Phase Heat Research Articles

Estimating the effective char depth in structural timber elements exposed to natural fires, considering the heating and cooling phase

This research study investigates the effect of different heating and cooling regimes on the effective cross-section of timber elements exposed to natural fires. An advanced calculation method based on a 1D finite-difference heat transfer model and effective thermo-physical properties is adopted to analyse the heat penetration and the consequent reduction in mechanical properties. In particular, the research focuses on the evolution and penetration speed of the char depth (300 °C isotherm) and zero-strength layer (determined through in-depth temperatures and reduced mechanical properties). Results reveal how the char depth mainly develops during the heating phase, with non-negligible contributions from the cooling phase. In contrast, the zero-strength layer increases throughout the whole fire exposure, particularly during cooling and, possibly, after the end of the cooling phase. In general, the heating phase contributes about 2/3 to the total effective char depth, while the cooling phase about 1/3. The most challenging conditions were found for the fires of the longest durations (heating and overall), corresponding to low ventilation and high fuel load density conditions. The study emphasises the necessity of incorporating the cooling phase in performance-based methodologies for fire-safe timber structures to avoid under-estimating heat penetration effects.

Preparation and scintillation properties of Eu3+-doped high crystallinity tellurite glass ceramics

In this study, a high-crystallinity glass-ceramic scintillator doped with Eu³⁺ containing Bi₂Te₄O₁₁ nanocrystals was prepared using a traditional melt crystallization method. The optimal heat treatment conditions, phase structure, and luminescent properties of the glass-ceramics were systematically investigated using various characterization techniques, including DSC, XRD, SEM, and spectrophotometry. To achieve glass-ceramic samples with high transmittance and excellent luminescent performance, the optimal heat treatment process was determined to be 500 °C for 10 minutes. The final sample was found to have a density of 5.9 g/cm³ and a crystallinity of 70%. Strong orange-red light emission was exhibited by the glass-ceramic under both 465 nm light and X-ray excitation. The maximum integral X-ray excited luminescence (XEL) intensity was found to reach 20.2% of that of the commercial Bi4Ge3O12 (BGO) scintillation crystal. It is indicated by the research that Eu³⁺-doped high-crystallinity tellurate glass-ceramics are promising candidate materials for scintillators in the field of X-ray detection.

Construction of Energy Consumption Model in Asphalt Mixture Production Stage Based on Field Measurements

To better construct an energy consumption model for the asphalt mixture production stage, this study divides the production process into four phases: aggregate dust removal, aggregate drying, asphalt heating, and mixture blending. Utilizing measured data from various regions in Anhui Province, the model considers factors such as season, mixture type, and energy consumption type. The study quantitatively compares and analyzes the energy consumption results obtained from three calculation methods: the theoretical method, the quota method, and the energy consumption model method. The results indicate that the total energy consumption shares of the aggregate dust removal, aggregate drying, asphalt heating, and mixture blending phases are 4.23%, 69.50%, 17.75%, and 8.52%, respectively. The primary energy consumption during the asphalt mixture production stage is concentrated in the aggregate drying and asphalt heating phases. The energy consumption model based on on-site measurements effectively reflects the actual energy consumption levels during the asphalt mixture production stage. Moreover, the total energy consumption calculated by the three methods follows the order quota method > energy consumption model method > theoretical method. By constructing an energy consumption model based on measured data, it is possible to more accurately assess the energy usage during the asphalt mixture production process. This helps optimize production techniques, reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, and provide a scientific basis for sustainable road construction.

Air-cooling process modelling for cord steel based on fusion approach of mechanism and artificial neural network

In this study, a modelling approach is introduced that fuses the mechanistic model with an artificial neural network (ANN) during the cord steel manufacturing. This involves replacing certain mechanistic calculations with ANN representations, optimizing mechanistic parameters through ANN techniques, and implanting mechanistic equations into the ANN framework to achieve more accurate and efficient calculations of the cooling process. The mechanistic parameters come from the models including Natural Convection Heat Transfer, Forced Convection Heat Transfer, Radiation Heat Transfer and Phase Transition during the air-cooling process. The model demonstrated an average error of 8.6 °C and 5.4 °C, compared to measurement values from two temperature sensors on the air-cooling line, and an average error of 3.3 °C relative to manually obtained temperature.

Nonlinear mechanical response of UHSS rectangular plate under thermo-mechanical-metallurgical coupling

The mechanical properties of ultrahigh-strength steel (UHSS) produced through the gradient thermoforming process (GTP) are significantly influenced by residual stress and deformation. However, the precise distribution of these factors during GTP remains unclear. To address this issue, a detailed thermal model is developed, incorporating key heat transfer mechanisms, including coupled heat conduction and radiation, using the method of separation of variables. Furthermore, the displacement and stress fields of UHSS rectangular plates are derived using the differential quadrature method (DQM), accounting for phase transitions and external load. The combination of the separation of variables and DQM methods significantly improves computational efficiency. Furthermore, this study presents the first analysis of the combined effects of thermal load, phase transitions, and external forces on UHSS rectangular plates. Finally, through a combination of theoretical analysis, experimental validation, and case studies, the influence of material properties, geometric parameters, and external load on the temperature, stress, and displacement fields is examined. The findings reveal that heating rate, phase transitions, and external load play a critical role in the stress and displacement distribution in UHSS plates during GTP. This research provides a theoretical foundation for optimizing GTP process parameters and material design, ultimately enhancing the quality and performance of UHSS components.

Heat transfer enhancement of PCM in the triple-pipe helical-coiled latent heat thermal energy storage unit and complete melting time correlation

Secondary flows induced in helical-coiled pipes significantly enhance the thermal storage performance of latent heat thermal energy storage units. This paper presents a three-dimensional model of a triple-pipe helical-coiled system to investigate the melting characteristics of phase change material within it. A correlation for the complete melting time was developed based on the simulation results. The findings indicate that the thermal-hydraulic fields of the heat transfer fluids and phase change material deflect from the vertical central axis at cross-sections. The secondary flows within the inner pipe are more effective in enhancing melting than those in the outer pipe. Melting performance improves with increasing inner pipe diameter, coil diameter (from 100 mm to 160 mm), inclination angle, or heat transfer fluid temperature, or decreasing helical pitch. The inner pipe diameter, helical pitch and heat transfer fluid temperature exhibit more pronounced influences. An inner pipe diameter of 30 mm, a coil diameter of 160 mm, a helical pitch of 80 mm, an inclination angle of 90°, a heat transfer fluid temperature of 360 K, and a heat transfer fluid Reynolds number of 2000, respectively produce a faster melting process. The developed correlation for the triple-pipe helical-coiled pipe thermal storage unit accurately predicts 96 % of the 45 data within ±11 %.

Experimental and numerical investigation of a double spiral tube heat exchanger in a novel composite phase change material

Phase change energy storage technology effectively harnesses energy, and phase change materials have been garnered significant attention due to their high latent heat capacity. The heat transfer capacity and phase transition of HCNT − CH3COONa·3H2O/Na2HPO4·12H2O composites in a double spiral tube heat storage unit were investigated. The effects of different flow rates and temperatures on the heat transfer characteristics of phase change materials were studied, and the thermal performance of the storage units was evaluated by calculating the power, energy and energy efficiency ratios. The phase change process of the composite during heat transfer was further revealed via simulation, and the heat storage and heat release of the composite were compared with those of other phase change materials. The results show that the effects of the flow velocity on the transformation time and power of the phase change material are negligible. However, an increase in flow rate can significantly increase the heat storage and heat release of the phase change unit. In particular, when the flow rate is 4 LPM, the energy efficiency ratio can reach 76.6 %. When the temperature increases from 80 °C to 90 °C, the melting time decreases by 30.23 %, indicating that increasing the temperature has a significant effect on the phase transition process. Through simulation calculations, the composite phase change material shows significant performance advantages under the same working conditions; its heat storage capacity is 108 % greater than that of the other materials, and the heat release capacity is 206 % greater, which indicates that it has greater energy storage and release efficiency and a better thermal energy conversion capacity. In addition, the experimental and simulation results also reveal the existence of a diagonal region of slow phase transition in the heat storage unit. In summary, this paper analyses the heat transfer performance of a double spiral tube heat storage device, provides a theoretical basis for practical application, and provides an important reference for improving the performance of a phase–change energy storage system.

The influence of structural defects on the electrical and infrared emission properties of VO2 thin films

Defect engineering is widely used in the modification of transition metal oxides. In this study, defects are introduced into the polycrystalline VO2 film by the energetic Ar ion irradiation, and the influence of structural defects on the electrical and infrared emission properties of VO2 thin films have been investigated. The decrease in electrical switching ratio with the increase of defect ratio (displacement per atom (dpa)) can be described as R10°C/R90°C=2.032×(dpa+0.005)−1.8069, while the infrared modulation performance is Δε=−0.119×ln(dpa+0.061). The dpa thresholds of the electrical switching ratio and the infrared modulation performance are ηdpaRR = 0.005/atom and ηdpaΔε = 0.0426/atom, respectively, indicating that the electrical switching ratio of VO2 films is more responsive to defects than the infrared modulation performance. The relationship between transition temperature and defect ratio has be determined. Concerning electrical properties, the heating phase transition temperature can be described as TMITHeating=25.88−10.93×ln(dpa+0.01); while for infrared emission modulation, the heating phase transition temperature is given by Tε−MITHeating=31.65−8.18×ln(dpa+0.01). While reducing the phase transition temperature, the VO2 thin films still exhibit an electrical switching ratio of more than two orders of magnitude and obvious infrared modulation performance. It not only offers a viable solution for broadening the application scope of VO2 but also contributes to understanding the role of defects in VO2 thin films for further research.

Transient behavior of ablation and swelling for C/C composite and HfC-coated C/C composite in an arc-heated wind tunnel

This study investigated and modeled the transient behavior of surface recession, defined as the difference between ablative length and swelling length, for thermal protection materials within a high-enthalpy flow. Needle punch carbon-carbon (NPCC) and hafnium carbide coated carbon-carbon (HfC-coated NPCC) were exposed to high-enthalpy flow with a heat flux of 7.67 MW/m2 generated by an arc-heated facility. The NPCC and the HfC-coated NPCC represent an ablative surface and a non-ablative surface, respectively. Surface recession histories were estimated through an image analysis and visualizations monitored by a high-speed camera. Moreover, measured data including surface temperature histories, mass loss, and total length were presented. We proposed the models for the transient recession on the ablative surface and the non-ablative surface considering the ablation and the swelling. The ablative length was calculated using non-dimensional parameter B′, which computes ablation rates under equilibrium air conditions. While B’ modeling accurately predicted the ablation rates, it could not reflect the swelling phenomenon during an initial heating phase. The swelling was modeled with consideration of the thermal expansion. Specifically, the effect of increased porosity near the ablative surface was incorporated into the thermal expansion coefficient. The model developed in this study well agreed with the experimental data.

Radio frequency-only thermal processing of skimmed milk powder: Case study on the influence of RF heating profile on quality and Salmonella Typhimurium inactivation.

Radio frequency (RF) is a dielectric heating technology that allows rapid and volumetric heating of milk powder, outperforming the heating uniformity of conventional powder heating methods. Typically, RF milk powder processing consists of a fast RF heating phase, followed by an oven heating phase in temperatures around 90 °C. This methodology can result in milk powder quality deterioration due to non-uniform temperature distributions and local overheating. Radio frequency-only processes with a more gradual heating rate are alternative solutions to minimise the impact on milk powder quality. This study investigated the effect of the heating rate on the microbial inactivation of Salmonella Typhimurium inoculated in skimmed milk powder, as well as the effect of each process on two quality characteristics, colour and solubility. Overall, a slower heating profile resulted in sufficient inactivation rates of Salmonella in skimmed milk powder, while still providing a high-quality end product. A 4-log reduction was achieved by treating the skimmed milk powder up to 95 °C using a slower, longer heating rate. No statistically significant changes were observed in the solubility of skimmed milk powder and only the harshest treatment to 95 °C led to a slight increase in the yellowness of the skimmed milk powder colour.

Development of heat and mass transfer modulus to Feflow code for calculation of brine loaded to permafrost ground

The article discusses the application of FreezeThaw75 module, developed by one of the authors to calculate heat and mass transfer taking into account water–ice and ice–water–water phase transitions. Numerical simulations are compared with the analytical solution and other software codes. The module was tested at one of the injection sites in Daldino-Alakitskii district of Yakutia. FreezeThaw75 module was developed in relation to Feflow v7.4–7.5 model environment. The module was tested on a model of brine injection into frozen rocks. The model simultaneously takes into account the movement of groundwater flow, heat and mass transfer and phase transitions. A feature of the calculations in the developed model is the consideration of large injected volumes of highly mineralized brines.It influences the degradation of permafrost and takes into account the cryohydrogeological conditions of the site. Brines are injected into permafrost rocks with a high absorption capacity especially in areas confined to zones of tectonic disturbances. The developed module can adjust the predicted potential of the operated injection sites. It can also act as an additional element of control over the injection process and the formation of an artificial aquifer in the permafrost rocks.

Internal and surface temperature profiles of spherical biosolids particles during convective drying

The convective drying of spherical biosolids particles from two wastewater treatment plants (Type 1: anaerobic/anoxic treatment with belt filter press dewatering; Type 2: aerobic/anoxic treatment with centrifuge dewatering) was studied under 10 conditions across 44 trials. A wide spectrum of conditions including three drying temperatures (88, 109, and 138 ° C ), two gas velocities (1.6 and 2 m s − 1 ), and particle sizes of 2 cm and 4 cm were investigated. Measured variables included particle mass, center/internal temperature, surface temperature, shrinkage, and qualitative observations of morphological changes. Most samples showed two drying periods, a constant rate period followed by a falling rate period. Additionally, it was found that drying rates and morphological changes depended significantly on particle size and drying intensity (i.e., drying gas temperature and gas velocity) with higher intensities resulting in larger, more porous particles. Internal temperature profiles displayed a consistent pattern, an initial heating phase where internal temperatures quickly rose to approximately the wet bulb temperature of the drying gas, a quasi-constant temperature phase at that temperature, and a final sharp increase/spike to reach equilibrium with the drying gas temperature. Moreover, IR images showed that sub-surface temperatures (between the core and surface) were significantly lower than surface temperatures. Surface temperatures showed a more linear increase throughout drying until equilibrium with the drying gas temperature. The consistent temperature difference between the center and surface, as well as the internal temperature profile, suggests the existence of a drying front, moving radially inward as the particle dries. This research contributes to a better understanding of biosolids drying dynamics, offering insights to improve thermal treatment strategies thereby contributing to the broader field of waste management.

Wall conditions in WEST during operations with a new ITER grade, actively cooled divertor

Future fusion reactors like ITER and DEMO will have all-tungsten (W) walls and long pulses. These features will make wall conditioning more difficult than in most of the existing devices. The W Environment Steady-state Tokamak (WEST) is one of the few long pulse (364 s) fusion devices with actively cooled W plasma-facing components in the world. WEST is a unique test bed to study impurity migration and plasma density control via reactor relevant wall conditioning techniques. The phase II of WEST operations began in 2022, after the installation of a new lower divertor, now entirely equipped with actively cooled, ITER grade, W monoblocks. After pump down, we baked WEST between 90 °C and 170 °C for ∼2 weeks. After 82.5 h at 90 °C and 33 h at 170 °C, vacuum conditions were stable with a vessel pressure of 6x10-5 Pa and mass spectra dominated by H2 molecules. While at 170 °C, we performed ∼40 h of D2 glow discharge cleaning (GDC) and ∼5 h of glow discharge boronization (GDB), using a 15 %-85 % B2D6-He mix and a total boron mass of ∼12 g. This was the very first GDB at such high temperature for WEST. The whole wall conditioning sequence led to a ∼10 times reduction of the H2O signal as well as to a ∼3 times reduction of the O2 signal, according to mass spectra. Once back to 70 °C, the vessel pressure was 5.5x10-6 Pa and plasma restart was seamless with ∼30 s cumulated over the very first 5 pulses and an Ohmic radiated power fraction Frad = 0.6, showing successful conditioning of the new ITER grade divertor. The effect of the first, ‘hot’ GDB faded with a characteristic cumulative injected energy of 2.45 GJ and saturation towards Frad ∼0.8. After 1.4 h and 7.5 GJ of cumulative plasma time and injected energy, we carried out a second GDB, this time at 70 °C. This ‘cold’ GDB initially led to a much lower Ohmic Frad = 0.3–0.4 but the effect lasted ∼7 times less, with a characteristic cumulative injected energy of 0.37 GJ. At the end of the campaign, we cumulated ∼3h and ∼30 GJ through repetitive, minute long pulses without any boronization. Throughout this 4-weeks-long experiment, Frad in the 4 MW heating phase evolved only marginally (from 0.5 to 0.55). This increase is mostly due to the build-up of re/co-deposited layers on both lower divertor targets.

Tectono-thermal evolution from the proximal to hyperextended domains of the northern South China Sea margin since initial rifting

The Pearl River Mouth Basin (PRMB) is located on the northern margin of the South China Sea (SCS). Heat flow measurements indicate that the PRMB is a typical ‘hot basin' characterized by a high background heat flow. However, the tectono-thermal evolution of the PRMB and the mechanisms involved are still controversial due to the different input parameters used in tectono-thermal models, small datasets and the limited area of the basin studied. We used tectono-thermal modelling with a multi-stage finite stretching model, constrained by extensive well data, to systematically analyse the tectono-thermal evolution of the PRMB since the onset of rifting. The study area was expanded relative to previous studies to cover both the proximal and hyperextended regions of the northern SCS margin, providing a more comprehensive understanding of its tectono-thermal history. Numerous wells and seismic data covering the entire basin were used, along with appropriate input parameters, to address the gaps in previous studies and to enhance the accuracy of the results. Our findings indicate that the PRMB underwent two phases of heating, primarily due to thinning caused by lithospheric extension during rifting. By the end of rifting, the Northern Depression Zone and the Kaiping Sag had reached peak heat flow, while the Panyu Lower Uplift and Baiyun Sag saw their highest heat flow since the initial rifting. The PRMB experienced thermal decay during the post-rift stage, but a significant reheating event occurred from 23.03 to 13.82 Ma, likely due to northwards lower crustal flow from the Baiyun Sag. The Panyu Lower Uplift and the Baiyun Sag had reached their peak heat flow by 13.82 Ma and the heat flow generally increased by 1–3 mW m −2 in the other studied areas during this stage. The basin's thermal decay slowed at 5.33 Ma and localized heating events linked to magmatic activities in the southern Dongsha Uplift were observed. In general, the proximal domain of the northern SCS margin reached peak heat flow by the end of rifting, whereas the hyperextended domain reached peak heat flow by 13.82 Ma. The heat flow in the hyperextended domain was generally higher than that in the proximal domain as a result of the thinner crust of the hyperextended domain caused by intense multiple lithospheric detachment–extensional thinning processes. During the rifting stage, the lithospheric extensional thinning process was the most important factor influencing the tectono-thermal evolution of the northern SCS margin, while lower crustal flow and magmatism were the most important factors during the post-rift stage.

Exactly solvable floquet dynamics for conformal field theories in dimensions greater than two

We find classes of driven conformal field theories (CFT) in d + 1 dimensions with d > 1, whose quench and floquet dynamics can be computed exactly. The setup is suitable for studying periodic drives, consisting of square pulse protocols for which Hamiltonian evolution takes place with different deformations of the original CFT Hamiltonian in successive time intervals. These deformations are realized by specific combinations of conformal generators with a deformation parameter β; the β < 1 (β > 1) Hamiltonians can be unitarily related to the standard (Lüscher-Mack) CFT Hamiltonians. The resulting time evolution can be then calculated by performing appropriate conformal transformations. For d ≤ 3 we show that the transformations can be easily obtained in a quaternion formalism. Evolution with such a single Hamiltonian yields qualitatively different time dependences of observables depending on the value of β, with exponential decays characteristic of heating for β > 1, oscillations for β < 1 and power law decays for β = 1. This manifests itself in the behavior of the fidelity, unequal-time correlator, and the energy density at the end of a single cycle of a square pulse protocol with different hamiltonians in successive time intervals. When the Hamiltonians in a cycle involve generators of a single SU(1, 1) subalgebra we calculate the Floquet Hamiltonian. We show that one can get dynamical phase transitions for any β by varying the time period of a cycle, where the system can go from a non-heating phase which is oscillatory as a function of the time period to a heating phase with an exponentially damped behavior. Our methods can be generalized to other discrete and continuous protocols. We also point out that our results are expected to hold for a broader class of QFTs that possesses an SL(2, C) symmetry with fields that transform as quasi-primaries under this. As an example, we briefly comment on celestial CFTs in this context.

Modeling and control of heating and heat circulation in direct air capture system

Direct air capture (DAC) is a critical technology for mitigating climate change. However, the high heat consumption of temperature vacuum swing adsorption (TVSA)-based DAC processes hinders its widespread deployment. This study focuses on developing a control strategy to optimize the energy efficiency of the TVSA heating phase. A novel adsorbent temperature estimation method, validated through experimental data, was integrated into a cascaded PI controller with a fuzzy gain scheduler (FGS). Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed control strategy effectively regulates the heating process, achieving a potential energy saving of up to 14%. This work contributes to enhancing the feasibility and sustainability of DAC technologies.

Microscale heat transfer and phase change mechanisms of carbon dioxide at near-critical conditions

Recent studies highlight the potential benefits of two-phase carbon dioxide (CO2) systems operating near their thermodynamic critical point. Significant heat transfer coefficients and resistance to critical heat flux from improved vapor phase properties can enable heat transfer and reliability enhancements. However, the physical mechanisms of phase change that govern heat transfer behavior in the near-critical regime of reduced pressures (0.85<PR<1, where PR=P/Pcrit) are not well understood. In the present study, subcooled microscale (hydraulic diameter, Dh=500μm) flow boiling experiments are conducted to elucidate the heat transfer behavior near the critical point and the underlying mechanisms that influence it. Experimental data reveals a deviation from the trends predicted by the Cheng correlation (Cheng, L et al., 2008, “New prediction methods for CO2 evaporation inside tubes: Part II—An updated general flow boiling heat transfer model based on flow patterns.” Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer), in particular, displaying a decreasing peak heat transfer coefficient as pressure increases. Heat transfer in the near-critical regime can be further partitioned into two regions: near-critical boiling (0.85<PR<0.96) that exhibits heat transfer highly dependent on surface temperature, and supercritical-like behavior (0.96<PR<1) exhibiting a strong heat transfer dependence on mass flux. High-speed side-view flow visualization reveals the dominant nucleation mechanism (heterogeneous or homogeneous) governs the heat transfer behavior and is adequately predicted using flow inlet conditions. The present study provides a method for predicting nucleation behavior, which, in turn, facilitates the prediction of heat transfer near the critical point. The continuous alteration of heat transfer in the near-critical regime as a function of PR is underscored by this mechanistic insight, bridging the gap between typical flow boiling (PR<0.85) and supercritical heat transfer (PR>1).

Design and performance assessment of a solar photovoltaic panel integrated with heat pipes and bio-based phase change material: A hybrid passive cooling strategy

This study investigates the effectiveness of an indirect passive cooling solution for photovoltaic (PV) panels using flattened heat pipes (FHPs) and phase change material (PCM). An innovative passive cooling design is proposed to cool a PV panel using multiple FHPs with a thin graphite sheet between the PV panel and the FHPs. Five experimental cases are examined under varying heat flux loads. Case O serves as the baseline with no cooling system, while Cases 1 to 4 feature different configurations of FHPs and aluminum sheets, with PCM heat sinks added in Cases 2 and 4. The investigation focuses on temperature profiles, temperature reductions, and final temperatures of the PV panel, especially at the end of a 4-hour experimental period when the PCM is fully melted. The results show significant temperature reductions in Case 1 compared to the baseline, with further improvement in Case 2 due to the PCM heat sink. Temperature reductions in Cases 2 and 4 are consistently higher than in Cases 1 and 3, demonstrating the enhanced cooling potential of PCM. Case 4 achieves the highest temperature reduction of 37.0 °C, followed by Case 2 with 34.9 °C under a radiative heat flux of 1000 W/m2. Using 4 FHPs (Cases 1 and 2) is economically justified, offering comparable cooling performance to 8 FHPs (Cases 3 and 4), thus ensuring cost-effectiveness and reducing material usage by over 50 %. A maximum enhancement in PV electrical efficiency of 17.3 % is achieved in Case 2 during PCM phase change with a radiative heat flux of 1000 W/m2.

Magnetohydrodynamic double diffusion natural convection of power-law Non-Newtonian Nano-Encapsulated phase change materials in a trapezoidal enclosure

PurposeThe present numerical investigation examines the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) double diffusion natural convection of power-law non-Newtonian nano-encapsulated phase change materials (NEPCMs) in a trapezoidal cavity.Design/methodology/approachThe governing Navier-Stokes, energy and concentration equations based on the Cartesian curvilinear coordinates are solved using the collocated grid arrangement’s finite volume method. The in-house FORTRAN code is validated with the different benchmark problems. The NEPCM nanoparticles consist of a core-shell structure with Phase Change Material (PCM) at the core. The enclosure, shaped as a trapezoidal hollow, features a warmed (Th) left wall and a cold (Tc) right wall. Various parameters are considered, including the power law index (0.6 ≤ n ≤ 1.4), Hartmann number (0 ≤ Ha ≤ 30), Rayleigh number (104 ≤ Ra ≤ 105) and fixed variables such as buoyancy ratio (Br = 0.8), Prandtl number (Pr = 6.2), Lewis number (Le = 5), fusion temperature (Θf = 0.5) and volume fraction (ϕ = 0.04).FindingsThe findings indicate a decrease in local Nusselt (Nu) and Sherwood (Sh) numbers with increasing Hartmann numbers (Ha). Additionally, for a shear-thinning fluid (n = 0.6) results in the maximum local Nu and Sh values. As the Rayleigh number (Ra) increases from 104 to 105, the structured vortex in the streamline pattern is disturbed. Furthermore, for different Ra values, an increase in n from 0.6 to 1.4 leads to a 67.43% to 76.88% decrease in average Nu and a 70% to 77% decrease in average Sh.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is for two-dimensioal laminar flow only.Practical implicationsPCMs represent a class of practical substances that behave as a function of temperature and have the innate ability to absorb, release and store heated energy in the form of hidden fusion enthalpy, or heat. They are valuable in these systems as they can store significant energy at a relatively constant temperature through their latent heat phase change.Originality/valueAs per the literature review and the authors’ understanding, an examination has never been conducted on MHD double diffusion natural convection of power-law non-Newtonian NEPCMs within a trapezoidal enclosure. The current work is innovative since it combines NEPCMs with the effect of magnetic field Double diffusion Natural Convection of power-law non-Newtonian NEPCMs in a Trapezoidal enclosure. This outcome can be used to improve thermal management in energy storage systems, increasing safety and effectiveness.

Thermal behavior of coated powder during directed energy deposition (DED)

In powder-based additive manufacturing (AM), the quality of the feedstock material is critical for obtaining enhanced mechanical properties. Recently, the application of coated powders during directed energy deposition (DED) has been prompted by the goal of fabricating composite and functional materials in-situ. The complex temperature and momentum fields established during DED render direct experimental characterization of coated powder behavior challenging. To address this challenge, this study reports on the thermal behavior of coated powders during interactions with the molten pool by constructing three-dimensional heat transfer and phase distribution models using the finite elements method (FEM). Transient temperature and phase distributions were calculated for coated and uncoated stainless steel 316L and ZnAl powders under various particle size, coating thickness, molten pool temperature, and coating material conditions. Particle residence time values were extracted from the calculations, defined as time spent by the particle before a phase change. The results show large variations in particle residence time (85 μs to 2670 μs for stainless steel 316L particles, and 48 μs to infinity for ZnAl particles) as a function of the variables considered, especially the thermal diffusivity of the coating materials, thereby highlighting the potential value of coatings as an additional design parameter in DED. Significant increases in particle residence time for both stainless steel 316L and ZnAl particles were found when contact angle increases from 0° (submergence regime) to 180° (floating regime).