Performance Of Two-phase Closed Thermosyphon Research Articles

Climate warming is likely to weaken the performance of two-phase closed thermosyphon on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Over the years, numerous geotechnical approaches have been implemented to mitigate the adverse effects of climate warming on various infrastructures in the permafrost region of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP), such as the Qinghai–Tibet Highway and Railway, and achieved the expected engineering outcomes. However, little attention has been given to whether the performance of these geotechnical approaches has changed during the ongoing process of climate warming. To investigate the performance variation of one of these geotechnical approaches, which is two-phase closed thermosyphon (TPCT), during sustained climate warming, we conducted a statistical analysis of soil temperature monitoring data in 2003–2020 from eight regular embankments and six TPCT embankments in our permafrost monitoring network. The results indicate that TPCT undeniably has a cooling effect on the permafrost beneath embankments, even rapidly eliminated previously formed taliks beneath embankment. However, further analysis reveals that the performance of TPCT has been weakening during sustained climate warming, which has confirmed by the re-forming of the taliks beneath embankment where they had been previously eliminated. Based on the current understanding, we attributed the weakening of thermosyphon performance to a significant reduction in the air temperature freezing index caused by ongoing climate warming. Through this study, we aimed to draw attention to the evolving performance of geotechnical approaches in permafrost regions amid climate warming, prompting necessary engineering innovations to address this situation and ensure the sustainable development of the permafrost region on the QTP.

Experimental Study on the Enhanced Thermal Performance of Two-Phase Closed Thermosyphon Using Mechanical and Chemical Treated MWCNTs Nanofluids

Nowadays the two-phase closed thermosyphon (TPCT) has been widely used as an important heat transfer medium for passive cooling systems. Since the enhancement of the performance of electronic device releases a considerable amount of heat, the development of working fluids which can improve thermal performance of the TPCT is necessary. In this experiment, two different type of MWCNT nanofluids were successfully made by using ball-mill process and alkaline treatment. The morphological and structural analysis were conducted by using transmission electron microscope (TEM), fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Also thermal conductivity of modified MWCNT nanofluids were investigated by introducing transient hot wire method. The results of TEM, FT-IR and thermal conductivity showed that the MWCNTs were successfully functionalized as well as had higher thermal conductivity. The TPCT was fabricated with copper tube and total length of the TPCT is 700mm, in which the evaporator section, the adiabatic section and the condenser section are 150mm, 400mm, and 150mm, respectively. The experiment of the thermal performance of the TPCT was evaluated by introducing RMS value of the temperature of the evaporation section, thermal resistance and heat transfer coefficient at five different filling ratios, 10%, 30%, 50% and 70% by ratcheting up heat loads in five levels, 5W, 8W, 10W, 13W and 15W. The overall results showed that the both of modified MWCNT nanofluids can decrease thermal resistance and increase the heat transfer coefficient, especially at 10% filling ratio with 8W. M-CNT nanofluid can even enhance the thermal performance of TPCT at 30% filling ratio with all heat loads.

Numerical Investigation of Regular and Hybrid Nanofluids Application as the Working Fluids on Thermal Performance of TPCT

Two-phase closed thermosyphon (TPCT) is a cost-effective heat transfer device with high thermal efficiency owing to extensive interphase heat and mass transfer. Thus, TPCT has found many industrial applications. Proper selection of the working fluid could further improve efficiency of TPCT, and nanofluids with superior thermal properties are suitable choices. Numerical simulation of boiling and condensation, natural circulation, and hybrid nanofluid modeling in a closed space is a notable challenge and current study is devoted to this subject. In this study, a novel methodology for incorporating the effects of compressibility and thermal expansion into all thermophysical properties of both phases is developed and programmed into a validated computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. Distilled water, a regular nanofluid, Al2O3/water, and a hybrid nanofluid, TiSiO4/water are selected as the working fluids. Experimental data for wall thermal profile are employed to validate the numerical simulation. Then, overall thermal resistance is evaluated in terms of nanoparticles concentration and input power variations. Results indicate that the numerical methodology developed in this study could evaluate the optimum state of TPCT in an efficient and accurate manner and the optimum state for regular and hybrid nanofluid demonstrates 48% and 54% improvement over distilled water, respectively. Furthermore, a subtle relation between the thermal resistance and the height to which fluid column rises in TPCT has been discerned and quantified, which is used as a supplement to the conventional qualitative method of reasoning to justify the somewhat controversial behaviors of nanofluid application in TPCT.

Modelling of two-phase closed thermosyphon based on SINDA/FLUINT

Two-phase closed thermosyphons (TPCTs) are simple and efficient heat exchangers. They have been explored for use in the renewable energy resource utilization marker and low grade thermal energy heat recovery systems. A transient simulation model for a TPCT was established by SINDA/FLUINT with low global warming potential Freon R245fa as working fluid. The TPCT was manufactured from a 40 mm inner diameter (Di), 3 m long smooth copper tube with a wall thickness of 2 mm. It consists of the evaporator, adiabatic and condenser sections with 1 m long for each section. The evaporator section was immersed in a water bath and the condenser section was cooled by recycled water. The effects of water bath temperature Tb and inlet temperature of cooling water Tcw,i were investigated by experimental and simulation methods. The results show the heat transfer rate Q and overall heat transfer coefficient U increase with the increase of Tb, and the decrease of Tcw,i. Good agreement between experimental and simulation results confirms the model is accurate and reliable. The influence of filling ratio (FR) and Di on the performance of TPCT was also investigated. The optimum FR for Di of 30 mm, 40 mm and 50 mm are 15%, 15% and 25% respectively. Moreover performances of 60–150 m long TPCTs were investigated based on the developed model.

Enhanced Evaporation Strength through Fast Water Permeation in Graphene-Oxide Deposition.

The unique characteristic of fast water permeation in laminated graphene oxide (GO) sheets has facilitated the development of ultrathin and ultrafast nanofiltration membranes. Here we report the application of fast water permeation property of immersed GO deposition for enhancing the performance of a GO/water nanofluid charged two-phase closed thermosyphon (TPCT). By benchmarking its performance against a silver oxide/water nanofluid charged TPCT, the enhancement of evaporation strength is found to be essentially attributed to the fast water permeation property of GO deposition instead of the enhanced surface wettability of the deposited layer. The expansion of interlayer distance between the graphitic planes of GO deposited layer enables intercalation of bilayer water for fast water permeation. The capillary force attributed to the frictionless interaction between the atomically smooth, hydrophobic carbon structures and the well-ordered hydrogen bonds of water molecules is sufficiently strong to overcome the gravitational force. As a result, a thin water film is formed on the GO deposited layers, inducing filmwise evaporation which is more effective than its interfacial counterpart, appreciably enhanced the overall performance of TPCT. This study paves the way for a promising start of employing the fast water permeation property of GO in thermal applications.