Heating Rod Research Articles

A novel integrated hot forming with in-situ stress relaxation-aging for titanium alloy thin-walled components

The simultaneous achievement of high strength and precision in the fabrication of titanium alloy thin-walled components is a long-standing issue. This work proposes a novel integrated forming process, named Hot Forming with In-situ Stress Relaxation-Aging (short for HF-ISRA) to solve the special issue. In contrast to usual isothermal forming, the forming temperature in the proposed process is raised to the solution treatment temperature. Dies at a lower temperature realize in-situ stress relaxation-aging after hot forming. The role of the dies, in addition to forming, is also achieved post-forming heat treatment. This novel process comprises three main steps: solution heat treatment, rapid forming at solution temperature, and in-situ stress relaxation-aging. An experimental prototype of HF-ISRA was developed for V-bending test, in which a sheet blank was rapidly heated using electric current and the forming die was heated using heating rods. The process window of the proposed HF-ISRA was established based on the V-bending and uniaxial tensile tests of the TA15 titanium alloy. The results showed that compared with cold forming, the springback angle obtained using the optimized HF-ISRA decreased by 97.8 %, from 9°06′ to only 12′. The tensile strength at room temperature and 500 °C was improved by 4.4 % and 10.9 % compared with the as-received material, respectively. The relaxation mechanisms of αs were the precipitation, growth, and then globularization. The relaxation mechanism of αp was dislocation movements. The strength improvement in HF-ISRA was due to the formation of αs and dislocations strengthening. The stress-induced twinning in αs was also a contributor. The proposed novel process provides a new route for the fabrication of titanium alloy thin-walled components with high precision and strength.

Heat Transfer Through a Heated Rod Placed in Different Arrangements

Abstract The present work experimentally analyses the surface heat transfer from a thermally active copper rod of circular cross-section placed in different arrangement of dummy rods. All the rods are arranged in cross-flow. Wind-tunnel experiments for nine different arrangements of heated rod at a Reynold’s number of 12600 were investigated. Temperature variation, heat transfer and vertical velocity distribution downstream of the cylinder were studied. Higher heat transfer rate was obtained when the heated rod was placed in downstream position due to the rubbing action of vortex shedding phenomena of upstream rod. Maximum heat transfer rate was reported in tandem arrangement of rod with the thermally active cylinder placed in the downstream row. The wall effect becomes dominant near the wall region and affects the flow and heat transfer in the vicinity of wall. Pressure and logarithmic value of temperature has been reported at suitable positions to explain the thermofluid physics.

SAMPO-P: A prototypical scale low-temperature experiment on two-layer melt pool heat transfer in LWR lower head

To better understand the thermal behavior of a two-layer melt pool with a high Rayleigh number—a pattern observed in the RASPLAV study, which indicates a significant risk to pressure vessel integrity and the success of in-vessel retention (IVR) strategies—this paper reports experimental findings from a 2D, full-scale (1:1 ratio) prototypical stratified melt pool (SAMPO-P). A series of experimental tests were carried out with varying heating powers and top layer heights, achieving a Rayleigh number of 3.77×1015, comparable to that found in light water reactors (LWR). Water was used to simulate the bottom layer, while n-octanol represented the top layer. Internal decay heat was modeled in the bottom layer using electric heating rods. After analyzing the main heat transfer parameters from the experiment, this paper derived several useful heat transfer correlations. The normalized temperature and heat flux distributions remained consistent across different power levels, and the normalized heat flux in the bottom layer aligned well with existing experimental correlations. In the bottom layer, the downward heat transfer coefficient was lower compared to other single-layer correlations, likely due to increased upward heat transfer.

High-density and anti-clogging three-phase absorption heat storage with crystallization management

Three-phase sorption heat storage can significantly enhance the energy storage density (ESD) through the crystallization of salt-water working pair. However, the crystals will cause the clogging of solution circulation, making it difficult to be realized in absorption heat storage with liquid absorbent. In this work, the crystal management strategy is proposed for three-phase absorption heat storage. By controlling the crystallization ratio, energy storage enhancement and clogging prevention can be achieved simultaneously. Both theoretical and experimental analyses were carried out. A detailed thermodynamic model of the three-phase absorption heat storage cycle was established, by considering the change of crystallization ratio. A prototype of LiBr-water three-phase absorption heat storage with crystallization management which includes crystal filtering, high-level solution intake, crystal fusion by electric heating rods, and water flushing, was designed and fabricated. The anti-clogging design ensures the circulation of solution, efficient vapor absorption and crystal dissolution in discharging process, thus achieving high energy storage density and stable heat output simultaneously. The three-phase absorption heat storage prototype demonstrated high ESD of 220 kWh/m3 and 178 kWh/m3 with crystallization ratio of 0.41 and 0.26 under the space heating and hot water supplying conditions, respectively. Comparing with the absorption heat storage prototype without crystallization, this represents ESD enhancement of 102% ∼ 210%, which confirms the feasibility and superiority of the proposed crystal management strategies.

Investigations on the Performance of a Downhole Electric Heater with Different Parameters Used in Oil Shale In Situ Conversion.

In situ conversion is the most potential technology for efficient and clean development of oil shale, and a downhole electric heater is key equipment for clean, efficient, and low-carbon in situ conversion. Three electric heating rods with different diameters are used to explore their influence on heater performances. The simulation results indicate that increasing the diameter of the heating rod helps to increase the minimum and maximum velocity of shell-side air, and the maximum velocity of H110-24 is 16.34 m/s, which is 1.25 and 1.13 times those of H110-16 and H110-20, respectively. In addition, the location of the local high temperature zone coincides with the area with low air flow velocity, and increasing the diameter of the heating rod can effectively reduce the heating rod surface temperature during high-power heating. Moreover, at the same heat flux, the heat transfer coefficients of H110-24 and H110-20 are 44.82-48.49% and 87.52-95.48% higher than those of H110-16, respectively. With the same heating power, the heat transfer coefficients of heaters have the same trend, indicating that the heat transfer coefficient of the heating rod can be effectively improved by increasing the diameter of the heating rod. Finally, the newly defined comprehensive performance is used to evaluate the heaters with different heating parameters. Increasing the heating power can improve the comprehensive performance of the heater, but the most effective way is to increase the diameter of the heating rod. With the same heating power, the new comprehensive performance of H110-24 and H110-20 is 48.38-52.34% and 87.29-95.19% higher than that of H110-16, respectively, and the electric heating rod with the diameter of 20 mm has the best performance.

COCOFUEL: A Microcontroller-Based Biodiesel Production Machine

In the global landscape, the coconut stands out, with over 61 million tons harvested annually, yielding approximately 75 coconuts per tree annually. Recognizing its multifaceted benefits, including its suitability as a biofuel, various countries have endeavored to develop biodiesel production machines, each employing distinct methodologies and chemical compositions. Central to these efforts has been the drive to optimize production efficiency while minimizing costs, encompassing chemical inputs, procedural complexity, and energy consumption. This project undertook the design and implementation of a microcontroller-based machine tailored exclusively for biodiesel production via the transesterification method, utilizing coconut oil, methanol, and a catalyst. Adopting the Rapid Application Development framework, the project unfolded through iterative cycles, encompassing analysis, design, prototyping, testing, and refinement. The machine’s core functionalities were orchestrated by the Arduino Mega microcontroller, orchestrating the operation of washer motors, solenoid valves, and the heating rod, complemented by a relay, Bluetooth module, and voltage regulator. Thorough testing and evaluation underscored the machine’s reliability and efficacy in producing biodiesel from coconut oil, marking a significant stride toward renewable en ergy advancement. This accomplishment not only heralds progress in green energy solutions but also offers a compelling response to the environmental imperatives associated with conventional diesel fuels. The potential for reduced carbon emissions and the promotion of environmental sustainability amplifies the significance of this development, charting a course toward a greener future through the synergy of natural resources and cutting -edge technology.

Optimized Design of Downhole Heater Seal for Oil Shale In-Situ Heat Injection

Sealing is an important prerequisite for downhole heater work. This paper proposes a combination of soft and hard and welding sealing programs, which were analyzed using theoretical calculations, numerical simulation, and in-situ testing. The results show that 316 stainless steel can meet the stuffing seal requirements; The first stuffing compresses and gradually reduces, while the second stuffing essentially does not deform. Stuffing deformation to fill the gap in the sealing hole, resulting in a sealing layer. The compression rate is 0.43%, 8.45%, and 12.64%, indicating that the locking stress should be more than 2000 N; The temperature at the weld is heated by heat conduction and distributed in a concentric circle. Thermal stress will influence the 50mm barrier, but the 100mm boundary will be mostly unaffected. Actually, the thermal stress that destroys the weld seal may be reduced by adjusting the heater's output or raising the gas injection rate. During the beginning of the in-situ heat injection, the temperature of the heating rods rises simultaneously with the outlet temperature. As consequently, the two show opposite tendencies. The heat generated by the heating rods will cause the injected gas to be preheated in advance.

S-shaped tellurite optical fiber surface plasmon resonance sensor for temperature and refractive index measurement

In this paper, an all-fiber S-shaped structure optical fiber surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor is proposed for temperature and refractive index measurement. The sensor is made of a single-mode tellurite optical fiber (TOF), and the middle part of the single-mode TOF is heated by a ceramic heating rod to form an S-shaped sensing region, and a 50 nm gold film is deposited in the S-shape sensing area to excite SPR. Based on the excellent properties of tellurite optical fiber, the prepared optical fiber sensor can be used for high sensitivity temperature and refractive index detection. The highest refractive index sensitivity is up to 1068.59 nm/RIU in the range of 1.333–1.380, and the temperature sensitivity is up to −0.713 nm/°C in the range of 30–150 °C. The proposed sensor is simple to fabricate, low-cost, and compact, and can be widely used in biochemical analysis, complex environmental temperature monitoring and other fields.

Joule heat mediated by graphite felt enhances peroxymonosulfate activation and carbamazepine degradation: Efficiency and mechanism

Thermal activation of persulfate (PS) is a simple and effective method to generate sulfate radicals (SO4̇‾) for pollutant degradation but its practical application was severely restricted by the excessive energy consumption. In this study, a low energy consumption but efficient Joule heat-activation strategy was developed. The temperature of the reaction solution (TRS) rose to 76.9 °C within 30 min after 5 V external voltage (Uex) was applied onto the two sides of a graphite felt (GF) with the thickness of 6 mm (GF-6). Correspondingly, the peroxymonosulfate (PMS) decomposition ratio and the degradation efficiency of carbamazepine (CBZ) reached 82.6 % and 97.5 %. The catalytic activation of PMS on the surface of GF was the dominant pathway to generate free radicals during the Joule heating process rather than the heat-activation pathway. More importantly, removing per milligram of CBZ only consumed 5.6 kJ electric energy which was significantly lower than that of the common heating methods (namely, 80 °C water bath heating and electrical heating at 5 V using a commercially available ceramic electric heating rod). Impressively, this Joule heating system exhibited wide applicability and prominent reusability. Overall, this work developed an effective PMS thermal activation strategy with low power consumption using the widely available GF and realized efficient degradation of typical organic pollutants.

Optimizing heat source distribution in sintering molds: Integrating response surface model with sequential quadratic programming

The sintering mold imposes strict requirements for temperature uniformity. The mold geometric parameters and the power configuration of heating elements exert substantial influence. In this paper, we introduce an optimization approach that combines response surface models with the sequential quadratic programming algorithm to optimize the geometric parameters and heating power configuration of a heating system for sintering mold. The response surface models of the maximum temperature difference, maximum temperature, and minimum temperature of the sintering area are constructed utilizing the central composite design method. The model's reliability is rigorously confirmed through variance analysis, residual analysis, and generalization capability validation. The models demonstrate remarkable predictive accuracy within the design space. A nonlinear constrained optimization model is established based on the response surface models, and the optimal parameters are obtained after 9 iterations using the sequential quadratic programming algorithm. Under the optimal parameters, the maximum temperature difference is maintained at less than 5 °C, confirming exceptional temperature uniformity. We conduct parameter analysis based on standardized effects to determine the main influencing factors of temperature uniformity, revealing that the distance between adjacent heating rods and the power density of the inner heating rods exert significant influence. Enhanced temperature uniformity can be achieved by adopting a larger distance between heating rods and configuring the power density of the heating rods to a relatively modest level. This work introduces a practical approach to optimize the heating systems for sintering molds, with potential applications in various industrial mold optimization.

Research on thermal hydraulic characteristics of reflooding process based on core multi-channel model in system analysis code

There are four main stages in PWR Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA): blowdown, re-irrigation, re-flooding and long-term cooling. The re-flooding stage is a critical phase to avoid core meltdown and achieve long-term cooling. RBHT reflooding experiment was simulated with the RELAP5 and COSINE program respectively.Thermal-hydraulic characteristics in re-flooding phase were analyzed using multi-channel model. Quench time is mainly influenced by system pressure and coolant subcooling. Later quench will result in a higher cladding temperature. Comparatively, the peak cladding temperature is less affected by the power of the heating rod and the re-flooding rate, which fluctuates within 7 %. The higher re-flooding rate allows quenching to occur as fast as possible and improves cooling efficiency. However, higher coolant sub-cooling and re-flooding rates may cause greater thermal stresses on the core and endanger core integrity. Based on the analysis of the re-flooding rate on the peak cladding temperature and quench time, the optimal re-flooding rate interval of 0.099–0.105 m/s was obtained.

Numerical Heat Transfer Simulation of Oil Shale Large-Size Downhole Heater

Downhole heaters are critical for effectively achieving in situ oil shale cracking. In this study, we simulate the heat transfer performance of a large-scale helical baffle downhole heater under various operational conditions. The findings indicate that at 160 m3/h and 6 kW the outlet temperature can reach 280 °C. Controlling heating power or increasing the injected gas flow effectively mitigates heat accumulation on the heating rod’s surface. The outlet temperature curve exhibits two phases. Simultaneously, a balance in energy exchange between the injected gas and heating power occurs, mitigating high-temperature hotspots. Consequently, the outlet temperature cannot attain the theoretical maximum temperature, referred to as the actual maximum temperature. Employing h/∆p13 as the indicator to evaluate heat transfer performance, optimal performance occurs at 100 m3/h. Heat transfer performance at 200 m3/h is significantly impacted by heating power, with the former being approximately 6% superior to the latter. Additionally, heat transfer performance is most stable below 160 m3/h. The gas heating process is categorized into three stages based on temperature distribution characteristics within the heater: rapid warming, stable warming, and excessive heating. The simulation findings suggest that the large-size heater can inject a higher flow rate of heat-carrying gas into the subsurface, enabling efficient oil shale in situ cracking.

Experimental and theoretical study on liquid-vapor behavior characteristics near CHF

Liquid-vapor behavior characteristics near CHF conditions are investigated through flow visualization experiments and theoretical analysis. The detailed liquid-vapor behavior near CHF is captured by high-speed camera in this paper. With the increase of heat flux, the periodic vapor layer occurs due to numerous large bubble coalescence. A three-layer structure is observed close to CHF conditions, i.e., liquid film, vapor layer, and liquid core. The physical triggering mechanism of CHF is the complete evaporation at the liquid film wave trough position close to the end of the heating rod. Furthermore, based on the separated flow model and instability analysis, respective prediction models for essential liquid-vapor characteristics, including thickness of vapor layer, interfacial wavelength, and the maximum thickness of liquid film, are developed. The predicted results are in good prediction performance with MAE of 16.9 %, 12.8 %, and 26.1 % compared to experimental results, respectively. The relevant research in this paper provides an important foundation for further development of the mechanistic CHF model.

Numerical simulation of transient boiling and void cross flow in non-uniformly heated 5 × 5 rod bundle

A multi-dimensional numerical simulation has been conducted for a transient boiling experiment by applying rapid and non-uniform power to fluid in a 5×5 bundle channel simulated a BWR fuel assembly in atmospheric pressure. The experiment is to investigate thermal hydraulic behavior in applying transient power to subcooled reactor coolant in a stand-by mode of a nuclear power plant such as reactivity initiated accident (RIA). The numerical simulation has been conducted by TRACE (version 5.0 / patch 5) which is a nuclear system analysis code to solve thermal hydraulics of boiling two phase flow by a two fluid model. The bundle channel in the upward vertical direction has been simulated by a three dimensional component with the Cartesian coordinate system attaching heat structures to simulate heating rods for thermal conduction and heat transfer calculation. It has been revealed that the numerical result is possible to simulate the void cross flow through the sub-channel in the bundle channel qualitatively as observed in the experiment. However, there was room for improvement for a wall heat transfer model in TRACE because the numerical result is larger than the experimental result in terms of the rising rate of the rod temperature during the rapid initial increasing of applied power, and it has been inferred that the evaluation model for an onset of nucleate boiling in TRACE also has to be improved because the void initiation time in the numerical result was earlier than the experimental result. Therefore, TRACE has been optimized by modifying the two physical models described above. The numerical results with the modified TRACE have been in better agreement with the experimental results than those with the original TRACE. Using the modified TRACE, a numerical experiment has been conducted putting an inlet velocity and subcooling of fluid and applied power as parameters in addition to the experimental conditions. The results have shown that there is a square law correlation between a void cross flow and applied power to the fluid. The experiments and analyses in this study have elucidated the behavior of transient boiling two phase flow in a fuel assembly of a nuclear power plant at the transient event such as RIA.

Thermal-Structural optimization of a rapid thermal response mold: Comprehensive simulation of a heating rod system and a fluid cooling system implemented MSR-PSO-FEM

In this work, the heating and cooling systems of a rapid thermal response mold (RTRM) are optimized applying the response surface methodology (RSM) and an optimization technique. An experiment design with six factors and three levels was carried out, and variables such as the distance between the heating rods, and the distance between the cooling channel and the heating plate, among others, were analyzed. First, thermal, and thermal-structural resistance analyses were performed using the finite element method (FEM), and response surface mathematical models were developed using the mixed regression and response surface models. Then, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) method was used to verify the precision of these models. With the models obtained, the position of the heating rods and the dimensions of the cooling channels were optimized, minimizing at the same time the heating and cooling time and maintaining a reasonable temperature distribution and structural resistance, using the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The results show that it is possible to reduce the heating time by 43%, which is significantly. The cooling time in the molding cycle by 29%, thus improving the effectiveness of the heating and cooling system with respect to the cooling plate, the Von Mises stress reported an improvement in its structural value of 67% with respect to the initial value.

Device development with a mathematical model to study heat capacity of liquids

A simple device for studying the heat capacity of water was constructed for classroom use. It consists of a water-filled closed container with an inserted heating rod and a thermometer. Initially, the water temperature increases linearly with time but later shows a deviation from the linear trend. To explain the result, the heating rate is assumed to be proportional to the difference between the temperature of the rod and that of water. The device can also be used to measure the specific heat capacity of other common liquids. This article demonstrates a simple equipment design together with an application of calculus in an introductory undergraduate physics laboratory. It presents an opportunity for project-based learning as well as problem solving with an emphasis on mathematical model development.

Experimental analysis of a power-to-heat storage with high-temperature phase change materials to increase flexibility and sector coupling

To boost the flexibility, sector coupling and manageability of renewable energy systems, a unique power-to-heat storage (electric charging, thermal discharging) is proposed. The hybrid thermal energy storage system, including phase change materials, is built using flat pillow-plates and heating rods. Experimental testing is conducted to assess the prototype's electrical and thermal performance. In addition, a parametric study involving several charging and discharging control strategies is proposed in this context.The suggested hybrid thermal storage system provides a total storage capacity of 4.87kWh using nitrate salts as phase-change material (eutectic mixture of KNO3 and NaNO3). The charging efficiency ranges from 65 to 90%, depending on the charging/discharging strategy, and the discharging period can be shortened by more than 1 h. Additionally, active management of the heating rod temperature reduces the charging period by half, making the storage system highly flexible. This demonstrates the ability of this system to aid in modularity and flexibility for effective energy management in the context of renewable energy and industry thanks to an increased storage capacity.

Acute thermal stress increased enzyme activity and muscle energy distribution of yellowfin tuna.

Heat is a powerful stressor for fish living in natural and artificial environments. Understanding the effects of heat stress on the physiological processes of fish is essential for better aquaculture and fisheries management. In this experiment, a heating rod was used to increase the temperature at 2°C/h to study the changes of energy allocation (CEA) and energy metabolity-related enzyme activities, including pepsin, trypsin, amylase, lipase, acid phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, glutamic oxalic aminotransferase and energy reserve (Ea), energy expenditure (ETS), in juvenile yellowfin tuna cells under acute temperature stress. The results showed that the Ea of juvenile yellowfin tuna muscles in response to high temperature (34°C) was significantly lower than that of the control (28°C), and it also increased ETS. At 6 h, CEA decreased slightly in the high-temperature group, but, the difference in CEA between 24 h and 0 h decreased. After heat stress for 6 h, the activities of acid phosphatase (ACP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (AST) increased, indicating that the metabolic rate was accelerated. After heat stress for 24 h, the activity of ALT decreased, indicating that with time elapsed, the activities of some protein metabolizing enzymes increased, and some decreased. In this study, digestive enzymes, trypsin and lipase increased gradually. After heat stress, Ea and Ec change significantly. Yellowfin tuna muscles use lipids in response to sharp temperature increases at high temperatures, red muscles respond to temperature changes by increasing energy in the early stages, but not nearly as much, and white muscles reduce lipids.

Instability Behaviors and Suppression of the Unsteady Autoignited Turbulent Jet Flame in Hot Coflow

ABSTRACT Autoignition widely exists in combustion devices that feature hot air. The unsteady autoignited flames caused by autoignition are potential hazards to the stable operation of combustion systems, often causing flameout or damage to the combustion devices. In this paper, we present our recent work in understanding the key factors determining the instability of autoignited turbulent jet flames and a novel method to suppress flame instability. Firstly, we studied the flame using a jet-in-hot-coflow burner. The instability behaviors were characterized using a pressure probe and a high-speed camera. When the fuel mole fraction was below a critical value, the amplitude spectrums of the unsteady autoignited flame had low-frequency and high-frequency peaks. The experimental results show that the low-frequency peak is related to the autoignition intermittency and can be eliminated by enhancing chemical reactions. The high-frequency peak is related to the autoignition frequency, and the peak amplitude can be reduced by improving reactants mixing. Considering that the heating rod can enhance the reaction as a heat source and improve mixing as a bluff body, we inserted an electric heating rod into the autoignition spatial region to suppress the flame instability. The suppression of flame instability by heating rod at different temperatures and locations were experimentally studied. The heating rod insertion can significantly reduce low-frequency and high-frequency instability. Moreover, increasing the rod temperature can also effectively reduce the amplitude of high-frequency pressure pulsation. The results show that the electric heating rod is an efficient method to suppress the instability of autoignited flame.

Enhancement of clay-concrete interface strength through applying cycles of heating and cooling

This research studied the effect of heating and cooling cycles on the interface strength of saturated low plasticity clay soil (with a plasticity index of 12) in contact with concrete and the potential for using heating to increase pile capacity. A modified direct shear test device with clay specimen dimensions of 300 × 300 × 200 mm, featuring a concrete block at the bottom, was used for the tests. The heating system used heating rods to warm circulating water, which in turn heated the specimens. Four tests were conducted without heating-cooling cycles at ∼ 20 °C at effective normal stress of 30, 69, 110, and 150 kPa. Specimens subjected to effective normal stresses of 69, 110, and 150 kPa were tested under one heating cooling cycle up to 40, 55, and 70 °C, while the specimen under 30 kPa underwent only one heating-cooling cycle up to 70 °C. Additional tests were performed on specimens under 110 kPa with 4 heating-cooling cycles up to 40 °C, 4 heating-cooling cycles up to 55 °C, and 4 heating-cooling cycles up to 70 °C, as well as 9 heating-cooling cycles up to 55 °C. The results showed a significant increase in peak and post-peak interface friction angles by a range of 5.4% to 43.2%. The thermally induced volumetric strain due to contraction (TIVS) increased with increasing target temperature, but remained constant regardless of changes in applied effective normal stress.