Increase In Power Density Research Articles

Improving virtual heat transfer description of developed and undeveloped annular gap flows at high Taylor numbers

Increased power densities of electric machines are, amongst other factors, related also to the increase of the rotors’ rotating velocities. These can be combined with axial flow to improve the heat transfer in the annular gap. The resulting high rotating and axial velocities are characterized with high Taylor (Ta) and Reynolds (Re) numbers. Such flow regimes are currently not yet thoroughly described. The reasons are in the complex interactions between the operating conditions, annular gap geometry and the conditions at the gap inlet, which affect the flow development in the gap. Each of these impacts varies between different electric machines, adding to the complexity of description. To address this, a numerical study based on 3D CFD simulations is performed. The study accounts for the impacts of the flow conditioning at the entrance to the annular gap and the possibility that the small scale turbulent structures might not be well resolved at high Ta numbers. Thus, different inflow configurations are applied using both RANS and LES models. The results are compared with available experimental and numerical data and provide a valuable insight into the requirements for reliable heat transfer description in the increasingly interesting flow conditions.

Research on laser repair technology for surface defects of flywheel disc steel plate

Flywheel disc steel plate, used in the rear end of the engine disc-shaped parts, is one of the important components that make up the engine. However, during the manufacturing process, its surface is prone to defects such as scratches and dents. The defects position of the steel plate will produce the phenomenon of stress concentration, which directly leads to its scrapping. To solve this problem, a laser repair method is proposed, which uses laser with high energy density to repair surface defects. Firstly, the repairable defect depth under different laser parameters is predicted by finite element simulation. The temperature of the steel plates increases with the increase of the laser power density and decreases with the increase of the scanning speed. When the laser power density is 5.57×1011 W m−2 and the scanning speed is 120 mm s−1, surface defects of various depths can be repaired, and the size of the melt pool is moderate. Then, process experiments were conducted, and the results showed that good repair effects can be achieved when the laser power is 14 W, the repetition frequency is 130 kHz, the scanning speed is 120 mm s−1, and the scanning spacing is 0.02 mm. Finally, the surface with original surface roughness of 2.370 μm can be repaired by laser to obtain a flawless smooth surface with surface roughness of 0.731 μm, which provides an effective method for enterprises to repair flywheel disc steel plates.

Experimental Investigation of Water Jet-Guided Laser Micro-Hole Drilling of Cf/SiC Composites.

In this paper, water jet-guided laser (WJGL) drilling of Cf/SiC composites was employed and the effects of the processing parameters on the depth and quality of the micro-holes were systematically investigated. Firstly, the depth measurement showed that the increase in processing time and power density led to a significant improvement in micro-hole drilling depth. However, the enhancement of the water jet speed resulted in a pronounced decrease in the depth due to the phenomenon of water splashing. In contrast, the scanning speed, path overlap ratio, pulse frequency, and helium pressure exhibited less effect on the micro-hole depth. Secondly, the microstructural analysis revealed that the increase in power density resulted in the deformation and fracture of the carbon fibers, while the augmentation in water jet speed reduced the thermal defects. Finally, based on the optimization of the processing parameters, a micro-hole of exceptional quality was achieved, with a depth-to-diameter ratio of 8.03 and a sidewall taper of 0.72°. This study can provide valuable guidance for WJGL micro-hole drilling of Cf/SiC composites.

Optimization of Manifold Microchannel Heat Sink Based on Design of Experiment Method

Abstract The manifold microchannel heat sink (MMCHS) shows high potential to cope with the rapidly increasing power density of electronic devices. It is of significance to search for an optimization method to comprehensively consider multiparameter effects on the performance of microchannel. Here, we have studied the temperature and flow characteristics of the MMCHS via experimental method. Then, the effect of geometric parameters including microchannel aspect ratio (α), hydraulic diameter (Dh), and manifold block numbers (Nm) on the performance of a MMCHS were studied by numerical method. Subsequently, the design of experiment (DOE) method was proposed to optimize the geometric parameters of the MMCHS. The relation of friction coefficient and heat transfer coefficient with respect to the three geometric parameters was gained by the mathematical regression model. The statistically optimized manifold microchannel achieved a 10.0% reduction in temperature rise, 59.9% enhanced in the heat transfer coefficient, and the figure of merit (FOM) of 1.6. Our work shows a novel method to consider the effect of structure parameters on the performance of the manifold microchannel and provides a novel optimization design method for the manifold microchannel.

Water management and mass transport of a fractal metal foam flow-field based polymer electrolyte fuel cell using operando neutron imaging

Metal foam flow-fields (MFFs) exhibit immense potential for enhancing the performance of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) owing to their advantageous pore connectivity and abundant gas pathways. Nevertheless, challenges remain with the conventional MFF concerning reactant homogeneity and water management. To address these concerns, this study incorporates a fractal manifold into the MFF design. By employing operando neutron imaging, device-level testing, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), a comprehensive understanding of mass transfer and water management characteristics across the fractal manifold MFF is obtained. This novel design delivers better cell performance and lower mass transport resistance compared to the conventional MFF under all experimental conditions investigated. Notably, neutron imaging reveals that the fractal manifold MFF consistently exhibits a reduced liquid water content and more uniformly distributed liquid water compared to the conventional MFF. These superior characteristics of the design contribute to a substantial ∼15% increase in maximum power density compared to the conventional MFF-based PEFC. The results indicate the potential for further performance improvement by optimizing manifold parameters.

Exploring the application of hydrazine hydrate in protonic ceramic fuel cells: Strategies and performance improvements

Hydrazine hydrate, characterized by its high hydrogen content and eco-friendliness, garners extensive attention in the field of fuels. Its high energy density and rapid decomposition capabilities render it a promising fuel option for Proton-Conductor Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (PCFCs). Given the unique properties of hydrazine hydrate, this study employs a dendritic porous anode structure to facilitate faster fuel transport. Additionally, the influence of operational temperature and concentration of hydrazine hydrate as fuel on cell performance is analyzed. An effective vapor management strategy is implemented to address its decomposition into water vapor, resulting in a significant 23.17 % increase in the maximum power density (MPD) of the cell. To further enhance the performance of hydrazine hydrate fuel in PCFCs, a Pt–Al spherical catalyst is integrated within the anode structure of the cell. This approach notably improves the cell performance, yielding an additional 14.98 % increase in MPD. This design not only augments the electrical output but also effectively mitigates the degradation of the interface between the anode and the electrolyte. These optimization measures significantly improve the lifespan and reliability of the cell. The outcomes of this study demonstrate the practical feasibility of using hydrazine hydrate as a fuel in PCFCs.

The effect of laser shock peening with different power density on the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of MAR-M247 nickel-base alloy

This study investigates the effects of laser shock peening (LSP) on the microstructural evolution and surface hardening of MAR-M247 nickel-based alloy. Experimental and numerical simulation methods are employed to analyze the influence of pulse power density and spot size. The results demonstrate that LSP significantly enhances surface hardness and yield strength. As the pulse power density increases, the magnitude and depth of plastic deformation increase. Higher power densities can implant deeper and greater compressive residual stress (CRS), but the corresponding tensile residual stress (TRS) also increases. Reducing both power density and spot size decreases the amount of plastic deformation of the surface. However, decreasing the spot size results in a decrease in the depth of the CRS. On the other side, based on the analysis of the microstructure, during the process of LSP, many dislocations accumulate in the γ matrix and evolve into subgrain boundaries, resulting in grain refinement. Additionally, LSP induces the precipitation of nanoscale carbides. This study tries to establish the influence law and action mechanism between LSP process-material property-microscopic evolution, which provides theoretical and applied data support for engineering applications.

Optimizing cathode catalysts using chitosan-coupled nZVI-biochar/conducting carbon black to degrade isopropanol in bioelectro-Fenton systems

Bioelectro-Fenton (BEF) utilizes microorganisms to generate electrons at the anode and transfer them to the cathode via an external circuit to generate hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and drive the Fenton reaction to produce OH•. Response surface methodology was used to optimize the ratio of nano zero-valent iron-containing biochar and conductive carbon black (nZVI-biochar/CCB) with the chitosan-coated on the surface of the cathode material to promote H2O2 production and reduce the internal resistance of the BEF system. The BEF system using the optimized cathode catalysts showed a 2.6-fold increase in power density and a 2.03-fold increase in open-circuit voltage over the BEF reaction using graphite felt cathodes only. This finding demonstrated that the optimized cathode improved the capability of the cathode to receive electrons. The BEF system with the optimized cathodic catalyst completely removed 400 mg/L isopropanol within 24 h, and the treated wastewater was almost nonbiotoxic.

A Highly Integrated Component with Tri‐Part Significantly Enhances Fuel Cell Power Density by Reducing Mass Transfer Resistance and Excellent Humidity Tolerance

AbstractTraditional flow fields and gas diffusion layers (GDL) suffer from water flooding at the rib contact surface, resulting in mass transfer obstruction. Herein, an integrated component (i‐component) with tri‐part of the flow field, gas diffusion backing, and the microporous layer is prepared using the filter molding method to prevent flooding at the rib. The i‐component with micro‐tunnels is more compact than traditional fuel cells and has no distinct interface, significantly enhancing fuel cell performance, reducing mass transfer resistance, and improving water management. Remarkably, the mass transfer resistance of the i‐components is reduced by six times, accompanied by a 50% increase in power density (1.63 W cm−2) and a 146% surge in volume‐specific power (24 500 W L−1). Additionally, it exhibits excellent humidity tolerance in the relative humidity range of 30–100%. This method achieves large‐area i‐component (388 cm2) preparation in 0.5 h at 350 °C, which reduces time by dozens and energy consumption by over 100 times compared to the traditional method for preparing commercial GDL. The i‐component significantly enhances the mass transfer and water management capabilities of fuel cells. Hence, the i‐component provides new strategies for next‐generation fuel cells, water electrolysis, flow battery, carbon dioxide reduction, etc.

Accurate Time-Efficient Thermal Modeling and Discretization Methodology Applied to Electric Machines

The increasing power density of electric machines for electric vehicles necessitates accurate thermal analysis in design and real-time condition monitoring through simulations with computation times not exceeding one minute. Existing thermal models are either accurate and complex while requiring large computation times or they are fast but lack accuracy. To address these challenges, a novel hybrid modeling methodology is proposed, combining 3D lumped parameter thermal networks with thermal resistances extracted from 2D finite element models (FEM) to reduce computation demands while preserving accuracy. Further, a methodology is introduced to define the thermal network discretization for a desired threshold accuracy while minimizing computation time. Analysis of this discretization methodology demonstrates that the desired accuracy can be reliably achieved with limited computational effort. Verification of the modeling methodology against 3D FEM in OpenFOAM shows key component temperature deviations of less than 0.67 °C in steady-state simulations and 0.75 °C in transient simulations, comparable to the 3D FEM uncertainty of 0.39 °C. The computation times for steady-state and transient simulations are 18.3 s and 43.5 s respectively compared to 44 h and 175 h for 3D FEM. This highlights the time efficiency of the proposed methodology while maintaining accuracy for key component temperatures.

Numerical and experimental study on designs and performances of multi-serpentine flow field with bend-area block for proton exchange membrane fuel cell

The geometric modification of the flow field is an effective measure to improve the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and the mass transfer ability of reactants. In this paper, serpentine channels with geometric parameters containing various blocks to generate gas forced convection at the U-bends are established and numerically studied. Setting blocks at different angles at U-bends has different effects at the corners, offering a more flexible and variable region of active gas diffusion in the vertical direction. The area of high vertical velocity is increased by the Angle-Height combination design with low pressure drop and uniform temperature distribution. It is demonstrated that a vertical velocity of 0.4 m s−1 can be achieved around the block in the 135° series with half-height corner blocks, proving the existence of the mass transfer enhancement. Subsequently, experimental testing is conducted to verify the feasibility of the optimized flow field. The experimental results support the trend of block height influencing cell performance, with a maximum power density increase of 3.4 %. Modifying the U-bend corner structure has proven to be an effective technique for improving the overall performance of PEMFC, which can serve an important guidance for future flow field design.

Direct methanol oxygen-ion conducting solid oxide fuel cell with an integrated in-situ cracking reactor

Methanol, as an indirect hydrogen storage medium rich in hydrogen, is considered an ideal fuel for fuel cells. Oxygen-ion conducting solid oxide fuel cells (O-SOFCs) powered by methanol are renowned for their high energy conversion efficiency and minimal environmental impact, offering broad application prospects. However, challenges to their stable power generation arise from the rate of hydrogen production through methanol decomposition at the anode and carbon deposition on nickel-based anodes. To address these issues, this study explores the optimal operating temperature and concentration of methanol as an O-SOFCs fuel, while also developing a novel cell design. In this design, an in-situ cracking reactor for internal conversion of methanol is constructed by loading Ru-GDC high-efficiency nanofiber catalysts on dendritic anode microchannels, significantly enhancing the cell's power generation performance. Experimental results demonstrate that at 800 °C and a 30 % methanol concentration, the system increases the maximum power density (MPD) from 0.622 W cm−2 to 0.893 W cm−2, exhibiting a 43.57 % increase in power density and a 13.03 % improvement in methanol utilization. Additionally, the system effectively mitigates carbon deposition and nickel anode deactivation, thereby enhancing the cell's operational stability.

A high-power-density design method for polymer gear systems via an adaptive non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm III and surrogate sub-models

There is a growing and prevalent trend in the power transmission field of high-performance polymers replacing metallic materials given the strict light-weight requirement. Polymer gears exhibit a low elasticity modulus, high-temperature sensitivity, and increased geometric design flexibility, presenting technical challenges to the straightforward application of metallic design methods to polymer gear systems. This study is centred on the development of a high-power-density polymer gear transmission system for the accessory unit of a gas turbine engine, utilising an adaptive NSGA-III algorithm and surrogate sub-models. A comprehensive assessment indicator for the operating performance of the transmission system is suggested, encompassing gear strength, bearing temperature, and shaft torsional stiffness. The model made it possible to simultaneously optimise forty-six structural parameters, including gear tooth module, web thickness, and bearing clearance. In contrast to the original steel design scheme, the optimised polymer gear transmission system indicated a 49% reduction in weight and a 1.96-fold increase in power density. This presents a method for substituting steel with polymers for effective power transmission.

Multi-objective optimization of a hybrid nanofluid jet impinging on a microchannel heat sink with semi-airfoil ribs based on field synergy principle

With the increasing power density of electronic devices, improving the cooling performance of their heat sinks is an important aspect of heat transfer enhancement research. A novel jet impinging microchannel heat sink with semi-airfoil ribs (JIMCHS-SAR) is proposed. Hybrid Cu-Al2O3/H2O nanofluid is adopted as the coolant. Using the field synergy principle, the flow and heat-transfer characteristics of the hybrid nanofluid impinging on the JIMCHS-SAR are investigated by both single-factor analysis and multi-objective optimization. The effects of jet Reynolds number and hybrid nanoparticle concentration on the optimized JIMCHS-SAR are also evaluated. The results show that a bilateral symmetrical arrangement of the semi-airfoil ribs provides the best thermal resistance and the smallest field synergy angle. Using the optimal structural parameters of the JIMCHS-SAR obtained from multi-objective optimization can significantly improve its overall performance. The thermal resistance and pump power of the optimal JIMCHS-SAR are 1.080 K/W and 0.387 W, respectively. The maximum temperature of the JIMCHS-SAR bottom surface is 8.1 K less than that for a jet impingement microchannel flat plate heat sink. As Reynolds number increases from 6000 to 14,000 and hybrid nanofluid volume fraction increases from 0 to 2.0 %, the thermal resistance decreases from 1.185 K/W to 0.908 K/W, a decrease of 23.4 %, while the pump power increases from 0.22 W to 2.1 W, a nearly 10-fold increase.

Multi-objective optimisation of buoyancy energy storage technology using transit search algorithm

Implementing energy storage solutions is crucial to address the intermittency challenges of marine renewable energy. Buoyancy energy storage technology (BEST) holds potential, but its development remains in its infancy. Additionally, optimisation has not been implemented to improve the design. Therefore, a transit search (TS)-based optimisation model is developed to optimise both the small-scale (volume of tank less than 500 m3) and large-scale (volume of tank less than 30,000 m3) fabric BEST to maximise the power density and energy density. The optimisation results obtained through the transit search (TS) algorithm surpass those from the gray wolf (GW), whale, and artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithms in terms of consistency. The optimised large-scale fabric BEST design demonstrates improvements, with a 56% increase in power density from 345 W/m3 to 539 W/m3 and a 58% increase in energy density from 201 Wh/m3 to 318 Wh/m3 compared to the pre-optimised design from the literature. Moreover, linear relationships between the tank's submerged volume-to-water volume ratio and the extra weight limit were investigated through sensitivity analysis. The optimised fabric BEST shows competitive energy density when compared to other emerging energy storage technologies. Lithium-sulphur has higher energy density, but fabric BEST offers better safety and ease of installation.

Wind power potential over northern South America using ERA5-Land global reanalysis

Abstract The northernmost region of South America has great potential for wind energy production and is a strategic area for the energy transition. We analysed data from ERA5-Land global reanalysis from 1980 to 2020 to determine the wind power potential in this area. Our aim was to identify areas with a high potential for wind energy that could be used to supply energy in case of drought in the region or increases in fuel prices. We compared data from 19 meteorological stations located in Colombia with ERA5-Land reanalysis data to generate reliable information for the feasibility and operation of wind farms. According to our analysis, the Colombian Caribbean and Coastal Plain have monthly average wind speeds at 90 m ranging from 4.85 to 10.34 m/s and 3.79 to 6.62 m/s, respectively. Based on wind power density calculations, these regions have the highest wind power density in our study, with a monthly average of between 250 and 399 W/m2. The Caribbean Region had a 69% increase in wind power density from January to July compared with the annual average. The wind power density in the plains increased from January to March, while the Mountain Region had higher anomalies from May to October. The Alta Guajira and Paraguaná Peninsula have great potential to generate wind energy due to their privileged geographical location. Although ERA5 offers valuable information about wind availability in time and space, it cannot represent the influence of local effects on wind patterns for the Mountain Region.

Thermal Design of Stacked Power Modules for Electric Drive Applications

This paper reports the thermal design of a stacked arrangement inserting four IGBT modules between five heat sinks to achieve good cooling performance while enabling them to be installed into the limited space. Such stacked four IGBT modules can be used for a variable voltage converter (VVC), a three-phase motor inverter (M-INV) and a three-phase generator inverter (G-INV) of one electric control system in one electric vehicle or hybrid electric vehicle. Work presented in this paper are the thermally related structure design and thermalelectric and computational fluid dynamics coupled simulation, while the prototyping and thermal test of the stacked arrangement are still ongoing. The simulation results indicate that the stacked arrangement can be designed into a compact 121 mm × 94.7 mm × 90.8 mm structure while achieving the maximum virtual junction temperature below 150°C under the coolant feed temperature of 70°C, flow rate of 10 L/min and pressure drop of 0.16 bar for the VVC delivering 150 kW, the M-INV delivering 100 kW and the G-INV delivering 50 kW. If validated with the ongoing work, the stacked arrangement can be employed to increase power density and improve electrical and thermal performance of the power modules in the electric control systems with multiple converters/inverters.

Mechanisms of enhanced heat transfer of piston oscillating cooling in a heavy-duty diesel engine

The thermal load and reliability of pistons become major concerns with the increase of power density of internal combustion engines. The oscillating cooling technology is often adopted to enhance the heat transfer of pistons in heavy-duty diesel engines. To understand the heat transfer mechanisms, this study developed an optical oscillating cooling piston based on a real heavy-duty engine. The characteristics of two-phase oscillating flows were optically observed under different conditions. As engine speed increased from 100 to 700 r/min or oil supply pressure decreased from 0.2 to 0.8 bar, the oscillation intensity of the two-phase flow gradually increased and the oscillating flow pattern developed from slug to intermittent mist flow. Furthermore, computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed to analyze the heat transfer mechanisms of oscillating cooling and optimize the structure of the piston. The results showed that the heat transfer coefficient of oscillating cooling can be decomposed into three components, namely conventional flow, oscillation enhanced and jet flushing parts. The conventional flow part accounts for the largest proportion of the total heat transfer coefficient, whose value is positively correlated with oil flow rate. The oscillation enhanced part is optimal when the oil filling rate is between 40 % and 60 %. The jet flushing part can lead to a higher temperature gradient in the outer cooling gallery and thus increased thermal stress. The cooling capacities of inner and outer galleries are mainly influenced by the diameters of the oil outlet and distributor pipes, respectively. The jet flushing part can be controlled by changing the inclination angle of the distributor pipe. Finally, optimization achieved an improvement of 8.3 % in cooling capacity of inner cooling gallery and a reduction of 27.5 % of heat dissipation inhomogeneity in the piston.

Boosting the power density of Zr and Ni co-doped BaFeO3 cathode for proton-conducing solid oxide fuel cells

A novel cathode material, denoted as BaZr0.26Fe0.64Ni0.1O3-δ (BZFN010), has been suggested for application in proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells (H-SOFCs), aiming to enhance electrochemical performance. The introduction of Zr into the original BaFeO3-δ (BFO) results in improved chemical stability against CO2. However, despite this enhancement, the electrochemical performance remains unsatisfactory. Hence, we leveraged the outstanding stability of BZF and incorporated Ni, a well-known element renowned for its remarkable catalytic qualities, into the cell to augment its properties. This enhancement is substantiated by a combination of experimental and theoretical calculations. When employed as a cathode, the BZFN010 material exhibited markedly superior performance compared to the BaZr0.36Fe0.54O3 (BZF36) cathode. It demonstrated a 57% increase in power density, rising from 998 mW cm-2 to 1570 mW cm-2 at 700 °C. This study employs a chained-style cathode exploration strategy, commencing with the conventional BFO cathode, progressing to the enhanced stability of BZF36, and culminating in the optimized catalytic activity of BZFN010. Our work represents an intriguing strategy for the design of H-SOFC cathodes.

A light Darwin implementation of Maxwell’s equations to quantify resistive, inductive, and capacitive couplings in windings

High operating frequency is an enabler of high key performance indicators, such as increased power density, in electrical machines. The latter enhances the cross-coupling of resistive–inductive–capacitive phenomena in windings, which may lead to significant loss in performance and reliability. The full-wave Maxwell’s equations can be employed to characterize this coupling. To address the frequency instability that arises as a result, a simplification known as the Darwin formulation can be employed, where the wave propagation effects are neglected. Still, this modification is prone to ill-conditioned systems that necessitate intricate pre-conditioning and gauging steps. To overcome these limitations, a fast 2D formulation is derived, which preserves the current continuity conservation along the model depth. This implementation is validated experimentally on a laboratory-scale medium-frequency transformer. The computed impedances for the open- and short-circuit modes of the transformer are validated using measurements and compared with the multi-conductor transmission line model that is widely adopted for the analysis mentioned above. The developed formulation demonstrates a high accuracy and outstanding frequency stability in a wide frequency range, becoming an efficient and computationally light method to investigate the interconnected resistive, inductive, and capacitive effects in windings.