Packed Bed Thermocline Thermal Energy Storage for Medium-Temperature Concentrating Solar Systems: Numerical and Experimental Study

Thermal Energy Storage is becoming a necessary component of sustainable energy production systems as it helps alleviate intrinsic limitations of Renewable Energy Sources, such as intermittent use and mismatch between power demand and supply. This paper discusses a packed bed thermocline tank as a thermal energy storage solution. Firstly, this paper presents the development of a numerical model calculating heat transfers within the tank, based on a discretization over several nodes and the nodal formulation of the heat balance equation. The model considers a filler material and a heat transferring fluid and uses the finite difference method to calculate the temperature evolution of the two media across the tank. The model was validated with two different packed bed systems from the literature during a discharging process, presenting a good fit with the experimental results. Secondly, the experimental packed bed is presented and characterized for a charging cycle from ambient temperature to approximately 180?C. The charging experiment was accurately reproduced with the numerical model requiring minimal computational time. Two additional charging modes were simulated with different inlet HTF conditions: constant temperature and varying temperature following the profile produced by a thermal solar collector field. The temperature profiles obtained from the three charging modes were analysed and compared to each other. The proposed numerical and experimental tools will be used in future studies for a better understanding of the design and operating conditions of packed bed thermal energy storage systems.

Full scale experimental study of a small natural draft dry cooling tower for concentrating solar thermal power plant

Concentrating solar thermal power system can provide low carbon,renewable energy resources in countries or regions with strong solar irradiation.For this kind of power plant which is likely to be located in the arid area,natural draft dry cooling tower is a promising choice.To develop the experimental studies on small cooling tower,a 20 m high natural draft dry cooling tower with fully instrumented measurement system was established by the Queensland Geothermal Energy Centre of Excellence.The performance of this cooling tower was measured with the constant heat input of 600 kW and 840 kW and with ambient temperature ranging from 20 ℃ to 32 ℃.The cooling tower numerical model was refined and validated with the experimental data.The model of 1 MW concentrating solar thermal supercritical CO2 power cycle was developed and integrated with the cooling tower model.The influences of changing ambient temperature and the performance of the cooling tower on efficiency of the power system were simulated.The differences of the mechanism of the ambient temperature effect on Rankine cycle and supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle were analysed and discussed.

Experimental study of transient thermal elastic hydrodynamic lubrication of tilted thrust bearing under sudden load changes

An experimental study is performed to investigate the temperature response and distribution in a sector tilted pad thrust bearing during the transient periods such as the load on the bearing changed abruptly.Lots of thermocouples are placed on different position such as the pad surface,leading and trailing edge as well as the pad block,and then these thermocouples are used to measure the temperature variation during the transient period.The load on one pad and the displacement of the runner are measured with different sensors.The effects of a sudden load change on temperature at different position of the pads are analyzed according to the experimental data.The influence of different initial conditions and the different load increment on temperature variation at the pad surface and pad body are obtained,and temperature responses at leading edge and trailing edge under different conditions are tested.This experimental study shows a significant effect of load increment and initial condition on the temperature distribution of bearing pad interface under sudden load change conditions,and the measurement of real oil film temperature is difficult due to the large thermal inertia of pad surface.

Mechanisms of carbon isotopic fractionation in the process of natural gas generation: Geochemical evidence from thermal simulation experiment

Low maturity coal samples were taken from the Ordos Basin to conduct gold tube thermal simulation experiment in a closed system,and the characteristics of the products were analyzed to find out the fractionation mechanism of carbon isotopes and the causes of abnormal carbon isotopic compositions of natural gas.At the heating rates of 2℃/h(slow)and 20℃/h(rapid),the low maturity coal samples of the Ordos Basin had the maximum yields of alkane gas of 302.74 mL/g and 230.16 mL/g,theδ13C1 ranges of-34.8‰to-23.6‰and-35.5‰to-24.0‰;δ13C2 ranges of-28.0‰to-9.0‰and-28.9‰to-8.3‰;andδ13C3 ranges of-25.8‰to-14.7‰and-26.4‰to-13.2‰,respectively.Alkane gas in the thermal simulation products of rapid temperature rise process showed obvious partial reversal of carbon isotope series at 550℃,and at other temperatures showed positive carbon isotope series.In the two heating processes,theδ13C1 turned lighter first and then heavier,and the non-monotonic variation of theδ13C1 values is because the early CH4 is from different parent materials resulted from heterogeneity of organic matter or the carbon isotope fractionation formed by activation energy difference of early enriched 12CH4 and late enriched 13CH4.The reversal of carbon isotope values of heavy hydrocarbon gas can occur not only in high to over mature shale gas(oil-type gas),but also in coal-derived gas.Through thermal simulation experiment of toluene,it is confirmed that the carbon isotope value of heavy hydrocarbon gas can be reversed and inversed at high to over mature stage.The isotope fractionation effect caused by demethylation and methyl linkage of aromatic hydrocarbons may be an important reason for carbon isotope inversion and reversal of alkane gas at the high to over mature stage.

Experimental investigation of high temperature thermal contact resistance with interface material

Thermal contact resistance plays a very important role in heat transfer efficiency and thermomechanical coupling response between two materials,and a common method to reduce the thermal contact resistance is to fill a soft interface material between these two materials.A testing system of high temperature thermal contact resistance based on INSTRON 8874 is established in the present paper,which can achieve 600 C at the interface.Based on this system,the thermal contact resistance between superalloy GH600 material and three-dimensional braid C/C composite material is experimentally investigated,under different interface pressures,interface roughnesses and temperatures,respectively.At the same time,the mechanism of reducing the thermal contact resistance with carbon fiber sheet as interface material is experimentally investigated.Results show that the present testing system is feasible in the experimental research of high temperature thermal contact resistance.

Experimental Detection of Depth of Field for a Thermal Light Lensless Ghost Imaging System

We propose optical experiments to study the depth of field for a thermal light lensless ghost imaging system. It is proved that the diaphragm is an important factor to influence the depth of field, and the ghost images of two detected objects with longitudinal distance less than the depth of field can be achieved simultaneously. The longitudinal coherence scale of the thermal light lensless ghost imaging determines the depth of field. Theoretical analysis can well explain the experimental results.

Thermal Experience in an Era of Low Exergy Domestic Heating Systems

Existing theories of thermal comfort are largely blind to the way heat is delivered to spaces.Field studies,however,show that people create and enjoy thermal conditions that lie outside conventional definitions of comfort-the thermal experience itself is valued-some of which are tied to particular ways of delivering heat.The concept“exergy”can be used to describe the quality of heat energy and its ability to provide warmth.A shift from fossil fuels towards renewable sources heralds a new era of space heating consisting mainly of low exergy sources,such as heat pumps.This marks a major turning point in the history of domestic heating.This paper begins by discussing variations in domestic thermal environments before considering new forms of low carbon heating.Later sections analyse the way in which these systems deliver heat within people’s homes and consider the implications for thermal experience,comfort and energy consumption.

Numerical simulation and experimental verification of solar seasonal soil thermal storage

To analyze the characteristics of solar seasonal soil thermal storage in a solar-ground coupled heat pump system (SGCHPS) in severe cold area,the software FLUENT was used to establish the three-dimensional unsteady state fluid-solid coupling mathematical model of multi-well ground heat exchanger (MWGHE).The User-Defined Functions (UDF) of solar collector and plate heat exchanger were written and dynamically loaded into the model of MWGHE as the boundary conditions.In this way,the dynamic simulation of solar seasonal soil thermal storage was realized.The comparison of simulative and experimental results showed that the overall variation trend of simulative and experimental values achieves a good agreement with time;the relative errors of simulated parameters are all in the allowable range.Therefore,it can be obtained that the models established can be applied in the investigation of performance of solar seasonal soil thermal storage.At the same time,it provides a theoretical basis for the study of heating in SGCHPS and soil heat balance analysis after long-time thermal storage and extraction.

EXPERIMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY STUDY ON GOLD IN WATER-ROCK REACTION UNDER THERMAL FLUID SYSTEM AT MESO-LOW TEMPERATURE

Based on the knowing geochemical characteristics of wall rock in the Mobin gold deposit and composition of fluid inclusion in ore,water rock experiments were carried out, important achievements are acquired as following: Gold is mainly derived from the ore bearing wall rock,i.e., a series of epimetamorphic clastic gritstone, sandy slate, and tuffaceous slate in the Wuqiang Banxi Formation, Wuqiangxi Group. In thermal system with middle low temperature chlorine gold may be derived form stable complex ions, so it is quite important in gold metallogenic process. Sulphur and chlorine perform as the major negative ions throughout the gold activation and migration movement. The concentration of sulphur and chlorine ions, pH value and temperature are of deciding significance for gold activation, migration and precipitation.

前沿科研成果融入《热工学》实验教学——木材炭基电催化材料制备

《热工学》是木材科学与工程专业的一门专业基础课,将科学前沿成果融入《热工学》实验教学,以促进学生对知识点的理解和对学科的全面认识。因此,以木材炭基电催化材料制备及性能分析为课题,开展实验教学,重点讲解阔叶材杨木及其炭材料的微观构造、木材炭基复合材料的制备过程及电催化分解水析氢的测试原理及方法等,将理论知识与实践相结合,培养学生的动手能力、解决问题的能力及科研思维,助力培养符合时代发展要求的创新型人才。

热循环条件下BGA叠层焊点可靠性研究及参数优化

构建叠层焊点最优结构参数,提高BGA叠层焊点热循环条件下的可靠性具有重要的意义。建立有限元模型,分析叠层焊点在热循环条件下应力应变,运用田口正交法和曲面响应法,将焊点的高度、直径、间距、阵列作为实验设计的变量,关键焊点最大等效塑性应变作为优化目标。结果表明:焊点阵列对优化目标的影响权重最大,优化后的BGA叠层焊点结构参数如下,田口正交法:单层焊点高度为0.38 mm,焊点间距为0.55 mm,焊点直径为0.44 mm,焊点阵列为8×8;曲面响应法:单层焊点高度为0.387 mm,焊点间距为0.573 mm,焊点直径为0.446 mm,焊点阵列为8×8。对优化前后的寿命进行预测,优化后的叠层焊点寿命约是优化前的3.75倍。

微波热力冲击下硬脆砂岩冲击倾向性演化规律试验研究

冲击地压是深部资源开采的主要灾害类型,冲击倾向性是表征冲击地压风险的重要指标。为了探索微波热力冲击对岩石冲击倾向性的影响,本文对典型强冲击倾向性硬脆砂岩开展了微波热力冲击和单轴压缩试验,分析了微波热力冲击后砂岩的物理力学性质和冲击倾向性指标响应规律。研究结果表明:(1)微波作用后,砂岩表面温度随着热力冲击时间增加持续升高,直至150 s发生热破断;(2)微波热力冲击120 s后,砂岩内部结构发生微破裂,岩石冲击倾向性明显减弱,纵波波速与弹性模量分别下降了15.12%、8%;(3)单轴压缩变形破坏过程各阶段声发射信号密度增大,砂岩最终破坏时的绝对能量最大值下降42.3%;(4)岩石动态破坏时间增长了259%,冲击能量指数减小95%,弹性能量指数下降92%,砂岩由强冲击性岩石变为弱冲击性岩石。研究结果为煤炭深部开采冲击地压防治和深地工程高效破岩具有参考价值。

一种基于Al_(2)O_(3)/SiC气凝胶的热防护系统隔热性能研究

飞行器再入大气层时,高速气流的冲刷作用会在其表面产生极高热流密度和压力,这种双重载荷可能对飞行器的结构材料造成严重的热损伤,甚至导致飞行事故。针对该问题,文章设计了以Al_(2)O_(3)/SiC复合气凝胶作为隔热层的轻质三明治结构热防护系统,并通过氧−乙炔烧蚀试验对典型高温条件下该热防护系统的隔热性能进行测试,结果显示:热防护系统的线烧蚀率和质量烧蚀率随隔热层厚度的增加而逐渐减小,当系统厚度为14 mm时,线烧蚀率和质量烧蚀率分别为0.0019 mm·s^(-1)和0.0031 g·s^(-1),且烧蚀形貌整体性较好,说明热防护系统具有优异的隔热及力学性能。同时,通过有限元仿真方法对热防护系统进行热力耦合分析,对烧蚀试验结果进行了验证。

用于建筑物理的新型窗户光热性能综合实验设计

针对传统建筑物理实验中光、热实验分离的问题设计了一种新型相变智能窗户,并提出适用于建筑物理的新型窗户光热性能综合实验方案。详细介绍了实验内容和实验过程,通过测定不同时段基于双层窗、相变窗、微镜窗以及新型相变智能窗的室内光、热性能参数,对室内光热耦合关系进行了分析,并同步开展了建筑光学与热工知识教学。该实验内容突出室内光热环境一体化,结合建筑节能目标,以改善室内光、热环境为出发点,有利于提升学生的综合科研能力。

卫星系统用激光通信载荷光学终端热控设计与试验验证

某自研项目对于激光通信载荷光学终端的工作温度稳定性要求较高,文章针对该项目开展热控设计与试验验证。结合载荷所处空间环境情况、载荷自身多空间布局结构及热源分布分散等特点,采用分布式局部控温设计以及主动与被动相结合的温控方法,将光学终端的核心部件(主镜、次镜及转台电机等)温度稳定度控制在±1℃/30 min的指标范围内,有效保证了激光通信载荷功能与性能的实现。

小型化全光纤激光器壳体结构设计与分析

为了进一步优化小型化激光器的性能,在一般性原则的基础上设计了一款输出功率大于10 W、1030 nm高稳定性的小型化全光纤激光器壳体结构。壳体体积为220 mm×270 mm×75 mm,质量小于7 kg;壳体结构采用柔性支撑的减振设计,并可使激光器在温度-55℃~45℃的小型化平台下保持正常运行。利用有限元分析软件对激光器壳体进行了热分析与随机振动分析,按照设计图纸对小型化全光纤激光器样机进行了加工,并进行了实验验证。结果表明,激光器壳体在45℃下,激光器最热面温度为49.5℃,温升约为4.5℃,散热性能良好;在随机振动功率谱密度总均方根10.77 g的实验条件下,激光器最大3σ应力为171 MPa,随机振动响应均方根值仅为24.5 g,壳体结构力学性能良好;激光器壳体结构的散热性能以及力学性能完全满足设计要求,实验结果与仿真结果吻合度较高。该研究为小型化光纤激光器项目的具体实施提供了一定参考。

高温作用后的北山花岗岩时效变形特征研究

以甘肃高放废物重点预选场址的北山花岗岩为研究对象,开展不同热损伤和围压条件下的三轴分级蠕变试验,分析热力耦合作用下的北山花岗岩蠕变变形机理。试验结果表明,在单轴条件下,北山花岗岩的微裂纹密度随热处理温度升高而逐渐增加,进而导致轴向峰值应变持续增大。150℃和300℃温度荷载造成的轻微热开裂引发了裂纹尖端钝化,从而增强了热损伤花岗岩的长期强度;当热处理温度达到600℃后,石英相变产生的差异性热膨胀导致北山花岗岩的热裂纹密度显著增加,进而造成长期强度急剧降低。相比之下,在5 MPa和25 MPa围压的三轴蠕变试验中,静水压力能够愈合较低温度荷载造成的热开裂,使150℃和300℃热损伤花岗岩的轴向峰值变形和长期强度恢复至无损岩石水平。然而,上述静水压力未能完全愈合600℃热处理温度造成的热开裂,热损伤花岗岩的残余微裂纹导致轴向峰值应变增大,并造成了裂纹尖端的钝化效应,最终导致北山花岗岩的长期强度增大。

创新型传热学导热系数教学实验的设计与实践

为提升传热实验教学效果,基于教研相长思路和水合物热物性研究成果,提出创新型综合实验方案及教学效果评价指标。该实验方案包括不同水合物样品制备、测试仪参数设置与数据筛选,体现了实验的探究性和创新性,激发了学生实验的积极性和主动性。基于水合物样品的丰富性,该实验采用分组方式制备不同测试样品,通过组内合作讨论和组间参数交流,既能锻炼学生的逻辑思维和创新实践能力,也提升了实验教学效果,促进了学生对传热学基本知识的理解。根据实验教学特点和教学目标制定了教学效果评价指标,调研结果表明,该综合实验教学效果良好。

Investigation on the test method of rupture forces of thermal bonding seams in nonwovens shopping bags

超声波热黏合的非织造布接缝不同于普通机织物和针织物等的车缝接缝。运用正交试验设计方法，对纺粘法PP非织造布购物袋热黏合接缝断裂强力测试中的试样宽度、拉伸速率和隔距三个因素进行优化。试验结果表明，试样宽度对纺粘法PP非织造布热黏合接缝断裂强力的测试结果影响最大，并且接缝的断裂强力随着试样宽度的增加而增加。选用试样宽度为200mm、拉伸速率为50mm／min、隔距为100mm的组合所得出的测试结果能比较真实地反映实际的接缝断裂强力。

燃料电池发动机水热管理系统设计、仿真与试验验证

燃料电池水热管理系统是维持燃料电池发动机水热平衡的核心系统,其流量、温度、压力分布等都对燃料电池发动机的性能、功耗和可靠性有着重要的影响。基于某额定功率120kW的燃料电池发动机,从系统功能和性能最优的角度给出了架构方案设计、零部件选型匹配的理论依据,根据相关设计输入和设计目标要求,借助一维仿真软件FloMaster进行了水热管理系统的建模、仿真与结果分析,评估了系统在不同工况下流量、压力、温度和流速的分布,并通过台架试验手段进行了验证。仿真与试验结果表明,在系统额定工况和怠速工况点,水泵流量、电堆进出口温差、电堆入口温度等关键技术指标均满足系统目标需求。