Abstract
In this study, energy harvesting with micro scale hydrodynamic cavitation-thermoelectric generation coupling is investigated. For this, three micro orifices with different geometrical dimensions are fabricated. The hydraulic diameter of the micro orifices are 66.6 μm, 75.2 μm, and 80 μm, while their length is the same (2000μm). Two different working fluids, namely water and Perfluoropentane droplet-water suspension, are utilized for cavitating flows in the fabricated micro orifices. The flow patterns at different upstream pressures are recorded using the high-speed camera system, and the experimental results are analyzed and compared. Thereafter, energy harvesting perspectives of cavitating flows are considered. The released heat from collapsing bubbles and the subsequent temperature rise on the end wall of the microchannel, which can be used as the source for the power generation, is calculated over time. Finally, a miniature energy harvesting system with cavitation system and thermoelectric generator coupling is presented. The maximum power corresponding to two different thermoelectric generators is estimated for with both working fluids and is compared with the required power to run miniature daily used electronics components.
Highlights
Growths in energy demand, climate change concerns, and polluted gas emission have pushed the humanity toward clean energy and energy harvesting, thereby minimizing fossil fuel consumption
The results from the experiments are analyzed from flow pattern and energy harvesting perspectives
The power generation in representative thermoelectric devices coupled with the cavitation system is estimated for all the devices
Summary
Climate change concerns, and polluted gas emission have pushed the humanity toward clean energy and energy harvesting, thereby minimizing fossil fuel consumption. As reported in the Annual Energy Outlook 2019,1 the power generation from green resources is projected to increase for 13% by 2050, while a decreasing trend in the coal and nuclear resources is predicted. During the past years, the released energy from the collapsing bubbles due to cavitation has been proven to be useful in some applications including water treatment, surface cleaning, biomedical applications like breaking urinary stones, and energy harvesting.. The motivation behind the cavitation application in the industry lies in the released energy from the collapsing bubbles. The local temperature and pressure rises at the bubble collapse could be as large as 5000 K and 500 atm, respectively, which motivates the researchers to study the parametric effects in cavitation generation and to promote such phenomena for the above-mentioned applications
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