Study on energy flows in thermoacoustic engines utilizing two-temperature heat sources

The proposal of a novel thermoacoustic regenerator using multi-temperature heat sources (MTHS) makes it possible to utilize lower-grade energy and keep relatively high efficiency in a thermoacoustic engine (TE) simultaneously. Based on thermodynamic laws combined with linear thermoacoustic theory, the time-averaged total power, enthalpy flux, acoustic power, entropy flux, and exergy flux in each component are derived and calculated to further understand the mechanism of a TE with the regenerator using two-temperature heat sources (TTHS). The comparison of the energy flows between the traditional TEs and those utilizing TTHS shows that the improvement of the temperature gradient in the regenerator by adding a mid-heater with appropriate heating power can increase the acoustic power and efficiency of a TE.     

有出口温度限制的热源亚临界有机朗肯循环最佳回热度定量准则的研究

我国的余热资源和可再生能源丰富,但部分余热资源和可再生能源分布比较分散,并存在温度和能量密度均较低的问题.基于传统能源转化技术,利用温度较低的余热资源和能量密度较低的可再生能源进行发电,会降低余热资源和可再生能源的热功转换效率.有机朗肯循环(ORC)系统可以有效利用低温热能进行发电.对于不同温度和形式的热源,采用合适的...     

Unsteady thermal flow analysis in a heat regenerator with spherical particles

Heat regenerator occupied by regenerative materials improves thermal efficiency of regenerative combustion system through the recovery of sensible heat of exhaust gases. By using one-dimensional two-phase fluid dynamics model, the unsteady thermal flow of regenerator with spherical particles, were numerically analysed to evaluate the heat transfer and pressure drop and to suggest the parameter for designing heat regenerator. It takes about 7 h for the steady state in the thermal flow of regenerator, where heat absorption of regenerative particle is concurrent with heat desorption. The regenerative particle experiences small temperature fluctuation below 10 K during the reversing process. The thermal flow in heat regenerator varies with inlet velocity of exhaust gas and air, configuration of regenerator and diameter of regenerative particle. As the gas velocity increases with decreasing the cross-sectional area of the regenerator, the heat transfer between gas and particle enhances and pressure losses increase. As particle diameter decreases, the air is preheated higher and the exhaust gases are cooled lower with the increase of pressure losses. At the same exhaust gases temperature at the regenerator outlet, the regenerator length need to be linearly increased with inlet Reynolds number of exhaust gases. It is confirmed that inlet Reynolds number of exhaust gases should be introduced as a regenerator design parameter. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermodynamic analysis of thermal efficiency and power of Minto engine

Minto engine is a kind of liquid piston heat engine that operates on a small temperature gradient. But there is no power formula for it yet. And its thermal efficiency is low and formula sometimes is misused. In this paper, deriving the power formula and simplifying the thermal efficiency formula of Minto engine based on energy distribution analysis will be discussed. To improve the original Minto engine, a new design of improved Minto engine is proposed and thermal efficiency formula and power formula are also given. A computer program was developed to analyze thermal efficiency and power of original and improved Minto engines operating between low and high-temperature heat sources. The simulation results show that thermal efficiency of improved Minto engine can reach over 7% between 293.15 K and 353.15 K which is much higher than that of original one; the temperature difference between upper and lower containers is lower than half of that between low and high temperature of heat sources when the original Minto engines output the maximum power; on the contrary, it is higher in the improved Minto engines.     

Finite time thermodynamic evaluation of endoreversible Stirling heat engine at maximum power conditions

Maximum power and efficiency at the maximum power point of an endoreversible Stirling heat engine with finite heat capacitance rate of external fluids in the heat source/sink reservoirs with regenerative losses are treated. It was found that the thermal efficiency depends on the regenerator effectiveness and the internal irreversibility resulting from the working fluid for a given value of reservoir temperature. It was also concluded that it is desirable to have larger heat capacity of the heat sink in comparison to the heat source reservoir for higher maximum power output and lower heat input.     

Performance optimisation for two classes of combined regenerative Brayton and inverse Brayton cycles

This paper proposes a new cyclic model of combined regenerative Brayton and inverse Brayton cycles. The new combined regenerative Brayton and inverse Brayton cycles recover heat energy after the working fluid leaves the turbine of the inverse Brayton cycle while the original combined regenerative Brayton and inverse Brayton cycles recover heat energy before the working fluid enters the turbine of the inverse Brayton cycle. Performance analysis and optimisation of the two classes combined cycles are carried out. Furthermore, the effect of the regenerator on the performance of the two combined cycles is analysed. It is found that the new combined cycle can obtain higher thermal efficiency and larger specific work than those of the original combined cycle at low compressor pressure ratio of the top cycle, and the regenerator can improve the performance of both the combined cycles. By theoretical analysis of this paper, it reveals that the new combined cycle will be well applied in the prospect, and the original combined cycle will be suited to low power output equipments. This paper aims at enriching the gas turbine theory and providing a possible way to save energy.     

Empirical estimation of regenerator efficiency for a low temperature differential Stirling engine

An experimental method of regenerator evaluation is proposed in this paper. The configuration of the experimental equipment used in the method is similar to that of an alpha-configuration Stirling engine with a phase angle of 180°. The temperature of the hot side heat exchanger is controlled by an electric heater, and the heat sink was room air. An air conditioner controlled the temperature of the room air. The temperature and pressure of the working fluid were measured during the piston motion. A #18 stainless steel mesh was used as a regenerator matrix for a low temperature differential Stirling engine (LTDSE). The regenerator efficiency can be calculated based on the measurement results. The product of the swept volume, the density of the working fluid, the specific heat and the difference in the working fluid temperatures between the hot side and the cold side is greater than the amount of the internal energy fluctuation. The reason for this is assumed to be the temperature fluctuation in the region between the two heat exchangers. The walls of the region are made of acrylic resin. The amount of the temperature fluctuation in the region is assumed to be uniform. The regenerator efficiency is calculated as a function of the temperature fluctuation in the region. The evaluation method does not require a fast-response thermocouple. The prediction of the regenerator efficiency is possible basted on some experimental results of same matrix. Polyurethane foam and #18 stainless steel mesh, layered parallel to the stream line of the working fluid, were each tested. These materials can realize a non-rectangular regenerator without the generation of waste. Non-rectangular regenerator includes regenerator that can be installed into narrow gaps. The regenerator efficiency of the stainless steel mesh layered parallel to the stream line of the working fluid was significantly less in comparison to that of the normal mesh layers. In the polyurethane foam case, a pressure loss was observed.     

SIZE LIMITS FOR REGENERATIVE HEAT ENGINES

This article explores the lower size limit placed on regenerative heat engines by thermodynamics and heat transfer. Information derived in this work has direct relevance to the development of mesoscopic heat engines that are based on standard gas cycles employing regeneration. A model is developed for the Stirling cycle that incorporates a regenerator effectiveness term and an axial conduction term, both of which are dependent on the length scale of the device. The thermal efficiency for the engine is determined in terms of the cycle temperature ratio, the expansion ratio, regenerator effectiveness, and a nondimensional term called the conduction parameter. Results from this study show that a small-scale heat engine fabricated from a low-thermal-conductivity material can be made with a length scale approaching 1 mm. Such a device would undoubtedly be composed of numerous microscale components. Below the 1-mm limit, efficiency suffers to such a degree that solid-state thermoelectric devices would become a better choice for a particular application.     

Performance analysis of a double-pass thermoelectric solar air collector

The thermoelectric (TE) solar air collector, sometimes known as the hybrid solar collector, generates both thermal and electrical energies simultaneously. A double-pass TE solar air collector has been developed and tested. The TE solar collector was composed of transparent glass, air gap, an absorber plate, thermoelectric modules and rectangular fin heat sink. The incident solar radiation heats up the absorber plate so that a temperature difference is created between the thermoelectric modules that generates a direct current. Only a small part of the absorbed solar radiation is converted to electricity, while the rest increases the temperature of the absorber plate. The ambient air flows through the heat sink located in the lower channel to gain heat. The heated air then flows to the upper channel where it receives additional heating from the absorber plate. Improvements to the thermal and overall efficiencies of the system can be achieved by the use of the double-pass collector system and TE technology. Results show that the thermal efficiency increases as the air flow rate increases. Meanwhile, the electrical power output and the conversion efficiency depend on the temperature difference between the hot and cold side of the TE modules. At a temperature difference of 22.8 °C, the unit achieved a power output of 2.13 W and the conversion efficiency of 6.17%. Therefore, the proposed TE solar collector concept is anticipated to contribute to wider applications of the TE hybrid systems due to the increased overall efficiency.     

Thermal performance analysis on a two composite material honeycomb heat regenerators used for HiTAC burners

Honeycomb heat regenerators do not only reduce the fuel consumption in a high temperature air combustion (HiTAC) burning system but also provide the necessary high temperature of combustion air. A two-dimensional simulation model was developed to numerically determine the dynamic temperature and velocity profiles of gases and solid heat-storing materials in a composite material honeycomb regenerator. Consequently, the energy storage and the pressure drop are calculated and the thermal performance of honeycomb heat regenerator is evaluated at different switching times and loading. The model takes into account the thermal conductivity parallel and perpendicular to flow direction of solid and flowing gases. It considers the variation of all thermal properties of solid material and gases with temperature. Moreover, the radiation from combustion flue gases to the storage materials was considered in the analysis. The results are presented in a non-dimensional form in order to be a design tool as well. These analyses were applied on a regenerator made of two layers of ceramic materials, one is pure alumina and other is cordierite. This regenerator is contained in a 100 kW twin-type regenerative-burning system used for HiTAC. The effectiveness and the energy recovery rate were 88% and 72% respectively at nominal operating range of the regenerator and the pressure drop across the twin regenerator system was 1.16 kPa. The periodic steady state condition is reached after about 11 min and it takes only 2 min of operation until the temperature of combustion air remains above the self-ignition temperature that is required for HiTAC. Furthermore, these mathematical analyses show good agreement with experiments made on the same regenerator. In the experiments, the dynamic behavior of the heat regenerator operation was considered in order to compensate measurement readings for this effect.     

A novel auto-cascade low-temperature solar Rankine cycle system for power generation

A novel auto-cascade low-temperature solar Rankine cycle (ALSRC) system is proposed. Compared to the single stage low-temperature solar Rankine cycle (SSLSRC) system, the ALSRC system is different because it consists of two solar collectors, two expanders, a regenerator, and an internal heat exchanger (IHE). The working fluid for the ALSRC is the zeotropic mixture Isopentane/R245fa. The main advantages of the ALSRC system is that heat from the exhaust stream of the expanders are reclaimed twice, once using an IHE and another time using a regenerator. System parameters such as regeneration, mixture composition, the outlet temperature of the low temperature solar collector, and the inlet temperature of two expanders are investigated to determine their effects on thermal efficiency. Results showed that with a regenerator, the thermal efficiency of the ALSRC system using a mixture of 0.32 R245fa by mass was significantly higher than that of the SSLSRC system. It was determined that regeneration, the mixture composition, and the outlet temperature of the low temperature solar collector are all important factors that affect the system’s thermal efficiency.     

Performance analysis for glass furnace regenerator

Glass manufacturing is an energy intensive process where fossil fuel is used to maintain high temperature (about 1700 °C) for glass melting. Heat recovery from flue gas (1350–1500 °C) is usually in the form of combustion air pre-heating (900–1200 °C) using a regenerator. Dust from flue gas which is carried over from the furnace gets deposited in the regenerator storage matrix path. This leads to a deterioration of regenerator efficiency. A regenerator model is developed to estimate the actual performance of the regenerator and to compare it with the target performance. The proposed model is based on mass and energy balance of streams along with heat transfer characteristic equations. The model is illustrated for a 130 TPD (Ton per Day) furnace regenerator of an industrial glass plant at Mumbai, India. Model results for the regenerator studied indicate a blockage of 50% on the doghouse side and 22% on the non-doghouse side of the regenerator. The actual performance of the regenerator is found to be 7% lower than its target performance for the doghouse side regenerator. The model developed can also be used in other industrial sectors like steel, chemical etc.     

Low grade thermal energy sources and uses from the process industry in the UK

Thermal energy loss in the process industry is a significant issue due to the high temperatures and multiple heat intensive processes involved. High-grade thermal energy is typically recovered within processes. However, lower grade heat is often rejected to the environment.The benefits of capturing and utilising low grade thermal energy are highly dependent on the qualities and properties of the heat in the waste streams. The temperature of the low grade heat stream is the most important parameter, as the effective use of the residual heat or the efficiency of energy recovery from the low grade heat sources will mainly depend on the temperature difference between the source and a suitable sink, e.g. another process or space heating/cooling. In general, the temperatures of these waste heat sources are too low to produce electricity and direct heat use will depend on whether potential user can be found.This paper presents past and current drivers for heat recovery studies. High and low grade heat sources are defined according to the viability of recovery within the processes. Firstly, high grade heat capture within the processes is reviewed. Then, the focus is on the potential for low grade heat capture outside of the original plant. The paper addresses the potential for low grade heat recovery with regard to new incentives and technological advances. Finally, different aspects which influence the decision making for low grade heat recovery in the process industry are discussed. It is concluded that organisational, financial and economic barriers might be overcome and benefits from a holistic vision could be gained with stronger governmental policy and regulation incentives.     

Direct use of solar energy for water desalination

Solar energy utilization in three different types of solar desalination systems is considered. The overall efficiency of a typical basin type solar desalination plant is 30 per cent or lower. The major design factors affecting energy utilization are basin temperature, condensing surface temperature and ambient air temperature. Basic reflection and thermal radiation from the evaporating surface and transparent cover are the major sources of heat energy loss in a solar still. The efficiency of a solar desalination plant can be improved by controlling radiation from the plant basin and by the reuse of the latent heat of condensation.     

高效蓄热室阻力及传热特性

根据蓄热室结构特性,建立了高效蓄热室阻力特性和传热特性的数学模型．通过实验分析了单位球层上的无因次阻力（单位阻力系数）与流体速度、温度的依变关系;分析了蓄热体、换向时间等对烟气的排放温度和空气的预热温度的影响,得出了高效蓄热室温度效率和热效率．采用刚玉质小球的适宜换向时间为60s,高效蓄热室的温度效率为83．6％,热效率为72．8％．     

新型回热器结构设计及换热特性研究

回热器作为斯特林热机的关键部件,对于太阳能斯特林热机整机性能有着重要影响。为克服传统金属丝网回热器结构存在的填料单一,制造成本较高,工艺复杂问题,采用实用等温分析法,以回热器的长径比、通流面积、填料种类以及孔隙率各项回热器参数为基础,设计了一种新型斯特林热机回热器,该回热器具有轴向压降小,换热性能高,结构稳定,加工制造简单的特点。开展了新型回热器和传统金属丝网回热器的换热性能对比研究,采用振荡条件下的局部热平衡方法研究回热器的传热过程,对比传统金属丝网回热器和新型回热器的温度变化,速度变化以及压力变化。结果表明:在整体孔隙率相同的条件下,新型回热器和传统金属丝网回热器相比,整体启动速率相似,但新型回热器压降减少0.04 MPa,速度出现分段式变化,有利于回热器的换热和结构稳定。因此,新型回热器不但在结构上优于传统金属丝网回热器,在换热特性上也优于传统金属丝网回热器。     

The solar gas turbine for pump and electric generator drive

A turbine plant, using solar energy as a heat source, has been studied. The facility is used as a pump drive or electric-power generator. It is suitable for use in waterless areas, is easy to operate and maintain, and has high thermal efficiency. A computer-aided optimization was carried out for a regenerative solar gas turbine, including a parametric study of compressor, regenerator, concentrator, and turbine efficiencies. The effects of maximum cycle operating temperature and engine-pressure ratio on thermal efficiency and power output, as welll as corresponding optimum pressure ratios, were determined. The turbine and compressor efficiencies and the maximum cycle temperature exert the strongest influence on cycle thermal efficiency, power output, optimum pressure ratio for maximum work and efficiency: the regenerator has a greater effect than the receiver.     

基于太阳能集热-蓄热技术发展的吸收式制冷、供暖、供热水联供运行系统

基于太阳能集热器和热能蓄热器这一套能量转换和收集设备的基础上,为吸收式制冷、供暖、供热水提供热力驱动。系统组成包括太阳能集热蓄热部分,共用集热蓄热装置的制冷、供暖、供热水等三大功能循环系统,电路及其自动控制部分。该系统通过集热管和蓄热装置,将分散化、低品位的太阳能转换为较高品位的热能并存储起来,同时将其它形式的废热通过换热装置储存于蓄热装置内。三大循环能够按需获取热能,提高能源的利用效率。     

Nodal analysis of a Stirling engine with concentric piston and displacer

To reduce the external volume of Stirling engines and to increase the specific power per unit volume, a novel mechanical arrangement is used where the power cylinder is concentrically situated inside the displacer cylinder. The inner heat transfer surface requirement and the thermodynamic performance characteristics are predicted preparing a nodal analysis in FORTRAN, where the inner volume of the engine is divided into 103 cells. Variation of the temperature in cells is calculated using the first law of thermodynamics, given for unsteady open systems, after arranging the enthalpy inflow and outflow terms. Volumes of cells are calculated using kinematic relations devised for the driving mechanism.The analysis indicates that the heats received from and delivered to the regenerator are not equal to each other. Therefore, the ends of the regenerator should be coupled with a heater and a cooler. The maximum thermal efficiency appears at the minimum mass of working fluid as the minimum thermal efficiency appears at the maximum mass of working fluid. The work increases up to a certain value of working fluid and then decreases. The thermal efficiency increases until a certain value of regenerator area and then decreases as well. Fluid temperature in the hot volume and cooler differs from the wall temperature at significant rates.     

Two new high-performance cycles for gas turbine with air bottoming

The objective of this research is to model steam injection in the gas turbine with Air Bottoming Cycle (ABC). Based on an exergy analysis, a computer program has been developed to investigate improving the performance of an ABC cycle by calculating the irreversibility in the corresponding devices of the system. In this study, we suggest two new cycles where an air bottoming cycle along with the steam injection are used. These cycles are: the Evaporating Gas turbine with Air Bottoming Cycle (EGT-ABC), and Steam Injection Gas turbine with Air Bottoming Cycle (STIG-ABC). The results of the model show that in these cycles, more energy recovery and higher air inlet mass flow rate translate into an increase of the efficiency and output turbine work. The EGT-ABC was found to have a lower irreversibility and higher output work when compared to the STIG-ABC. This is due to the fact that more heat recovery in the regenerator in the EGT-ABC cycle results in a lower exhaust temperature. The extensive modeling performed in this study reveals that, at the same up-cycle pressure ratio and turbine inlet temperature (TIT), a higher overall efficiency can be achieved for the EGT-ABC cycle.