostructure bilayer. The fabricated microtubes are then integrated with silicon waveguides using an abruptly tapered fiber probe. By tuning the gap between the microtube and the waveguide using localized heaters, the microtube-waveguide evanescent coupling is effectively controlled. With heating, the extinction ratio of a microtube whispering-gallery mode changes over an 18 dB range, while the resonant wavelength remains approximately unchanged. Utilizing this dynamic thermal tuning effect, we realize coupling modulation of the microtube integrated with the silicon waveguide at 2 kHz with a heater voltage swing of 0-6 V.

Phase change material thermal storage for biofuel preheating in micro trigeneration application: A numerical study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Dawei; Chen, Junlong; Roskilly, Anthony P.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Engine exhaust heat driven phase change material thermal storage. • Fuel preheating for direct use of straight plant oil on diesel engine. • CFD aided design of the phase change material thermal storage. • Melting and solidification model considering natural convection. - Abstract: A biofuel micro trigeneration prototype has been developed to utilise local energy crop oils as fuel in rural areas and developing countries. Straight plant oils (SPOs) only leave behind very little carbon footprint during its simply production process compared to commercial biodiesels in refineries, but the high viscosity of SPOs causes difficulties at engine cold starts, which further results in poor fuel atomisation, compromised engine performance and fast engine deterioration. In this study, a phase change material (PCM) thermal storage is designed to recover and store engine exhaust heat to preheat SPOs at cold starts. High temperature commercial paraffin is selected as the PCM to meet the optimal preheating temperature range of 70–90 °C, in terms of the SPO property study. A numerical model of the PCM thermal storage is developed and validated by references. The PCM melting and solidification processes with the consideration of natural convection in liquid zone are simulated in ANSYS-FLUENT to verify the feasibility of the PCM thermal storage as a part of the self-contained biofuel micro trigeneration prototype

Parameter optimization of thermal-model-oriented control law for PEM fuel cell stack via novel genetic algorithm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xi; Deng Zhonghua; Wei Dong; Xu Chunshan; Cao Guangyi

2011-01-01

Highlights: →We build up the thermal expressions of PEMFC stack. → The expressions are converted into the affine state space control-oriented model for the VSC strategy. → The NGA is developed to optimize the parameter of thermal-model-oriented control law. → Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness and rationality of the method proposed. - Abstract: It is critical to understand and manage the thermal effects in optimizing the performance and durability of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack. And building up the control-oriented thermal model of PEMFC stack is necessary. The thermal model, a set of differential equations, is established according to the conservation equations of mass and energy, which can be used to reflect truly the actual temperature response of PEMFC stack, however, the expressions of the model are too complicated to be used in the design of control. For this reason, the expressions are converted into the affine state space control-oriented model in detail for the variable structure control (VSC) strategy. Meanwhile, the accurate model must be established for the VSC and the parameters of VSC laws should be optimized. Consequently, a novel genetic algorithm (NGA) is developed to optimize the parameter of thermal-model-oriented control law for PEMFC stack. Finally, numerical test results demonstrate the effectiveness and rationality of the method proposed in this paper. It lays the foundation for the realization of online thermal management of PEMFC stack based on VSC.

Model Predictive Control of Hybrid Thermal Energy Systems in Transport Refrigeration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shafiei, Seyed Ehsan; Alleyne, Andrew

2015-01-01

A predictive control scheme is designed to control a transport refrigeration system, such as a delivery truck, that includes a vapor compression cycle configured in parallel with a thermal energy storage (TES) unit. A novel approach to TES utilization is introduced and is based on the current...

Nanoscale thermal transport. II. 2003-2012

Science.gov (United States)

Cahill, David G.; Braun, Paul V.; Chen, Gang; Clarke, David R.; Fan, Shanhui; Goodson, Kenneth E.; Keblinski, Pawel; King, William P.; Mahan, Gerald D.; Majumdar, Arun; Maris, Humphrey J.; Phillpot, Simon R.; Pop, Eric; Shi, Li

2014-03-01

A diverse spectrum of technology drivers such as improved thermal barriers, higher efficiency thermoelectric energy conversion, phase-change memory, heat-assisted magnetic recording, thermal management of nanoscale electronics, and nanoparticles for thermal medical therapies are motivating studies of the applied physics of thermal transport at the nanoscale. This review emphasizes developments in experiment, theory, and computation in the past ten years and summarizes the present status of the field. Interfaces become increasingly important on small length scales. Research during the past decade has extended studies of interfaces between simple metals and inorganic crystals to interfaces with molecular materials and liquids with systematic control of interface chemistry and physics. At separations on the order of ˜ 1 nm , the science of radiative transport through nanoscale gaps overlaps with thermal conduction by the coupling of electronic and vibrational excitations across weakly bonded or rough interfaces between materials. Major advances in the physics of phonons include first principles calculation of the phonon lifetimes of simple crystals and application of the predicted scattering rates in parameter-free calculations of the thermal conductivity. Progress in the control of thermal transport at the nanoscale is critical to continued advances in the density of information that can be stored in phase change memory devices and new generations of magnetic storage that will use highly localized heat sources to reduce the coercivity of magnetic media. Ultralow thermal conductivity—thermal conductivity below the conventionally predicted minimum thermal conductivity—has been observed in nanolaminates and disordered crystals with strong anisotropy. Advances in metrology by time-domain thermoreflectance have made measurements of the thermal conductivity of a thin layer with micron-scale spatial resolution relatively routine. Scanning thermal microscopy and thermal

Thermally controlled comb generation and soliton modelocking in microresonators.

Science.gov (United States)

Joshi, Chaitanya; Jang, Jae K; Luke, Kevin; Ji, Xingchen; Miller, Steven A; Klenner, Alexander; Okawachi, Yoshitomo; Lipson, Michal; Gaeta, Alexander L

2016-06-01

We report, to the best of our knowledge, the first demonstration of thermally controlled soliton mode-locked frequency comb generation in microresonators. By controlling the electric current through heaters integrated with silicon nitride microresonators, we demonstrate a systematic and repeatable pathway to single- and multi-soliton mode-locked states without adjusting the pump laser wavelength. Such an approach could greatly simplify the generation of mode-locked frequency combs and facilitate applications such as chip-based dual-comb spectroscopy.

Microcontact printing of polydopamine on thermally expandable hydrogels for controlled cell adhesion and delivery of geometrically defined microtissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yu Bin; Kim, Se-Jeong; Kim, Eum Mi; Byun, Hayeon; Chang, Hyung-Kwan; Park, Jungyul; Choi, Yu Suk; Shin, Heungsoo

2017-10-01

Scaffold-free harvest of microtissue with a defined structure has received a great deal of interest in cell-based assay and regenerative medicine. In this study, we developed thermally expandable hydrogels with spatially controlled cell adhesive patterns for rapid harvest of geometrically controlled microtissue. We patterned polydopamine (PD) on to the hydrogel via microcontact printing (μCP), in linear shapes with widths of 50, 100 and 200μm. The hydrogels facilitated formation of spatially controlled strip-like microtissue of human dermal fibroblasts (HDFBs). It was possible to harvest and translocate microtissues with controlled widths of 61.4±14.7, 104.3±15.6, and 186.6±22.3μm from the hydrogel to glass substrates by conformal contact upon expansion of the hydrogel in response to a temperature change from 37 to 4°C, preserving high viability, extracellular matrix, and junction proteins. Microtissues were readily translocated in vivo to the subcutaneous tissue of mouse. The microtissues were further utilized as a simple assay model for monitoring of contraction in response to ROCK1 inhibitor. Collectively, micro-sized patterning of PD on the thermally expandable hydrogels via μCP holds promise for the development of microtissue harvesting systems that can be employed to ex vivo tissue assay and cell-based therapy. Harvest of artificial tissue with controlled cellular arrangement independently from external materials has been widely studied in cell-based assay and regenerative medicine. In this study, we developed scaffold-free harvest system of microtissues with anisotropic arrangement and controlled width by exploiting thermally expandable hydrogels with cell-adhesive patterns of polydopamine formed by simple microcontact printing. Cultured strips of human dermal fibroblasts on the hydrogels were rapidly delivered to various targets ranging from flat coverglass to mice subcutaneous tissue by thermal expansion of the hydrogel at 4°C for 10min. These

Controllable magnetic thermal rectification in a SMM dimmer with the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Ai-Hua; Liu, Juan; Luo, Bo

2016-10-01

Using the quantum master equation, we studied the thermally driven magnonic spin current in a single-molecule magnet (SMM) dimer with the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI). Due to the asymmetric DMI, one can observe the thermal rectifying effect in the case of the spatial symmetry coupling with the thermal reservoirs. The properties of the thermal rectification can be controlled by tuning the angle and intensity of the magnetic field. Specially, when the DM vector and magnetic field point at the specific angles, the thermal rectifying effect disappears. And this phenomenon does not depend on the intensities of DMI and magnetic field, the temperature bias and the magnetic anisotropies of the SMM.

Thermal management analysis of a Li-ion battery cell using phase change material loaded with carbon fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samimi, Fereshteh; Babapoor, Aziz; Azizi, Mohammadmehdi; Karimi, Gholamreza

2016-01-01

High latent heat of PCMs (phase change materials) has made them as one of the most important materials for thermal management purposes. However, PCMs’ low thermal diffusivities could limit their use in applications which require fast thermal response. The goal of this study is to simulate thermal performance of a lithium ion battery cell in the presence of carbon fiber-PCM composites. The effect of carbon fiber loading within the PCM on thermal performance is studied and the results are compared with the experimental data. The results showed that the presence of carbon fibers increases the effective thermal conductivity of PCM and hence influences temperature distribution within the cell. PCM composites containing higher percentages of carbon fibers present a more uniform temperature distribution. The results showed that the minimum and maximum thermal conductivity enhancement of 85% and 155% respectively (105% on average). A reasonable agreement is obtained between the simulation results and the experimental data. - Highlights: • Phase change materials (PCMs) are used for thermal management purposes. • Effective thermal conductivity of PCMs can be enhanced by loading carbon fibers. • Thermal performance of a battery is studied in presence of carbon fiber loaded PCM. • The presence of carbon fibers in the PCM can improve Li-ion battery performance.

Temperature dependence of thermal properties of Ag8In14Sb55Te23 phase-change memory materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiao, Xinbing; Gan, Fuxi; Wei, Jingsong; Xiao, Mufei

2009-01-01

The dependence of thermal properties of Ag 8 In 14 Sb 55 Te 23 phase-change memory materials in crystalline and amorphous states on temperature was measured and analyzed. The results show that in the crystalline state, the thermal properties monotonically decrease with the temperature and present obvious crystalline semiconductor characteristics. The heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, and thermal conductivity decrease from 0.35 J/gK, 1.85 mm 2 /s, and 4.0 W/mK at 300 K to 0.025 J/gK, 1.475 mm 2 /s, and 0.25 W/mK at 600 K, respectively. In the amorphous state, while the dependence of thermal properties on temperature does not present significant changes, the materials retain the glass-like thermal characteristics. Within the temperature range from 320 K to 440 K, the heat capacity fluctuates between 0.27 J/gK and 0.075 J/gK, the thermal diffusivity basically maintains at 0.525 mm 2 /s, and the thermal conductivity decreases from 1.02 W/mK at 320 K to 0.2 W/mK at 440 K. Whether in the crystalline or amorphous state, Ag 8 In 14 Sb 55 Te 23 are more thermally active than Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 , that is, the Ag 8 In 14 Sb 55 Te 23 composites bear stronger thermal conduction and diffusion than the Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 phase-change memory materials. (orig.)

Preparation and properties of lauric acid/silicon dioxide composites as form-stable phase change materials for thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang Guiyin; Li Hui; Liu Xu

2010-01-01

Form-stable lauric acid (LA)/silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) composite phase change materials were prepared using sol-gel methods. The LA was used as the phase change material for thermal energy storage, with the SiO 2 acting as the supporting material. The structural analysis of these form-stable LA/SiO 2 composite phase change materials was carried out using Fourier transformation infrared spectroscope (FT-IR). The microstructure of the form-stable composite phase change materials was observed by a scanning electronic microscope (SEM). The thermal properties and thermal stability were investigated by a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and a thermogravimetric analysis apparatus (TGA), respectively. The SEM results showed that the LA was well dispersed in the porous network of SiO 2 . The DSC results indicated that the melting latent heat of the form-stable composite phase change material is 117.21 kJ kg -1 when the mass percentage of the LA in the SiO 2 is 64.8%. The results of the TGA showed that these materials have good thermal stability. The form-stable composite phase change materials can be used for thermal energy storage in waste heat recovery and solar heating systems.

Fatty acid esters-based composite phase change materials for thermal energy storage in buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarı, Ahmet; Karaipekli, Ali

2012-01-01

In this study, fatty acid esters-based composite phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal energy storage were prepared by blending erythritol tetrapalmitate (ETP) and erythritol tetrastearate (ETS) with diatomite and expanded perlite (EP). The maximum incorporation percentage for ETP and ETS into diatomite and EP was found to be 57 wt% and 62 wt%, respectively without melted PCM seepage from the composites. The morphologies and compatibilities of the composite PCMs were structurally characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transformation infrared (FT–IR) analysis techniques. Thermal energy storage properties of the composite PCMs were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. The DSC analyses results indicated that the composite PCMs were good candidates for building applications in terms of their large latent heat values and suitable phase change temperatures. The thermal cycling test including 1000 melting and freezing cycling showed that composite PCMs had good thermal reliability and chemical stability. TG analysis revealed that the composite PCMs had good thermal durability above their working temperature ranges. Moreover, in order to improve the thermal conductivity of the composite PCMs, the expanded graphite (EG) was added to them at different mass fractions (2%, 5%, and 10%). The best results were obtained for the composite PCMs including 5wt% EG content in terms of the increase in thermal conductivity values and the decrease amount in latent heat capacity. The improvement in thermal conductivity values of ETP/Diatomite, ETS/Diatomite, ETP/EP and ETS/EP were found to be about 68%, 57%, 73% and 75%, respectively. Highlights: ► Fatty acid esters-based composite PCMs were prepared by blending ETP and ETS with diatomite and expanded perlite. ► The composite PCMs were characterized by using SEM, FT–IR, DSC and TG analysis methods. ► The DSC results indicated that the composites PCMs had good thermal

Combined Contamination and Space Environmental Effects on Solar Cells and Thermal Control Surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Dever, Joyce A.; Bruckner, Eric J.; Scheiman, David A.; Stidham, Curtis R.

1994-01-01

For spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO), contamination can occur from thruster fuel, sputter contamination products and from products of silicone degradation. This paper describes laboratory testing in which solar cell materials and thermal control surfaces were exposed to simulated spacecraft environmental effects including contamination, atomic oxygen, ultraviolet radiation and thermal cycling. The objective of these experiments was to determine how the interaction of the natural LEO environmental effects with contaminated spacecraft surfaces impacts the performance of these materials. Optical properties of samples were measured and solar cell performance data was obtained. In general, exposure to contamination by thruster fuel resulted in degradation of solar absorptance for fused silica and various thermal control surfaces and degradation of solar cell performance. Fused silica samples which were subsequently exposed to an atomic oxygen/vacuum ultraviolet radiation environment showed reversal of this degradation. These results imply that solar cells and thermal control surfaces which are susceptible to thruster fuel contamination and which also receive atomic oxygen exposure may not undergo significant performance degradation. Materials which were exposed to only vacuum ultraviolet radiation subsequent to contamination showed slight additional degradation in solar absorptance.

Wettability Control of Gold Surfaces Modified with Benzenethiol Derivatives: Water Contact Angle and Thermal Stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Tatara, Shingo; Kuzumoto, Yasutaka; Kitamura, Masatoshi

2016-04-01

The water wettability of Au surfaces has been controlled using various benzenethiol derivatives including 4-methylbenzenethiol, pentafluorobenzenethiol, 4-flubrobenzenethiol, 4-methoxy-benzenethiol, 4-nitrobenzenethiol, and 4-hydroxybenzenethiol. The water contact angle of the Au surface modified with the benzenethiol derivative was found to vary in the wide range of 30.9° to 88.3°. The contact angle of the modified Au films annealed was also measured in order to investigate their thermal stability. The change in the contact angle indicated that the modified surface is stable at temperatures below about 400 K. Meanwhile, the activation energy of desorption from the modified surface was estimated from the change in the contact angle. The modified Au surface was also examined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Effect of gamma irradiation on density and thermal expansion changes of uniaxial oriented LLDPE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kacarevic-Popovic, Z.; Kostoski, D.; Novakovic, Lj.

1998-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. It is well known that gamma irradiation induces cross-linking in the amorphous phase of isotropic polyethylene, or chain scission in highly oriented fibers and films. Thermomechanical behavior and values of density are the reflection of the changes induced by gamma irradiation. Namely, scission of macromolecules, in general, increases thermal expansion coefficient and decreases density and vice versa. On the other hand, as it is well known, the thermal expansion behavior of oriented polymers shows marked anisotropy. It was found that many highly oriented polymers show a negative coefficient of thermal expansion in the draw direction and a positive coefficient in the transverse direction. It has been suggested that, apart from any intrinsic crystalline contribution, a significant part of the negative thermal expansion coefficients obtained for highly oriented polymers arises from the effect of entropy internal stresses in the amorphous regions. From our previous work, the thermal coefficients in draw direction of irradiated samples rise in the glass transition temperature range and it was related to the effects of cross-linking in the amorphous phase of LDPE. In our present work we observed initial decrease in density with absorbed dose, up to 35 kGy, and subsequent increase up to a dose of 500 kGy. The observed increase in thermal expansion coefficient followed the changes in density and is related to the parallel processes of chain scission and net cross-linking in the amorphous phase of LLDPE, induced by gamma irradiation

Preparation of nanoencapsulated phase change material as latent functionally thermal fluid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fang Yutang; Kuang Shengyan; Gao Xuenong; Zhang Zhengguo, E-mail: ppytfang@scut.edu.c [Key Laboratory of Enhanced Heat Transfer and Energy Conservation, Ministry of Education, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640 (China)

2009-02-07

Nanoencapsulated phase change material with polystyrene as the shell and n-octadecane as the core was synthesized using the ultrasonic technique and miniemulsion in situ polymerization. The influences of polymerization factors, including initiator, chain transfer agent (CTA), surfactant, n-octadecane/styrene ratio and hydrophilic co-monomer, on the morphology and thermophysical properties of nanocapsules were systematically investigated. The optimized polymerization conditions were 0.5 wt% of initiator (2,2-azobisisobutyronitrile), 0.4 wt% of CTA (n-dodecyl mercaptan), 2% of composite surfactants which were composed of sodium dodecyl sulfate and poly-(ethylene glycol) monooctylphenyl ether by 1 : 1 in weight ratio, 1 wt% of hydrophilic co-monomer butyl acrylate or 3 wt% of methyl methacrylate and 1 : 1 n-octadecane to styrene in weight ratio. Under these conditions, the z-average size of prepared nanocapsules was 124 nm and the phase change enthalpy was 124.4 kJ kg{sup -1}. The heat capacity was as high as 11.61 kJ kg{sup -1} K{sup -1} at the latex concentration of 20.6 wt%. Thermal stability and viscosity testing show that this fluid had excellent resistance to thermal shock (after 100 cycles, no liquid Oct was observed during heating) and low viscosity (only 3.61 mPa s at the latex concentration of 20.6 wt%), which seems to be promising as a latent functionally thermal fluid.

DACS II - A distributed thermal/mechanical loads data acquisition and control system

Science.gov (United States)

Zamanzadeh, Behzad; Trover, William F.; Anderson, Karl F.

1987-01-01

A distributed data acquisition and control system has been developed for the NASA Flight Loads Research Facility. The DACS II system is composed of seven computer systems and four array processors configured as a main computer system, three satellite computer systems, and 13 analog input/output systems interconnected through three independent data networks. Up to three independent heating and loading tests can be run concurrently on different test articles or the entire system can be used on a single large test such as a full scale hypersonic aircraft. Thermal tests can include up to 512 independent adaptive closed loop control channels. The control system can apply up to 20 MW of heating to a test specimen while simultaneously applying independent mechanical loads. Each thermal control loop is capable of heating a structure at rates of up to 150 F per second over a temperature range of -300 to +2500 F. Up to 64 independent mechanical load profiles can be commanded along with thermal control. Up to 1280 analog inputs monitor temperature, load, displacement and strain on the test specimens with real time data displayed on up to 15 terminals as color plots and tabular data displays. System setup and operation is accomplished with interactive menu-driver displays with extensive facilities to assist the users in all phases of system operation.

Simulation study of multi-step model algorithmic control of the nuclear reactor thermal power tracking system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi Xiaoping; Xu Tianshu

2001-01-01

The classical control method is usually hard to ensure the thermal power tracking accuracy, because the nuclear reactor system is a complex nonlinear system with uncertain parameters and disturbances. A sort of non-parameter model is constructed with the open-loop impulse response of the system. Furthermore, a sort of thermal power tracking digital control law is presented using the multi-step model algorithmic control principle. The control method presented had good tracking performance and robustness. It can work despite the existence of unmeasurable disturbances. The simulation experiment testifies the correctness and effectiveness of the method. The high accuracy matching between the thermal power and the referenced load is achieved

Instrumentation and control systems for monitoring and data acquisition for thermal recovery process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aparicio, J.; Hernandez, E.; Perozo, H. [PDVSA Intevep, S.A. (Venezuela)

2011-07-01

Thermal recovery methods are often applied to enhance oil recovery in heavy oil reservoirs, one of its challenges is to control the displacement of the thermal front. Methods are thus implemented to obtain data on the temperatures in the wells at any given time and to monitor other variables so that the behaviour of the thermal front can be predicted. The aim of this paper is to present a new control and instrumentation scheme to measure all of the variables. A software was created using Labview a graphs-based programming language software and PostgreSQL, a database management system. Using this software, sensors can be added or removed at any time; trends can be immediately visualized; and quality of the information is ensured since there is no human intervention in the data collection or processing. This paper presented a software which improves monitoring of all of the variables affecting the behaviour of the thermal front.

Use of ASTER and MODIS thermal infrared data to quantify heat flow and hydrothermal change at Yellowstone National Park

Science.gov (United States)

Vaughan, R. Greg; Keszthelyi, Laszlo P.; Lowenstern, Jacob B.; Jaworowski, Cheryl; Heasler, Henry

2012-01-01

The overarching aim of this study was to use satellite thermal infrared (TIR) remote sensing to monitor geothermal activity within the Yellowstone geothermal area to meet the missions of both the U.S. Geological Survey and the Yellowstone National Park Geology Program. Specific goals were to: 1) address the challenges of monitoring the surface thermal characteristics of the > 10,000 spatially and temporally dynamic thermal features in the Park (including hot springs, pools, geysers, fumaroles, and mud pots) that are spread out over ~ 5000 km2, by using satellite TIR remote sensing tools (e.g., ASTER and MODIS), 2) to estimate the radiant geothermal heat flux (GHF) for Yellowstone's thermal areas, and 3) to identify normal, background thermal changes so that significant, abnormal changes can be recognized, should they ever occur (e.g., changes related to tectonic, hydrothermal, impending volcanic processes, or human activities, such as nearby geothermal development). ASTER TIR data (90-m pixels) were used to estimate the radiant GHF from all of Yellowstone's thermal features and update maps of thermal areas. MODIS TIR data (1-km pixels) were used to record background thermal radiance variations from March 2000 through December 2010 and establish thermal change detection limits. A lower limit for the radiant GHF estimated from ASTER TIR temperature data was established at ~ 2.0 GW, which is ~ 30–45% of the heat flux estimated through geochemical thermometry. Also, about 5 km2 of thermal areas was added to the geodatabase of mapped thermal areas. A decade-long time-series of MODIS TIR radiance data was dominated by seasonal cycles. A background subtraction technique was used in an attempt to isolate variations due to geothermal changes. Several statistically significant perturbations were noted in the time-series from Norris Geyser Basin, however many of these did not correspond to documented thermal disturbances. This study provides concrete examples of the

Pulse laser induced change in thermal radiation from a single spherical particle on thermally bad conducting surface : an analytical solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moksin, M.M.; Grozescu, V.I.; Yunus, W.M.M.; Azmi, B.Z.; Talib, Z.A.; Wahab, Z.A.

1996-01-01

A relatively simple analytical expression was derived that provided a description of the radius and thermal properties of a single particle from the change in grey body radiation emission subsequent to pulse laser heating of the particle

Synthesis and characterization of microencapsulated myristic acid–palmitic acid eutectic mixture as phase change material for thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alva, Guruprasad; Huang, Xiang; Liu, Lingkun; Fang, Guiyin

2017-01-01

Highlights: •Myristic acid–palmitic acid eutectic was microencapsulated with silica shell. •Structure, morphology of microencapsulated phase change material were investigated. •Thermal capacity, stability of microencapsulated phase change material were analyzed. •Silica shell improved thermal stability of microencapsulated phase change material. -- Abstract: In this work microencapsulation of myristic acid–palmitic acid (MA–PA) eutectic mixture with silica shell using sol−gel method has been attempted. The core phase change material (PCM) for thermal energy storage was myristic acid−palmitic acid eutectic mixture and the shell material to prevent the PCM core from leakage was silica prepared from methyl triethoxysilane (MTES). Thermal properties of the microcapsules were measured by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The morphology and particle size of the microcapsules were examined by scanning electronic microscope (SEM). Fourier transformation infrared spectrophotometer (FT–IR) and X–ray diffractometer (XRD) were used to investigate the chemical structure and crystalloid phase of the microcapsules respectively. The DSC results indicated that microencapsulated phase change material (MPCM) melts at 46.08 °C with a latent heat of 169.69 kJ kg −1 and solidifies at 44.35 °C with a latent heat of 159.59 kJ kg −1 . The thermal stability of the microcapsules was analyzed by a thermogravimeter (TGA). The results indicated that the MPCM has good thermal stability and is suitable for thermal energy storage application.

Kinetically controlled fabrication of gold nanorods and investigation of their thermal stability via in-situ TEM heating

Science.gov (United States)

Chankhunthod, N.; Aslam, Z.; Critchley, K.; Evans, S. D.; Brydson, R.

2017-09-01

Size controlled CTAB-capped AuNRs with various aspect ratios (ARs) ranging from 1.63±0.13 to 4.12±0.25 were synthesized following a modified seed-mediated method. Their thermal stability was examined by in-situ TEM heating. The results revealed a structural change from rods to spheres with increasing temperature. At lower temperatures 600ºC, particles became increasingly spherical. This behaviour occurred at temperatures lower than the melting point of bulk gold supporting a surface diffusion mechanism with material diffusing from the tips and redepositing at the middle of the rods. The rate of change in AR appeared to increase for thinner AuNRs.

Rheological and thermal properties of suspensions of microcapsules containing phase change materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Vinh Duy; Salas-Bringas, Carlos; Schüller, Reidar Barfod; Szczotok, Anna M; Hiorth, Marianne; Carmona, Manuel; Rodriguez, Juan F; Kjøniksen, Anna-Lena

2018-01-01

The thermal and rheological properties of suspensions of microencapsulated phase change materials (MPCM) in glycerol were investigated. When the microcapsule concentration is raised, the heat storage capacity of the suspensions becomes higher and a slight decline in the thermal conductivity of the suspensions is observed. The temperature-dependent shear-thinning behaviour of the suspensions was found to be strongly affected by non-encapsulated phase change materials (PCM). Accordingly, the rheological properties of the MPCM suspensions could be described by the Cross model below the PCM melting point while a power law model best described the data above the PCM melting point. The MPCM suspensions are interesting for energy storage and heat transfer applications. However, the non-encapsulated PCM contributes to the agglomeration of the microcapsules, which can lead to higher pumping consumption and clogging of piping systems.

Daytime space cooling with phase change material ceiling panels discharged using rooftop photovoltaic/thermal panels and night-time ventilation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bourdakis, Eleftherios; Pean, Thibault Quentin; Gennari, Luca

2016-01-01

The possibility of using photovoltaic/thermal panels for producing cold water through the process of night-time radiative cooling was experimentally examined. The cold water was used to discharge phase change material in ceiling panels in a climatic chamber. Both night-time radiative cooling...... the photovoltaic/thermal varied from 56% to 122%. The phase change material ceiling panels were thus, capable of providing an acceptable thermal environment and the photovoltaic/thermal panels were able to provide most of the required electricity and cold water needed for cooling....

Characterization of phase change materials for thermal control of photovoltaics using Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Temperature History Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasan, A.; McCormack, S.J.; Huang, M.J.; Norton, B.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Five PCM are characterized using tow techniques for PV temperature regulation. • Thermophysical properties of interest are determined and compared with literature. • Determined PCM properties are discussed as criteria for PV temperature regulation. • One PCM identified as potential candidate for PV temperature regulation. - Abstract: Five solid–liquid phase change materials comprising three basic classes, paraffin waxes, salt hydrates and mixtures of fatty acids were thermophysically characterized for thermal regulation applications in photovoltaics. The PCM were investigated using Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Temperature History Method to find their thermophysical properties of interest. The relationship between thermophysical properties of the PCM and their choice as temperature regulators in photovoltaics is discussed in relation to the ambient conditions under which PV systems operate

Evaluation of Surface Modification as a Lunar Dust Mitigation Strategy for Thermal Control Surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Gaier, James R.; Waters, Deborah L.; Misconin, Robert M.; Banks, Bruce A.; Crowder, Mark

2011-01-01

Three surface treatments were evaluated for their ability to lower the adhesion between lunar simulant dust and AZ93, AlFEP, and AgFEP thermal control surfaces under simulated lunar conditions. Samples were dusted in situ and exposed to a standardized puff of nitrogen gas. Thermal performance before dusting, after dusting, and after part of the dust was removed by the puff of gas, were compared to perform the assessment. None of the surface treatments was found to significantly affect the adhesion of lunar simulants to AZ93 thermal control paint. Oxygen ion beam texturing also did not lower the adhesion of lunar simulant dust to AlFEP or AgFEP. But a workfunction matching coating and a proprietary Ball Aerospace surface treatment were both found to significantly lower the adhesion of lunar simulants to AlFEP and AgFEP. Based on these results, it is recommended that all these two techniques be further explored as dust mitigation coatings for AlFEP and AgFEP thermal control surfaces.

Experimental Investigation on Thermal Management of Electric Vehicle Battery Module with Paraffin/Expanded Graphite Composite Phase Change Material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiangyun Zhang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The temperature has to be controlled adequately to maintain the electric vehicles (EVs within a safety range. Using paraffin as the heat dissipation source to control the temperature rise is developed. And the expanded graphite (EG is applied to improve the thermal conductivity. In this study, the paraffin and EG composite phase change material (PCM was prepared and characterized. And then, the composite PCM have been applied in the 42110 LiFePO4 battery module (48 V/10 Ah for experimental research. Different discharge rate and pulse experiments were carried out at various working conditions, including room temperature (25°C, high temperature (35°C, and low temperature (−20°C. Furthermore, in order to obtain the practical loading test data, a battery pack with the similar specifications by 2S∗2P with PCM-based modules were installed in the EVs for various practical road experiments including the flat ground, 5°, 10°, and 20° slope. Testing results indicated that the PCM cooling system can control the peak temperature under 42°C and balance the maximum temperature difference within 5°C. Even in extreme high-discharge pulse current process, peak temperature can be controlled within 50°C. The aforementioned results exhibit that PCM cooling in battery thermal management has promising advantages over traditional air cooling.

Thermal Nanosystems and Nanomaterials

CERN Document Server

Volz, Sebastian

2009-01-01

Heat transfer laws for conduction, radiation and convection change when the dimensions of the systems in question shrink. The altered behaviours can be used efficiently in energy conversion, respectively bio- and high-performance materials to control microelectronic devices. To understand and model those thermal mechanisms, specific metrologies have to be established. This book provides an overview of actual devices and materials involving micro-nanoscale heat transfer mechanisms. These are clearly explained and exemplified by a large spectrum of relevant physical models, while the most advanced nanoscale thermal metrologies are presented.

Tailored functional materials with controlled thermal expansion and excellent thermal conductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korb, G.; Sebo, P.

1997-01-01

Engineering materials are mainly used for structures. Therefore high-strength, stiffness and sufficient toughness are of prime importance. For a long time engineers thought first in terms of metals. Material scientists developed alloys tailored to the needs of industry. Ceramics are known to be brittle and therefore not suitable in the first place for structural application under stress. Polymers with their low modulus became attractive when reinforced with high-strength fibres. Composites processed by polymer, metal or ceramic matrices and high-strength reinforcements have been introduced into many sectors of industry. Engineering materials for structural applications fulfil a function: they withstand high stresses, temperatures, fatigue, creep etc. But usually we do not call them functional materials. Functional materials serve applications apart from classical engineering fields. Electricity conducting materials, semi conductors, memory alloys and many others are called functional materials. Because of the fact that the basic physical properties cannot be changed in single-phase materials, the combination of two and more materials with different properties lead to components with new and tailored properties. A few techniques for preparation are described as powder metallurgy, infiltration of prepegs and compaction of precoated fibres/particles. The lecture is focusing on carbon fibre/particle reinforced Metal Matrix Materials. The achievable properties, in particular the thermal conductivity originating from the base materials is depending on the orientation of the fibres and interfacial contacts in the composite. The carefully controlled expansion behaviour is the most important property to use the material as a heat sink in electronic assemblies. (author)

Thermal analysis of physical and chemical changes occuring during regeneration of activated carbon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radić Dejan B.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available High-temperature thermal process is a commercial way of regeneration of spent granular activated carbon. The paper presents results of thermal analysis conducted in order to examine high-temperature regeneration of spent activated carbon, produced from coconut shells, previously used in drinking water treatment. Results of performed thermogravimetric analysis, derivative thermogravimetric analysis, and differential thermal analysis, enabled a number of hypotheses to be made about different phases of activated carbon regeneration, values of characteristic parameters during particular process phases, as well as catalytic impact of inorganic materials on development of regeneration process. Samples of activated carbon were heated up to 1000°C in thermogravimetric analyser while maintaining adequate oxidizing or reducing conditions. Based on diagrams of thermal analysis for samples of spent activated carbon, temperature intervals of the first intense mass change phase (180-215°C, maximum of exothermic processes (400-450°C, beginning of the second intense mass change phase (635-700°C, and maximum endothermic processes (800-815°C were deter-mined. Analysing and comparing the diagrams of thermal analysis for new, previously regenerated and spent activated carbon, hypothesis about physical and chemical transformations of organic and inorganic adsorbate in spent activated carbon are given. Transformation of an organic adsorbate in the pores of activated carbon, results in loss of mass and an exothermic reaction with oxygen in the vapour phase. The reactions of inorganic adsorbate also result the loss of mass of activated carbon during its heating and endothermic reactions of their degradation at high temperatures.

Climate change impacts on lake thermal dynamics and ecosystem vulnerabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Sahoo, G. B; Forrest, A. L; Schladow, S. G ;; Reuter, J. E; Coats, R.; Dettinger, Michael

2016-01-01

Using water column temperature records collected since 1968, we analyzed the impacts of climate change on thermal properties, stability intensity, length of stratification, and deep mixing dynamics of Lake Tahoe using a modified stability index (SI). This new SI is easier to produce and is a more informative measure of deep lake stability than commonly used stability indices. The annual average SI increased at 16.62 kg/m2/decade although the summer (May–October) average SI increased at a higher rate (25.42 kg/m2/decade) during the period 1968–2014. This resulted in the lengthening of the stratification season by approximately 24 d. We simulated the lake thermal structure over a future 100 yr period using a lake hydrodynamic model driven by statistically downscaled outputs of the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory Model (GFDL) for two different green house gas emission scenarios (the A2 in which greenhouse-gas emissions increase rapidly throughout the 21st Century, and the B1 in which emissions slow and then level off by the late 21st Century). The results suggest a continuation and intensification of the already observed trends. The length of stratification duration and the annual average lake stability are projected to increase by 38 d and 12 d and 30.25 kg/m2/decade and 8.66 kg/m2/decade, respectively for GFDLA2 and GFDLB1, respectively during 2014–2098. The consequences of this change bear the hallmarks of climate change induced lake warming and possible exacerbation of existing water quality, quantity and ecosystem changes. The developed methodology could be extended and applied to other lakes as a tool to predict changes in stratification and mixing dynamics.

A Robust Model Predictive Control for efficient thermal management of internal combustion engines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pizzonia, Francesco; Castiglione, Teresa; Bova, Sergio

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A Robust Model Predictive Control for ICE thermal management was developed. • The proposed control is effective in decreasing the warm-up time. • The control system reduces coolant flow rate under fully warmed conditions. • The control strategy operates the cooling system around onset of nucleate boiling. • Little on-line computational effort is required. - Abstract: Optimal thermal management of modern internal combustion engines (ICE) is one of the key factors for reducing fuel consumption and CO_2 emissions. These are measured by using standardized driving cycles, like the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), during which the engine does not reach thermal steady state; engine efficiency and emissions are therefore penalized. Several techniques for improving ICE thermal efficiency were proposed, which range from the use of empirical look-up tables to pulsed pump operation. A systematic approach to the problem is however still missing and this paper aims to bridge this gap. The paper proposes a Robust Model Predictive Control of the coolant flow rate, which makes use of a zero-dimensional model of the cooling system of an ICE. The control methodology incorporates explicitly the model uncertainties and achieves the synthesis of a state-feedback control law that minimizes the “worst case” objective function while taking into account the system constraints, as proposed by Kothare et al. (1996). The proposed control strategy is to adjust the coolant flow rate by means of an electric pump, in order to bring the cooling system to operate around the onset of nucleate boiling: across it during warm-up and above it (nucleate or saturated boiling) under fully warmed conditions. The computationally heavy optimization is carried out off-line, while during the operation of the engine the control parameters are simply picked-up on-line from look-up tables. Owing to the little computational effort required, the resulting control strategy is suitable for

Alternatives for thermal legionella control; Alternatieven thermische legionellabestrijding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Lieshout, M.

2008-03-15

One supplier considers his system a breakthrough in legionella control. Another claims decisively that his system provides the only affordable and effective solution. It is clear that manufacturers have their own way of finding alternatives in those cases where thermal control for complex existing installations prove not to be effective. (mk) [Dutch] De ene leverancier noemt zijn systeem een doorbraak in de legionellabestrijding. Een ander beweert met grote stelligheid dat zijn systeem de enige betaalbare en effectieve oplossing is. Duidelijk is dat fabrikanten op hun eigen manier een oplossing zoeken naar alternatieven, daar waar het thermisch beheer voor complexe bestaande installaties niet effectief blijk te zijn.

Effect of thermal annealing on property changes of neutron-irradiated non-graphitized carbon materials and nuclear graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuo, Hideto

1991-06-01

Changes in dimension of non-graphitized carbon materials and nuclear graphite, and the bulk density, electrical resistivity, Young's modulus and thermal expansivity of nuclear graphite were studied after neutron irradiation at 1128-1483 K and the successive thermal annealing up to 2573 K. Carbon materials showed larger and anisotropic dimensional shrinkage than that of nuclear graphite after the irradiation. The irradiation-induced dimensional shrinkage of carbon materials decreased during annealing at temperatures from 1773 to 2023 K, followed by a slight increase at higher temperatures. On the other hand, the irradiated nuclear graphite hardly showed the changes in length, density and thermal expansivity under the thermal annealing, but the electrical resistivity and Young's modulus showed a gradual decrease with annealing temperature. It has been clarified that there exists significant difference in the effect of thermal annealing on irradiation-induced dimensional shrinkage between graphitized nuclear graphite and non-graphitized carbon materials. (author)

Emerging Changes in the Worldwide Power Sector: The Assets of Thermal Power

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moliere, Michel; Girardot, Amelie; Jones, Robert M.

2007-07-01

In forthcoming decades we will see major changes in the landscape of the worldwide power sector as CO2 management and incipient hydrocarbon scarcity exert their increasing influence. The power generation community must be prepared to satisfy a particularly complex and challenging set of requirements. These issues include curbing CO2 emissions, coping with surging primary energy prices, and compliance with regional and local emissions requirements such as SOx and NOx-while maintaining maximum efficiency. In this context, as confirmed by International Energy Agency forecasts, thermal power will maintain a prominent position in overall power generation since it enables the large capacity additions required in emerging countries. Thanks to their reliable assets (such as energy efficiency and environment) gas turbine-based power systems, including Gas Turbine Combined Cycles (GTCC) and Combined Heat & Power (CHP), will continue to be major contributors to worldwide power generation. However, evolving changes in the spectrum of fuels will create an additional challenge for power generation equipment manufacturers-requiring innovative technologies in fuel processing, combustion, and emission controls to address these needs. This paper reviews the factors underlining the changing power generation environment worldwide, including the increasing scarcity of conventional fuels and the growing interest in biofuels and hydrogen. Insights will be offered into various technologies needed to support the growing need for increased fuel flexibility.

A thermal engine for underwater glider driven by ocean thermal energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Yanan; Wang, Yanhui; Ma, Zhesong; Wang, Shuxin

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Thermal engine with a double-tube structure is developed for underwater glider. • Isostatic pressing technology is effective to increase volumetric change rate. • Actual volumetric change rate reaches 89.2% of the theoretical value. • Long term sailing of 677 km and 27 days is achieved by thermal underwater glider. - Graphical Abstract: - Abstract: Underwater glider is one of the most popular platforms for long term ocean observation. Underwater glider driven by ocean thermal energy extends the duration and range of underwater glider powered by battery. Thermal engine is the core device of underwater glider to harvest ocean thermal energy. In this paper, (1) model of thermal engine was raised by thermodynamics method and the performance of thermal engine was investigated, (2) thermal engine with a double-tube structure was developed and isostatic pressing technology was applied to improve the performance for buoyancy driven, referencing powder pressing theory, (3) wall thickness of thermal engine was optimized to reduce the overall weight of thermal engine, (4) material selection and dimension determination were discussed for a faster heat transfer design, by thermal resistance analysis, (5) laboratory test and long term sea trail were carried out to test the performance of thermal engine. The study shows that volumetric change rate is the most important indicator to evaluating buoyancy-driven performance of a thermal engine, isostatic pressing technology is effective to improve volumetric change rate, actual volumetric change rate can reach 89.2% of the theoretical value and the average power is about 124 W in a typical diving profile. Thermal engine developed by Tianjin University is a superior thermal energy conversion device for underwater glider. Additionally, application of thermal engine provides a new solution for miniaturization of ocean thermal energy conversion.

Implementation of Active Thermal Control (ATC) for the Soil Moisture Active and Passive (SMAP) Radiometer

Science.gov (United States)

Mikhaylov, Rebecca; Kwack, Eug; French, Richard; Dawson, Douglas; Hoffman, Pamela

2014-01-01

NASA's Earth Observing Soil Moisture Active and Passive (SMAP) Mission is scheduled to launch in November 2014 into a 685 kilometer near-polar, sun-synchronous orbit. SMAP will provide comprehensive global mapping measurements of soil moisture and freeze/thaw state in order to enhance understanding of the processes that link the water, energy, and carbon cycles. The primary objectives of SMAP are to improve worldwide weather and flood forecasting, enhance climate prediction, and refine drought and agriculture monitoring during its three year mission. The SMAP instrument architecture incorporates an L-band radar and an L-band radiometer which share a common feed horn and parabolic mesh reflector. The instrument rotates about the nadir axis at approximately 15 revolutions per minute, thereby providing a conically scanning wide swath antenna beam that is capable of achieving global coverage within three days. In order to make the necessary precise surface emission measurements from space, the electronics and hardware associated with the radiometer must meet tight short-term (instantaneous and orbital) and long-term (monthly and mission) thermal stabilities. Maintaining these tight thermal stabilities is quite challenging because the sensitive electronics are located on a fast spinning platform that can either be in full sunlight or total eclipse, thus exposing them to a highly transient environment. A passive design approach was first adopted early in the design cycle as a low-cost solution. With careful thermal design efforts to cocoon and protect all sensitive components, all stability requirements were met passively. Active thermal control (ATC) was later added after the instrument Preliminary Design Review (PDR) to mitigate the threat of undetected gain glitches, not for thermal-stability reasons. Gain glitches are common problems with radiometers during missions, and one simple way to avoid gain glitches is to use the in-flight set point programmability that ATC

Novel Formulations of Phase Change Materials-Epoxy Composites for Thermal Energy Storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Arce, Maria Elena; Alvarez Feijoo, Miguel Angel; Suarez Garcia, Andres; Luhrs, Claudia C

2018-01-26

This research aimed to evaluate the thermal properties of new formulations of phase change materials (PCMs)-epoxy composites, containing a thickening agent and a thermally conductive phase. The composite specimens produced consisted of composites fabricated using (a) inorganic PCMs (hydrated salts), epoxy resins and aluminum particulates or (b) organic PCM (paraffin), epoxy resins, and copper particles. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was used to analyze the thermal behavior of the samples, while hardness measurements were used to determine changes in mechanical properties at diverse PCM and conductive phase loading values. The results indicate that the epoxy matrix can act as a container for the PCM phase without hindering the heat-absorbing behavior of the PCMs employed. Organic PCMs presented reversible phase transformations over multiple cycles, an advantage that was lacking in their inorganic counterparts. The enthalpy of the organic PCM-epoxy specimens increased linearly with the PCM content in the matrix. The use of thickening agents prevented phase segregation issues and allowed the fabrication of specimens containing up to 40% PCM, a loading significantly higher than others reported. The conductive phase seemed to improve the heat transfer and the mechanical properties of the composites when present in low percentages (material at the temperatures employed.

Numerical study of finned heat pipe-assisted thermal energy storage system with high temperature phase change material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tiari, Saeed; Qiu, Songgang; Mahdavi, Mahboobe

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A finned heat pipe-assisted latent heat thermal energy storage system is studied. • The effects of heat pipes spacing and fins geometrical features are investigated. • Smaller heat pipes spacing and longer fins improve the melting rate. • The optimal heat pipe and fin arrangements are determined. - Abstract: In the present study, the thermal characteristics of a finned heat pipe-assisted latent heat thermal energy storage system are investigated numerically. A transient two-dimensional finite volume based model employing enthalpy-porosity technique is implemented to analyze the performance of a thermal energy storage unit with square container and high melting temperature phase change material. The effects of heat pipe spacing, fin length and numbers and the influence of natural convection on the thermal response of the thermal energy storage unit have been studied. The obtained results reveal that the natural convection has considerable effect on the melting process of the phase change material. Increasing the number of heat pipes (decreasing the heat pipe spacing) leads to the increase of melting rate and the decrease of base wall temperature. Also, the increase of fin length results in the decrease of temperature difference within the phase change material in the container, providing more uniform temperature distribution. It was also shown that number of the fins does not have a significant effect on the performance of the system

On the thermal behaviour of Boom clay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delage, P.; Cui Yu Jun; Sultan, N.

2004-01-01

When temperature is increased, the various phenomena that occur in a saturated natural potential host clay for nuclear waste disposal (Boom clay from SCK-CEN in Mol, Belgium) were experimentally investigated in a temperature controlled high stress triaxial cell. Firstly, the pore pressure build-up due to the difference in thermal dilation of both water and minerals was investigated through thermal consolidation tests. Interesting information was obtained about the dissipation of thermally induced pore pressure in Boom clay, based on the standard Terzaghi consolidation theory. Secondly, the volume change behaviour in drained conditions (i.e. under a very slow temperature increase) confirmed that the clay overconsolidation ratio (OCR) controlled the nature of the volume changes. Whereas overconsolidated soils use to dilate as any material when temperature is elevated, normally consolidated soils present a decrease in volume, which is less common. The principles of a coupled thermo-elasto-plastic model that was specifically developed to model this particular behaviour are finally presented. Obviously, it appears necessary to account in detail for these thermal phenomena in order to properly understand the response of the geological barrier in the near field once nuclear waste has been stored. (orig.)

Energy Efficiency Enhancement of Photovoltaics by Phase Change Materials through Thermal Energy Recovery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Hasan

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Photovoltaic (PV panels convert a certain amount of incident solar radiation into electricity, while the rest is converted to heat, leading to a temperature rise in the PV. This elevated temperature deteriorates the power output and induces structural degradation, resulting in reduced PV lifespan. One potential solution entails PV thermal management employing active and passive means. The traditional passive means are found to be largely ineffective, while active means are considered to be energy intensive. A passive thermal management system using phase change materials (PCMs can effectively limit PV temperature rises. The PCM-based approach however is cost inefficient unless the stored thermal energy is recovered effectively. The current article investigates a way to utilize the thermal energy stored in the PCM behind the PV for domestic water heating applications. The system is evaluated in the winter conditions of UAE to deliver heat during water heating demand periods. The proposed system achieved a ~1.3% increase in PV electrical conversion efficiency, along with the recovery of ~41% of the thermal energy compared to the incident solar radiation.

Simulation and experiment of thermal energy management with phase change material for ageing LiFePO4 power battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao Zhonghao; Wang Shuangfeng; Zhang Guoqing

2011-01-01

Highlights: → We study the thermal energy management performance of ageing LiFePO 4 power battery. → 3-D modules of single cell and battery pack are formulated according to the experimental results. → Thermal resistance in the battery cell leaded to an inevitable temperature difference. → It is necessary to improve the thermal conductivity and lower the melting point of phase change material. → Thermal conductivity of phase change material and battery exist an effective proportion. - Abstract: Thermal energy management performance of ageing commercial rectangular LiFePO 4 power batteries using phase change material (PCM) and thermal behavior related to thermal conductivity between the PCM and the cell are discussed in this paper. The heat sources are simplified according to the experimental results of the cells discharged at 35 A (∼5 C). 3-D modules of a single cell and battery pack are formulated, respectively. The results show that the thermal resistance in the cell leads to an inevitable temperature difference. It is necessary to improve the thermal conductivity and to lower the melting point of the PCM for heat transfer enhancement. The PCM with a melting point lower than 45 deg. C will be more effective for heat dissipation, with a desired maximum temperature below 50 deg. C. The temperature difference in the whole unit before PCM melting will be decreased significantly. In addition, a proper k PCM :k c is necessary for a well designed battery thermal energy management system.

Spatial and temporal control of thermal waves by using DMDs for interference based crack detection

Science.gov (United States)

Thiel, Erik; Kreutzbruck, Marc; Ziegler, Mathias

2016-02-01

Active Thermography is a well-established non-destructive testing method and used to detect cracks, voids or material inhomogeneities. It is based on applying thermal energy to a samples' surface whereas inner defects alter the nonstationary heat flow. Conventional excitation of a sample is hereby done spatially, either planar (e.g. using a lamp) or local (e.g. using a focused laser) and temporally, either pulsed or periodical. In this work we combine a high power laser with a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) allowing us to merge all degrees of freedom to a spatially and temporally controlled heat source. This enables us to exploit the possibilities of coherent thermal wave shaping. Exciting periodically while controlling at the same time phase and amplitude of the illumination source induces - via absorption at the sample's surface - a defined thermal wave propagation through a sample. That means thermal waves can be controlled almost like acoustical or optical waves. However, in contrast to optical or acoustical waves, thermal waves are highly damped due to the diffusive character of the thermal heat flow and therefore limited in penetration depth in relation to the achievable resolution. Nevertheless, the coherence length of thermal waves can be chosen in the mmrange for modulation frequencies below 10 Hz which is perfectly met by DMD technology. This approach gives us the opportunity to transfer known technologies from wave shaping techniques to thermography methods. We will present experiments on spatial and temporal wave shaping, demonstrating interference based crack detection.

Thermal Control Subsystem Design for the Avionics of a Space Station Payload

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Matthew E.

1996-01-01

A case study of the thermal control subsystem development for a space based payload is presented from the concept stage through preliminary design. This payload, the Space Acceleration Measurement System 2 (SAMS-2), will measure the acceleration environment at select locations within the International Space Station. Its thermal control subsystem must maintain component temperatures within an acceptable range over a 10 year life span, while restricting accessible surfaces to touch temperature limits and insuring fail safe conditions in the event of loss of cooling. In addition to these primary design objectives, system level requirements and constraints are imposed on the payload, many of which are driven by multidisciplinary issues. Blending these issues into the overall system design required concurrent design sessions with the project team, iterative conceptual design layouts, thermal analysis and modeling, and hardware testing. Multiple tradeoff studies were also performed to investigate the many options which surfaced during the development cycle.

Fabrication, thermal properties and thermal stabilities of microencapsulated n-alkane with poly(lauryl methacrylate) as shell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu, Xiaolin; Lu, Lixin; Wang, Ju; Tang, Guoyi; Song, Guolin

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Microencapsulation of octadecane and paraffin by crosslinked poly(lauryl methacrylate). • Octadecane microcapsules have a melting enthalpy of about 118 J g −1 . • Weight loss temperatures of the microcapsules were increased by 67 °C and 28 °C. • Phase change enthalpies decreased by around 10 wt% after 500 thermal cycles. • Foams with microcapsules can be applied for passive temperature control. - Abstract: Microencapsulation of n-octadecane or paraffin with poly(lauryl methacrylate) (PLMA) shell was performed by a suspension-like polymerization. The polymer shell was crosslinked by pentaerythritol tetraacrylate (PETRA). The surface morphologies of microcapsules were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Phase change properties, thermal reliabilities and thermal stabilities of microcapsules were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The n-octadecane microcapsule exhibits higher melting enthalpy (118.0 J g −1 ) and crystallization enthalpy (108.3 J g −1 ) compared with the paraffin microcapsule. The thermal resistant temperatures were enhanced by more than 25 °C when n-alkanes were microencapsulated by PLMA. The PCM contents of microcapsules decreased by less than 4 wt% and 6 wt% after 500 and 1000 thermal cycles, respectively. Heat-up experiments indicated that microcapsule-treated foams exhibited upgraded thermal regulation capacities. Consequently, microencapsulated n-octadecane or paraffin with PLMA as shell possesses good potentials for heat storage and thermal regulation.

Nanoscale thermal transport. II. 2003–2012

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cahill, David G.; Braun, Paul V.; Chen, Gang; Clarke, David R.; Fan, Shanhui; Goodson, Kenneth E.; Keblinski, Pawel; King, William P.; Mahan, Gerald D.; Majumdar, Arun; Maris, Humphrey J.; Phillpot, Simon R.; Pop, Eric; Shi, Li

2014-01-01

A diverse spectrum of technology drivers such as improved thermal barriers, higher efficiency thermoelectric energy conversion, phase-change memory, heat-assisted magnetic recording, thermal management of nanoscale electronics, and nanoparticles for thermal medical therapies are motivating studies of the applied physics of thermal transport at the nanoscale. This review emphasizes developments in experiment, theory, and computation in the past ten years and summarizes the present status of the field. Interfaces become increasingly important on small length scales. Research during the past decade has extended studies of interfaces between simple metals and inorganic crystals to interfaces with molecular materials and liquids with systematic control of interface chemistry and physics. At separations on the order of ∼1 nm, the science of radiative transport through nanoscale gaps overlaps with thermal conduction by the coupling of electronic and vibrational excitations across weakly bonded or rough interfaces between materials. Major advances in the physics of phonons include first principles calculation of the phonon lifetimes of simple crystals and application of the predicted scattering rates in parameter-free calculations of the thermal conductivity. Progress in the control of thermal transport at the nanoscale is critical to continued advances in the density of information that can be stored in phase change memory devices and new generations of magnetic storage that will use highly localized heat sources to reduce the coercivity of magnetic media. Ultralow thermal conductivity—thermal conductivity below the conventionally predicted minimum thermal conductivity—has been observed in nanolaminates and disordered crystals with strong anisotropy. Advances in metrology by time-domain thermoreflectance have made measurements of the thermal conductivity of a thin layer with micron-scale spatial resolution relatively routine. Scanning thermal microscopy and

Preparation and thermal properties of form stable paraffin phase change material encapsulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Xing; Liu Hongyan; Wang Shujun; Zhang Lu; Cheng Hua

2006-01-01

Paraffin waxes are cheap and have moderate thermal energy storage density but low thermal conductivity and, hence, require large surface area to be used in energy storage. Form stable paraffin phase change materials (PCM) in which paraffin serves as a latent heat storage material and polyolefins act as a supporting material, because of paraffin leakage, are required to be improved. The form stable paraffin PCM in the present paper was encapsulated in an inorganic silica gel polymer successfully by in situ polymerization. The differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) was used to measure its thermal properties. At the same time, the Washburn equation, which measures the wetting properties of powder materials, was used to test the hydrophilic-lipophilic properties of the PCMs. The result indicated that the enthalpy of the microencapsulated PCMs was reduced little, while their hydrophilic properties were enhanced largely

Simplified Building Thermal Model Used for Optimal Control of Radiant Cooling System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei He

2016-01-01

Full Text Available MPC has the ability to optimize the system operation parameters for energy conservation. Recently, it has been used in HVAC systems for saving energy, but there are very few applications in radiant cooling systems. To implement MPC in buildings with radiant terminals, the predictions of cooling load and thermal environment are indispensable. In this paper, a simplified thermal model is proposed for predicting cooling load and thermal environment in buildings with radiant floor. In this thermal model, the black-box model is introduced to derive the incident solar radiation, while the genetic algorithm is utilized to identify the parameters of the thermal model. In order to further validate this simplified thermal model, simulated results from TRNSYS are compared with those from this model and the deviation is evaluated based on coefficient of variation of root mean square (CV. The results show that the simplified model can predict the operative temperature with a CV lower than 1% and predict cooling loads with a CV lower than 10%. For the purpose of supervisory control in HVAC systems, this simplified RC thermal model has an acceptable accuracy and can be used for further MPC in buildings with radiation terminals.

Thermal sensation and comfort with transient metabolic rates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Goto, Tomonobu; Toftum, Jørn; Dear, R. d.

2002-01-01

This study investigated the effect on thermal perceptions and preferences of controlled metabolic excursions of various intensities (20%, 40%, 60% relative work load) and durations (3-30 min) imposed on subjects that alternated between sedentary activity and exercise on a treadmill. The thermal...... environment was held constant at a temperature corresponding to PMV=0 at sedentary activity. Even low activity changes of short duration (1 min at 20% relative work load) affected thermal perceptions. However, after circa 15 min of constant activity, subjective thermal responses approximated the steady...

Novel hybrid drilling protocol: evaluation for the implant healing--thermal changes, crestal bone loss, and bone-to-implant contact.

Science.gov (United States)

Calvo-Guirado, José Luis; Delgado-Peña, Jorge; Maté-Sánchez, Jose E; Mareque Bueno, Javier; Delgado-Ruiz, Rafael Arcesio; Romanos, Georgios E

2015-07-01

To evaluate a new hybrid drilling protocol, by the analysis of thermal changes in vitro, and their effects in the crestal bone loss and bone-to-implant contact in vivo. Temperature changes during simulated osteotomies with a hybrid drilling technique (biologic plus simplified) (test) versus an incremental drilling technique (control) were investigated. One hundred and twenty random osteotomies were performed (60 by group) in pig ribs up to 3.75-mm-diameter drill to a depth of 10 mm. Thermal changes and time were recorded by paired thermocouples. In a parallel experiment, bilateral mandibular premolars P2, P3, P4, and first molar M1 were extracted from six dogs. After 2-month healing, implant sites were randomly prepared using either of the drilling techniques. Forty eight implants of 3.75 mm diameter and 10 mm length were inserted. The dogs were euthanized at 30 and 90 days, and crestal bone loss (CBL) and bone-to-implant contact (BIC) were evaluated. The control group showed maximum temperatures of 35.3 °C ± 1.8 °C, ΔT of 10.4 °C, and a mean time of 100 s/procedure; meanwhile, the test group showed maximum temperatures of 36.7 °C ± 1.2 °C, ΔT of 8.1 °C, and a mean time of 240 s/procedure. After 30 days, CBL values for both groups (test: 1.168 ± 0.194 mm; control: 1.181 ± 0.113 mm) and BIC values (test: 43 ± 2.8%; control: 45 ± 1.3%) were similar, without significant differences (P > 0.05). After 90 days, CBL (test: 1.173 ± 0.187 mm; control: 1.205 ± 0.122 mm) and BIC (test: 64 ± 3.3%; control: 64 ± 2.4%) values were similar, without significant differences (P > 0.05). The BIC values were increased at 90 days in both groups compared with the 30-day period (P drilling procedure in vitro. Crestal bone loss and bone-to-implant contact in the hybrid drilling protocol are comparable with the conventional drilling protocol and do not affect the osseointegration process in vivo. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Experimental Study on Melting and Solidification of Phase Change Material Thermal Storage

Science.gov (United States)

Ambarita, H.; Abdullah, I.; Siregar, C. A.; Siregar, R. E. T.; Ronowikarto, A. D.

2017-03-01

Melting and solidification process of Phase Change Materials (PCMs) are investigated experimentally. The tested PCMs are Paraffin wax and Steric acid which typically used for solar water heater. The objective is to explore the characteristics of the PCM when it is being melted and solidified. The experiments are performed in a glass box. One side of the box wall is heated while the opposite wall is kept constant and other walls are insulated. Temperature of the heated wall are kept constant at 80°C, 85°C, and 90°C, respectively. Every experiment is carried out for 600 minutes. Temperatures are recorded and the melting and solidification processes are pictured by using camera. The results show that the melting process starts from the upper part of the thermal storage. In the solidification process, it starts from the lower part of the thermal storage. As a thermal energy storage, Paraffin wax is better than Steric acid. This is because Paraffin wax can store more energy. At heat source temperature of 90°C, thermal energy stored by Paraffin wax and Stearic acid is 61.84 kJ and 57.39 kJ, respectively. Thus it is better to used Paraffin wax in the solar water heater as thermal energy storage.