Unidirectional Heat Transfer into a Rotating Cylinder Containing R-134a Refrigerant

Abstract

An analysis was conducted on the feasibility of designing a unidirectional heat transfer cylindrical wall suitable for microgravity conditions. The heat transfer wall is unidirectional in the sense that heat is only allowed to flow in one direction, which is made possible by the principles of phase-change heat transfer (PCHT). The wall is to consist of two concentric cylindrical walls and is to direct heat from the outer wall to the inner wall radially. A mathematical model is presented for the proposed unidirectional heat transfer wall. Preexisting heat transfer correlations were utilized to calculate the heat transfer rate of the unidirectional heat transfer wall with R-134a as the working fluid. The present study demonstrates that the unidirectional heat transfer wall can switch from a heat conductor to a thermal insulator by adjusting the loading of the working fluid within the walls of the proposed device.