Theoretical analysis to investigate thermal performance of co-axial heat pipe solar collector

Science.gov (United States)

Azad, E.

2011-12-01

The thermal performance of co-axial heat pipe solar collector which consist of a collector 15 co-axial heat pipes surrounded by a transparent envelope and which heat a fluid flowing through the condenser tubes have been predicted using heat transfer analytical methods. The analysis considers conductive and convective losses and energy transferred to a fluid flowing through the collector condenser tubes. The thermal performances of co-axial heat pipe solar collector is developed and are used to determine the collector efficiency, which is defined as the ratio of heat taken from the water flowing in the condenser tube and the solar radiation striking the collector absorber. The theoretical water outlet temperature and efficiency are compared with experimental results and it shows good agreement between them. The main advantage of this collector is that inclination of collector does not have influence on performance of co-axial heat pipe solar collector therefore it can be positioned at any angle from horizontal to vertical. In high building where the roof area is not enough the co-axial heat pipe solar collectors can be installed on the roof as well as wall of the building. The other advantage is each heat pipe can be topologically disconnected from the manifold.

Theoretical analysis to investigate thermal performance of co-axial heat pipe solar collector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Azad, E. [Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST), Advanced Materials and Renewable Energy Department, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2011-12-15

The thermal performance of co-axial heat pipe solar collector which consist of a collector 15 co-axial heat pipes surrounded by a transparent envelope and which heat a fluid flowing through the condenser tubes have been predicted using heat transfer analytical methods. The analysis considers conductive and convective losses and energy transferred to a fluid flowing through the collector condenser tubes. The thermal performances of co-axial heat pipe solar collector is developed and are used to determine the collector efficiency, which is defined as the ratio of heat taken from the water flowing in the condenser tube and the solar radiation striking the collector absorber. The theoretical water outlet temperature and efficiency are compared with experimental results and it shows good agreement between them. The main advantage of this collector is that inclination of collector does not have influence on performance of co-axial heat pipe solar collector therefore it can be positioned at any angle from horizontal to vertical. In high building where the roof area is not enough the co-axial heat pipe solar collectors can be installed on the roof as well as wall of the building. The other advantage is each heat pipe can be topologically disconnected from the manifold. (orig.)

Theoretical and experimental investigation of wickless heat pipes flat plate solar collector with cross flow heat exchanger

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hussein, H.M.S.

2007-01-01

In this work, a wickless heat pipes flat plate solar collector with a cross flow heat exchanger was investigated theoretically and experimentally under the meteorological conditions of Cairo, Egypt. The author's earlier simulation program of wickless heat pipes flat plate solar water heaters was modified to be valid for the present type of wickless heat pipes solar collector by including the solution of the dimensionless governing equations of the present analysis. For verifying the modified simulation program, a wickless heat pipes flat plate solar collector with a cross flow heat exchanger was designed, constructed, and tested at different meteorological conditions and operating parameters. These parameters include different cooling water mass flow rates and different inlet cooling water temperatures. The comparison between the experimental results and their corresponding simulated ones showed considerable agreement. Under different climatic conditions, the experimental and theoretical results showed that the optimal mass flow rate is very close to the ASHRAE standard mass flow rate for testing conventional flat plate solar collectors. Also, the experimental and theoretical results indicated that the number of wickless heat pipes has a significant effect on the collector efficiency

Heat pipes and heat pipe exchangers for heat recovery systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vasiliev, L L; Grakovich, L P; Kiselev, V G; Kurustalev, D K; Matveev, Yu

1984-01-01

Heat pipes and heat pipe exchangers are of great importance in power engineering as a means of recovering waste heat of industrial enterprises, solar energy, geothermal waters and deep soil. Heat pipes are highly effective heat transfer units for transferring thermal energy over large distance (tens of meters) with low temperature drops. Their heat transfer characteristics and reliable working for more than 10-15 yr permit the design of new systems with higher heat engineering parameters.

High performance passive solar heating system with heat pipe energy transfer and latent heat storage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijk, van H.A.L.; Galen, van E; Hensen, J.L.M.; Wit, de M.H.

1983-01-01

Preliminar results are reported from a current project on the development of a high performance passive solar heating system. Two special components are introduced: a. A heat pipe as a thermal diode tube for the efficient transfer of collected solar heat from the absorber plate to behind an

Performance study of heat-pipe solar photovoltaic/thermal heat pump system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Hongbing; Zhang, Lei; Jie, Pengfei; Xiong, Yaxuan; Xu, Peng; Zhai, Huixing

2017-01-01

Highlights: • The testing device of HPS PV/T heat pump system was established by a finished product of PV panel. • A detailed mathematical model of heat pump was established to investigate the performance of each component. • The dynamic and static method was combined to solve the mathematical model of HPS PV/T heat pump system. • The HPS PV/T heat pump system was optimized by the mathematical model. • The influence of six factors on the performance of HPS PV/T heat pump system was analyzed. - Abstract: A heat-pipe solar (HPS) photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) heat pump system, combining HPS PV/T collector with heat pump, is proposed in this paper. The HPS PV/T collector integrates heat pipes with PV panel, which can simultaneously generate electricity and thermal energy. The extracted heat from HPS PV/T collector can be used by heat pump, and then the photoelectric conversion efficiency is substantially improved because of the low temperature of PV cells. A mathematical model of the system is established in this paper. The model consists of a dynamic distributed parameter model of the HPS PV/T collection system and a quasi-steady state distributed parameter model of the heat pump. The mathematical model is validated by testing data, and the dynamic performance of the HPS PV/T heat pump system is discussed based on the validated model. Using the mathematical model, a reasonable accuracy in predicting the system’s dynamic performance with a relative error within ±15.0% can be obtained. The capacity of heat pump and the number of HPS collectors are optimized to improve the system performance based on the mathematical model. Six working modes are proposed and discussed to investigate the effect of solar radiation, ambient temperature, supply water temperature in condenser, PV packing factor, heat pipe pitch and PV backboard absorptivity on system performance by the validated model. It is found that the increase of solar radiation, ambient temperature and PV

Numerical and experimental analysis of heat pipes with application in concentrated solar power systems

Science.gov (United States)

Mahdavi, Mahboobe

Thermal energy storage systems as an integral part of concentrated solar power plants improve the performance of the system by mitigating the mismatch between the energy supply and the energy demand. Using a phase change material (PCM) to store energy increases the energy density, hence, reduces the size and cost of the system. However, the performance is limited by the low thermal conductivity of the PCM, which decreases the heat transfer rate between the heat source and PCM, which therefore prolongs the melting, or solidification process, and results in overheating the interface wall. To address this issue, heat pipes are embedded in the PCM to enhance the heat transfer from the receiver to the PCM, and from the PCM to the heat sink during charging and discharging processes, respectively. In the current study, the thermal-fluid phenomenon inside a heat pipe was investigated. The heat pipe network is specifically configured to be implemented in a thermal energy storage unit for a concentrated solar power system. The configuration allows for simultaneous power generation and energy storage for later use. The network is composed of a main heat pipe and an array of secondary heat pipes. The primary heat pipe has a disk-shaped evaporator and a disk-shaped condenser, which are connected via an adiabatic section. The secondary heat pipes are attached to the condenser of the primary heat pipe and they are surrounded by PCM. The other side of the condenser is connected to a heat engine and serves as its heat acceptor. The applied thermal energy to the disk-shaped evaporator changes the phase of working fluid in the wick structure from liquid to vapor. The vapor pressure drives it through the adiabatic section to the condenser where the vapor condenses and releases its heat to a heat engine. It should be noted that the condensed working fluid is returned to the evaporator by the capillary forces of the wick. The extra heat is then delivered to the phase change material

Experimental studies of solar heat pipe used to operate absorption chiller in conditions of Vietnam

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hiep, Le Chi [Ho Chi Minh City Univ. of Tech., Ho Chi Minh City (Viet Nam); Quoc, Hoang An [Ho Chi Minh City Univ. of Tech. Education, Ho Chi Minh City (Viet Nam); Hung, Hoang Duong [Danang Univ. of Tech., Danang City (Viet Nam)

2008-07-01

Several models of solar heat pipe have been fabricated and tested. The experiments show that the flat plate model could be used to operate absorption chiller in the climate of southern part of Vietnam. Two main advantages of the selected solar heat pipe are low cost and easy fabrication at local conditions. It is expected that the selected solar heat pipe could attract attention of the community to develop the application of solar energy in Vietnam. Based on the current demand, the paper presents the experimental studies of the first generation of low cost solar heat pipe. The paper also discusses the ability of application of solar air conditioning in Vietnam and recommends the suitable diagram mixing solar energy with other heat source to operate stably the system. (orig.)

Simulation of Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar Assisted Loop Heat Pipe/Heat Pump System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nannan Dai

2017-02-01

Full Text Available A hybrid photovoltaic solar assisted loop heat pipe/heat pump (PV-SALHP/HP water heater system has been developed and numerically studied. The system is the combination of loop heat pipe (LHP mode and heat pump (HP mode, and the two modes can be run separately or compositely according to the weather conditions. The performances of independent heat pump (HP mode and hybrid loop heat pipe/heat pump (LHP/HP mode were simulated and compared. Simulation results showed that on typical sunny days in spring or autumn, using LHP/HP mode could save 40.6% power consumption than HP mode. In addition, the optimal switchover from LHP mode to HP mode was analyzed in different weather conditions for energy saving and the all-year round operating performances of the system were also simulated. The simulation results showed that hybrid LHP/HP mode should be utilized to save electricity on sunny days from March to November and the system can rely on LHP mode alone without any power consumption in July and August. When solar radiation and ambient temperature are low in winter, HP mode should be used

Heat receivers for solar dynamic space power systems

Science.gov (United States)

Perez-Davis, Marla Esther

A review of state-of-the-art technology is presented and discussed for phase change materials. Some of the advanced solar dynamic designs developed as part of the Advanced Heat Receiver Conceptual Design Study performed for LeRC are discussed. The heat receivers are analyzed and several recommendations are proposed, including two new concepts. The first concept evaluated the effect of tube geometries inside the heat receiver. It was found that a triangular configuration would provide better heat transfer to the working fluid, although not necessarily with a reduction in receiver size. A sensible heat receiver considered in this study uses vapor grown graphite fiber-carbon (VGCF/C) composite as the thermal storage media and was designed for a 7 kW Brayton engine. The proposed heat receiver stores the required energy to power the system during eclipse in the VGCF/C composite. The heat receiver analysis was conducted through the Systems Improved Numerical Differencing Analyzer and Fluid Integrator (SINDA) software package. The proposed heat receiver compares well with other latent and advanced sensible heat receivers while avoiding the problems associated with latent heat storage salts and liquid metal heat pipes. The weight and size of the system can be optimized by changes in geometry and technology advances for this new material. In addition to the new concepts, the effect of atomic oxygen on several materials is reviewed. A test was conducted for atomic oxygen attack on boron nitride, which experienced a negligible mass loss when exposed to an atomic oxygen fluence of 5 x 10 exp 21 atoms/sq cm. This material could be used to substitute the graphite aperture plate of the heat receiver.

A heat pipe solar collector system for winter heating in Zhengzhou city, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zheng Hui-Fan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A heat pipe solar collector system for winter heating is investigated both experimentally and theoretically. The hourly heat collecting capacity, water temperature and contribution rate of solar collector system based on Zhengzhou city typical sunshine are calculated. The study reveals that the heat collecting capacity and water temperature increases initially and then decreases, and the solar collector system can provide from 40% to 78% heating load for a 200 m2 villa with in Zhengzhou city from November to March.

Performance analysis of a heat pipe solar collector having different pitch distance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sivaraman, B.; Mohan, N.K. [Annamalai Univ., Tamil Nadu (India). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

2006-07-01

Heat pipe solar collectors are more efficient than conventional solar collectors. This paper provided details of experimental analyses conducted to examine the effect of pitch distance on the heat pipe's performance. Two solar collectors with pitch distances of 7.5 cm and 8.5 cm were used in the study. Copper tubing was used as the container material, and methanol was selected as a working fluid for the experiments, which were conducted during the summer at a collector tilt angle of 11 degrees. Experiments were conducted and the impacts of various parameters were measured. Solar intensity was measured using a pyranometer. Water exit and inlet temperatures were measured using mercury thermometers. Results showed that the heat pipe performed optimally when the pitch distance was 0.085 m. 8 refs., 1 tab., 9 figs.

Analytical Investigation of the Heat-Transfer Limits of a Novel Solar Loop-Heat Pipe Employing a Mini-Channel Evaporator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thierno M. O. Diallo

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an analytical investigation of heat-transfer limits of a novel solar loop-heat pipe developed for space heating and domestic hot water use. In the loop-heat pipe, the condensate liquid returns to the evaporator via small specially designed holes, using a mini-channel evaporator. The study considered the commonly known heat-transfer limits of loop-heat pipes, namely, the viscous, sonic, entrainment, boiling and heat-transfer limits due to the two-phase pressure drop in the loop. The analysis considered the main factors that affect the limits in the mini-channel evaporator: the operating temperature, mini-channel aspect ratio, evaporator length, evaporator inclination angle, evaporator-to-condenser height difference and the dimension of the holes. It was found that the entrainment is the main governing limit of the system operation. With the specified loop design and operational conditions, the solar loop-heat pipe can achieve a heat-transport capacity of 725 W. The analytical model presented in this study can be used to optimise the heat-transfer capacity of the novel solar loop-heat pipe.

Heat pipes for ground heating and cooling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vasiliev, L L

1988-01-01

Different versions of heat pipe ground heating and cooling devices are considered. Solar energy, biomass, ground stored energy, recovered heat of industrial enterprises and ambient cold air are used as energy and cold sources. Heat pipe utilization of air in winter makes it possible to design accumulators of cold and ensures deep freezing of ground in order to increase its mechanical strength when building roadways through the swamps and ponds in Siberia. Long-term underground heat storage systems are considered, in which the solar and biomass energy is accumulated and then transferred to heat dwellings and greenhouses, as well as to remove snow from roadways with the help of heat pipes and solar collectors.

Theoretical investigation of the performance of a novel loop heat pipe solar water heating system for use in Beijing, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Xudong; Wang Zhangyuan; Tang Qi

2010-01-01

A novel loop heat pipe (LHP) solar water heating system for typical apartment buildings in Beijing was designed to enable effective collection of solar heat, distance transport, and efficient conversion of solar heat into hot water. Taking consideration of the heat balances occurring in various parts of the loop, such as the solar absorber, heat pipe loop, heat exchanger and storage tank, a computer model was developed to investigate the thermal performance of the system. With the specified system structure, the efficiency of the solar system was found to be a function of its operational characteristics - working temperature of the loop heat pipe, water flow rate across the heat exchanger, and external parameters, including ambient temperature, temperature of water across the exchanger and solar radiation. The relationship between the efficiency of the system and these parameters was established, analysed and discussed in detail. The study suggested that the loop heat pipe should be operated at around 72 deg. C and the water across the heat exchanger should be maintained at 5.1 l/min. Any variation in system structure, i.e., glazing cover and height difference between the absorber and heat exchanger, would lead to different system performance. The glazing covers could be made using either borosilicate or polycarbonate, but borosilicate is to be preferred as it performs better and achieves higher efficiency at higher temperature operation. The height difference between the absorber and heat exchanger in the design was 1.9 m which is an adequate distance causing no constraint to heat pipe heat transfer. These simulation results were validated with the primary testing results.

Thermal performance of evacuated tube heat pipe solar collector

Science.gov (United States)

Putra, Nandy; Kristian, M. R.; David, R.; Haliansyah, K.; Ariantara, Bambang

2016-06-01

The high fossil energy consumption not only causes the scarcity of energy but also raises problems of global warming. Increasing needs of fossil fuel could be reduced through the utilization of solar energy by using solar collectors. Indonesia has the abundant potential for solar energy, but non-renewable energy sources still dominate energy consumption. With heat pipe as passive heat transfer device, evacuated tube solar collector is expected to heat up water for industrial and home usage without external power supply needed to circulate water inside the solar collector. This research was conducted to determine the performance of heat pipe-based evacuated tube solar collector as solar water heater experimentally. The experiments were carried out using stainless steel screen mesh as a wick material, and water and Al2O3-water 0.1% nanofluid as working fluid, and applying inclination angles of 0°, 15°, 30°, and 45°. To analyze the heat absorbed and transferred by the prototype, water at 30°C was circulated through the condenser. A 150 Watt halogen lamp was used as sun simulator, and the prototype was covered by an insulation box to obtain a steady state condition with a minimum affection of ambient changes. Experimental results show that the usage of Al2O3-water 0.1% nanofluid at 30° inclination angle provides the highest thermal performance, which gives efficiency as high as 0.196 and thermal resistance as low as 5.32 °C/W. The use of nanofluid as working fluid enhances thermal performance due to high thermal conductivity of the working fluid. The increase of the inclination angle plays a role in the drainage of the condensate to the evaporator that leads to higher thermal performance until the optimal inclination angle is reached.

Experimental Study on the Thermal Start-Up Performance of the Graphene/Water Nanofluid-Enhanced Solar Gravity Heat Pipe.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Shanguo; Xu, Guoying; Wang, Ning; Zhang, Xiaosong

2018-01-28

The solar gravity heat pipe has been widely used for solar thermal water heating because of its high efficient heat transfer and thermal diode characteristics. Operated on fluctuant and low intensity solar radiation conditions, a solar gravity heat pipe may frequently start up. This severely affects its solar collection performance. To enhance the thermal performance of the solar gravity heat pipe, this study proposes using graphene/water nanofluid as the working fluid instead of deionized water. The stability of the prepared graphene/water nanofluid added with PVP was firstly investigated to obtain the optimum mass ratios of the added dispersant. Thermophysical properties-including the thermal conductivity and viscosity-of nanofluid with various graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) concentrations were measured at different temperatures for further analysis. Furthermore, based on the operational evaluation on a single heat pipe's start-up process, the performance of nanofluid-enhanced solar gravity heat pipes using different concentrations of GNPs were compared by using water heating experiments. Results indicated that the use of 0.05 wt % graphene/water nanofluid instead of water could achieve a 15.1% and 10.7% reduction in start-up time under 30 and 60 W input heating conditions, respectively. Consequently, a higher thermal efficiency for solar collection could be expected.

Heat pipes in modern heat exchangers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasiliev, Leonard L.

2005-01-01

Heat pipes are very flexible systems with regard to effective thermal control. They can easily be implemented as heat exchangers inside sorption and vapour-compression heat pumps, refrigerators and other types of heat transfer devices. Their heat transfer coefficient in the evaporator and condenser zones is 10 3 -10 5 W/m 2 K, heat pipe thermal resistance is 0.01-0.03 K/W, therefore leading to smaller area and mass of heat exchangers. Miniature and micro heat pipes are welcomed for electronic components cooling and space two-phase thermal control systems. Loop heat pipes, pulsating heat pipes and sorption heat pipes are the novelty for modern heat exchangers. Heat pipe air preheaters are used in thermal power plants to preheat the secondary-primary air required for combustion of fuel in the boiler using the energy available in exhaust gases. Heat pipe solar collectors are promising for domestic use. This paper reviews mainly heat pipe developments in the Former Soviet Union Countries. Some new results obtained in USA and Europe are also included

Advanced thermal management of a solar cell by a nano-coated heat pipe plate: A thermal assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Du, Yanping

2017-01-01

Highlights: • The nano-coated heat pipe plate provides sufficient cooling energy to the solar cell. • The induced solar cell temperature is below 40 °C in normal range of solar irradiance. • The evaporative heat flux is tuneable and varies with the change of operating conditions. • Additional cooling at the condenser is helpful to improve the heat removal of the device. - Abstract: The significant temperature effect on solar cells results in loss of photovoltaic (PV) efficiency by up to 20–25%, which may over-negate the efforts in technology development for promoting PV efficiency. This motivates studies in thermal management for solar cells. This study concerns the thermal assessment of an advanced system composed by a solar cell and a nano-coated heat pipe plate for thermal management. Solar cell temperature and the corresponding evaporative heat flux are evaluated based on a conjugated heat transfer model. It indicates that the solar cell can be cooled down to be below 40 °C and suffers no temperature effect due to the use of the heat pipe plate. The heat pipe plate can provide sufficient cooling to the solar cell under different solar irradiance. The analytical and experimental results show that the maximum evaporative heat flux of the current heat pipe plate is around 450 W/m"2. However, the practical heat removal flux at the condenser is 390 W/m"2. The loss of cooling energy is due to the gathered vapour at the condenser section, which prevents the liquid-vapour circulation inside the vacuum chamber of the device. By using additional cooling strategies (i.e. heat sink, PCMs, water jacket) at the condenser section, the heat removal ability can be further improved.

Experimental Study on the Thermal Start-Up Performance of the Graphene/Water Nanofluid-Enhanced Solar Gravity Heat Pipe

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Shanguo; Xu, Guoying; Wang, Ning; Zhang, Xiaosong

2018-01-01

The solar gravity heat pipe has been widely used for solar thermal water heating because of its high efficient heat transfer and thermal diode characteristics. Operated on fluctuant and low intensity solar radiation conditions, a solar gravity heat pipe may frequently start up. This severely affects its solar collection performance. To enhance the thermal performance of the solar gravity heat pipe, this study proposes using graphene/water nanofluid as the working fluid instead of deionized water. The stability of the prepared graphene/water nanofluid added with PVP was firstly investigated to obtain the optimum mass ratios of the added dispersant. Thermophysical properties—including the thermal conductivity and viscosity—of nanofluid with various graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) concentrations were measured at different temperatures for further analysis. Furthermore, based on the operational evaluation on a single heat pipe’s start-up process, the performance of nanofluid-enhanced solar gravity heat pipes using different concentrations of GNPs were compared by using water heating experiments. Results indicated that the use of 0.05 wt % graphene/water nanofluid instead of water could achieve a 15.1% and 10.7% reduction in start-up time under 30 and 60 W input heating conditions, respectively. Consequently, a higher thermal efficiency for solar collection could be expected. PMID:29382094

Experimental Study on the Thermal Start-Up Performance of the Graphene/Water Nanofluid-Enhanced Solar Gravity Heat Pipe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shanguo Zhao

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The solar gravity heat pipe has been widely used for solar thermal water heating because of its high efficient heat transfer and thermal diode characteristics. Operated on fluctuant and low intensity solar radiation conditions, a solar gravity heat pipe may frequently start up. This severely affects its solar collection performance. To enhance the thermal performance of the solar gravity heat pipe, this study proposes using graphene/water nanofluid as the working fluid instead of deionized water. The stability of the prepared graphene/water nanofluid added with PVP was firstly investigated to obtain the optimum mass ratios of the added dispersant. Thermophysical properties—including the thermal conductivity and viscosity—of nanofluid with various graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs concentrations were measured at different temperatures for further analysis. Furthermore, based on the operational evaluation on a single heat pipe’s start-up process, the performance of nanofluid-enhanced solar gravity heat pipes using different concentrations of GNPs were compared by using water heating experiments. Results indicated that the use of 0.05 wt % graphene/water nanofluid instead of water could achieve a 15.1% and 10.7% reduction in start-up time under 30 and 60 W input heating conditions, respectively. Consequently, a higher thermal efficiency for solar collection could be expected.

Multiphase numerical analysis of heat pipe with different working fluids for solar applications

Science.gov (United States)

Aswath, S.; Netaji Naidu, V. H.; Padmanathan, P.; Raja Sekhar, Y.

2017-11-01

Energy crisis is a prognosis predicted in many cases with the indiscriminate encroachment of conventional energy sources for applications on a massive scale. This prediction, further emboldened by the marked surge in global average temperatures, attributed to climate change and global warming, the necessity to conserve the environment and explore alternate sources of energy is at an all-time high. Despite being among the lead candidates for such sources, solar energy is utilized far from its vast potential possibilities due to predominant economic constraints. Even while there is a growing need for solar panels at more affordable rates, the other options to harness better out of sun’s energy is to optimize and improvise existing technology. One such technology is the heat pipe used in Evacuated Tube Collectors (ETC). The applications of heat pipe have been gaining momentum in various fields since its inception and substantial volumes of research have explored optimizing and improving the technology which is proving effective in heat recovery and heat transfer better than conventional systems. This paper carries out a computational analysis on a comparative simulation between two working fluids within heat pipe of same geometry. It further endeavors to study the multiphase transitions within the heat pipe. The work is carried out using ANSYS Fluent with inputs taken from solar data for the location of Vellore, Tamil Nadu. A wickless, gravity-assisted heat pipe (GAHP) is taken for the simulation. Water and ammonia are used as the working fluids for comparative multiphase analysis to arrive at the difference in heat transfer at the condenser section. It is demonstrated that a heat pipe ETC with ammonia as working fluid showed higher heat exchange (temperature difference) as against that of water as working fluid. The multiphase model taken aided in study of phase transitions within both cases and supported the result of ammonia as fluid being a better candidate.

Solar chemical heat pipe in a closed loop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levy, M.

1990-06-01

The work on the solar CO 2 reforming of methane was completed. A computer program was developed for simulation of the whole process. The calculations agree reasonably well with the experimental results. The work was written up and submitted for publication in Solar Energy. A methanator was built and tested first with a CO/H 2 mixture from cylinders, and then with the products of the solar reformer. The loop was then closed by recirculating the products from the methanator into the solar reformer. Nine closed loop cycles were performed, so far, with the same original gas mixture. This is the first time that a closed loop solar chemical heat pipe was operated anywhere in the world. (author). 13 refs., 12 figs., 3 tabs

Characterization of a solar photovoltaic/loop-heat-pipe heat pump water heating system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Xingxing; Zhao, Xudong; Xu, Jihuan; Yu, Xiaotong

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Describing concept and operating principle of the PV/LHP heat pump water heating system. ► Developing a numerical model to evaluate the performance of the system. ► Experimental testing of the prototype system. ► Characterizing the system performance using parallel comparison between the modelling and experimental results. ► Investigating the impact of the operating conditions to the system’s performance. -- Abstract: This paper introduced the concept, potential application and benefits relating to a novel solar photovoltaic/loop-heat-pipe (PV/LHP) heat pump system for hot water generation. On this basis, the paper reported the process and results of characterizing the performance of such a system, which was undertaken through dedicated thermo-fluid and energy balance analyses, computer model development and operation, and experimental verification and modification. The fundamental heat transfer, fluid flow and photovoltaic governing equations were applied to characterize the energy conversion and transfer processes occurring in each part and whole system layout; while the energy balance approach was utilized to enable inter-connection and resolution of the grouped equations. As a result, a dedicated computer model was developed and used to calculate the operational parameters, optimise the geometrical configurations and sizes, and recommend the appropriate operational condition relating to the system. Further, an experimental rig was constructed and utilized to acquire the relevant measurement data that thus enabled the parallel comparison between the simulation and experiment. It is concluded that the testing and modelling results are in good agreement, indicating that the model has the reasonable accuracy in predicting the system’s performance. Under the given experimental conditions, the electrical, thermal and overall efficiency of the PV/LHP module were around 10%, 40% and 50% respectively; whilst the system’s overall performance

Experimental and numerical study of latent heat thermal energy storage systems assisted by heat pipes for concentrated solar power application

Science.gov (United States)

Tiari, Saeed

A desirable feature of concentrated solar power (CSP) with integrated thermal energy storage (TES) unit is to provide electricity in a dispatchable manner during cloud transient and non-daylight hours. Latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) offers many advantages such as higher energy storage density, wider range of operating temperature and nearly isothermal heat transfer relative to sensible heat thermal energy storage (SHTES), which is the current standard for trough and tower CSP systems. Despite the advantages mentioned above, LHTES systems performance is often limited by low thermal conductivity of commonly used, low cost phase change materials (PCMs). Research and development of passive heat transfer devices, such as heat pipes (HPs) to enhance the heat transfer in the PCM has received considerable attention. Due to its high effective thermal conductivity, heat pipe can transport large amounts of heat with relatively small temperature difference. The objective of this research is to study the charging and discharging processes of heat pipe-assisted LHTES systems using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and experimental testing to develop a method for more efficient energy storage system design. The results revealed that the heat pipe network configurations and the quantities of heat pipes integrated in a thermal energy storage system have a profound effect on the thermal response of the system. The optimal placement of heat pipes in the system can significantly enhance the thermal performance. It was also found that the inclusion of natural convection heat transfer in the CFD simulation of the system is necessary to have a realistic prediction of a latent heat thermal storage system performance. In addition, the effects of geometrical features and quantity of fins attached to the HPs have been studied.

Parabolic solar cooker: Cooking with heat pipe vs direct spiral copper tubes

Science.gov (United States)

Craig, Omotoyosi O.; Dobson, Robert T.

2016-05-01

Cooking with solar energy has been seen by many researchers as a solution to the challenges of poverty and hunger in the world. This is no exception in Africa, as solar coking is viewed as an avenue to eliminate the problem of food insecurity, insufficient energy supply for household and industrial cooking. There are several types of solar cookers that have been manufactured and highlighted in literature. The parabolic types of solar cookers are known to reach higher temperatures and therefore cook faster. These cookers are currently being developed for indoor cooking. This technology has however suffered low cooking efficiency and thus leads to underutilization of the high heat energy captured from the sun in the cooking. This has made parabolic solar cookers unable to compete with other conventional types of cookers. Several methods to maximize heat from the sun for indirect cooking has been developed, and the need to improve on them of utmost urgency. This paper investigates how to optimize the heat collected from the concentrating types of cookers by proposing and comparing two types of cooking sections: the spiral hot plate copper tube and the heat pipe plate. The system uses the concentrating solar parabolic dish technology to focus the sun on a conical cavity of copper tubes and the heat is stored inside an insulated tank which acts both as storage and cooking plate. The use of heat pipes to transfer heat between the oil storage and the cooking pot was compared to the use of a direct natural syphon principle which is achieved using copper tubes in spiral form like electric stove. An accurate theoretical analysis for the heat pipe cooker was achieved by solving the boiling and vaporization in the evaporator side and then balancing it with the condensation and liquid-vapour interaction in the condenser part while correct heat transfer, pressure and height balancing was calculated in the second experiment. The results show and compare the cooking time, boiling

Performance Study of Solar Heat Pipe with Different Working Fluids and Fill Ratios

Science.gov (United States)

Harikrishnan, S. S.; Kotebavi, Vinod

2016-09-01

This paper elaborates on the testing of solar heat pipes using different working fluids, fill ratios and tilt angles. Methanol, Acetone and water are used as working fluids, with fill ratios 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. Experiments were carried out at 600 and 350 inclinations. Heat pipe condenser section is placed inside a water basin containing 200ml of water. The evaporator section is exposed to sunlight where the working fluid gets heated and it becomes vapour and moves towards the condenser section. In the condenser section the heat is given to the water in the basin and the vapour becomes liquid and comes back to the evaporator section due to gravitational force. Two modes of experiments are carried out: 1) using a parabolic collector and 2) using heat pipe with evacuated tubes. On comparative study, optimum fill ratio is been found to be 25% in every case and acetone exhibited slightly more efficiency than methanol and water. As far as the heat pipe orientation is concerned, 600 inclination of the heat pipe showed better performance than 350

Dynamic performance of a novel solar photovoltaic/loop-heat-pipe heat pump system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Xingxing; Zhao, Xudong; Shen, Jingchun; Xu, Jihuan; Yu, Xiaotong

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A transient model was developed to predict dynamic performance of new PV/LHP system. • The model accuracy was validated by experiment giving less than 9% in error. • The new system had basic and advanced performance coefficients of 5.51 and 8.71. • The new system had a COP 1.5–4 times that for conventional heat pump systems. • The new system had higher exergetic efficiency than PV and solar collector systems. - Abstract: Objective of the paper is to present an investigation into the dynamic performance of a novel solar photovoltaic/loop-heat-pipe (PV/LHP) heat pump system for potential use in space heating or hot water generation. The methods used include theoretical computer simulation, experimental verification, analysis and comparison. The fundamental equations governing the transient processes of solar transmission, heat transfer, fluid flow and photovoltaic (PV) power generation were appropriately integrated to address the energy balances occurring in different parts of the system, e.g., glazing cover, PV cells, fin sheet, loop heat pipe, heat pump cycle and water tank. A dedicated computer model was developed to resolve the above grouping equations and consequently predict the system’s dynamic performance. An experimental rig was constructed and operated under the real weather conditions for over one week in Shanghai to evaluate the system living performance, which was undertaken by measurement of various operational parameters, e.g., solar radiation, photovoltaic power generation, temperatures and heat pump compressor consumption. On the basis of the first- (energetic) and second- (exergetic) thermodynamic laws, an overall evaluation approach was proposed and applied to conduct both quantitative and qualitative analysis of the PV/LHP module’s efficiency, which involved use of the basic thermal performance coefficient (COP th ) and the advanced performance coefficient (COP PV/T ) of such a system. Moreover, a simple comparison

FFT analysis of sensible-heat solar-dynamic receivers

Science.gov (United States)

Lund, Kurt O.

The use of solar dynamic receivers with sensible energy storage in single-phase materials is considered. The feasibility of single-phase designs with weight and thermal performance comparable to existing two-phase designs is addressed. Linearized heat transfer equations are formulated for the receiver heat storage, representing the periodic input solar flux as the sum of steady and oscillating distributions. The steady component is solved analytically to produce the desired receiver steady outlet gas temperature, and the FFT algorithm is applied to the oscillating components to obtain the amplitudes and mode shapes of the oscillating solid and gas temperatures. The results indicate that sensible-heat receiver designs with performance comparable to state-of-the-art two-phase receivers are available.

Test bench HEATREC for heat loss measurement on solar receiver tubes

Science.gov (United States)

Márquez, José M.; López-Martín, Rafael; Valenzuela, Loreto; Zarza, Eduardo

2016-05-01

In Solar Thermal Electricity (STE) plants the thermal energy of solar radiation is absorbed by solar receiver tubes (HCEs) and it is transferred to a heat transfer fluid. Therefore, heat losses of receiver tubes have a direct influence on STE plants efficiency. A new test bench called HEATREC has been developed by Plataforma Solar de Almería (PSA) in order to determinate the heat losses of receiver tubes under laboratory conditions. The innovation of this test bench consists in the possibility to determine heat losses under controlled vacuum.

Heat Pipes

Science.gov (United States)

1990-01-01

Bobs Candies, Inc. produces some 24 million pounds of candy a year, much of it 'Christmas candy.' To meet Christmas demand, it must produce year-round. Thousands of cases of candy must be stored a good part of the year in two huge warehouses. The candy is very sensitive to temperature. The warehouses must be maintained at temperatures of 78-80 degrees Fahrenheit with relative humidities of 38- 42 percent. Such precise climate control of enormous buildings can be very expensive. In 1985, energy costs for the single warehouse ran to more than 57,000 for the year. NASA and the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) were adapting heat pipe technology to control humidity in building environments. The heat pipes handle the jobs of precooling and reheating without using energy. The company contacted a FSEC systems engineer and from that contact eventually emerged a cooperative test project to install a heat pipe system at Bobs' warehouses, operate it for a period of time to determine accurately the cost benefits, and gather data applicable to development of future heat pipe systems. Installation was completed in mid-1987 and data collection is still in progress. In 1989, total energy cost for two warehouses, with the heat pipes complementing the air conditioning system was 28,706, and that figures out to a cost reduction.

Using Solar Hot Water to Address Piping Heat Losses in Multifamily Buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Springer, David [Alliance for Residential Building Innovation, Davis, CA (United States); Seitzler, Matt [Alliance for Residential Building Innovation, Davis, CA (United States); Backman, Christine [Alliance for Residential Building Innovation, Davis, CA (United States); Weitzel, Elizabeth [Alliance for Residential Building Innovation, Davis, CA (United States)

2015-10-01

Solar thermal water heating is most cost effective when applied to multifamily buildings and some states offer incentives or other inducements to install them. However, typical solar water heating designs do not allow the solar generated heat to be applied to recirculation losses, only to reduce the amount of gas or electric energy needed for hot water that is delivered to the fixtures. For good reasons, hot water that is recirculated through the building is returned to the water heater, not to the solar storage tank. The project described in this report investigated the effectiveness of using automatic valves to divert water that is normally returned through the recirculation piping to the gas or electric water heater instead to the solar storage tank. The valves can be controlled so that the flow is only diverted when the returning water is cooler than the water in the solar storage tank.

Theoretical and experimental investigation of the performance of solar thermosyphon heat pipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamidi, A.A.; Khalji Asadi, M.; Yousefi, L.; Moeini, G.

2001-01-01

Thermosyphon is a kind of heat pipe consisting of a tube which after through degassing has been filled with the required working fluid under vacuum, the pipe is equipped with wide fines on both sides in order to absorb solar radiation effectively. In order to eliminate conduction and convection heat transfer phenomena the tube is situated inside an evacuated glass bulb. In order to increase the efficiency and improve the design and working conditions of various types of heat pipes, a fundamental knowledge of the variation of operating parameters inside the heat pipes is necessary. In this paper, effective operating parameters of a thermosyphon heat pipe in uniform and steady condition are studied. These parameters include saturation temperature of the fluid inside the pipe, the variation of liquid and vapor flow rates inside the pipe and finally the pressure drop of liquid and vapor along the length of the pipe. The modeling is first started by writing an energy balance for the control volume of the pipe so that a first approximation for the above mentioned parameters is obtained. In this balance, depending on the type of fluid next to the condenser section and the type of heat transfer phenomena (free or forced convection) and also with due regards to the experimental correlations available, first the Nusselt number and then the heat transfer coefficient is calculated. From the latter, a first estimate of the required values for the liquid and vapor flow rates are found to be 0.222 and 0.0001126 Kg/s, respectively. The thickness of the film was determined to be 0.2 mm. In order to calculate the variations of the above mentioned parameters along the length of the tube, mass heat and momentum balances were written in next step for the control volumes on the liquid film, vapor phase and the system as a whole. Diagrams of these variations were obtained. The results were compared with both the data available in the literature and the experimental findings of a heat

Efficiently-cooled plasmonic amorphous silicon solar cells integrated with a nano-coated heat-pipe plate

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yinan; Du, Yanping; Shum, Clifford; Cai, Boyuan; Le, Nam Cao Hoai; Chen, Xi; Duck, Benjamin; Fell, Christopher; Zhu, Yonggang; Gu, Min

2016-04-01

Solar photovoltaics (PV) are emerging as a major alternative energy source. The cost of PV electricity depends on the efficiency of conversion of light to electricity. Despite of steady growth in the efficiency for several decades, little has been achieved to reduce the impact of real-world operating temperatures on this efficiency. Here we demonstrate a highly efficient cooling solution to the recently emerging high performance plasmonic solar cell technology by integrating an advanced nano-coated heat-pipe plate. This thermal cooling technology, efficient for both summer and winter time, demonstrates the heat transportation capability up to ten times higher than those of the metal plate and the conventional wickless heat-pipe plates. The reduction in temperature rise of the plasmonic solar cells operating under one sun condition can be as high as 46%, leading to an approximate 56% recovery in efficiency, which dramatically increases the energy yield of the plasmonic solar cells. This newly-developed, thermally-managed plasmonic solar cell device significantly extends the application scope of PV for highly efficient solar energy conversion.

Thermal State-of-Charge in Solar Heat Receivers

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Carsie, A., III; Glakpe, Emmanuel K.; Cannon, Joseph N.; Kerslake, Thomas W.

1998-01-01

A theoretical framework is developed to determine the so-called thermal state-of-charge (SOC) in solar heat receivers employing encapsulated phase change materials (PCMS) that undergo cyclic melting and freezing. The present problem is relevant to space solar dynamic power systems that would typically operate in low-Earth-orbit (LEO). The solar heat receiver is integrated into a closed-cycle Brayton engine that produces electric power during sunlight and eclipse periods of the orbit cycle. The concepts of available power and virtual source temperature, both on a finite-time basis, are used as the basis for determining the SOC. Analytic expressions for the available power crossing the aperture plane of the receiver, available power stored in the receiver, and available power delivered to the working fluid are derived, all of which are related to the SOC through measurable parameters. Lower and upper bounds on the SOC are proposed in order to delineate absolute limiting cases for a range of input parameters (orbital, geometric, etc.). SOC characterization is also performed in the subcooled, two-phase, and superheat regimes. Finally, a previously-developed physical and numerical model of the solar heat receiver component of NASA Lewis Research Center's Ground Test Demonstration (GTD) system is used in order to predict the SOC as a function of measurable parameters.

Available online Efficiency potential of indirectly heated solar reforming with different types of solar air receivers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Storch, Henrik von; Roeb, Martin; Stadler, Hannes; Sattler, Christian; Hoffschmidt, Bernhard

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A process for indirectly heated solar reforming of natural gas with air as heat transfer fluid is proposed. • Different solar receivers are modeled and implemented into the reforming process. • The overall efficiency of the process with different solar receivers is determined. • Optimum solar receiver characteristics for application in a solar reforming process are determined. - Abstract: In solar reforming, the heating value of natural gas is increased by utilization of concentrated solar radiation. Hence, it is a process for storing solar energy in a stable and transportable form that also permits further conversion into liquid fuels like methanol. This process has the potential to significantly decrease the natural gas consumption and the associated CO_2-emissions of methanol production with only few open questions to be addressed prior to commercialization. In the medium and long term, it has the potential to generate methanol as an environmentally friendly fuel for both transport as well as flexible electricity production in combined cycle gas turbines, when biogas is used as reactant. In a previous study the high potential of indirectly heated solar reforming with solar air receivers was shown; however, the efficiency is limited when using state of the art open volumetric receivers. Therefore, different types of air receivers are implemented into an indirectly heated solar reforming process and the overall efficiency potential is assessed in the present study. The implemented receivers are an open volumetric cavity receiver, a closed volumetric cavity receiver and a tubular cavity receiver. The open volumetric cavity receiver and tubular cavity receiver achieve the best results due to their capability of operating efficiently at temperatures well above 700 °C. For these receivers peak efficiencies up to 29% and 27% respectively are predicted. As the utilization of an open volumetric cavity receiver constitutes an open heat transfer

Solar central receiver hybrid power system, Phase I. Volume 3. Appendices. Final technical report, October 1978-August 1979

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1979-09-01

A design study for a central receiver/fossil fuel hybrid power system using molten salts for heat transfer and heat storage is presented. This volume contains the appendices: (A) parametric salt piping data; (B) sample heat exchanger calculations; (C) salt chemistry and salt/materials compatibility evaluation; (D) heliostat field coordinates; (E) data lists; (F) STEAEC program input data; (G) hybrid receiver design drawings; (H) hybrid receiver absorber tube thermal math model; (I) piping stress analysis; (J) 100-MWe 18-hour storage solar central receiver hybrid power system capital cost worksheets; and (K) 500-MWe 18-hour solar central receiver hybrid power system cost breakdown. (WHK)

High thermal load receiving heat plate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shibutani, Jun-ichi; Shibayama, Kazuhito; Yamamoto, Keiichi; Uchida, Takaho.

1993-01-01

The present invention concerns a high thermal load heat receiving plate such as a divertor plate of a thermonuclear device. The high thermal load heat receiving plate of the present invention has a cooling performance capable of suppressing the temperature of an armour tile to less than a threshold value of the material against high thermal loads applied from plasmas. Spiral polygonal pipes are inserted in cooling pipes at a portion receiving high thermal loads in the high temperature load heat receiving plate of the present invention. Both ends of the polygonal pipes are sealed by lids. An area of the flow channel in the cooling pipes is thus reduced. Heat conductivity on the cooling surface of the cooling pipes is increased in the high thermal load heat receiving plate having such a structure. Accordingly, temperature elevation of the armour tile can be suppressed. (I.S.)

Multiple-effect diffusion solar still coupled with a vacuum-tube collector and heat pipe

KAUST Repository

Chong, Tze-Ling

2014-08-01

The present study develops a multiple-effect diffusion solar still (MEDS) with a bended-plate design in multiple-effect diffusion unit (MDU) to solve the peel-off problem of wick material. The MDU is coupled with a vacuum-tube solar collector to produce a high temperature gradient for high productivity. A heat pipe is used to transfer the solar heat to the MDU. A prototype MEDS-1L was built and tested outdoors. Four performance indexes are proposed for the performance evaluation of MEDS, including daily pure water production per unit area of glass cover, solar absorber, and evaporating surface (Mcov, Msol, Mevp, respectively), and solar distillation efficiency Rcov. The outdoor test results of MEDS-1L show that the solar collector supply temperature Th reaches 100°C at solar radiation 800Wm-2. The highest Mcov is 23.9kgm-2d-1 which is about 29% higher than the basin-type MEDS [11]. The highest value is 25.9kgm-2d-1 for Msol and 2.79kgm-2d-1 for Mevp. The measured Rcov is 1.5-2.44, higher than the basin-type MEDS (1.45-1.88). The Mcov, Msol, Mevp and Rcov of MEDS-1L are all higher than the theoretical calculation of a MEDS with a flat-plate solar collector coupled with a heat pipe (MEDS-FHP) [17].© 2014 Elsevier B.V.

Layout of heating units for solar-heated gas turbine systems with paraboloid collectors. Die Auslegung von Erhitzern Solar beheizter Gasturbinenanlagen mit Paraboloidkollektoren

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seifert, P

1983-07-04

Solar energy is converted in a gas turbine plant, with solar radiation collected in a parabolic collector and reflected into a hollow receiver. The receiver, which is rigidly connected to the collector, consists of a conical bottom part and a cylindrical upper part. The highly focussed radiation enters through the aperture of the conus. The cool, compressed working fluid of the gas turbine flows through pipes arranged in front of the cylindrical inner wall. The distribution of the radiation was studied as well as the resulting receiver wall temperature, radiation losses and useful heat absorbed by the working fluid. Temperature distributions and three-dimensional fields of thermal stresses were calculated. The influence of geometric and thermodynamic parameters on the stresses inside the pipes was studied in consideration of thermal stresses and stresses due to working fluid pressure. The findings will help to optimize the heating surface load, material utilisation, and efficiency of the receiver. The interdependences between receiver characteristics and gas turbine operation are explained.

Heat transfer analysis of parabolic trough solar receiver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padilla, Ricardo Vasquez; Demirkaya, Gokmen; Goswami, D. Yogi; Stefanakos, Elias; Rahman, Muhammad M.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → In this paper a detailed one dimensional numerical heat transfer analysis of a PTC is performed. → The receiver and envelope were divided into several segments and mass and energy balance were applied in each segment. → Improvements either in the heat transfer correlations or radiative heat transfer analysis are presented. → The proposed heat transfer model was validated with experimental data obtained from Sandia National Laboratory. → Our results showed a better agreement with experimental data compared to other models. -- Abstract: Solar Parabolic Trough Collectors (PTCs) are currently used for the production of electricity and applications with relatively higher temperatures. A heat transfer fluid circulates through a metal tube (receiver) with an external selective surface that absorbs solar radiation reflected from the mirror surfaces of the PTC. In order to reduce the heat losses, the receiver is covered by an envelope and the enclosure is usually kept under vacuum pressure. The heat transfer and optical analysis of the PTC is essential to optimize and understand its performance under different operating conditions. In this paper a detailed one dimensional numerical heat transfer analysis of a PTC is performed. The receiver and envelope were divided into several segments and mass and energy balance were applied in each segment. Improvements either in the heat transfer correlations or radiative heat transfer analysis are presented as well. The partial differential equations were discretized and the nonlinear algebraic equations were solved simultaneously. Finally, to validate the numerical results, the model was compared with experimental data obtained from Sandia National Laboratory (SNL) and other one dimensional heat transfer models. Our results showed a better agreement with experimental data compared to other models.

Dish/stirling hybrid-receiver

Science.gov (United States)

Mehos, Mark S.; Anselmo, Kenneth M.; Moreno, James B.; Andraka, Charles E.; Rawlinson, K. Scott; Corey, John; Bohn, Mark S.

2002-01-01

A hybrid high-temperature solar receiver is provided which comprises a solar heat-pipe-receiver including a front dome having a solar absorber surface for receiving concentrated solar energy, a heat pipe wick, a rear dome, a sidewall joining the front and the rear dome, and a vapor and a return liquid tube connecting to an engine, and a fossil fuel fired combustion system in radial integration with the sidewall for simultaneous operation with the solar heat pipe receiver, the combustion system comprising an air and fuel pre-mixer, an outer cooling jacket for tangentially introducing and cooling the mixture, a recuperator for preheating the mixture, a burner plenum having an inner and an outer wall, a porous cylindrical metal matrix burner firing radially inward facing a sodium vapor sink, the mixture ignited downstream of the matrix forming combustion products, an exhaust plenum, a fossil-fuel heat-input surface having an outer surface covered with a pin-fin array, the combustion products flowing through the array to give up additional heat to the receiver, and an inner surface covered with an extension of the heat-pipe wick, a pin-fin shroud sealed to the burner and exhaust plenums, an end seal, a flue-gas diversion tube and a flue-gas valve for use at off-design conditions to limit the temperature of the pre-heated air and fuel mixture, preventing pre-ignition.

Influence of void ratio on thermal performance of heat pipe receiver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gui Xiaohong; Tang Dawei; Liang Shiqiang; Lin Bin; Yuan Xiugan

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► The temperature gradient increases significantly and the utility ratio of PCM decreases obviously as void ratio increases. ► Void cavity influences the process of phase change greatly. ► PCM melts slowly during sunlight periods and freezes slowly during eclipse periods as void ratio increases. ► The temperature gradient of PCM zone is very significant with the effect of void cavity. - Abstract: In this paper, influence of void ratio on thermal performance of heat pipe receiver under microgravity is numerically simulated. Accordingly, mathematical model is set up. Numerical method is offered. The temperature field of Phase Change Material (PCM) canister is shown. Numerical results are compared with numerical ones of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Numerical results show that the temperature gradient increases significantly and the utility ratio of PCM decreases obviously as void ratio increases. Void cavity influences the process of phase change greatly. PCM melts slowly during sunlight periods and freezes slowly during eclipse periods as void ratio increases. The thermal resistance of void cavity is much bigger than that of PCM canister wall. Void cavity prevents the heat transfer between PCM zone and canister wall. The temperature gradient of PCM zone is very significant with the effect of void cavity. So the thermal stress of heat pipe receiver may increase, and the lifetime may decrease as void ratio increases.

Experimental investigation of a solar collector integrated with a pulsating heat pipe and a compound parabolic concentrator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Rong Ji; Zhang, Xiao Hui; Wang, Rui Xiang; Xu, Shu Hui; Wang, Hua Sheng

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Solar collector integrates compound parabolic concentrator and pulsating heat pipe. • Concentrator of a concentration ratio 3.4 matches well heat flux of heat pipe. • Solar collector efficiency increases with decreasing absorber thermal resistance. • Maximum 50% efficiency of the integrated solar collector has been achieved. - Abstract: The paper reports an experimental investigation of a newly proposed solar collector that integrates a closed-end pulsating heat pipe (PHP) and a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC). The PHP is used as an absorber due to its simple structure and high heat transfer capacity. The CPC has a concentration ratio of 3.4 and can be readily manufactured by three-dimensional printing. The CPC can significantly increase the incident solar irradiation intensity to the PHP absorber and also reduce the heat loss due to the decrease in the area of the hot surface. A prototype of the solar collector has been built, consisting of a PHP absorber bent by 4 mm diameter copper tube, CPC arrayed by 10 × 2 CPC units with the collection area of 300 × 427.6 mm 2 , a hot water tank and a glass cover. HFE7100 was utilized as the working fluid at a filling ratio of 40%. The operating characteristics and thermal efficiency of the solar collector were experimentally studied. The steady and periodic temperature fluctuations of the evaporation and condensation sections of the PHP absorber indicate that the absorber works well with a thermal resistance of about 0.26 °C/W. It is also found that, as the main factor to the the thermal performance of the collector, thermal resistance of the PHP absorber decreases with increasing evaporation temperature. The collector apparently shows start-up, operational and shutdown stages at the starting and ending temperatures of 75 °C. When the direct normal irradiance is 800 W/m 2 , the instantaneous thermal efficiency of the solar collector can reach up to 50%.

Full-size solar dynamic heat receiver thermal-vacuum tests

Science.gov (United States)

Sedgwick, L. M.; Kaufmann, K. J.; Mclallin, K. L.; Kerslake, T. W.

1991-01-01

The testing of a full-size, 102 kW, solar dynamic heat receiver utilizing high-temperature thermal energy storage is described. The purpose of the test program was to quantify receiver thermodynamic performance, operating temperatures, and thermal response to changes in environmental and power module interface boundary conditions. The heat receiver was tested in a vacuum chamber with liquid nitrogen cold shrouds and an aperture cold plate to partly simulate a low-Earth-orbit environment. The cavity of the receiver was heated by an infrared quartz lamp heater with 30 independently controllable zones to allow axially and circumferentially varied flux distributions. A closed-Brayton cycle engine simulator conditioned a helium-xenon gas mixture to specific interface conditions to simulate the various operational modes of the solar dynamic power module on the Space Station Freedom. Inlet gas temperature, pressure, and flow rate were independently varied. A total of 58 simulated orbital cycles, each 94 minutes in duration, was completed during the test period.

Numerical and Experimental Study on Energy Performance of Photovoltaic-Heat Pipe Solar Collector in Northern China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongbing Chen

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Several studies have found that the decrease of photovoltaic (PV cell temperature would increase the solar-to-electricity conversion efficiency. Water type PV/thermal (PV/T system was a good choice but it could become freezing in cold areas of Northern China. This paper proposed a simple combination of common-used PV panel and heat pipe, called PV-heat pipe (PV-HP solar collector, for both electrical and thermal energy generation. A simplified one-dimensional steady state model was developed to study the electrical and thermal performance of the PV-HP solar collector under different solar radiations, water flow rates, and water temperatures at the inlet of manifold. A testing rig was conducted to verify the model and the testing data matched very well with the simulation values. The results indicated that the thermal efficiency could be minus in the afternoon. The thermal and electrical efficiencies decreased linearly as the inlet water temperature and water flow rate increased. The thermal efficiency increased while the electrical efficiency decreased linearly as the solar radiation increased.

A new photovoltaic solar-assisted loop heat pipe/heat-pump system%新型光伏-太阳能环形热管/热泵复合系统

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

张龙灿; 裴刚; 张涛; 季杰

2014-01-01

The photovoltaic solar assisted loop heat pipe system/heat-pump (PV-SALHP/HP) is the combination of solar assisted loop heat pipe system (SALHP) and solar assisted heat pipe (SAHP). A photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) evaporator and condenser could be shared by two circling modes, and so is the working medium. The loop heat pipe mode will be utilized when solar radiation is strong and the temperature of working medium in PVT evaporator is higher than that in condenser. Correspondingly, the heat pump mode will be started when solar radiation is weak or the temperature difference of working medium in PVT evaporator and condenser cannot satisfy the condition of loop heat pipe mode. The loop heat pipe mode is passive and the heat pump mode is active, which means that the loop heat pipe mode does not consume work and the heat pump mode does. Therefore, the transformable mode of system could heavily reduce power consumption, raise the utilization ratio of solar energy, and promote energy saving. A PV-SAHP/LHP test rig is built. The instantaneous and daily performance of the loop heat pipe mode and heat pump mode is studied.%光伏-太阳能环形热管/热泵复合系统将太阳能环形热管循环模式和太阳能热泵循环模式有机结合，两者采用相同的工质，共用一个PVT蒸发器和冷凝器。当太阳辐照强度较强，工质在PVT蒸发器中的温度高于冷凝器中的温度时，可以利用环形热管模式制热；当太阳辐照强度较弱或工质在PVT蒸发器中与冷凝器中的温差无法满足环形热管模式运行时，可以利用热泵模式制热。两种模式既能够独立运行，又可以互相切换，确保热能的稳定供应，同时能够明显降低系统耗电量。搭建了光伏-太阳能环形热管/热泵复合系统实验平台，对复合系统在环形热管模式和热泵模式独立运行时的瞬时性能和全天性能进行了实验研究。

Theoretical model of an evacuated tube heat pipe solar collector integrated with phase change material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naghavi, M.S.; Ong, K.S.; Badruddin, I.A.; Mehrali, M.; Silakhori, M.; Metselaar, H.S.C.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to model theoretically a solar hot water system consisting of an array of ETHPSC (evacuated tube heat pipe solar collectors) connected to a common manifold filled with phase change material and acting as a LHTES (latent heat thermal energy storage) tank. Solar energy incident on the ETHPSC is collected and stored in the LHTES tank. The stored heat is then transferred to the domestic hot water supply via a finned heat exchanger pipe placed inside the tank. A combination of mathematical algorithms is used to model a complete process of the heat absorption, storage and release modes of the proposed system. The results show that for a large range of flow rates, the thermal performance of the ETHPSC-LHTES system is higher than that of a similar system without latent heat storage. Furthermore, the analysis shows that the efficiency of the introduced system is less sensitive to the draw off water flowrate than a conventional system. Analysis indicates that this system could be applicable as a complementary part to conventional ETHPSC systems to be able to produce hot water at night time or at times with weak radiation. - Highlights: • The ETHPSC is integrated with PCM at manifold side for night hot water demands. • The thermal performance of the ETHPSC-PCM is often higher than the baseline model. • The efficiency of the proposed model is stable for different flow rates. • Using PCM as thermal storage increases reliability on the performance of the system.

Thermal performance of solar air collection-storage system with phase change material based on flat micro-heat pipe arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Teng-yue; Diao, Yan-hua; Zhu, Ting-ting; Zhao, Yao-hua; Liu, Jing; Wei, Xiang-qian

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A new type of solar air collection-storage thermal system with PCM is proposed. • Flat micro-heat pipe array is used as the core heat transfer element. • Air volume flow rate influence charging and discharging time obviously. • Air-side thermal resistance dominates during charging and discharging. - Abstract: In this study, a new type of solar air collection-storage thermal system (ACSTS) with phase change material (PCM) is designed using flat micro-heat pipe arrays (FMHPA) as the heat transfer core element. The solar air collector comprises FMHPA and vacuum tubes. The latent thermal storage device (LTSD) utilizes lauric acid, which is a type of fatty acid, as PCM. The experiments test the performance of collector efficiency and charging and discharging time of thermal storage device through different air volume flow rates. After a range of tests, high air volume flow rate is concluded to contribute to high collector efficiency and short charging and discharging time and enhance instantaneous heat transfer, whereas an air volume flow rate of 60 m"3/h during discharging provides a steady outlet temperature. The cumulative heat transfer during discharging is between 4210 and 4300 kJ.

Heat losses through pipe connections in hot water stores

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Elsa; Fan, Jianhua; Furbo, Simon

2007-01-01

The heat loss from pipe connections at the top of hot water storage tanks with and without a heat trap is investigated theoretically and compared to similar experimental investigations. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is used for the theoretical analysis. The investigations show that the heat...... loss from an ideally insulated pipe connected to the top of a hot water tank is mainly due to a natural convection flow in the pipe, that the heat loss coefficient of pipes connected to the top of a hot water tank is high, and that a heat trap can reduce the heat loss coefficient significantly. Further......, calculations show that the yearly thermal performance of solar domestic hot water systems is strongly reduced if the hot water tank has a thermal bridge located at the top of the tank....

Large-scale solar heating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tolonen, J.; Konttinen, P.; Lund, P. [Helsinki Univ. of Technology, Otaniemi (Finland). Advanced Energy Systems

1998-10-01

Solar heating market is growing in many European countries and annually installed collector area has exceeded one million square meters. There are dozens of collector manufacturers and hundreds of firms making solar heating installations in Europe. One tendency in solar heating is towards larger systems. These can be roof integrated, consisting of some tens or hundreds of square meters of collectors, or they can be larger centralized solar district heating plants consisting of a few thousand square meters of collectors. The increase of size can reduce the specific investments of solar heating systems, because e.g. the costs of some components (controllers, pumps, and pipes), planning and installation can be smaller in larger systems. The solar heat output can also be higher in large systems, because more advanced technique is economically viable

Heat pipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Triggs, G.W.; Lightowlers, R.J.; Robinson, D.; Rice, G.

1986-01-01

A heat pipe for use in stabilising a specimen container for irradiation of specimens at substantially constant temperature within a liquid metal cooled fast reactor, comprises an evaporator section, a condenser section, an adiabatic section therebetween, and a gas reservoir, and contains a vapourisable substance such as sodium. The heat pipe further includes a three layer wick structure comprising an outer relatively fine mesh layer, a coarse intermediate layer and a fine mesh inner layer for promoting unimpeded return of condensate to the evaporation section of the heat pipe while enhancing heat transfer with the heat pipe wall and reducing entrainment of the condensate by the upwardly rising vapour. (author)

Developing a theoretical model to investigate thermal performance of a thin membrane heat-pipe solar collector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riffat, S.B.; Zhao, X.; Doherty, P.S.

2005-01-01

A thin membrane heat-pipe solar collector was designed and constructed to allow heat from solar radiation to be collected at a relatively high efficiency while keeping the capital cost low. A theoretical model incorporating a set of heat balance equations was developed to analyse heat transfer processes occurring in separate regions of the collector, i.e., the top cover, absorber and condenser/manifold areas, and examine their relationship. The thermal performance of the collector was investigated using the theoretical model. The modelling predictions were validated using the experimental data from a referred source. The test efficiency was found to be in the range 40-70%, which is a bitter lower than the values predicted by modelling. The factors influencing these results were investigated

Heat pipes and use of heat pipes in furnace exhaust

Science.gov (United States)

Polcyn, Adam D.

2010-12-28

An array of a plurality of heat pipe are mounted in spaced relationship to one another with the hot end of the heat pipes in a heated environment, e.g. the exhaust flue of a furnace, and the cold end outside the furnace. Heat conversion equipment is connected to the cold end of the heat pipes.

Radiation detector system having heat pipe based cooling

Science.gov (United States)

Iwanczyk, Jan S.; Saveliev, Valeri D.; Barkan, Shaul

2006-10-31

A radiation detector system having a heat pipe based cooling. The radiation detector system includes a radiation detector thermally coupled to a thermo electric cooler (TEC). The TEC cools down the radiation detector, whereby heat is generated by the TEC. A heat removal device dissipates the heat generated by the TEC to surrounding environment. A heat pipe has a first end thermally coupled to the TEC to receive the heat generated by the TEC, and a second end thermally coupled to the heat removal device. The heat pipe transfers the heat generated by the TEC from the first end to the second end to be removed by the heat removal device.

High-temperature ceramic heat exchanger element for a solar thermal receiver

Science.gov (United States)

Strumpf, H. J.; Kotchick, D. M.; Coombs, M. G.

1982-01-01

A study was performed by AiResearch Manufacturing Company, a division of The Garrett Corporation, on the development a high-temperature ceramic heat exchanger element to be integrated into a solar receiver producing heated air. A number of conceptual designs were developed for heat exchanger elements of differing configuration. These were evaluated with respect to thermal performance, pressure drop, structural integrity, and fabricability. The final design selection identified a finned ceramic shell as the most favorable concept. The shell is surrounded by a larger metallic shell. The flanges of the two shells are sealed to provide a leak-tight pressure vessel. The ceramic shell is to be fabricated by an innovative combination of slip casting the receiver walls and precision casting the heat transfer finned plates. The fins are bonded to the shell during firing. The unit is sized to produce 2150 F ar at 2.7 atm pressure, with a pressure drop of about 2 percent of the inlet pressure. This size is compatible with a solar collector providing a receiver input of 85 kw(th). Fabrication of a one-half scale demonstrator ceramic receiver has been completed.

Research on high-temperature heat receiver in concentrated solar radiation system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Estera Przenzak

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article presents the results of experimental and computer simulations studies of the high temperature heat receiver working in the concentrated solar radiation system. In order to study the radiation absorption process and heat exchange, the two types of computer simulations were carried out. The first one was used to find the best location for absorber in the concentrating installation. Ray Tracing Monte Carlo (RTMC method in Trace Pro software was used to perform the optical simulations. The results of these simulations were presented in the form of the solar radiation distribution map and chart. The data obtained in RTMC simulations were used as a second type boundary conditions for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD simulations. These studies were used to optimize the internal geometry of the receiver and also to select the most effective flow parameters of the working medium. In order to validate the computer simulations, high temperature heat receiver was tested in experimental conditions. The article presents the results of experimental measurements in the form of temperature, radiation intensity and power graphs. The tests were performed for varied flow rate and receiver location. The experimental and computer simulation studies presented in this article allowed to optimize the configuration of concentrating and heat receiving system.

Oscillating heat pipes

CERN Document Server

Ma, Hongbin

2015-01-01

This book presents the fundamental fluid flow and heat transfer principles occurring in oscillating heat pipes and also provides updated developments and recent innovations in research and applications of heat pipes. Starting with fundamental presentation of heat pipes, the focus is on oscillating motions and its heat transfer enhancement in a two-phase heat transfer system. The book covers thermodynamic analysis, interfacial phenomenon, thin film evaporation,  theoretical models of oscillating motion and heat transfer of single phase and two-phase flows, primary  factors affecting oscillating motions and heat transfer,  neutron imaging study of oscillating motions in an oscillating heat pipes, and nanofluid’s effect on the heat transfer performance in oscillating heat pipes.  The importance of thermally-excited oscillating motion combined with phase change heat transfer to a wide variety of applications is emphasized. This book is an essential resource and learning tool for senior undergraduate, gradua...

Solar Heating System with Building-Integrated Heat Storage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heller, Alfred

1996-01-01

Traditional solar heating systems cover between 5 and 10% of the heat demand fordomestic hot water and comfort heating. By applying storage capacity this share can beincreased much. The Danish producer of solar heating systems, Aidt-Miljø, markets such a system including storage of dry sand heated...... by PP-pipe heat exchanger. Heat demand is reduced due to direct solar heating, and due to storage. Heat demand is reduced due to direct solar heating, due to storage and due to lower heat losses through the ground. In theory, by running the system flow backwards through the sand storage, active heating...... can be achieved.The objective of the report is to present results from measured system evaluation andcalculations and to give guidelines for the design of such solar heating systems with building integrated sand storage. The report is aimed to non-technicians. In another report R-006 the main results...

Heat transfer analysis and the effect of CuO/Water nanofluid on direct absorption concentrating solar collector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menbari, Amir; Alemrajabi, Ali Akbar; Rezaei, Amin

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The effect of CuO/Water on a direct absorption parabolic collector is investigated. • The power-law is used for simulating the turbulent flow into the receiver pipe. • In this collector the solar irradiance is absorbed directly and converted to heat. • Nanofluid as the working fluid improves the thermal efficiency of the collector. - Abstract: Direct absorption solar collectors (DASCs) form a new class of collectors that directly harvest sun beams via a working fluid. They offer several advantages over their conventional surface absorption counterparts such as reduced surface heat loss and increased solar irradiance absorption. The optical and thermo-physical properties of the working fluid may be improved and system efficiency may be enhanced in direct absorption solar collectors (DASCs) by introducing nanoparticles into the base fluid. The present study investigates, both analytically and experimentally, the effects of CuO/Water nanofluid on the efficiency of a direct absorption parabolic trough collector (DAPTC). The theoretical analysis of DAPTC is based on the power-law with the objective of simulating a turbulent flow into the receiver pipe. Comparison of the results obtained from the model and the experimental measurements reveals a good agreement between the two sets of data, indicating that they can be exploited to validate the numerical solution. Moreover, modeling results indicate that the average radial temperature and energy generation terms due to the solar irradiance absorbed and scattered by the nanoparticles decrease with increasing distance from the receiver pipe wall. It is also found that the solar irradiance is absorbed and converted into a significant amount of sensible heat along the length of the receiver pipe. Finally, the results of both the numerical and the experimental investigations of the DAPTC collector show that the thermal efficiency of the system improves as a result of increased nanoparticle volume fraction

A high temperature ceramic heat exchanger element for a solar thermal receiver

Science.gov (United States)

Strumpf, H. J.; Kotchick, D. M.; Coombs, M. G.

1982-01-01

The development of a high-temperature ceramic heat exchanger element to be integrated into a solar receiver producing heated air was studied. A number of conceptual designs were developed for heat exchanger elements of differing configuration. These were evaluated with respect to thermal performance, pressure drop, structural integrity, and fabricability. The final design selection identified a finned ceramic shell as the most favorable concept. The shell is surrounded by a larger metallic shell. The flanges of the two shells are sealed to provide a leak-tight pressure vessel. The ceramic shell is to be fabricated by a innovative combination of slip casting the receiver walls and precision casting the heat transfer finned plates. The fins are bonded to the shell during firing. The unit is sized to produce 2150 F air at 2.7 atm pressure, with a pressure drop of about 2 percent of the inlet pressure. This size is compatible with a solar collector providing a receiver input of 85 kw(th). Fabrication of a one-half scale demonstrator ceramic receiver was completed.

Miniature Heat Pipes

Science.gov (United States)

1997-01-01

Small Business Innovation Research contracts from Goddard Space Flight Center to Thermacore Inc. have fostered the company work on devices tagged "heat pipes" for space application. To control the extreme temperature ranges in space, heat pipes are important to spacecraft. The problem was to maintain an 8-watt central processing unit (CPU) at less than 90 C in a notebook computer using no power, with very little space available and without using forced convection. Thermacore's answer was in the design of a powder metal wick that transfers CPU heat from a tightly confined spot to an area near available air flow. The heat pipe technology permits a notebook computer to be operated in any position without loss of performance. Miniature heat pipe technology has successfully been applied, such as in Pentium Processor notebook computers. The company expects its heat pipes to accommodate desktop computers as well. Cellular phones, camcorders, and other hand-held electronics are forsible applications for heat pipes.

Ground test program for a full-size solar dynamic heat receiver

Science.gov (United States)

Sedgwick, L. M.; Kaufmann, K. J.; Mclallin, K. L.; Kerslake, T. W.

1991-01-01

Test hardware, facilities, and procedures were developed to conduct ground testing of a full-size, solar dynamic heat receiver in a partially simulated, low earth orbit environment. The heat receiver was designed to supply 102 kW of thermal energy to a helium and xenon gas mixture continuously over a 94 minute orbit, including up to 36 minutes of eclipse. The purpose of the test program was to quantify the receiver thermodynamic performance, its operating temperatures, and thermal response to changes in environmental and power module interface boundary conditions. The heat receiver was tested in a vacuum chamber using liquid nitrogen cold shrouds and an aperture cold plate. Special test equipment was designed to provide the required ranges in interface boundary conditions that typify those expected or required for operation as part of the solar dynamic power module on the Space Station Freedom. The support hardware includes an infrared quartz lamp heater with 30 independently controllable zones and a closed-Brayton cycle engine simulator to circulate and condition the helium-xenon gas mixture. The test article, test support hardware, facilities, and instrumentation developed to conduct the ground test program are all described.

Review: heat pipe heat exchangers at IROST

OpenAIRE

E. Azad

2012-01-01

The use of the heat pipe as a component in a heat recovery device has gained worldwide acceptance. Heat pipes are passive, highly reliable and offer high heat transfer rates. This study summarizes the investigation of different types of heat pipe heat recovery systems (HPHRSs). The studies are classified on the basis of the type of the HPHRS. This research is based on 30 years of experience on heat pipe and heat recovery systems that are presented in this study. Copyright , Oxford University ...

Heat pipes

CERN Document Server

Dunn, Peter D

1994-01-01

It is approximately 10 years since the Third Edition of Heat Pipes was published and the text is now established as the standard work on the subject. This new edition has been extensively updated, with revisions to most chapters. The introduction of new working fluids and extended life test data have been taken into account in chapter 3. A number of new types of heat pipes have become popular, and others have proved less effective. This is reflected in the contents of chapter 5. Heat pipes are employed in a wide range of applications, including electronics cooling, diecasting and injection mo

Heat pipe and method of production of a heat pipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kemp, R.S.

1975-01-01

The heat pipe consists of a copper pipe in which a capillary network or wick of heat-conducting material is arranged in direct contact with the pipe along its whole length. Furthermore, the interior space of the tube contains an evaporable liquid for pipe transfer. If water is used, the capillary network consists of, e.g., a phosphorus band network. To avoid contamination of the interior of the heat pipe during sealing, its ends are closed by mechanical deformation so that an arched or plane surface is obtained which is in direct contact with the network. After evacuation of the interior space, the remaining opening is closed with a tapered pin. The ratio wall thickness/tube diameter is between 0.01 and 0.6. (TK/AK) [de

Investigation on Solar Heating System with Building-Integrated Heat Storage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heller, Alfred

1996-01-01

Traditional solar heating systems cover between 5 and 10% of the heat demand fordomestic hot water and comfort heating. By applying storage capacity this share can beincreased much. The Danish producer of solar heating systems, Aidt-Miljø, markets such a system including storage of dry sand heated...... by PP-pipe heat exchanger. Heat demand is reduced due to direct solar heating and due to storage. The storage affects the heat demand passively due to higher temperatures. Hence heat loss is reduced and passive heating is optioned. In theory, by running the system flow backwards, active heating can...... solar collector area of the system, was achieved. Active heating from the sand storage was not observed. The pay-back time for the system can be estimated to be similar to solar heated domestic hot water systems in general. A number of minor improvements on the system could be pointed out....

A state-of-the-art review on hybrid heat pipe latent heat storage systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naghavi, M.S.; Ong, K.S.; Mehrali, M.; Badruddin, I.A.; Metselaar, H.S.C.

2015-01-01

The main advantage of latent heat thermal energy storage systems is the capability to store a large quantity of thermal energy in an isothermal process by changing phase from solid to liquid, while the most important weakness of these systems is low thermal conductivity that leads to unsuitable charging/discharging rates. Heat pipes are used in many applications – as one of the most efficient heat exchanger devices – to amplify the charging/discharging processes rate and are used to transfer heat from a source to the storage or from the storage to a sink. This review presents and critically discusses previous investigations and analysis on the incorporation of heat pipe devices into latent heat thermal energy storage with heat pipe devices. This paper categorizes different applications and configurations such as low/high temperature solar, heat exchanger and cooling systems, analytical approaches and effective parameters on the performance of hybrid HP–LHTES systems.

VALIDATION OF SIMULATION MODELS FOR DIFFERENTLY DESIGNED HEAT-PIPE EVACUATED TUBULAR COLLECTORS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fan, Jianhua; Dragsted, Janne; Furbo, Simon

2007-01-01

Differently designed heat-pipe evacuated tubular collectors have been investigated theoretically and experimentally. The theoretical work has included development of two TRNSYS [1] simulation models for heat-pipe evacuated tubular collectors utilizing solar radiation from all directions. One model...... coating on both sides. The input to the models is thus not a simple collector efficiency expression but the actual collector geometry. In this study, the TRNSYS models are validated with measurements for four differently designed heat-pipe evacuated tubular collectors. The collectors are produced...

Heat Pipe Solar Cogeneration System%热管型太阳能热电联产系统

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

曹勋

2016-01-01

Traditional solar photovoltaic modules influenced by temperature, high surface temperature of PV modules will seriously affect the power generation efficiency of the photovoltaic cell. Solar cogeneration systems recover heat generated by solar cells, the system reduces the operating temperature of the solar cell, also can produce hot water, while improving power generation efficiency of solar cells. Making full use of heat pipe thermal technology, we independently design heat pipe solar cogeneration system components and solar thermal systems. The system has been running for two years, which output electricity reached 23 700 kW·h, and its annual output of hot water above 45 ℃ average reached 2 000 tons, with significant economic and environmental benefits. The application prospect of the system is vast.%传统的太阳能光伏组件受温度影响较大，光伏组件表面温度的急剧升高会严重影响光伏电池的发电效率。太阳能热电联产系统回收利用太阳能电池产生的热能可降低太阳能电池的工作温度，在提高太阳能电池发电效率的同时亦可产生热水。充分运用热管导热技术，自主设计了热管型太阳能热电联产系统组件、太阳能光热系统。该系统运行两年来，年均产电2.37万kW·h，年产45℃以上热水2000 t，具有显著的经济和环境效益，推广应用前景广阔。

Effect of Wind Flow on Convective Heat Losses from Scheffler Solar Concentrator Receivers

Science.gov (United States)

Nene, Anita Arvind; Ramachandran, S.; Suyambazhahan, S.

2018-05-01

Receiver is an important element of solar concentrator system. In a Scheffler concentrator, solar rays get concentrated at focus of parabolic dish. While radiation losses are more predictable and calculable since strongly related to receiver temperature, convective looses are difficult to estimate in view of additional factors such as wind flow direction, speed, receiver geometry, prior to current work. Experimental investigation was carried out on two geometries of receiver namely cylindrical and conical with 2.7 m2 Scheffler to find optimum condition of tilt to provide best efficiency. Experimental results showed that as compared to cylindrical receiver, conical receiver gave maximum efficiency at 45° tilt angle. However effect of additional factors like wind speed, wind direction on especially convective losses could not be separately seen. The current work was undertaken to investigate further the same two geometries using computation fluid dynamics using FLUENT to compute convective losses considering all variables such at tilt angle of receiver, wind velocity and wind direction. For cylindrical receiver, directional heat transfer coefficient (HTC) is remarkably high to tilt condition meaning this geometry is critical to tilt leading to higher convective heat losses. For conical receiver, directional average HTC is remarkably less to tilt condition leading to lower convective heat loss.

A new desalination system using a combination of heat pipe, evacuated tube and parabolic trough collector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jafari Mosleh, H.; Jahangiri Mamouri, S.; Shafii, M.B.; Hakim Sima, A.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A new desalination uses a combination of heat pipe and parabolic trough collector. • A twin-glass evacuated tube is used to decrease the thermal losses from heat pipe. • Adding oil into the space between heat pipe and tube collector enhances the yield. • The yield and efficiency reach up to 0.933 kg/(m 2 h) and 65.2%, respectively. - Abstract: The solar collectors have been commonly used in desalination systems. Recent investigations show that the use of a linear parabolic trough collector in solar stills can improve the efficiency of a desalination system. In this work, a combination of a heat pipe and a twin-glass evacuated tube collector is utilized with a parabolic trough collector. Results show that the rate of production and efficiency can reach to 0.27 kg/(m 2 h) and 22.1% when aluminum conducting foils are used in the space between the heat pipe and the twin-glass evacuated tube collector to transfer heat from the tube collector to the heat pipe. When oil is used as a medium for the transfer of heat, filling the space between heat pipe and twin-glass evacuated tube collector, the production and efficiency can increase to 0.933 kg/(m 2 h) and 65.2%, respectively

Heat pipe heat exchangers in heat recovery systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stulc, P; Vasiliev, L L; Kiseljev, V G; Matvejev, Ju N

1985-01-01

The results of combined research and development activities of the National Research Institute for Machine Design, Prague, C.S.S.R. and the Institute for Heat and Mass Transfer, Minsk, U.S.S.R. concerning intensification heat pipes used in heat pipe heat exchangers are presented. This sort of research has been occasioned by increased interest in heat power economy trying to utilise waste heat produced by various technological processes. The developed heat pipes are deployed in construction of air-air, gas-air or gas-gas heat recovery exchangers in the field of air-engineering and air-conditioning. (author).

The performance of a novel flat heat pipe based thermal and PV/T (photovoltaic and thermal systems) solar collector that can be used as an energy-active building envelope material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jouhara, H.; Milko, J.; Danielewicz, J.; Sayegh, M.A.; Szulgowska-Zgrzywa, M.; Ramos, J.B.; Lester, S.P.

2016-01-01

A novel flat heat pipe design has been developed and utilised as a building envelope and thermal solar collector with and without (PV) bonded directly to its surface. The design of the new solar collector has been validated through full scale testing in Cardiff, UK where solar/thermal, uncooled PV and PV/T tests were carried out on three identical systems, simultaneously. The tests showed a solar/thermal energy conversion efficiency of around 64% for the collector with no PV and 50% for the system with the PV layer on it. The effect of cooling on the solar/electrical energy conversion efficiency was also investigated and an efficiency increase of about 15% was recorded for the cooled PV system due to the provided homogenous cooling. The new flat heat pipe solar collector is given the name “heat mat” and, in addition to being an efficient solar collector type, it is also designed to convert a building envelope materials to become energy-active. A full size roof that utilise this new building envelope material is reported in this paper to demonstrate the way this new collector is integrated as a building envelope material to form a roof. A thermal absorption test, in a controlled environment, from the ambient to the heat mat with no solar radiation is also reported. The test has proved the heat mat as an efficient thermal absorber from the ambient to the intermediate fluid that deliver the heat energy to the heat pump system. - Highlights: • A new flat heat pipe PV/T system that can be used as building materials is reported. • The new solar collector enhanced the performance of the PV by about 15%. • The new solar collector is capable of absorbing heat from ambient efficiently. • The new system is efficient from the solar/thermal conversion point of view.

Heat pipe development

Science.gov (United States)

Bienart, W. B.

1973-01-01

The objective of this program was to investigate analytically and experimentally the performance of heat pipes with composite wicks--specifically, those having pedestal arteries and screwthread circumferential grooves. An analytical model was developed to describe the effects of screwthreads and screen secondary wicks on the transport capability of the artery. The model describes the hydrodynamics of the circumferential flow in triangular grooves with azimuthally varying capillary menisci and liquid cross-sections. Normalized results were obtained which give the influence of evaporator heat flux on the axial heat transport capability of the arterial wick. In order to evaluate the priming behavior of composite wicks under actual load conditions, an 'inverted' glass heat pipe was designed and constructed. The results obtained from the analysis and from the tests with the glass heat pipe were applied to the OAO-C Level 5 heat pipe, and an improved correlation between predicted and measured evaporator and transport performance were obtained.

High performance passive solar heating system with heat pipe energy transfer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wit, de M.H.; Hensen, J.L.M.; Dijk, van H.A.L.; Brink, van den G.J.; Galen, van E; Ouden, den C.

1984-01-01

The aim of the project is to develop a passive solar heating system with a higher efficiency (regarding accumulation and transfer of solar heat into dwellings) than convential concrete thermal storage walls and with restricted extra costs for manufacturing the system. This is to be achieved by the

Study on heat pipe assisted thermoelectric power generation system from exhaust gas

Science.gov (United States)

Chi, Ri-Guang; Park, Jong-Chan; Rhi, Seok-Ho; Lee, Kye-Bock

2017-11-01

Currently, most fuel consumed by vehicles is released to the environment as thermal energy through the exhaust pipe. Environmentally friendly vehicle technology needs new methods to increase the recycling efficiency of waste exhaust thermal energy. The present study investigated how to improve the maximum power output of a TEG (Thermoelectric generator) system assisted with a heat pipe. Conventionally, the driving energy efficiency of an internal combustion engine is approximately less than 35%. TEG with Seebeck elements is a new idea for recycling waste exhaust heat energy. The TEG system can efficiently utilize low temperature waste heat, such as industrial waste heat and solar energy. In addition, the heat pipe can transfer heat from the automobile's exhaust gas to a TEG. To improve the efficiency of the thermal power generation system with a heat pipe, effects of various parameters, such as inclination angle, charged amount of the heat pipe, condenser temperature, and size of the TEM (thermoelectric element), were investigated. Experimental studies, CFD simulation, and the theoretical approach to thermoelectric modules were carried out, and the TEG system with heat pipe (15-20% charged, 20°-30° inclined configuration) showed the best performance.

Heat transfer capability analysis of heat pipe for space reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Huaqi; Jiang Xinbiao; Chen Lixin; Yang Ning; Hu Pan; Ma Tengyue; Zhang Liang

2015-01-01

To insure the safety of space reactor power system with no single point failures, the reactor heat pipes must work below its heat transfer limits, thus when some pipes fail, the reactor could still be adequately cooled by neighbor heat pipes. Methods to analyze the reactor heat pipe's heat transfer limits were presented, and that for the prevailing capillary limit analysis was improved. The calculation was made on the lithium heat pipe in core of heat pipes segmented thermoelectric module converter (HP-STMC) space reactor power system (SRPS), potassium heat pipe as radiator of HP-STMC SRPS, and sodium heat pipe in core of scalable AMTEC integrated reactor space power system (SAIRS). It is shown that the prevailing capillary limits of the reactor lithium heat pipe and sodium heat pipe is 25.21 kW and 14.69 kW, providing a design margin >19.4% and >23.6%, respectively. The sonic limit of the reactor radiator potassium heat pipe is 7.88 kW, providing a design margin >43.2%. As the result of calculation, it is concluded that the main heat transfer limit of HP-STMC SRPS lithium heat pipe and SARIS sodium heat pipe is prevailing capillary limit, but the sonic limit for HP-STMC SRPS radiator potassium heat pipe. (authors)

The sizes of Flat Plate and Evacuated Tube Collectors with Heat Pipe area as a function of the share of solar system in the heat demand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olek Małgorzata

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The popularity of solar collectors in Poland is still increasing. The correct location of the collectors and a relatively high density of solar radiation allow delivering heat even in spite of relatively low ambient temperature. Moreover, solar systems used for heating domestic heat water (DHW in summer allow nearly complete elimination of conventional energy sources (e.g. gas, coal. That is why more and more house owners in Poland decide to install solar system installations. In Poland the most common types of solar collectors are flat plate collectors (FPC and evacuated tube collectors with heat pipe (ETCHP; both were selected for the analysis. The heat demand related to the preparation of hot water, connected with the size of solar collectors’ area, has been determined. The analysis includes FPC and ETCHP and heat demand of less than 10 000 kWh/year. Simulations were performed with the Matlab software and using data from a typical meteorological year (TMY. In addition, a 126–year period of measurements of insolation for Krakow has been taken into account. The HDKR model (Hay, Davis, Klucher, Reindl was used for the calculation of solar radiation on the absorber surface. The monthly medium temperature of the absorber depends on the amount of solar system heat and on the heat demand. All the previously mentioned data were used to determine solar efficiency. Due to the fact that solar efficiency and solar system heat are connected, the calculations were made with the use of an iterative method. Additionally, the upper limit for monthly useful solar system heat is resulted from the heat demand and thus the authors prepared a model of statistical solar system heat deviations based on the Monte Carlo method. It has been found that an increase in the useful solar system heat in reference to the heat demand is associated with more than proportional increase in the sizes of the analyzed surfaces of solar collector types.

Thermal design heat sinks, thermoelectrics, heat pipes, compact heat exchangers, and solar cells

CERN Document Server

Lee, H S

2010-01-01

The proposed is written as a senior undergraduate or the first-year graduate textbook,covering modern thermal devices such as heat sinks, thermoelectric generators and coolers, heat pipes, and heat exchangers as design components in larger systems. These devices are becoming increasingly important and fundamental in thermal design across such diverse areas as microelectronic cooling, green or thermal energy conversion, and thermal control and management in space, etc. However, there is no textbook available covering this range of topics. The proposed book may be used as a capstone design cours

Heat pipe applications workshop report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ranken, W.A.

1978-04-01

The proceedings of the Heat Pipe Applications Workshop, held at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory October 20-21, 1977, are reported. This workshop, which brought together representatives of the Department of Energy and of a dozen industrial organizations actively engaged in the development and marketing of heat pipe equipment, was convened for the purpose of defining ways of accelerating the development and application of heat pipe technology. Recommendations from the three study groups formed by the participants are presented. These deal with such subjects as: (1) the problem encountered in obtaining support for the development of broadly applicable technologies, (2) the need for applications studies, (3) the establishment of a heat pipe technology center of excellence, (4) the role the Department of Energy might take with regard to heat pipe development and application, and (5) coordination of heat pipe industry efforts to raise the general level of understanding and acceptance of heat pipe solutions to heat control and transfer problems

Large Scale Solar Heating

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heller, Alfred

2001-01-01

The main objective of the research was to evaluate large-scale solar heating connected to district heating (CSDHP), to build up a simulation tool and to demonstrate the application of the simulation tool for design studies and on a local energy planning case. The evaluation was mainly carried out...... model is designed and validated on the Marstal case. Applying the Danish Reference Year, a design tool is presented. The simulation tool is used for proposals for application of alternative designs, including high-performance solar collector types (trough solar collectors, vaccum pipe collectors......). Simulation programs are proposed as control supporting tool for daily operation and performance prediction of central solar heating plants. Finaly the CSHP technolgy is put into persepctive with respect to alternatives and a short discussion on the barries and breakthrough of the technology are given....

Direct Heat-Flux Measurement System (MDF) for Solar central Receiver Evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ballestrin, J.

2001-07-01

A direct flux measurement system, MDF, has been designed, constructed and mounted on top of the SSPS-CRS tower at the Plataforma Solar de Almeria (PSA) in addition to an indirect flux measurement system based on a CCD camera. It's one of the main future objectives to compare systematically both measurements of the concentrated solar power, increasing in this way the confidence in the estimate of this quantity. Today everything is prepared to perform the direct flux measurement on the aperture of solar receivers: calorimeter array, data acquisition system and software. the geometry of the receiver determines the operation and analysis procedures to obtain the indecent power onto the defined area. The study of previous experiences with direct flux measurement systems ha been useful to define a new simpler and more accurate system. A description of each component of the MDF system is included, focusing on the heat-flux sensors or calorimeters, which enables these measurements to be done in a few seconds without water-cooling. The incident solar power and the spatial flux distribution on the aperture of the volumetric receiver Hitrec II are supplied by the above-mentioned MDF system. The first results obtained during the evaluation of this solar receiver are presented including a sunrise-sunset test. All these measurements have been concentrated in one coefficient that describes the global behavior of the Solar Power Plant. (Author) 18 refs.

Heat loss investigation from spherical cavity receiver of solar concentrator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shewale, V. C. [Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, NDMVPS KBT College of Engineering, Nashik (India); Dongarwar, P. R. [Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, College of Military Engineering, Pune (India); Gawande, R. P. [Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, B.D.C.O.E. Wardha, Nagpur University, NagpurI (India)

2016-11-15

The heat losses are mainly affects on the performance of cavity receiver of solar concentrator. In this paper, the experimental and numerical study is carried out for different heat losses from spherical cavity receiver of 0.385 m cavity diameter and 0.154 m opening diameter. The total and convection losses are studied experimentally to no wind and wind conditions for the temperature range of 150 °C to 300 °C at 0°, 30°, 45°, 60° and 90° inclination angle of cavity receiver. The experimental set up mainly consists of copper tube material cavity receiver wrapped with nichrome heating coil to heat the cavity and insulated with glasswool insulation. The numerical analysis was carried out with Fluent Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software, to study connective heat losses for no wind condition only. The numerical results are compared with experimental results and found good agreement with maximum deviation of 12 %. The effect of inclination angle of cavity receiver on total losses and convection losses shows that as the inclination angle increases from 0o to 90o, both losses decreased due to decreased in convective zone into the cavity receiver. The effect of operating temperature of cavity shows that as the temperature of cavity receiver increases, the total and convective losses goes on increasing. The effect of external wind at 2 m/s and 4 m/s in two directions (side-on wind and head-on wind) is also studied experimentally for total and convective heat losses. The result shows that the heat losses are higher for head-on wind condition compared to side-on wind and no wind condition at all inclination angle of cavity receiver. The present results are also compared to the convective losses obtained from the correlations of Stine and Mcdonald and M. Prakash. The convective loss from these correlations shows nearest prediction to both experimental and numerical results.

Heat loss investigation from spherical cavity receiver of solar concentrator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shewale, V. C.; Dongarwar, P. R.; Gawande, R. P.

2016-01-01

The heat losses are mainly affects on the performance of cavity receiver of solar concentrator. In this paper, the experimental and numerical study is carried out for different heat losses from spherical cavity receiver of 0.385 m cavity diameter and 0.154 m opening diameter. The total and convection losses are studied experimentally to no wind and wind conditions for the temperature range of 150 °C to 300 °C at 0°, 30°, 45°, 60° and 90° inclination angle of cavity receiver. The experimental set up mainly consists of copper tube material cavity receiver wrapped with nichrome heating coil to heat the cavity and insulated with glasswool insulation. The numerical analysis was carried out with Fluent Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software, to study connective heat losses for no wind condition only. The numerical results are compared with experimental results and found good agreement with maximum deviation of 12 %. The effect of inclination angle of cavity receiver on total losses and convection losses shows that as the inclination angle increases from 0o to 90o, both losses decreased due to decreased in convective zone into the cavity receiver. The effect of operating temperature of cavity shows that as the temperature of cavity receiver increases, the total and convective losses goes on increasing. The effect of external wind at 2 m/s and 4 m/s in two directions (side-on wind and head-on wind) is also studied experimentally for total and convective heat losses. The result shows that the heat losses are higher for head-on wind condition compared to side-on wind and no wind condition at all inclination angle of cavity receiver. The present results are also compared to the convective losses obtained from the correlations of Stine and Mcdonald and M. Prakash. The convective loss from these correlations shows nearest prediction to both experimental and numerical results

Introduction to Heat Pipes

Science.gov (United States)

Ku, Jentung

2015-01-01

This is the presentation file for the short course Introduction to Heat Pipes, to be conducted at the 2015 Thermal Fluids and Analysis Workshop, August 3-7, 2015, Silver Spring, Maryland. NCTS 21070-15. Course Description: This course will present operating principles of the heat pipe with emphases on the underlying physical processes and requirements of pressure and energy balance. Performance characterizations and design considerations of the heat pipe will be highlighted. Guidelines for thermal engineers in the selection of heat pipes as part of the spacecraft thermal control system, testing methodology, and analytical modeling will also be discussed.

Sodium heat pipe module test for the SAFE-30 reactor prototype

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reid, Robert S.; Sena, J. Tom; Martinez, Adam L.

2001-01-01

Reliable, long-life, low-cost heat pipes can enable safe, affordable space fission power and propulsion systems. Advanced versions of these systems can in turn allow rapid access to any point in the solar system. Twelve stainless steel-sodium heat pipe modules were built and tested at Los Alamos for use in a non-nuclear thermohydraulic simulation of the SAFE-30 reactor (Poston et al., 2000). SAFE-30 is a near-term, low-cost space fission system demonstration. The heat pipes were designed to remove thermal power from the SAFE-30 core, and transfer this power to an electrical power conversion system. These heat pipe modules were delivered to NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in August 2000 and were assembled and tested in a prototypical configuration during September and October 2000. The construction and test of one of the SAFE-30 modules is described

Heat pipe turbine vane cooling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Langston, L.; Faghri, A. [Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States)

1995-10-01

The applicability of using heat pipe principles to cool gas turbine vanes is addressed in this beginning program. This innovative concept involves fitting out the vane interior as a heat pipe and extending the vane into an adjacent heat sink, thus transferring the vane incident heat transfer through the heat pipe to heat sink. This design provides an extremely high heat transfer rate and an uniform temperature along the vane due to the internal change of phase of the heat pipe working fluid. Furthermore, this technology can also eliminate hot spots at the vane leading and trailing edges and increase the vane life by preventing thermal fatigue cracking. There is also the possibility of requiring no bleed air from the compressor, and therefore eliminating engine performance losses resulting from the diversion of compressor discharge air. Significant improvement in gas turbine performance can be achieved by using heat pipe technology in place of conventional air cooled vanes. A detailed numerical analysis of a heat pipe vane will be made and an experimental model will be designed in the first year of this new program.

Advanced industrial ceramic heat pipe recuperators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strumpf, H.J.; Stillwagon, T.L.; Kotchick, D.M.; Coombs, M.G.

1988-01-01

This paper summarizes the results of an investigation involving the use of ceramic heat pipe recuperators for high-temperature heat recovery from industrial furnaces. The function of the recuperator is to preheat combustion air with furnace exhaust gas. The heat pipe recuperator comprises a bundle of individual ceramic heat pipes acting in concert, with a partition separating the air and exhaust gas flow streams. Because each heat pipe is essentially an independent heat exchanger, the failure of a single tube does not compromise recuperator integrity, has only a minimal effect on overall heat exchanger performance and enables easier replacement of individual heat pipes. In addition, the heat pipe acts as an essentially isothermal heat transfer device, leading to a high thermodynamic efficiency. Cost estimates developed for heat pipe recuperator systems indicate favorable payback periods. Laboratory studies have demonstrated the feasibility of fabricating the required ceramic tubes, coating the inside of the tubes with CVD tungsten, and sealing the heat pipe with an electron-beam-welded or vacuum-brazed end cap.

Heat pipe as a cooling mechanism in an aeroponic system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Srihajong, N.; Terdtoon, P.; Kamonpet, P. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand); Ruamrungsri, S. [Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand); Ohyama, T. [Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University (Japan)

2006-02-01

This paper presents an establishment of a mathematical model explaining the operation of an aeroponic system for agricultural products. The purpose is to study the rate of energy consumption in a conventional aeroponic system and the feasibility of employing a heat pipe as an energy saver in such a system. A heat pipe can be theoretically employed to remove heat from the liquid nutrient that flows through the growing chamber of an aeroponic system. When the evaporator of the heat pipe receives heat from the nutrient, the inside working fluid evaporates into vapor and flows to condense at the condenser section. The outlet temperature of the nutrient from the evaporator section is, therefore, decreased by the heat removal mechanism. The heat pipe can also be used to remove heat from the greenhouse by applying it on the greenhouse wall. By doing this, the nutrient temperature before entering into the nutrient tank decreases and the cooling load of evaporative cooling will subsequently be decreased. To justify the heat pipe application as an energy saver, numerical computations have been done on typical days in the month of April from which maximum heating load occurs and an appropriate heat pipe set was theoretically designed. It can be seen from the simulation that the heat pipe can reduce the electric energy consumption of an evaporative cooling and a refrigeration systems in a day by 17.19% and 10.34% respectively. (author)

NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF HEAT STORAGE OF SOLAR HEAT IN FLOOR CONSTRUCTION

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Weitzmann, Peter; Holck, Ole; Svendsen, Svend

2003-01-01

with the highest energy con-sumption. The reduction depends on the solar collector area, distribution of the insulation thickness, heat-ing demand and control strategy, but not on pipe spacing and layer thickness and material. Finally, it is shown that the system can also be used for comfort heating of tiled...

Experimental study on a prototype of heat pipe solar water heater using refrigerant R134a as a transfer fluid

Science.gov (United States)

Sitepu, T.; Sembiring, J.; Ambarita, H.

2018-02-01

A prototype of a solar water heater by using refrigerant as a heat transfer fluid is investigated experimentally. The objective is to explore the characteristics and the performance of the prototype. To make heat transfer from the collector to the heated fluid effectively, refrigerant R134a is used as a transfer. In the experiments, the initial pressure inside the heat pipe is varied. The prototype is exposed to solar irradiation in a location in Medan city for three days of the experiment. Solar collector temperatures, solar radiation, water temperature, and ambient temperature are measured. The efficiency of the system is analyzed. The results show that temperature of the hot water increases as the initial pressure of the working fluid increase. However, the increasing is not linear, and there must exist an optimum initial pressure. For the case with the refrigerant pressure of 110 psi, the maximum hot water temperature and maximum thermal efficiency are 45.36oC and 53.23%, respectively. The main conclusion can be drawn here is that solar water heater by using refrigerant R134a should be operated at initial pressure 110 psi.

Heat pipe dynamic behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Issacci, F.; Roche, G. L.; Klein, D. B.; Catton, I.

1988-01-01

The vapor flow in a heat pipe was mathematically modeled and the equations governing the transient behavior of the core were solved numerically. The modeled vapor flow is transient, axisymmetric (or two-dimensional) compressible viscous flow in a closed chamber. The two methods of solution are described. The more promising method failed (a mixed Galerkin finite difference method) whereas a more common finite difference method was successful. Preliminary results are presented showing that multi-dimensional flows need to be treated. A model of the liquid phase of a high temperature heat pipe was developed. The model is intended to be coupled to a vapor phase model for the complete solution of the heat pipe problem. The mathematical equations are formulated consistent with physical processes while allowing a computationally efficient solution. The model simulates time dependent characteristics of concern to the liquid phase including input phase change, output heat fluxes, liquid temperatures, container temperatures, liquid velocities, and liquid pressure. Preliminary results were obtained for two heat pipe startup cases. The heat pipe studied used lithium as the working fluid and an annular wick configuration. Recommendations for implementation based on the results obtained are presented. Experimental studies were initiated using a rectangular heat pipe. Both twin beam laser holography and laser Doppler anemometry were investigated. Preliminary experiments were completed and results are reported.

Nitrogen heat pipe for cryocooler thermal shunt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prenger F.C.; Hill, D.D.; Daney, D.E.

1996-01-01

A nitrogen heat pipe was designed, built and tested for the purpose of providing a thermal shunt between the two stages of a Gifford-McMahan (GM) cryocooler during cooldown. The nitrogen heat pipe has an operating temperature range between 63 and 123 K. While the heat pipe is in this temperature range during the system cooldown, it acts as a thermal shunt between the first and second stage of the cryocooler. The heat pipe increases the heat transfer to the first stage of the cryocooler, thereby reducing the cooldown time of the system. When the heat pipe temperature drops below the triple point, the nitrogen working fluid freezes, effectively stopping the heat pipe operation. A small heat leak between cryocooler stages remains because of axial conduction along the heat pipe wall. As long as the heat pipe remains below 63 K, the heat pipe remains inactive. Heat pipe performance limits were measured and the optimum fluid charge was determined

High-performance heat pipes for heat recovery applications

Science.gov (United States)

Saaski, E. W.; Hartl, J. H.

1980-01-01

Methods to improve the performance of reflux heat pipes for heat recovery applications were examined both analytically and experimentally. Various models for the estimation of reflux heat pipe transport capacity were surveyed in the literature and compared with experimental data. A high transport capacity reflux heat pipe was developed that provides up to a factor of 10 capacity improvement over conventional open tube designs; analytical models were developed for this device and incorporated into a computer program HPIPE. Good agreement of the model predictions with data for R-11 and benzene reflux heat pipes was obtained.

Heat-pipe Earth.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, William B; Webb, A Alexander G

2013-09-26

The heat transport and lithospheric dynamics of early Earth are currently explained by plate tectonic and vertical tectonic models, but these do not offer a global synthesis consistent with the geologic record. Here we use numerical simulations and comparison with the geologic record to explore a heat-pipe model in which volcanism dominates surface heat transport. These simulations indicate that a cold and thick lithosphere developed as a result of frequent volcanic eruptions that advected surface materials downwards. Declining heat sources over time led to an abrupt transition to plate tectonics. Consistent with model predictions, the geologic record shows rapid volcanic resurfacing, contractional deformation, a low geothermal gradient across the bulk of the lithosphere and a rapid decrease in heat-pipe volcanism after initiation of plate tectonics. The heat-pipe Earth model therefore offers a coherent geodynamic framework in which to explore the evolution of our planet before the onset of plate tectonics.

Heat pipes. (Latest citations from the NTIS bibliographic database). Published Search

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-10-01

The bibliography contains citations concerning the theory, design, fabrication, testing, and operation of heat pipes. Applications include heat rejection devices in spacecraft, use in passive solar heating systems and warm air furnaces, and electronic circuit cooling. Heat recovery operations, and materials considerations are also discussed.(Contains 50-250 citations and includes a subject term index and title list.) (Copyright NERAC, Inc. 1995)

Lightweight Heat Pipes Made from Magnesium

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenfeld, John N.; Zarembo, Sergei N.; Eastman, G. Yale

2010-01-01

Magnesium has shown promise as a lighter-weight alternative to the aluminum alloys now used to make the main structural components of axially grooved heat pipes that contain ammonia as the working fluid. Magnesium heat-pipe structures can be fabricated by conventional processes that include extrusion, machining, welding, and bending. The thermal performances of magnesium heat pipes are the same as those of equal-sized aluminum heat pipes. However, by virtue of the lower mass density of magnesium, the magnesium heat pipes weigh 35 percent less. Conceived for use aboard spacecraft, magnesium heat pipes could also be attractive as heat-transfer devices in terrestrial applications in which minimization of weight is sought: examples include radio-communication equipment and laptop computers.

Free convective heat loss from cavity-type solar furnace; Solar receiver kara no shizen tairyu ni yoru netsusonshitsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujii, I; Ito, N [Meiji University, Tokyo (Japan)

1996-10-27

Free convective heat loss from solar heat receivers was studied, using three laboratory model receivers (different in depth L and aperture diameter d) heated by electric heaters. Most of the heat produced by heaters was transmitted to the air inside. The cylindrical vessel walls were fully insulated against heat. Heat loss being supposed to result mainly from transfer by free convection, the experiment results were edited by use of Nusselt number Nu and Rayley number Ra. Relations between Nu(D/d){sup m1} and Ra(L/D){sup m2} were plotted in a chart. Here, D is the receiver inner diameter, and m1 and m2 are constants that can be determined by computation. Tests points were provided approximately lineally, irrespective of D, L, or receiver inclination. Air currents were found to produce one or more swirls inside, thanks to the current visualization technique, when the receiver inclination was not sharper than 120{degree} (except 0{degree}). The number of swirls increased as the inner wall temperature rose. This kind of behavior of air currents directly affects the degree of heat loss. 9 refs., 4 figs.

Investigation of the Solvis stratification inlet pipe for solar tanks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Elsa; Jordan, Ulrike; Shah, Louise Jivan

2004-01-01

Since the 1960’ties the influence of the thermal stratification in hot water tanks on the thermal performance of solar heating systems has been studied intensively. It was found, that the thermal performance of a solar heating system is increasing for increasing thermal stratification in the hot...... water tank. The temperature of the storage water heated by the solar collector loop usually varies strongly during the day. In order to reach a good thermal stratification in the tank, different types of pipes, plates, diffusers and other devices have been investigated in the past (e.g. Loehrke, 1979...... conditions. Temperature measurements were carried out and an optical method called Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) was used to visualize the flow around the flaps....

INVESTIGATIONS ON DESIGN OF HEAT STORAGE PIPE CONNECTIONS FOR SOLAR COMBISYSTEMS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thür, Alexander; Furbo, Simon

2005-01-01

This paper describes how different designed pipe connections on a tank for solar combisystems were evaluated based on experimental tests and theoretical investigations with the simulation tool TRNSYS. Measurement results from laboratory measurements were used to calibrate a TRNSYS model...

Multi-parameter optimization design of parabolic trough solar receiver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Jiangfeng; Huai, Xiulan

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The optimal condition can be obtained by multi-parameter optimization. • Exergy and thermal efficiencies are employed as objective function. • Exergy efficiency increases at the expense of heat losses. • The heat obtained by working fluid increases as thermal efficiency grows. - Abstract: The design parameters of parabolic trough solar receiver are interrelated and interact with one another, so the optimal performance of solar receiver cannot be obtained by the convectional single-parameter optimization. To overcome the shortcoming of single-parameter optimization, a multi-parameter optimization of parabolic trough solar receiver is employed based on genetic algorithm in the present work. When the thermal efficiency is taken as the objective function, the heat obtained by working fluid increases while the average temperature of working fluid and wall temperatures of solar receiver decrease. The average temperature of working fluid and the wall temperatures of solar receiver increase while the heat obtained by working fluid decreases generally by taking the exergy efficiency as an objective function. Assuming that the solar radiation intensity remains constant, the exergy obtained by working fluid increases by taking exergy efficiency as the objective function, which comes at the expense of heat losses of solar receiver.

Solar energy receiver

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, Jacob

1978-01-01

An improved long-life design for solar energy receivers provides for greatly reduced thermally induced stress and permits the utilization of less expensive heat exchanger materials while maintaining receiver efficiencies in excess of 85% without undue expenditure of energy to circulate the working fluid. In one embodiment, the flow index for the receiver is first set as close as practical to a value such that the Graetz number yields the optimal heat transfer coefficient per unit of pumping energy, in this case, 6. The convective index for the receiver is then set as closely as practical to two times the flow index so as to obtain optimal efficiency per unit mass of material.

Thermal Performance of a Large Low Flow Solar Heating System with a Highly Thermally Stratified Tank

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Furbo, Simon; Vejen, Niels Kristian; Shah, Louise Jivan

2005-01-01

are facing west. The collector tilt is 15° from horizontal for all collectors. Both the east-facing and the west-facing collectors have their own solar collector loop, circulation pump, external heat exchanger and control system. The external heat exchangers are used to transfer the heat from the solar......In year 2000 a 336 m² solar domestic hot water system was built in Sundparken, Elsinore, Denmark. The solar heating system is a low flow system with a 10000 l hot-water tank. Due to the orientation of the buildings half of the solar collectors are facing east, half of the solar collectors...... collector fluid to the domestic water. The domestic water is pumped from the bottom of the hot-water tank to the heat exchanger and back to the hot-water tank through stratification inlet pipes. The return flow from the DHW circulation pipe also enters the tank through stratification inlet pipes. The tank...

Laminar Mixed Convection Heat Transfer Correlation for Horizontal Pipes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chae, Myeong Seon; Chung, Bum Jin

2013-01-01

This study aimed at producing experimental results and developing a new heat transfer correlation based upon a semi-empirical buoyancy coefficient. Mixed convection mass transfers inside horizontal pipe were investigated for the pipe of various length-to-diameters with varying Re. Forced convection correlation was developed using a very short cathode. With the length of cathode increase and Re decrease, the heat transfer rates were enhanced and becomes higher than that of forced convection. An empirical buoyancy coefficient was derived from correlation of natural convection and forced convection with the addition of L/D. And the heat transfer correlation for laminar mixed convection was developed using the buoyancy coefficient, it describes not only current results, but also results of other studies. Mixed convection occurs when the driving forces of both forced and natural convections are of comparable magnitude (Gr/Re 2 ∼1). It is classical problem but is still an active area of research for various thermal applications such as flat plate solar collectors, nuclear reactors and heat exchangers. The effect of buoyancy on heat transfer in a forced flow is varied by the direction of the buoyancy force. In a horizontal pipe the direction of the forced and buoyancy forces are perpendicular. The studies on the mixed convections of the horizontal pipes were not investigated very much due to the lack of practical uses compared to those of vertical pipes. Even the definitions on the buoyancy coefficient that presents the relative influence of the forced and the natural convections, are different by scholars. And the proposed heat transfer correlations do not agree

Experimental investigation on Heat Transfer Performance of Annular Flow Path Heat Pipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, In Guk; Kim, Kyung Mo; Jeong, Yeong Shin; Bang, In Cheol

2015-01-01

Mochizuki et al. was suggested the passive cooling system to spent nuclear fuel pool. Detail analysis of various heat pipe design cases was studied to determine the heat pipes cooling performance. Wang et al. suggested the concept PRHRS of MSR using sodium heat pipes, and the transient performance of high temperature sodium heat pipe was numerically simulated in the case of MSR accident. The meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants alarmed to the dangers of station blackout (SBO) accident. After the SBO accident, passive decay heat removal systems have been investigated to prevent the severe accidents. Mochizuki et al. suggested the heat pipes cooling system using loop heat pipes for decay heat removal cooling and analysis of heat pipe thermal resistance for boiling water reactor (BWR). The decay heat removal systems for pressurized water reactor (PWR) were suggested using natural convection mechanisms and modification of PWR design. Our group suggested the concept of a hybrid heat pipe with control rod as Passive IN-core Cooling System (PINCs) for decay heat removal for advanced nuclear power plant. Hybrid heat pipe is the combination of the heat pipe and control rod. In the present research, the main objective is to investigate the effect of the inner structure to the heat transfer performance of heat pipe containing neutron absorber material, B 4 C. The main objective is to investigate the effect of the inner structure in heat pipe to the heat transfer performance with annular flow path. ABS pellet was used instead of B 4 C pellet as cylindrical structures. The thermal performances of each heat pipes were measured experimentally. Among them, concentric heat pipe showed the best performance compared with others. 1. Annular evaporation section heat pipe and annular flow path heat pipe showed heat transfer degradation. 2. AHP also had annular vapor space and contact cooling surface per unit volume of vapor was increased. Heat transfer coefficient of

Heat pipe heat storage performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Caruso, A; Pasquetti, R [Univ. de Provence, Marseille (FR). Inst. Universitaire des Systemes; Grakovich, L P; Vasiliev, L L [A.V. Luikov Heat and Mass Transfer Inst. of the BSSR, Academy of Sciences, Minsk (BY)

1989-01-01

Heat storage offers essential thermal energy saving for heating. A ground heat store equipped with heat pipes connecting it with a heat source and to the user is considered in this paper. It has been shown that such a heat exchanging system along with a batch energy source meets, to a considerable extent, house heating requirements. (author).

Wind effects on convective heat loss from a cavity receiver for a parabolic concentrating solar collector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma, R.Y. [California State Polytechnic Univ., Pomoma, CA (United States). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

1993-09-01

Tests were performed to determine the convective heat loss characteristics of a cavity receiver for a parabolid dish concentrating solar collector for various tilt angles and wind speeds of 0-24 mph. Natural (no wind) convective heat loss from the receiver is the highest for a horizontal receiver orientation and negligible with the reveler facing straight down. Convection from the receiver is substantially increased by the presence of side-on wind for all receiver tilt angles. For head-on wind, convective heat loss with the receiver facing straight down is approximately the same as that for side-on wind. Overall it was found that for wind speeds of 20--24 mph, convective heat loss from the receiver can be as much as three times that occurring without wind.

Application of heat pipes in nuclear reactors for passive heat removal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haque, Z.; Yetisir, M., E-mail: haquez@aecl.ca [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, Ontario (Canada)

2013-07-01

This paper introduces a number of potential heat pipe applications in passive (i.e., not requiring external power) nuclear reactor heat removal. Heat pipes are particularly suitable for small reactors as the demand for heat removal is significantly less than commercial nuclear power plants, and passive and reliable heat removal is required. The use of heat pipes has been proposed in many small reactor designs for passive heat removal from the reactor core. This paper presents the application of heat pipes in AECL's Nuclear Battery design, a small reactor concept developed by AECL. Other potential applications of heat pipes include transferring excess heat from containment to the atmosphere by integrating low-temperature heat pipes into the containment building (to ensure long-term cooling following a station blackout), and passively cooling spent fuel bays. (author)

Heat Transfer Characteristics of SiC-coated Heat Pipe for Passive Decay Heat Removal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kyung Mo; Kim, In Guk; Jeong, Yeong Shin; Bang, In Cheol

2014-01-01

The main concern with the Fukushima accident was the failure of active and passive core cooling systems. The main function of existing passive decay heat removal systems is feeding additional coolant to the reactor core. Thus, an established emergency core cooling system (ECCS) cannot operate properly because of impossible depressurization under the station blackout (SBO) condition. Therefore, a new concept for passive decay heat removal system is required. In this study, an innovative hybrid control rod concept is considered for passive in-core decay heat removal that differs from the existing direct vessel injection core cooling system and passive auxiliary feedwater system (PAFS). The heat transfer between the evaporator and condenser sections occurs by phase change of the working fluid and capillary action induced by wick structures installed on the inner wall of the heat pipe. In this study, a hybrid control rod is developed to take the roles of both neutron absorption and heat removal by combining the functions of a heat pipe and control rod. Previous studies on enhancing the heat removal capacity of heat pipes used nanofluids, self-rewetting fluids, various wick structures and condensers. Many studies have examined the thermal performances of heat pipes using various nanofluids. They concluded that the enhanced thermal performance of the heat pipe using nanofluids is due to nanoparticle deposition on the wick structures. Thus, the wick structure of heat pipes has been modified by nanoparticle deposition to enhance the heat removal capacity. However, previous studies used relatively small heat pipes and narrow ranges of heat loads. The environment of a nuclear reactor is very specific, and the decay heat produced by fission products after shutdown is relatively large. Thus, this study tested a large-scale heat pipe over a wide range of power. The concept of a hybrid heat pipe for an advanced in-core decay heat removal system was introduced for complete

Heat Transfer Characteristics of SiC-coated Heat Pipe for Passive Decay Heat Removal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Kyung Mo; Kim, In Guk; Jeong, Yeong Shin; Bang, In Cheol [Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2014-10-15

The main concern with the Fukushima accident was the failure of active and passive core cooling systems. The main function of existing passive decay heat removal systems is feeding additional coolant to the reactor core. Thus, an established emergency core cooling system (ECCS) cannot operate properly because of impossible depressurization under the station blackout (SBO) condition. Therefore, a new concept for passive decay heat removal system is required. In this study, an innovative hybrid control rod concept is considered for passive in-core decay heat removal that differs from the existing direct vessel injection core cooling system and passive auxiliary feedwater system (PAFS). The heat transfer between the evaporator and condenser sections occurs by phase change of the working fluid and capillary action induced by wick structures installed on the inner wall of the heat pipe. In this study, a hybrid control rod is developed to take the roles of both neutron absorption and heat removal by combining the functions of a heat pipe and control rod. Previous studies on enhancing the heat removal capacity of heat pipes used nanofluids, self-rewetting fluids, various wick structures and condensers. Many studies have examined the thermal performances of heat pipes using various nanofluids. They concluded that the enhanced thermal performance of the heat pipe using nanofluids is due to nanoparticle deposition on the wick structures. Thus, the wick structure of heat pipes has been modified by nanoparticle deposition to enhance the heat removal capacity. However, previous studies used relatively small heat pipes and narrow ranges of heat loads. The environment of a nuclear reactor is very specific, and the decay heat produced by fission products after shutdown is relatively large. Thus, this study tested a large-scale heat pipe over a wide range of power. The concept of a hybrid heat pipe for an advanced in-core decay heat removal system was introduced for complete

Heat-pipe thermionic reactor concept

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Storm Pedersen, E.

1967-01-01

Main components are reactor core, heat pipe, thermionic converter, secondary cooling system, and waste heat radiator; thermal power generated in reactor core is transported by heat pipes to thermionic converters located outside reactor core behind radiation shield; thermionic emitters are in direct...

Heat pipes to reduce engine exhaust emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Schultz, D. F. (Inventor)

1984-01-01

A fuel combustor is presented that consists of an elongated casing with an air inlet conduit portion at one end, and having an opposite exit end. An elongated heat pipe is mounted longitudinally in the casing and is offset from and extends alongside the combustion space. The heat pipe is in heat transmitting relationship with the air intake conduit for heating incoming air. A guide conduit structure is provided for conveying the heated air from the intake conduit into the combustion space. A fuel discharge nozzle is provided to inject fuel into the combustion space. A fuel conduit from a fuel supply source has a portion engaged in heat transfer relationship of the heat pipe for preheating the fuel. The downstream end of the heat pipe is in heat transfer relationship with the casing and is located adjacent to the downstream end of the combustion space. The offset position of the heat pipe relative to the combustion space minimizes the quenching effect of the heat pipe on the gaseous products of combustion, as well as reducing coking of the fuel on the heat pipe, thereby improving the efficiency of the combustor.

Integrating Solar Heating into an Air Handling Unit to Minimize Energy Consumption

OpenAIRE

Wilson, Scott A

2010-01-01

The purpose of this project was to test a method of integrating solar heating with a small commercial air handling unit (AHU). In order to accomplish this a heat exchanger was placed in the reheat position of the AHU and piped to the solar heating system. This heat exchanger is used to supplement or replace the existing electric reheat. This method was chosen for its ability to utilize solar energy on a more year round basis when compared to a traditional heating system. It allows solar h...

Receiver subsystem analysis report (RADL Item 4-1). The 10-MWe solar thermal central-receiver pilot plant: Solar-facilities design integration

Science.gov (United States)

1982-04-01

The results of thermal hydraulic, design for the stress analyses which are required to demonstrate that the receiver design for the Barstow Solar Pilot Plant satisfies the general design and performance requirements during the plant's design life are presented. Recommendations are made for receiver operation. The analyses are limited to receiver subsystem major structural parts (primary tower, receiver unit core support structure), pressure parts (absorber panels, feedwater, condensate and steam piping/components, flash tank, and steam mainfold) and shielding.

Experimental investigation on a pulsating heat pipe with hydrogen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng, H R; Liu, Y M; Ma, R F; Han, D Y; Gan, Z H; Pfotenhauer, J M

2015-01-01

The pulsating heat pipe (PHP) has been increasingly studied in cryogenic application, for its high transfer coefficient and quick response. Compared with Nb 3 Sn and NbTi, MgB 2 whose critical transformation temperature is 39 K, is expected to replace some high-temperature superconducting materials at 25 K. In order to cool MgB 2 , this paper designs a Hydrogen Pulsating Heat Pipe, which allows a study of applied heat, filling ratio, turn number, inclination angle and length of adiabatic section on the thermal performance of the PHP. The thermal performance of the hydrogen PHP is investigated for filling ratios of 35%, 51%, 70% at different heat inputs, and provides information regarding the starting process is received at three filling ratios. (paper)

Combined cycle solar central receiver hybrid power system study. Final technical report. Volume II

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1979-11-01

This study develops the conceptual design for a commercial-scale (nominal 100 MWe) central receiver solar/fossil fuel hybrid power system with combined cycle energy conversion. A near-term, metallic heat pipe receiver and an advanced ceramic tube receiver hybrid system are defined through parametric and market potential analyses. Comparative evaluations of the cost of power generation, the fuel displacement potential, and the technological readiness of these two systems indicate that the near-term hybrid system has better potential for commercialization by 1990. Based on the assessment of the conceptual design, major cost and performance improvements are projected for the near-term system. Constraints preventing wide-spread use were not identified. Energy storage is not required for this system and analyses show no economic advantages with energy storage provisions. It is concluded that the solar hybrid system is a cost effective alternative to conventional gas turbines and combined cycle generating plants, and has potential for intermediate-load market penetration at 15% annual fuel escalation rate. Due to their flexibility, simple solar/nonsolar interfacing, and short startup cycles, these hybrid plants have significant operating advantages. Utility company comments suggest that hybrid power systems will precede stand-alone solar plants.

The TX-model - a quantitative heat loss analysis of district heating pipes by means of IR surface temperature measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zinki, Heimo [ZW Energiteknik, Nykoeping (Sweden)

1996-11-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of analysing the temperature profile at the ground surface above buried district heating pipes in such a way that would enable the quantitative determination of heat loss from the pair of pipes. In practical applications, it is supposed that this temperature profile is generated by means of advanced IR-thermography. For this purpose, the principle of the TX - model has been developed, based on the fact that the heat losses from pipes buried in the ground have a temperature signature on the ground surface. Qualitative analysis of this temperature signature is very well known and in practical use for detecting leaks from pipes. These techniques primarily make use of relative changes of the temperature pattern along the pipe. In the quantitative heat loss analysis, however, it is presumed that the temperature profile across the pipes is related to the pipe heat loss per unit length. The basic idea is that the integral of the temperature profile perpendicular to the pipe, called TX, is a function of the heat loss, but is also affected by other parameters such as burial depth, heat diffusivity, wind, precipitation and so on. In order to analyse the parameters influencing the TX- factor, a simulation model for the energy balance at the ground surface has been developed. This model includes the heat flow from the pipe to the surface and the heat exchange at the surface with the environment due to convection, latent heat change, solar and long wave radiation. The simulation gives the surprising result that the TX factor is by and large unaffected during the course of a day even when the sun is shining, as long as other climate conditions are relatively stable (low wind, no rain, no shadows). The results from the simulations were verified at different sites in Denmark, Finland, Sweden and USA through a co-operative research program organised and partially financed by the IEA District Heating Programme, Task III, and

Alkali Metal Heat Pipe Life Issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reid, Robert S.

2004-01-01

One approach to fission power system design uses alkali metal heat pipes for the core primary heat-transfer system. Heat pipes may also be used as radiator elements or auxiliary thermal control elements. This synopsis characterizes long-life core heat pipes. References are included where information that is more detailed can be found. Specifics shown here are for demonstration purposes and do not necessarily reflect current Nasa Project Prometheus point designs. (author)

SOLAR HEAT TRANSFER THROUGH HDPC AND COPPER PIPE USING DIFFERENT FLUIDS

OpenAIRE

Muzamil Wani*, Karan Negi, Prince Mehandiratta

2016-01-01

Nowadays climate of growing energy needs and increasing environmental concern, alternatives to the use of non -renewable and polluting fossil fuels have to be investigated. One such alternative is solar energy; solar water heating is the prime application of solar energy. The problem faced by the existing solar water heating system is periodic inspections, maintenance, time to time component may need repair or replacement and also sufficient quantity of hot water is not available during clou...

Experimental investigation of the thermal and electrical performance of the heat pipe BIPV/T system with metal wires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Zhangyuan; Qiu, Feng; Yang, Wansheng; Zhao, Xudong; Mei, Sheng

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Proposing a novel heat pipe BIPV/T system. • Conducting experiments to investigate the performance of the system. • Establishing the relation between the system performance and operating parameters. - Abstract: Heat pipe building integrated photovoltaic/thermal system (heat pipe BIPV/T system) can produce both the electrical and thermal energies at the same time, which have been paid enormous attentions since the energy crisis in the 1970s. In this paper, the heat pipe BIPV/T system with the metal wires filling into the space between the finned heat pipes and insulation has been proposed, which will be expected to enhance the heat transfer and improve the electrical generation of the system. To investigate the thermal performance of the system, the variations of the temperatures, e.g., flat-plate glass cover, PV panel, filling space, heat pipe, and tank water, as well as the ambient temperature, were measured, and the system’s thermal efficiency was calculated and studied for different simulated solar radiations and water flow rates. It was found that the temperatures of the flat-plate glass cover, PV panels, filling space, and heat pipe presented the similar variation pattern when the ambient temperature was stable. The tank water temperature could reach the maximum of 53.83 °C when the simulated solar radiation was at 900 W/m"2 and the water flow rate was at 200 l/h. The linear relation between the system efficiency and (T_m_e_a_n − T_a_m_b)/I had been setup. The maximum thermal efficiency was found at 44.04% with the simulated solar radiation of 300 W/m"2 and water flow rate of 200 l/h, and 7.9% for the maximum electrical efficiency. Compared with the traditional systems of the previous research, the proposed system performed well with additional features, e.g., low cost, waste materials recycling. This research will be helpful in indicating the potential research area of the low-carbon-emission and energy-saving technology for the

Heat and Mass Transport in Heat Pipe Wick Structures

OpenAIRE

Iverson, B. D.; Davis, T. W.; Garimella, S V; North, M. T.; Kang, S.

2007-01-01

Anovel experimental approach is developed for characterizing the performance of heat pipe wick structures. This approach simulates the actual operation of wick structures in a heat pipe. Open, partially submerged, sintered copper wicks of varying pore size are studied under the partially saturated conditions found in normal heat pipe operation. A vertical wick orientation, where the capillary lift is in opposition to gravity, is selected to test the wicks under the most demanding conditions. ...

Flexible heat pipes with integrated bioinspired design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chao Yang

2015-02-01

Full Text Available In this work we report the facile fabrication and performance evaluation of flexible heat pipes that have integrated bioinspired wick structures and flexible polyurethane polymer connector design between the copper condenser and evaporator. Inside the heat pipe, a bioinspired superhydrophilic strong-base-oxidized copper mesh with multi-scale micro/nano-structures was used as the wicking material and deionized water was selected as working fluid. Thermal resistances of the fabricated flexible heat pipes charged with different filling ratios were measured under thermal power inputs ranging from 2 W to 12 W while the device was bent at different angles. The fabricated heat pipes with a 30% filling ratio demonstrated a low thermal resistance less than 0.01 K/W. Compared with the vertically oriented straight heat pipes, bending from 30° up to 120° has negligible influence on the heat-transfer performance. Furthermore, repeated heating tests indicated that the fabricated flexible heat pipes have consistent and reliable heat-transfer performance, thus would have important applications for advanced thermal management in three dimensional and flexible electronic devices.

3D numerical simulation on heat transfer performance of a cylindrical liquid immersion solar receiver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiang Haijun; Wang Yiping; Zhu Li; Han Xinyue; Sun Yong; Zhao Zhengjian

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Establishment of a three-dimensional numerical simulation model of a cylindrical liquid immersion solar receiver. ► Determination of model parameters and validation of the model by using the real-collected data. ► Optimization of liquid flow rate and fin’s structure for better heat transfer performance. - Abstract: Liquid immersion cooling for a cylindrical solar receiver in a dish concentrator photovoltaic system has been experimentally verified to be a promising method of removing surplus heat from densely packed solar cells. In the present study, a three-dimensional (3D) numerical simulation model of the prototype was established for better understanding the mechanism of the direct-contact heat transfer process. With the selection of standard k–ε turbulent model, the detailed simulation results of velocity field and temperature characteristics were obtained. The heat transfer performance of two structural modules (bare module and finned module) under actual weather conditions was simulated. It was found that the predicted temperature distribution of the two structural modules at the axial and lateral direction was in good agreement with the experimental data. Based on the validated simulation model, the influence of liquid flow rate and module geometric parameters on the cell temperature was then investigated. The simulated results indicated that the cell module with fin height of 4 mm and fin number of 11 has the best heat transfer performance and will be used in further works.

Experimental investigation for the optimization of heat pipe performance in latent heat thermal storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ladekar, Chandrakishor; Choudhary, S. K. [RTM Nagpur University, Wardha (India); Khandare, S. S. [B. D. College of Engineering, Wardha (India)

2017-06-15

We investigated the optimum performance of heat pipe in Latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES), and compared it with copper pipe. Classical plan of experimentation was used to optimize the parameters of heat pipe. Heat pipe fill ratio, evaporator section length to condenser section length ratio i.e., Heat pipe length ratio (HPLR) and heat pipe diameter, was the parameter used for optimization, as result of parametric analysis. Experiment with flow rate of 10 lit./min. was conducted for different fill ratio, HPLR and different diameter. Fill ratio of 80 %, HPLR of 0.9 and heat pipe with diameter of 18 mm showed better trend in charging and discharging. Comparison between the storage tank with optimized heat pipe and copper pipe showed almost 186 % improvement in charging and discharging time compared with the copper pipe embedded thermal storage. Heat transfer between Heat transferring fluid (HTF) and Phase change material (PCM) increased with increase in area of heat transferring media, but storage density of storage tank decreased. Storage tank with heat pipe embedded in place of copper pipe is a better option in terms of charging and discharging time as well heat storage capacity due to less heat lost. This justifies the better efficiency and effectiveness of storage tank with embedded optimized heat pipe.

Heat pipe heat exchanger for heat recovery in air conditioning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abd El-Baky, Mostafa A.; Mohamed, Mousa M. [Mechanical Power Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Minufiya University, Shebin El-Kom (Egypt)

2007-03-15

The heat pipe heat exchangers are used in heat recovery applications to cool the incoming fresh air in air conditioning applications. Two streams of fresh and return air have been connected with heat pipe heat exchanger to investigate the thermal performance and effectiveness of heat recovery system. Ratios of mass flow rate between return and fresh air of 1, 1.5 and 2.3 have been adapted to validate the heat transfer and the temperature change of fresh air. Fresh air inlet temperature of 32-40{sup o}C has been controlled, while the inlet return air temperature is kept constant at about 26{sup o}C. The results showed that the temperature changes of fresh and return air are increased with the increase of inlet temperature of fresh air. The effectiveness and heat transfer for both evaporator and condenser sections are also increased to about 48%, when the inlet fresh air temperature is increased to 40{sup o}C. The effect of mass flow rate ratio on effectiveness is positive for evaporator side and negative for condenser side. The enthalpy ratio between the heat recovery and conventional air mixing is increased to about 85% with increasing fresh air inlet temperature. The optimum effectiveness of heat pipe heat exchanger is estimated and compared with the present experimental data. The results showed that the effectiveness is close to the optimum effectiveness at fresh air inlet temperature near the fluid operating temperature of heat pipes. (author)

The performance of solar collector CPC (compound parabolic concentrator) type with three pipes covered by glass tubes

Science.gov (United States)

Gaos, Yogi Sirodz; Yulianto, Muhamad; Juarsa, Mulya; Nurrohman, Marzuki, Edi; Yuliaji, Dwi; Budiono, Kabul

2017-03-01

Indonesia is a tropical country that has potential energy of solar radiation worth of 4.5 until 4.8 kWh/m2. However, this potential has not been utilized regularly. This paper will discuss the performance of solar collector compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) type with water as the working fluid. This CPC solar collector utilized three pipes covered by glass tubes. This paper has contribution to provide the temperature achievement between three pipes covered by glass tubes with and without glass cover of solar collector CPC type. The research conducted by varying the water flow rate of 1 l/m up to 6 l/m with three pipes arranged in series and parallel. From the results, the used of solar collector CPC type in the current study shows that the decrease of solar radiation, which was caused by climate change, did not influence the heat absorbance by water in the pipe. Therefore, the design of the solar collector in this research has potential to be used in future when solar radiation are used as the energy source.

Efficiency improvement of a concentrated solar receiver for water heating system using porous medium

Science.gov (United States)

Prasartkaew, Boonrit

2018-01-01

This experimental study aims at investigating on the performance of a high temperature solar water heating system. To approach the high temperature, a porous-medium concentrated solar collector equipped with a focused solar heliostat were proposed. The proposed system comprised of two parts: a 0.7x0.7-m2 porous medium receiver, was installed on a 3-m tower, and a focused multi-flat-mirror solar heliostat with 25-m2 aperture area. The porous medium used in this study was the metal swarf or metal waste from lathing process. To know how the system efficiency could be improved by using such porous medium, the proposed system with- and without-porous medium were tested and the comparative study was performed. The experimental results show that, using porous medium for enhancing the heat transfer mechanism, the system thermal efficiency was increased about 25%. It can be concluded that the efficiency of the proposed system can be substantially improved by using the porous medium.

Modeling of heat transfer into a heat pipe for a localized heat input zone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenfeld, J.H.

1987-01-01

A general model is presented for heat transfer into a heat pipe using a localized heat input. Conduction in the wall of the heat pipe and boiling in the interior structure are treated simultaneously. The model is derived from circumferential heat transfer in a cylindrical heat pipe evaporator and for radial heat transfer in a circular disk with boiling from the interior surface. A comparison is made with data for a localized heat input zone. Agreement between the theory and the model is good. This model can be used for design purposes if a boiling correlation is available. The model can be extended to provide improved predictions of heat pipe performance

Solar receiver with integrated optics

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Lun; Winston, Roland

2012-10-01

The current challenge for PV/Thermal (PV/T) systems is the reduction of radiation heat loss. Compared to solar thermal selective coating, the solar cells cannot be used as an efficient thermal absorber due to their large emissivity of the encapsulation material. Many commercial PV/T products therefore require a high concentration (more than 10x) to reach an acceptable thermal efficiency for their receivers. Such a concentration system inevitably has to track or semi-track, which induces additional cost and collects only the direct radiation from the sun. We propose a new PV/T design using a vacuum encapsulated thin film cell to solve this problem. The proposed design also collects the diffuse sun light efficiently by using an external compound parabolic concentrator (XCPC). Since the transparent electrode (TCO) of thin film cell is inherently transparent in visible light and reflective beyond infrared, this design uses this layer instead of the conventional solar cell encapsulation as the outmost heat loss surface. By integrating such a vacuum design with a tube shaped absorber, we reduce the complexity of conducting the heat energy and electricity out of the device. A low concentration standalone non-tracking solar collector is proposed in this paper. We also analyzed the thermosyphon system configuration using heat transfer and ray tracing models. The economics of such a receiver are presented.

Heats pipes for temperature homogenization: A literature review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blet, Nicolas; Lips, Stéphane; Sartre, Valérie

2017-01-01

Highlights: • This paper is a review based on more than sixty references. • The review is sorted into various application fields. • Quantitative values of thermal gradients are compared with and without heat pipes. • Specificities of mentioned heat pipes are compared to other functions of heat pipes. - Abstract: Heat pipes offer high effective heat transfer in a purely passive way. Other specific properties of heat pipes, like temperature homogenization, can be also reached. In this paper, a literature review is carried out in order to investigate the existing heat pipe systems mainly aiming the reduction of temperature gradients. The review gathering more than sixty references is sorted into various application fields, like thermal management of electronics, of storage vessels or of satellites, for which the management of the temperature uniformity differs by the isothermal surface area, temperature ranges or the targeted precision of the temperature flattening. A summary of heat pipe characteristics for this function of temperature homogenization is then performed to identify their specificities, compared to other applications of heat pipes.

Heat Pipe-Assisted Thermoelectric Power Generation Technology for Waste Heat Recovery

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Ju-Chan; Chi, Ri-Guang; Rhi, Seok-Ho; Lee, Kye-Bock; Hwang, Hyun-Chang; Lee, Ji-Su; Lee, Wook-Hyun

2015-06-01

Currently, large amounts of thermal energy dissipated from automobiles are emitted through hot exhaust pipes. This has resulted in the need for a new efficient recycling method to recover energy from waste hot exhaust gas. The present experimental study investigated how to improve the power output of a thermoelectric generator (TEG) system assisted by a wickless loop heat pipe (loop thermosyphon) under the limited space of the exhaust gas pipeline. The present study shows a novel loop-type heat pipe-assisted TEG concept to be applied to hybrid vehicles. The operating temperature of a TEG's hot side surface should be as high as possible to maximize the Seebeck effect. The present study shows a novel TEG concept of transferring heat from the source to the sink. This technology can transfer waste heat to any local place with a loop-type heat pipe. The present TEG system with a heat pipe can transfer heat and generate an electromotive force power of around 1.3 V in the case of 170°C hot exhaust gas. Two thermoelectric modules (TEMs) for a conductive block model and four Bi2Te3 TEMs with a heat pipe-assisted model were installed in the condenser section. Heat flows to the condenser section from the evaporator section connected to the exhaust pipe. This novel TEG system with a heat pipe can be placed in any location on an automobile.

Solar advanced internal film receiver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torre Cabezas, M. de la

1990-01-01

In a Solar Central Internal Film Receiver, the heat absorbing fluid (a molten nitrate salt) flows in a thin film down over the non illuminated side of an absorber panel. Since the molten salt working fluid is not contained in complicated tube manifolds, the receiver design is simples than a conventional tube type-receiver resulting in a lower cost and a more reliable receiver. The Internal Film Receiver can be considered as an alternative to the Direct Absorption Receiver, in the event that the current problems of the last one can not be solved. It also describes here the test facility which will be used for its solar test, and the test plans foreseen. (Author) 17 refs

Heat pipes as perspective base elements of heat recovery in heat supply and ventilating systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matveev Andrey

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Thermotechnical characteristics of heat pipes are considered as high-efficient heat-transfer devices, which can provide energy-saving technologies for heat supply and ventilating systems and for different branches of industry. Thermotechnical and working (”performance capability” characteristics of heat pipes are investigated. By ”performance capability” of heat pipes and heat-transfer devices on heat pipes we mean the system state, where it can perform set functions and keep parameter values (thermal power, conductivity, thermal resistance, heat-transfer coefficient, temperature level and differential, etc. within the regulations of standardized specifications. The article presents theoretical and experimental methods of «gaslock» length determination on noncondensable gases during long-lasting tests of ammonia heat pipes made of aluminum shape АS – КRА 7.5 – R1 (alloy АD – 31. The paper gives results of research of thermotechnical characteristics of heat pipes in horizontal and vertical states (separate and as a set part while using different systems of thermal insulation. The obtained results of thermotechnical and resource tests show the advantages of ammonia heat pipes as basic elements for heat exchanger design in heating and ventilation systems.

The Potential of Heat Collection from Solar Radiation in Asphalt Solar Collectors in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Beddu, Salmia; Talib, Siti Hidayah Abdul; Itam, Zarina

2016-03-01

The implementation of asphalt solar collectors as a means of an energy source is being widely studied in recent years. Asphalt pavements are exposed to daily solar radiation, and are capable of reaching up to 70°C in temperature. The potential of harvesting energy from solar pavements as an alternative energy source in replace of non-renewable energy sources prone to depletion such as fuel is promising. In Malaysia, the sun intensity is quite high and for this reason, absorbing the heat from sun radiation, and then utilizing it in many other applications such as generating electricity could definitely be impressive. Previous researches on the different methods of studying the effect of heat absorption caused by solar radiation prove to be quite old and inaffective. More recent findings, on the otherhand, prove to be more informative. This paper focuses on determining the potential of heat collection from solar radiation in asphalt solar collectors using steel piping. The asphalt solar collector model constructed for this research was prepared in the civil engineering laboratory. The hot mixed asphalt (HMA) contains 10% bitumen mixed with 90% aggregates of the total size of asphalt. Three stainless steel pipes were embedded into the interior region of the model according to the design criteria, and then put to test. Results show that harvesting energy from asphalt solar collectors proves highly potential in Malaysia due its the hot climate.

Parametric simulation and experimental analysis of earth air heat exchanger with solar air heating duct

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjeev Jakhar

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Earth air heat exchanger (EAHE systems are insufficient to meet the thermal comfort requirements in winter conditions. The low heating potential of such systems can be improved by integrating the system with solar air heating duct (SAHD. The aim of this paper is to present a model to estimate the heating potential for EAHE system with and without SAHD. The model is generated using TRNSYS 17 simulation tool and validated against experimental investigation on an experimental set-up in Ajmer, India. The experiment was done during the winter season, where the system was evaluated for different inlet flow velocities, length and depth of buried pipe. From the experimentation, it was observed that the depth of 3.7 m is sufficient for pipe burial and the 34 m length of pipe is sufficient to get optimum EAHE outlet temperature. It is also observed that increase in flow velocity results in drop in EAHE outlet temperature, while room temperature is found to increase for higher velocities (5 m/s. The COP of the system also increased up to 6.304 when assisted with solar air heating duct. The results obtained from the experiment data are in good agreement with simulated results within the variation of up to 7.9%.

Heat pipes theory, design and applications

CERN Document Server

Reay, David; Kew, Peter

2013-01-01

Heat Pipes, 6th Edition, takes a highly practical approach to the design and selection of heat pipes, making it an essential guide for practicing engineers and an ideal text for postgraduate students. This new edition has been revised to include new information on the underlying theory of heat pipes and heat transfer, and features fully updated applications, new data sections, and updated chapters on design and electronics cooling. The book is a useful reference for those with experience and an accessible introduction for those approaching the topic for the first time. Contains all informat

Heat pipe nuclear reactor for space power

Science.gov (United States)

Koening, D. R.

1976-01-01

A heat-pipe-cooled nuclear reactor has been designed to provide 3.2 MWth to an out-of-core thermionic conversion system. The reactor is a fast reactor designed to operate at a nominal heat-pipe temperature of 1675 K. Each reactor fuel element consists of a hexagonal molybdenum block which is bonded along its axis to one end of a molybdenum/lithium-vapor heat pipe. The block is perforated with an array of longitudinal holes which are loaded with UO2 pellets. The heat pipe transfers heat directly to a string of six thermionic converters which are bonded along the other end of the heat pipe. An assembly of 90 such fuel elements forms a hexagonal core. The core is surrounded by a thermal radiation shield, a thin thermal neutron absorber, and a BeO reflector containing boron-loaded control drums.

Split heat pipe heat recovery system

OpenAIRE

E. Azad

2008-01-01

This paper describes a theoretical analysis of a split heat pipe heat recovery system. The analysis is based on an Effectiveness-NTU approach to deduce its heat transfer characteristics. In this study the variation of overall effectiveness of heat recovery with the number of transfer units are presented. Copyright , Manchester University Press.

Loop Heat Pipe Startup Behaviors

Science.gov (United States)

Ku, Jentung

2016-01-01

A loop heat pipe must start successfully before it can commence its service. The startup transient represents one of the most complex phenomena in the loop heat pipe operation. This paper discusses various aspects of loop heat pipe startup behaviors. Topics include the four startup scenarios, the initial fluid distribution between the evaporator and reservoir that determines the startup scenario, factors that affect the fluid distribution between the evaporator and reservoir, difficulties encountered during the low power startup, and methods to enhance the startup success. Also addressed are the pressure spike and pressure surge during the startup transient, and repeated cycles of loop startup and shutdown under certain conditions.

Heat transfer pipe shielding device for heat exchanger

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanawa, Jun.

1991-01-01

The front face and the rear face of a frame that surrounds the circumference of the water chamber body of a multi-tube heat exchanger are covered by a rotational shielding plate. A slit is radially formed to the shielding plate for the insertion of a probe or cleaner to the heat transfer pipe and a deflector is disposed on the side opposite to the slit. The end of the heat transfer pipe to be inspected is exposed to the outer side by way of the slit by the rotation of the shielding plate, and the probe or cleaner is inserted in the heat transfer pipe to conduct an eddy current injury monitoring test or cleaning. The inside of the water chamber and the heat transfer pipe is exhausted by a ventilation nozzle disposed to the frame. Accordingly, a shielding effect upon inspection and cleaning can be obtained and, in addition, inspection and exhaustion at the cleaning position can be conducted easily. Since the operation for attachment and detachment is easy, the effect of reducing radiation dose per unit can be obtained by the shortening of the operation time. (N.H.)

Heat transfer characteristics and limitations analysis of heat-pipe-cooled thermal protection structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guangming, Xiao; Yanxia, Du; Yewei, Gui; Lei, Liu; Xiaofeng, Yang; Dong, Wei

2014-01-01

The theories of heat transfer, thermodynamics and fluid dynamics are employed to develop the coupled heat transfer analytical methods for the heat-pipe-cooled thermal protection structure (HPC TPS), and a three-dimensional numerical method considering the sonic limit of heat pipe is proposed. To verify the calculation correctness, computations are carried out for a typical heat pipe and the results agree well with experimental data. Then, the heat transfer characteristics and limitations of HPC TPS are mainly studied. The studies indicate that the use of heat pipe can reduce the temperature at high heat flux region of structure efficiently. However, there is a frozen startup period before the heat pipe reaching a steady operating state, and the sonic limit will be a restriction on the heat transfer capability. Thus, the effects of frozen startup must be considered for the design of HPC TPS. The simulation model and numerical method proposed in this paper can predict the heat transfer characteristics of HPC TPS quickly and exactly, and the results will provide important references for the design or performance evaluation of HPC TPS. - Highlights: • Numerical methods for the heat-pipe-cooled thermal protection structure are studied. • Three-dimensional simulation model considering sonic limit of heat pipe is proposed. • The frozen startup process of the embedded heat pipe can be predicted exactly. • Heat transfer characteristics of TPS and limitations of heat pipe are discussed

Water jacket for solid particle solar receiver

Science.gov (United States)

Wasyluk, David T.

2018-03-20

A solar receiver includes: water jacket panels each having a light-receiving side and a back side with a watertight sealed plenum defined in-between; light apertures passing through the watertight sealed plenums to receive light from the light-receiving sides of the water jacket panels; a heat transfer medium gap defined between the back sides of the water jacket panels and a cylindrical back plate; and light channeling tubes optically coupled with the light apertures and extending into the heat transfer medium gap. In some embodiments ends of the light apertures at the light receiving side of the water jacket panel are welded together to define at least a portion of the light-receiving side. A cylindrical solar receiver may be constructed using a plurality of such water jacket panels arranged with their light-receiving sides facing outward.

High temperature heat pipe experiments in low earth orbit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woloshun, K.; Merrigan, M.A.; Sena, J.T.; Critchley, E.

1993-01-01

Although high temperature, liquid metal heat pipe radiators have become a standard component on most high power space power system designs, there is no experimental data on the operation of these heat pipes in a zero gravity or micro-gravity environment. Experiments to benchmark the transient and steady state performance of prototypical heat pipe space radiator elements are in preparation for testing in low earth orbit. It is anticipated that these heat pipes will be tested aborad the Space Shuttle in 1995. Three heat pipes will be tested in a cargo bay Get Away Special (GAS) canister. The heat pipes are SST/potassium, each with a different wick structure; homogeneous, arterial, and annular gap, the heat pipes have been designed, fabricated, and ground tested. In this paper, the heat pipe designs are specified, and transient and steady-state ground test data are presented

Performance correlations for high temperature potassium heat pipes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merrigan, M.A.; Keddy, E.S.; Sena, J.T.

1987-01-01

Potassium heat pipes designed for operation at a nominal temperature of 775K have been developed for use in a heat pipe cooled reactor design. The heat pipes operate in a gravity assist mode with a maximum required power throughput of approximately 16 kW per heat pipe. Based on a series of sub-scale experiments with 2.12 and 3.2 cm diameter heat pipes the prototypic heat pipe diameter was set at 5.7 cm with a simple knurled wall wick used in the interests of mechanical simplicity. The performance levels required for this design had been demonstrated in prior work with gutter assisted wicks and emphasis in the present work was on the attainment of similar performance with a simplified wick structure. The wick structure used in the experiment consisted of a pattern of knurled grooves in the internal wall of the heat pipe. The knurl depth required for the planned heat pipe performance was determined by scaling of wick characteristic data from the sub-scale tests. These tests indicated that the maximum performance limits of the test heat pipes did not follow normal entrainment limit predictions for textured wall gravity assist heat pipes. Test data was therefore scaled to the prototype design based on the assumption that the performance was controlled by an entrainment parameter based on the liquid flow depth in the groove structure. This correlation provided a reasonable fit to the sub-scale test data and was used in scale up of the design from the 8.0 cm 2 cross section of the largest sub-scale heat pipe to the 25.5 cm 2 cross section prototype. Correlation of the model predictions with test data from the prototype is discussed

Heat pipe heat exchanger and its potential to energy recovery in the tropics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yau Yat H.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The heat recovery by the heat pipe heat exchangers was studied in the tropics. Heat pipe heat exchangers with two, four, six, and eight numbers of rows were examined for this purpose. The coil face velocity was set at 2 m/s and the temperature of return air was kept at 24°C in this study. The performance of the heat pipe heat exchangers was recorded during the one week of operation (168 hours to examine the performance data. Then, the collected data from the one week of operation were used to estimate the amount of energy recovered by the heat pipe heat exchangers annually. The effect of the inside design temperature and the coil face velocity on the energy recovery for a typical heat pipe heat exchanger was also investigated. In addition, heat pipe heat exchangers were simulated based on the effectiveness-NTU method, and their theoretical values for the thermal performance were compared with the experimental results.

Proposal of a fluid flow layout to improve the heat transfer in the active absorber surface of solar central cavity receivers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montes, M.J.; Rovira, A.; Martínez-Val, J.M.; Ramos, A.

2012-01-01

The main objective of concentrated solar power is to increase the thermal energy of a fluid, for the fluid to be used, for example, in a power cycle to generate electricity. Such applications present the requirement of appropriately designing the receiver active absorber surface, as the incident radiation flux can be very high. Besides that, the solar image in the receiver is not uniform, so conventional boilers designs are not well suited for these purposes. That point is particularly critical in solar central receivers systems (CRS), where concentrated solar flux is usually above 500 kW/m 2 , causing thermal and mechanical stress in the absorber panels. This paper analyzes a new thermofluidynamic design of a solar central receiver, which optimizes the heat transfer in the absorber surface. This conceptual receiver presents the following characteristics: the fluid flow pattern is designed according to the radiation flux map symmetry, so more uniform fluid temperatures at the receiver outlet are achieved; the heat transfer irreversibilities are reduced by circulating the fluid from the lower temperature region to the higher temperature region of the absorber surface; the width of each pass is adjusted to the solar flux gradient, to get lower temperature differences between the side tubes of the same pass; and the cooling requirement is ensured by means of adjusting the fluid flow velocity per tube, taking into account the pressure drop. This conceptual scheme has been applied to the particular case of a molten salt single cavity receiver, although the configuration proposed is suitable for other receiver designs and working fluids. - Highlights: ► The solar receiver design proposed optimizes heat transfer in the absorber surface. ► The fluid flow pattern is designed according to the solar flux map symmetry at noon. ► The fluid circulates from the lower to the higher temperature regions. ► The width of each pass is adjusted to the solar flux gradient. �

Gravity-assist heat pipes for thermal control systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deverall, J.E.; Keddy, E.S.; Kemme, J.E.; Phillips, J.R.

1975-06-01

Sodium heat pipes, operating in the gravity-assist mode, have been incorporated into irradiation capsules to provide a means for establishing and controlling a desired specimen temperature. Investigations were made of new wick structures for potassium heat pipes to operate at lower temperatures and higher heat transfer rates, and a helical trough wick structure was developed with an improved heat transfer capability in the temperature range of interest. Test results of these heat pipes led to the study of a new heat pipe limit which had not previously been considered. (12 references) (U.S.)

Visual observation of a heat pipe working characteristics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuyuzaki, Noriyoshi; Saito, Takashi; Ishigami, Shinya; Kawada, Michitaka; Konno, Masanobu; Kaminaga, Fumito; Okamoto, Yoshizo.

1988-10-01

When the heat pipe is used in a nuclear engineering field, it is indispensable to understand transient characteristics of an accident condition as well as in a steady state at a normal operation. However there have been few informations about the transient characteristics of a heat pipe in case of rapid temperature or heat load change in an evaporator section. The purpose of this study is to examine transient and steady state characteristics of a gravity assisted heat pipe and variable conductance heat pipe(VCHP) which will be used in a neutron irradiation capsule. This report presents results of visual observation of boiling and condensation patterns on steady state or transient condition in a visible heat pipe made of a glass. The response time of the heat pipe is on the order of a few seconds when the temperature of the evaporator part is kept above the operating temperature. (author)

The role of heat pipes in intensified unit operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reay, David; Harvey, Adam

2013-01-01

Heat pipes are heat transfer devices that rely, most commonly, on the evaporation and condensation of a working fluid contained within them, with passive pumping of the condensate back to the evaporator. They are sometimes referred to as ‘thermal superconductors’ because of their exceptionally high effective thermal conductivity (substantially higher than any metal). This, together with several other characteristics make them attractive to a range of intensified unit operations, particularly reactors. The majority of modern computers deploy heat pipes for cooling of the CPU. The application areas of heat pipes come within a number of broad groups, each of which describes a property of the heat pipe. The ones particularly relevant to chemical reactors are: i. Separation of heat source and sink. ii. Temperature flattening, or isothermalisation. iii. Temperature control. Chemical reactors, as a heat pipe application area, highlight the benefits of the heat pipe based on isothermalisation/temperature flattening device and on being a highly effective heat transfer unit. Temperature control, done passively, is also of relevance. Heat pipe technology offers a number of potential benefits to reactor performance and operation. The aim of increased yield of high purity, high added value chemicals means less waste and higher profitability. Other intensified unit operations, such as those employing sorption processes, can also profit from heat pipe technology. This paper describes several variants of heat pipe and the opportunities for their use in intensified plant, and will give some current examples. -- Highlights: ► Heat pipes – thermal superconductors – can lead to improved chemical reactor performance. ► Isothermalisation within a reactor vessel is an ideal application. ► The variable conductance heat pipe can control reaction temperatures within close limits. ► Heat pipes can be beneficial in intensified reactors

Literature review and experimental investigation of heat pipes

Science.gov (United States)

Barsch, W. O.; Schoenhals, R. J.; Viskanta, R.; Winter, E. R. F.

1971-01-01

Tests on heat pipes determine operational limits, external boundary conditions, noncondensable gas effects, startup behavior, and geometric configurations. Experiment consists of design, construction, and testing of an apparatus for measuring wick properties, conventional heat pipes and coplanar heat pipes.

Numerical study on heat transfer characteristics of thermosyphon heat pipes using nanofluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huminic, Gabriela; Huminic, Angel

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Numerical study of nanofluid heat transfer in thermosyphon heat pipes is performed. • Effect of nanoparticle concentration and operating temperature are studied. • Fe 2 O 3 –water nanofluid with 5.3% volume concentration shows the best performance. • Results show the improvement the thermal performances of thermosyphon heat pipe with nanofluids. - Abstract: In this work, a three-dimensional analysis is used to investigate the heat transfer of thermosyphon heat pipe using water and nanofluids as the working fluid. The study focused mainly on the effects of volume concentrations of nanoparticles and the operating temperature on the heat transfer performance of the thermosyphon heat pipe using the nanofluids. The analysis was performed for water and γ-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles, three volume concentrations of nanoparticles (0 vol.%, 2 vol.% and 5.3 vol.%) and four operating temperatures (60, 70, 80 and 90 °C). The numerical results show that the volume concentration of nanoparticles had a significant effect in reducing the temperature difference between the evaporator and condenser. Experimental and numerical results show qualitatively that the thermosyphon heat pipe using the nanofluid has better heat transfer characteristics than the thermosyphon heat pipe using water

Modular assembly of a photovoltaic solar energy receiver

Science.gov (United States)

Graven, Robert M.; Gorski, Anthony J.; Schertz, William W.; Graae, Johan E. A.

1978-01-01

There is provided a modular assembly of a solar energy concentrator having a photovoltaic energy receiver with passive cooling. Solar cell means are fixedly coupled to a radiant energy concentrator. Tension means bias a large area heat sink against the cell thereby allowing the cell to expand or contract with respect to the heat sink due to differential heat expansion.

Heat-pipe transient model for space applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tournier, J.; El-Genk, M.S.; Juhasz, A.J.

1991-01-01

A two-dimensional model is developed for simulating heat pipes transient performance following changes in the input/rejection power or in the evaporator/condenser temperatures. The model employs the complete form of governing equations and momentum and energy jump conditions at the liquid-vapor interface. Although the model is capable of handling both cylindrical and rectangular geometries, the results reported are for a circular heat pipe with liquid lithium as the working fluid. The model incorporates a variety of other working fluids, such as water, ammonia, potassium, sodium, and mercury, and offers combinations of isothermal, isoflux, convective and radiative heating/cooling conditions in the evaporator and condenser regions of the heat pipe. Results presented are for lithium heat pipes with exponential heating of the evaporator and isothermal cooling of the condenser

Working Fluids for Increasing Capacities of Heat Pipes

Science.gov (United States)

Chao, David F.; Zhang, Nengli

2004-01-01

A theoretical and experimental investigation has shown that the capacities of heat pipes can be increased through suitable reformulation of their working fluids. The surface tensions of all of the working fluids heretofore used in heat pipes decrease with temperature. As explained in more detail below, the limits on the performance of a heat pipe are associated with the decrease in the surface tension of the working fluid with temperature, and so one can enhance performance by reformulating the working fluid so that its surface tension increases with temperature. This improvement is applicable to almost any kind of heat pipe in almost any environment. The heat-transfer capacity of a heat pipe in its normal operating-temperature range is subject to a capillary limit and a boiling limit. Both of these limits are associated with the temperature dependence of surface tension of the working fluid. In the case of a traditional working fluid, the decrease in surface tension with temperature causes a body of the liquid phase of the working fluid to move toward a region of lower temperature, thus preventing the desired spreading of the liquid in the heated portion of the heat pipe. As a result, the available capillary-pressure pumping head decreases as the temperature of the evaporator end of the heat pipe increases, and operation becomes unstable. Water has widely been used as a working fluid in heat pipes. Because the surface tension of water decreases with increasing temperature, the heat loads and other aspects of performance of heat pipes that contain water are limited. Dilute aqueous solutions of long-chain alcohols have shown promise as substitutes for water that can offer improved performance, because these solutions exhibit unusual surface-tension characteristics: Experiments have shown that in the cases of an aqueous solution of an alcohol, the molecules of which contain chains of more than four carbon atoms, the surface tension increases with temperature when the

Building America Case Study: Addressing Multifamily Piping Losses with Solar Hot Water, Davis, California

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2016-12-01

Solar thermal water heating is most cost effective when applied to multifamily buildings and some states offer incentives or other inducements to install them. However, typical solar water heating designs do not allow the solar generated heat to be applied to recirculation losses, only to reduce the amount of gas or electric energy needed for hot water that is delivered to the fixtures. For good reasons, hot water that is recirculated through the building is returned to the water heater, not to the solar storage tank. The project described in this report investigated the effectiveness of using automatic valves to divert water that is normally returned through the recirculation piping to the gas or electric water heater instead to the solar storage tank. The valves can be controlled so that the flow is only diverted when the returning water is cooler than the water in the solar storage tank.

Heat Pipes Reduce Engine-Exhaust Emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Schultz, D. F.

1986-01-01

Increased fuel vaporization raises engine efficiency. Heat-pipe technology increased efficiency of heat transfer beyond that obtained by metallic conduction. Resulted in both improved engine operation and reduction in fuel consumption. Raw material conservation through reduced dependence on strategic materials also benefit from this type of heat-pipe technology. Applications result in improved engine performance and cleaner environment.

An air-based corrugated cavity-receiver for solar parabolic trough concentrators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bader, Roman; Pedretti, Andrea; Barbato, Maurizio; Steinfeld, Aldo

2015-01-01

Highlights: • We analyze a novel tubular cavity-receiver for solar parabolic trough collectors. • Four-fold solar concentration ratio is reached compared to conventional receivers. • Efficient operation at up to 500 °C is possible. • The pumping power requirement is found to be acceptably low. - Abstract: A tubular cavity-receiver that uses air as the heat transfer fluid is evaluated numerically using a validated heat transfer model. The receiver is designed for use on a large-span (9 m net concentrator aperture width) solar parabolic trough concentrator. Through the combination of a parabolic primary concentrator with a nonimaging secondary concentrator, the collector reaches a solar concentration ratio of 97.5. Four different receiver configurations are considered, with smooth or V-corrugated absorber tube and single- or double-glazed aperture window. The collector’s performance is characterized by its optical efficiency and heat loss. The optical efficiency is determined with the Monte Carlo ray-tracing method. Radiative heat exchange inside the receiver is calculated with the net radiation method. The 2D steady-state energy equation, which couples conductive, convective, and radiative heat transfer, is solved for the solid domains of the receiver cross-section, using finite-volume techniques. Simulations for Sevilla/Spain at the summer solstice at solar noon (direct normal solar irradiance: 847 W m −2 , solar incidence angle: 13.9°) yield collector efficiencies between 60% and 65% at a heat transfer fluid temperature of 125 °C and between 37% and 42% at 500 °C, depending on the receiver configuration. The optical losses amount to more than 30% of the incident solar radiation and constitute the largest source of energy loss. For a 200 m long collector module operated between 300 and 500 °C, the isentropic pumping power required to pump the HTF through the receiver is between 11 and 17 kW

Experimental analytical study on heat pipes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ismail, K.A.R.; Liu, C.Y.; Murcia, N.

1981-01-01

An analytical model is developed for optimizing the thickness distribution of the porous material in heat pipes. The method was used to calculate, design and construct heat pipes with internal geometrical changes. Ordinary pipes are also constructed and tested together with the modified ones. The results showed that modified tubes are superior in performance and that the analytical model can predict their performance to within 1.5% precision. (Author) [pt

Heat transfer characteristics and operation limit of pressurized hybrid heat pipe for small modular reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kyung Mo; Bang, In Cheol

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Thermal performances and operation limits of hybrid heat pipe were experimentally studied. • Models for predicting the operation limit of the hybrid heat pipe was developed. • Non-condensable gas affected heat transfer characteristics of the hybrid heat pipe. - Abstract: In this paper, a hybrid heat pipe is proposed for use in advanced nuclear power plants as a passive heat transfer device. The hybrid heat pipe combines the functions of a heat pipe and a control rod to simultaneously remove the decay heat generated from the core and shutdown the reactor under accident conditions. Thus, the hybrid heat pipe contains a neutron absorber in the evaporator section, which corresponds to the core of the reactor pressure vessel. The presence of the neutron absorber material leads to differences in the heated diameter and hydraulic diameter of the heat pipe. The cross-sectional areas of the vapor paths through the evaporator, adiabatic, and condenser sections are also different. The hybrid heat pipe must operate in a high-temperature, high-pressure environment to remove the decay heat. In other words, the operating pressure must be higher than those of the commercially available thermosyphons. Hence, the thermal performances, including operation limit of the hybrid heat pipe, were experimentally studied in the operating pressure range of 0.2–20 bar. The operating pressure of the hybrid heat pipe was controlled by charging the non-condensable gas which is unused method to achieve the high saturation pressure in conventional thermosyphons. The effect of operating pressure on evaporation heat transfer was negligible, while condensation heat transfer was affected by the amount of non-condensable gas in the test section. The operation limit of the hybrid heat pipe increased with the operating pressure. Maximum heat removal capacity of the hybrid heat pipe was up to 6 kW which is meaningful value as a passive decay heat removal device in the nuclear power

The influence of the key limiting factors on the limitations of heat transfer in heat pipes with various working fluids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melnyk R. S.

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Aluminium and copper heat pipes with grooved and metal fibrous capillary structure are high effective heat transfer devices. They are used in different cooling systems of electronic equipment like a LED modules, microprocessors, receive-transmit modules and so on. However thus heat pipes have heat transfer limitations. There are few types of this limitations: hydraulic limitation, boiling limitation, liquid entrainment by vapor flow and sonic limitation. There is necessity to know which one of these limitations is determinant for heat pipe due to design process. At a present article calculations of maximum heat transfer ability represented. All these calculations were made for LED cooling by using heat pipes with grooved and metal fibrous capillary structures. Pentane, acetone, isobutane and water were used as a coolants. It was shown that the main operation limit for axial grooved heat pipe, which determinate maximum heat transfer ability due to inclination angle for location of cooling zone higher than evaporation zone case, is entrainment limit for pentane and acetone coolants. Nevertheless, for isobutane coolant the main limitation is a boiling limit. However, for heat pipes with metal fibrous capillary structure the main limitation is a capillary limit. This limitation was a determinant for all calculated coolants: water, pentane and acetone. For high porosity range of capillary structure, capillary limit transfer to sonic limit for heat pipes with water, that means that the vapor velocity increases to sonic velocity and can't grow any more. Due to this, coolant cant in a needed quantity infill condensation zone and the last one drained. For heat pipes with acetone and pentane, capillary limit transfer to boiling limit. All calculations were made for vapor temperature equal to 50°C, and for porosity range from 30% to 90%.

Experimental results of acetone hydrogenation on a heat exchanger type reactor for solar chemical heat pump; Solar chemical heat pump ni okeru acetone suisoka hanno netsu kaishu jikken

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takashima, T; Doi, T; Tanaka, T; Ando, Y [Electrotechnical Laboratory, Tsukuba (Japan); Miyahara, R; Kamoshida, J [Shibaura Institute of Technology, Tokyo (Japan)

1996-10-27

With the purpose of converting solar heat energy to industrial heat energy, an experiment of acetone hydrogenation was carried out using a heat exchanger type reactor that recovers heat generated by acetone hydrogenation, an exothermic reaction, and supplies it to an outside load. In the experiment, a pellet-like activated carbon-supported ruthenium catalyst was used for the acetone hydrogenation with hydrogen and acetone supplied to the catalyst layer at a space velocity of 400-1,200 or so. In the external pipe of the double-pipe type reactor, a heating medium oil was circulated in parallel with the flow of the reactant, with the heat of reaction recovered that was generated from the acetone hydrogenation. In this experiment, an 1wt%Ru/C catalyst and a 5wt%Ru/C catalyst were used so as to examine the effects of variation in the space velocity. As a result, from the viewpoint of recovering the heat of reaction, it was found desirable to increase the reaction speed by raising catalytic density and also to supply the reactant downstream inside the reaction pipe by increasing the space velocity. 1 ref., 6 figs., 1 tab.

Experimental Investigation of A Heat Pipe-Assisted Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage System

Science.gov (United States)

Tiari, Saeed; Mahdavi, Mahboobe; Qiu, Songgang

2016-11-01

In the present work, different operation modes of a latent heat thermal energy storage system assisted by a heat pipe network were studied experimentally. Rubitherm RT55 enclosed by a vertical cylindrical container was used as the Phase Change Material (PCM). The embedded heat pipe network consisting of a primary heat pipe and an array of four secondary heat pipes were employed to transfer heat to the PCM. The primary heat pipe transports heat from the heat source to the heat sink. The secondary heat pipes transfer the extra heat from the heat source to PCM during charging process or retrieve thermal energy from PCM during discharging process. The effects of heat transfer fluid (HTF) flow rate and temperature on the thermal performance of the system were investigated for both charging and discharging processes. It was found that the HTF flow rate has a significant effect on the total charging time of the system. Increasing the HTF flow rate results in a remarkable increase in the system input thermal power. The results also showed that the discharging process is hardly affected by the HTF flow rate but HTF temperature plays an important role in both charging and discharging processes. The authors would like to acknowledge the financial supports by Temple University for the project.

Radiant heating tests of several liquid metal heat-pipe sandwich panels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Camarda, C.J.; Basiulis, A.

1983-08-01

Integral heat pipe sandwich panels, which synergistically combine the thermal efficiency of heat pipes and the structural efficiency of honeycomb sandwich construction, were conceived as a means of alleviating thermal stress problems in the Langley Scramjet Engine. Test panels which utilized two different wickable honeycomb cores, facesheets with screen mesh sintered to the internal surfaces, and a liquid metal working fluid (either sodium or potassium) were tested by radiant heating at various heat load levels. The heat pipe panels reduced maximum temperature differences by 31 percent with sodium working fluid and 45 percent with potassium working fluid. Results indicate that a heat pipe sandwich panel is a potential, simple solution to the engine thermal stress problem. Other interesting applications of the concept include: cold plates for electronic component and circuit card cooling, radiators for large space platforms, low distortion large area structures (e.g., space antennas) and laser mirrors

Heat-pipe development for the SPAR space-power system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ranken, W.A.

1981-01-01

The SPAR space power system design is based on a high temperature fast spectrum nuclear reactor that furnishes heat to a thermoelectric conversion system to generate an electrical power output of 100 kW/sub (e)/. An important feature of this design is the use of alkali metal heat pipes to provide redundant, reliable, and low-loss heat transfer at high temperature. Three sets of heat pipes are used in the system. These include sodium/molybdenum heat pipes to transfer heat from the reactor core to the conversion system, potassium/niobium heat pipes to couple the conversion system to the radiator in a redundant manner, and potassium/titanium heat pipes to distribute rejected heat throughout the radiator surface. The designs of these units are discussed and fabrication methods and testing results are described. 12 figures

Space qualification of high capacity grooved heat pipes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dubois, M; Mullender, B; Druart, J [SABCA, Societe Anomyme Belgel de Construction Aeronautique (Belgium); Supper, W; Beddows, A [ESTEC-The (Netherlands)

1997-12-31

Based on the thermal requirements of the future telecommunication satellites, the development of a High Capacity Grooved Heat Pipe (HPG), was contracted by ESA to SABCA leading to an aluminium extruded heat pipe (outer diameter of 25 mm) based on a multi re-entrant grooves design. After an intensive acceptance test campaign whose results showed a good confidence in the design and the fulfillment of the required specifications of heat transport and on tilt capability (experimental maximum heat transport capability of 1500 Watt metres for a vapour temperature of 20 deg C), similar heat pipes have been developed with various outer diameters (11 mm, 15 mm and 20 mm) and with various shapes (circular outer shapes, integrated saddles). Several of these heat pipes were tested during two parabolic flight campaigns, by varying the heat loads during the micro-gravity periods. This HGP heat pipe family is now being submitted to a space qualification program according to ESA standards (ESA PSS-49), both in straight and bent configuration. Within this qualification, the heat pipes are submitted to an extended test campaign including environmental (random/sinus vibration, constant acceleration) and thermal tests (thermal performance, thermal cycle, thermal soak, ageing). (authors) 9 refs.

Space qualification of high capacity grooved heat pipes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dubois, M.; Mullender, B.; Druart, J. [SABCA, Societe Anomyme Belgel de Construction Aeronautique (Belgium); Supper, W.; Beddows, A. [ESTEC-The (Netherlands)

1996-12-31

Based on the thermal requirements of the future telecommunication satellites, the development of a High Capacity Grooved Heat Pipe (HPG), was contracted by ESA to SABCA leading to an aluminium extruded heat pipe (outer diameter of 25 mm) based on a multi re-entrant grooves design. After an intensive acceptance test campaign whose results showed a good confidence in the design and the fulfillment of the required specifications of heat transport and on tilt capability (experimental maximum heat transport capability of 1500 Watt metres for a vapour temperature of 20 deg C), similar heat pipes have been developed with various outer diameters (11 mm, 15 mm and 20 mm) and with various shapes (circular outer shapes, integrated saddles). Several of these heat pipes were tested during two parabolic flight campaigns, by varying the heat loads during the micro-gravity periods. This HGP heat pipe family is now being submitted to a space qualification program according to ESA standards (ESA PSS-49), both in straight and bent configuration. Within this qualification, the heat pipes are submitted to an extended test campaign including environmental (random/sinus vibration, constant acceleration) and thermal tests (thermal performance, thermal cycle, thermal soak, ageing). (authors) 9 refs.

Heat pipes with variable thermal conductance property for space applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kravets, V.; Alekseik, Ye.; Alekseik, O.; Khairnasov, S. [National Technical University of Ukraine, Kyiv (Ukraine); Baturkin, V.; Ho, T. [Explorationssysteme RY-ES, Bremen (Germany); Celotti, L. [Active Space Technologies GmbH, Berlin (Germany)

2017-06-15

The activities presented in this paper demonstrate a new approach to provide passive thermal control using heat pipes, as demonstrated on the electronic unit of DLR’s MASCOT lander, which embarked on the NEA sample return mission Hayabusa 2 (JAXA). The focus is on the development and testing of heat pipes with variable thermal conductance in a predetermined temperature range. These heat pipes act as thermal switches. Unlike standard gasloaded heat pipes and thermal-diode heat pipes construction of presented heat pipes does not include any additional elements. Copper heat pipes with metal fibrous wicks were chosen as baseline design. We obtained positive results by choosing the heat carrier and structural parameters of the wick (i.e., pore diameter, porosity, and permeability). The increase in the thermal conductivity of the heat pipes from 0.04 W/K to 2.1 W/K was observed in the temperature range between −20 °C and +55 °C. Moreover, the heat pipes transferred the predetermined power of not less than 10 W within the same temperature range. The heat pipes have been in flight since December 2014, and the supporting telemetry data were obtained in September 2015. The data showed the nominal operation of the thermal control system.

Experimental investigation on EV battery cooling and heating by heat pipes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Q.; Jiang, B.; Xue, Q.F.; Sun, H.L.; Li, B.; Zou, H.M.; Yan, Y.Y.

2015-01-01

Enhancing battery safety and thermal behaviour are critical for electric vehicles (EVs) because they affect the durability, energy storage, lifecycle, and efficiency of the battery. Prior studies of using air, liquid or phase change materials (PCM) to manage the battery thermal environment have been investigated over the last few years, but only a few take heat pipes into account. This paper aims to provide a full experimental characterisation of heat pipe battery cooling and heating covering a range of battery ‘off-normal’ conditions. Two representative battery cells and a substitute heat source ranging from 2.5 to 40 W/cell have been constructed. Results show that the proposed method is able to keep the battery surface temperature below 40 °C if the battery generates less than 10 W/cell, and helps reduce the battery temperature down to 70 °C under uncommon thermal abuse conditions (e.g. 20–40 W/cell). Additionally, the feasibility of using sintered copper-water heat pipes under sub-zero temperatures has been assessed experimentally by exposing the test rig to −15 °C/−20 °C for more than 14 h. Data indicates that the heat pipe was able to function immediately after long hours of cold exposure and that sub-zero temperature conditions had little impact on heat pipe performance. We therefore conclude that the proposed method of battery cooling and heating via heat pipes is a viable solution for EVs

Design, Fabrication, and Efficiency Study of a Novel Solar Thermal Water Heating System: Towards Sustainable Development

OpenAIRE

M. Z. H. Khan; M. R. Al-Mamun; S. Sikdar; P. K. Halder; M. R. Hasan

2016-01-01

This paper investigated a novel loop-heat-pipe based solar thermal heat-pump system for small scale hot water production for household purposes. The effective use of solar energy is hindered by the intermittent nature of its availability, limiting its use and effectiveness in domestic and industrial applications especially in water heating. The easiest and the most used method is the conversion of solar energy into thermal energy. We developed a prototype solar water heating system for experi...

Effect of nanofluids on thermal performance of heat pipes

OpenAIRE

Ferizaj, Drilon; Kassem, Mohamad

2014-01-01

A relatively new way for utilizing the thermal performance of heat pipes is to use nanofluids as working fluids in the heat pipes. Heat pipes are effective heat transfer devices in which the nanofluid operates in the two phases, evaporation and condensation. The heat pipe transfers the heat supplied in e.g. a laptop, from the evaporator to condenser part. Nanofluids are mixtures consisting of nanoparticles (e.g. nano-sized silver particles) and a base fluid (e.g. water). The aim of this bache...

Evaluation of piping heat transfer, piping flow regimes, and steam generator heat transfer for the Semiscale Mod-1 isothermal tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

French, R.T.

1975-08-01

Selected experimental data pertinent to piping heat transfer, transient fluid flow regimes, and steam generator heat transfer obtained during the Semiscale Mod-1 isothermal blowdown test series (Test Series 1) are analyzed. The tests in this first test series were designed to provide counterparts to the LOFT nonnuclear experiments. The data from the Semiscale Mod-1 intact and broken loop piping are evaluated to determine the surface heat flux and average heat transfer coefficients effective during the blowdown transient and compared with well known heat transfer correlations used in the RELAP4 computer program. Flow regimes in horizontal pipe sections are calculated and compared with data obtained from horizontal and vertical densitometers and with an existing steady state flow map. Effects of steam generator heat transfer are evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively. The Semiscale Mod-1 data and the analysis presented in this report are valuable for evaluating the adequacy and improving the predictive capability of analytical models developed to predict system response to piping heat transfer, piping flow regimes, and steam generator heat transfer during a postulated loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) in a pressurized water reactor (PWR). 16 references. (auth)

NIM gas controlled sodium heat pipe

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, X.; Zhang, J. T.; Merlone, A.; Duan, Y.; Wang, W.

2013-09-01

Gas controlled heat pipes (GCHPs) provide a uniform, stable and reproducible temperature zone to calibrate thermometers and thermocouples, and to realize defining fixed points using a calorimetric method. Therefore, to perform such investigations, a GCHP furnace using sodium as its working fluid was constructed at the National Institute of Metrology (NIM), China. Also, investigations into the thermal characteristics of the NIM gas controlled sodium heat pipe were carried out. The temperature stability over 5 hours was better than ±0.25 mK while controlling the pressure at 111250 Pa. The temperature uniformity within 14 cm from the bottom of the thermometer well was within 0.3 mK. While keeping the pressure stable at the same value, 17 temperature determinations were performed over 14 days, obtaining a temperature reproducibility of 1.27 mK. Additionally, the NIM gas controlled sodium heat pipe was compared with the sodium heat pipe produced by INRiM. The temperature in the INRiM sodium heat pipe operating at 111250 Pa was determined, obtaining a difference of 21 mK with respect to the NIM GCHP. This difference was attributed to sodium impurities, pressure controller capabilities and reproducibility, and instabilities of high temperature standard platinum resistance thermometers (HTSPRTs). Further investigations will be carried out on extending the pressure/temperature range and connecting both GCHPs to the same pressure line.

Heat pipe applications for future Air Force spacecraft

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahefkey, T.; Barthelemy, R.R.

1980-01-01

This paper summarizes the envisioned, future usage of high and low temperature heat pipes in advanced Air Force spacecraft. Thermal control requirements for a variety of communications, surveillance, and space defense missions are forecast. Thermal design constraints implied by survivability to potential weapons effects are outlined. Applications of heat pipes to meet potential low and high power spacecraft mission requirements and envisioned design constraints are suggested. A brief summary of past Air Force sponsored heat pipe development efforts is presented and directions for future development outlined, including those applicable to advanced photovoltaic and nuclear power subsystem applications of heat pipes

Evaluating Program about Performance of Circular Sodium Heat Pipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwak, Jae Sik; Kim, Hee Reyoung

2014-01-01

The superior heat transfer capability, structural simplicity, relatively inexpensive, insensitivity to the gravitational field, silence and reliability are some of its outstanding features. We study about heat transfer equation of heat pipe and program predicting performance which is considering geometrical shape of heat pipe by the related heat transfer equation of heat pipe. The operating temperature is 450 .deg. C - 950 .deg. C, working fluid is sodium, material for container is stainless steel, and type of wick is sintered metal. As a result of evaluating program about performance of circular sodium heat pipe based on MATLAB code, express correlation between radius and LHR, correlation between heat transfer length and LHR, correlation between wick and LHR, correlation between operating temperature and LHR. Generally radius values of heat pipe are proportional to LHR because of increase of mass flow which is main factor of heat flow. Heat transfer length values of heat pipe are inversely proportional to LHR and slightly inversely proportional to heat rate. Pore size is proportional to LHR. Although increase of pore size decrease capillary pressure, decrease more pressure drop in liquid phase. As a result, mass flow and heat rate are increase. But we have to do additional consideration about pore size and voidage in the aspect of safety and production technique

Evaluating Program about Performance of Circular Sodium Heat Pipe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kwak, Jae Sik; Kim, Hee Reyoung [Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2014-10-15

The superior heat transfer capability, structural simplicity, relatively inexpensive, insensitivity to the gravitational field, silence and reliability are some of its outstanding features. We study about heat transfer equation of heat pipe and program predicting performance which is considering geometrical shape of heat pipe by the related heat transfer equation of heat pipe. The operating temperature is 450 .deg. C - 950 .deg. C, working fluid is sodium, material for container is stainless steel, and type of wick is sintered metal. As a result of evaluating program about performance of circular sodium heat pipe based on MATLAB code, express correlation between radius and LHR, correlation between heat transfer length and LHR, correlation between wick and LHR, correlation between operating temperature and LHR. Generally radius values of heat pipe are proportional to LHR because of increase of mass flow which is main factor of heat flow. Heat transfer length values of heat pipe are inversely proportional to LHR and slightly inversely proportional to heat rate. Pore size is proportional to LHR. Although increase of pore size decrease capillary pressure, decrease more pressure drop in liquid phase. As a result, mass flow and heat rate are increase. But we have to do additional consideration about pore size and voidage in the aspect of safety and production technique.

Heat pipe with PCM for electronic cooling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weng, Ying-Che; Cho, Hung-Pin; Chang, Chih-Chung; Chen, Sih-Li

2011-01-01

This article experimentally investigates the thermal performances of a heat pipe with phase change material for electronic cooling. The adiabatic section of heat pipe is covered by a storage container with phase change material (PCM), which can store and release thermal energy depending upon the heating powers of evaporator and fan speeds of condenser. Experimental investigations are conducted to obtain the system temperature distributions from the charge, discharge and simultaneous charge/discharge performance tests. The parameters in this study include three kinds of PCMs, different filling PCM volumes, fan speeds, and heating powers in the PCM cooling module. The cooling module with tricosane as PCM can save 46% of the fan power consumption compared with the traditional heat pipe.

Installation guidelines for Solar Heating System, single-family residence at New Castle, Pennsylvania

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1980-01-01

The Solar Heating System installer guidelines are provided for each subsystem and includes testing and filling the system. This single-family residential heating system is a solar-assisted, hydronic-to-warm-air system with solar-assisted domestic water heating. It is composed of the following major components: liquid cooled flat plate collectors; water storage tank; passive solar-fired domestic water preheater; electric hot water heater; heat pump with electric backup; solar hot water coil unit; tube-and-shell heat exchanger, three pumps, and associated pipes and valving in an energy transport module; control system; and air-cooled heat purge unit. Information is also provided on the operating procedures, controls, caution requirements, and routine and schedule maintenance. Information consists of written procedures, schematics, detail drawings, pictures and manufacturer's component data.

Turbulent Heat Transfer in Curved Pipe Flow

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Changwoo; Yang, Kyung-Soo

2013-11-01

In the present investigation, turbulent heat transfer in fully-developed curved pipe flow with axially uniform wall heat flux has been numerically studied. The Reynolds numbers under consideration are Reτ = 210 (DNS) and 1,000 (LES) based on the mean friction velocity and the pipe radius, and the Prandtl number (Pr) is 0.71. For Reτ = 210 , the pipe curvature (κ) was fixed as 1/18.2, whereas three cases of κ (0.01, 0.05, 0.1) were computed in the case of Reτ = 1,000. The mean velocity, turbulent intensities and heat transfer rates obtained from the present calculations are in good agreement with the previous numerical and experimental results. To elucidate the secondary flow structures due to the pipe curvature, the mean quantities and rms fluctuations of the flow and temperature fields are presented on the pipe cross-sections, and compared with those of the straight pipe flow. To study turbulence structures and their influence on turbulent heat transfer, turbulence statistics including but not limited to skewness and flatness of velocity fluctuations, cross-correlation coefficients, an Octant analysis, and turbulence budgets are presented and discussed. Based on our results, we attempt to clarify the effects of Reynolds number and the pipe curvature on turbulent heat transfer. This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (2010-0008457).

A three-dimensional thermal-fluid analysis of flat heat pipes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiao, Bin; Faghri, Amir [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut, 261 Glenbrook Road, Unit 2337, Storrs, CT 06269 (United States)

2008-06-15

A detailed, three-dimensional model has been developed to analyze the thermal hydrodynamic behaviors of flat heat pipes without empirical correlations. The model accounts for the heat conduction in the wall, fluid flow in the vapor chambers and porous wicks, and the coupled heat and mass transfer at the liquid/vapor interface. The flat pipes with and without vertical wick columns in the vapor channel are intensively investigated in the model. Parametric effects, including evaporative heat input and size on the thermal and hydrodynamic behavior in the heat pipes, are investigated. The results show that, the vertical wick columns in the vapor core can improve the thermal and hydrodynamic performance of the heat pipes, including thermal resistance, capillary limit, wall temperature, pressure drop, and fluid velocities due to the enhancement of the fluid/heat mechanism form the bottom condenser to the top evaporator. The results predict that higher evaporative heat input improves the thermal and hydrodynamic performance of the heat pipe, and shortening the size of heat pipe degrades the thermal performance of the heat pipe. (author)

A study on the heat transfer characteristics of a self-oscillating heat pipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Seok Hun; Oh, Cheol; Choi, Jae Hyuk

2002-01-01

In this paper, the heat transfer characteristics of a self-oscillating heat pipe are experimentally investigated for the effect of various working fluid fill charge ratios and heat loads. The characteristics of temperature oscillations of the working fluid are also analysed based on chaotic dynamics. The heat pipe is composed of a heating section, a cooling section and an adiabatic section, and has a 0.002m internal diameter, a 0.34m length in each turn and consists of 19 turns. The heating and the cooling portion of each turn has a length of 70mm. A series of experiments was carried out to measure the temperature distributions and the pressure variations of the heat pipe. Furthermore, heat transfer performance, effective thermal conductivity, boiling heat transfer and condensation heat transfer coefficients are calculated for various operating conditions. Experimental results show the efficacy of this type of heat pipe

Cooling Acoustic Transcucer with Heat Pipes

Science.gov (United States)

2009-07-19

circuits to a heat sink. [0009] In Kan et al (United States Patent No. 6,528,909), a spindle motor assembly is disclosed which has a shaft with an...integral heat pipe. The shaft with the integral heat pipe improves the thermal conductively of the shaft and the spindle motor assembly. The shaft ...2) Description of the Prior Art [0004] It is known in the art that transducers, designed to project acoustic power, are often limited by the

Cooling Acoustic Transducer with Heat Pipes

Science.gov (United States)

2009-07-29

a heat sink. [0009] In Kan et al (United States Patent No. 6,528,909), a spindle motor assembly is disclosed which has a shaft with an integral...heat pipe. The shaft with the integral heat pipe improves the thermal conductively of the shaft and the spindle motor assembly. The shaft includes...Description of the Prior Art [0004] It is known in the art that transducers, designed to project acoustic power, are often limited by the build

Modelling and performance of heat pipes with long evaporator sections

Science.gov (United States)

Wits, Wessel W.; te Riele, Gert Jan

2017-11-01

This paper presents a planar cooling strategy for advanced electronic applications using heat pipe technology. The principle idea is to use an array of relatively long heat pipes, whereby heat is disposed to a long section of the pipes. The proposed design uses 1 m long heat pipes and top cooling through a fan-based heat sink. Successful heat pipe operation and experimental performances are determined for seven heating configurations, considering active bottom, middle and top sections, and four orientation angles (0°, 30°, 60° and 90°). For all heating sections active, the heat pipe oriented vertically in an evaporator-down mode and a power input of 150 W, the overall thermal resistance was 0.014 K/W at a thermal gradient of 2.1 K and an average operating temperature of 50.7 °C. Vertical operation showed best results, as can be expected; horizontally the heat pipe could not be tested up to the power limit and dry-out occurred between 20 and 80 W depending on the heating configuration. Heating configurations without the bottom section active demonstrated a dynamic start-up effect, caused by heat conduction towards the liquid pool and thereafter batch-wise introducing the working fluid into the two-phase cycle. By analysing the heat pipe limitations for the intended operating conditions, a suitable heat pipe geometry was chosen. To predict the thermal performance a thermal model using a resistance network was created. The model compares well with the measurement data, especially for higher input powers. Finally, the thermal model is used for the design of a 1 kW planar system-level electronics cooling infrastructure featuring six 1 m heat pipes in parallel having a long ( 75%) evaporator section.

NASA Lewis steady-state heat pipe code users manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tower, L.K.

1992-06-01

The NASA Lewis heat pipe code has been developed to predict the performance of heat pipes in the steady state. The code can be used as a design tool on a personal computer or, with a suitable calling routine, as a subroutine for a mainframe radiator code. A variety of wick structures, including a user input option, can be used. Heat pipes with multiple evaporators, condensers, and adiabatic sections in series and with wick structures that differ among sections can be modeled. Several working fluids can be chosen, including potassium, sodium, and lithium, for which the monomer-dimer equilibrium is considered. The code incorporates a vapor flow algorithm that treats compressibility and axially varying heat input. This code facilitates the determination of heat pipe operating temperatures and heat pipe limits that may be encountered at the specified heat input and environment temperature. Data are input to the computer through a user-interactive input subroutine. Output, such as liquid and vapor pressures and temperatures, is printed at equally spaced axial positions along the pipe as determined by the user

Performance Measurements of a 7 mm-Diameter Hydrogen Heat Pipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel-Bary, M.; Abdel-Samad, S.; Kiliana, K.; Ritman, J.; Abdel-Bary, M.; Abdel-Samad, S.

2008-01-01

A gravity assisted heat pipe with 7-mm diameter has been developed and tested to cool a liquid hydrogen target for extracted beam experiments at COSY. The liquid flowing down from the condenser surface is separated from the vapor flowing up by a thin wall 3 mm diameter plastic tube located concentrically inside the heat pipe. The heat pipe was tested at different inclination angles with respect to the horizontal plane. The heat pipe showed good operating characteristics because of the low radiation heat load from the surroundings, low heat capacity due to the small mass, higher sensitivity to heat loads (to overcome the heat load before the complete vaporization of the liquid in the target cell) due to the higher vapor speed inside the heat pipe which transfers the heat load to the condenser

Influence of the receiver’s back surface radiative characteristics on the performance of a heat-pipe evacuated-tube solar collector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, Hongfei; Xiong, Jianying; Su, Yuehong; Zhang, Haiyin

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A model for describing the heat transfer characteristics of the ETSC is derived. • A method by performing roughness treatment is proposed to change the emissivity. • Increasing the receiver’s back surface emissivity can greatly affect the heat loss. • Real weather test verifies the proposed method in controlling overheat phenomenon. - Abstract: The receiver’s back surface radiative characteristics of a heat-pipe evacuated-tube solar collector (ETSC) may have a significant influence on its performance. This influence is generally related to the back surface emissivity and temperature; however it has been not studied previously. This paper firstly presents a heat transfer model for the ETSC, which is then derived to characterize the relationship between the heat loss and the back surface emissivity of the ETSC. A steady state experiment has been also performed to measure the heat loss of ETSC with different back surface emissivity values. The experimental results indicate that the heat loss of the ETSC increases with the increase of the back surface emissivity, but the rate of increase differs for different operation temperatures. When the back surface emissivity increases from 0.03 to 0.12, the heat loss of ETSC only increases by 31% when the operation temperature is below 100 °C, but the heat loss will increase to 96% when the operation temperature is over 200 °C. This means that the change of back surface emissivity can significantly affect the performance of the ETSC at higher temperature but affect little at lower temperature. Based on this, a novel method by performing roughness treatment on the receiver’s back surface is proposed to solve the overheating problem of ETSC in summer. Two solar water heaters including 6 ETSCs with standard and roughness-treated tubes were tested under real weather condition. Experiment reveals that when the water temperature in tank is below 60 °C, the two solar water heaters own similar temperature

Theoretical and experimental analysis of a solar thermoelectric power generation device based on gravity-assisted heat pipes and solar irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Zhe; Li, Wenbin; Kan, Jiangming; Xu, Daochun

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A technical solution to the power supply of wireless sensor networks is presented. • The low voltage produced by device is boosted from around 1 V to more than 4 V. • An output current and voltage of the device is acquired as 343 mA and 1057 mV. • The device provides output power 362.56 mW in no electricity conditions. • The economic value of device is demonstrated. - Abstract: Solar thermoelectric power generation has been widely used to solve the power supply limitation issue for low-power wireless sensors because of its light weight, high reliability, low cost, lack of noise, and environmental friendliness. A solar thermoelectric power generation system based on gravity-assisted heat pipes and solar radiation is devised in this paper, and its behavior is continuously measured in realistic outdoor circumstances. The effects of key parameters, including solar luminous flux, load resistance, a proportional coefficient, and a relative Seebeck coefficient, are analyzed. Related experimental results show that the device can output a voltage of 1057 mV and an electrical current of 343 mA, resulting in an output power of 362.56 mW. With a stable external energy conversion module under aluminous flux of 7.81 × 10"4 lx, the voltage converted from the nature solar radiation is boosted from 1057 mV to 4.40 V, which meets the rated operating voltage of low power consumption components, such as low-power wireless sensors and ZigBee modules. An economic analysis of the system shows that the solar thermoelectric power generation device is both economically and technically competitive when it is applied in a low-voltage wireless sensor network.

Heat Rejection from a Variable Conductance Heat Pipe Radiator Panel

Science.gov (United States)

Jaworske, D. A.; Gibson, M. A.; Hervol, D. S.

2012-01-01

A titanium-water heat pipe radiator having an innovative proprietary evaporator configuration was evaluated in a large vacuum chamber equipped with liquid nitrogen cooled cold walls. The radiator was manufactured by Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (ACT), Lancaster, PA, and delivered as part of a Small Business Innovative Research effort. The radiator panel consisted of five titanium-water heat pipes operating as thermosyphons, sandwiched between two polymer matrix composite face sheets. The five variable conductance heat pipes were purposely charged with a small amount of non-condensable gas to control heat flow through the condenser. Heat rejection was evaluated over a wide range of inlet water temperature and flow conditions, and heat rejection was calculated in real-time utilizing a data acquisition system programmed with the Stefan-Boltzmann equation. Thermography through an infra-red transparent window identified heat flow across the panel. Under nominal operation, a maximum heat rejection value of over 2200 Watts was identified. The thermal vacuum evaluation of heat rejection provided critical information on understanding the radiator s performance, and in steady state and transient scenarios provided useful information for validating current thermal models in support of the Fission Power Systems Project.

Experimental Investigation of Heat Pipe Startup Under Reflux Mode

Science.gov (United States)

Ku, Jentung

2018-01-01

In the absence of body forces such as gravity, a heat pipe will start as soon as its evaporator temperature reaches the saturation temperature. If the heat pipe operates under a reflux mode in ground testing, the liquid puddle will fill the entire cross sectional area of the evaporator. Under this condition, the heat pipe may not start when the evaporator temperature reaches the saturation temperature. Instead, a superheat is required in order for the liquid to vaporize through nucleate boiling. The amount of superheat depends on several factors such as the roughness of the heat pipe internal surface and the gravity head. This paper describes an experimental investigation of the effect of gravity pressure head on the startup of a heat pipe under reflux mode. In this study, a heat pipe with internal axial grooves was placed in a vertical position with different tilt angles relative to the horizontal plane. Heat was applied to the evaporator at the bottom and cooling was provided to the condenser at the top. The liquid-flooded evaporator was divided into seven segments along the axial direction, and an electrical heater was attached to each evaporator segment. Heat was applied to individual heaters in various combinations and sequences. Other test variables included the condenser sink temperature and tilt angle. Test results show that as long as an individual evaporator segment was flooded with liquid initially, a superheat was required to vaporize the liquid in that segment. The amount of superheat required for liquid vaporization was a function of gravity pressure head imposed on that evaporator segment and the initial temperature of the heat pipe. The most efficient and effective way to start the heat pipe was to apply a heat load with a high heat flux to the lowest segment of the evaporator.

Studies on split heat pipe type adsorption ice-making test unit for fishing boats: Choice of heat pipe medium and experiments under unsteady heating sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, L.W.; Wang, R.Z.; Lu, Z.S.; Chen, C.J.

2006-01-01

The split heat pipe type compound adsorption ice maker for fishing boats not only has the advantage of large volume cooling density but also has the advantage of less power consumption and high heat transfer performance. The available heat pipe media for the split heat pipe type compound adsorption ice maker, which are methanol, acetone and water are studied and compared in this paper, and the heat pipe medium of water shows the better performance for the reason of its stable heating and cooling process and high heat transfer performance. Considering the waste heat recovered from the diesel engine on fishing boats varies when the velocity of the fishing boat changes, the refrigeration performances at the condition of different values of heating power are studied while water is used as the heat pipe medium. Results show that the cooling power, as while as COP and SCP decrease when the heating power decreases. The highest COP and SCP are 0.41 and 731 W/kg, respectively, at the highest heating power of 4.2 kW, and the values decrease by 22% and 33%, respectively, when the heating power decreases by 15%. The values decrease by 32% and 51%, respectively, when the heating power decreases by 30%. The performance of the adsorption ice maker for the fishing boat with the 6160A type diesel engine is estimated, and the results show that the cooling power and ice productivity are as high as 5.44 kW and 1032 kg ice per day, respectively, even if the recovered waste heat decreases by 30% compared with the normal value. It can satisfy the ice requirements of such a fishing boat

Heat-Pipe-Associated Localized Thermoelectric Power Generation System

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Pan-Jo; Rhi, Seok-Ho; Lee, Kye-Bock; Hwang, Hyun-Chang; Lee, Ji-Su; Jang, Ju-Chan; Lee, Wook-Hyun; Lee, Ki-Woo

2014-06-01

The present study focused on how to improve the maximum power output of a thermoelectric generator (TEG) system and move heat to any suitable space using a TEG associated with a loop thermosyphon (loop-type heat pipe). An experimental study was carried out to investigate the power output, the temperature difference of the thermoelectric module (TEM), and the heat transfer performance associated with the characteristic of the researched heat pipe. Currently, internal combustion engines lose more than 35% of their fuel energy as recyclable heat in the exhaust gas, but it is not easy to recycle waste heat using TEGs because of the limited space in vehicles. There are various advantages to use of TEGs over other power sources, such as the absence of moving parts, a long lifetime, and a compact system configuration. The present study presents a novel TEG concept to transfer heat from the heat source to the sink. This technology can transfer waste heat to any location. This simple and novel design for a TEG can be applied to future hybrid cars. The present TEG system with a heat pipe can transfer heat and generate power of around 1.8 V with T TEM = 58°C. The heat transfer performance of a loop-type heat pipe with various working fluids was investigated, with water at high heat flux (90 W) and 0.05% TiO2 nanofluid at low heat flux (30 W to 70 W) showing the best performance in terms of power generation. The heat pipe can transfer the heat to any location where the TEM is installed.

Heat-rejection design for large concentrating solar arrays

Science.gov (United States)

French, E. P.

1980-01-01

This paper considers the effect of heat rejection devices (radiators) on the performance and cost of large concentrating solar arrays for space application. Overall array characteristics are derived from the weight, cost, and performance of four major components; namely primary structure, optics/secondary structure, radiator, and solar panel. An ideal concentrator analysis is used to establish general cost and performance trends independent of specific array design. Both passive and heat-pipe radiation are evaluated, with an incremental cost-of-power approach used in the evaluation. Passive radiators are found to be more cost effective with silicon than with gallium arsenide (GaAs) arrays. Representative concentrating arrays have been evaluated for both near-term and advanced solar cell technology. Minimum cost of power is achieved at geometric concentration ratios in the range 2 to 6.

ASTRID© - Advanced Solar Tubular ReceIver Design: A powerful tool for receiver design and optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Frantz, Cathy; Fritsch, Andreas; Uhlig, Ralf

2017-06-01

In solar tower power plants the receiver is one of the critical components. It converts the solar radiation into heat and must withstand high heat flux densities and high daily or even hourly gradients (due to passage of clouds). For this reason, the challenge during receiver design is to find a reasonable compromise between receiver efficiency, reliability, lifetime and cost. There is a strong interaction between the heliostat field, the receiver and the heat transfer fluid. Therefore, a proper receiver design needs to consider these components within the receiver optimization. There are several design and optimization tools for receivers, but most of them focus only on the receiver, ignoring the heliostat field and other parts of the plant. During the last years DLR developed the ASTRIDcode for tubular receiver concept simulation. The code comprises both a high and a low-detail model. The low-detail model utilizes a number of simplifications which allow the user to screen a high number of receiver concepts for optimization purposes. The high-detail model uses a FE model and is able to compute local absorber and salt temperatures with high accuracy. One key strength of the ASTRIDcode is its interface to a ray tracing software which simulates a realistic heat flux distributions on the receiver surface. The results generated by the ASTRIDcode have been validated by CFD simulations and measurement data.

Introduction to Loop Heat Pipes

Science.gov (United States)

Ku, Jentung

2015-01-01

This is the presentation file for the short course Introduction to Loop Heat Pipes, to be conducted at the 2015 Thermal Fluids and Analysis Workshop, August 3-7, 2015, Silver Spring, Maryland. This course will discuss operating principles and performance characteristics of a loop heat pipe. Topics include: 1) pressure profiles in the loop; 2) loop operating temperature; 3) operating temperature control; 4) loop startup; 4) loop shutdown; 5) loop transient behaviors; 6) sizing of loop components and determination of fluid inventory; 7) analytical modeling; 8) examples of flight applications; and 9) recent LHP developments.

The efficiency of an open-cavity tubular solar receiver for a small-scale solar thermal Brayton cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Roux, W.G.; Bello-Ochende, T.; Meyer, J.P.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Results show efficiencies of a low-cost stainless steel tubular cavity receiver. • Optimum ratio of 0.0035 is found for receiver aperture area to concentrator area. • Smaller receiver tube and higher mass flow rate increase receiver efficiency. • Larger tube and smaller mass flow rate increase second law efficiency. • Large-tube receiver performs better in the small-scale solar thermal Brayton cycle. - Abstract: The first law and second law efficiencies are determined for a stainless steel closed-tube open rectangular cavity solar receiver. It is to be used in a small-scale solar thermal Brayton cycle using a micro-turbine with low compressor pressure ratios. There are many different variables at play to model the air temperature increase of the air running through such a receiver. These variables include concentrator shape, concentrator diameter, concentrator rim angle, concentrator reflectivity, concentrator optical error, solar tracking error, receiver aperture area, receiver material, effect of wind, receiver tube diameter, inlet temperature and mass flow rate through the receiver. All these variables are considered in this paper. The Brayton cycle requires very high receiver surface temperatures in order to be successful. These high temperatures, however, have many disadvantages in terms of heat loss from the receiver, especially radiation heat loss. With the help of ray-tracing software, SolTrace, and receiver modelling techniques, an optimum receiver-to-concentrator-area ratio of A′ ≈ 0.0035 was found for a concentrator with 45° rim angle, 10 mrad optical error and 1° tracking error. A method to determine the temperature profile and net heat transfer rate along the length of the receiver tube is presented. Receiver efficiencies are shown in terms of mass flow rate, receiver tube diameter, pressure drop, maximum receiver surface temperature and inlet temperature of the working fluid. For a 4.8 m diameter parabolic dish, the

Heat pipes. Design and industrial applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Semeria, R.

1974-01-01

Heat pipes are thermosiphons with vaporization where we can distinguish a boiler, a condenser, and eventually an adiabatic zone. To insure the returning liquid flow from the condenser to the boiler, surface tension forces, associated with the gravity forces, if need be, are used. For this, the condensing liquid is sucked by a capillary structure, generally situated against the inner wall. The review of the design methods, and particularly the prediction of the maximal performances shows the advantages and limitations of such devices. The main difficulties are technological for the heat pipes with high temperature liquid metals. The thermohydrodynamical limitations are: the maximum power which can be calculated by a balance between the friction forces and the active ones, the maximum heat flux leading to the dry-out of the evaporator, the critical conditions for the start up associated with the sonic conditions in the vapour phase. The description of heat pipes designed for some industrial applications (mainly for space) is given [fr

Effect of heat treatment on the grooving corrosion resistance of ERW pipes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jong Kwon; Lee, Jae Young; Lim, Soo Hyun; Park, Ji Hwan; Seo, Bo Min; Kim, Seon Hwa

2002-01-01

The v-sharp grooving corrosion of ERW(electrical resistance welding) steel pipes limited their wide application in the industry in spite of their high productivity and efficiency. The grooving corrosion is caused mainly by the different microstructures between the matrix and weld that is formed during the rapid heating and cooling cycle in welding. By this localized corrosion reaction of pipes, it evolves economic problems such as the early damage of industrial facilities and pipe lines of apartment, and water pollution. Even though the diminishing of sulfur content is most effective to decrease the susceptibility of grooving corrosion, it requires costly process. In this study, improvement of grooving corrosion resistance was pursuited by post weld heat treatment in the temperature range between 650 .deg. C and 950 .deg. C. Also, the effect of heat input in the welding was investigated. By employing chromnoamperometry and potentiodynamic experiment, the corrosion rate and grooving corrosion index(α) were obtained. It was found that heat treatment could improve the grooving corrosion resistance. Among them, the heat treated at 900 .deg. C and 950 .deg. C had excellent grooving corrosion resistance. The index of heat treated specimen at 900 .deg. C and 950 .deg. C were 1.0, 1.2, respectively, which are almost immune to the grooving corrosion. Potential difference after the heat treatment, between base and weld metal was decreased considerably. While the as-received one measured 61∼71 mV, that of the 900 .deg. C heat treated steel pipe measured only 10mV. The results were explained and discussed

Experimental study on heat pipe heat removal capacity for passive cooling of spent fuel pool

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiong, Zhenqin; Wang, Minglu; Gu, Hanyang; Ye, Cheng

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A passively cooling SFP heat pipe with an 8.2 m high evaporator was tested. • Heat removed by the heat pipe is in the range of 3.1–16.8 kW. • The heat transfer coefficient of the evaporator is 214–414 W/m 2 /K. • The heat pipe performance is sensitive to the hot water temperature. - Abstract: A loop-type heat pipe system uses natural flow with no electrically driven components. Therefore, such a system was proposed to passively cool spent fuel pools during accidents to improve nuclear power station safety especially for station blackouts such as those in Fukushima. The heat pipe used for a spent fuel pool is large due to the spent fuel pool size. An experimental heat pipe test loop was developed to estimate its heat removal capacity from the spent fuel pool during an accident. The 7.6 m high evaporator is heated by hot water flowing vertically down in an assistant tube with a 207-mm inner diameter. R134a was used as the potential heat pipe working fluid. The liquid R134a level was 3.6 m. The tests were performed for water velocities from 0.7 to 2.1 × 10 −2 m/s with water temperatures from 50 to 90 °C and air velocities from 0.5 m/s to 2.5 m/s. The results indicate significant heat is removed by the heat pipe under conditions that may occur in the spent fuel pool

Simulation of boiling flow in evaporator of separate type heat pipe with low heat flux

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuang, Y.W.; Wang, Wen; Zhuan, Rui; Yi, C.C.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A boiling flow model in a separate type heat pipe with 65 mm diameter tube. • Nucleate boiling is the dominant mechanism in large pipes at low mass and heat flux. • The two-phase heat transfer coefficient is less sensitive to the total mass flux. - Abstract: The separate type heat pipe heat exchanger is considered to be a potential selection for developing passive cooling spent fuel pool – for the passive pressurized water reactor. This paper simulates the boiling flow behavior in the evaporator of separate type heat pipe, consisting of a bundle of tubes of inner diameter 65 mm. It displays two-phase characteristic in the evaporation section of the heat pipe working in low heat flux. In this study, the two-phase flow model in the evaporation section of the separate type heat pipe is presented. The volume of fluid (VOF) model is used to consider the interaction between the ammonia gas and liquid. The flow patterns and flow behaviors are studied and the agitated bubbly flow, churn bubbly flow are obtained, the slug bubble is likely to break into churn slug or churn froth flow. In addition, study on the heat transfer coefficients indicates that the nucleate boiling is the dominant mechanism in large pipes at low mass and heat flux, with the heat transfer coefficient being less sensitive to the total mass flux

Thermal Performance and Operation Limit of Heat Pipe Containing Neutron Absorber

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Kyung Mo; Jeong, Yeong Shin; Kim, In Guk; Bang, In Choel [UNIST, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

Recently, passive safety systems are under development to ensure the core cooling in accidents involving impossible depressurization such as station blackout (SBO). Hydraulic control rod drive mechanisms, passive auxiliary feedwater system (PAFS), Passive autocatalystic recombiner (PAR), and so on are types of passive safety systems to enhance the safety of nuclear power plants. Heat pipe is used in various engineering fields due to its advantages in terms of easy fabrication, high heat transfer rate, and passive heat transfer. Also, the various concepts associated with safety system and heat transfer using the heat pipe were developed in nuclear engineering field.. Thus, our group suggested the hybrid control rod which combines the functions of existing control rod and heat pipe. If there is significant temperature difference between active core and condenser, the hybrid control rod can shutdown the nuclear fission reaction and remove the decay heat from the core to ultimate heat sink. The unique characteristic of the hybrid control rod is the presence of neutron absorber inside the heat pipe. Many previous researchers studied the effect of parameters on the thermal performance of heat pipe. However, the effect of neutron absorber on the thermal performance of heat pipe has not been investigated. Thus, the annular heat pipe which contains B{sub 4}C pellet in the normal heat pipe was prepared and the thermal performance of the annular heat pipe was studied in this study. Hybrid control rod concept was developed as a passive safety system of nuclear power plant to ensure the safety of the reactor at accident condition. The hybrid control rod must contain the neutron absorber for the function as a control rod. So, the effect of neutron absorber on the thermal performance of heat pipe was experimentally investigated in this study. Temperature distributions at evaporator section of annular heat pipe were lower than normal heat pipe due to the larger volume occupied by

Survey of heat-pipe application under nuclear environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuyuzaki, Noriyoshi; Saito, Takashi; Okamoto, Yoshizo; Hishida, Makoto; Negishi, Kanji.

1986-11-01

Heat pipes today are employed in a wide variety of special heat transfer applications including nuclear reactor. In this nuclear technology area in Japan, A headway speed of the heat pipe application technique is not so high because of safety confirmation and investigation under each developing step. Especially, the outline of space craft is a tendency to increase the size. Therefore, the power supply is also tendency to increase the outlet power and keep the long life. Under SP-100 project, the development of nuclear power supply system which power is 1400 - 1600 KW thermal and 100 KW electric power is steadily in progress. Many heat pipes are adopted for thermionic conversion and coolant system in order to construct more safety and light weight system for the project. This paper describes the survey of the heat pipe applications under the present and future condition for nuclear environment. (author)

A high performance cocurrent-flow heat pipe for heat recovery applications

Science.gov (United States)

Saaski, E. W.; Hartl, J. C.

1980-01-01

By the introduction of a plate-and-tube separator assembly into a heat pipe vapor core, it has been demonstrated that axial transport capacity in reflux mode can be improved by up to a factor of 10. This improvement is largely the result of eliminating the countercurrent shear that commonly limits reflux heat pipe axial capacity. With benzene, axial heat fluxes up to 1800 W/sq cm were obtained in the temperature range 40 to 80 C, while heat flux densities up to 3000 W/sq cm were obtained with R-11 over the temperature range 40 to 80 C. These very high axial capacities compare favorably with liquid metal limits; the sonic limit for liquid sodium, for example, is 3000 W/sq cm at 657 C. Computational models developed for these cocurrent flow heat pipes agreed with experimental data within + or - 25%.

Performance testing of a hydrogen heat pipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alario, J.; Kosson, R.

1980-01-01

Test results are presented for a reentrant groove heat pipe with hydrogen working fluid. The heat pipe became operational between 20 and 30 K after a cooldown from 77 K without any difficulty. Steady-state performance data taken over a 19 to 23 K temperature range indicated the following: (1) maximum heat transport capacity 5.4 W-m (2) static wicking height 1.42 cm and (3) overall heat pipe conductance 1.7 W/C. These data agreed remarkably well with extrapolations made from comparable ammonia test results. The maximum heat transport capacity is 9.5% larger than the extrapolated value, but the static wicking height is the same. The overall conductance is 29% of the ammonia value, which is close to the ratio of liquid thermal conductivities (24%). Also, recovery from a completely frozen condition was accomplished within 5 min by simply applying an evaporater heat load of 1.8 W

Review of liquid metal heat pipe work at Los Alamos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reid, R.S.; Merrigan, M.A.; Sena, J.T.

1990-01-01

A survey of space-power related liquid metal heat pipe work at Los Alamos National Laboratory is presented. Heat pipe development at Los Alamos has been on-going since 1963. Heat pipes were initially developed for thermionic nuclear-electrical power production in space. Since then Los Alamos has developed liquid metal heat pipes for numerous applications related to high temperature systems in both the space and terrestrial environments. Some of these applications include thermionic electrical generators, thermoelectric energy conversion (both in-core and direct radiation), thermal energy storage, hypersonic vehicle leading edge cooling, and heat pipe vapor laser cells. Some of the work performed at Los Alamos has been documented in internal reports that are often little-known. A representative description and summary of progress in space-related liquid metal heat pipe technology is provided followed by a reference section citing sources where these works may be found. 53 refs

Experimental research of heat recuperators in ventilation systems on the basis of heat pipes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matveev Andrey

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the results of experimental studies of heat pipes and their thermo-technical characteristics (heat power, conductivity, heat transfer resistance, heat-transfer coefficient, temperature level and differential, etc.. The theoretical foundations and the experimental methods of the research of ammonia heat pipes made of aluminum section АS – КRА 7.5 – R1 (made of the alloy AD - 31 are explained. The paper includes the analysis of the thermo-technical characteristics of heat pipes as promising highly efficient heat transfer devices, which may be used as the basic elements of heat exchangers - heat recuperators for exhaust ventilation air, capable of providing energy-saving technologies in ventilation systems for housing and public utilities and for various branches of industry. The thermo-technical characteristics of heat pipes (HP as the basic elements of a decentralized supply-extract ventilation system (DSEVS and energy-saving technologies are analyzed. As shown in the test report of the ammonia horizontal HP made of the section АS-КRА 7,5-R1-120, this pipe ensures safe operation under various loads.

Finned Carbon-Carbon Heat Pipe with Potassium Working Fluid

Science.gov (United States)

Juhasz, Albert J.

2010-01-01

This elemental space radiator heat pipe is designed to operate in the 700 to 875 K temperature range. It consists of a C-C (carbon-carbon) shell made from poly-acrylonitride fibers that are woven in an angle interlock pattern and densified with pitch at high process temperature with integrally woven fins. The fins are 2.5 cm long and 1 mm thick, and provide an extended radiating surface at the colder condenser section of the heat pipe. The weave pattern features a continuous fiber bath from the inner tube surface to the outside edges of the fins to maximize the thermal conductance, and to thus minimize the temperature drop at the condenser end. The heat pipe and radiator element together are less than one-third the mass of conventional heat pipes of the same heat rejection surface area. To prevent the molten potassium working fluid from eroding the C C heat pipe wall, the shell is lined with a thin-walled, metallic tube liner (Nb-1 wt.% Zr), which is an integral part of a hermetic metal subassembly which is furnace-brazed to the inner surface of the C-C tube. The hermetic metal liner subassembly includes end caps and fill tubes fabricated from the same Nb-1Zr alloy. A combination of laser and electron beam methods is used to weld the end caps and fill tubes. A tungsten/inert gas weld seals the fill tubes after cleaning and charging the heat pipes with potassium. The external section of this liner, which was formed by a "Uniscan" rolling process, transitions to a larger wall thickness. This section, which protrudes beyond the C-C shell, constitutes the "evaporator" part of the heat pipe, while the section inside the shell constitutes the condenser of the heat pipe (see figure).

Conceptual design of advanced central receiver power systems sodium-cooled receiver concept. Volume 2, Book 2. Appendices. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1979-03-01

The appendices include: (A) design data sheets and P and I drawing for 100-MWe commercial plant design, for all-sodium storage concept; (B) design data sheets and P and I drawing for 100-MWe commercial plant design, for air-rock bed storage concept; (C) electric power generating water-steam system P and I drawing and equipment list, 100-MWe commercial plant design; (D) design data sheets and P and I drawing for 281-MWe commercial plant design; (E) steam generator system conceptual design; (F) heat losses from solar receiver surface; (G) heat transfer and pressure drop for rock bed thermal storage; (H) a comparison of alternative ways of recovering the hydraulic head from the advanced solar receiver tower; (I) central receiver tower study; (J) a comparison of mechanical and electromagnetic sodium pumps; (K) pipe routing study of sodium downcomer; and (L) sodium-cooled advanced central receiver system simulation model. (WHK)

Evaluation of an earth heat storage system in a solar energy greenhouse

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Q.; Langrell, J.; Boris, R. [Manitoba Univ., Winnipeg, MB (Canada). Dept. of Biosystems Engineering

2010-07-01

Greenhouses store solar energy in the walls and floors during the daytime and release the stored energy back to the greenhouse at night. In this study, an earth heat storage system was constructed and tested in a solar energy greenhouse in order to enhance energy storage. The system consisted of a network of perforated pipes buried in the soil at depths from 0.3 to 1 m. The warm air near the greenhouse ceiling was drawn to the buried pipes. Soil and air temperatures were recorded at various locations by a network of thermocouples. The energy balance was analyzed in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the earth heat storage system. The temperature profiles in the soil were used to determine the summer recharge and winter energy depletion behaviour of the system.

Low Cost High Performance Generator Technology Program. Volume 5. Heat pipe topical, appendices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-07-01

Work performed by Dynatherm Corporation for Teledyne Isotopes during a program entitled ''Heat Pipe Fabrication, Associated Technical Support and Reporting'' is reported. The program was initiated on November 29, 1972; the main objectives were accomplished with the delivery of the heat pipes for the HPG. Life testing of selected heat pipe specimens is continuing to and beyond the present date. The program consisted of the following tasks: Heat Pipe Development of Process Definition; Prototype Heat Pipes for Fin Segment Test; HPG Heat Pipe Fabrication and Testing; Controlled Heat Pipe Life Test; and Heat Pipe Film Coefficient Determination

Experimental study of thermal performance of heat pipe with axial trapezoidal grooves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suh, Jeong Se; Lee, Woon

2003-01-01

Analysis and experiment are performed to investigate the thermal performance of a heat pipe with axial grooves. The heat pipe was designed in a 6.5 mm I.D., 17 axial trapezoidal grooves, 1000 mm long tube of aluminium, and ammonia as working fluid. A mathematical equations for heat pipe with axial grooves is formulated to obtain the capillary limitation on heat transport rate in a steady state. As a result, heat transport factor of heat pipe has the maximum at the operating temperature of 293K in 0m elevation. As the elevation of heat pipe increases, the heat transport factor of the heat pipe is reduced markedly, comparing with that of horizontal elevation of the heat pipe. It may be considered that such behavior of heat pipe is caused by the working fluid swarmed back to the condenser port due to gravity force and supercooled by a coolant of heat exchanger. Analytical results of heat transport factor are in a good agreement with those of experiment

Behavior study on Na heat pipe in passive heat removal system of new concept molten salt reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Chenglong; Tian Wenxi; Su Guanghui; Zhang Dalin; Wu Yingwei; Qiu Suizheng

2013-01-01

The high temperature Na heat pipe is an effective device for transporting heat, which is characterized by remarkable advantages in conductivity, isothermally and passively working. The application of Na heat pipe on passive heat removal system of new concept molten salt reactor (MSR) is significant. The transient performance of high temperature Na heat pipe was simulated by numerical method under the MSR accident. The model of the Na heat pipe was composed of three conjugate heat transfer zones, i.e. the vapor, wick and wall. Based on finite element method, the governing equations were solved by making use of FORTRAN to acquire the profiles of the temperature, velocity and pressure for the heat pipe transient operation. The results show that the high temperature Na heat pipe has a good performance on operating characteristics and high heat transfer efficiency from the frozen state. (authors)

Experimental investigation of a manifold heat-pipe heat exchanger

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konev, S.V.; Wang Tszin' Lyan'; D'yakov, I.I.

1995-01-01

Results of experimental investigations of a heat exchanger on a manifold water heat pipe are given. An analysis is made of the temperature distribution along the heat-transfer agent path as a function of the transferred heat power. The influence of the degree of filling with the heat transfer agent on the operating characteristics of the construction is considered

Analysis of the transient compressible vapor flow in heat pipes

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, J. H.; Faghri, A.; Chang, W. S.

1989-01-01

The transient compressible one-dimensional vapor flow dynamics in a heat pipe is modeled. The numerical results are obtained by using the implicit non-iterative Beam-Warming finite difference method. The model is tested for simulated heat pipe vapor flow and actual vapor flow in cylindrical heat pipes. A good comparison of the present transient results for the simulated heat pipe vapor flow with the previous results of a two-dimensional numerical model is achieved and the steady state results are in agreement with the existing experimental data. The transient behavior of the vapor flow under subsonic, sonic, and supersonic speeds and high mass flow rates are successfully predicted. The one-dimensional model also describes the vapor flow dynamics in cylindrical heat pipes at high temperatures.

Analysis of the transient compressible vapor flow in heat pipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, J.H.; Faghri, A.; Chang, W.S.

1989-07-01

The transient compressible one-dimensional vapor flow dynamics in a heat pipe is modeled. The numerical results are obtained by using the implicit non-iterative Beam-Warming finite difference method. The model is tested for simulated heat pipe vapor flow and actual vapor flow in cylindrical heat pipes. A good comparison of the present transient results for the simulated heat pipe vapor flow with the previous results of a two-dimensional numerical model is achieved and the steady state results are in agreement with the existing experimental data. The transient behavior of the vapor flow under subsonic, sonic, and supersonic speeds and high mass flow rates are successfully predicted. The one-dimensional model also describes the vapor flow dynamics in cylindrical heat pipes at high temperatures

Analysis of the transient compressible vapor flow in heat pipe

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Jong Hoon; Faghri, Amir; Chang, Won Soon

1989-01-01

The transient compressible one-dimensional vapor flow dynamics in a heat pipe is modeled. The numerical results are obtained by using the implicit non-iterative Beam-Warming finite difference method. The model is tested for simulated heat pipe vapor flow and actual flow in cylindrical heat pipes. A good comparison of the present transient results for the simulated heat pipe vapor flow with the previous results of a two-dimensional numerical model is achieved and the steady state results are in agreement with the existing experimental data. The transient behavior of the vapor flow under subsonic, sonic, and supersonic speeds and high mass flow rates are successfully predicted. The one-dimensional model also describes the vapor flow dynamics in cylindrical heat pipes at high temperatures.

Loop heat pipes - highly efficient heat-transfer devices for systems of sun heat supply

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maydanik, Yu. [Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg (Russian Federation). Inst. of Thermophysics

2004-07-01

Loop heat pipes (LHPs) are hermetic heat-transfer devices operating on a closed evaporation-condensation cycle with the use of capillary pressure for pumping the working fluid [1]. In accordance with this, they possess all the main advantages of conventional heat pipes, but, as distinct from the latter, have a considerably higher heat-transfer capacity, especially when operating in the ''antigravity'' regime, when heat is transferred from above downwards. Besides, LHPs possess a higher functional versatility, are adaptable to different operating conditions and provide great scope for various design embodiments. This is achieved at the expense of both the original design of the device and the properties of the wick - a special capillary structure used for the creation of capillary pressure. The LHP schematic diagram is given in Fig. 1. The device contains an evaporator and a condenser - heat exchanger connected by means of smooth-walled pipe-lines with a relatively small diameter intended for separate motion of vapor and liquid. At present loop heat pipes are most extensively employed in thermoregulation systems of spacecrafts. Miniature LHPs are used for cooling electronics and computers. At the same time there exists a considerable potential of using these devices for the recovery of low-grade (waste) heat from different sources, and also in systems of sun heat supply. In the latter case LHPs may serve as an efficient heat-transfer link between a sun collector and a heat accumulator, which has a low thermal resistance and does not consume any additional energy for pumping the working fluid between them. (orig.)

Experimental and numerical analysis of convective heat losses from spherical cavity receiver of solar concentrator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shewale Vinod C.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Spherical cavity receiver of solar concentrator is made up of Cu tubing material having cavity diameter 385 mm to analyze the different heat losses such as conduction, convection and radiation. As the convection loss plays major role in heat loss analysis of cavity receiver, the experimental analysis is carried out to study convective heat loss for the temperature range of 55-75°C at 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90° inclination angle of downward facing cavity receiver. The numerical analysis is carried out to study convective heat loss for the low temperature range (55-75°C as well as high temperature range (150-300 °C for no wind condition only. The experimental set-up mainly consists of spherical cavity receiver which is insulated with glass wool insulation to reduce the heat losses from outside surface. The numerical analysis is carried out by using CFD software and the results are compared with the experimental results and found good agreement. The result shows that the convective loss increases with decrease in cavity inclination angle and decreases with decrease in mean cavity receiver temperature. The maximum losses are obtained at 0° inclination angle and the minimum losses are obtained at 90° inclination angle of cavity due to increase in stagnation zone in to the cavity from 0° to 90° inclination. The Nusselt number correlation is developed for the low temperature range 55-75°C based on the experimental data. The analysis is also carried out to study the effect of wind speed and wind direction on convective heat losses. The convective heat losses are studied for two wind speeds (3 m/s and 5 m/s and four wind directions [α is 0° (Side-on wind, 30°, 60°, and 90° (head-on wind]. It is found that the convective heat losses for both wind speed are higher than the losses obtained by no wind test. The highest heat losses are found for wind direction α is 60° with respect to receiver stand and lowest heat losses are found

Heat pipe cooling system for underground, radioactive waste storage tanks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooper, K.C.; Prenger, F.C.

1980-02-01

An array of 37 heat pipes inserted through the central hole at the top of a radioactive waste storage tank will remove 100,000 Btu/h with a heat sink of 70 0 F atmospheric air. Heat transfer inside the tank to the heat pipe is by natural convection. Heat rejection to outside air utilizes a blower to force air past the heat pipe condenser. The heat pipe evaporator section is axially finned, and is constructed of stainless steel. The working fluid is ammonia. The finned pipes are individually shrouded and extend 35 ft down into the tank air space. The hot tank air enters the shroud at the top of the tank and flows downward as it is cooled, with the resulting increased density furnishing the pressure difference for circulation. The cooled air discharges at the center of the tank above the sludge surface, flows radially outward, and picks up heat from the radioactive sludge. At the tank wall the heated air rises and then flows inward to comple the cycle

Fabrication of lithium/C-103 alloy heat pipes for sharp leading edge cooling

Science.gov (United States)

Ai, Bangcheng; Chen, Siyuan; Yu, Jijun; Lu, Qin; Han, Hantao; Hu, Longfei

2018-05-01

In this study, lithium/C-103 alloys heat pipes are proposed for sharp leading edge cooling. Three models of lithium/C-103 alloy heat pipes were fabricated. And their startup properties were tested by radiant heat tests and aerothermal tests. It is found that the startup temperature of lithium heat pipe was about 860 °C. At 1000 °C radiant heat tests, the operating temperature of lithium/C-103 alloy heat pipe is lower than 860 °C. Thus, startup failure occurs. At 1100 °C radiant heat tests and aerothermal tests, the operating temperature of lithium/C-103 alloy heat pipe is higher than 860 °C, and the heat pipe starts up successfully. The startup of lithium/C-103 alloy heat pipe decreases the leading edge temperature effectively, which endows itself good ablation resistance. After radiant heat tests and aerothermal tests, all the heat pipe models are severely oxidized because of the C-103 poor oxidation resistance. Therefore, protective coatings are required for further applications of lithium/C-103 alloy heat pipes.

Numerical investigation of heat pipe-based photovoltaic–thermoelectric generator (HP-PV/TEG) hybrid system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makki, Adham; Omer, Siddig; Su, Yuehong; Sabir, Hisham

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Integration of TE generators with a heat pipe-based PV module as a hybrid system is proposed. • Numerical transient modeling based on the energy balance equations of the system was performed. • Integration of TE generators with PV module aid operating the solar cells at a steady level in harsh conditions. - Abstract: Photovoltaic (PV) cells are able to absorb about 80% of the solar spectral irradiance, however, certain percentage accounts for electricity conversion depending on the cell technology employed. The remainder energy however, can elevate the silicon junction temperature in the PV encapsulation perilously, resulting in deteriorated performance. Temperature rise at the PV cell level is addressed as one of the most critical issues that can seriously degrade and shortens the life-time of the PV cells, hence thermal management of the PV module during operation is considered essential. Hybrid PV designs which are able to simultaneously generate electrical energy and utilize the waste heat have been proven to be the most promising solution. In this study, theoretical investigation of a hybrid system comprising of thermoelectric generator integration with a heat pipe-based Photovoltaic/Thermal (PV/T) absorber is proposed and evaluated. The system presented incorporates a PV panel for direct electricity generation, a heat pipe for excessive heat absorption from the PV cells and a thermoelectric generator (TEG) performing direct heat-to-electricity conversion. A mathematical model based on the energy balance within the system is developed to evaluate the performance of the hybrid integration and the improvements associated with the thermal management of PV cells. Results are presented in terms of the overall system efficiency compared to a conventional PV panel under identical operating conditions. The integration of TEG modules with PV cells in such way aid improving the performance of the PV cells in addition to utilizing the waste-heat

Spiral multiple-effect diffusion solar still coupled with vacuum-tube collector and heat pipe

KAUST Repository

Huang, Bin-Juine

2015-04-01

© 2015 Elsevier B.V. A novel solar still with spiral-shape multiple-effect diffusion unit is developed in the present study. The test results of a 14-effect unit coupled with vacuum-tube solar collector (absorber area 1.08m2) show that the highest daily pure water production is 40.6kgd-1. The measured highest productivity based on the area of glass cover, solar absorber, and evaporating surface is 34.7, 40.6, and 7.96kgm-2d-1, respectively, which are much higher than the published results. The measured solar distillation efficiency is 2.0-3.5. The performance enhancement results mainly from the lateral diffusion process in the spiraled still cell. The vapor flow generated by heat input can flow freely and laterally through the spiral channel down to the end when solar heat input is high. Besides, the larger evaporating and condensing area at the outer cell may increase heat and mass transfer at the outer cell.

Some characteristics of heat production by stationary parabolic, cylindrical solar concentrator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bojic, M.; Marjanovic, N.; Miletic, I.; Mitic, A. [Kragujevac Univ., Kragujevac (Serbia). Faculty of Mechanical Engineering; Stefanovic, V. [Nis Univ., Nis (Serbia). Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

2009-07-01

The use of solar energy for heating, cooling and electricity production was discussed with particular reference to the use of a stationary, asymmetric solar concentrator for conversion of solar energy to heat using a reflector and absorber. The infinite length CP-0A type stationary parabolic, cylindrical solar concentrator for heat production consists of the absorber (with water pipes) and parabolic, cylindrical reflector (with a metal surface). It has a geometrical concentration ratio of up to 4. This paper reported on a study that used the CATIA computer software to investigate how direct solar radiation approaches the concentrator aperture and the concentrator reflector. The propagation of light rays inside the concentrator to reach the absorber surface was examined. The study showed that the solar ray either hits the absorber directly or it bounces one or several time from the concentrator reflector. The efficiency of light rays was also calculated as a function of angles of incident of solar rays and type of reflector surface. 5 refs., 8 figs.

Application of 'SPICE' to predict temperature distribution in heat pipes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, H M; Liu, Y; Damodaran, M [Nanyang Technological Univ., Singapore (SG). School of Mechanical and Production Engineering

1991-11-01

This article presents a new alternative approach to predict temperature distribution in heat pipes. In this method, temperature distribution in a heat pipe, modelled as an analogous electrical circuit, is predicted by applying SPICE, a general-purpose circuit simulation program. SPICE is used to simulate electrical circuit designs before the prototype is assembled. Useful predictions are obtained for heat pipes with and without adiabatic sections and for heat pipes with various evaporator and condenser lengths. Comparison of the predicted results with experiments demonstrates fairly good agreement. It is also shown how interdisciplinary developments could be used appropriately. (author).

Application study of the heat pipe to the passive decay heat removal system of the modular HTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohashi, K.; Okamoto, F.; Hayakawa, H.; Hayashi, T.

2001-01-01

To investigate the applicability of the heat pipe to the decay hat removal (DHR) system of the modular HTRs, preliminary study of the Heat Pipe DHR System was performed. The results show that the Heat Pipe DHR System is applicable to the modular HTRs and its heat removal capability is sufficient. Especially by applying the variable conductance heat pipe, the possibility of a fully passive DHR system with lower heat loss during normal operation is suggested. The experiments to obtain the fundamental characteristics data of the variable conductance heat pipe were carried out. The experimental results show very clear features of self-control characteristics. The experimental results and the experimental analysis results are also shown. (author)

Fabrication and evaluation of chemically vapor deposited tungsten heat pipe.

Science.gov (United States)

Bacigalupi, R. J.

1972-01-01

A network of lithium-filled tungsten heat pipes is being considered as a method of heat extraction from high temperature nuclear reactors. The need for material purity and shape versatility in these applications dictates the use of chemically vapor deposited (CVD) tungsten. Adaptability of CVD tungsten to complex heat pipe designs is shown. Deposition and welding techniques are described. Operation of two lithium-filled CVD tungsten heat pipes above 1800 K is discussed.

Dual manifold heat pipe evaporator

Science.gov (United States)

Adkins, D.R.; Rawlinson, K.S.

1994-01-04

An improved evaporator section is described for a dual manifold heat pipe. Both the upper and lower manifolds can have surfaces exposed to the heat source which evaporate the working fluid. The tubes in the tube bank between the manifolds have openings in their lower extensions into the lower manifold to provide for the transport of evaporated working fluid from the lower manifold into the tubes and from there on into the upper manifold and on to the condenser portion of the heat pipe. A wick structure lining the inner walls of the evaporator tubes extends into both the upper and lower manifolds. At least some of the tubes also have overflow tubes contained within them to carry condensed working fluid from the upper manifold to pass to the lower without spilling down the inside walls of the tubes. 1 figure.

Tracking heat flux sensors for concentrating solar applications

Science.gov (United States)

Andraka, Charles E; Diver, Jr., Richard B

2013-06-11

Innovative tracking heat flux sensors located at or near the solar collector's focus for centering the concentrated image on a receiver assembly. With flux sensors mounted near a receiver's aperture, the flux gradient near the focus of a dish or trough collector can be used to precisely position the focused solar flux on the receiver. The heat flux sensors comprise two closely-coupled thermocouple junctions with opposing electrical polarity that are separated by a thermal resistor. This arrangement creates an electrical signal proportional to heat flux intensity, and largely independent of temperature. The sensors are thermally grounded to allow a temperature difference to develop across the thermal resistor, and are cooled by a heat sink to maintain an acceptable operating temperature.

Transient heat pipe investigations for space power systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merrigan, M.A.; Keddy, E.S.; Sena, J.T.

1985-01-01

A 4-meter long, high temperature, high power, molybdenum-lithium heat pipe has been fabricated and tested in transient and steady state operation at temperatures to 1500 K. Maximum power throughput during the tests was approximately 37 kW/cm 2 for the 1.4 cm diameter vapor space of the annular wick heat pipe. The evaporator flux density for the tests was 150.0 W/cm 2 over a length of 40 cm. Condenser length was approximately 3.0 m with radiant heat rejection from the condenser to a coaxial, water cooled radiation calorimeter. A variable radiation shield, controllable from the outside of the vacuum enclosure, was used to vary the load on the heat pipe during the tests. 1 ref., 9 figs

Experimental investigation on an integrated thermal management system with heat pipe heat exchanger for electric vehicle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zou, Huiming; Wang, Wei; Zhang, Guiying; Qin, Fei; Tian, Changqing; Yan, Yuying

2016-01-01

Highlights: • An integrated thermal management system is proposed for electric vehicle. • The parallel branch of battery chiller can supply additional cooling capacity. • Heat pipe performance on preheating mode is better than that on cooling mode. • Heat pipe heat exchanger is a feasible choice for battery thermal management. - Abstract: An integrated thermal management system combining a heat pipe battery cooling/preheating system with the heat pump air conditioning system is presented to fulfill the comprehensive energy utilization for electric vehicles. A test bench with battery heat pipe heat exchanger and heat pump air conditioning for a regular five-chair electric car is set up to research the performance of this integrated system under different working conditions. The investigation results show that as the system is designed to meet the basic cabinet cooling demand, the additional parallel branch of battery chiller is a good way to solve the battery group cooling problem, which can supply about 20% additional cooling capacity without input power increase. Its coefficient of performance for cabinet heating is around 1.34 at −20 °C out-car temperature and 20 °C in-car temperature. The specific heat of the battery group is tested about 1.24 kJ/kg °C. There exists a necessary temperature condition for the heat pipe heat exchanger to start action. The heat pipe heat transfer performance is around 0.87 W/°C on cooling mode and 1.11 W/°C on preheating mode. The gravity role makes the heat transfer performance of the heat pipe on preheating mode better than that on cooling mode.

Analysis of the thermal performance of heat pipe radiators

Science.gov (United States)

Boo, J. H.; Hartley, J. G.

1990-01-01

A comprehensive mathematical model and computational methodology are presented to obtain numerical solutions for the transient behavior of a heat pipe radiator in a space environment. The modeling is focused on a typical radiator panel having a long heat pipe at the center and two extended surfaces attached to opposing sides of the heat pipe shell in the condenser section. In the set of governing equations developed for the model, each region of the heat pipe - shell, liquid, and vapor - is thermally lumped to the extent possible, while the fin is lumped only in the direction normal to its surface. Convection is considered to be the only significant heat transfer mode in the vapor, and the evaporation and condensation velocity at the liquid-vapor interface is calculated from kinetic theory. A finite-difference numerical technique is used to predict the transient behavior of the entire radiator in response to changing loads.

Analysis of the Technological Parameters of the Heat Exchanger in the Heating Pipe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Knyazev Vladimir

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this article is to analyze the selecting of technological parameters for the heat exchanger to improve the heat transfer and reduce the noise during operation in the heating pipe, which is used in the different systems of the planes and helicopters. In result of this study, the best technical parameters are found, considering different variations of deformation cutting heat exchanger pipes.

Applications of heat pipes for HVAC dehumidification at Walt Disney World

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, P.J.; Dinh, K.

1993-01-01

This paper presents the theory and application of heat pipes for HVAC dehumidification purposes. In HVAC applications, a heat pipe is used as a heat exchanger that transfers heat from the return air directly to the supply air. The air is pre-cooled entering the cooling coil and reheated using the same heat removed from the return air. While consuming no energy, the heat pipe lets the evaporator coil operate at a lower temperature, increasing the moisture removal capabilities of the HVAC system by 50% to 100%. WALT DISNEY WORLD is currently testing several heat pipe applications ranging from 1 to 240 tons. The applications include (1) water attractions (2) museums/artifacts areas (3) resort guest rooms and (4) locker rooms. Actual energy usage and relative humidity reductions are shown to determine the effectiveness of the heat pipe as an energy efficient method of humidity control

The flow distribution in the parallel tubes of the cavity receiver under variable heat flux

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hao, Yun; Wang, Yueshe; Hu, Tian

2016-01-01

Highlights: • An experimental loop is built to find the flow distribution in the parallel tubes. • With the concentration of heat flux, two-phase flow makes distribution more uneven. • The total flow rate is chosen appropriately for a wider heat flux distribution. • A suitable system pressure is essential for the optimization of flow distribution. - Abstract: As an optical component of tower solar thermal power station, the heliostat mirror reflects sunlight to one point of the heated surface in the solar cavity receiver, called as one-point focusing system. The radiation heat flux concentrated in the cavity receiver is always non-uniform temporally and spatially, which may lead to extremely local over-heat on the receiver evaporation panels. In this paper, an electrical heated evaporating experimental loop, including five parallel vertical tubes, is set up to evaluate the hydrodynamic characteristics of evaporation panels in a solar cavity receiver under various non-uniform heat flux. The influence of the heat flux concentration ratio, total flow rate, and system pressure on the flow distribution of parallel tubes is discussed. It is found that the flow distribution becomes significantly worse with the increase of heat flux and concentration ratio; and as the system pressure decreased, the flow distribution is improved. It is extremely important to obtain these interesting findings for the safe and stable operation of solar cavity receiver, and can also provide valuable references for the design and optimization of operating parameters solar tower power station system.

Ringshaped grid for supporting of pipes of a heat exchanger

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1976-01-01

This heat exchanger furnishes a ring-shaped grid in which pipes can be ordered in a circular formation, as opposed to the conventional triangular ordering. In this structure the pipes are arranged in concentric circles. This means that each new row of pipes has an equal number of more pipes than the row directly inside, meaning that all the pipes in each row are equidistant from the center and form an equal surface for better heat exchange

Experimental Investigation of Concrete Runway Snow Melting Utilizing Heat Pipe Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fengchen Chen

2018-01-01

Full Text Available A full scale snow melting system with heat pipe technology is built in this work, which avoids the negative effects on concrete structure and environment caused by traditional deicing chemicals. The snow melting, ice-freezing performance and temperature distribution characteristics of heat pipe concrete runway were discussed by the outdoor experiments. The results show that the temperature of the concrete pavement is greatly improved with the heat pipe system. The environment temperature and embedded depth of heat pipe play a dominant role among the decision variables of the snow melting system. Heat pipe snow melting pavement melts the snow completely and avoids freezing at any time when the environment temperature is below freezing point, which is secure enough for planes take-off and landing. Besides, the exportation and recovery of geothermal energy indicate that this system can run for a long time. This paper will be useful for the design and application of the heat pipe used in the runway snow melting.

Experimental Investigation of Concrete Runway Snow Melting Utilizing Heat Pipe Technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Fengchen; Su, Xin; Ye, Qing; Fu, Jianfeng

2018-01-01

A full scale snow melting system with heat pipe technology is built in this work, which avoids the negative effects on concrete structure and environment caused by traditional deicing chemicals. The snow melting, ice-freezing performance and temperature distribution characteristics of heat pipe concrete runway were discussed by the outdoor experiments. The results show that the temperature of the concrete pavement is greatly improved with the heat pipe system. The environment temperature and embedded depth of heat pipe play a dominant role among the decision variables of the snow melting system. Heat pipe snow melting pavement melts the snow completely and avoids freezing at any time when the environment temperature is below freezing point, which is secure enough for planes take-off and landing. Besides, the exportation and recovery of geothermal energy indicate that this system can run for a long time. This paper will be useful for the design and application of the heat pipe used in the runway snow melting.

Hybrid solar central receiver for combined cycle power plant

Science.gov (United States)

Bharathan, Desikan; Bohn, Mark S.; Williams, Thomas A.

1995-01-01

A hybrid combined cycle power plant including a solar central receiver for receiving solar radiation and converting it to thermal energy. The power plant includes a molten salt heat transfer medium for transferring the thermal energy to an air heater. The air heater uses the thermal energy to preheat the air from the compressor of the gas cycle. The exhaust gases from the gas cycle are directed to a steam turbine for additional energy production.

Niobium 1 percent zirconium/potassium and titanium/potassium life-test heat pipe design and testing

Science.gov (United States)

Sena, J. Tom; Merrigan, Michael A.

Experimental lifetime performance studies currently in progress use Niobium 1 percent Zirconium (Nb-1Zr) and Titanium (Ti) heat pipes with potassium (K) as the working fluid. A heat pipe life test matrix was developed for testing the heat pipes. Because the corrosion rates in alkali metal heat pipes are affected by temperature and working fluid evaporation flux, the variable parameters of the experimental matrix are established as steady operating temperature and input heat flux density. Total impurity inventory is a factor in corrosion rate so impurity levels are being evaluated in the heat pipe materials before and after testing. Eight Nb-1Zr/K heat pipes were designed, fabricated, and tested. Two of the heat pipes have completed testing whereas the other six are currently in test. These are gravity assist heat pipes operating in a reflux mode. The heat pipes are tested by sets, one set of two and two sets of three heat pipes. Three Ti/K heat pipes are also in life test. These heat pipes are tested as a set in a horizontal position in a capillary pumped annular flow mode. Each of the heat pipes is encapsulated in a quartz vacuum container with a water calorimeter over the vacuum container for power throughput measurements. Thermocouples are attached to the heat pipes for measuring temperature. Heat input to the heat pipes is via an RF coil. The heat pipes are operating at between 800 and 900 K, with heat input fluxes of 13.8 to 30 W/sq cm. Of the Nb-1Zr/K heat pipes, two of the heat pipes have been in operation for 14,000 hours, three over 10,000 hours, and three over 7,000 hours. The Ti/K heat pipes have been in operation for 1,266 hours.

Residual stress improvement for pipe weld by means of induction heating pre-flawed pipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umemoto, T.; Yoshida, K.; Okamoto, A.

1980-01-01

The intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) has been found in type 304 stainless steel piping of several BWR plants. It is already well known that IGSCC is most likely to occur when three essential factors, material sensitization, high tensile stress and corrosive environment, are present. If the welding residual stress is sufficiently high (200 to approximately 400 MPa) in the inside piping surface near the welded joint, then it may be one of the biggest contributors to IGSCC. If the residual stress is reduced or reversed by some way, the IGSCC will be effectively mitigated. In this paper a method to improve the residual stress named IHSI (Induction Heating Stress Improvement) is explained. IHSI aims to improve the condition of residual stress in the inside pipe surface using the thermal stress induced by the temperature difference in pipe wall, that is produced when the pipe is heated from the outside surface by an induction heating coil and cooled on the inside surface by water simultaneously. This method becomes more attractive when it can be successfully applied to in-service piping which might have some pre-flaw. In order to verify the validity of IHSI for such piping, some experiments and calculations using finite element method were conducted. These results are mainly discussed in this paper from the view-points of residual stress, flaw behaviour during IHSI and material deterioration. (author)

Effect of wick configuration of the heat pipe performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Seong Won; Kang, Shin Hyung; Lee, Jin Ho

1990-01-01

Experimental investigation is made to study the dependence of performance characteristics of heat pipe on the types of wick shapes. Types of wick shapes adoped are open groove wick, screen wick, closed groove wick and no wick.(thermo-syphone). The dependence of heat pipe performance on the wick shape is turned out in the following order ; open groove wick, closed groove wick, screen wick and no wick. This shows that the heat transfer efficiency of heat pipe depends more upon the returning capacity of liquid from condenser to evaporator, implying that the wick which has low capillary pressure but good permeability is better than those which has higher capillary pressure. (Author)

Thermo-ecological optimization of a solar collector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szargut, J.; Stanek, W.

2007-01-01

The depletion of non-renewable natural exergy resources (the thermo-ecological cost) has been accepted as the objective function for thermo-ecological optimization. Its general formulation has been cited. A detailed form of the objective function has been formulated for a solar collector producing hot water for household needs. The following design parameters have been accepted as the decision variables: the collector area per unit of the heat demand, the diameter of collector pipes, the distance of the pipe axes in the collector plate. The design parameters of the internal installation (the pipes, the hot water receiver) have not been taken into account, because they are very individual. The accumulation ability of hot water comprising one day has been assumed. The objective function contains the following components: the thermo-ecological cost of copper plate, copper pipes, glass plate, steel box, thermal insulation, heat transfer liquid, electricity for driving the pump of liquid, fuel for the peak boiler. The duration curves of the flux of solar radiation and absorbed heat have been elaborated according to meteorological data and used in the calculations. The objective function for economic optimization may have a similar form, only the cost values would be different

Hybrid solar receiver as a source of high-temperature medium for an absorption chiller supply

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Przenzak Estera

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This article discusses the problems related with the cold production, i.e. energy efficiency of the process. The idea of solar cooling systems has been presented as the solution of the problem of big electricity demand. The paper discusses the principle of the operation of absorption chillers. Disadvantages and advantages of the solar cooling systems were discussed. The installation for manufacturing high-temperature heat based on solar collectors and concentrator of solar radiation constructed in AGH in Cracow has been presented. This installation is a first stage of projected, complete solar cooling system. The special attention is paid to the dedicated solar high-temperature heat receiver as a most important element of the system. The achieved values of temperature, power and efficiency depending on the working medium flow has been presented and discussed. The intensity of solar radiation during the measurements has been taken into account. Two versions of heat receiver were investigated: non-insulated and insulated with mineral wool. The obtained efficiency of the heat receiver (less than 30% is not satisfactory but possibility of improvements exist.

The effect of external boundary conditions on condensation heat transfer in rotating heat pipes

Science.gov (United States)

Daniels, T. C.; Williams, R. J.

1979-01-01

Experimental evidence shows the importance of external boundary conditions on the overall performance of a rotating heat pipe condenser. Data are presented for the boundary conditions of constant heat flux and constant wall temperature for rotating heat pipes containing either pure vapor or a mixture of vapor and noncondensable gas as working fluid.

Methodology for Life Testing of Refractory Metal / Sodium Heat Pipes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, James J.; Reid, Robert S.

2006-01-01

This work establishes an approach to generate carefully controlled data to find heat pipe operating life with material-fluid combinations capable of extended operation. To accomplish this goal acceleration is required to compress 10 years of operational life into 3 years of laboratory testing through a combination of increased temperature and mass fluence. Specific test series have been identified, based on American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) specifications, to investigate long-term corrosion rates. The refractory metal selected for demonstration purposes is a molybdenum-44.5% rhenium alloy formed by powder metallurgy. The heat pipes each have an annular crescent wick formed by hot isostatic pressing of molybdenum-rhenium wire mesh. The heat pipes are filled by vacuum distillation with purity sampling of the completed assembly. Round-the-clock heat pipe tests with 6-month destructive and non-destructive inspection intervals are conducted to identify the onset and level of corrosion. Non-contact techniques are employed to provide power to the evaporator (radio frequency induction heating at 1 to 5 kW per heat pipe) and calorimetry at the condenser (static gas gap coupled water cooled calorimeter). The planned operating temperature range extends from 1123 to 1323 K. Accomplishments before project cancellation included successful development of the heat pipe wick fabrication technique, establishment of all engineering designs, baseline operational test requirements, and procurement/assembly of supporting test hardware systems. (authors)

A solar receiver-storage modular cascade based on porous ceramic structures for hybrid sensible/thermochemical solar energy storage

Science.gov (United States)

Agrafiotis, Christos; de Oliveira, Lamark; Roeb, Martin; Sattler, Christian

2016-05-01

The current state-of-the-art solar heat storage concept in air-operated Solar Tower Power Plants is to store the solar energy provided during on-sun operation as sensible heat in porous solid materials that operate as recuperators during off-sun operation. The technology is operationally simple; however its storage capacity is limited to 1.5 hours. An idea for extending this capacity is to render this storage concept from "purely" sensible to "hybrid" sensible/ thermochemical one, via coating the porous heat exchange modules with oxides of multivalent metals for which their reduction/oxidation reactions are accompanied by significant heat effects, or by manufacturing them entirely of such oxides. In this way solar heat produced during on-sun operation can be used (in addition to sensibly heating the porous solid) to power the endothermic reduction of the oxide from its state with the higher metal valence to that of the lower; the thermal energy can be entirely recovered by the reverse exothermic oxidation reaction (in addition to sensible heat) during off-sun operation. Such sensible and thermochemical storage concepts were tested on a solar-irradiated receiver- heat storage module cascade for the first time. Parametric studies performed so far involved the comparison of three different SiC-based receivers with respect to their capability of supplying solar-heated air at temperatures sufficient for the reduction of the oxides, the effect of air flow rate on the temperatures achieved within the storage module, as well as the comparison of different porous storage media made of cordierite with respect to their sensible storage capacity.

Performance predictions and measurements for space-power-system heat pipes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prenger, F.C. Jr.

1981-01-01

High temperature liquid metal heat pipes designed for space power systems have been analyzed and tested. Three wick designs are discussed and a design rationale for the heat pipe is provided. Test results on a molybdenum, annular wick heat pipe are presented. Performance limitations due to boiling and capillary limits are presented. There is evidence that the vapor flow in the adiabatic section is turbulent and that the transition Reynolds number is 4000

Concentrated solar power generation using solar receivers

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Bruce N.; Treece, William Dean; Brown, Dan; Bennhold, Florian; Hilgert, Christoph

2017-08-08

Inventive concentrated solar power systems using solar receivers, and related devices and methods, are generally described. Low pressure solar receivers are provided that function to convert solar radiation energy to thermal energy of a working fluid, e.g., a working fluid of a power generation or thermal storage system. In some embodiments, low pressure solar receivers are provided herein that are useful in conjunction with gas turbine based power generation systems.

Power and Efficiency Analysis of a Solar Central Receiver Combined Cycle Plant with a Small Particle Heat Exchanger Receiver

Science.gov (United States)

Virgen, Matthew Miguel

Two significant goals in solar plant operation are lower cost and higher efficiencies. To achieve those goals, a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) system, which uses the hot gas turbine exhaust to produce superheated steam for a bottoming Rankine cycle by way of a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), is investigated in this work. Building off of a previous gas turbine model created at the Combustion and Solar Energy Laboratory at SDSU, here are added the HRSG and steam turbine model, which had to handle significant change in the mass flow and temperature of air exiting the gas turbine due to varying solar input. A wide range of cases were run to explore options for maximizing both power and efficiency from the proposed CSP CCGT plant. Variable guide vanes (VGVs) were found in the earlier model to be an effective tool in providing operational flexibility to address the variable nature of solar input. Combined cycle efficiencies in the range of 50% were found to result from this plant configuration. However, a combustor inlet temperature (CIT) limit leads to two distinct Modes of operation, with a sharp drop in both plant efficiency and power occurring when the air flow through the receiver exceeded the CIT limit. This drawback can be partially addressed through strategic use of the VGVs. Since system response is fully established for the relevant range of solar input and variable guide vane angles, the System Advisor Model (SAM) from NREL can be used to find what the actual expected solar input would be over the course of the day, and plan accordingly. While the SAM software is not yet equipped to model a Brayton cycle cavity receiver, appropriate approximations were made in order to produce a suitable heliostat field to fit this system. Since the SPHER uses carbon nano-particles as the solar absorbers, questions of particle longevity and how the particles might affect the flame behavior in the combustor were addressed using the chemical kinetics software Chemkin

Commercial high efficiency dehumidification systems using heat pipes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-09-01

An improved heat pipe design using separately connected two-section one-way flow heat pipes with internal microgrooves instead of wicks is described. This design is now commercially available for use to increase the dehumidification capacity of air conditioning systems. The design also includes a method of introducing fresh air into buildings while recovering heat and controlling the humidity of the incoming air. Included are applications and case studies, load calculations and technical data, and installation, operation, and maintenance information.

An analysis of electro-osmotic and magnetohydrodynamic heat pipes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harrison, M.A.

1988-01-01

Mechanically simple methods of improving heat transport in heat pipes are investigated. These methods are electro-osmotic and magnetohydrodynamic augmentation. For the electro-osmotic case, a detailed electrokinetic model is used. The electrokinetic model used includes the effects of pore surface curvature and multiple ion diffusivities. The electrokinetic model is extended to approximate the effects of elevated temperature. When the electro-osmotic model is combined with a suitable heat-pipe model, it is found that the electro-osmotic pump should be a thin membrane. Arguments are provided that support the use of a volatile electrolyte. For the magnetohydrodynamic case, a brief investigation is provided. A quasi-one-dimensional hydromagnetic duct flow model is used. This hydromagnetic model is extended to approximate flow effects unique to heat pipes. When combined with a suitable heat pipe model, it is found that there is no performance gain for the case considered. In fact, there are serious pressure-distribution problems that have not been previously recognized. Potential solutions to these pressure-distribution problems are suggested

Augmented of turbulent heat transfer in an annular pipe with abrupt expansion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Togun Hussein

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a study of heat transfer to turbulent air flow in the abrupt axisymmetric expansion of an annular pipe. The experimental investigations were performed in the Reynolds number range from 5000 to 30000, the heat flux varied from 1000 to 4000 W/m2, and the expansion ratio was maintained at D/d=1, 1.25, 1.67 and 2. The sudden expansion was created by changing the inner diameter of the entrance pipe to an annular passage. The outer diameter of the inner pipe and the inner diameter of the outer pipe are 2.5 and 10 cm, respectively, where both of the pipes are subjected to uniform heat flux. The distribution of the surface temperature of the test pipe and the local Nusselt number are presented in this investigation. Due to sudden expansion in the cross section of the annular pipe, a separation flow was created, which enhanced the heat transfer. The reduction of the surface temperature on the outer and inner pipes increased with the increase of the expansion ratio and the Reynolds number, and increased with the decrease of the heat flux to the annular pipe. The peak of the local Nusselt number was between 1.64 and 1.7 of the outer and inner pipes for Reynolds numbers varied from 5000 to 30000, and the increase of the local Nusselt number represented the augmentation of the heat transfer rate in the sudden expansion of the annular pipe. This research also showed a maximum heat transfer enhancement of 63-78% for the outer and inner pipes at an expansion ratio of D/d=2 at a Re=30000 and a heat flux of 4000W/m2.

Application of heat pipe technology in permanent mold casting of nonferrous alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Elalem, Kaled

The issue of mold cooling is one, which presents a foundry with a dilemma. On the one hand; the use of air for cooling is safe and practical, however, it is not very effective and high cost. On the other hand, water-cooling can be very effective but it raises serious concerns about safety, especially with a metal such as magnesium. An alternative option that is being developed at McGill University uses heat pipe technology to carry out the cooling. The experimental program consisted of designing a permanent mold to produce AZ91E magnesium alloy and A356 aluminum alloy castings with shrinkage defects. Heat pipes were then used to reduce these defects. The heat pipes used in this work are novel and are patent pending. They are referred to as McGill Heat Pipes. Computer modeling was used extensively in designing the mold and the heat pipes. Final designs for the mold and the heat pipes were chosen based on the modeling results. Laboratory tests of the heat pipe were performed before conducting the actual experimental plan. The laboratory testing results verified the excellent performance of the heat pipes as anticipated by the model. An industrial mold made of H13 tool steel was constructed to cast nonferrous alloys. The heat pipes were installed and initial testing and actual industrial trials were conducted. This is the first time where a McGill heat pipe was used in an industrial permanent mold casting process for nonferrous alloys. The effects of cooling using heat pipes on AZ91E and A356 were evaluated using computer modeling and experimental trials. Microstructural analyses were conducted to measure the secondary dendrite arm spacing, SDAS, and the grain size to evaluate the cooling effects on the castings. The modeling and the experimental results agreed quite well. The metallurgical differences between AZ91E and A356 were investigated using modeling and experimental results. Selected results from modeling, laboratory and industrial trials are presented. The

Heat pipes

CERN Document Server

Dunn, Peter D

1982-01-01

A comprehensive, up-to-date coverage of the theory, design and manufacture of heat pipes and their applications. This latest edition has been thoroughly revised, up-dated and expanded to give an in-depth coverage of the new developments in the field. Significant new material has been added to all the chapters and the applications section has been totally rewritten to ensure that topical and important applications are appropriately emphasised. The bibliography has been considerably enlarged to incorporate much valuable new information. Thus readers of the previous edition, which has established

High temperature superconducting current lead test facility with heat pipe intercepts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blumenfeld, P.E.; Prenger, C.; Roth, E.W.; Stewart, J.A.

1998-01-01

A high temperature superconducting (HTS) current lead test facility using heat pipe thermal intercepts is under development at the Superconducting Technology Center at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The facility can be configured for tests at currents up to 1,000 A. Mechanical cryocoolers provide refrigeration to the leads. Electrical isolation is maintained by intercepting thermal energy from the leads through cryogenic heat pipes. HST lead warm end temperature is variable from 65 K to over 90 K by controlling heat pipe evaporator temperature. Cold end temperature is variable up to 30 K. Performance predictions in terms of heat pipe evaporator temperature as a function of lead current are presented for the initial facility configuration, which supports testing up to 200 A. Measurements are to include temperature and voltage gradient in the conventional and HTS lead sections, temperature and heat transfer rate in the heat pipes. as well as optimum and off-optimum performance of the conventional lead sections

Comparative study on heat pipe performance using aqueous solutions of alcohols

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Senthilkumar, R.; Vaidyanathan, S.; Sivaraman, B. [Annamalai University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Annamalai Nagar, Tamil Nadu (India)

2012-12-15

This paper deals with the performance characterization of heat pipes using an aqueous solution of long chain alcohols like n-Butanol, n-Pentanol, n-Hexanol and n-Heptanol as working mediums. These solutions are called as self-rewetting fluids, since these fluid mixtures possess a non-linear dependence of the surface tension with temperature. A cylindrical heat pipe made up of copper with two layers of wrapped screen is used as a wick material and partially filled with the self-rewetting fluid water mixture and tested for its heat transport capability like thermal efficiency and thermal resistance at different inclinations and input power levels. A number of tests have been performed with heat pipes, filled with various aqueous solutions of alcohols with a concentration of 2 ml/l in de-ionized water (DI water) on volume basis. The results obtained for heat pipes using self rewetting fluids show improved performances, when compared to DI water heat pipes. (orig.)

Design of megawatt power level heat pipe reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mcclure, Patrick Ray [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Poston, David Irvin [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Dasari, Venkateswara Rao [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Reid, Robert Stowers [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2015-11-12

An important niche for nuclear energy is the need for power at remote locations removed from a reliable electrical grid. Nuclear energy has potential applications at strategic defense locations, theaters of battle, remote communities, and emergency locations. With proper safeguards, a 1 to 10-MWe (megawatt electric) mobile reactor system could provide robust, self-contained, and long-term power in any environment. Heat pipe-cooled fast-spectrum nuclear reactors have been identified as a candidate for these applications. Heat pipe reactors, using alkali metal heat pipes, are perfectly suited for mobile applications because their nature is inherently simpler, smaller, and more reliable than “traditional” reactors. The goal of this project was to develop a scalable conceptual design for a compact reactor and to identify scaling issues for compact heat pipe cooled reactors in general. Toward this goal two detailed concepts were developed, the first concept with more conventional materials and a power of about 2 MWe and a the second concept with less conventional materials and a power level of about 5 MWe. A series of more qualitative advanced designs were developed (with less detail) that show power levels can be pushed to approximately 30 MWe.

Pulse mitigation and heat transfer enhancement techniques. Volume 3: Liquid sodium heat transfer facility and transient response of sodium heat pipe to pulse forward and reverse heat load

Science.gov (United States)

Chow, L. C.; Hahn, O. J.; Nguyen, H. X.

1992-08-01

This report presents the description of a liquid sodium heat transfer facility (sodium loop) constructed to support the study of transient response of heat pipes. The facility, consisting of the loop itself, a safety system, and a data acquisition system, can be safely operated over a wide range of temperature and sodium flow rate. The transient response of a heat pipe to pulse heat load at the condenser section was experimentally investigated. A 0.457 m screen wick, sodium heat pipe with an outer diameter of 0.127 m was tested under different heat loading conditions. A major finding was that the heat pipe reversed under a pulse heat load applied at the condenser. The time of reversal was approximately 15 to 25 seconds. The startup of the heat pipe from frozen state was also studied. It was found that during the startup process, at least part of the heat pipe was active. The active region extended gradually down to the end of the condenser until all of the working fluid in the heat pipe was molten.

Casing free district heating pipes; Mantelfria fjaerrvaermeroer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saellberg, Sven-Erik; Nilsson, Stefan [Swedish National Testing and Research Inst., Goeteborg (Sweden)

2005-07-01

Previous studies have shown that polyurethane insulation (PUR foam) on district heating pipes acts as protection against water if it is of good quality, i.e. free from cracks, cavities and other defects. On the other hand water vapour easily diffuses through PUR foam. However this is not a problem as long as the steel pipe is warmer than the surface layer, since the high temperature will prevent the vapour from condensating. What will happen with the insulation of a casing free district heating pipe where the ground water level occasionally reaches above the pipe has not been studied in detail. The current project has studied to what extent moisture enters the PUR foam insulation of two approximately one meter long district heating pipes without casing which have been in the ground for four years. Occasionally, the ground-water has entirely covered the pipes. In addition, the foam has been studied with respect to damage from the surrounding backfill material. Test specimens were taken out of the casing free pipes and were analysed with respect to moisture content. Additional measurements were done with a moisture indicator, and the electric resistance between the steel pipes and the four surveillance wires in each pipe was measured. The results from the various measurement techniques were the compared. The results show that the PUR foam remains dry as long as the service pipe is hot if no defects, such as crack and cavities, are present. Close to the service pipe, the foam actually dries out over time. The moisture content of the middle layer remains more or less constant. Only the colder parts on the outside exhibit an increase in moisture content. It was also seen that defects may lead to water ingress with subsequent humidification of the foam. However, the damaged foam area is limited. This is not the case for a regular pipe with a vapour tight casing, where experience show that moisture tend to spread along the pipe. The pipes were buried in sand and no

Volumetric solar thermal receiver principles and technological approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sagie, D.; Gruntman, S.; Taragan, E.; Danino, M.; Weiss, S.; Mimon, Y.

1996-01-01

Solar energy has received much interest in recent years, being a clean free of pollution or other environmental dotage), and inexhaustible energy source. It is also considered safer than some other non conventional energy sources (like nuclear energy). The interest in solar energy is motivated mainly by the growing awareness of the environmental problems associated with the use of . conventional keels. However, solar energy may become a serious alternative only if it can be used efficiently in major energy consuming industries (like the chemical industry), or be used for electricity generation. Those facilities are nowadays solely depend on fossil fuels as the prime source of energy . The solar energy, reaches file Earth as radiation, can be utilized either by direct quantum conversion using photo-voltaic solar cells, or by converting the radiation into thermal energy, to be used directly for heating, or to feed a thermal to electric converting cycle. Alter three decades of huge spending on the development of photo-voltaic systems those devices are commercially competitive only on very small energy scale, while solar thermal commercial applications are evident. The prominent examples are the domestic heating water receivers (direct thermal), and LUZ International electricity generation plants which are currently operated on a commercial basis, supplying 80 MWe per plant. Direct thermal exploitation of solar energy is naturally more efficient than converting to electricity but is limited to specific applications and locations especially since thermal storage at high temperature is not commercially viable. Efficient electricity production at competitive price is clearly the biggest opportunity for solar energy. (authors)

Hybrid heat pipe based passive cooling device for spent nuclear fuel dry storage cask

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Yeong Shin; Bang, In Cheol

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Hybrid heat pipe was presented as a passive cooling device for dry storage cask of SNF. • A method to utilize waste heat from spent fuel was suggested using hybrid heat pipe. • CFD analysis was performed to evaluate the thermal performance of hybrid heat pipe. • Hybrid heat pipe can increase safety margin and storage capacity of the dry storage cask. - Abstract: Conventional dry storage facilities for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) were designed to remove decay heat through the natural convection of air, but this method has limited cooling capacity and a possible re-criticality accident in case of flooding. To enhance the safety and capacity of dry storage cask of SNF, hybrid heat pipe-based passive cooling device was suggested. Heat pipe is an excellent passive heat transfer device using the principles of both conduction and phase change of the working fluid. The heat pipe containing neutron absorber material, the so-called hybrid heat pipe, is expected to prevent the re-criticality accidents of SNF and to increase the safety margin during interim and long term storage period. Moreover, a hybrid heat pipe with thermoelectric module, a Stirling engine and a phase change material tank can be used for utilization of the waste heat as heat-transfer medium. Located at the guide tube or instrumentation tube, hybrid heat pipe can remove decay heat from inside the sealed metal cask to outside, decreasing fuel rod temperature. In this paper, a 2-step analysis was performed using computational fluid dynamics code to evaluate the heat and fluid flow inside a cask, which consisted of a single spent fuel assembly simulation and a full-scope dry cask simulation. For a normal dry storage cask, the maximum fuel temperature is 290.0 °C. With hybrid heat pipe cooling, the temperature decreased to 261.6 °C with application of one hybrid heat pipe per assembly, and to 195.1 °C with the application of five hybrid heat pipes per assembly. Therefore, a dry

An analysis of the vapor flow and the heat conduction through the liquid-wick and pipe wall in a heat pipe with single or multiple heat sources

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ming-Ming; Faghri, Amir

1990-01-01

A numerical analysis is presented for the overall performance of heat pipes with single or multiple heat sources. The analysis includes the heat conduction in the wall and liquid-wick regions as well as the compressibility effect of the vapor inside the heat pipe. The two-dimensional elliptic governing equations in conjunction with the thermodynamic equilibrium relation and appropriate boundary conditions are solved numerically. The solutions are in agreement with existing experimental data for the vapor and wall temperatures at both low and high operating temperatures.

Experimental device for the residential heating with heat pipe and electric heat storage blocks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vasiliev, L L; Boldak, I M; Domorod, L S; Rabetsky, M I; Schirokov, E I [AN Belorusskoj SSR, Minsk (Belarus). Inst. Teplo- i Massoobmena

1992-01-01

Residential heating using electric heat storage blocks nowadays is an actual problem from the point of view of heat recovery and nature protection. In the Luikov Heat and Mass Transfer Institute a new residential electrical heater capable of heating chambers by controlling air temperature and heat output using heat pipes and an electric heat storage block was developed. This heater (BETA) is fed from the source of energy and during 7 h of night time accumulates energy sufficiently to heat 10 m{sup 3} during 24 h. Heating device BETA has a ceramic thermal storage block, electric heaters and a heat pipe with evaporator inside the ceramic block and constant temperature (65{sup o}C) finned condenser outside it. The condenser temperature could be controlled easily. BETA is compact, has high thermal response, accurate air temperature control and safe operation. Such types of residential heaters are necessary for heating residential and office building in the Mogilev and Gomel regions in Byelorussia which suffered after the Chernobyl catastrophe. (Author).

Method for the positioning of pipes in a heat exchanger

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

The invention relates to a method for positioning pipes in a heat exchanger. The grating that supports the pipes of the heat exchanger may be equipped with projections in the passages that also support the pipes. Such projections may, however, obstruct the positioning of the pipes in the grating. The purpose of the invention is to bypass this problem by applying receding projections that move outward when a wedge is put in the grating and thereupon turned round in such a way that the pipes can freely be positioned. Thereupon, the wedge is turned back and the projections will resume their positions. (Auth.)

Decontamination of drinking water by direct heating in solar panels.

Science.gov (United States)

Fjendbo Jørgensen, A J; Nøhr, K; Sørensen, H; Boisen, F

1998-09-01

A device was developed for direct heating of water by solar radiation in a flow-through system of copper pipes. An adjustable thermostat valve prevents water below the chosen temperature from being withdrawn. The results show that it is possible to eliminate coliform and thermotolerant coliform bacteria from naturally contaminated river water by heating to temperatures of 65 degrees C or above. Artificial additions of Salmonella typhimurium, Streptococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli to contaminated river water were also inactivated after heating to 65 degrees C and above. The total viable count could be reduced by a factor of 1000. The heat-resistant bacteria isolated from the Mlalakuva River (Tanzania) were spore-forming bacteria which exhibited greater heat resistance than commonly used test bacteria originating from countries with colder climates. To provide a good safety margin it is recommended that an outlet water temperature of 75 degrees C be used. At that temperature the daily production was about 501 of decontaminated water per m2 of solar panel, an amount that could be doubled by using a heat exchanger to recycle the heat.

Bayesian analysis of heat pipe life test data for reliability demonstration testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartholomew, R.J.; Martz, H.F.

1985-01-01

The demonstration testing duration requirements to establish a quantitative measure of assurance of expected lifetime for heat pipes was determined. The heat pipes are candidate devices for transporting heat generated in a nuclear reactor core to thermoelectric converters for use as a space-based electric power plant. A Bayesian analysis technique is employed, utilizing a limited Delphi survey, and a geometric mean accelerated test criterion involving heat pipe power (P) and temperature (T). Resulting calculations indicate considerable test savings can be achieved by employing the method, but development testing to determine heat pipe failure mechanisms should not be circumvented

Insoluble Coatings for Stirling Engine Heat Pipe Condenser Surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Dussinger, Peter M.; Lindemuth, James E.

1997-01-01

The principal objective of this Phase 2 SBIR program was to develop and demonstrate a practically insoluble coating for nickel-based superalloys for Stirling engine heat pipe applications. Specific technical objectives of the program were: (1) Determine the solubility corrosion rates for Nickel 200, Inconel 718, and Udimet 72OLI in a simulated Stirling engine heat pipe environment, (2) Develop coating processes and techniques for capillary groove and screen wick structures, (3) Evaluate the durability and solubility corrosion rates for capillary groove and screen wick structures coated with an insoluble coating in cylindrical heat pipes operating under Stirling engine conditions, and (4) Design and fabricate a coated full-scale, partial segment of the current Stirling engine heat pipe for the Stirling Space Power Convertor program. The work effort successfully demonstrated a two-step nickel aluminide coating process for groove wick structures and interior wall surfaces in contact with liquid metals; demonstrated a one-step nickel aluminide coating process for nickel screen wick structures; and developed and demonstrated a two-step aluminum-to-nickel aluminide coating process for nickel screen wick structures. In addition, the full-scale, partial segment was fabricated and the interior surfaces and wick structures were coated. The heat pipe was charged with sodium, processed, and scheduled to be life tested for up to ten years as a Phase 3 effort.

Temperature control with high performance gravity-assist heat pipes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kemme, J.E.; Deverall, J.E.; Keddy, E.S.; Phillips, J.R.; Ranken, W.A.

1975-01-01

The development of high performance heat pipes for controlling the temperature of irradiation experiments in the Experimental Breeder Reactor (EBR-II) is described. Because this application involves vertical operation in a gravity-assist mode with the evaporator down, several tests were made with sodium and potassium heat pipes in this position to establish their performance limits as a function of operating temperature. Best performance was achieved with a new wick structure consisting of a fine porous liner next to the heat-pipe wall and four helical channels next to the vapor passage. Also, a new modification of heat-pipe theory was discovered for determining performance limits for this type of wick. In its most rudimentary form, this modification says that the dynamic pressure gradient in the vapor stream cannot exceed the gravity gradient causing return of liquid. Once this modification was expressed in the form of a limiting equation, and a term was added to account for the slight capillary force developed in the channels, good agreement was obtained between calculated limits and those measured in several tests with both sodium and potassium. These tests showed rather conclusively that only half of the liquid head in the evaporator section was causing return of condensate, whereas existing theory predicts that the full head of liquid in the heat pipe is available for condensate return. (U.S.)

System design package for SIMS Prototype System 4, solar heating and domestic hot water

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1978-11-01

This report is a collation of documents and drawings that describe a prototype solar heating and hot water system using air type solar energy collection techniques. The system consists of a modular designed prepackaged solar unit containing solar collctors, a rock storage container, blowers, dampers, ducting, air-to-water heat exchanger, DHW preheat tank, piping and system controls. The system was designed to be installed adjacent to a small single family dwelling. The description, performance specification, subsystem drawings, verification plan/procedure, and hazard analysis of the system are packaged for evaluation of the system with inforation sufficient to assemble a similar system. The prepackage solar unit has been installed at the Mississippi Power and Light Company, Training Facilities, Clinton, Mississippi.

Transient thermal performance analysis of micro heat pipes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Xiangdong; Chen, Yongping

2013-01-01

A theoretical analysis of transient fluid flow and heat transfer in a triangular micro heat pipes (MHP) has been conducted to study the thermal response characteristics. By introducing the system identification theory, the quantitative evaluation of the MHP's transient thermal performance is realized. The results indicate that the evaporation and condensation processes are both extended into the adiabatic section. During the start-up process, the capillary radius along axial direction of MHP decreases drastically while the liquid velocity increases quickly at the early transient stage and an approximately linear decrease in wall temperature arises along the axial direction. The MHP behaves as a first-order LTI control system with the constant input power as the 'step input' and the evaporator wall temperature as the 'output'. Two corresponding evaluation criteria derived from the control theory, time constant and temperature constant, are able to quantitatively evaluate the thermal response speed and temperature level of MHP under start-up, which show that a larger triangular groove's hydraulic diameter within 0.18–0.42 mm is able to accelerate the start-up and decrease the start-up temperature level of MHP. Additionally, the MHP starts up fastest using the fluid of ethanol and most slowly using the working fluid of methanol, and the start-up temperature reaches maximum level for acetone and minimum level for the methanol. -- Highlights: • Transient thermal response of micro heat pipe is simulated by an improved model. • Control theory is introduced to quantify the thermal response of micro heat pipe. • Evaluation criteria are proposed to represent thermal response of micro heat pipe. • Effects of groove dimensions and working fluids on start-up of micro heat pipe are evaluated

Thermostructural applications of heat pipes for cooling leading edges of high-speed aerospace vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Camarda, Charles J.; Glass, David E.

1992-01-01

Heat pipes have been considered for use on wing leading edge for over 20 years. Early concepts envisioned metal heat pipes cooling a metallic leading edge. Several superalloy/sodium heat pipes were fabricated and successfully tested for wing leading edge cooling. Results of radiant heat and aerothermal testing indicate the feasibility of using heat pipes to cool the stagnation region of shuttle-type space transportation systems. The test model withstood a total seven radiant heating tests, eight aerothermal tests, and twenty-seven supplemental radiant heating tests. Cold-wall heating rates ranged from 21 to 57 Btu/sq ft-s and maximum operating temperatures ranged from 1090 to 1520 F. Follow-on studies investigated the application of heat pipes to cool the stagnation regions of single-stage-to-orbit and advanced shuttle vehicles. Results of those studies indicate that a 'D-shaped' structural design can reduce the mass of the heat-pipe concept by over 44 percent compared to a circular heat-pipe geometry. Simple analytical models for heat-pipe startup from the frozen state (working fluid initially frozen) were adequate to approximate transient, startup, and steady-state heat-pipe performance. Improvement in analysis methods has resulted in the development of a finite-element analysis technique to predict heat-pipe startup from the frozen state. However, current requirements of light-weight design and reliability suggest that metallic heat pipes embedded in a refractory composite material should be used. This concept is the concept presently being evaluated for NASP. A refractory-composite/heat-pipe-cooled wing leading edge is currently being considered for the National Aero-Space Plane (NASP). This concept uses high-temperature refractory-metal/lithium heat pipes embedded within a refractory-composite structure and is significantly lighter than an actively cooled wing leading edge because it eliminates the need for active cooling during ascent and descent. Since the

Correlation to predict heat transfer of an oscillating loop heat pipe consisting of three interconnected columns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arslan, Goekhan; Ozdemir, Mustafa

2008-01-01

In this paper, heat transfer in an oscillating loop heat pipe is investigated experimentally. The oscillation of the liquid columns at the evaporator and condenser sections of the heat pipe are driven by gravitational force and the phase lag between evaporation and condensation because the dimensions of the heat pipe are large enough to neglect the effect of capillary forces. The overall heat transfer coefficient based on the temperature difference between the evaporator and condenser surfaces is introduced by a correlation function of dimensionless numbers such as kinetic Reynolds number, c p ΔT/h fg and the geometric parameters