Heat Transfer Limitations Research Articles

Model-based optimization strategies for direct hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to dimethyl ether

This study discusses model-based optimization strategies for CO2 hydrogenation to dimethyl ether (DME) over a CuZnZr (CZZ) and ferrite (FER) mixed catalyst system in a packed-bed reactor configuration. A two-dimensional axisymmetric, nonisothermal packed-bed reactor model was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics 6.2 software. The model solves two-dimensional (radial and axial) heat and mass transport equations in the packed-bed and integrates intraparticle diffusion and heat transfer in a 1D approach. This powerful feature differs from a traditional porous media approach and takes into account any heat and mass transfer limitations that may exist. Analysis shows that the heat transfer limitations are negligible, but strong internal mass transfer limitations were observed at 10 ≤ WHSV ≤ 90 h−1 on the FER catalyst and at 240 °C. The optimum catalyst composition (i.e., mixing ratio) varies depending on the operating regime. The FER catalyst weight in the mixture can be as low as 5 wt.%, but the ideal composition depends on the internal mass transfer limitation and its relationship with the operating regime (i.e., weight hourly space velocity, temperature). A catalyst composition of 80 wt.% CZZ and 20 wt.% FER was suggested; this composition can provide high CO2 conversion and DME production rates at a wide range of temperatures and flow rates.

Experimental characterisation and visualisation of a novel two-phase flexible heat transfer device

The importance of passive Flexible Heat Transfer Device (FHTD) in electronic cooling or space applications lies in their ability to provide efficient, reliable, and adaptable thermal management solutions. Heat transfer enhancement studies pertaining to FHTD developed to meet the thermal management demands of futuristic flexible electronic devices are presented in the current work. The possibility of extending the heat transport limit of FHTD beyond 24 W by limiting the maximum operating temperature to 60 °C is discussed. The superior performance of FHTD at varying heat loads from 5 W to 40 W at 45°and 90°bending angles is brought out compared with existing heat transfer devices like Flexible Heat Pipe (FHP) and copper thermal straps. The performance is reported in thermal resistance and equivalent thermal conductivity. A commercial dielectric liquid is used as a working fluid in FHTD to enhance the heat transfer limit employing phase change. The evaporator and condenser sections of the flexible section are made transparent to visualise the boiling and condensation phenomenon. Under steady-state operation at a 45°bending angle, The FHTD demonstrates a minimum thermal resistance of 0.73 K/W and a peak effective thermal conductivity of 8172 W/m K. The heat transfer coefficient ranges from 200 to 700 W/m2 K, consistent with values reported for heat pipes in the literature. Additionally, the study explores the impact of modifying the external surface texture to create more nucleation sites, thereby enhancing the performance of the FHTD. The results show that the laser-textured surface on the heat pipe condenser effectively reduces the onset of nucleate boiling for dielectric fluid by 3.5 °C and decreases the maximum temperature of the evaporator by 4.5 °C. The present work dictates the fundamental baseline for possible design choices of futuristic passive flexible heat transfer devices.

Thermal performance analysis of supporting column ultra-thin vapor chamber with graded microgroove

To analyze the thermal behavior of a graded microgroove ultra-thin vapor chamber with supporting column, a three-dimensional steady-state numerical model coupled with graded capillary force network, which involves hydraulic and heat transfer on hydraulic and heat transfer performance on ultra-thin vapor chamber with different supporting column sizes. This model considers the influence of supporting column with varying diameters and intervals on liquid flow and temperature distribution, as well as the effects of a graded capillary force network on heat transfer limit of ultra-thin vapor chamber. The numerical results show that the additional heat transfer provided by the central support column causes an outward shift in the saturation temperature of vapor, creating a new liquid reflux path at the condensation surface. The accuracy of the model is verified by the preparation of ultra-thin vapor chamber with a graded microgroove a graded microgroove. Compared with the experimental results on conventional microgrooves, graded microgrooves can improve the heat transfer limit by 29.3%. According to the theoretical analysis model, the graded capillary force network can effectively resist incremental increases in vapor pressure drop, enhancing the efficiency of gas–liquid circulation of ultra-thin vapor chamber.

Design of high-temperature sodium heat pipe with composite wick based on non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA)

As small modular reactors continue to advance, heat pipe reactors (HPRs) are being developed by multiple organizations. Designing heat pipes with optimal heat transfer capability is crucial for the effective performance of HPRs. Based on NSGA-III genetic algorithm, this paper presented the design method of a high-temperature heat pipe featuring a composite wick. The study examined the influence of heat pipe structure parameters on performance parameters and heat transfer limits. Based on the analysis, we built multi-objective modeling of heat pipe and obtained the optimal structural parameters by NSGA-III. Verification confirmed that the heat pipe met the Mach number and effective capillary radius requirements. This study provided valuable insights for improving heat pipe manufacturing techniques and reactor miniaturization.

Melt flow analysis in rotational nozzle fused filament fabrication process

Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is a widely used processing method; however, heat transfer limitations within a conventional nozzle result in relatively low flow rates, leading to lengthy production times, compared to traditional processing methods, ultimately restricting its industrial application. Recently, a novel rotational nozzle FFF three-dimensional (3 D) printer has been patented and developed to enhance processing efficiency. Despite this achievement, the fundamental mechanisms behind this novel process remain unclear. In this study, both analytical analysis and numerical simulations were conducted based on a force-controlled scaled-down experimental setup. This setup, designed according to the pressure-induced melt removal theory, provided melt throughput data under varying heater temperatures, extrusion forces, and rotational speeds. Agreement between the modeling and experimental results confirms the generalizability of the models. Modeling predictions of temperature and velocity distributions indicate that viscous dissipation affects the average temperature and filament velocity. To simulate the real-world working conditions of FFF 3 D printing, a velocity-controlled simulation was introduced. It was observed that the average melt film thickness increases with nozzle rotational speed due to viscous dissipation. Additionally, the extrusion force required for the same printing speed decreases with increasing nozzle rotational speed, primarily due to the higher shear rate reducing melt viscosity.

Effect of small inclination angle on heat transfer performance of Ω-grooved bending heat pipe

Grooved bending heat pipe may operate at small inclination angle caused by practical installation errors. Previous researches mainly focused on large inclination angles of straight heat pipes, but fewer experiments were conducted at small inclination angle of bending heat pipe where liquid accumulation and gravity effect on liquid-vapor transport varies along the pipe. This paper experimentally studied the effect of small inclination angle (±3°) on heat transfer of aluminum-ammonia Ω-grooved bending heat pipe with total length of 650mm, vapor chamber diameter of 4mm and grooved wick diameter of 1.24mm. The results showed that small inclination angle significantly affect the heat transfer performance of bending heat pipe with heat transfer limit changed by 9 times form 20W to 180W and thermal resistance changed by 8 times from 0.04 K/W to 0.32 K/W. Effect of negative and positive angles in bending heat pipe is complex than that in straight heat pipe. Positive condensation end inclination enhances heat transfer due to gravity-driven liquid reflux. Negative condensation end inclination inhibits heat transfer due to anti-gravity reflux and liquid accumulation suppressing gas condensation. Positive evaporation end inclination weakens heat transfer due to anti-gravity reflux. Negative evaporation end inclination also weakens heat transfer due to thick liquid film, increasing thermal resistance and potentially blocking vapor channels. Attributed to coupling effect of liquid accumulation at bending section and capillary force dominant at tiny incline, maximum heat transfer limit of 180 W is achieved at both end inclination of -0.5°.

Heat transfer enhancement and flow resistance reduction characteristics of non-uniform electrohydrodynamic conduction pumping in microchannels

In this study, the thermo-hydraulic performance of non-uniform electrohydrodynamic (EHD) conduction pumping in rectangular and straight microchannels was experimentally investigated. Electrodes are arranged in two ways: dimensions constant, spacing varies (Cases 1–3); both dimensions and spacing vary (Cases 4–6). The results show that EHD conduction pumping significantly enhances heat transfer performance, increasing the average Nusselt number (Nu) by 17.9 %-87 % compared to a smooth microchannel. As Re increases, the inertial force of the fluid dominates, diminishing EHD-induced vortices and limiting heat transfer enhancement. EHD conduction pumping enhances heat transfer by creating vortices that mimic solid pseudo-roughness microelements, increasing fluid disturbance and mixing near the wall. However, these vortices also impede the flow, resulting in a trade-off with increased pressure drop resistance. This paper innovatively adopts an arrangement of increasing electrode size (non-uniform), which effectively reduces the pressure drop resistance in the microchannel while maintaining the advantage of enhanced heat transfer. Cases 4, 5, and 6 exhibit significantly higher comprehensive heat transfer performance (η) than Case 0 (without electrodes), especially at low Re. While the inertial force at high Re suppresses vortex formation and heat transfer enhancement, η remains superior to Case 0. Notably, Case 5 maintains a minimum η of 1.18 even at Re = 1000. Furthermore, this paper proposes an equivalent slip drag reduction mechanism to elucidate the drag reduction effect of the increasing electrode size arrangement. Heat transfer augmentation and pressure drop reduction, as mentioned here in microchannels, are crucial for electronics cooling and microfluidic devices.

Design and experimental analysis of a novel thermal diode with asymmetric heat transfer inspired by feather

To overcome the limitation of isotropic heat transfer of traditional heat pipes, a novel thermal diode with asymmetric flow resistance vapor channel inspired by the goose feather fibers is proposed in this study. The thermal performance of novel thermal diode is experimentally investigated. Results show that under the wide range of operating conditions, the thermal resistance of one end surpasses the thermal resistance of the other end, indicating its excellent thermal rectification capability. Under the filling ratio of 10 % and heating power of 7.5 W, the maximum thermal resistance of the thermal diode is 5.23 times the minimum thermal resistance, demonstrating excellent asymmetric heat transfer performance. Experimental results demonstrate that the novel thermal diode proposed in this study can easily change its unidirectional heat transfer direction by simply adjusting the internal filling ratio, showing significant application potential in the fields of thermal control system.

Limits of dropwise condensation heat transfer on dry nonwetting surfaces

Limits of dropwise condensation heat transfer on dry nonwetting surfaces

Experimental study on a pump-driven CO2 two-phase thermosyphon loop

In order to better understanding the internal operating principles of liquid pump-driven two-phase thermosyphon loop (LPTPTL) and promote the application of environmentally friendly working fluids, a LPTPTL using CO2 as the working fluid was studied through experiment. Both the operating mechanisms and performance of the CO2 LPTPTL was investigated. It was found that the impact of the pump on the two-phase thermosyphon loop (TPTL) varies significantly across different operation stages. During the oscillatory operation stage, activating the liquid pump eliminated the geyser boiling in the loop and made the TPTL to transition from oscillatory to stable operation. During the normal operation stage, the pump power had little effect on the total thermal resistance of the TPTL. While the system’s EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio) significantly decreased with the increasing pump power. During the overload operation stage, activating the liquid pump helped alleviate overheating or subcooling in the loop. With the pump power increasing from 3.0 W to 18.8 W, the heat transfer limit of the TPTL increased from 1800 W to 3300 W, while the system’s EER decreased from 600 to 176. This study proves the feasibility of CO2 LPTPTL, and provides theoretical guidance for its real application.

Numerical and experimental investigations of thermohydraulic performance enhancement of triangular duct solar air heaters using circular wing vortex generators

AbstractThis study presents the thermohydraulic performance enhancement in a triangular duct solar air heater (TSAH) using circular wing vortex generators (CWVGs) on the absorber plate using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methodology for the Reynolds number (Re) range of 6000–21,000. The use of wing vortex generators offers relatively lower interference with the core flow region, while the circular geometry offers a smooth curved edge, which reduces multiple vortex interactions in the wake region, thereby limiting the pressure drop. This study explores the impact of flow attack angle, longitudinal pitch, transverse pitch, and diameter of CWVG on the thermohydraulic performance of TSAH. The results reveal that a lower flow attack angle exhibits enhanced heat transfer with a lower friction factor penalty. The nondimensional diameter greater than d/Dh = 0.325 tends to limit heat transfer and exhibits an increased friction factor. The transverse pitch parameter also exhibits a similar trend where the threshold nondimensional pitch is found to be 1.5. The highest improvement in Nu is 4.37 times that of smooth duct for d/Dh = 0.433, Pl/d = 1, Pt/d = 1.5 and α = 20° at Re = 6000. The highest rise in friction factor is about 10.23 times that of smooth duct for d/Dh = 0.433, Pl/d = 1.0, Pt/d = 1.5, and α = 20° at Re = 21,000. The highest thermohydraulic performance parameter (THPP) value is about 2.23 at Re = 6000, with THPP values ranging from 1.69 to 2.23 across different CWVG configurations. Finally, mathematical correlations are developed for Nu and friction factors which are in close agreement with CFD results, with deviations averaging 5.03% and 3.69%, respectively.

Graphene incorporated zinc oxide hybrid nanofluid for energy-efficient heat transfer application: A thermal lens study

The work focuses on the development of a hybrid nanofluid (NF) comprising zinc oxide-graphene (ZG) to address heat transfer (HT) limitations in thermal systems. The study employs a highly sensitive mode-mismatched dual-beam thermal lens (MDTL) method to analyze the lattice dislocation-induced thermal diffusivity (D) modifications of the hybrid NF. The hybrid composite (HC) is synthesized by solid-state mixing and annealing of ZG. The formation of ZG hybrid composites is revealed through X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared, X-ray photoelectron, and Raman spectroscopic analyses. The structural dislocations present in the HC are understood from XRD and Raman analyses. Ultraviolet-visible and photoluminescence spectroscopic studies revealed the optical properties of the samples. The MDTL study is carried out by preparing the NFs of the synthesized samples in the base fluid, ethylene glycol (EG), and reveals the impact of crystallite defects on the thermal characteristics of the synthesized composites. Thus, the study suggests the potential capability of ZG composites in tuning the thermal behaviour of EG for HT applications.

Experimental investigation on the performance of a high capacity dual compensation chamber loop heat pipe under the effect of acceleration

As an efficient two-phase heat transfer technology, the application of loop heat pipe (LHP) technology in the aerospace industry has received more attention in recent years. This paper presents a performance study of a high capacity dual compensation chamber loop heat pipe (DCCLHP) under acceleration environment. The experimental study investigated accelerations up to 8 g in five directions, while the DCCLHP operated close to the heat transfer limit in the corresponding directions. The experimental results indicated that the effect of acceleration on the performance of the DCCLHP could be either favorable or unfavorable, depending on the direction of acceleration. The operating temperature of the DCCLHP varied between −6 °C and +14 °C under different acceleration conditions. The thermal resistance changes of the DCCLHP ranged from −25 % to 116 %. For the high capacity DCCLHP, the effect of acceleration on its performance was mainly realized by affecting the thickness of the condensate film inside the condenser, which in turn affected the condenser performance. The research findings presented in this paper might aid in the advancement of DCCLHP technology for aircraft applications.

Dynamic phase change materials with extended surfaces

Phase change materials (PCMs) present opportunities for efficient thermal management due to their high latent heat of melting. However, a fundamental challenge for PCM cooling is the presence of a growing liquid layer of relatively low thermal conductivity melted PCM that limits heat transfer. Dynamic phase change material (dynPCM) uses an applied pressure to pump away the melt layer and achieve a thin liquid layer, ensuring high heat transfer for extended periods. This paper investigates heat transfer during dynPCM cooling when the heated surface has extended features made from high thermal conductivity copper (Cu). Using experiments and finite element simulations, we investigate the heat transfer performance of dynPCM paraffin wax on finned Cu surfaces. A total of 102 transient temperature measurements characterize the performance of dynPCM with extended surfaces and compare the performance with other cooling methods including hybrid PCM and air cooling. The study examines the effects of fin geometry, applied power (20–65 W), and pressure (0.97–12.5 kPa). For dynPCM on a finned surface and a heating power of 65 W, the thermal conductance is 0.45 W/cm2-K, compared to 0.22 W/cm2-K for dynPCM on a flat surface and 0.10 W/cm2-K for hybrid PCM. The heat transfer is highest at the fin tips where the melt layer is thinnest, providing valuable design guidelines for future high performance dynPCM cooling technologies.

Experimental Investigation of Evaporation of Methanol and n‐Pentane on a Submerged Capillary Structure

AbstractThe heat transfer limit of heat pipes is investigated by pool boiling experiments in a standard apparatus with a capillary layer placed on a copper tube. The capillary layer is a hollow cylinder made of bronze with a wall thickness of 2 mm and the test fluids are methanol and n‐pentane. The setting is comparable to high‐flux tubes already investigated in the literature. In dependence on the heat flux, three to four sections with different characteristics are identified. Compared to plain copper tubes, the heat transfer is partially increased by a factor of 12 until the limit is reached at around 70 kW m−2.

A novel coaxial heat pipe with an inner vapor tube for cooling high power electronic devices

Improving heat transfer limit of heat pipe is important for their application in high-power equipment system. Shear stress at the liquid–vapor interface affects the heat transfer capacity of heat pipe. In this study, a novel coaxial heat pipe is designed to eliminate vapor entrainment from interfacial shear stress for the first time. An inner thin-walled tube is sintered with the powder wick in the adiabatic section by one-step sintering process. The effects of filling ratio and powder size of sintered wick on the thermal performance of coaxial heat pipe are investigated experimentally. The results indicate that the optimal powder size range for the sintered wick of coaxial heat pipe is 106–125 μm, while the optimal filling ratio is about 125 %. It means that the sintered wick with 106–125 μm powder can achieve better trade-off between capillary performance and permeability. The coaxial heat pipe can operate at heat loads of 70 ∼ 140 W with the total thermal resistance less than 0.06 °C /W. Moreover, compared with the normal heat pipe, the heat transfer capacity of coaxial heat pipe is increased by 57 %, while the evaporation temperature is decreased by 9.6 ∼ 19.1 °C and the total thermal resistance is decreased by 41 %∼320 %. The inner tube can improve the replenishment efficiency of working liquid by eliminating interfacial shear stress, resulting in the significant heat transfer improvement. The design of coaxial heat pipe is an effective and low-cost solution to improve the thermal performance of heat pipe.

A separation column for liquid mixture based on phase transform: Experiment and simulation

The concentric internally heat-integrated distillation column (HIDiC) has advantages of low energy consumption and high thermodynamic efficiency. However, its drawbacks of limited heat transfer area, complex internal structure, and large number of control parameters hinder its widespread industrial applications. To solve these challenges, in this work a novel sleeve-like concentric heat integrated separation column, namely temperature-controlled phase change column (TCPC), was developed to separate liquid mixtures in a more effective and energy-saving way with reflux section being moved and trays being replaced with spiral corrugation blades. The comprehensive performances of TCPC in ethanol–water system was firstly evaluated by experiments. The results showed that TCPC performs well in ethanol/water separation due to the internal spiral corrugation significantly reducing the vapor–liquid contact in separation section. Meanwhile, compared to the concentric HIDiC, TCPC has a higher total heat transfer coefficient due to the larger heat transfer area. Computational fluid dynamics simulation reveals the internal design of TCPC inducing secondary vortices of the vapor, enhancing condensation heat transfer and separation efficiency. Further, increasing mass flow rate within a certain range would enhance the comprehensive performance factor and lead to more effective separation.

Single-Use Vape Batteries: Investigating Their Potential as Ignition Sources in Waste and Recycling Streams

This study investigates the potential link between the increasing prevalence of single-use vapes (SUVs) and the rising frequency of waste and recycling fires in the UK. Incorrectly discarded Li-ion cells from SUVs can suffer mechanical damage, potentially leading to thermal runaway (TR) depending on the cells’ state of charge (SOC). Industry-standard abuse tests (short-circuit and nail test) and novel impact and crush tests, simulating damage during waste management processes, were conducted on Li-ion cells from two market-leading SUVs. The novel tests created internal short circuits, generating higher temperatures than the short-circuit test required for product safety. The cells in used SUVs had an average SOC ≤ 50% and reached a maximum temperature of 131 °C, below the minimum ignition temperature of common waste materials. The high temperatures were short-lived and had limited heat transfer to adjacent materials. The study concludes that Li-ion cells in used SUVs at ≤50% SOC cannot generate sufficient heat and temperature to ignite common waste and recycling materials. These findings have implications for understanding the fire risk associated with discarded SUVs in waste management facilities.

Experimental study on flow optimization and thermal performance enhancement of an ultrathin silicon-based loop heat pipe

Excessive heat flux of integrated circuits (ICs) leads to the failure of electronic devices and the consumption of extra energy. Silicon-based loop heat pipe (sLHP) offers a simple, reliable and easily-integrate method for IC thermal management. In this study, the influence of two common wicks (micropillar arrays (MP) wick and microchannel (MC) wick) on fluid flow and performance of sLHP are systematically compared and studied through visual experiment. And two advanced wicks (in-line long rib (IR) wick and staggered long rib (SR) wick) are proposed to further optimize the sLHP. The results show that the fluctuant vapor-liquid interface in MP wick is beneficial to the supplement of working fluid from adjacent flow channel, but it also introduces the uncertainty of flow. The MC wick features the preset flow channel and stable fluid flow but limited heat transfer capacity. Notably, the IR wick and SR wick effectively enhance that capability of supplementing fluid by combining the advantages of the MP wick and MC wick showing better thermal performance. The effective thermal conductivity of SR-sLHP and IR-sLHP is better than that of MP-sLHP and MC-sLHP, with the maximum values of 860 W/(m·K) and 848 W/(m·K), respectively.

Liquid plug characteristics and heat transfer performance of a silicon-based ultra-thin flat heat pipe at different incline angles

Silicon-based ultra-thin flat heat pipes (UFHPs) that can be integrated with semiconductor devices provide an opportunity for electronic thermal management. To meet the requirements of various operation states, the impacts of gravity on the liquid plug characteristics and heat transfer performance of an UFHP are investigated by a visualization experiment conducted at different incline angles. Condensate flows back through microgrooves under the capillary pressure and gravity under a low heating power (capillary flow stage), and then excess condensate flows back along the edges of the UFHP under a higher heating power (gravitational flow stage). Over a certain heating power (Q ≥ 14 W), liquid plug fluctuations caused by vapor entrainment are observed with periodic dry-out at the evaporator under large incline angles (α ≥ 60°), corresponding to temperature fluctuations. Intense fluctuations of the liquid plug enhance sensible heat transfer, although the liquid plug occupies the condenser area and impedes the vapor flow. Meanwhile, evaporation at the evaporator benefits from corner-film evaporation until a large area of dry-out occurs. Due to the increased gravity and buoyancy, a larger incline angle is conducive to thermal performance enhancement, but this effect becomes restricted as the heating power rises. At a cooling-water temperature of 20 ℃ and an incline angle of 90°, the lowest thermal resistances of the UFHP yield a value of 1.14 ℃/W at 4 W in the steady stage and a value of 1.22 ℃/W at 18 W in the fluctuation stage, respectively. The heat transfer limit of UFHP with overfilling reaches 24 W, compared with the theoretical heat transfer capacity of 8.9 W at an incline angle of 90°. Additionally, a higher cooling-water temperature is beneficial for the thermal performance in the capillary flow stage, but not in the gravitational flow stage and fluctuation stage. This study provides guidance for the operational design of silicon-based UFHP for electronic thermal management.