Preliminary Numerical Investigation on the Optimization of a Single Bunch of Elastocaloric Elements to be Employed in an Experimental Device

Abstract

Nowadays about 20% of the worldwide energy consumption is attributable to refrigeration almost based on vapor compression. In the scientific literature in the class of the eco-friendly cooling technologies alternative to vapour compression there is solid state cooling. In this field, the scientific community has devoted the attention specifically toward elastocaloric refrigeration. Elastocaloric refrigeration is based on the latent heat associated with the transformation process of the martensitic phase, found in Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) when they are subjected to uniaxial stress cycles of loading and unloading. SMAs are characterized by the mechanical property of being able to return to the initial form once the uniaxial stress has been removed. By exploiting this effect in a reverse regenerative thermodynamic cycle called Active elastocaloric regenerative refrigeration cycle (AeR), a satisfactory cooling effect is achievable. In this paper, the results of a numerical investigation conducted, through a 2-D model, on a single bunch of elastocaloric elements are shown. Specifically, the heat transfer and the energy performances are studied both by varying the geometrical parameters of the elements and by varying the auxiliary fluid (air) velocity.