Three-dimensional analysis and investigation of the thermal and hydrodynamic behaviors of cylindrical storage tanks

A numerical analysis of the three-dimensional temperature and velocity fields in horizontal cylindrical storage tanks was performed. The phenomena of laminar natural convection and vertical stratification of temperature were considered. The developed three-dimensional transient computing code solves the equations of energy and momentum through the finite volume method. The simulation of fluid cooling process inside the tank showed the formation of stratified temperature profiles that matched those obtained experimentally. Based on several simulations, a correlation was proposed for determining the degree of thermal stratification inside the tank regarding thermal and geometrical parameters. From this correlation, an expression was proposed to predict the fluid temperature profiles along the time. This information is very important in many applications, such as in thermosiphon solar water heating systems, where the global efficiency of the system increases with the thermal stratification degree of the working fluid. Another case studied considered that the tank was connected to solar collectors, aiming at investigating the influence of the inlet jet position with and without a baffle plate on the preservation of the thermal stratification. Results showed that the baffle plate modified the velocity and temperature fields close to the inlet jet, allowing a better thermal stratification. Also the suitable choice of the inlet jet position allowed the formation of a more effective thermal stratification. Some other aspects of the internal dynamics of this kind of storage tank are presented and discussed. For the cases studied, the inlet jet next to the top led to a greater thermal stratification. However, it was verified that when the inlet jet temperature remains constant for a long period of time, and thus its temperature approaches the temperature of the water inside the tank, for the same height, the temperature profiles obtained become similar to the case of the inlet located at usual height of 2/3 of the diameter.     

Advanced turbulence modeling improves thermal gradient prediction during compressed hydrogen tank filling

In order to use gaseous hydrogen for mobility of light and heavy duty vehicles, the standard J2601 from the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) recommends that the temperature in the tank must not exceed 85 °C for safety reasons. Prior experiments reported that a vertical thermal stratification can occur during the filling of horizontal tanks under specific conditions. Thermodynamic modeling of hydrogen tank filling can predict the average gas temperature but not the onset of stratification. In a previous study, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software OpenFOAM was used to carry out simulations of hydrogen filling for a type IV 37 L tank. The CFD results, by comparison with experimental results, were capable to predict the rise of the thermal stratification with however an underestimation of thermal gradient magnitudes. The maximal temperature predicted at the end of the filling was 15.05 °C bellow the experimental measurements. In this work, the k − ω SST turbulence model is replaced by the k − ω SST SAS turbulence model to limit the prediction of high levels of eddy-viscosity in stagnation areas which over-diffuses the temperature. By using the same mesh as in the above mentioned study, (651 482 cells in the fluid region and 449 126 cells in solid regions), the k − ω SST SAS turbulence model is found to be more appropriate for CFD simulation of tank filling as it predicts a thermal gradient magnitude in the gas in better agreement with experimental measurements than the k − ω SST turbulence model for a similar time of simulation. The maximal temperature predicted at the end of the filling is 2.17 °C bellow the experimental measurements.     

Negative buoyant plume model for solar domestic hot water tank systems incorporating a vertical inlet

Thermal stratification in solar energy storage tanks plays an important role in enhancing the performance of solar domestic hot water systems. The mixing that occurs when hot fluid from the solar collector enters the top of the tank is detrimental to the stratification. Mathematical models that are used for system analysis must therefore be able to capture the effects of this inlet jet mixing in order to accurately predict system performance. This paper presents a computational study of the heat transfer and fluid flow in a thermal storage tank of a solar domestic hot water system with a vertical inlet under negative buoyant plume conditions. The effects of parameters such as the fluid inlet velocity and temperature as well as inlet pipe diameter on the thermal mixing were considered. The work culminated in the development of a one-dimensional empirical model capable of predicting the transient axial temperature distribution inside the thermal storage tank. Predictions from the new model were in good agreement with both experimental data and detailed computational fluid dynamics predictions.     

Effects of some key-parameters on the thermal stratification in hydrogen tanks during the filling process

Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations are performed to investigate the effect of relevant parameters on the temperature field during the filling process of hydrogen tanks. The injector direction, the injector diameter, and the initial/ambient temperature affect the dynamics of the temperature distribution in the gas and in the tank material during the process. The development of potentially detrimental phenomena like thermal stratification and temperature inhomogeneity could occur, depending on the interactions of the effects of the 3 parameters. One of the most relevant findings is that, depending also on the other conditions, the injector direction can have a significant impact on the thermal stratification and on the critical parameters which provide an indication on the occurrence of stratification like the flow velocity at the injector exit and the Richardson number. The upward direction of the injector contributes to completely avert or at least reduce/delay the thermal gas stratification compared to injectors with a straight or downward direction.     

Mitigation of Temperature Gradients in the Buffer Tank of a Natural Circulation Loop Simulating Passive Decay Heat Removal in a Pool Type Reactor

Abstract

This study considers the decay heat removal through passive systems (i.e., natural convection) in the pool-type experimental reactor MYRRHA (SCK?CEN). The low velocities associated with natural convection may cause a degradation of the thermal mixing in the upper plenum of the reactor: buoyancy dominated phenomena, such as stratification, buoyant jets or convective cells may occur. The large temperature gradients associated with these phenomena may induce thermal loads on the structure, compromising its integrity. The objectives of this work are, in order, (1) achieving an understanding of the fluid mechanics leading to the formation of thermal gradients in the upper plenum and (2) mitigating the temperature gradients the upper plenum’s geometry. The methodology chosen to address the problem is experimental. A ''two-dimensional'' water facility modeling a slab of the reactor's primary loop was designed. Simultaneous measurements of velocity and temperature were performed in the model's buffer tank using thermocouples and innovative optical imaging techniques. It was observed that vertical thermal gradients develop in the tank because of the combined effect of stratification and advection. Important reductions of local gradients were observed when changing porosity and position of upper plenum’s buffer plates.     

Experimental and theoretical study of compositional inhomogeneities in LaNi5Dx owing to temperature gradients and pressure hysteresis,investigated using spatially resolved in-situ neutron diffraction

An in-situ neutron investigation of the spatial variation in hydride composition of LaNi₅ after a single absorption pressure step was performed. Compositional inhomogeneities are formed due to the strong temperature gradients created by the rapid absorption process coupled with the pressure and temperature hysteresis of the metal–hydrogen interaction. The hydride fraction of LaNi₅ in a cylindrical cell was mapped using the ENGIN-X stress/strain instrument and quantitative phase analysis performed using the Rietveld technique. The material was observed to preferentially absorb hydrogen close to the edges of the cell where heat transfer out of the material was more efficient. This spatial variation was maintained even after thermal equilibration. The experimental results are compared to predictions of a 3D multiphysics model solved by the software package COMSOL. The good agreement achieved demonstrates the suitability of this model for optimisation of metal hydride tank systems.     

Comparative study of turbulence models performance for refueling of compressed hydrogen tanks

Compressed hydrogen gas is a popular mode of fuel storage for hydrogen powered vehicles. When hydrogen gas is filled at high pressure, the gas temperature increases. The maximum gas temperature should be within acceptable safety standards. Numerical studies can help optimize the filling process. There is a high level of turbulence in the flow as the high velocity inlet jet is penetrating the nearly stagnant gas in the tank. Selection of a suitable turbulence model is important for accurate simulation of flow and heat transfer during filling of hydrogen tanks. In the present work, a comparative study is performed to identify suitable turbulence model for compressed hydrogen tank filling problem. Numerical results obtained with different turbulence models are compared with available experimental data. Considering accuracy, convergence and the computational expenses, it is observed that the realizable k-ε model is the most suitable turbulence model for hydrogen tank filling problem.     

A comparison of experimental thermal stratification parameters for an oil/pebble-bed thermal energy storage (TES) system during charging

Six different experimental thermal stratification evaluation parameters during charging for an oil/pebble-bed TES system are presented. The six parameters are the temperature distribution along the height of the storage tank at different time intervals, the charging energy efficiency, the charging exergy efficiency, the stratification number, the Reynolds number and the Richardson number. These parameters are evaluated under six different experimental charging conditions. Temperature distribution along the height of the storage tank at different time intervals and the stratification number are parameters found to describe thermal stratification quantitatively adequately. On the other-hand, the charging exergy efficiency and the Reynolds number give important information about describing thermal stratification qualitatively and should be used with care. The charging energy efficiency and the Richardson number have no clear relationship with thermal stratification.     

Research on charge and discharge performance of a new molten salt heat storage material

针对高效率太阳能热发电传热储热的需求,本工作对新型熔盐（LiNO₃：NaNO₃：KNO₃物质的量比例为2：3：5）进行了充放热传热性能研究。通过Fluent模拟结果表明最后熔化的区域是位于罐体底部的边角位置,为了在工程应用中防止此区域出现熔化死角,应增加熔化装置。通过充放热实验验证了模拟结果,实验研究结果表明罐体内的熔盐在加热过程中,是自上而下逐渐熔化的,且熔盐始终存在温度分层,而熔盐冷却凝固的过程并没有分层现象。     

Assessment of CFD models for hydrogen fast filling simulations

High injection pressures are used during the re-fueling process of vehicle tanks with compressed hydrogen, and consequently high temperatures are generated in the tank, potentially jeopardizing the system safety. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools can help in predicting the temperature rise within vehicle tanks, providing complete and detailed 3D information on flow features and temperature distribution. In this framework, CFD simulations of hydrogen fast filling at different working conditions are performed and the accuracy of the numerical models is assessed against experimental data for a type 4 tank up to 70 MPa.     

An experimental and numerical study of thermal stratification in a horizontal cylindrical solar storage tank

The thermal behaviour of a horizontal cylindrical storage tank has been investigated both experimentally and numerically. Four sets of experiments have been carried out where cold water is injected into the bottom of the tank with three different initial thermal fields. The first one is the tank with initial thermal stratification with bottom temperature the same as the inflow temperature. The second set is the tank with the initial thermal stratification, the bottom being at a relatively higher temperature than the inflow temperature. The third set is an initially heated isothermal tank and the fourth is the same as the first set of experiments except that the straight tube inlet nozzle is replaced by a 30° downward bent divergent conical tube. The above experiments show that better thermal stratification can be obtained using the divergent conical tube as the inlet nozzle due to the diffusion effect of the nozzle. Also a slight improvement in the tank performance has been achieved in the second set of experiments when the initial bottom temperature of the tank is higher than the injected cold water temperature. To check the accuracy of the experimental results two different types of one-dimensional numerical models, namely Turbulent Mixing Model and Displacement Mixing Model have been developed and the results are compared with the experiments. This comparison indicates that the numerical results are in good agreement with the experiments especially at the top of the tank.     

Transient calculation of charge and discharge cycles in thermally stratified energy storages

A stable thermal stratification in solarthermal storage tanks increases the energy efficiency of these systems. Especially in charging and discharging cycles, mixing occurs due to jet flows. The reliable prediction of the influence of the storage and of the charging device geometry on the loading behaviour is essential for the layout and improvement of stratified storage systems. A model approach for the computational calculation of the time-dependent temperature distribution in stratified storage tanks based on the one-dimensional heat transport equation is described in the present study. The numerical solution was obtained by application of the first order Upwind-discretization scheme. This basic approach was further refined by the consideration of charging jet flows and local turbulences in the area of stratification according to the strategies of Jirka, 2004, Mott and Woods, 2009 and implemented in MATLAB. Two simulation examples of different complexity have shown that the enhanced model could increase the calculation accuracy in comparison to similar CFD and experimental studies. The results of the MATLAB program were reached with much less calculation effort than the results of the CFD simulation.     

Thermodynamic real gas analysis of a tank filling process

A zero-dimensional thermodynamic real gas simulation model for a tank filling process with hydrogen is presented in this paper. Ideal gas and real gas simulations are compared and the entropy balance of the filling process is formulated. Calculated results are validated for a type I tank (steel vessel) with measurements.     

Analysis of jet flames and unignited jets from unintended releases of hydrogen

A combined experimental and modeling program is being carried out at Sandia National Laboratories to characterize and predict the behavior of unintended hydrogen releases. In the case where the hydrogen leak remains unignited, knowledge of the concentration field and flammability envelope is an issue of importance in determining consequence distances for the safe use of hydrogen. In the case where a high-pressure leak of hydrogen is ignited, a classic turbulent jet flame forms. Knowledge of the flame length and thermal radiation heat flux distribution is important to safety. Depending on the effective diameter of the leak and the tank source pressure, free jet flames can be extensive in length and pose significant radiation and impingement hazard, resulting in consequence distances that are unacceptably large. One possible mitigation strategy to potentially reduce the exposure to jet flames is to incorporate barriers around hydrogen storage equipment. The reasoning is that walls will reduce the extent of unacceptable consequences due to jet releases resulting from accidents involving high-pressure equipment. While reducing the jet extent, the walls may introduce other hazards if not configured properly. The goal of this work is to provide guidance on configuration and placement of these walls to minimize overall hazards using a quantitative risk assessment approach. The program includes detailed CFD calculations of jet flames and unignited jets to predict how hydrogen leaks and jet flames interact with barriers, complemented by an experimental validation program that considers the interaction of jet flames and unignited jets with barriers.     

Numerical analysis of convective flow and thermal stratification in a cryogenic storage tank

In this study, the liquid–vapor mixture model was used for a numerical study of natural convective flow in a cryogenic tank with a capacity of 4.9?m³ under various conditions of heat flux and filling level to understand the early stages of convective flow phenomena and the consequent thermal stratification of cryogenic liquid. Two cryogens—liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied nitrogen (LN₂)—were compared to observe their effects. LN₂ exhibited faster vaporization owing to its lower heat of vaporization. It was observed that higher heat flux and lower filling level led to faster vaporization and relatively vigorous heat transfer, showing early thermal stratification.     

Thermophysical properties and thermal simulation of Bridgman crystal growth process of Ni–Mn–Ga magnetic shape memory alloys

Ni–Mn–Ga magnetic shape memory alloys (MSMA) are well-known smart materials for actuation applications, due to their large magnetic field-induced shape change of up to 10%. The production of larger amounts of single-crystalline material from these alloys with reproducible and homogeneous properties is demanding and calls for optimization of the corresponding crystal growth process. In order to support this optimization, sensitive process parameters are varied in simulations and their effects are studied.Here, we report on thermal field simulations in a Bridgman–Stockbarger furnace. The lab furnace is equipped with liquid metal cooling (LMC) to achieve high and homogeneous thermal gradients at the crystallization front during crystal growth of cylindrical Ni–Mn–Ga-rods. The calibration of the thermal simulation model requires (i) the knowledge/measurement of the relevant thermophysical properties of the Ni–Mn–Ga alloy as functions of temperature and (ii) thermal data from a reference benchmark experiment in the lab furnace using the same alloy.The calibrated simulation model is used for the simulation of a specific virtual Bridgman-experiment and for the determination of the temperature distributions. Moreover, the influence of the type of liquid metal coolant on the simulation results is investigated.     

Numerical investigation of a large bore,direct injection,spark ignition,hydrogen-fuelled engine

This paper presents Unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (URANS) simulations of a large bore, hydrogen-fuelled direct injection spark ignition (DISI) engine at different spark and start of injection (SOI) timings. Six cases are simulated, including three with various spark timings at a low boost level and three with advanced to late injection timings at a higher boost level. The numerical simulations are validated with experimental data for four out of six cases, while the other two are considered blind computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. It is shown that the autoignition occurs with advanced spark timing due to high in-cylinder pressure and unburnt temperature. For different SOIs, it is demonstrated that flame propagation involves a spark-initiated flame combined with an autoignition generated flame. The case with the late injection timing features poor mixing and slower combustion due to the presence of lean mixtures near the spark plug. As a result, this case features the lowest thermal efficiency when SOI is varied. In all cases, both mixture and temperature stratification are present. Simulations of zero-dimensional chemical reactors demonstrate that this stratification must be correctly captured for accurate prediction of autoignition timing.     

On the simulation of laminar strained flames in stagnation flows: 1D and 2D approaches versus experiments

The present work is essentially devoted to the simulation of a laminar strained flame using two approaches: 2D realistic and 1D simplified. The studied case corresponds to a laminar burner that creates an upward-oriented round jet of stoichiometric methane–air mixture impacting on a horizontal metal disk. 2D numerical simulations have been performed using the Fluent® 6.3 software in the axisymmetric configuration. Detailed thermochemical and transport models are applied. Results of the 2D and 1D simulations are analyzed and compared with experimental data on flow velocity obtained by particle image velocimetry (PIV). Limitations of the classical 1D approach are identified and further commented on. Measurement errors due to the particle slip are evaluated by simulating the particle motion with inclusion of the gravity, Stokes drag, and thermophoretic forces.     

Large eddy simulation (LES) for synthetic jet thermal management

An active cooling substrate (ACS) is a microelectro mechanical system (MEMS) device which implements the synthetic jet concept into printed wiring board (PWB) to enhance thermal management. This paper presents a numerical approach to solve the synthetic jet fluid mechanics and heat transfer problem. Fluent, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) package, is utilized to perform the three-dimensional (3-D), unsteady, and double precision simulations. The large eddy simulation (LES) is selected as the turbulence model. The simulation results are consistent with the experimental data. A numerical predictive model is developed for future designs of synthetic jet based active cooling substrates.     

Thermal stratification within the water tank

To sufficiently store and use high-quality heat energy, thermal stratification is gradually applied in many kinds of energy storage fields such as solar thermal utilization system. Because of the unsteady characteristics of solar radiation, thermal storage becomes very essential in long-term operation of heating load. The wide application of thermal stratification lies in the minimization of the mixing effect by use of the thermal stratification, which is caused by the thermal buoyancy because of the difference of temperature between cold and hot water. According to the review, the conception of thermal stratification allows a wide variety of different design embodiments, which essentially extends the fields of practical application of these devices. In this paper a survey of the various types of thermal stratification tanks and research methods is presented, and reasons of energy storage with efficiency problems related to the applications are introduced and benefits offered by thermal stratification are outlined. The structure designs based on theoretical prediction of thermal-stratified water tank performed at many organizations are introduced and are compared with their experimental results. Finally, the development of the tank with thermal stratification in the future application is predicted.