Improving thermal efficiency and stability of laser welding process for magnesium alloy by combining power modulation and subatmospheric pressure environment

The laser welding(LW)process of highly reflective materials presents low thermal efficiency and poor stability.To solve the problem,the effects of subatmospheric environment on LW process,technological parameters in subatmospheric environment on weld formation and welding with sinusoidal modulation of laser power on the stability of LW process in subatmospheric environment were explored.The AZ31magnesium(Mg)alloy was used as the test materials.The test result revealed that the weld penetration in subatmospheric environment can increase by more than ten times compared with that under normal pressure.After the keyhole depth greatly rises,significantly periodic local bulge is observed on the backwall surface of the keyhole and the position of the bulge shifts along the direction of the keyhole depth.Eventually,the hump-shaped surface morphology of the welded seam is formed;moreover,the weld width in local zones in the lower part of the welded seam remarkably grows.During LW in subatmospheric environment,the weld penetration can be further greatly increased through power modulation.Besides,power modulation can inhibit the occurrence of bulges in local zones on the backwall of the keyhole during LW in subatmospheric environment,thus further curbing the significant growth of the weld widths of hump-shaped welding beads and local zones in the lower part of welded seams.Finally,the mechanism of synchronously improving the thermal efficiency and stability of LW process of highly reflective materials through power modulation in subatmospheric environment was illustrated.This was conducted according to theoretical analysis of recoil pressure and observation results of dynamic behaviors of laser induced plasma clouds and keyholes in the molten pool through high speed photography.

Effects of different combustion modes on the thermal efficiency and emissions of a diesel pilot-ignited natural gas engine under low-medium loads

Research on dual-fuel(DF)engines has become increasingly important as engine manufacturers seek to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.There are significant advantages of using diesel pilot-ignited natural gas engines as DF engines.However,different combustion modes exist due to variations in the formation of the mixture.This research used a simulation model and numerical simulations to explore the combustion characteristics of high-pressure direct injection(HPDI),partially premixed compression ignition(PPCI),and double pilot injection premixed compression ignition(DPPCI)combustion modes under a low-medium load.The results revealed that the DPPCI combustion mode provides higher gross indicated thermal efficiency and more acceptable total hydrocarbon(THC)emission levels than the other modes.Due to its relatively good performance,an experimental study was conducted on the DPPCI mode engine to evaluate the impact of the diesel dual-injection strategy on the combustion process.In the DPPCI mode,a delay in the second pilot ignition injection time increased THC emissions(a maximum value of 4.27g/(kW·h)),decreased the emission of nitrogen oxides(a maximum value of 7.64 g/(kW·h)),increased and then subsequently decreased the gross indicated thermal efficiency values,which reached 50.4%under low-medium loads.

Characteristics and Thermal Efficiency of a Non-transferred DC Plasma Spraying Torch Under Low Pressure

Current-voltage （I-V） characteristics of a non-transferred DC arc plasma spray torch operated in argon at vacuum are reported. The arc voltage is of negative characteristics for a current below 200 A, fiat for a current between 200 A to 250 A and positive for a current beyond 250 A. The voltage increases slowly with the increase in carrier gas of arc. The rate of change in voltage with currents is about 3-4 V/100 A at a gas flow rate of about 1-1.5 V/10 standard liter per minute （slpm）. The I-V characteristics of the DC plasma torch are of a shape of hyperbola. Arc power increases with the argon flow rate. and the thermal efficiency of the torch acts in a similar way. The thermal efficiency of the non-transferred DC plasmatron is about 65-78%.

Effect of Non-Convective Zone Thickness on Thermal Efficiency of Salt Gradient Solar Ponds

An improved radiation transmission and thermal efficiency model for solar ponds has been proposed based on both the Hull Model and Wang/Seyed-Yagoobi Model in this paper.The new model is more accurate to actual measured conditions because multiple reflections and turbidity effects are included.Absorption penetration,thermal conductivity loss and thermal efficiency under different Non-Convective Zone thicknesses are numerically analyzed and thoroughly discussed.The results show thatΔT/I0 plays a critical role for the thermal efficiency of solar pond.Furthermore,it is found through calculation that there is an optimum thickness of the Non-Convective Zone.When the Non-Convective Zone thickness is less than this critical threshold,both temperature and thermal efficiency are decreased with increasing turbidity.However,when the Non-Convective Zone thickness is greater than this critical threshold,the increasing turbidity within a certain range will be beneficial to improve the thermal efficiency of solar pond.In addition,optimum Non-Convective Zone thickness is also related to the temperature,turbidity,salinity variation and bottom reflectivity.

Effects of R134a Saturation Temperature on a Shell and Tube Condenser with the Nanofluid Flow in the Tube Using the Thermal Efficiency and Effectiveness Concepts

The work’s objective is to analyze the influence of the saturation temperature of the R134a refrigerant on the thermal performance of a shell and tube type condenser, with water and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles flowing into the tube. For analysis, the heat exchanger is subdivided into three regions: subcooled liquid, saturated steam, and superheated steam. The shell and tube heat exchanger assumed as the basis for the study has 36 tubes, with rows of 4 tubes in line and three passes into the tube in each region. The parameters used to analyze the performance are efficiency and effectiveness, through variations of quantities such as saturation temperature, the nanofluid’s mass flow rate, fraction in the nanoparticles’ volume, and the number of passes in the tube in each region of the heat exchanger. The obtained results demonstrate that the efficiency is relatively high in all the analyzed situations. In each saturation temperature, the effectiveness can be increased by introducing fractions of nanoparticles in the water or increasing the number of passes in the tube.

Adverse Effects of Condenser Cooling Seawater Temperature,Fouling,and Salinity on the Output Power and Thermal Efficiency of BWR NNPs

Increasing the thermal efficiency in newly designed power stations is a priority.Keeping the efficiency in existed plants close to the rated one is of paramount importance.This research contributes to investigating the adverse effects of changes in condenser seawater coolant characteristics,(temperature,fouling,and salinity),on the thermal performance of a Boiling Water Reactor Nuclear Power Plant(BWR)NPP.A mathematical model is developed to relate seawater cooling temperature,fouling,and salinity to output power and thermal efficiency.The model also explains the impact of the condenser performance on power and efficiency.The thermal efficiency of the considered BWR NPP is reduced by 2.26%for a combined extreme increases in the condenser cooling seawater temperature,fouling factor of seawater and treated boiler feed water,and salinity by 10°C,0.0002,0.00001 m2K/W,and 100 g/kg,respectively.A rise in the condenser efficiency from 40%-100%results in an increase in the output power by 7.049%,and the thermal efficiency increases by about 2.62%.Conclusions are useful for reactor’s design.

Influence of the Ambient Temperature on the Efficiency of Gas Turbines

In hot and arid regions like the Saharan area,effective methods for cooling and humidifying intake air are essential.This study explores the utilization of a water trickle cooler as a promising solution to meet this objective.In particular,the HASSI MESSAOUD area is considered as a testbed.The water trickle cooler is chosen for its adaptability to arid conditions.Modeling results demonstrate its effectiveness in conditioning air before it enters the compressor.The cooling system achieves a significant temperature reduction of 6 to 8 degrees Celsius,enhancing mass flow rate dynamics by 3 percent compared to standard cases without cooling.Moreover,the cooling system contributes to a remarkable 10 percent reduction in power consumption of gas turbines and a notable 10 percent increase in turbine efficiency.These findings highlight the potential of water trickle coolers in improving the performance and efficiency of gas turbine systems in hot and dry climates.

Comprehensive Examination of Solar Panel Design: A Focus on Thermal Dynamics

In the 21st century, the deployment of ground-based Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Modules has seen exponential growth, driven by increasing demands for green, clean, and renewable energy sources. However, their usage is constrained by certain limitations. Notably, the efficiency of solar PV modules on the ground peaks at a maximum of 25%, and there are concerns regarding their long-term reliability, with an expected lifespan of approximately 25 years without failures. This study focuses on analyzing the thermal efficiency of PV Modules. We have investigated the temperature profile of PV Modules under varying environmental conditions, such as air velocity and ambient temperature, utilizing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). This analysis is crucial as the efficiency of PV Modules is significantly impacted by changes in the temperature differential relative to the environment. Furthermore, the study highlights the effect of airflow over solar panels on their temperature. It is found that a decrease in the temperature of the PV Module increases Open Circuit Voltage, underlining the importance of thermal management in optimizing solar panel performance.

Experimental study on the effects of HP and LP EGR on thermal efficiency and emissions of a two-stage turbocharged diesel engine

An experimental study was performed to compare the effects of high-and low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation loops(HP and LP EGR loops)on thermal efficiency and emissions of a diesel engine.Tests were conducted on a 12-L six-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine under various operating conditions.We found that at a low speed of 1100 r/min,1 MPa BMEP,the LP EGR loop could achieve higher brake thermal efficiency and lower emissions than the HP EGR.This is because the lower enthalpy available at the turbine inlet of the HP EGR loop increased the fuel/oxygen equivalence ratio.For the HP EGR,the gross indicated thermal efficiency was reduced by 1%,but pumping losses were only reduced by 0.5%,compared to the LP EGR loop.At a higher speed of 1600 r/min,1 MPa BMEP,the HP EGR loop attained a higher brake thermal efficiency and lower emissions because of the relatively sufficient flow through the turbocharger.For the HP EGR loop,the gross indicated thermal efficiency was only reduced by 0.5%and pumping losses were reduced by 1.5%,compared to the LP EGR loop.Lower fuel consumption and a longer ignition delay made the distribution of fuel/oxygen equivalence ratio more homogeneous,leading to lower emissions.Our data also showed that at the high speed of 1600 r/min,0.55 MPa BMEP,the brake thermal efficiency of the HP EGR loop first increased,then decreased as the EGR rate increased.Therefore,under all conditions,a reasonable match of both EGR loops could achieve a good balance between fuel consumption and emissions of NOx and soot.

Influence of Biomass Co-combustion on Heating Surfaces Thermal Efficiency

Pulverized coal-fired(PCF) boilers were first and foremost intended to fire pulverized hard or brown coal. However, biomass co-firing has become a fairly common practice in the Polish power generation system and many existing boilers have been modernized to serve this purpose. This paper presents calculations of the coefficient of thermal efficiency of the boiler heating surfaces and of the time needed for complete reconstruction of deposits on the second-stage steam reheater(RHII) of an OP-380 boiler with the output of 380×10~3 kg/h. The boiler was equipped with a purpose-designed installation of direct feeding of biomass. The main co-fired fuels were wood and sunflower husk pellets. Intense formation of deposits on the steam reheater tubes and problems related to a reduction in the diameters of the tubes were identified during the power unit operation.

Thermodynamic performance of Dual-Miller cycle(DMC) with polytropic processes based on power output, thermal efficiency and ecological function

This study reports a new model of an air standard Dual-Miller cycle(DMC) with two polytropic processes and heat transfer loss.The two reversible adiabatic processes which could not be realized in practice are replaced with two polytropic processes in order to more accurately reflect the practical working performance. The heat transfer loss is taken into account. The expressions of power output, thermal efficiency, entropy generation rate(EGR) and ecological function are addressed using finite-time thermodynamic theory. Through numerical calculations, the influences of compression ratio, cut-off ratio and polytropic exponent on the performance are thermodynamically analyzed. The model can be simplified to other cycle models under specific conditions, which means the results have an certain universality and may be helpful in the design of practical heat engines. It is shown that the entropy generation minimization does not always lead to the best system performance.

Efficiency and Effectiveness Thermal Analysis of the Shell and Helical Coil Tube Heat Exchanger Used in an Aqueous Solution of Ammonium Nitrate Solubility (<i>ANSOL</i>) with 20% H₂O and 80% <i>AN</i>

The case study is about obtaining the flow rate and saturation temperature of steam that makes it possible to heat a solution of water and ammonia nitrate (ANSOL) in a shell and helical coil tube heat exchanger, within a time interval, without that the crystallization of the ANSOL solution occurs. The desired production per batch of the solution is 5750 kg in 80 minutes. The analysis uses the concepts of efficiency and effectiveness to determine the heat transfer rate and temperature profiles that satisfy the imposed condition within a certain degree of safety and with the lowest possible cost in steam generation. Intermediate quantities necessary to reach the objective are the Reynolds number, Nusselt number, and global heat transfer coefficient for the shell and helical coil tube heat exchanger. Initially, the water is heated for a specified period and, subsequently, the ammonium nitrate is added to a given flow in a fixed mass flow rate.

Theoretical and experimental research on effect of fins attachment on operating parameters and thermal efficiency of solar air collector

Flat plate air collector is a type of heat exchanger which absorbs radiated solar energy and exchanges it to heat.According to low efficiency of this type of collectors,a suitable approach is investigated in this paper so as to increase thermal performance of the system.Thermal efficiency of solar collector for two models C1(without fins)and C2(with fins)both of 1 m^2 surface area with forced convection flow is studied theoretically and experimentally.Rectangular fins are attached over back board in air channel to create turbulence in air flow.In order to measure air temperature,17 thermal sensors(LM35)are exploited,among which 11 were mounted on absorber plate and the remaining 6 on the back board.Physical design of experimental model are performed in Solidwork and programming of theoretical work in Matlab software.In this research,a fan with constant mass flow rate of 0.033 kg/s is utilized for producing air flow.Results indicate that applying fins in air channel not only reduces Nusselt number from 19.67 to 16.23,but also due to decreasing hydraulic diameter and creating air flow turbulence,causes increase of heat transfer coefficient from absorber plate to air flow and consequently reduction of total heat loss and higher outlet air temperatures.Average difference of outlet air temperature between experimental and theoretical results for both collectors(C1 and C2)was recorded respectively as 7.6% and 9.4%.Thermal efficiency was respectively calculated 30% and 51% for experimental types with and without fins and 33% and 55% for those of theoretical work which generally seem reasonable.

Localized Theoretical Analysis of Thermal Performance of Individually Finned Heat Pipe Heat Exchanger for Air Conditioning with Freon R404A as Working Fluid

This work contributes to the improvement of energy-saving in air conditioning systems. The objective is to apply the thermal efficiency of heat exchangers for localized determination of the thermal performance of heat exchangers with individually finned heat pipes. The fundamental parameters used for performance analysis were the number of fins per heat pipe, the number of heat pipes, the inlet temperatures, and the flow rates of hot and cold fluids. The heat exchanger under analysis uses Freon 404A as a working fluid in an air conditioning system for cooling in the Evaporator and energy recovery in the Condenser. The theoretical model is localized and applied individually to the Evaporator, Condenser, and heat exchanger regions. The results obtained through the simulation are compared with experimental results that use a global approach for the heat exchanger. The thermal quantities obtained through the theoretical model in the mentioned regions are air velocity, Nusselt number, thermal effectiveness, heat transfer rate, and outlet temperature. The comparisons made with global experimental results are in excellent agreement, demonstrating that the localized theoretical approach developed is consistent and can be used as a comprehensive analysis tool for heat exchangers using heat pipes.

Localized Theoretical Analysis of Thermal Performance of Individually Finned Heat Pipe Heat Exchanger for Air Conditioning with Freon R404A as Working Fluid

This work contributes to the improvement of energy-saving in air conditioning systems. The objective is to apply the thermal efficiency of heat exchangers for localized determination of the thermal performance of heat exchangers with individually finned heat pipes. The fundamental parameters used for performance analysis were the number of fins per heat pipe, the number of heat pipes, the inlet temperatures, and the flow rates of hot and cold fluids. The heat exchanger under analysis uses Freon 404A as a working fluid in an air conditioning system for cooling in the Evaporator and energy recovery in the Condenser. The theoretical model is localized and applied individually to the Evaporator, Condenser, and heat exchanger regions. The results obtained through the simulation are compared with experimental results that use a global approach for the heat exchanger. The thermal quantities obtained through the theoretical model in the mentioned regions are air velocity, Nusselt number, thermal effectiveness, heat transfer rate, and outlet temperature. The comparisons made with global experimental results are in excellent agreement, demonstrating that the localized theoretical approach developed is consistent and can be used as a comprehensive analysis tool for heat exchangers using heat pipes.

High Efficiency and Stable Organic Light-Emitting Diodes Based on Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitter

High efficiency, stable organic light-emitting diodes （OLEDs） based on 2-pheyl-4＇-carbazole-9-H-Thioxanthen-9- one-10, 10-dioxide （TXO-PhCz） with different doping concentration are constructed. The stability of the encap- sulated devices are investigated in detail. The devices with the 10 wt% doped TXO-PhCz emitter layer （EML） show the best performance with a current efficiency of 52.1 cd/A, a power efficiency of 32.71re^W, and an external quantum efficiency （EQE） of 17.7%. The devices based on the lOwt%-doped TXO-PhCz EML show the best operational stability with a half-life time （LTSO） of 8Oh, which is 8 h longer than that of the reference devices based on fac-tris（2-phenylpyridinato）iridium（ Ⅲ） （Ir（ppy）a）. These indicate excellent stability of TXO-PhCz for redox and oxidation processes under electrical excitation and TXO-PhCz can be potentially used as the emitters for OLEDs with high efficiency and excellent stability. The high-performance device based on TXO-PhCz with high stability can be further improved by the optimization of the encapsulation technology and the development of a new host for TXO-PhCz.

Experimental Study on Ammonia Co-Firing with Coal for Carbon Reduction in the Boiler of a 300-MW Coal-Fired Power Station

To reduce CO_(2) emissions from coal-fired power plants,the development of low-carbon or carbon-free fuel combustion technologies has become urgent.As a new zero-carbon fuel,ammonia(NH_(3))can be used to address the storage and transportation issues of hydrogen energy.Since it is not feasible to completely replace coal with ammonia in the short term,the development of ammonia-coal co-combustion technology at the current stage is a fast and feasible approach to reduce CO_(2) emissions from coal-fired power plants.This study focuses on modifying the boiler and installing two layers of eight pure-ammonia burners in a 300-MW coal-fired power plant to achieve ammonia-coal co-combustion at proportions ranging from 20%to 10%(by heat ratio)at loads of 180-to 300-MW,respectively.The results show that,during ammonia-coal co-combustion in a 300-MW coal-fired power plant,there was a more significant change in NO_(x) emissions at the furnace outlet compared with that under pure-coal combustion as the boiler oxygen levels varied.Moreover,ammonia burners located in the middle part of the main combustion zone exhibited a better high-temperature reduction performance than those located in the upper part of the main combustion zone.Under all ammonia co-combustion conditions,the NH_(3) concentration at the furnace outlet remained below 1 parts per million(ppm).Compared with that under pure-coal conditions,the thermal efficiency of the boiler slightly decreased(by 0.12%-0.38%)under different loads when ammonia co-combustion reached 15 t·h^(-1).Ammonia co-combustion in coal-fired power plants is a potentially feasible technology route for carbon reduction.

Heat Transfer Enhancement of the Absorber Tube in a Parabolic Trough Solar Collector through the Insertion of Novel Cylindrical Turbulators

This study includes an experimental and numerical analysis of the performances of a parabolic trough collector(PTC)with and without cylindrical turbulators.The PTC is designed with dimensions of 2.00 m in length and 1.00 m in width.The related reflector is made of lined sheets of aluminum,and the tubes are made of stainless steel used for the absorption of heat.They have an outer diameter of 0.051 m and a wall thickness of 0.002 m.Water,used as a heat transfer fluid(HTF),flows through the absorber tube at a mass flow rate of 0.7 kg/s.The dimensions of cylindrical turbulators are 0.04 m in length and 0.047 m in diameter.Simulations are performed using the ANSYS Fluent 2020 R2 software.The PTC performance is evaluated by comparing the experimental and numerical outcomes,namely,the outlet temperature,useful heat,and thermal efficiency for a modified tube(MT)(tube with novel cylindrical turbulators)and a plain tube(PT)(tube without novel cylindrical turbulators).According to the results,the experimental outlet temperatures recorded 63.2°C and 50.5°C for the MT and PT,respectively.The heat gain reaches 1137.5 Win the MT and 685.8 Win the PT.Compared to the PT collector,the PTC exhibited a(1.64 times)higher efficiency.

Application of Supercritical CO2 Gas Turbine for the Fossil Fired Thermal Plant

A supercritical CO2 gas turbine cycle can produce power at high efficiency and the gas turbine is compact compared with the steam turbine. Therefore, it is very advantageous power cycle for the medium temperature range less than 650 ℃. The purpose of this paper is to show how it can be effectively applied not only to the nuclear power but also to the fossil fired power plant. A design of 300 MWe plant has been carried out, where thermal energy of flue gas leaving a CO2 heater is utilized effectively by means of economizer and a high cycle thermal efficiency of 43.4 % has been achieved. Since the temperature and the pressure difference of the CO2 heater are very high, the structural design becomes very difficult. It is revealed that this problem can be effectively solved by introducing a double expansion turbine cycle. The component designs of the CO2 heater, the economizer, supercritical CO2 turbines, compressors and the recuperators are given and it is shown that these components have good performances and compact sizes.

Small Scale Refrigerators and Freezers： Thermal Improvements in the Envelope

Like in other sectors of activity, the sustainability in refrigeration systems is a mandatory goal to achieve, namely at house holdings, bars and restaurants, where small-scale refrigerators and freezers are widely used. The aim of this work is to demonstrate experimentally, trough measurements carried out in these equipments, the improvement that can be achieved if several modifications are implemented in traditional household refrigeration systems. In addition, it was also simulated and analysed experimentally a slightly different equipment, a refrigeration system used for draught beverages. Both systems work on a single vapour compression refrigeration with R-134a as working fluid. In the end, by implemented the modifications tested in the virtual model, it was possible to improve their thermal behaviour, a decrease in electrical energy consumption, as well as, the associated CO2 emissions reduction can be attained. In this project, the CFD （Computational Fluid Dynamics） soffware--ANSYS Fluent was used to simulate the ambient temperature and velocity fields inside the refrigerator and in that way to validate the measured results.