Novel Cascade Refrigeration Cycle for Cold Supply Chain of COVID-19 Vaccines at Ultra-Low Temperature -80°C Using Ethane (R170) Based Hydrocarbon Pair

Several media report highlight on that the pharmaceutical companies require ultra-low temperatures -80°C to transport and store its COVID-19 vaccines. This research presents the thermodynamic analysis on cascade refrigeration system (CRS) with several refrigerant pairs which are R32/R170, R123/R170, R134a/R170, R404A/R170, R407c/R170, R410/R170, and the hydrocarbon (HC) refrigerant pair Propane/Ethane, namely R290/R170. Besides, the results of R22/R170 pair, which is not recommended to be used due to phase out of R22 as per Montréal Protocol, are included as base case to compare the novel hydrocarbon pairs in CRS and the old trend of refrigerant pairs. Thermodynamic properties of all these pairs were investigated and compared under different intermediate temperature used in CRS heat exchanger, which thermally connected both the Low and High temperature cycles (LTC) and (HTC). By applying the first law of thermodynamics, the coefficients of performance (COPs) and the specific power consumptions (SPC) in kW/TR are presented and compared. In addition, by applying the second law of thermodynamics the exergetic efficiencies were estimated. The results reveal the promising opportunity of using the HC pair (R290/R170). The minimum SPC in kW/TR is recorded for the pair R123/R170. One the other hand, the highest exegetic efficiency values are observed to be 40%, 38%, and 35% for the pairs R123/R170, R290/R170, and R134/R170, respectively. This research concludes that the HC pair (R290/R170) is highly recommended for CRS applications either to transport the COVID-19 or store it in cold storage rooms in hospitals and clinics. All precautionary measures should be carefully applied in design and operation of HC pair (R290/R170) due to its flammability hazard.

Breakdown characteristics of CF4 and CF4/N2 hybrid gas in refrigeration temperature range

Common insulation gas cannot normally work in refrigeration temperature range(153-243 K), especially in extremely cold regions. To solve this problem, this essay uses cubic equation combined with two-parameter model in theorem of corresponding states to estimate dew-point of hybrid gas. The influence of temperature on mixing ratio is studied by using van der Waals equation. The result shows that the mixing ratio is stable during temperature-fall period. Insulation property of CF_4 and CF_4/N_2 in refrigeration temperature range is studied through self-designed low-temperature test system. The result shows when the density of hybrid gas is invariable, temperature changing has less influence on breakdown voltage, and when the mixing ratio is 20%, CF_4/N_2 is the greatest potential hybrid gas.

Research of refrigeration system for a new type of constant temperature hydraulic tank

Different from the traditional hydraulic oil cooling method,a new type of constant temperature oil tank cooling system based on semiconductor refrigeration technology is designed. This paper studies the principle of semiconductor refrigeration and establishes a heat transfer model. Semiconductor cooler on piping refrigeration is simulated,and influence of the parameters on the outlet temperature,such as pipe pressure difference of inlet and outlet,pipe length,pipe radius,are gotten,and then hydraulic tank semiconductor refrigeration system is proposed. The semiconductor refrigeration system can control temperature at 37 ± 1°C.

Breakdown mechanism of CF_4 and N_2 binary gas in refrigeration temperature range

The mechanism of gas discharge in refrigeration temperature range is still not clear. N2, CF4, 20% CF4＋N2 and 50%CF4＋50%N2 binary gas mixtures were tested under the conditions of –153–25 ℃ and 50–2000 Pa. The experimental results show that the minimum of Paschen curves of all test samples shifts to low pressure, from 500 Pa to 200 Pa. The value of Paschen curve minimum of N2 shows remarkable fluctuation. This fluctuation is explained by molecule agglomeration and electronic mean energy. The fluctuation decreases with the increasing mixing ratio of CF4. What’s more, the value of Paschen curve minimum of CF4 decreases with temperature. This phenomenon is ascribed to attach-radiation and secondary process.

Effects of Low Temperature and Ultra-low Temperature on Pollen Viability of Tomato(Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

The pollen of two tomato varieties, Ryau961721 and Ryau9327D, was adopted in our research. The two tomato varieties were bred by College of Land- scape and Horticulture, Yunnan Agricultural University. The collected pollen was stored in low-temperature （4 ℃） and ultra-low-temperature （-196 ℃） circumstances. Then it was inoculated to the medium and cultured at 28 ℃ in thermostat incubator. The pollen viability was determined by electron microscope. The results showed that compared to that of pollen stored in control （25 ℃） circumstance, the viability of pollen stored in low-temperature （4 ℃） and ultra-low-temperature （-196 ℃） circum- stances for 1 -3 d did not change significantly. In addition, pollen viability trended to decrease with the increase of freeze-thaw cycle and storage time. The pollen lost basically the viability by the 7th d in the storage.

Development of permanent magnetic refrigerator at room temperature

A reciprocating magnetic refrigerator was developed based on the active magnetic regeneration technology. Rare earth metal Gd and intermetallic compound LaFe11.2Co0.7Si1.1 were used as the magnetic operating materials in the machine. The particles of the magnetic operating materials, with diameter of 0.5-2 mm and total mass of 950 g, were mounted in the cooling bed. A magnetic field was assembled using NdFeB rare earth permanent magnets. It had the magnetic field space of Φ 34×200 and the magnetic induction of 1.5 T. The water at pH=10 is used as a heat transfer fluid. When the ambient temperature is 296 K, a temperature span of 18 K was achieved after operation of 45 min at a frequency of 0.178 Hz. The temperature span and the output power increase significantly with the increasing velocity of heat transfer.

Innovation for forming aluminum alloy thin shells at ultra-low temperature by the dual enhancement effect

Integral thin shells made of high strength aluminum alloys are urgently needed in new generation transportation equipment. There are challenges to overcoming the co-existing problems of wrinkling and splitting by the cold forming and hot forming processes. An innovative technology of ultra-low temperature forming has been invented for aluminum alloy thin shells by the new phenomenon of ‘dual enhancement effect’. That means plasticity and hardening are enhanced simultaneously at ultra-low temperatures. In this perspective, the dual enhancement effect is described, and the development, current state and prospects of this new forming method are introduced. This innovative method can provide a new approach for integral aluminum alloy components with large size, ultra-thin thickness, and high strength. An integral tank dome of rocket with 2 m in diameter was formed by using a blank sheet with the same thickness as the final component, breaking through the limit value of thickness-diameter ratio.

Anisotropic Rock Poroelasticity Evolution in Ultra-low Permeability Sandstones under Pore Pressure,Confining Pressure,and Temperature:Experiments with Biot's Coefficient

This study aimed to show anisotropic poroelasticity evolution in ultra-low permeability reservoirs under pore pressure,confining pressure,and temperature.Several groups of experiments examining Biot's coefficient under different conditions were carried out.Results showed that Biot's coefficient decreased with increased pore pressure,and the variation trend is linear,but the decreasing rate is variable between materials.Biot's coefficient increased with increased confining pressure;the variation trend is linear,but the increasing rate varies by material as well.Generally,Biot's coefficient remains stable with increased temperature.Lithology,clay mineral content,particle arrangement,and pore arrangement showed impacts on Biot's coefficient.For strong hydrophilic clay minerals,expansion in water could result in a strong surface adsorption reaction,which could result in an increased fluid bulk modulus and higher Biot's coefficient.For skeleton minerals with strong lipophilicity,such as quartz and feldspar,increased oil saturation will also result in an adsorption reaction,leading to increased fluid bulk modulus and a higher Biot's coefficient.The study's conclusions provide evidence of poroelasticity evolution of ultra-low permeability and help the enhancing oil recovery(EOR)process.

Experimental Performance of Moderate and High Temperature Heat Pump Charged with Refrigerant Mixture BY-3

Theoretical and experimental analysis of a new refrigerant mixture BY-3 was conducted based on a single-stage vapor compression refrigeration system. The water-water heat pump system used BY-3 to produce hot water when the low temperature was 20 ℃. The following results were obtained: the highest temperature at the condenser outlet reached about 85 ℃; when the difference between the water temperatures at the condenser outlet and the evaporator inlet was less than 40 ℃, the coefficient of performance (COP) was larger than 4; when the difference reached 55 ℃, the COP still kept 3; the discharge temperature of BY-3 was lower than 100 ℃, and the refrigerant vapor pressure kept lower than 1.8 MPa. When the water temperature at the condenser outlet reached over 85 ℃, nearly a 5 ℃ superheating temperature was maintained.

Ultra-low temperature anodic bonding of silicon and glass based on nano-gap dielectric barrier discharge

The article improves the process of dielectric barrier discharge(DBD)activated anode bonding.The treated surface was characterized by the hydrophilic surface test.The results showed that the hydrophilic angle was significantly reduced under nano-gap conditions and the optimal discharge voltage was 2 kV.Then,the anodic bonding and dielectric barrier discharge activated bonding were performed in comparison experiments,and the bonding strength was characterized by tensile failure test.The results showed that the bonding strength was higher under the nano-gap dielectric barrier discharge.This process completed 110°C ultra-low temperature anodic bonding and the bonding strength reached 2 MPa.Finally,the mechanism of promoting bonding after activation is also discussed.

Effect of Ultra-low Temperature on Carbonation Performance of SFRRC and Prediction Model

Through the rapid carbonation test of SFRRC with different fiber volume fractions at ultralow temperature,the influence of ultra-low temperature damage on the carbonation resistance of SFRRC was analyzed,which provides a theoretical basis for the application of SFRRC in ultra-low temperature engineering.The experimental results show that ultra-low temperatures can significantly weaken the carbonization resistance of SFRRC.When the temperature reaches 160℃,the carbonization depth increases by 67.66%compared with the normal state.The proper amount of steel fiber has an evident influence on the carbonation resistance of the material.However,when the addition amount exceeds the optimum content,the carbonation resistance of the material decreases.The grey prediction model established by constructing the original sequence can reasonably predict the carbonation resistance of SFRRC after ultra-low temperatures.

APPLICATION POSSIBILITY OF BINARY NONAZEOTROPIC REFRIGERANT IN JET REFRIGERATION *

This paper analyzes the possibility of applying binary nonazeotropic refrigerants in the jet refrigeration cycle. The thermodynamic cycle performance of two kinds of working pairs (R30/R142b, R30/R124) are calculated using the EOS of PR equation of state, and the results are discussed. The theoretical calculations indicate that refrigerating quality can be improved if the binary mixtures evaporate just in the low temperature region. The character of the rejecter to compress two phase medium supports the possibility of this kind of cycle.

Experimental Analysis of the Performances of Unit Refrigeration Systems Based on Parallel Compressors with Consideration of the Volumetric and Isentropic Efficiency

The performances of a refrigeration unit relying on compressors working in parallel have been investigated considering the influence of the compressor volumetric efficiency and isentropic efficiency on the compression ratio.Moreover,the following influential factors have been taken into account:evaporation temperature,condensation temperature and compressor suction-exhaust pressure ratio for different opening conditions of the compressor.The following quantities have been selected as the unit performance measurement indicators:refrigeration capacity,energy efficiency ratio(COP),compressor power consumption,and refrigerant flow rate.The experimental results indicate that the system refrigeration capacity and COP decrease with a decrease in evaporation temperature,increase of condensation temperature,and increase in pressure ratio.The refrigerant flow rate increases with the increase in evaporation temperature,decrease in condensing temperature and increase in pressure ratio.The compressor power consumption increases with the increase in condensing temperature and increase in pressure ratio,but is not significantly affected by the evaporation temperature.

Magnetic entropy change and magnetic properties of LaFe_(11.5)Si_(1.5) after controlling the Curie temperature by partial substitution of Mn and hydrogenation

Magnetic properties and magnetic entropy changes of La（Fe_（1-x）Mn_x）_（11.5）Si_（1.5）H_y compounds are investigated. Their Curie temperatures are adjusted to room temperature by partial Mn substitution for Fe and hydrogen absorption in 1-atm（1 atm = 1.01325×10~5Pa） hydrogen gas. Under a field change from 0 T to 2 T, the maximum magnetic entropy change for La（Fe_（0.99）Mn_（0.01））_（11.5）Si_（1.5）H_（1.61）is-11.5 J/kg. The suitable Curie temperature and large value of ？S_m make it an attractive potential candidate for the room temperature magnetic refrigeration application.

A review of low-temperature heat recovery technologies for industry processes

The amount of low-temperature heat generated in industrial processes is high,but recycling is limited due to low grade and low recycling efficiency,which is one of the reasons for low energy efficiency.It implies that there is a great potential for low-temperature heat recovery and utilization.This article provided a detailed review of recent advances in the development of low-temperature thermal upgrades,power generation,refrigeration,and thermal energy storage.The detailed description will be given from the aspects of system structure improvement,work medium improvement,and thermodynamic and economic performance evaluation.It also pointed out the development bottlenecks and future development trends of various technologies.The low-temperature heat combined utilization technology can recover waste heat in an all-round and effective manner,and has great development prospects.

Study on Gd-Al-Dy System Magnetic Refrigeration Materials

d-Al-Dy system materials were prepared by the technique of powder sintering. Twolayers gradient function materials with compositions of (Gd_0.9Dy_0.1)_3Al_2 and Gd_3Al_2 respectively were studied. The results show that the Curie temperature (Tc) of the monolayer material decreases with the increment of Dy content. The Tc values of the twolayer gradient function material agree well with the layer numbers and corresponding to Dy content. For the Tc gradiently changed twolayers Gd-Al-Dy system material, its ΔSm changes smoothly with temperature. Therefore, the magnetic refrigeration is improved.

Estimation on Magnetic Refrigeration Material (Gd_(1-x)RE_x)_5Si_4 (RE=Dy,Ho)

A systematic （Gd1-xREx）sSi4 （RE=Dy, Ho） alloys are investigated to estimate their magnetocaloric effect. The Curie points of （Gd1-xREx）Si4 alloys can tunable from 266 K to 336 K when RE=Dy, Ho; z=0N0.35 and 0-0.15, respectively, and decrease nearly linearly with increasing x. These alloys keep orthorhombic structures GesSm4 and exhibit second order transition when they experience in a change magnetic field at about Curie points. The weight and voluminal magnetic entropy changes are about 3.5 J/（kg.K） and 23-29 mJ/（cm^3.K） when magnetic field changes 0-2 T. The adiabatic temperatures changes （△Tad） of these alloys at Curie points are larger than 1 K in a field change 0-1.4 T, the curve of ATad is wide as that of Gd. The relative cooling power is about 0.8-0.9 J/cm^3 when field changes 0-2 T, 55% of that of Gd. Comparing with Gds（Si1-xGex）4, these alloys do not contain expensive element Ge, so that their cost are lower than the former. Because they could work at temperature region 260-340 K due to their Curie points can be tuned, which is an advantage comparing with Gd, these alloys are potential magnetic refrigerants working in a magnetic refrigerator with a low magnetic field at room temperatures.

Low-temperature environments for quantum computation and quantum simulation

This review summarizes the requirement of low temperature conditions in existing experimental approaches to quantum computation and quantum simulation.

The Use of Str Mutations for Enhancement of Hydrogen Peroxide Formation by Lactobacillus Delbrueckii MH-IO at Refrigeration

The strains ofLactobacillus delbrueckii subsp, lactis widely used in food preservation due to ability produce high amount of hydrogen peroxide at refrigerator temperatures to inhibit food-borne pathogens and psychrophilic spoilage microorganisms. In order to improve of bio-preservation efficacy ofL. delbrueckii MH 10 mutations causing resistance to streptomycin （str） were used. Among UV-mutagenized population of L. delbruecla＇i three str mutants producing high amounts of H2O2 were selected. Sir mutants produced significant amounts of hydrogen peroxide 50-60 μg/ml in sodium phosphate buffer （0.2 M, pH 6.5） and in beef broth （BB） at 5 ℃ for 5 days submerged cultivation without of growth. Evaluation mutants antibacterialactivity at refrigeration temperatures against food-borne pathogen Escherichia coli O157：H7 revealed elimination of pathogen total number up to practically undetectable amount for 3 days. In case of solid-state cultivation on agar-based medium, disks soaked by mutant cells suspensions formed larger inhibitory zones on E. coli O157：H7 lawn for one-day cold exposition. The size of inhibition zone depends on concentration of LAB cells. Str mutants L. delbrueckii reduced initial amount 2 - 105 of E. coil O 157：H7 in ground beef up to 3 log for 3 days of solid-state cocultivation when the wild strain reduced only 2 log. The application ofL. delbrueckii mutants did not cause any changes in sensory characteristics of ground beef, moreover promotes expanding of shelf-life due to inhibition of psychrophilic spoilage microorganisms.

基于ZigBee的疫苗冷藏运输车温度多点监控系统设计

为了实现疫苗冷藏运输车环境温度实时监测与控制,确保疫苗运输车的存放环境能够满足疫苗的环境温度需求,提出了基于ZigBee的疫苗冷藏运输车温度多点监控系统.以ZigBee技术为系统核心技术,实现了疫苗冷藏运输车温度数据的实时采集与多点监控.经测试验证,利用设计系统具备多点温度信息高准确度采集、温度报警及时响应、温度数据可靠稳定传输等性能,解决了温度监测结果与实际温度偏差较大、温度数据传输不完整等问题,实现多点温度的实时有效监控,多点温度数据的有效、稳定、完整地传输.