Autonomous rotor heat engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roulet, Alexandre; Nimmrichter, Stefan; Arrazola, Juan Miguel; Seah, Stella; Scarani, Valerio

2017-06-01

The triumph of heat engines is their ability to convert the disordered energy of thermal sources into useful mechanical motion. In recent years, much effort has been devoted to generalizing thermodynamic notions to the quantum regime, partly motivated by the promise of surpassing classical heat engines. Here, we instead adopt a bottom-up approach: we propose a realistic autonomous heat engine that can serve as a test bed for quantum effects in the context of thermodynamics. Our model draws inspiration from actual piston engines and is built from closed-system Hamiltonians and weak bath coupling terms. We analytically derive the performance of the engine in the classical regime via a set of nonlinear Langevin equations. In the quantum case, we perform numerical simulations of the master equation. Finally, we perform a dynamic and thermodynamic analysis of the engine's behavior for several parameter regimes in both the classical and quantum case and find that the latter exhibits a consistently lower efficiency due to additional noise.

Mechanical Autonomous Stochastic Heat Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serra-Garcia, Marc; Foehr, André; Molerón, Miguel; Lydon, Joseph; Chong, Christopher; Daraio, Chiara

2016-07-01

Stochastic heat engines are devices that generate work from random thermal motion using a small number of highly fluctuating degrees of freedom. Proposals for such devices have existed for more than a century and include the Maxwell demon and the Feynman ratchet. Only recently have they been demonstrated experimentally, using, e.g., thermal cycles implemented in optical traps. However, recent experimental demonstrations of classical stochastic heat engines are nonautonomous, since they require an external control system that prescribes a heating and cooling cycle and consume more energy than they produce. We present a heat engine consisting of three coupled mechanical resonators (two ribbons and a cantilever) subject to a stochastic drive. The engine uses geometric nonlinearities in the resonating ribbons to autonomously convert a random excitation into a low-entropy, nonpassive oscillation of the cantilever. The engine presents the anomalous heat transport property of negative thermal conductivity, consisting in the ability to passively transfer energy from a cold reservoir to a hot reservoir.

Mechanical Autonomous Stochastic Heat Engine.

PubMed

Serra-Garcia, Marc; Foehr, André; Molerón, Miguel; Lydon, Joseph; Chong, Christopher; Daraio, Chiara

2016-07-01

Stochastic heat engines are devices that generate work from random thermal motion using a small number of highly fluctuating degrees of freedom. Proposals for such devices have existed for more than a century and include the Maxwell demon and the Feynman ratchet. Only recently have they been demonstrated experimentally, using, e.g., thermal cycles implemented in optical traps. However, recent experimental demonstrations of classical stochastic heat engines are nonautonomous, since they require an external control system that prescribes a heating and cooling cycle and consume more energy than they produce. We present a heat engine consisting of three coupled mechanical resonators (two ribbons and a cantilever) subject to a stochastic drive. The engine uses geometric nonlinearities in the resonating ribbons to autonomously convert a random excitation into a low-entropy, nonpassive oscillation of the cantilever. The engine presents the anomalous heat transport property of negative thermal conductivity, consisting in the ability to passively transfer energy from a cold reservoir to a hot reservoir.

Stirling Engine Heat Pump

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kagawa, Noboru

Recent advances in the feasibility studies related to the Stirling engines and Stirling engine heat pumps which have been considered attractive due to their promising role in helping to solve the global environmental and energy problems,are reviewed. This article begins to describe the brief history of the Stirling engines and theoretical thermodynamic analysis of the Stirling cycle in order to understand several advantages on the Stirling engine. Furthermore,they could throw light on our question why the dream engines had not been promoted to practical applications during two hundred years. The present review shows that the Stirling engines with several unique advantages including 30 to 40% thermal efficiency and preferable exhaust characteristics,had been designed and constructed by recent tackling for the development of the advanced automobile and other applications using them. Based on the current state of art,it is being provided to push the Stirling engines combined with heat pumps based on the reversed Rankine cycle to the market. At present,however, many problems, especially for the durability, cost, and delicate engine parts must be enforced to solve. In addition,there are some possibilities which can increase the attractiveness of the Stirling engines and heat pumps. The review closes with suggestions for further research.

Colloidal heat engines: a review.

PubMed

Martínez, Ignacio A; Roldán, Édgar; Dinis, Luis; Rica, Raúl A

2016-12-21

Stochastic heat engines can be built using colloidal particles trapped using optical tweezers. Here we review recent experimental realizations of microscopic heat engines. We first revisit the theoretical framework of stochastic thermodynamics that allows to describe the fluctuating behavior of the energy fluxes that occur at mesoscopic scales, and then discuss recent implementations of the colloidal equivalents to the macroscopic Stirling, Carnot and steam engines. These small-scale motors exhibit unique features in terms of power and efficiency fluctuations that have no equivalent in the macroscopic world. We also consider a second pathway for work extraction from colloidal engines operating between active bacterial reservoirs at different temperatures, which could significantly boost the performance of passive heat engines at the mesoscale. Finally, we provide some guidance on how the work extracted from colloidal heat engines can be used to generate net particle or energy currents, proposing a new generation of experiments with colloidal systems.

Heat-flow equation motivated by the ideal-gas shock wave.

PubMed

Holian, Brad Lee; Mareschal, Michel

2010-08-01

We present an equation for the heat-flux vector that goes beyond Fourier's Law of heat conduction, in order to model shockwave propagation in gases. Our approach is motivated by the observation of a disequilibrium among the three components of temperature, namely, the difference between the temperature component in the direction of a planar shock wave, versus those in the transverse directions. This difference is most prominent near the shock front. We test our heat-flow equation for the case of strong shock waves in the ideal gas, which has been studied in the past and compared to Navier-Stokes solutions. The new heat-flow treatment improves the agreement with nonequilibrium molecular-dynamics simulations of hard spheres under strong shockwave conditions.

Irreversible Brownian Heat Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taye, Mesfin Asfaw

2017-10-01

We model a Brownian heat engine as a Brownian particle that hops in a periodic ratchet potential where the ratchet potential is coupled with a linearly decreasing background temperature. We show that the efficiency of such Brownian heat engine approaches the efficiency of endoreversible engine η =1-√{{Tc/Th}} [23]. On the other hand, the maximum power efficiency of the engine approaches η ^{MAX}=1-({Tc/Th})^{1\\over 4}. It is shown that the optimized efficiency always lies between the efficiency at quasistatic limit and the efficiency at maximum power while the efficiency at maximum power is always less than the optimized efficiency since the fast motion of the particle comes at the expense of the energy cost. If the heat exchange at the boundary of the heat baths is included, we show that such a Brownian heat engine has a higher performance when acting as a refrigerator than when operating as a device subjected to a piecewise constant temperature. The role of time on the performance of the motor is also explored via numerical simulations. Our numerical results depict that the time t and the external load dictate the direction of the particle velocity. Moreover, the performance of the heat engine improves with time. At large t (steady state), the velocity, the efficiency and the coefficient of performance of the refrigerator attain their maximum value. Furthermore, we study the effect of temperature by considering a viscous friction that decreases exponentially as the background temperature increases. Our result depicts that the Brownian particle exhibits a fast unidirectional motion when the viscous friction is temperature dependent than that of constant viscous friction. Moreover, the efficiency of this motor is considerably enhanced when the viscous friction is temperature dependent. On the hand, the motor exhibits a higher performance of the refrigerator when the viscous friction is taken to be constant.

Diaphragm Stirling engine heat-actuated heat pump development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ackermann, R.A.; Swenson, P.

1981-01-01

The objective of this program is to develop and demonstrate the performance of a diaphragm Stirling engine heat-actuated heat pump power module. The power module, consisting of a free displacer, resonant Stirling engine, hydraulic transmission, and resonant Rankine refrigerant (F-22) compressor, embodies several innovative concepts in free-piston Stirling engine heat pump design that will advance the state of the art of this technology. Progress is reported in three areas of the program. First, a compressor/engine matching analysis and a stability analysis have shown that the power module, which is representative of a two-degree-of-freedom resonant system, will operate stably over themore » full range of heat pump conditions. Second, a compressor design has evolved that has met criteria for performance and cost; and third, tests employing a hydraulic simulator test rig has shown that the transmission losses are less than had been predicted, and that properly designed and fabricated diaphragms can attain long life.« less

Mechanical equivalent of quantum heat engines.

PubMed

Arnaud, Jacques; Chusseau, Laurent; Philippe, Fabrice

2008-06-01

Quantum heat engines employ as working agents multilevel systems instead of classical gases. We show that under some conditions quantum heat engines are equivalent to a series of reservoirs at different altitudes containing balls of various weights. A cycle consists of picking up at random a ball from one reservoir and carrying it to the next, thereby performing or absorbing some work. In particular, quantum heat engines, employing two-level atoms as working agents, are modeled by reservoirs containing balls of weight 0 or 1. The mechanical model helps us prove that the maximum efficiency of quantum heat engines is the Carnot efficiency. Heat pumps and negative temperatures are considered.

Taub–Bolt heat engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Clifford V.

2018-02-01

It is shown that aspects of the extended thermodynamic properties of the Taub–Bolt–AdS spacetime in four dimensions are similar to those of the Schwarzschild–AdS black hole. In a high temperature expansion, the equations of state begin to deviate only at next-to-subleading orders. By analogy with what has been done for black holes, Taub–Bolt’s thermodynamic equations are used to define holographic heat engines, the first examples of gravitational heat engines defined using a spacetime that is not a black hole. As a further comparison, the Taub–Bolt engine efficiency is computed for two special kinds of engine cycle and compared to the results for analogous Schwarzschild black hole engine cycles.

Heat Pipes Reduce Engine-Exhaust Emissions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schultz, D. F.

1986-01-01

Increased fuel vaporization raises engine efficiency. Heat-pipe technology increased efficiency of heat transfer beyond that obtained by metallic conduction. Resulted in both improved engine operation and reduction in fuel consumption. Raw material conservation through reduced dependence on strategic materials also benefit from this type of heat-pipe technology. Applications result in improved engine performance and cleaner environment.

Electrochemical heat engine

DOEpatents

Elliott, Guy R. B.; Holley, Charles E.; Houseman, Barton L.; Sibbitt, Jr., Wilmer L.

1978-01-01

Electrochemical heat engines produce electrochemical work, and mechanical motion is limited to valve and switching actions as the heat-to-work cycles are performed. The electrochemical cells of said heat engines use molten or solid electrolytes at high temperatures. One or more reactions in the cycle will generate a gas at high temperature which can be condensed at a lower temperature with later return of the condensate to electrochemical cells. Sodium, potassium, and cesium are used as the working gases for high temperature cells (above 600 K) with halogen gases or volatile halides being used at lower temperature. Carbonates and halides are used as molten electrolytes and the solid electrolyte in these melts can also be used as a cell separator.

Efficiency of Brownian heat engines.

PubMed

Derényi, I; Astumian, R D

1999-06-01

We study the efficiency of one-dimensional thermally driven Brownian ratchets or heat engines. We identify and compare the three basic setups characterized by the type of the connection between the Brownian particle and the two heat reservoirs: (i) simultaneous, (ii) alternating in time, and (iii) position dependent. We make a clear distinction between the heat flow via the kinetic and the potential energy of the particle, and show that the former is always irreversible and it is only the third setup where the latter is reversible when the engine works quasistatically. We also show that in the third setup the heat flow via the kinetic energy can be reduced arbitrarily, proving that even for microscopic heat engines there is no fundamental limit of the efficiency lower than that of a Carnot cycle.

Heat pipe cooling for scramjet engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silverstein, Calvin C.

1986-01-01

Liquid metal heat pipe cooling systems have been investigated for the combustor liner and engine inlet leading edges of scramjet engines for a missile application. The combustor liner is cooled by a lithium-TZM molybdenum annular heat pipe, which incorporates a separate lithium reservoir. Heat is initially absorbed by the sensible thermal capacity of the heat pipe and liner, and subsequently by the vaporization and discharge of lithium to the atmosphere. The combustor liner temperature is maintained at 3400 F or less during steady-state cruise. The engine inlet leading edge is fabricated as a sodium-superalloy heat pipe. Cooling is accomplished by radiation of heat from the aft surface of the leading edge to the atmosphere. The leading edge temperature is limited to 1700 F or less. It is concluded that heat pipe cooling is a viable method for limiting scramjet combustor liner and engine inlet temperatures to levels at which structural integrity is greatly enhanced.

Combination solar photovoltaic heat engine energy converter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chubb, Donald L.

1987-01-01

A combination solar photovoltaic heat engine converter is proposed. Such a system is suitable for either terrestrial or space power applications. The combination system has a higher efficiency than either the photovoltaic array or the heat engine alone can attain. Advantages in concentrator and radiator area and receiver mass of the photovoltaic heat engine system over a heat-engine-only system are estimated. A mass and area comparison between the proposed space station organic Rankine power system and a combination PV-heat engine system is made. The critical problem for the proposed converter is the necessity for high temperature photovoltaic array operation. Estimates of the required photovoltaic temperature are presented.

Continuous fiber ceramic matrix composites for heat engine components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tripp, David E.

1988-01-01

High strength at elevated temperatures, low density, resistance to wear, and abundance of nonstrategic raw materials make structural ceramics attractive for advanced heat engine applications. Unfortunately, ceramics have a low fracture toughness and fail catastrophically because of overload, impact, and contact stresses. Ceramic matrix composites provide the means to achieve improved fracture toughness while retaining desirable characteristics, such as high strength and low density. Materials scientists and engineers are trying to develop the ideal fibers and matrices to achieve the optimum ceramic matrix composite properties. A need exists for the development of failure models for the design of ceramic matrix composite heat engine components. Phenomenological failure models are currently the most frequently used in industry, but they are deterministic and do not adequately describe ceramic matrix composite behavior. Semi-empirical models were proposed, which relate the failure of notched composite laminates to the stress a characteristic distance away from the notch. Shear lag models describe composite failure modes at the micromechanics level. The enhanced matrix cracking stress occurs at the same applied stress level predicted by the two models of steady state cracking. Finally, statistical models take into consideration the distribution in composite failure strength. The intent is to develop these models into computer algorithms for the failure analysis of ceramic matrix composites under monotonically increasing loads. The algorithms will be included in a postprocessor to general purpose finite element programs.

Advanced radioisotope heat source for Stirling Engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobry, T. J.; Walberg, G.

2001-02-01

The heat exchanger on a Stirling Engine requires a thermal energy transfer from a heat source to the engine through a very limited area on the heater head circumference. Designing an effective means to assure maximum transfer efficiency is challenging. A single General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS), which has been qualified for space operations, would satisfy thermal requirements for a single Stirling Engine that would produce 55 electrical watts. However, it is not efficient to transfer its thermal energy to the engine heat exchanger from its rectangular geometry. This paper describes a conceptual design of a heat source to improve energy transfer for Stirling Engines that may be deployed to power instrumentation on space missions. .

Ideal engine durations for gamma-ray-burst-jet launch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamidani, Hamid; Takahashi, Koh; Umeda, Hideyuki; Okita, Shinpei

2017-08-01

Aiming to study gamma-ray-burst (GRB) engine duration, we present numerical simulations to investigate collapsar jets. We consider typical explosion energy (1052 erg) but different engine durations, in the widest domain to date from 0.1 to 100 s. We employ an adaptive mesh refinement 2D hydrodynamical code. Our results show that engine duration strongly influences jet nature. We show that the efficiency of launching and collimating relativistic outflow increases with engine duration, until the intermediate engine range where it is the highest, past this point to long engine range, the trend is slightly reversed; we call this point where acceleration and collimation are the highest 'sweet spot' (˜10-30 s). Moreover, jet energy flux shows that variability is also high in this duration domain. We argue that not all engine durations can produce the collimated, relativistic and variable long GRB jets. Considering a typical progenitor and engine energy, we conclude that the ideal engine duration to reproduce a long GRB is ˜10-30 s, where the launch of relativistic, collimated and variable jets is favoured. We note that this duration domain makes a good link with a previous study suggesting that the bulk of Burst and Transient Source Experiment's long GRBs is powered by ˜10-20 s collapsar engines.

Novikov Engine with Fluctuating Heat Bath Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwalbe, Karsten; Hoffmann, Karl Heinz

2018-04-01

The Novikov engine is a model for heat engines that takes the irreversible character of heat fluxes into account. Using this model, the maximum power output as well as the corresponding efficiency of the heat engine can be deduced, leading to the well-known Curzon-Ahlborn efficiency. The classical model assumes constant heat bath temperatures, which is not a reasonable assumption in the case of fluctuating heat sources. Therefore, in this article the influence of stochastic fluctuations of the hot heat bath's temperature on the optimal performance measures is investigated. For this purpose, a Novikov engine with fluctuating heat bath temperature is considered. Doing so, a generalization of the Curzon-Ahlborn efficiency is found. The results can help to quantify how the distribution of fluctuating quantities affects the performance measures of power plants.

Sodium heat engine system: Space application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Betz, Bryan H.; Sungu, Sabri; Vu, Hung V.

1994-08-01

This paper explores the possibility of utilizing the Sodium Heat Engine (SHE) or known as AMTEC (Alkali Metal Thermoelectric Converter), for electrical power generation in ``near earth'' geosynchronous orbit. The Sodium Heat Engine principle is very flexible and adapts well to a variety of physical geometries. The proposed system can be easily folded and then deployed into orbit without the need for on site assembly in space. Electric power generated from SHE engine can be used in communication satellites, in space station, and other applications such as electrical recharging of vehicles in space is one of the applications the Sodium Heat Engine could be adapted to serve.

The transformation of heat in an engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neumann, Kurt

1929-01-01

This report presents a thermodynamic basis for rating heat engines. The production of work by a heat engine rests on the operation of supplying heat, under favorable conditions, to a working fluid and then taking it away.

Black holes in massive gravity as heat engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendi, S. H.; Eslam Panah, B.; Panahiyan, S.; Liu, H.; Meng, X.-H.

2018-06-01

The paper at hand studies the heat engine provided by black holes in the presence of massive gravity. The main motivation is to investigate the effects of massive gravity on different properties of the heat engine. It will be shown that massive gravity parameters modify the efficiency of engine on a significant level. Furthermore, it will be pointed out that it is possible to have a heat engine for non-spherical black holes in massive gravity, and therefore, we will study the effects of horizon topology on the properties of heat engine. Surprisingly, it will be shown that the highest efficiency for the heat engine belongs to black holes with the hyperbolic horizon, while the lowest one belongs to the spherical black holes.

Malone-brayton cycle engine/heat pump

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilmour, Thomas A.

1994-07-01

A machine, such as a heat pump, and having an all liquid heat exchange fluid, operates over a more nearly ideal thermodynamic cycle by adjustment of the proportionality of the volumetric capacities of a compressor and an expander to approximate the proportionality of the densities of the liquid heat exchange fluid at the chosen working pressures. Preferred forms of a unit including both the compressor and the expander on a common shaft employs difference in axial lengths of rotary pumps of the gear or vane type to achieve the adjustment of volumetric capacity. Adjustment of the heat pump system for differing heat sink conditions preferably employs variable compression ratio pumps.

Can the Ocean's Heat Engine Control Horizontal Circulation? Insights From the Caspian Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruneau, Nicolas; Zika, Jan; Toumi, Ralf

2017-10-01

We investigate the role of the ocean's heat engine in setting horizontal circulation using a numerical model of the Caspian Sea. The Caspian Sea can be seen as a virtual laboratory—a compromise between realistic global models that are hampered by long equilibration times and idealized basin geometry models, which are not constrained by observations. We find that increases in vertical mixing drive stronger thermally direct overturning and consequent conversion of available potential to kinetic energy. Numerical solutions with water mass structures closest to observations overturn 0.02-0.04 × 106 m3/s (sverdrup) representing the first estimate of Caspian Sea overturning. Our results also suggest that the overturning is thermally forced increasing in intensity with increasing vertical diffusivity. Finally, stronger thermally direct overturning is associated with a stronger horizontal circulation in the Caspian Sea. This suggests that the ocean's heat engine can strongly impact broader horizontal circulations in the ocean.

Test results of a Stirling engine utilizing heat exchanger modules with an integral heat pipe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skupinski, Robert C.; Tower, Leonard K.; Madi, Frank J.; Brusk, Kevin D.

1993-04-01

The Heat Pipe Stirling Engine (HP-1000), a free-piston Stirling engine incorporating three heat exchanger modules, each having a sodium filled heat pipe, has been tested at the NASA-Lewis Research Center as part of the Civil Space Technology Initiative (CSTI). The heat exchanger modules were designed to reduce the number of potential flow leak paths in the heat exchanger assembly and incorporate a heat pipe as the link between the heat source and the engine. An existing RE-1000 free-piston Stirling engine was modified to operate using the heat exchanger modules. This paper describes heat exchanger module and engine performance during baseline testing. Condenser temperature profiles, brake power, and efficiency are presented and discussed.

Test results of a Stirling engine utilizing heat exchanger modules with an integral heat pipe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skupinski, Robert C.; Tower, Leonard K.; Madi, Frank J.; Brusk, Kevin D.

1993-01-01

The Heat Pipe Stirling Engine (HP-1000), a free-piston Stirling engine incorporating three heat exchanger modules, each having a sodium filled heat pipe, has been tested at the NASA-Lewis Research Center as part of the Civil Space Technology Initiative (CSTI). The heat exchanger modules were designed to reduce the number of potential flow leak paths in the heat exchanger assembly and incorporate a heat pipe as the link between the heat source and the engine. An existing RE-1000 free-piston Stirling engine was modified to operate using the heat exchanger modules. This paper describes heat exchanger module and engine performance during baseline testing. Condenser temperature profiles, brake power, and efficiency are presented and discussed.

Reversible quantum heat engines for electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linke, Heiner; Humphrey, Tammy E.; Newbury, Richard; Taylor, Richard P.

2002-03-01

Brownian heat engines use local temperature gradients in asymmetric potentials to move particles against an external force. The energy efficiency of such machines is generally limited by irreversible heat flow carried by particles that make contact with different heat baths. Here we show that, by using a suitably chosen energy filter, electrons can be transferred reversibly between reservoirs that have different temperatures and electrochemical potentials. We apply this result to propose heat engines based on quantum ratchets, which can quasistatically operate at Carnot efficiency.

A sublimation heat engine

PubMed Central

Wells, Gary G.; Ledesma-Aguilar, Rodrigo; McHale, Glen; Sefiane, Khellil

2015-01-01

Heat engines are based on the physical realization of a thermodynamic cycle, most famously the liquid–vapour Rankine cycle used for steam engines. Here we present a sublimation heat engine, which can convert temperature differences into mechanical work via the Leidenfrost effect. Through controlled experiments, quantified by a hydrodynamic model, we show that levitating dry-ice blocks rotate on hot turbine-like surfaces at a rate controlled by the turbine geometry, temperature difference and solid material properties. The rotational motion of the dry-ice loads is converted into electric power by coupling to a magnetic coil system. We extend our concept to liquid loads, generalizing the realization of the new engine to both sublimation and the instantaneous vapourization of liquids. Our results support the feasibility of low-friction in situ energy harvesting from both liquids and ices. Our concept is potentially relevant in challenging situations such as deep drilling, outer space exploration or micro-mechanical manipulation. PMID:25731669

A sublimation heat engine.

PubMed

Wells, Gary G; Ledesma-Aguilar, Rodrigo; McHale, Glen; Sefiane, Khellil

2015-03-03

Heat engines are based on the physical realization of a thermodynamic cycle, most famously the liquid-vapour Rankine cycle used for steam engines. Here we present a sublimation heat engine, which can convert temperature differences into mechanical work via the Leidenfrost effect. Through controlled experiments, quantified by a hydrodynamic model, we show that levitating dry-ice blocks rotate on hot turbine-like surfaces at a rate controlled by the turbine geometry, temperature difference and solid material properties. The rotational motion of the dry-ice loads is converted into electric power by coupling to a magnetic coil system. We extend our concept to liquid loads, generalizing the realization of the new engine to both sublimation and the instantaneous vapourization of liquids. Our results support the feasibility of low-friction in situ energy harvesting from both liquids and ices. Our concept is potentially relevant in challenging situations such as deep drilling, outer space exploration or micro-mechanical manipulation.

A thermoacoustic Stirling heat engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Backhaus, S.; Swift, G. W.

1999-05-01

Electrical and mechanical power, together with other forms of useful work, are generated worldwide at a rate of about 1012 watts, mostly using heat engines. The efficiency of such engines is limited by the laws of thermodynamics and by practical considerations such as the cost of building and operating them. Engines with high efficiency help to conserve fossil fuels and other natural resources, reducing global-warming emissions and pollutants. In practice, the highest efficiencies are obtained only in the most expensive, sophisticated engines, such as the turbines in central utility electrical plants. Here we demonstrate an inexpensive thermoacoustic engine that employs the inherently efficient Stirling cycle. The design is based on a simple acoustic apparatus with no moving parts. Our first small laboratory prototype, constructed using inexpensive hardware (steel pipes), achieves an efficiency of 0.30, which exceeds the values of 0.10-0.25 attained in other heat engines, with no moving parts. Moreover, the efficiency of our prototype is comparable to that of the common internal combustion engine (0.25-0.40) and piston-driven Stirling engines, (0.20-0.38).

A Highly Efficient Six-Stroke Internal Combustion Engine Cycle with Water Injection for In-Cylinder Exhaust Heat Recovery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Conklin, Jim; Szybist, James P

2010-01-01

A concept is presented here that adds two additional strokes to the four-stroke Otto or Diesel cycle that has the potential to increase fuel efficiency of the basic cycle. The engine cycle can be thought of as a 4 stroke Otto or Diesel cycle followed by a 2-stroke heat recovery steam cycle. Early exhaust valve closing during the exhaust stroke coupled with water injection are employed to add an additional power stroke at the end of the conventional four-stroke Otto or Diesel cycle. An ideal thermodynamics model of the exhaust gas compression, water injection at top center, and expansion wasmore » used to investigate this modification that effectively recovers waste heat from both the engine coolant and combustion exhaust gas. Thus, this concept recovers energy from two waste heat sources of current engine designs and converts heat normally discarded to useable power and work. This concept has the potential of a substantial increase in fuel efficiency over existing conventional internal combustion engines, and under appropriate injected water conditions, increase the fuel efficiency without incurring a decrease in power density. By changing the exhaust valve closing angle during the exhaust stroke, the ideal amount of exhaust can be recompressed for the amount of water injected, thereby minimizing the work input and maximizing the mean effective pressure of the steam expansion stroke (MEPsteam). The value of this exhaust valve closing for maximum MEPsteam depends on the limiting conditions of either one bar or the dew point temperature of the expansion gas/moisture mixture when the exhaust valve opens to discard the spent gas mixture in the sixth stroke. The range of MEPsteam calculated for the geometry of a conventional gasoline spark-ignited internal combustion engine and for plausible water injection parameters is from 0.75 to 2.5 bars. Typical combustion mean effective pressures (MEPcombustion) of naturally aspirated gasoline engines are up to 10 bar, thus

Heat regenerative external combustion engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duva, Anthony W.

1993-03-01

It is an object of the invention to provide an external combustion expander-type engine having improved efficiency. It is another object of the invention to provide an external combustion engine in which afterburning in the exhaust channel is substantially prevented. Yet another object of the invention is to provide an external combustion engine which is less noisy than an external combustion engine of conventional design. These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the following description. The above objects of the invention are realized by providing a heat regenerative external combustion engine. The heat regenerative external combustion engine of the invention comprises a combustion chamber for combusting a monopropellant fuel in order to form an energized gas. The energized gas is then passed through a rotary valve to a cylinder having a reciprocating piston disposed therein. The gas is spent in moving the piston, thereby driving a drive shaft.

Efficiency bounds for nonequilibrium heat engines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mehta, Pankaj; Polkovnikov, Anatoli, E-mail: asp@bu.edu

2013-05-15

We analyze the efficiency of thermal engines (either quantum or classical) working with a single heat reservoir like an atmosphere. The engine first gets an energy intake, which can be done in an arbitrary nonequilibrium way e.g. combustion of fuel. Then the engine performs the work and returns to the initial state. We distinguish two general classes of engines where the working body first equilibrates within itself and then performs the work (ergodic engine) or when it performs the work before equilibrating (non-ergodic engine). We show that in both cases the second law of thermodynamics limits their efficiency. For ergodicmore » engines we find a rigorous upper bound for the efficiency, which is strictly smaller than the equivalent Carnot efficiency. I.e. the Carnot efficiency can be never achieved in single reservoir heat engines. For non-ergodic engines the efficiency can be higher and can exceed the equilibrium Carnot bound. By extending the fundamental thermodynamic relation to nonequilibrium processes, we find a rigorous thermodynamic bound for the efficiency of both ergodic and non-ergodic engines and show that it is given by the relative entropy of the nonequilibrium and initial equilibrium distributions. These results suggest a new general strategy for designing more efficient engines. We illustrate our ideas by using simple examples. -- Highlights: ► Derived efficiency bounds for heat engines working with a single reservoir. ► Analyzed both ergodic and non-ergodic engines. ► Showed that non-ergodic engines can be more efficient. ► Extended fundamental thermodynamic relation to arbitrary nonequilibrium processes.« less

MEMS CLOSED CHAMBER HEAT ENGINE AND ELECTRIC GENERATOR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, Geoffrey A. (Inventor)

2005-01-01

A heat engine, preferably combined with an electric generator, and advantageously implemented using micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) technologies as an array of one or more individual heat engine/generators. The heat engine is based on a closed chamber containing a motive medium, preferably a gas; means for alternately enabling and disabling transfer of thermal energy from a heat source to the motive medium; and at least one movable side of the chamber that moves in response to thermally-induced expansion and contraction of the motive medium, thereby converting thermal energy to oscillating movement. The electrical generator is combined with the heat engine to utilize movement of the movable side to convert mechanical work to electrical energy, preferably using electrostatic interaction in a generator capacitor. Preferably at least one heat transfer side of the chamber is placed alternately into and out of contact with the heat source by a motion capacitor, thereby alternately enabling and disabling conductive transfer of heat to the motive medium.

Rate of Heat Release in Diesel Engines

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1977-10-01

In this report, the concept of heat release in diesel engines is compared with reaction rates in petrol engines as a means of describing combustion. The intimate relationships between heat release, cylinder pressure development and cylinder pressure ...

Performance of discrete heat engines and heat pumps in finite time

PubMed

Feldmann; Kosloff

2000-05-01

The performance in finite time of a discrete heat engine with internal friction is analyzed. The working fluid of the engine is composed of an ensemble of noninteracting two level systems. External work is applied by changing the external field and thus the internal energy levels. The friction induces a minimal cycle time. The power output of the engine is optimized with respect to time allocation between the contact time with the hot and cold baths as well as the adiabats. The engine's performance is also optimized with respect to the external fields. By reversing the cycle of operation a heat pump is constructed. The performance of the engine as a heat pump is also optimized. By varying the time allocation between the adiabats and the contact time with the reservoir a universal behavior can be identified. The optimal performance of the engine when the cold bath is approaching absolute zero is studied. It is found that the optimal cooling rate converges linearly to zero when the temperature approaches absolute zero.

Holographic heat engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Clifford V.

2014-10-01

It is shown that in theories of gravity where the cosmological constant is considered a thermodynamic variable, it is natural to use black holes as heat engines. Two examples are presented in detail using AdS charged black holes as the working substance. We notice that for static black holes, the maximally efficient traditional Carnot engine is also a Stirling engine. The case of negative cosmological constant supplies a natural realization of these engines in terms of the field theory description of the fluids to which they are holographically dual. We first propose a precise picture of how the traditional thermodynamic dictionary of holography is extended when the cosmological constant is dynamical and then conjecture that the engine cycles can be performed by using renormalization group flow. We speculate about the existence of a natural dual field theory counterpart to the gravitational thermodynamic volume.

Thermodynamic feature of a Brownian heat engine operating between two heat baths.

PubMed

Asfaw, Mesfin

2014-01-01

A generalized theory of nonequilibrium thermodynamics for a Brownian motor operating between two different heat baths is presented. Via a simple paradigmatic model, we not only explore the thermodynamic feature of the engine in the regime of the nonequilibrium steady state but also study the short time behavior of the system for either the isothermal case with load or, in general, the nonisothermal case with or without load. Many elegant thermodynamic theories can be checked via the present model. Furthermore the dependence of the velocity, the efficiency, and the performance of the refrigerator on time t is examined. Our study reveals a current reversal due to time t. In the early system relaxation period, the model works neither as a heat engine nor as a refrigerator and only after a certain period of time does the model start functioning as a heat engine or as a refrigerator. The performance of the engine also improves with time and at steady state the engine manifests a higher efficiency or performance as a refrigerator. Furthermore the effect of energy exchange via the kinetic energy on the performance of the heat engine is explored.

Self-Oscillating Josephson Quantum Heat Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchegiani, G.; Virtanen, P.; Giazotto, F.; Campisi, M.

2016-11-01

The design of a mesoscopic self-oscillating heat engine that works thanks to purely quantum effects is presented. The proposed scheme is amenable to experimental implementation with current state-of-the-art nanotechnology and materials. One of the main features of the structure is its versatility: The engine can deliver work to a generic load without galvanic contact. This versatility makes it a promising building block for low-temperature on-chip energy-management applications. The heat engine consists of a circuit featuring a thermoelectric element based on a ferromagnetic insulator-superconductor tunnel junction and a Josephson weak link that realizes a purely quantum dc-ac converter. This makeup enables the contactless transfer of work to the load (a generic RL circuit). The performance of the heat engine is investigated as a function of the thermal gradient applied to the thermoelectric junction. Power up to 1 pW can be delivered to a load RL=10 Ω .

Superradiant Quantum Heat Engine.

PubMed

Hardal, Ali Ü C; Müstecaplıoğlu, Özgür E

2015-08-11

Quantum physics revolutionized classical disciplines of mechanics, statistical physics, and electrodynamics. One branch of scientific knowledge however seems untouched: thermodynamics. Major motivation behind thermodynamics is to develop efficient heat engines. Technology has a trend to miniaturize engines, reaching to quantum regimes. Development of quantum heat engines (QHEs) requires emerging field of quantum thermodynamics. Studies of QHEs debate whether quantum coherence can be used as a resource. We explore an alternative where it can function as an effective catalyst. We propose a QHE which consists of a photon gas inside an optical cavity as the working fluid and quantum coherent atomic clusters as the fuel. Utilizing the superradiance, where a cluster can radiate quadratically faster than a single atom, we show that the work output becomes proportional to the square of the number of the atoms. In addition to practical value of cranking up QHE, our result is a fundamental difference of a quantum fuel from its classical counterpart.

Reversible Quantum Brownian Heat Engines for Electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Humphrey, T. E.; Newbury, R.; Taylor, R. P.; Linke, H.

2002-08-01

Brownian heat engines use local temperature gradients in asymmetric potentials to move particles against an external force. The energy efficiency of such machines is generally limited by irreversible heat flow carried by particles that make contact with different heat baths. Here we show that, by using a suitably chosen energy filter, electrons can be transferred reversibly between reservoirs that have different temperatures and electrochemical potentials. We apply this result to propose heat engines based on mesoscopic semiconductor ratchets, which can quasistatically operate arbitrarily close to Carnot efficiency.

The design and fabrication of a Stirling engine heat exchanger module with an integral heat pipe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schreiber, Jeffrey G.

1988-01-01

The conceptual design of a free-piston Stirling Space Engine (SSE) intended for space power applications has been generated. The engine was designed to produce 25 kW of electric power with heat supplied by a nuclear reactor. A novel heat exchanger module was designed to reduce the number of critical joints in the heat exchanger assembly while also incorporating a heat pipe as the link between the engine and the heat source. Two inexpensive verification tests are proposed. The SSE heat exchanger module is described and the operating conditions for the module are outlined. The design process of the heat exchanger modules, including the sodium heat pipe, is briefly described. Similarities between the proposed SSE heat exchanger modules and the LeRC test modules for two test engines are presented. The benefits and weaknesses of using a sodium heat pipe to transport heat to a Stirling engine are discussed. Similarly, the problems encountered when using a true heat pipe, as opposed to a more simple reflux boiler, are described. The instruments incorporated into the modules and the test program are also outlined.

Single-particle stochastic heat engine.

PubMed

Rana, Shubhashis; Pal, P S; Saha, Arnab; Jayannavar, A M

2014-10-01

We have performed an extensive analysis of a single-particle stochastic heat engine constructed by manipulating a Brownian particle in a time-dependent harmonic potential. The cycle consists of two isothermal steps at different temperatures and two adiabatic steps similar to that of a Carnot engine. The engine shows qualitative differences in inertial and overdamped regimes. All the thermodynamic quantities, including efficiency, exhibit strong fluctuations in a time periodic steady state. The fluctuations of stochastic efficiency dominate over the mean values even in the quasistatic regime. Interestingly, our system acts as an engine provided the temperature difference between the two reservoirs is greater than a finite critical value which in turn depends on the cycle time and other system parameters. This is supported by our analytical results carried out in the quasistatic regime. Our system works more reliably as an engine for large cycle times. By studying various model systems, we observe that the operational characteristics are model dependent. Our results clearly rule out any universal relation between efficiency at maximum power and temperature of the baths. We have also verified fluctuation relations for heat engines in time periodic steady state.

Oscillatory conductive heat transfer for a fiber in an ideal gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuntz, H. L.; Perreira, N. D.

1985-01-01

A description of the thermal effects created by placing a cylindrical fiber in an inviscid, ideal gas, through which an acoustic wave propagates, is presented. The fibers and the gas have finite heat capacities and thermal conductivities. Expressions for the temperature distribution in the gas and in the material are determined. The temperature distribution is caused by pressure oscillations in the gas which, in turn, are caused by the passage of an acoustic wave. The relative value of a dimensionless parameter is found to be indicative of whether the exact or approximate equations should be used in the solution. This parameter is a function of the thermal conductivities and heat capacities of the fiber and gas, the acoustic frequency, and the fiber diameter.

Near-field three-terminal thermoelectric heat engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Jian-Hua; Imry, Yoseph

2018-03-01

We propose a near-field inelastic thermoelectric heat engine where quantum dots are used to effectively rectify the charge flow of photocarriers. The device converts near-field heat radiation into useful electrical power. Heat absorption and inelastic transport can be enhanced by introducing two continuous spectra separated by an energy gap. The thermoelectric transport properties of the heat engine are studied in the linear-response regime. Using a small band-gap semiconductor as the absorption material, we show that the device achieves very large thermopower and thermoelectric figure of merit, as well as considerable power factor. By analyzing thermal-photocarrier generation and conduction, we reveal that the Seebeck coefficient and the figure of merit have oscillatory dependence on the thickness of the vacuum gap. Meanwhile, the power factor, the charge, and thermal conductivity are significantly improved by near-field radiation. Conditions and guiding principles for powerful and efficient thermoelectric heat engines are discussed in details.

Holographic heat engine within the framework of massive gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mo, Jie-Xiong; Li, Gu-Qiang

2018-05-01

Heat engine models are constructed within the framework of massive gravity in this paper. For the four-dimensional charged black holes in massive gravity, it is shown that the existence of graviton mass improves the heat engine efficiency significantly. The situation is more complicated for the five-dimensional neutral black holes since the constant which corresponds to the third massive potential also contributes to the efficiency. It is also shown that the existence of graviton mass can improve the heat engine efficiency. Moreover, we probe how the massive gravity influences the behavior of the heat engine efficiency approaching the Carnot efficiency.

Principles of liquids working in heat engines

PubMed Central

Allen, P. C.; Knight, W. R.; Paulson, D. N.; Wheatley, J. C.

1980-01-01

The thermodynamic and thermophysical properties of liquids suggest that they should be powerful working fluids in heat engines. Their use requires heat engines based conceptually on the Stirling and Malone principles. The principles are explained, and then experiments on propylene are presented that demonstrate the principles and confirm the thermodynamic analysis. PMID:16592756

Heat Exchanger Lab for Chemical Engineering Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajala, Jonathan W.; Evans, Edward A.; Chase, George G.

2015-01-01

Third year chemical engineering undergraduate students at The University of Akron designed and fabricated a heat exchanger for a stirred tank as part of a Chemical Engineering Laboratory course. The heat exchanger portion of this course was three weeks of the fifteen week long semester. Students applied concepts of scale-up and dimensional…

The IDEAL (Integrated Design and Engineering Analysis Languages) modeling methodology: Capabilities and Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evers, Ken H.; Bachert, Robert F.

1987-01-01

The IDEAL (Integrated Design and Engineering Analysis Languages) modeling methodology has been formulated and applied over a five-year period. It has proven to be a unique, integrated approach utilizing a top-down, structured technique to define and document the system of interest; a knowledge engineering technique to collect and organize system descriptive information; a rapid prototyping technique to perform preliminary system performance analysis; and a sophisticated simulation technique to perform in-depth system performance analysis.

Gas engine heat recovery unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubasco, A. J.

1991-07-01

The objective of Gas Engine Heat Recovery Unit was to design, fabricate, and test an efficient, compact, and corrosion resistant heat recovery unit (HRU) for use on exhaust of natural gas-fired reciprocating engine-generator sets in the 50-500 kW range. The HRU would be a core component of a factory pre-packaged cogeneration system designed around component optimization, reliability, and efficiency. The HRU uses finned high alloy, stainless steel tubing wound into a compact helical coil heat exchanger. The corrosion resistance of the tubing allows more heat to be taken from the exhaust gas without fear of the effects of acid condensation. One HRU is currently installed in a cogeneration system at the Henry Ford Hospital Complex in Dearborn, Michigan. A second unit underwent successful endurance testing for 850 hours. The plan was to commercialize the HRU through its incorporation into a Caterpillar pre-packaged cogeneration system. Caterpillar is not proceeding with the concept at this time because of a downturn in the small size cogeneration market.

Modeling of a resonant heat engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Preetham, B. S.; Anderson, M.; Richards, C.

2012-12-01

A resonant heat engine in which the piston assembly is replaced by a sealed elastic cavity is modeled and analyzed. A nondimensional lumped-parameter model is derived and used to investigate the factors that control the performance of the engine. The thermal efficiency predicted by the model agrees with that predicted from the relation for the Otto cycle based on compression ratio. The predictions show that for a fixed mechanical load, increasing the heat input results in increased efficiency. The output power and power density are shown to depend on the loading for a given heat input. The loading condition for maximum output power is different from that required for maximum power density.

Integrated Heat Exchange For Recuperation In Gas Turbine Engines

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

exchange system within the engine using existing blade surfaces to extract and insert heat. Due to the highly turbulent and transient flow, heat...transfer coefficients in turbomachinery are extremely high, making this possible. Heat transfer between the turbine and compressor blade surfaces could be...exchange system within the engine using existing blade surfaces to extract and insert heat. Due to the highly turbulent and transient flow, heat transfer

Heat engine development for solar thermal power systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, H. Q.; Jaffe, L. D.

The parabolic dish solar collector systems for converting sunlight to electrical power through a heat engine will, require a small heat engine of high performance long lifetime to be competitive with conventional power systems. The most promising engine candidates are Stirling, high temperature Brayton, and combined cycle. Engines available in the current market today do not meet these requirements. The development of Stirling and high temperature Brayton for automotive applications was studied which utilizes much of the technology developed in this automotive program for solar power engines. The technical status of the engine candidates is reviewed and the components that may additional development to meet solar thermal system requirements are identified.

Optimal performance of generalized heat engines with finite-size baths of arbitrary multiple conserved quantities beyond independent-and-identical-distribution scaling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Kosuke; Hayashi, Masahito

2018-01-01

In quantum thermodynamics, effects of finiteness of the baths have been less considered. In particular, there is no general theory which focuses on finiteness of the baths of multiple conserved quantities. Then, we investigate how the optimal performance of generalized heat engines with multiple conserved quantities alters in response to the size of the baths. In the context of general theories of quantum thermodynamics, the size of the baths has been given in terms of the number of identical copies of a system, which does not cover even such a natural scaling as the volume. In consideration of the asymptotic extensivity, we deal with a generic scaling of the baths to naturally include the volume scaling. Based on it, we derive a bound for the performance of generalized heat engines reflecting finite-size effects of the baths, which we call fine-grained generalized Carnot bound. We also construct a protocol to achieve the optimal performance of the engine given by this bound. Finally, applying the obtained general theory, we deal with simple examples of generalized heat engines. As for an example of non-independent-and-identical-distribution scaling and multiple conserved quantities, we investigate a heat engine with two baths composed of an ideal gas exchanging particles, where the volume scaling is applied. The result implies that the mass of the particle explicitly affects the performance of this engine with finite-size baths.

Optimal power and efficiency of quantum Stirling heat engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Yong; Chen, Lingen; Wu, Feng

2017-01-01

A quantum Stirling heat engine model is established in this paper in which imperfect regeneration and heat leakage are considered. A single particle which contained in a one-dimensional infinite potential well is studied, and the system consists of countless replicas. Each particle is confined in its own potential well, whose occupation probabilities can be expressed by the thermal equilibrium Gibbs distributions. Based on the Schrödinger equation, the expressions of power output and efficiency for the engine are obtained. Effects of imperfect regeneration and heat leakage on the optimal performance are discussed. The optimal performance region and the optimal values of important parameters of the engine cycle are obtained. The results obtained can provide some guidelines for the design of a quantum Stirling heat engine.

Dual Expander Cycle Rocket Engine with an Intermediate, Closed-cycle Heat Exchanger

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greene, William D. (Inventor)

2008-01-01

A dual expander cycle (DEC) rocket engine with an intermediate closed-cycle heat exchanger is provided. A conventional DEC rocket engine has a closed-cycle heat exchanger thermally coupled thereto. The heat exchanger utilizes heat extracted from the engine's fuel circuit to drive the engine's oxidizer turbomachinery.

Quantum heat engine operating between thermal and spin reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, Jackson S. S. T.; Gould, Tim; Carvalho, André R. R.; Bedkihal, Salil; Vaccaro, Joan A.

2018-05-01

Landauer's erasure principle is a cornerstone of thermodynamics and information theory [R. Landauer, IBM J. Res. Dev. 5, 183 (1961), 10.1147/rd.53.0183]. According to this principle, erasing information incurs a minimum energy cost. Recently, Vaccaro and Barnett [J. A. Vaccaro and S. M. Barnett, Proc. R. Soc. A 467, 1770 (2011), 10.1098/rspa.2010.0577] explored information erasure in the context of multiple conserved quantities and showed that the erasure cost can be solely in terms of spin angular momentum. As Landauer's erasure principle plays a fundamental role in heat engines, their result considerably widens the possible configurations that heat engines can have. Motivated by this, we propose here an optical heat engine that operates under a single thermal reservoir and a spin angular momentum reservoir coupled to a three-level system with two energy degenerate ground states. The proposed heat engine operates without producing waste heat and goes beyond the traditional Carnot engine where the working fluid is subjected to two thermal baths at different temperatures.

Heat exchanger design for hot air ericsson-brayton piston engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ďurčanský, P.; Lenhard, R.; Jandačka, J.

2014-03-01

One of the solutions without negative consequences for the increasing energy consumption in the world may be use of alternative energy sources in micro-cogeneration. Currently it is looking for different solutions and there are many possible ways. Cogeneration is known for long time and is widely used. But the installations are often large and the installed output is more suitable for cities or industry companies. When we will speak about decentralization, the small machines have to be used. The article deals with the principle of hot-air engines, their use in combined heat and electricity production from biomass and with heat exchangers as primary energy transforming element. In the article is hot air engine presented as a heat engine that allows the conversion of heat into mechanical energy while heat supply can be external. In the contribution are compared cycles of hot-air engine. Then are compared suitable heat exchangers for use with hot air Ericsson-Brayton engine. In the final part is proposal of heat exchanger for use in closed Ericsson-Brayton cycle.

Performance characteristics of a combination solar photovoltaic heat engine energy converter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chubb, Donald L.

1987-01-01

A combination solar photovoltaic heat engine converter is proposed. Such a system is suitable for either terrestrial or space power applications. The combination system has a higher efficiency than either the photovoltaic array or the heat engine alone can attain. Advantages in concentrator and radiator area and receiver mass of the photovoltaic heat engine system over a heat-engine-only system are estimated. A mass and area comparison between the proposed space station organic Rankine power system and a combination PV-heat engine system is made. The critical problem for the proposed converter is the necessity for high temperature photovoltaic array operation. Estimates of the required photovoltaic temperature are presented.

Insoluble coatings for Stirling engine heat pipe condenser surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dussinger, Peter M.

1993-09-01

The work done by Thermacore, Inc., Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for the Phase 1, 1992 SBIR National Aeronautics and Space Administration Contract, 'Insoluble Coatings for Stirling Engine Heat Pipe Condenser Surfaces' is described. The work was performed between January 1992 and July 1992. Stirling heat engines are being developed for electrical power generation use on manned and unmanned earth orbital and planetary missions. Dish Stirling solar systems and nuclear reactor Stirling systems are two of the most promising applications of the Stirling engine electrical power generation technology. The sources of thermal energy used to drive the Stirling engine typically are non-uniform in temperature and heat flux. Liquid metal heat pipe receivers are used as thermal transformers and isothermalizers to deliver the thermal energy at a uniform high temperature to the heat input section of the Stirling engine. The use of a heat pipe receiver greatly enhances system efficiency and potential life span. One issue that is raised during the design phase of heat pipe receivers is the potential solubility corrosion of the Stirling engine heat input section by the liquid metal working fluid. This Phase 1 effort initiated a program to evaluate and demonstrate coatings, applied to nickel based Stirling engine heater head materials, that are practically 'insoluble' in sodium, potassium, and NaK. This program initiated a study of nickel aluminide as a coating and developed and demonstrated a heat pipe test vehicle that can be used to test candidate materials and coatings. Nickel 200 and nickel aluminide coated Nickel 200 were tested for 1000 hours at 800 C at a condensation heat flux of 25 W/sq cm. Subsequent analyses of the samples showed no visible sign of solubility corrosion of either coated or uncoated samples. The analysis technique, photomicrographs at 200X, has a resolution of better than 2.5 microns (.0001 in). The results indicate that the heat pipe environment is not directly

Insoluble coatings for Stirling engine heat pipe condenser surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dussinger, Peter M.

1993-01-01

The work done by Thermacore, Inc., Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for the Phase 1, 1992 SBIR National Aeronautics and Space Administration Contract, 'Insoluble Coatings for Stirling Engine Heat Pipe Condenser Surfaces' is described. The work was performed between January 1992 and July 1992. Stirling heat engines are being developed for electrical power generation use on manned and unmanned earth orbital and planetary missions. Dish Stirling solar systems and nuclear reactor Stirling systems are two of the most promising applications of the Stirling engine electrical power generation technology. The sources of thermal energy used to drive the Stirling engine typically are non-uniform in temperature and heat flux. Liquid metal heat pipe receivers are used as thermal transformers and isothermalizers to deliver the thermal energy at a uniform high temperature to the heat input section of the Stirling engine. The use of a heat pipe receiver greatly enhances system efficiency and potential life span. One issue that is raised during the design phase of heat pipe receivers is the potential solubility corrosion of the Stirling engine heat input section by the liquid metal working fluid. This Phase 1 effort initiated a program to evaluate and demonstrate coatings, applied to nickel based Stirling engine heater head materials, that are practically 'insoluble' in sodium, potassium, and NaK. This program initiated a study of nickel aluminide as a coating and developed and demonstrated a heat pipe test vehicle that can be used to test candidate materials and coatings. Nickel 200 and nickel aluminide coated Nickel 200 were tested for 1000 hours at 800 C at a condensation heat flux of 25 W/sq cm. Subsequent analyses of the samples showed no visible sign of solubility corrosion of either coated or uncoated samples. The analysis technique, photomicrographs at 200X, has a resolution of better than 2.5 microns (.0001 in). The results indicate that the heat pipe environment is not directly

Waste heat recovery on multiple low-speed reciprocating engines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mayhew, R.E.

1982-09-01

With rising fuel costs, energy conservation has taken on added significance. Installation of Waste Heat Recovery Units (WHRU) on gas turbines is one method used in the past to reduce gas plant fuel consumption. More recently, waste heat recovery on multiple reciprocating compressor engines has also been identified as having energy conservation potential. This paper reviews the development and implementation of a Waste Heat Recovery Unit (WHRU) for multiple low speed engines at the Katy Gas Plant. WHRU's for these engines should be differentiated from high speed engines and gas turbines in that low speed engines produce low frequency, highmore » amplitude pulsating exhaust. The design of a waste heat system must take this potentially destructive pulsation into account. At Katy, the pulsation forces were measured at high amplitude frequencies and then used to design structural stiffness into the various components of the WHRU to minimize vibration and improve system reliability.« less

Waste Heat Recovery from a High Temperature Diesel Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adler, Jonas E.

Government-mandated improvements in fuel economy and emissions from internal combustion engines (ICEs) are driving innovation in engine efficiency. Though incremental efficiency gains have been achieved, most combustion engines are still only 30-40% efficient at best, with most of the remaining fuel energy being rejected to the environment as waste heat through engine coolant and exhaust gases. Attempts have been made to harness this waste heat and use it to drive a Rankine cycle and produce additional work to improve efficiency. Research on waste heat recovery (WHR) demonstrates that it is possible to improve overall efficiency by converting wasted heat into usable work, but relative gains in overall efficiency are typically minimal ( 5-8%) and often do not justify the cost and space requirements of a WHR system. The primary limitation of the current state-of-the-art in WHR is the low temperature of the engine coolant ( 90 °C), which minimizes the WHR from a heat source that represents between 20% and 30% of the fuel energy. The current research proposes increasing the engine coolant temperature to improve the utilization of coolant waste heat as one possible path to achieving greater WHR system effectiveness. An experiment was performed to evaluate the effects of running a diesel engine at elevated coolant temperatures and to estimate the efficiency benefits. An energy balance was performed on a modified 3-cylinder diesel engine at six different coolant temperatures (90 °C, 100 °C, 125 °C, 150 °C, 175 °C, and 200 °C) to determine the change in quantity and quality of waste heat as the coolant temperature increased. The waste heat was measured using the flow rates and temperature differences of the coolant, engine oil, and exhaust flow streams into and out of the engine. Custom cooling and engine oil systems were fabricated to provide adequate adjustment to achieve target coolant and oil temperatures and large enough temperature differences across the

Heat-Flux Sensor For Hot Engine Cylinders

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Walter S.; Barrows, Richard F.; Smith, Floyd A.; Koch, John

1989-01-01

Heat-flux sensor includes buried wire thermocouple and thin-film surface thermocouple, made of platinum and platinum with 13 percent rhodium. Sensor intended for use in ceramic-insulated, low-heat-rejection diesel engine at temperatures of about 1,000 K. Thermocouple junction resists environment in cylinder of advanced high-temperature diesel engine created by depositing overlapping films of Pt and 0.87 Pt/0.13 Rh on iron plug. Plug also contains internal thermocouple.

High heat transfer oxidizer heat exchanger design and analysis. [RL10-2B engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kmiec, Thomas D.; Kanic, Paul G.; Peckham, Richard J.

1987-01-01

The RL10-2B engine, a derivative of the RL10, is capable of multimode thrust operation. This engine operates at two low thrust levels: tank head idle (THI), which is approximately 1 to 2% of full thrust, and pumped idle (PI), which is 10% of full thrust. Operation at THI provides vehicle propellant settling thrust and efficient engine thermal conditioning; PI operation provides vehicle tank pre-pressurization and maneuver thrust for low-g deployment. Stable combustion of the RL10-2B engine during the low thrust operating modes can be accomplished by using a heat exchanger to supply gaseous oxygen to the propellant injector. The oxidizer heat exchanger (OHE) vaporizes the liquid oxygen using hydrogen as the energy source. The design, concept verification testing and analysis for such a heat exchanger is discussed. The design presented uses a high efficiency compact core to vaporize the oxygen, and in the self-contained unit, attenuates any pressure and flow oscillations which result from unstable boiling in the core. This approach is referred to as the high heat transfer design. An alternative approach which prevents unstable boiling of the oxygen by limiting the heat transfer is referred to as the low heat transfer design and is reported in Pratt & Whitney report FR-19135-2.

Aft Engine shop worker removes a heat shield on Columbia's main engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Doug Buford (top), with the Aft Engine shop, along with another worker, removes a heat shield on one of Columbia's engines. After small cracks were discovered on the LH2 Main Propulsion System (MPS) flow liners in two other orbiters, program managers decided to move forward with inspections on Columbia before clearing it for flight on STS-107. After removal of the heat shields, the three main engines will be removed. Inspections of the flow liners will follow. The July 19 launch of Columbia on STS-107 has been delayed a few weeks

Heat engine driven by purely quantum information.

PubMed

Park, Jung Jun; Kim, Kang-Hwan; Sagawa, Takahiro; Kim, Sang Wook

2013-12-06

The key question of this Letter is whether work can be extracted from a heat engine by using purely quantum mechanical information. If the answer is yes, what is its mathematical formula? First, by using a bipartite memory we show that the work extractable from a heat engine is bounded not only by the free energy change and the sum of the entropy change of an individual memory but also by the change of quantum mutual information contained inside the memory. We then find that the engine can be driven by purely quantum information, expressed as the so-called quantum discord, forming a part of the quantum mutual information. To confirm it, as a physical example we present the Szilard engine containing a diatomic molecule with a semipermeable wall.

Acoustical heat pumping engine

DOEpatents

Wheatley, John C.; Swift, Gregory W.; Migliori, Albert

1983-08-16

The disclosure is directed to an acoustical heat pumping engine without moving seals. A tubular housing holds a compressible fluid capable of supporting an acoustical standing wave. An acoustical driver is disposed at one end of the housing and the other end is capped. A second thermodynamic medium is disposed in the housing near to but spaced from the capped end. Heat is pumped along the second thermodynamic medium toward the capped end as a consequence both of the pressure oscillation due to the driver and imperfect thermal contact between the fluid and the second thermodynamic medium.

Acoustical heat pumping engine

DOEpatents

Wheatley, J.C.; Swift, G.W.; Migliori, A.

1983-08-16

The disclosure is directed to an acoustical heat pumping engine without moving seals. A tubular housing holds a compressible fluid capable of supporting an acoustical standing wave. An acoustical driver is disposed at one end of the housing and the other end is capped. A second thermodynamic medium is disposed in the housing near to but spaced from the capped end. Heat is pumped along the second thermodynamic medium toward the capped end as a consequence both of the pressure oscillation due to the driver and imperfect thermal contact between the fluid and the second thermodynamic medium. 2 figs.

Study, optimization, and design of a laser heat engine. [for satellite applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taussig, R. T.; Cassady, P. E.; Zumdieck, J. F.

1978-01-01

Laser heat engine concepts, proposed for satellite applications, are analyzed to determine which engine concept best meets the requirements of high efficiency (50 percent or better), continuous operation in space using near-term technology. The analysis of laser heat engines includes the thermodynamic cycles, engine design, laser power sources, collector/concentrator optics, receiving windows, absorbers, working fluids, electricity generation, and heat rejection. Specific engine concepts, optimized according to thermal efficiency, are rated by their technological availability and scaling to higher powers. A near-term experimental demonstration of the laser heat engine concept appears feasible utilizing an Otto cycle powered by CO2 laser radiation coupled into the engine through a diamond window. Higher cycle temperatures, higher efficiencies, and scalability to larger sizes appear to be achievable from a laser heat engine design based on the Brayton cycle and powered by a CO laser.

Design of Heat Exchanger for Ericsson-Brayton Piston Engine

PubMed Central

Durcansky, Peter; Papucik, Stefan; Jandacka, Jozef

2014-01-01

Combined power generation or cogeneration is a highly effective technology that produces heat and electricity in one device more efficiently than separate production. Overall effectiveness is growing by use of combined technologies of energy extraction, taking heat from flue gases and coolants of machines. Another problem is the dependence of such devices on fossil fuels as fuel. For the combustion turbine is mostly used as fuel natural gas, kerosene and as fuel for heating power plants is mostly used coal. It is therefore necessary to seek for compensation today, which confirms the assumption in the future. At first glance, the obvious efforts are to restrict the use of largely oil and change the type of energy used in transport. Another significant change is the increase in renewable energy—energy that is produced from renewable sources. Among machines gaining energy by unconventional way belong mainly the steam engine, Stirling engine, and Ericsson engine. In these machines, the energy is obtained by external combustion and engine performs work in a medium that receives and transmits energy from combustion or flue gases indirectly. The paper deals with the principle of hot-air engines, and their use in combined heat and electricity production from biomass and with heat exchangers as primary energy transforming element. PMID:24977174

Design of heat exchanger for Ericsson-Brayton piston engine.

PubMed

Durcansky, Peter; Papucik, Stefan; Jandacka, Jozef; Holubcik, Michal; Nosek, Radovan

2014-01-01

Combined power generation or cogeneration is a highly effective technology that produces heat and electricity in one device more efficiently than separate production. Overall effectiveness is growing by use of combined technologies of energy extraction, taking heat from flue gases and coolants of machines. Another problem is the dependence of such devices on fossil fuels as fuel. For the combustion turbine is mostly used as fuel natural gas, kerosene and as fuel for heating power plants is mostly used coal. It is therefore necessary to seek for compensation today, which confirms the assumption in the future. At first glance, the obvious efforts are to restrict the use of largely oil and change the type of energy used in transport. Another significant change is the increase in renewable energy--energy that is produced from renewable sources. Among machines gaining energy by unconventional way belong mainly the steam engine, Stirling engine, and Ericsson engine. In these machines, the energy is obtained by external combustion and engine performs work in a medium that receives and transmits energy from combustion or flue gases indirectly. The paper deals with the principle of hot-air engines, and their use in combined heat and electricity production from biomass and with heat exchangers as primary energy transforming element.

Analysis of pre-heated fuel combustion and heat-emission dynamics in a diesel engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plotnikov, S. A.; Kartashevich, A. N.; Buzikov, S. V.

2018-01-01

The article explores the feasibility of diesel fuel pre-heating. The research goal was to obtain and analyze the performance diagrams of a diesel engine fed with pre-heated fuel. The engine was tested in two modes: at rated RPMs and at maximum torque. To process the diagrams the authors used technique developed by the Central Diesel Research Institute (CDRI). The diesel engine’s heat emission curves were obtained. The authors concluded that fuel pre-heating shortened the initial phase of the combustion process and moderated the loads, thus making it possible to boost a diesel engine’s mean effective pressure.

Heat-transfer processes in air-cooled engine cylinders

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinkel, Benjamin

1938-01-01

From a consideration of heat-transfer theory, semi-empirical expressions are set up for the transfer of heat from the combustion gases to the cylinder of an air-cooled engine and from the cylinder to the cooling air. Simple equations for the average head and barrel temperatures as functions of the important engine and cooling variables are obtained from these expressions. The expressions involve a few empirical constants, which may be readily determined from engine tests. Numerical values for these constants were obtained from single-cylinder engine tests for cylinders of the Pratt & Whitney 1535 and 1340-h engines. The equations provide a means of calculating the effect of the various engine and cooling variables on the cylinder temperatures and also of correlating the results of engine cooling tests. An example is given of the application of the equations to the correlation of cooling-test data obtained in flight.

Efficiencies and coefficients of performance of heat engines, refrigerators, and heat pumps with friction: a universal limiting behavior.

PubMed

Bizarro, João P S; Rodrigues, Paulo

2012-11-01

For work-producing heat engines, or work-consuming refrigerators and heat pumps, the percentage decrease caused by friction in their efficiencies, or coefficients of performance (COP's), is approximately given by the ratio W(fric)/W between the work spent against friction forces and the work performed by, or delivered to, the working fluid. This universal scaling, which applies in the limit of small friction (W(fric)/W engine's figures of merit (FOM's, either efficiencies or COP's) do not come too close to unity (no higher than, say, 0.5 in the case of heat-engine efficiencies), allows a simple and quick estimate of the impact that friction losses can have on the FOM's of thermal engines and plants, or of the level of those losses from the observed and predicted FOM's. In the case of refrigerators and heat pumps, if W(fric)/W heat engines), the COP percentage decrease due to friction approaches asymptotically (W(fric)/W)/(1+W(fric)/W) instead of W(fric)/W. Estimates for the level of frictional losses using the Carnot (or, for heat engines and power plants only, the Curzon-Ahlborn) predictions and observed FOM's of real power plants, heat engines, refrigerators, and heat pumps show that they usually operate in domains where these behaviors are valid.

Ceramic Technology for Advanced Heat Engines Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1989-08-01

The Ceramic Technology for Advanced Heat Engines Project was developed by the Department of Energy's Office of Transportation Systems (OTS) in Conservation and Renewable Energy. This project, part of the OTS's Advanced Materials Development Program, was developed to meet the ceramic technology requirements of the OTS's automotive technology programs. Significant accomplishments in fabricating ceramic components for the Department of Energy (DOE), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and Department of Defense (DoD) advanced heat engine programs have provided evidence that the operation of ceramic parts in high-temperature engine environments is feasible. However, these programs have also demonstrated that additional researchmore » is needed in materials and processing development, design methodology, and data base and life prediction before industry will have a sufficient technology base from which to produce reliable cost-effective ceramic engine components commercially.« less

Non-Markovian Investigation of an Autonomous Quantum Heat Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goyal, Ketan

A systematic study of a quantum heat engine is presented in this thesis. In particular, we study heat conduction through a two-two level composite system, which is then connected to a photon cavity to extract work, forming an autonomous quantum heat engine. The question as to what extent quantum effects such as quantum coherence and correlations impact thermodynamic properties of such a system is addressed. The investigated heat engine has been previously studied using the popular Born-Markovian quantum master equation under weak internal coupling approximation. However, we show that the used approach is quite limited in addressing such problems as it is incapable of correctly accounting for the quantum effects. By using a non-Markovian approach involving hierarchical equations of motion, we show that quantum coherence and correlations between system and environments play a significant role in energy transfer processes of heat conduction and work.

Solar power satellites - Heat engine or solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oman, H.; Gregory, D. L.

1978-01-01

A solar power satellite is the energy-converting element of a system that can deliver some 10 GW of power to utilities on the earth's surface. We evaluated heat engines and solar cells for converting sunshine to electric power at the satellite. A potassium Rankine cycle was the best of the heat engines, and 50 microns thick single-crystal silicon cells were the best of the photovoltaic converters. Neither solar cells nor heat engines had a clear advantage when all factors were considered. The potassium-turbine power plant, however, was more difficult to assemble and required a more expensive orbital assembly base. We therefore based our cost analyses on solar-cell energy conversion, concluding that satellite-generated power could be delivered to utilities for around 4 to 5 cents a kWh.

Endoreversible quantum heat engines in the linear response regime.

PubMed

Wang, Honghui; He, Jizhou; Wang, Jianhui

2017-07-01

We analyze general models of quantum heat engines operating a cycle of two adiabatic and two isothermal processes. We use the quantum master equation for a system to describe heat transfer current during a thermodynamic process in contact with a heat reservoir, with no use of phenomenological thermal conduction. We apply the endoreversibility description to such engine models working in the linear response regime and derive expressions of the efficiency and the power. By analyzing the entropy production rate along a single cycle, we identify the thermodynamic flux and force that a linear relation connects. From maximizing the power output, we find that such heat engines satisfy the tight-coupling condition and the efficiency at maximum power agrees with the Curzon-Ahlborn efficiency known as the upper bound in the linear response regime.

Analysis of heat recovery of diesel engine using intermediate working fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Lei; Zhang, Jiang; Tan, Gangfeng; Liu, Huaming

2017-07-01

The organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is an effective way to recovery the engine exhaust heat. The thermal stability of the evaporation system is significant for the stable operation of the ORC system. In this paper, the performance of the designed evaporation system which combines with the intermediate fluid for recovering the exhaust waste heat from a diesel engine is evaluated. The thermal characteristics of the target diesel engine exhaust gas are evaluated based on the experimental data firstly. Then, the mathematical model of the evaporation system is built based on the geometrical parameters and the specific working conditions of ORC. Finally, the heat transfer characteristics of the evaporation system are estimated corresponding to three typical operating conditions of the diesel engine. The result shows that the exhaust temperature at the evaporator outlet increases slightly with the engine speed and load. In the evaporator, the heat transfer coefficient of the Rankine working fluid is slightly larger than the intermediate fluid. However, the heat transfer coefficient of the intermediate fluid in the heat exchanger is larger than the exhaust side. The heat transfer areas of the evaporator in both the two-phase zone and the preheated zone change slightly along with the engine working condition while the heat transfer areas of the overheated zone has changed obviously. The maximum heat transfer rate occurs in the preheating zone while the minimum value occurs in the overheating zone. In addition, the Rankine working fluid temperature at the evaporator outlet is not sensitively affected by the torque and speed of the engine and the organic fluid flow is relatively stable. It is concluded that the intermediate fluid could effectively reduce the physical changes of Rankine working fluid in the evaporator outlet due to changes in engine operating conditions.

Turbulent heat transfer prediction method for application to scramjet engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinckney, S. Z.

1974-01-01

An integral method for predicting boundary layer development in turbulent flow regions on two-dimensional or axisymmetric bodies was developed. The method has the capability of approximating nonequilibrium velocity profiles as well as the local surface friction in the presence of a pressure gradient. An approach was developed for the problem of predicting the heat transfer in a turbulent boundary layer in the presence of a high pressure gradient. The solution was derived with particular emphasis on its applicability to supersonic combustion; thus, the effects of real gas flows were included. The resulting integrodifferential boundary layer method permits the estimation of cooling reguirements for scramjet engines. Theoretical heat transfer results are compared with experimental combustor and noncombustor heat transfer data. The heat transfer method was used in the development of engine design concepts which will produce an engine with reduced cooling requirements. The Langley scramjet engine module was designed by utilizing these design concepts and this engine design is discussed along with its corresponding cooling requirements. The heat transfer method was also used to develop a combustor cooling correlation for a combustor whose local properties are computed one dimensionally by assuming a linear area variation and a given heat release schedule.

Magnetogasdynamic spherical shock wave in a non-ideal gas under gravitational field with conductive and radiative heat fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nath, G.; Vishwakarma, J. P.

2016-11-01

Similarity solutions are obtained for the flow behind a spherical shock wave in a non-ideal gas under gravitational field with conductive and radiative heat fluxes, in the presence of a spatially decreasing azimuthal magnetic field. The shock wave is driven by a piston moving with time according to power law. The radiation is considered to be of the diffusion type for an optically thick grey gas model and the heat conduction is expressed in terms of Fourier's law for heat conduction. Similarity solutions exist only when the surrounding medium is of constant density. The gas is assumed to have infinite electrical conductivity and to obey a simplified van der Waals equation of state. It is shown that an increase of the gravitational parameter or the Alfven-Mach number or the parameter of the non-idealness of the gas decreases the compressibility of the gas in the flow-field behind the shock, and hence there is a decrease in the shock strength. The pressure and density vanish at the inner surface (piston) and hence a vacuum is formed at the center of symmetry. The shock waves in conducting non-ideal gas under gravitational field with conductive and radiative heat fluxes can be important for description of shocks in supernova explosions, in the study of a flare produced shock in the solar wind, central part of star burst galaxies, nuclear explosion etc. The solutions obtained can be used to interpret measurements carried out by space craft in the solar wind and in neighborhood of the Earth's magnetosphere.

Quantum heat engines and refrigerators: continuous devices.

PubMed

Kosloff, Ronnie; Levy, Amikam

2014-01-01

Quantum thermodynamics supplies a consistent description of quantum heat engines and refrigerators up to a single few-level system coupled to the environment. Once the environment is split into three (a hot, cold, and work reservoir), a heat engine can operate. The device converts the positive gain into power, with the gain obtained from population inversion between the components of the device. Reversing the operation transforms the device into a quantum refrigerator. The quantum tricycle, a device connected by three external leads to three heat reservoirs, is used as a template for engines and refrigerators. The equation of motion for the heat currents and power can be derived from first principles. Only a global description of the coupling of the device to the reservoirs is consistent with the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Optimization of the devices leads to a balanced set of parameters in which the couplings to the three reservoirs are of the same order and the external driving field is in resonance. When analyzing refrigerators, one needs to devote special attention to a dynamical version of the third law of thermodynamics. Bounds on the rate of cooling when Tc→0 are obtained by optimizing the cooling current. All refrigerators as Tc→0 show universal behavior. The dynamical version of the third law imposes restrictions on the scaling as Tc→0 of the relaxation rate γc and heat capacity cV of the cold bath.

Geometric Heat Engines Featuring Power that Grows with Efficiency.

PubMed

Raz, O; Subaşı, Y; Pugatch, R

2016-04-22

Thermodynamics places a limit on the efficiency of heat engines, but not on their output power or on how the power and efficiency change with the engine's cycle time. In this Letter, we develop a geometrical description of the power and efficiency as a function of the cycle time, applicable to an important class of heat engine models. This geometrical description is used to design engine protocols that attain both the maximal power and maximal efficiency at the fast driving limit. Furthermore, using this method, we also prove that no protocol can exactly attain the Carnot efficiency at nonzero power.

Study, optimization, and design of a laser heat engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

Laser heat engine concepts, proposed for satellite applications, were analyzed to determine which engine concepts best meet the requirements of high efficiency (50 percent or better) continuous operation in space. The best laser heat engine for a near-term experimental demonstration, selected on the basis of high overall operating efficiency, high power-to-weight characteristics, and availability of the required technology, is an Otto/Diesel cycle piston engine using a diamond window to admit CO2 laser radiation. The technology with the greatest promise of scaling to megawatt power levels in the long term is the energy exchanger/gas turbine combination.

Modeling Heat Loss through Piston and Effects of Thermal Boundary Coatings in Diesel Engine Simulations using Conjugate Heat Transfer models

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kundu, Prithwish; Scarcelli, Riccardo; Som, Sibendu

Heat loss through wall boundaries play a dominant role in the overall performance and efficiency of internal combustion engines. Typical engine simulations use constant temperature wall boundary conditions. These boundary conditions cannot be estimated accurately from experiments due to the complexities involved with engine combustion. As a result they introduce a large uncertainty in engine simulations and serve as a tuning parameter. Modeling the process of heat transfer through the solid walls in an unsteady engine computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation can lead to the development of higher fidelity engine calculations. These models can be used to study the impactmore » of heat loss on engine efficiency and explore new design methodologies that can reduce heat losses. In this work, a single cylinder diesel engine is modeled along with the solid piston coupled to the fluid domain. Conjugate heat transfer (CHT) modeling techniques were implemented to model heat losses for a full cycle of a Navistar diesel engine. This CFD model is then validated against experimental data available from thermocouples embedded inside the piston surface. The overall predictions from the model match closely with the experimental observations. The validated model is further used to explore the benefits of thermal barrier coatings (TBC) on piston bowls. The effect of TBC coatings were modeled as a thermal resistance in the heat transfer models. Full cycle 3D engine simulations provide quantitative insights into heat loss and thus calculate the efficiency gain by the use of TBC coatings. The work establishes a validated modeling framework for CHT modeling in reciprocating engine simulations.« less

Experimentally-determined external heat loss of automotive gas turbine engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meng, P. R.; Wulf, R. F.

1975-01-01

An external heat balance was conducted on a 150 HP two-shaft automotive gas turbine engine. The engine was enclosed in a calorimeter box and the temperature change of cooling air passing through the box was measured. Cooling airflow ranges of 1.6 to 2.1 lb-per-second and 0.8 to 1.1 lb-per-second were used. The engine housing heat loss increased as the cooling airflow through the calorimeter box was increased, as would be the case in a moving automobile. The heat balance between the total energy input and the sum of shaft power output and various losses compared within 30 percent at engine idle speeds and within 7 percent at full power.

All-optical nanomechanical heat engine.

PubMed

Dechant, Andreas; Kiesel, Nikolai; Lutz, Eric

2015-05-08

We propose and theoretically investigate a nanomechanical heat engine. We show how a levitated nanoparticle in an optical trap inside a cavity can be used to realize a Stirling cycle in the underdamped regime. The all-optical approach enables fast and flexible control of all thermodynamical parameters and the efficient optimization of the performance of the engine. We develop a systematic optimization procedure to determine optimal driving protocols. Further, we perform numerical simulations with realistic parameters and evaluate the maximum power and the corresponding efficiency.

All-Optical Nanomechanical Heat Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dechant, Andreas; Kiesel, Nikolai; Lutz, Eric

2015-05-01

We propose and theoretically investigate a nanomechanical heat engine. We show how a levitated nanoparticle in an optical trap inside a cavity can be used to realize a Stirling cycle in the underdamped regime. The all-optical approach enables fast and flexible control of all thermodynamical parameters and the efficient optimization of the performance of the engine. We develop a systematic optimization procedure to determine optimal driving protocols. Further, we perform numerical simulations with realistic parameters and evaluate the maximum power and the corresponding efficiency.

Ideal cycle analysis of a regenerative pulse detonation engine for power production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellini, Rafaela

Over the last few decades, considerable research has been focused on pulse detonation engines (PDEs) as a promising replacement for existing propulsion systems with potential applications in aircraft ranging from the subsonic to the lower hypersonic regimes. On the other hand, very little attention has been given to applying detonation for electric power production. One method for assessing the performance of a PDE is through thermodynamic cycle analysis. Earlier works have adopted a thermodynamic cycle for the PDE that was based on the assumption that the detonation process could be approximated by a constant volume process, called the Humphrey cycle. The Fickett-Jacob cycle, which uses the one--dimensional Chapman--Jouguet (CJ) theory of detonation, has also been used to model the PDE cycle. However, an ideal PDE cycle must include a detonation based compression and heat release processes with a finite chemical reaction rate that is accounted for in the Zeldovich -- von Neumann -- Doring model of detonation where the shock is considered a discontinuous jump and is followed by a finite exothermic reaction zone. This work presents a thermodynamic cycle analysis for an ideal PDE cycle for power production. A code has been written that takes only one input value, namely the heat of reaction of a fuel-oxidizer mixture, based on which the program computes all the points on the ZND cycle (both p--v and T--s plots), including the von Neumann spike and the CJ point along with all the non-dimensionalized state properties at each point. In addition, the program computes the points on the Humphrey and Brayton cycles for the same input value. Thus, the thermal efficiencies of the various cycles can be calculated and compared. The heat release of combustion is presented in a generic form to make the program usable with a wide variety of fuels and oxidizers and also allows for its use in a system for the real time monitoring and control of a PDE in which the heat of reaction

Irreversible thermodynamic analysis and application for molecular heat engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucia, Umberto; Açıkkalp, Emin

2017-09-01

Is there a link between the macroscopic approach to irreversibility and microscopic behaviour of the systems? Consumption of free energy keeps the system away from a stable equilibrium. Entropy generation results from the redistribution of energy, momentum, mass and charge. This concept represents the essence of the thermodynamic approach to irreversibility. Irreversibility is the result of the interaction between systems and their environment. The aim of this paper is to determine lost works in a molecular engine and compare results with macro (classical) heat engines. Firstly, irreversible thermodynamics are reviewed for macro and molecular cycles. Secondly, irreversible thermodynamics approaches are applied for a quantum heat engine with -1/2 spin system. Finally, lost works are determined for considered system and results show that macro and molecular heat engines obey same limitations. Moreover, a quantum thermodynamic approach is suggested in order to explain the results previously obtained from an atomic viewpoint.

Black hole thermodynamics and heat engines in conformal gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Hao; Sun, Yuan; Zhao, Liu

The extended phase-space thermodynamics and heat engines for static spherically symmetric black hole solutions of four-dimensional conformal gravity are studied in detail. It is argued that the equation of states (EOS) for such black holes is always branched, any continuous thermodynamical process cannot drive the system from one branch of the EOS into another branch. Meanwhile, the thermodynamical volume is bounded from above, making the black holes always super-entropic in one branch and may also be super-entropic in another branch in certain range of the temperature. The Carnot and Stirling heat engines associated to such black holes are shown to be distinct from each other. For rectangular heat engines, the efficiency always approaches zero when the rectangle becomes extremely narrow, and given the highest and lowest working temperatures fixed, there is always a maximum for the efficiency of such engines.

Exhaust heated hydrogen and oxygen producing catalytic converter for combustion engine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schreiber, E.T.

1977-07-26

A steam generator is provided in operative association with a source of water and the exhaust system of a combustion engine including an air induction system provided with primary fuel inlet structure and supplemental fuel inlet structure. The steam generator derives its heat for converting water into steam from the exhaust system of the combustion engine and the steam generator includes a steam outlet communicated with and opening into one end of an elongated tubular housing disposed in good heat transfer relation with the exhaust system of the combustion engine and having a gas outlet at its other end communicatedmore » with the supplemental fuel inlet of the induction system. The tubular housing has iron filings disposed therein and is in such heat transfer relation with the exhaust system of the combustion engine so as to elevate the temperature of steam passing therethrough and to heat the iron filings to the extent that passage of the heated steam over the heated filings will result in hydrogen and oxygen gas being produced in the tubular housing for subsequent passage to the supplemental fuel inlet of the combustion engine induction system.« less

Stirling engine external heat system design with heat pipe heater

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Godett, Ted M.; Ziph, Benjamin

1986-01-01

This final report presents the conceptual design of a liquid fueled external heating system (EHS) and the preliminary design of a heat pipe heater for the STM-4120 Stirling cycle engine, to meet the Air Force mobile electric power (MEP) requirement for units in the range of 20 to 60 kW. The EHS design had the following constraints: (1) Packaging requirements limited the overall system dimensions to about 330 mm x 250 mm x 100 mm; (2) Heat flux to the sodium heat pipe evaporator was limited to an average of 100 kW/m and a maximum of 550 kW/m based on previous experience; and (3) The heat pipe operating temperature was specified to be 800 C based on heat input requirements of the STM4-120. An analysis code was developed to optimize the EHS performance parameters and an analytical development of the sodium heat pipe heater was performed; both are presented and discussed. In addition, construction techniques were evaluated and scale model heat pipe testing performed.

Minimal universal quantum heat machine.

PubMed

Gelbwaser-Klimovsky, D; Alicki, R; Kurizki, G

2013-01-01

In traditional thermodynamics the Carnot cycle yields the ideal performance bound of heat engines and refrigerators. We propose and analyze a minimal model of a heat machine that can play a similar role in quantum regimes. The minimal model consists of a single two-level system with periodically modulated energy splitting that is permanently, weakly, coupled to two spectrally separated heat baths at different temperatures. The equation of motion allows us to compute the stationary power and heat currents in the machine consistent with the second law of thermodynamics. This dual-purpose machine can act as either an engine or a refrigerator (heat pump) depending on the modulation rate. In both modes of operation, the maximal Carnot efficiency is reached at zero power. We study the conditions for finite-time optimal performance for several variants of the model. Possible realizations of the model are discussed.

Quantum dynamical framework for Brownian heat engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agarwal, G. S.; Chaturvedi, S.

2013-07-01

We present a self-contained formalism modeled after the Brownian motion of a quantum harmonic oscillator for describing the performance of microscopic Brownian heat engines such as Carnot, Stirling, and Otto engines. Our theory, besides reproducing the standard thermodynamics results in the steady state, enables us to study the role dissipation plays in determining the efficiency of Brownian heat engines under actual laboratory conditions. In particular, we analyze in detail the dynamics associated with decoupling a system in equilibrium with one bath and recoupling it to another bath and obtain exact analytical results, which are shown to have significant ramifications on the efficiencies of engines involving such a step. We also develop a simple yet powerful technique for computing corrections to the steady state results arising from finite operation time and use it to arrive at the thermodynamic complementarity relations for various operating conditions and also to compute the efficiencies of the three engines cited above at maximum power. Some of the methods and exactly solvable models presented here are interesting in their own right and could find useful applications in other contexts as well.

Aft Engine shop worker removes a heat shield on Columbia's main engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Doug Buford, with the Aft Engine shop, works at removing a heat shield on Columbia, in the Orbiter Processing Facility. After small cracks were discovered on the LH2 Main Propulsion System (MPS) flow liners in two other orbiters, program managers decided to move forward with inspections on Columbia before clearing it for flight on STS-107. After removal of the heat shields, the three main engines will be removed. Inspections of the flow liners will follow. The July 19 launch of Columbia on STS-107 has been delayed a few weeks

Aft Engine shop worker removes a heat shield on Columbia's main engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Doug Buford, with the Aft Engine shop, works at removing a heat shield on Columbia, in the Orbiter Processing Facility. After small cracks were discovered on the LH2 Main Propulsion System (MPS) flow liners in two other orbiters, program managers decided to move forward with inspections on Columbia before clearing it for flight on STS-107. After removal of the heat shields, the three main engines will be removed. Inspections of the flow liners will follow. The July 19 launch of Columbia on STS-107 has been delayed a few weeks

Heat exchanger development at Reaction Engines Ltd.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varvill, Richard

2010-05-01

The SABRE engine for SKYLON has a sophisticated thermodynamic cycle with heat transfer between the fluid streams. The intake airflow is cooled in an efficient counterflow precooler, consisting of many thousand small bore thin wall tubes. Precooler manufacturing technology has been under investigation at REL for a number of years with the result that flightweight matrix modules can now be produced. A major difficulty with cooling the airflow to sub-zero temperatures at low altitude is the problem of frost formation. Frost control technology has been developed which enables steady state operation. The helium loop requires a top cycle heat exchanger (HX3) to deliver a constant inlet temperature to the main turbine. This is constructed in silicon carbide and the feasibility of manufacturing various matrix geometries has been investigated along with suitable joining techniques. A demonstration precooler will be made to run in front of a Viper jet engine at REL's B9 test facility in 2011. This precooler will incorporate full frost control and be built from full size SABRE engine modules. The facility will incorporate a high pressure helium loop that rejects the absorbed heat to a bath of liquid nitrogen.

Insoluble Coatings for Stirling Engine Heat Pipe Condenser Surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dussinger, Peter M.; Lindemuth, James E.

1997-01-01

The principal objective of this Phase 2 SBIR program was to develop and demonstrate a practically insoluble coating for nickel-based superalloys for Stirling engine heat pipe applications. Specific technical objectives of the program were: (1) Determine the solubility corrosion rates for Nickel 200, Inconel 718, and Udimet 72OLI in a simulated Stirling engine heat pipe environment, (2) Develop coating processes and techniques for capillary groove and screen wick structures, (3) Evaluate the durability and solubility corrosion rates for capillary groove and screen wick structures coated with an insoluble coating in cylindrical heat pipes operating under Stirling engine conditions, and (4) Design and fabricate a coated full-scale, partial segment of the current Stirling engine heat pipe for the Stirling Space Power Convertor program. The work effort successfully demonstrated a two-step nickel aluminide coating process for groove wick structures and interior wall surfaces in contact with liquid metals; demonstrated a one-step nickel aluminide coating process for nickel screen wick structures; and developed and demonstrated a two-step aluminum-to-nickel aluminide coating process for nickel screen wick structures. In addition, the full-scale, partial segment was fabricated and the interior surfaces and wick structures were coated. The heat pipe was charged with sodium, processed, and scheduled to be life tested for up to ten years as a Phase 3 effort.

A Study of Ballast Water Treatment Using Engine Waste Heat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balaji, Rajoo; Yaakob, Omar; Koh, Kho King; Adnan, Faizul Amri bin; Ismail, Nasrudin bin; Ahmad, Badruzzaman bin; Ismail, Mohd Arif bin

2018-05-01

Heat treatment of ballast water using engine waste heat can be an advantageous option complementing any proven technology. A treatment system was envisaged based on the ballast system of an existing, operational crude carrier. It was found that the available waste heat could raise the temperatures by 25 °C and voyage time requirements were found to be considerable between 7 and 12 days to heat the high volumes of ballast water. Further, a heat recovery of 14-33% of input energies from exhaust gases was recorded while using a test rig arrangement representing a shipboard arrangement. With laboratory level tests at temperature ranges of around 55-75 °C, almost complete species mortalities for representative phytoplankton, zooplankton and bacteria were observed while the time for exposure varied from 15 to 60 s. Based on the heat availability analyses for harvesting heat from the engine exhaust gases(vessel and test rig), heat exchanger designs were developed and optimized using Lagrangian method applying Bell-Delaware approaches. Heat exchanger designs were developed to suit test rig engines also. Based on these designs, heat exchanger and other equipment were procured and erected. The species' mortalities were tested in this mini-scale arrangement resembling the shipboard arrangement. The mortalities realized were > 95% with heat from jacket fresh water and exhaust gases alone. The viability of the system was thus validated.

Thermodynamics of the mesoscopic thermoelectric heat engine beyond the linear-response regime.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Kaoru; Hatano, Naomichi

2015-10-01

Mesoscopic thermoelectric heat engine is much anticipated as a device that allows us to utilize with high efficiency wasted heat inaccessible by conventional heat engines. However, the derivation of the heat current in this engine seems to be either not general or described too briefly, even inappropriately in some cases. In this paper, we give a clear-cut derivation of the heat current of the engine with suitable assumptions beyond the linear-response regime. It resolves the confusion in the definition of the heat current in the linear-response regime. After verifying that we can construct the same formalism as that of the cyclic engine, we find the following two interesting results within the Landauer-Büttiker formalism: the efficiency of the mesoscopic thermoelectric engine reaches the Carnot efficiency if and only if the transmission probability is finite at a specific energy and zero otherwise; the unitarity of the transmission probability guarantees the second law of thermodynamics, invalidating Benenti et al.'s argument in the linear-response regime that one could obtain a finite power with the Carnot efficiency under a broken time-reversal symmetry [Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 230602 (2011)]. These results demonstrate how quantum mechanics constrains thermodynamics.

Heat engine development for solar thermal power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pham, H. Q.; Jaffe, L. D.

1981-01-01

The technical status of three heat engines (Stirling, high-temperature Brayton, and Combined cycle) for use in solar thermal power systems is presented. Performance goals necessary to develop a system competitive with conventional power requirements include an external heated engine output less than 40 kW, and efficiency power conversion subsystem at least 40% at rated output, and a half-power efficiency of at least 37%. Results show that the Stirling engine can offer a 39% efficiency with 100 hours of life, and a 20% efficiency with 10,000 hours of life, but problems with seals and heater heads exist. With a demonstrated efficiency near 31% at 1500 F and a minimum lifetime of 100,000 hours, the Brayton engine does not offer sufficient engine lifetime, efficiency, and maintenance for solar thermal power systems. Examination of the Rankine bottoming cycle of the Combined cycle engine reveals a 30 year lifetime, but a low efficiency. Additional development of engines for solar use is primarily in the areas of components to provide a long lifetime, high reliability, and low maintenance (no more than $0.001/kW-hr).

Gas Turbine Engine with Air/Fuel Heat Exchanger

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krautheim, Michael Stephen (Inventor); Chouinard, Donald G. (Inventor); Donovan, Eric Sean (Inventor); Karam, Michael Abraham (Inventor); Vetters, Daniel Kent (Inventor)

2017-01-01

One embodiment of the present invention is a unique aircraft propulsion gas turbine engine. Another embodiment is a unique gas turbine engine. Another embodiment is a unique gas turbine engine. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for gas turbine engines with heat exchange systems. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.

Speed of sound and ideal-gas heat capacity of freon R-236ea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komarov, S. G.; Gruzdev, V. A.; Stankus, S. V.

2008-09-01

Speed of sound in the gaseous freon R-236ea with the purity of 99.68 mol. % has been measured by the method of ultrasonic interferometer in the range from 263 to 423 K and at pressures from 17 kPA to 4.2 MPa. Errors of temperature, pressure, and speed of sound measurement were estimated to be within +/- 20 mK, ± 1.5 kPa, and ±(0.1+0.2) % respectively. Temperature dependence of ideal-gas heat capacity of R-236ea has been calculated on the basis of the obtained data.

Laboratory tests on heat treatment of ballast water using engine waste heat.

PubMed

Balaji, Rajoo; Lee Siang, Hing; Yaakob, Omar; Koh, Kho King; Adnan, Faizul Amri Bin; Ismail, Nasrudin Bin; Ahmad, Badruzzaman Bin; Ismail, Mohd Arif Bin; Wan Nik, W B

2018-05-01

Waste heat recovery from shipboard machineries could be a potential source for heat treatment of ballast water. Similar to a shipboard schematic arrangement, a laboratory-scale engine-heat exchanger set-up harvesting waste heat from jacket water and exhaust gases was erected to test the level of species' mortalities. Mortalities were also assessed under experimental conditions for cultured and natural plankton communities at laboratory level. Effect of pump impellers on species' mortalities were also tested. Exposures between 60°C and 70°C for 60 sec resulted in 80-100% mortalities. Mortalities due to pump impeller effects were observed in the range of 70-100% for zooplankton. On the laboratory-scale arrangement, >95% mortalities of phytoplankton, zooplankton and bacteria were recorded. It was demonstrated that the temperature of tropical sea waters used as secondary coolant can be raised to cause species' mortalities, employing engine exhaust gases. The results also indicated that pump impeller effects will enhance species' mortalities. The limitations of the shipboard application of this method would be the large ballast volumes, flow rates and time for treatment.

Hurricanes as Heat Engines: Two Undergraduate Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pyykko, Pekka

2007-01-01

Hurricanes can be regarded as Carnot heat engines. One reason that they can be so violent is that thermodynamically, they demonstrate large efficiency, [epsilon] = (T[subscript h] - T[subscript c]) / T[subscript h], which is of the order of 0.3. Evaporation of water vapor from the ocean and its subsequent condensation is the main heat transfer…

Combined heat and power supply using Carnot engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horlock, J. H.

The Marshall Report on the thermodynamic and economic feasibility of introducing large scale combined heat and electrical power generation (CHP) into the United Kingdom is summarized. Combinations of reversible power plant (Carnot engines) to meet a given demand of power and heat production are analyzed. The Marshall Report states that fairly large scale CHP plants are an attractive energy saving option for areas of high heat load densities. Analysis shows that for given requirements, the total heat supply and utilization factor are functions of heat output, reservoir supply temperature, temperature of heat rejected to the reservoir, and an intermediate temperature for district heating.

A Self-Circulating Heat Exchanger for Use in Stirling and Thermoacoustic-Stirling Engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Backhaus, Scott; Reid, Robert S.

2005-02-01

A major technical hurdle to the implementation of large Stirling engines or thermoacoustic engines is the reliability, performance, and manufacturability of the hot heat exchanger that brings high-temperature heat into the engine. Unlike power conversion devices that utilize steady flow, the oscillatory nature of the flow in Stirling and thermoacoustic engines restricts the length of a traditional hot heat exchanger to a peak-to-peak gas displacement, which is usually around 0.2 meters or less. To overcome this restriction, a new hot heat exchanger has been devised that uses a fluid diode in a looped pipe, which is resonantly driven by the oscillating gas pressure in the engine itself, to circulate the engine's working fluid around the loop. Instead of thousands of short, intricately interwoven passages that must be individually sealed, this new design consists of a few pipes that are typically 10 meters long. This revolutionary approach eliminates thousands of hermetic joints, pumps the engine's working fluid to and from a remote heat source without using moving parts, and does so without compromising on heat transfer surface area. Test data on a prototype loop integrated with a 1-kW thermoacoustic engine will be presented.

Application of the subatmospheric engine to solar thermal power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The development of a natural gas-fired Brayton engine is discussed. It is intended to be the prime mover for a 10-ton commercial heat pump. This engine has many attractive features that make it an ideal candidate for solar thermal-power generation applications. The unique feature of this engine is its subatmospheric mode of operation. It operates between atmospheric pressure and a partial vacuum. This means that heat is added to the cycle at atmospheric pressure; this permits the receiver to be unpressurized, greatly simplifying its design and cost.

Heat Exchanger Design and Testing for a 6-Inch Rotating Detonation Engine

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

Engine Research Facility HHV Higher heating value LHV Lower heating value PDE Pulsed detonation engine RDE Rotating detonation engine RTD...the combustion community are pulse detonation engines ( PDEs ) and rotating detonation engines (RDEs). 1.1 Differences between Pulsed and Rotating ...steadier than that of a PDE (2, 3). (2) (3) Figure 1. Unrolled rotating detonation wave from high-speed video (4) Another difference that

An Exact Efficiency Formula for Holographic Heat Engines

DOE PAGES

Johnson, Clifford

2016-03-31

Further consideration is given to the efficiency of a class of black hole heat engines that perform mechanical work via the pdV terms present in the First Law of extended gravitational thermodynamics. It is noted that, when the engine cycle is a rectangle with sides parallel to the (p,V) axes, the efficiency can be written simply in terms of the mass of the black hole evaluated at the corners. Since an arbitrary cycle can be approximated to any desired accuracy by a tiling of rectangles, a general geometrical algorithm for computing the efficiency of such a cycle follows. Finally, amore » simple generalization of the algorithm renders it applicable to broader classes of heat engine, even beyond the black hole context.« less

Evaluation of heat engine for hybrid vehicle application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, H. W.

1984-01-01

The status of ongoing heat-engine developments, including spark-ignition, compression-ignition, internal-combustion, and external-combustion engines is presented. The potential of engine concepts under consideration for hybrid vehicle use is evaluated, using self-imposed criteria for selection. The deficiencies of the engines currently being evaluated in hybrid vehicles are discussed. Focus is on recent research with two-stroke, rotary, and free-piston engines. It is concluded that these engine concepts have the most promising potential for future application in hybrid vehicles. Recommendations are made for analysis and experimentation to evaluate stop-start and transient emission behavior of recommended engine concepts.

Advanced automotive diesel engine system study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

A conceptual study of an advanced automotive diesel engine is discussed. The engine concept selected for vehicle installation was a supercharged 1.4 liter, 4 cylinder spark assisted diesel of 14:1 compression ratio. A compounding unit consisting of a Lysholm compressor and expander is connected to the engine crankshaft by a belt drive. The inlet air charge is heated by the expander exhaust gas via a heat exchanger. Four levels of technology achievement on the selected engine concept were evaluated, from state-of-the-art to the ideal case. This resulted in the fuel economy increasing from 53.2 mpg to 81.7 mpg, and the 0-60 mph time decreasing from 17.6 seconds to 10.9 seconds.

Circulating heat exchangers for oscillating wave engines and refrigerators

DOEpatents

Swift, Gregory W.; Backhaus, Scott N.

2003-10-28

An oscillating-wave engine or refrigerator having a regenerator or a stack in which oscillating flow of a working gas occurs in a direction defined by an axis of a trunk of the engine or refrigerator, incorporates an improved heat exchanger. First and second connections branch from the trunk at locations along the axis in selected proximity to one end of the regenerator or stack, where the trunk extends in two directions from the locations of the connections. A circulating heat exchanger loop is connected to the first and second connections. At least one fluidic diode within the circulating heat exchanger loop produces a superimposed steady flow component and oscillating flow component of the working gas within the circulating heat exchanger loop. A local process fluid is in thermal contact with an outside portion of the circulating heat exchanger loop.

Northern Hemisphere winter-like stratospheric variability in an idealized GCM using tropospheric heating perturbations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindgren, E. A.; Sheshadri, A.; Plumb, R. A.

2017-12-01

Tropospheric heating perturbations are used to create Northern Hemisphere winter-like stratospheric variability in an idealized atmospheric GCM. Model results with wave 1 and 2 heating perturbations are compared to a model with wave 2 topography, which has previously been shown to produce a realistic sudden stratospheric warming frequency. It is found that both wave 1 and wave 2 heating perturbations cause both split and displacement sudden warmings. This is different from the wave 2 topographic forcing, which only produces splits. Furthermore, the tropospheric heating is shown to produce more reasonable annular mode timescales in the troposphere compared to the topographic forcing. It is argued that the model with wave 2 tropospheric heating perturbation is better at simulating Northern Hemisphere stratospheric variability compared to the model with wave 2 topographic forcing. The long-term variability of zonal winds in the wave 2 heating run is also investigated, under both perpetual winter conditions and with a seasonal cycle. It is found that midlatitude winds in the perpetual winter version of the model exhibit variability on timescales of around 1000 days. These variations are thought to be connected to the QBO-like oscillations in tropical winds found in the model. This connection is further explored in the seasonal cycle version of the model as well as full GCMs with QBOs, where the correlations between tropical winds and polar vortex strength are investigated.

The second law, Maxwell's demon, and work derivable from quantum heat engines.

PubMed

Kieu, Tien D

2004-10-01

With a class of quantum heat engines which consists of two-energy-eigenstate systems undergoing, respectively, quantum adiabatic processes and energy exchanges with heat baths at different stages of a cycle, we are able to clarify some important aspects of the second law of thermodynamics. The quantum heat engines also offer a practical way, as an alternative to Szilard's engine, to physically realize Maxwell's demon. While respecting the second law on the average, they are also capable of extracting more work from the heat baths than is otherwise possible in thermal equilibrium.

Ceramic Technology For Advanced Heat Engines Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1990-12-01

Significant accomplishments in fabricating ceramic components for the Department of Energy (DOE), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and Department of Defense (DoD) advanced heat engine programs have provided evidence that the operation of ceramic parts in high-temperature engine environments is feasible. However, these programs have also demonstrated that additional research is needed in materials and processing development, design methodology, and data base and life prediction before industry will have a sufficient technology base from which to produce reliable cost-effective ceramic engine components commercially. The objective of the project is to develop the industrial technology base required for reliable ceramicsmore » for application in advanced automotive heat engines. The project approach includes determining the mechanisms controlling reliability, improving processes for fabricating existing ceramics, developing new materials with increased reliability, and testing these materials in simulated engine environments to confirm reliability. Although this is a generic materials project, the focus is on the structural ceramics for advanced gas turbine and diesel engines, ceramic bearings and attachments, and ceramic coatings for thermal barrier and wear applications in these engines. This advanced materials technology is being developed in parallel and close coordination with the ongoing DOE and industry proof of concept engine development programs. To facilitate the rapid transfer of this technology to U.S. industry, the major portion of the work is being done in the ceramic industry, with technological support from government laboratories, other industrial laboratories, and universities. Abstracts prepared for appropriate papers.« less

Gas Engine-Driven Heat Pump with Desiccant Dehumidification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shen, Bo; Abu-Heiba, Ahmad

About 40% of total U.S. energy consumption was consumed in residential and commercial buildings. Improved air-conditioning technology has by far the greatest potential impact on the electric industry compared to any other technology that uses electricity. This paper describes the development of an innovative natural gas, propane, LNG or bio-gas IC engine-driven heat pump (GHP) with desiccant dehumidification (GHP/DD). This integrated system has higher overall efficiencies than conventional equipment for space cooling, addresses both new and existing commercial buildings, and more effectively controls humidity in humid areas. Waste heat is recovered from the GHP to provide energy for regenerating themore » desiccant wheel and to augment heating capacity and efficiency. By combining the two technologies, an overall source COP of greater that 1.5 (hot, humid case) can be achieved by utilizing waste heat from the engine to reduce the overall energy required to regenerate the desiccant. Moreover, system modeling results show that the sensible heat ratio (SHR- sensible heat ratio) can be lowered to less 60% in a dedicated outdoor air system application with hot, humid cases.« less

A survey of oscillating flow in Stirling engine heat exchangers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, Terrence W.; Seume, Jorge R.

1988-01-01

Similarity parameters for characterizing the effect of flow oscillation on wall shear stress, viscous dissipation, pressure drop and heat transfer rates are proposed. They are based on physical agruments and are derived by normalizing the governing equations. The literature on oscillating duct flows, regenerator and porous media flows is surveyed. The operating characteristics of the heat exchanger of eleven Stirling engines are discribed in terms of the similarity parameters. Previous experimental and analytical results are discussed in terms of these parameters and used to estimate the nature of the oscillating flow under engine operating conditions. The operating points for many of the modern Stirling engines are in or near the laminar to turbulent transition region. In several engines, working fluid does not pass entirely through heat exchangers during a cycle. Questions that need to be addressed by further research are identified.

Thermodynamics of the mesoscopic thermoelectric heat engine beyond the linear-response regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Kaoru; Hatano, Naomichi

2015-10-01

Mesoscopic thermoelectric heat engine is much anticipated as a device that allows us to utilize with high efficiency wasted heat inaccessible by conventional heat engines. However, the derivation of the heat current in this engine seems to be either not general or described too briefly, even inappropriately in some cases. In this paper, we give a clear-cut derivation of the heat current of the engine with suitable assumptions beyond the linear-response regime. It resolves the confusion in the definition of the heat current in the linear-response regime. After verifying that we can construct the same formalism as that of the cyclic engine, we find the following two interesting results within the Landauer-Büttiker formalism: the efficiency of the mesoscopic thermoelectric engine reaches the Carnot efficiency if and only if the transmission probability is finite at a specific energy and zero otherwise; the unitarity of the transmission probability guarantees the second law of thermodynamics, invalidating Benenti et al.'s argument in the linear-response regime that one could obtain a finite power with the Carnot efficiency under a broken time-reversal symmetry [Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 230602 (2011), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.230602]. These results demonstrate how quantum mechanics constrains thermodynamics.

Role of interference in the photosynthetic heat engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Y. Y.; Liu, J.

2014-11-01

The observation of quantum coherence in pigment-protein complexes has attracted considerable interest. One such endeavor entails applying a quantum heat engine to model the photosynthetic reaction center, but the definition of work used is inconsistent with that defined in quantum thermodynamics. Using the definition of work proposed in Weimer et al. [Europhys. Lett. 83, 30008 (2008), 10.1209/0295-5075/83/30008], we investigated two proposals for enhancing the performance of the photosynthetic reaction center. In proposal A, which is similar to that in Dorfman et al. [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 110, 2746 (2013), 10.1073/pnas.1212666110], we found that the power and current-voltage characteristic of the heat engine can be increased by Fano interference but the efficiency cannot. In proposal B, which is similar to that in Creatore et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 253601 (2013), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.253601], we found that the mechanism of strengthening the performance of the heat engine is invalid; i.e., the dipole-dipole interaction between two electron donors could not increase the power, efficiency, or current-voltage characteristic.

Quantum Stirling heat engine and refrigerator with single and coupled spin systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Xiao-Li; Niu, Xin-Ya; Xiu, Xiao-Ming; Yi, Xue-Xi

2014-02-01

We study the reversible quantum Stirling cycle with a single spin or two coupled spins as the working substance. With the single spin as the working substance, we find that under certain conditions the reversed cycle of a heat engine is NOT a refrigerator, this feature holds true for a Stirling heat engine with an ion trapped in a shallow potential as its working substance. The efficiency of quantum Stirling heat engine can be higher than the efficiency of the Carnot engine, but the performance coefficient of the quantum Stirling refrigerator is always lower than its classical counterpart. With two coupled spins as the working substance, we find that a heat engine can turn to a refrigerator due to the increasing of the coupling constant, this can be explained by the properties of the isothermal line in the magnetic field-entropy plane.

Heat-driven acoustic cooling engine having no moving parts

DOEpatents

Wheatley, John C.; Swift, Gregory W.; Migliori, Albert; Hofler, Thomas J.

1989-01-01

A heat-driven acoustic cooling engine having no moving parts receives heat from a heat source. The acoustic cooling engine comprises an elongated resonant pressure vessel having first and second ends. A compressible fluid having a substantial thermal expansion coefficient and capable of supporting an acoustic standing wave is contained in the resonant pressure vessel. The heat source supplies heat to the first end of the vessel. A first heat exchanger in the vessel is spaced-apart from the first end and receives heat from the first end. A first thermodynamic element is adjacent to the first heat exchanger and converts some of the heat transmitted by the first heat exchanger into acoustic power. A second thermodynamic element has a first end located spaced-apart from the first thermodynamic element and a second end farther away from the first thermodynamic element than is its first end. The first end of the second thermodynamic element heats while its second end cools as a consequence of the acoustic power. A second heat exchanger is adjacent to and between the first and second thermodynamic elements. A heat sink outside of the vessel is thermally coupled to and receives heat from the second heat exchanger. The resonant pressure vessel can include a housing less than one-fourth wavelength in length coupled to a reservoir. The housing can include a reduced diameter portion communicating with the reservoir.

Study of Periodical Flow Heat Transfer in an Internal Combustion Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Xi

In-cylinder heat transfer is one of the most critical physical behaviors which has a direct influence on engine out emission and thermal efficiency for IC engine. In-cylinder wall temperature has to be precisely controlled to achieve high efficiency and low emission. However, this cannot be done without knowing gas-to-wall heat flux. This study reports on the development of a technique suitable for engine in-cylinder surface temperature measurement, as the traditional method is "hard to reach." A laser induced phosphorescence technique was used to study in-cylinder wall temperature effects on engine out unburned hydrocarbons during the engine transitional period (warm up). A linear correlation was found between the cylinder wall surface temperature and the unburned hydrocarbons at mediate and high charge densities. At low charge density, no clear correlation was observed because of miss-fire events. A new auto background correction infrared (IR) diagnostic was developed to measure the instantaneous in-cylinder surface temperature at 0.1 CAD resolution. A numerical mechanism was designed to suppress relatively low-frequency background noise and provide an accurate in-cylinder surface temperature measurements with an error of less than 1.4% inside the IC engine. In addition, a proposed optical coating reduced time delay errors by 50% compared to more conventional thermocouple techniques. A new cycle-averaged Res number was developed for an IC engine to capture the characteristics of engine flow. Comparison and scaling between different engine flow parameters are available by matching the averaged Res number. From experimental results, the engine flow motion was classified as intermittently turbulent, and it is different from the original fully developed turbulent assumption, which has previously been used in almost all engine simulations. The intermittent turbulence could have a great impact on engine heat transfer because of the transitional turbulence effect

Impact of an Exhaust Throat on Semi-Idealized Rotating Detonation Engine Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paxson, Daniel E.

2016-01-01

A computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model of a rotating detonation engine (RDE) is used to examine the impact of an exhaust throat (i.e. a constriction) on performance. The model simulates an RDE which is premixed, adiabatic, inviscid, and which contains an inlet valve that prevents backflow from the high pressure region directly behind the rotating detonation. Performance is assessed in terms of ideal net specific impulse which is computed on the assumption of lossless expansion of the working fluid to the ambient pressure through a notional diverging nozzle section downstream of the throat. Such a semi-idealized analysis, while not real-world, allows the effect of the throat to be examined in isolation from, rather than coupled to (as it actually is) various loss mechanisms. For the single Mach 1.4 flight condition considered, it is found that the addition of a throat can yield a 9.4 percent increase in specific impulse. However, it is also found that when the exit throat restriction gets too small, an unstable type of operation ensues which eventually leads to the detonation failing. This behavior is found to be somewhat mitigated by the addition of an RDE inlet restriction across which there is an aerodynamic loss. Remarkably, this loss is overcome by the benefits of the further exhaust restrictions allowed. The end result is a configuration with a 10.3 percent improvement in ideal net specific thrust.

Impact of an Exhaust Throat on Semi-Idealized Rotating Detonation Engine Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paxson, Daniel E.

2016-01-01

A computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model of a rotating detonation engine (RDE) is used to examine the impact of an exhaust throat (i.e., a constriction) on performance. The model simulates an RDE which is premixed, adiabatic, inviscid, and which contains an inlet valve that prevents backflow from the high pressure region directly behind the rotating detonation. Performance is assessed in terms of ideal net specific impulse which is computed on the assumption of lossless expansion of the working fluid to the ambient pressure through a notional diverging nozzle section downstream of the throat. Such a semi-idealized analysis, while not real-world, allows the effect of the throat to be examined in isolation from, rather than coupled to (as it actually is) various loss mechanisms. For the single Mach 1.4 flight condition considered, it is found that the addition of a throat can yield a 9.4 percent increase in specific impulse. However, it is also found that when the exit throat restriction gets too small, an unstable type of operation ensues which eventually leads to the detonation failing. This behavior is found to be somewhat mitigated by the addition of an RDE inlet restriction across which there is an aerodynamic loss. Remarkably, this loss is overcome by the benefits of the further exhaust restrictions allowed. The end result is a configuration with a 10.3 percent improvement in ideal net specific thrust.

Space vehicle engine and heat shield environment review. Volume 1: Engineering analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcanelly, W. B.; Young, C. T. K.

1973-01-01

Methods for predicting the base heating characteristics of a multiple rocket engine installation are discussed. The environmental data is applied to the design of adequate protection system for the engine components. The methods for predicting the base region thermal environment are categorized as: (1) scale model testing, (2) extrapolation of previous and related flight test results, and (3) semiempirical analytical techniques.

Superconductor Particles As The Working Media Of A Heat Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keefe, Peter D.

2011-12-01

A heat engine is presented in which the working media comprises a multiplicity of mutually isolated particles of Type I superconductor which are selectively processed through H-T phase space so as to convert a heat influx from a high temperature heat reservoir into a useful work output, wherein no heat is rejected to a low temperature heat reservoir.

Nonequilibrium steady states of ideal bosonic and fermionic quantum gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vorberg, Daniel; Wustmann, Waltraut; Schomerus, Henning; Ketzmerick, Roland; Eckardt, André

2015-12-01

We investigate nonequilibrium steady states of driven-dissipative ideal quantum gases of both bosons and fermions. We focus on systems of sharp particle number that are driven out of equilibrium either by the coupling to several heat baths of different temperature or by time-periodic driving in combination with the coupling to a heat bath. Within the framework of (Floquet-)Born-Markov theory, several analytical and numerical methods are described in detail. This includes a mean-field theory in terms of occupation numbers, an augmented mean-field theory taking into account also nontrivial two-particle correlations, and quantum-jump-type Monte Carlo simulations. For the case of the ideal Fermi gas, these methods are applied to simple lattice models and the possibility of achieving exotic states via bath engineering is pointed out. The largest part of this work is devoted to bosonic quantum gases and the phenomenon of Bose selection, a nonequilibrium generalization of Bose condensation, where multiple single-particle states are selected to acquire a large occupation [Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 240405 (2013), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.240405]. In this context, among others, we provide a theory for transitions where the set of selected states changes, describe an efficient algorithm for finding the set of selected states, investigate beyond-mean-field effects, and identify the dominant mechanisms for heat transport in the Bose-selected state.

Nonequilibrium steady states of ideal bosonic and fermionic quantum gases.

PubMed

Vorberg, Daniel; Wustmann, Waltraut; Schomerus, Henning; Ketzmerick, Roland; Eckardt, André

2015-12-01

We investigate nonequilibrium steady states of driven-dissipative ideal quantum gases of both bosons and fermions. We focus on systems of sharp particle number that are driven out of equilibrium either by the coupling to several heat baths of different temperature or by time-periodic driving in combination with the coupling to a heat bath. Within the framework of (Floquet-)Born-Markov theory, several analytical and numerical methods are described in detail. This includes a mean-field theory in terms of occupation numbers, an augmented mean-field theory taking into account also nontrivial two-particle correlations, and quantum-jump-type Monte Carlo simulations. For the case of the ideal Fermi gas, these methods are applied to simple lattice models and the possibility of achieving exotic states via bath engineering is pointed out. The largest part of this work is devoted to bosonic quantum gases and the phenomenon of Bose selection, a nonequilibrium generalization of Bose condensation, where multiple single-particle states are selected to acquire a large occupation [Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 240405 (2013)]. In this context, among others, we provide a theory for transitions where the set of selected states changes, describe an efficient algorithm for finding the set of selected states, investigate beyond-mean-field effects, and identify the dominant mechanisms for heat transport in the Bose-selected state.

The second law of thermodynamics and quantum heat engines: Is the law strictly enforced?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keefe, Peter D.

2010-01-01

A quantum heat engine is a construct having a working medium which is cyclically processed through a pair of control variables of state involving a Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) in which a heat input is converted into a work output. Of interest is a first species of quantum heat engine in which the working medium is macroscopic in the sense the size scale is sufficiently large that the BEC is not volumetrically coherent. In this first species of quantum heat engine, near Carnot efficiencies may be possible. Of particular interest is a second species of quantum heat engine in which the working medium is mesoscopic in the sense that the size scale is sufficiently small that the BEC is volumetrically coherent. In this second species of quantum heat engine, the resulting in-process non-equilibrium condition affects the finally arrived at control variables of state such that Carnot efficiencies and beyond may be possible. A Type I superconductor is used to model the first and second species of quantum heat engine.

Work and power fluctuations in a critical heat engine.

PubMed

Holubec, Viktor; Ryabov, Artem

2017-09-01

We investigate fluctuations of output work for a class of Stirling heat engines with working fluid composed of interacting units and compare these fluctuations to an average work output. In particular, we focus on engine performance close to a critical point where Carnot's efficiency may be attained at a finite power as reported by M. Campisi and R. Fazio [Nat. Commun. 7, 11895 (2016)2041-172310.1038/ncomms11895]. We show that the variance of work output per cycle scales with the same critical exponent as the heat capacity of the working fluid. As a consequence, the relative work fluctuation diverges unless the output work obeys a rather strict scaling condition, which would be very hard to fulfill in practice. Even under this condition, the fluctuations of work and power do not vanish in the infinite system size limit. Large fluctuations of output work thus constitute inseparable and dominant element in performance of the macroscopic heat engines close to a critical point.

Work and power fluctuations in a critical heat engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holubec, Viktor; Ryabov, Artem

2017-09-01

We investigate fluctuations of output work for a class of Stirling heat engines with working fluid composed of interacting units and compare these fluctuations to an average work output. In particular, we focus on engine performance close to a critical point where Carnot's efficiency may be attained at a finite power as reported by M. Campisi and R. Fazio [Nat. Commun. 7, 11895 (2016), 10.1038/ncomms11895]. We show that the variance of work output per cycle scales with the same critical exponent as the heat capacity of the working fluid. As a consequence, the relative work fluctuation diverges unless the output work obeys a rather strict scaling condition, which would be very hard to fulfill in practice. Even under this condition, the fluctuations of work and power do not vanish in the infinite system size limit. Large fluctuations of output work thus constitute inseparable and dominant element in performance of the macroscopic heat engines close to a critical point.

Waste heat recovery on multiple low-speed reciprocating engines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mayhew, R.E.

1984-09-01

With rising fuel costs, energy conservation has taken on added significance. Installation of waste heat recovery units (WHRU's) on gas turbines is one method used in the past to reduce gas plant fuel consumption. More recently, waste heat recovery on multiple reciprocating compressor engines also has been identified as having energy conservation potential. This paper reviews the development and implementation of a WHRU for multiple low-speed engines at the Katy (TX) gas plant. WHRU's for these engines should be differentiated from high-speed engines and gas turbines in that low-speed engines produce low-frequency, high-amplitude pulsating exhaust. The design of a WHRUmore » system must take this potentially destructive pulsation into account. At Katy, the pulsation forces were measured at high-amplitude frequencies and then used to design a pulsation filter and structural stiffness into the various components of the WHRU to minimize vibration and improve system reliability.« less

Design procedures for heat-straightening repair : an engineering guide.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1992-12-01

This report summarizes over four years of research on heat-straightening repairs and provides a prototype engineering guide for the application of heat-straightening to bridge structures. It is based on the research results detailed in a companion re...

Particulate Emissions Hazards Associated with Fueling Heat Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hendricks, Robert C.; Bushnell, Dennis M.

2010-01-01

All hydrocarbon- (HC-) fueled heat engine exhaust (tailpipe) emissions (<10 to 140 nm) contribute as health hazards, including emissions from transportation vehicles (e.g., aircraft) and other HC-fueled power systems. CO2 emissions are tracked, and when mapped, show outlines of major transportation routes and cities. Particulate pollution affects living tissue and is found to be detrimental to cardiovascular and respiratory systems where ultrafine particulates directly translocate to promote vascular system diseases potentially detectable as organic vapors. This paper discusses aviation emissions, fueling, and certification issues, including heat engine emissions hazards, detection at low levels and tracking of emissions, and alternate energy sources for general aviation.

9 CFR 91.22 - Protection from heat of boilers and engines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Protection from heat of boilers and engines. 91.22 Section 91.22 Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE... Protection from heat of boilers and engines. No animals shall be stowed along the alleyways leading to the...

9 CFR 91.22 - Protection from heat of boilers and engines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Protection from heat of boilers and engines. 91.22 Section 91.22 Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE... Protection from heat of boilers and engines. No animals shall be stowed along the alleyways leading to the...

9 CFR 91.22 - Protection from heat of boilers and engines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Protection from heat of boilers and engines. 91.22 Section 91.22 Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE... Protection from heat of boilers and engines. No animals shall be stowed along the alleyways leading to the...

9 CFR 91.22 - Protection from heat of boilers and engines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Protection from heat of boilers and engines. 91.22 Section 91.22 Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE... Protection from heat of boilers and engines. No animals shall be stowed along the alleyways leading to the...

9 CFR 91.22 - Protection from heat of boilers and engines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Protection from heat of boilers and engines. 91.22 Section 91.22 Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE... Protection from heat of boilers and engines. No animals shall be stowed along the alleyways leading to the...

An analytical study of hybrid ejector/internal combustion engine-driven heat pumps

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murphy, R.W.

1988-01-01

Because ejectors can combine high reliability with low maintenance cost in a package requiring little capital investment, they may provide attractive heat pumping capability in situations where the importance of their inefficiencies is minimized. One such concept, a hybrid system in which an ejector driven by engine reject heat is used to increase the performance of an internal combustion engine-driven heat pump, was analyzed by modifying an existing ejector heat pump model and combining it with generic compressor and internal combustion engine models. Under the model assumptions for nominal cooling mode conditions, the results showed that hybrid systems could providemore » substantial performance augmentation/emdash/up to 17/percent/ increase in system coefficient of performance for a parallel arrangement of an enhanced ejector with the engine-driven compressor. 4 refs., 4 figs., 4 tabs.« less

A micrometre-sized heat engine operating between bacterial reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishnamurthy, Sudeesh; Ghosh, Subho; Chatterji, Dipankar; Ganapathy, Rajesh; Sood, A. K.

2016-12-01

Artificial microscale heat engines are prototypical models to explore the mechanisms of energy transduction in a fluctuation-dominated regime. The heat engines realized so far on this scale have operated between thermal reservoirs, such that stochastic thermodynamics provides a precise framework for quantifying their performance. It remains to be seen whether these concepts readily carry over to situations where the reservoirs are out of equilibrium, a scenario of particular importance to the functioning of synthetic and biological microscale engines and motors. Here, we experimentally realize a micrometre-sized active Stirling engine by periodically cycling a colloidal particle in a time-varying optical potential across bacterial baths characterized by different degrees of activity. We find that the displacement statistics of the trapped particle becomes increasingly non-Gaussian with activity and contributes substantially to the overall power output and the efficiency. Remarkably, even for engines with the same energy input, differences in non-Gaussianity of reservoir noise results in distinct performances. At high activities, the efficiency of our engines surpasses the equilibrium saturation limit of Stirling efficiency, the maximum efficiency of a Stirling engine where the ratio of cold to hot reservoir temperatures is vanishingly small. Our experiments provide fundamental insights into the functioning of micromotors and engines operating out of equilibrium.

Spin-dependent Otto quantum heat engine based on a molecular substance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hübner, W.; Lefkidis, G.; Dong, C. D.; Chaudhuri, D.; Chotorlishvili, L.; Berakdar, J.

2014-07-01

We explore the potential of single molecules for thermodynamic cycles. To this end we propose two molecular heat engines based on the Ni2 dimer in the presence of a static magnetic field: (a) a quantum Otto engine and (b) a modified quantum Otto engine for which optical excitations induced by a laser pulse substitute for one of the heat-exchange points. For reliable predictions and to inspect the role of spin and electronic correlations we perform fully correlated ab initio calculations of the molecular electronic structure including spin-orbital effects. We analyze the efficiency of the engines in dependence of the electronic level scheme and the entanglement and find a significant possible enhancement connected to the quantum nature and the heat capacity of the dimer, as well as to the zero-field triplet states splitting.

Optimization of automotive Rankine cycle waste heat recovery under various engine operating condition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Punov, Plamen; Milkov, Nikolay; Danel, Quentin; Perilhon, Christelle; Podevin, Pierre; Evtimov, Teodossi

2017-02-01

An optimization study of the Rankine cycle as a function of diesel engine operating mode is presented. The Rankine cycle here, is studied as a waste heat recovery system which uses the engine exhaust gases as heat source. The engine exhaust gases parameters (temperature, mass flow and composition) were defined by means of numerical simulation in advanced simulation software AVL Boost. Previously, the engine simulation model was validated and the Vibe function parameters were defined as a function of engine load. The Rankine cycle output power and efficiency was numerically estimated by means of a simulation code in Python(x,y). This code includes discretized heat exchanger model and simplified model of the pump and the expander based on their isentropic efficiency. The Rankine cycle simulation revealed the optimum value of working fluid mass flow and evaporation pressure according to the heat source. Thus, the optimal Rankine cycle performance was obtained over the engine operating map.

(NESC) NASA Engineering and Safety Center Orion Heat Shield Carr

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-29

(NESC) NASA Engineering and Safety Center Orion Heat Shield Carrier Structure: Titanium Orthogrid heat shield sub-component dynamic test article : person in the photo Jim Jeans (Background: Mike Kirsch, James Ainsworth)

Reliability of ceramics for heat engine applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of monolithic ceramics in heat engines are discussed. The principle gaps in the state of understanding of ceramic material, failure origins, nondestructive tests as well as life prediction are included.

Efficiency and large deviations in time-asymmetric stochastic heat engines

DOE PAGES

Gingrich, Todd R.; Rotskoff, Grant M.; Vaikuntanathan, Suriyanarayanan; ...

2014-10-24

In a stochastic heat engine driven by a cyclic non-equilibrium protocol, fluctuations in work and heat give rise to a fluctuating efficiency. Using computer simulations and tools from large deviation theory, we have examined these fluctuations in detail for a model two-state engine. We find in general that the form of efficiency probability distributions is similar to those described by Verley et al (2014 Nat. Commun. 5 4721), in particular featuring a local minimum in the long-time limit. In contrast to the time-symmetric engine protocols studied previously, however, this minimum need not occur at the value characteristic of a reversible Carnot engine. Furthermore, while the local minimum may reside at the global minimum of a large deviation rate function, it does not generally correspond to the least likely efficiency measured over finite time. Lastly, we introduce a general approximation for the finite-time efficiency distribution,more » $$P(\\eta )$$, based on large deviation statistics of work and heat, that remains very accurate even when $$P(\\eta )$$ deviates significantly from its large deviation form.« less

Waste heat recovery system for recapturing energy after engine aftertreatment systems

DOEpatents

Ernst, Timothy C.; Nelson, Christopher R.

2014-06-17

The disclosure provides a waste heat recovery (WHR) system including a Rankine cycle (RC) subsystem for converting heat of exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine, and an internal combustion engine including the same. The WHR system includes an exhaust gas heat exchanger that is fluidly coupled downstream of an exhaust aftertreatment system and is adapted to transfer heat from the exhaust gas to a working fluid of the RC subsystem. An energy conversion device is fluidly coupled to the exhaust gas heat exchanger and is adapted to receive the vaporized working fluid and convert the energy of the transferred heat. The WHR system includes a control module adapted to control at least one parameter of the RC subsystem based on a detected aftertreatment event of a predetermined thermal management strategy of the aftertreatment system.

Magnetogasdynamics shock waves in a rotational axisymmetric non-ideal gas with increasing energy and conductive and radiative heat-fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nath, Gorakh

2016-07-01

Self-similar solutions are obtained for one-dimensional adiabatic flow behind a magnetogasdynamics cylindrical shock wave propagating in a rotational axisymmetric non ideal gas with increasing energy and conductive and radiative heat fluxes in presence of an azimuthal magnetic field. The fluid velocities and the azimuthal magnetic field in the ambient medium are assume to be varying and obeying power laws. In order to find the similarity solutions the angular velocity of the ambient medium is taken to be decreasing as the distance from the axis increases. The heat conduction is expressed in terms of Fourier's law and the radiation is considered to be the diffusion type for an optically thick grey gas model. The thermal conductivity and the absorption coefficient are assumed to vary with temperature and density. The effects of the presence of radiation and conduction, the non-idealness of the gas and the magnetic field on the shock propagation and the flow behind the shock are investigated.

Heat engine generator control system

DOEpatents

Rajashekara, K.; Gorti, B.V.; McMullen, S.R.; Raibert, R.J.

1998-05-12

An electrical power generation system includes a heat engine having an output member operatively coupled to the rotor of a dynamoelectric machine. System output power is controlled by varying an electrical parameter of the dynamoelectric machine. A power request signal is related to an engine speed and the electrical parameter is varied in accordance with a speed control loop. Initially, the sense of change in the electrical parameter in response to a change in the power request signal is opposite that required to effectuate a steady state output power consistent with the power request signal. Thereafter, the electrical parameter is varied to converge the output member speed to the speed known to be associated with the desired electrical output power. 8 figs.

Heat engine generator control system

DOEpatents

Rajashekara, Kaushik; Gorti, Bhanuprasad Venkata; McMullen, Steven Robert; Raibert, Robert Joseph

1998-01-01

An electrical power generation system includes a heat engine having an output member operatively coupled to the rotor of a dynamoelectric machine. System output power is controlled by varying an electrical parameter of the dynamoelectric machine. A power request signal is related to an engine speed and the electrical parameter is varied in accordance with a speed control loop. Initially, the sense of change in the electrical parameter in response to a change in the power request signal is opposite that required to effectuate a steady state output power consistent with the power request signal. Thereafter, the electrical parameter is varied to converge the output member speed to the speed known to be associated with the desired electrical output power.

Jet impingement heat transfer enhancement for the GPU-3 Stirling engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, D. C.; Congdon, C. W.; Begg, L. L.; Britt, E. J.; Thieme, L. G.

1981-01-01

A computer model of the combustion-gas-side heat transfer was developed to predict the effects of a jet impingement system and the possible range of improvements available. Using low temperature (315 C (600 F)) pretest data in an updated model, a high temperature silicon carbide jet impingement heat transfer system was designed and fabricated. The system model predicted that at the theoretical maximum limit, jet impingement enhanced heat transfer can: (1) reduce the flame temperature by 275 C (500 F); (2) reduce the exhaust temperature by 110 C (200 F); and (3) increase the overall heat into the working fluid by 10%, all for an increase in required pumping power of less than 0.5% of the engine power output. Initial tests on the GPU-3 Stirling engine at NASA-Lewis demonstrated that the jet impingement system increased the engine output power and efficiency by 5% - 8% with no measurable increase in pumping power. The overall heat transfer coefficient was increased by 65% for the maximum power point of the tests.

Supersonic combustion engine testbed, heat lightning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoying, D.; Kelble, C.; Langenbahn, A.; Stahl, M.; Tincher, M.; Walsh, M.; Wisler, S.

1990-01-01

The design of a supersonic combustion engine testbed (SCET) aircraft is presented. The hypersonic waverider will utilize both supersonic combustion ramjet (SCRAMjet) and turbofan-ramjet engines. The waverider concept, system integration, electrical power, weight analysis, cockpit, landing skids, and configuration modeling are addressed in the configuration considerations. The subsonic, supersonic and hypersonic aerodynamics are presented along with the aerodynamic stability and landing analysis of the aircraft. The propulsion design considerations include: engine selection, turbofan ramjet inlets, SCRAMjet inlets and the SCRAMjet diffuser. The cooling requirements and system are covered along with the topics of materials and the hydrogen fuel tanks and insulation system. A cost analysis is presented and the appendices include: information about the subsonic wind tunnel test, shock expansion calculations, and an aerodynamic heat flux program.

Shock-Induced Heating In A Rocket Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lagnado, Ronald R.; Raiszadeh, Farhad

1989-01-01

Misalignments give rise to hotspots on walls. Report discusses numerical simulation of flow in and near small, ringlike cavity in wall of Space Shuttle main engine at junction of main combustion chamber and nozzle. Purpose to study effects of misalignments between combustion chamber and nozzle on transfer of heat into surfaces chamber, cavity, and nozzle. Depending on specific misalignment flow encounters forward-or backward-facing step leaving chamber and entering nozzle. Results in serious losses of performance and excessive heating of walls.

Thin film heat flux sensor for Space Shuttle Main Engine turbine environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Will, Herbert

1991-01-01

The Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) turbine environment stresses engine components to their design limits and beyond. The extremely high temperatures and rapid temperature cycling can easily cause parts to fail if they are not properly designed. Thin film heat flux sensors can provide heat loading information with almost no disturbance of gas flows or of the blade. These sensors can provide steady state and transient heat flux information. A thin film heat flux sensor is described which makes it easier to measure small temperature differences across very thin insulating layers.

Two-dimensional numerical simulation of a Stirling engine heat exchanger

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ibrahim, Mounir; Tew, Roy C.; Dudenhoefer, James E.

1989-01-01

The first phase of an effort to develop multidimensional models of Stirling engine components is described. The ultimate goal is to model an entire engine working space. Parallel plate and tubular heat exchanger models are described, with emphasis on the central part of the channel (i.e., ignoring hydrodynamic and thermal end effects). The model assumes laminar, incompressible flow with constant thermophysical properties. In addition, a constant axial temperature gradient is imposed. The governing equations describing the model have been solved using the Crack-Nicloson finite-difference scheme. Model predictions are compared with analytical solutions for oscillating/reversing flow and heat transfer in order to check numerical accuracy. Excellent agreement is obtained for flow both in circular tubes and between parallel plates. The computational heat transfer results are in good agreement with the analytical heat transfer results for parallel plates.

Role of quantum correlations in light-matter quantum heat engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrios, G. Alvarado; Albarrán-Arriagada, F.; Cárdenas-López, F. A.; Romero, G.; Retamal, J. C.

2017-11-01

We study a quantum Otto engine embedding a working substance composed of a two-level system interacting with a harmonic mode. The physical properties of the substance are described by a generalized quantum Rabi model arising in superconducting circuit realizations. We show that light-matter quantum correlation reduction during the hot bath stage and adiabatic stages act as an indicator for enhanced work extraction and efficiency, respectively. Also, we demonstrate that the anharmonic spectrum of the working substance has a direct impact on the transition from heat engine into refrigerator as the light-matter coupling is increased. These results shed light on the search for optimal conditions in the performance of quantum heat engines.

Wave Engine Topping Cycle Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welch, Gerard E.

1996-01-01

The performance benefits derived by topping a gas turbine engine with a wave engine are assessed. The wave engine is a wave rotor that produces shaft power by exploiting gas dynamic energy exchange and flow turning. The wave engine is added to the baseline turboshaft engine while keeping high-pressure-turbine inlet conditions, compressor pressure ratio, engine mass flow rate, and cooling flow fractions fixed. Related work has focused on topping with pressure-exchangers (i.e., wave rotors that provide pressure gain with zero net shaft power output); however, more energy can be added to a wave-engine-topped cycle leading to greater engine specific-power-enhancement The energy addition occurs at a lower pressure in the wave-engine-topped cycle; thus the specific-fuel-consumption-enhancement effected by ideal wave engine topping is slightly lower than that effected by ideal pressure-exchanger topping. At a component level, however, flow turning affords the wave engine a degree-of-freedom relative to the pressure-exchanger that enables a more efficient match with the baseline engine. In some cases, therefore, the SFC-enhancement by wave engine topping is greater than that by pressure-exchanger topping. An ideal wave-rotor-characteristic is used to identify key wave engine design parameters and to contrast the wave engine and pressure-exchanger topping approaches. An aerodynamic design procedure is described in which wave engine design-point performance levels are computed using a one-dimensional wave rotor model. Wave engines using various wave cycles are considered including two-port cycles with on-rotor combustion (valved-combustors) and reverse-flow and through-flow four-port cycles with heat addition in conventional burners. A through-flow wave cycle design with symmetric blading is used to assess engine performance benefits. The wave-engine-topped turboshaft engine produces 16% more power than does a pressure-exchanger-topped engine under the specified topping

Heat Exchanger Design in Combined Cycle Engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webber, H.; Feast, S.; Bond, A.

Combined cycle engines employing both pre-cooled air-breathing and rocket modes of operation are the most promising propulsion system for achieving single stage to orbit vehicles. The air-breathing phase is purely for augmentation of the mission velocity required in the rocket phase and as such must be mass effective, re-using the components of the rocket cycle, whilst achieving adequate specific impulse. This paper explains how the unique demands placed on the air-breathing cycle results in the need for sophisticated thermodynamics and the use of a series of different heat exchangers to enable precooling and high pressure ratio compression of the air for delivery to the rocket combustion chambers. These major heat exchanger roles are; extracting heat from incoming air in the precooler, topping up cycle flow temperatures to maintain constant turbine operating conditions and extracting rejected heat from the power cycle via regenerator loops for thermal capacity matching. The design solutions of these heat exchangers are discussed.

Performance and efficiency evaluation and heat release study of a direct-injection stratified-charge rotary engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, H. L.; Addy, H. E.; Bond, T. H.; Lee, C. M.; Chun, K. S.

1987-01-01

A computer simulation which models engine performance of the Direct Injection Stratified Charge (DISC) rotary engines was used to study the effect of variations in engine design and operating parameters on engine performance and efficiency of an Outboard Marine Corporation (OMC) experimental rotary combustion engine. Engine pressure data were used in a heat release analysis to study the effects of heat transfer, leakage, and crevice flows. Predicted engine data were compared with experimental test data over a range of engine speeds and loads. An examination of methods to improve the performance of the rotary engine using advanced heat engine concepts such as faster combustion, reduced leakage, and turbocharging is also presented.

Metallized Gelled Propellants: Oxygen/RP-1/Aluminum Rocket Engine Calorimeter Heat Transfer Measurements and Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palaszewski, Bryan

1997-01-01

A set of analyses was conducted to determine the heat transfer characteristics of metallized gelled liquid propellants in a rocket engine. The analyses used the data from experiments conducted with a small 30- to 40-lbf thrust engine composed of a modular injector, igniter, chamber and nozzle. The fuels used were traditional liquid RP-1 and gelled RP-1 with 0-wt %, 5-wt%, and 55-wt% loadings of aluminum with silicon dioxide gellant, and gaseous oxygen as the oxidizer. Heat transfer was computed based on measurements using calorimeter rocket chamber and nozzle hardware with a total of 31 cooling channels. A gelled fuel coating formed in the 0-, 5- and 55-wt% engines, and the coating was composed of unburned gelled fuel and partially combusted RP-1. The coating caused a large decrease in calorimeter engine heat flux in the last half of the chamber for the 0- and 5-wt% RP-1/Al. This heat flux reduction effect was analyzed by comparing engine runs and the changes in the heat flux during a run as well as from run to run. Heat transfer and time-dependent heat flux analyses and interpretations are provided. The 5- and 55-wt% RP-1/Al fueled engines had the highest chamber heat fluxes, with the 5-wt% fuel having the highest throat flux. This result is counter to the predicted result, where the 55 wt% fuel has the highest combustion and throat temperature, and therefore implies that it would deliver the highest throat heat flux. The 5-wt% RP-1/Al produced the most influence on the engine heat transfer and the heat flux reduction was caused by the formation of a gelled propellant layer in the chamber and nozzle.

Energy Efficient Waste Heat Recovery from an Engine Exhaust System

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

targets. Since solar panels and wind turbines will not work for ships; the energy savings must come from making the existing power generation...achieve an approximate solution to the problem . The research for this thesis involved design by analysis of heat exchange in a gas turbine exhaust...effectiveness of a new style of heat exchanger for waste heat recovery. The new design sought to optimize heat recovery from a gas turbine engine exhaust as

On Optimizing an Archibald Rubber-Band Heat Engine.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mullen, J. G.; And Others

1978-01-01

Discusses the criteria and procedure for optimizing the performance of Archibald rubber-band heat engines by using the appropriate choice of dimensions, minimizing frictional torque, maximizing torque and balancing the rubber band system. (GA)

Identifying student difficulties with entropy, heat engines, and the Carnot cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Trevor I.; Christensen, Warren M.; Mountcastle, Donald B.; Thompson, John R.

2015-12-01

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Upper Division Physics Courses.] We report on several specific student difficulties regarding the second law of thermodynamics in the context of heat engines within upper-division undergraduate thermal physics courses. Data come from ungraded written surveys, graded homework assignments, and videotaped classroom observations of tutorial activities. Written data show that students in these courses do not clearly articulate the connection between the Carnot cycle and the second law after lecture instruction. This result is consistent both within and across student populations. Observation data provide evidence for myriad difficulties related to entropy and heat engines, including students' struggles in reasoning about situations that are physically impossible and failures to differentiate between differential and net changes of state properties of a system. Results herein may be seen as the application of previously documented difficulties in the context of heat engines, but others are novel and emphasize the subtle and complex nature of cyclic processes and heat engines, which are central to the teaching and learning of thermodynamics and its applications. Moreover, the sophistication of these difficulties is indicative of the more advanced thinking required of students at the upper division, whose developing knowledge and understanding give rise to questions and struggles that are inaccessible to novices.

Reported Ideal Traits of a Mentor as Viewed by African American Students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Mary L.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine undergraduate students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines perception of traits an ideal mentor should possess, and to determine if these traits had positive results on their identification with science. With a large number of workers in STEM disciplines retiring, there is a…

The equivalence of minimum entropy production and maximum thermal efficiency in endoreversible heat engines.

PubMed

Haseli, Y

2016-05-01

The objective of this study is to investigate the thermal efficiency and power production of typical models of endoreversible heat engines at the regime of minimum entropy generation rate. The study considers the Curzon-Ahlborn engine, the Novikov's engine, and the Carnot vapor cycle. The operational regimes at maximum thermal efficiency, maximum power output and minimum entropy production rate are compared for each of these engines. The results reveal that in an endoreversible heat engine, a reduction in entropy production corresponds to an increase in thermal efficiency. The three criteria of minimum entropy production, the maximum thermal efficiency, and the maximum power may become equivalent at the condition of fixed heat input.

Two-dimensional numerical simulation of a Stirling engine heat exchanger

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ibrahim, Mounir B.; Tew, Roy C.; Dudenhoefer, James E.

1989-01-01

The first phase of an effort to develop multidimensional models of Stirling engine components is described; the ultimate goal is to model an entire engine working space. More specifically, parallel plate and tubular heat exchanger models with emphasis on the central part of the channel (i.e., ignoring hydrodynamic and thermal end effects) are described. The model assumes: laminar, incompressible flow with constant thermophysical properties. In addition, a constant axial temperature gradient is imposed. The governing equations, describing the model, were solved using Crank-Nicloson finite-difference scheme. Model predictions were compared with analytical solutions for oscillating/reversing flow and heat transfer in order to check numerical accuracy. Excellent agreement was obtained for the model predictions with analytical solutions available for both flow in circular tubes and between parallel plates. Also the heat transfer computational results are in good agreement with the heat transfer analytical results for parallel plates.

A global model for steady state and transient S.I. engine heat transfer studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bohac, S.V.; Assanis, D.N.; Baker, D.M.

1996-09-01

A global, systems-level model which characterizes the thermal behavior of internal combustion engines is described in this paper. Based on resistor-capacitor thermal networks, either steady-state or transient thermal simulations can be performed. A two-zone, quasi-dimensional spark-ignition engine simulation is used to determine in-cylinder gas temperature and convection coefficients. Engine heat fluxes and component temperatures can subsequently be predicted from specification of general engine dimensions, materials, and operating conditions. Emphasis has been placed on minimizing the number of model inputs and keeping them as simple as possible to make the model practical and useful as an early design tool. The successmore » of the global model depends on properly scaling the general engine inputs to accurately model engine heat flow paths across families of engine designs. The development and validation of suitable, scalable submodels is described in detail in this paper. Simulation sub-models and overall system predictions are validated with data from two spark ignition engines. Several sensitivity studies are performed to determine the most significant heat transfer paths within the engine and exhaust system. Overall, it has been shown that the model is a powerful tool in predicting steady-state heat rejection and component temperatures, as well as transient component temperatures.« less

Fuel system for diesel engine with multi-stage heated

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryzhov, Yu N.; Kuznetsov, Yu A.; Kolomeichenko, A. V.; Kuznetsov, I. S.; Solovyev, R. Yu; Sharifullin, S. N.

2017-09-01

The article describes a fuel system of a diesel engine with a construction tractor multistage heating, allowing the use of pure rapeseed oil as a diesel engine fuel. The paper identified the kinematic viscosity depending on the temperature and composition of the mixed fuel, supplemented by the existing recommendations on the use of mixed fuels based on vegetable oils and developed the device allowing use as fuel for diesel engines of biofuels based on vegetable oils.

Efficiency versus speed in quantum heat engines: Rigorous constraint from Lieb-Robinson bound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiraishi, Naoto; Tajima, Hiroyasu

2017-08-01

A long-standing open problem whether a heat engine with finite power achieves the Carnot efficiency is investgated. We rigorously prove a general trade-off inequality on thermodynamic efficiency and time interval of a cyclic process with quantum heat engines. In a first step, employing the Lieb-Robinson bound we establish an inequality on the change in a local observable caused by an operation far from support of the local observable. This inequality provides a rigorous characterization of the following intuitive picture that most of the energy emitted from the engine to the cold bath remains near the engine when the cyclic process is finished. Using this description, we prove an upper bound on efficiency with the aid of quantum information geometry. Our result generally excludes the possibility of a process with finite speed at the Carnot efficiency in quantum heat engines. In particular, the obtained constraint covers engines evolving with non-Markovian dynamics, which almost all previous studies on this topic fail to address.

Efficiency versus speed in quantum heat engines: Rigorous constraint from Lieb-Robinson bound.

PubMed

Shiraishi, Naoto; Tajima, Hiroyasu

2017-08-01

A long-standing open problem whether a heat engine with finite power achieves the Carnot efficiency is investgated. We rigorously prove a general trade-off inequality on thermodynamic efficiency and time interval of a cyclic process with quantum heat engines. In a first step, employing the Lieb-Robinson bound we establish an inequality on the change in a local observable caused by an operation far from support of the local observable. This inequality provides a rigorous characterization of the following intuitive picture that most of the energy emitted from the engine to the cold bath remains near the engine when the cyclic process is finished. Using this description, we prove an upper bound on efficiency with the aid of quantum information geometry. Our result generally excludes the possibility of a process with finite speed at the Carnot efficiency in quantum heat engines. In particular, the obtained constraint covers engines evolving with non-Markovian dynamics, which almost all previous studies on this topic fail to address.

Efficiency of some heat engines at maximum-power conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Vos, Alexis

1985-06-01

In the present paper a simple model is presented for a heat engine, where the power output is limited by the rate of heat supply (and/or heat release). The model leads to a variety of results. Some of them are established laws such as the Carnot law, the Curzon-Ahlborn efficiency, and the Castañs efficiency. Other results are new, and are related to phenomena as different as geothermal energy conversion and the Penfield paradox of electric circuits.

Prototype thin-film thermocouple/heat-flux sensor for a ceramic-insulated diesel engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Walter S.; Barrows, Richard F.

1988-01-01

A platinum versus platinum-13 percent rhodium thin-film thermocouple/heat-flux sensor was devised and tested in the harsh, high-temperature environment of a ceramic-insulated, low-heat-rejection diesel engine. The sensor probe assembly was developed to provide experimental validation of heat transfer and thermal analysis methodologies applicable to the insulated diesel engine concept. The thin-film thermocouple configuration was chosen to approximate an uninterrupted chamber surface and provide a 1-D heat-flux path through the probe body. The engine test was conducted by Purdue University for Integral Technologies, Inc., under a DOE-funded contract managed by NASA Lewis Research Center. The thin-film sensor performed reliably during 6 to 10 hr of repeated engine runs at indicated mean surface temperatures up to 950 K. However, the sensor suffered partial loss of adhesion in the thin-film thermocouple junction area following maximum cyclic temperature excursions to greater than 1150 K.

The maximum efficiency of nano heat engines depends on more than temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woods, Mischa; Ng, Nelly; Wehner, Stephanie

Sadi Carnot's theorem regarding the maximum efficiency of heat engines is considered to be of fundamental importance in the theory of heat engines and thermodynamics. Here, we show that at the nano and quantum scale, this law needs to be revised in the sense that more information about the bath other than its temperature is required to decide whether maximum efficiency can be achieved. In particular, we derive new fundamental limitations of the efficiency of heat engines at the nano and quantum scale that show that the Carnot efficiency can only be achieved under special circumstances, and we derive a new maximum efficiency for others. A preprint can be found here arXiv:1506.02322 [quant-ph] Singapore's MOE Tier 3A Grant & STW, Netherlands.

Heat Transfer and Fluid Dynamics Measurements in the Expansion Space of a Stirling Cycle Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jiang, Nan; Simon, Terrence W.

2006-01-01

The heater (or acceptor) of a Stirling engine, where most of the thermal energy is accepted into the engine by heat transfer, is the hottest part of the engine. Almost as hot is the adjacent expansion space of the engine. In the expansion space, the flow is oscillatory, impinging on a two-dimensional concavely-curved surface. Knowing the heat transfer on the inside surface of the engine head is critical to the engine design for efficiency and reliability. However, the flow in this region is not well understood and support is required to develop the CFD codes needed to design modern Stirling engines of high efficiency and power output. The present project is to experimentally investigate the flow and heat transfer in the heater head region. Flow fields and heat transfer coefficients are measured to characterize the oscillatory flow as well as to supply experimental validation for the CFD Stirling engine design codes. Presented also is a discussion of how these results might be used for heater head and acceptor region design calculations.

Test Method Designed to Evaluate Cylinder Liner-Piston Ring Coatings for Advanced Heat Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Radil, Kevin C.

1997-01-01

Research on advanced heat engine concepts, such as the low-heat-rejection engine, have shown the potential for increased thermal efficiency, reduced emissions, lighter weight, simpler design, and longer life in comparison to current diesel engine designs. A major obstacle in the development of a functional advanced heat engine is overcoming the problems caused by the high combustion temperatures at the piston ring/cylinder liner interface, specifically at top ring reversal (TRR). Therefore, advanced cylinder liner and piston ring materials are needed that can survive under these extreme conditions. To address this need, researchers at the NASA Lewis Research Center have designed a tribological test method to help evaluate candidate piston ring and cylinder liner materials for advanced diesel engines.

Survey of manufacturers of high-performance heat engines adaptable to solar applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stine, W. B.

1984-01-01

The results of an industry survey made during the summer of 1983 are summarized. The survey was initiated in order to develop an information base on advanced engines that could be used in the solar thermal dish-electric program. Questionnaires inviting responses were sent to 39 companies known to manufacture or integrate externally heated engines. Follow-up telephone communication ensured uniformity of response. It appears from the survey that the technology exists to produce external-heat-addition engines of appropriate size with thermal efficiencies of over 40%. Problem areas are materials and sealing.

A quantum Szilard engine without heat from a thermal reservoir

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamed Mohammady, M.; Anders, Janet

2017-11-01

We study a quantum Szilard engine that is not powered by heat drawn from a thermal reservoir, but rather by projective measurements. The engine is constituted of a system { S }, a weight { W }, and a Maxwell demon { D }, and extracts work via measurement-assisted feedback control. By imposing natural constraints on the measurement and feedback processes, such as energy conservation and leaving the memory of the demon intact, we show that while the engine can function without heat from a thermal reservoir, it must give up at least one of the following features that are satisfied by a standard Szilard engine: (i) repeatability of measurements; (ii) invariant weight entropy; or (iii) positive work extraction for all measurement outcomes. This result is shown to be a consequence of the Wigner-Araki-Yanase theorem, which imposes restrictions on the observables that can be measured under additive conservation laws. This observation is a first-step towards developing ‘second-law-like’ relations for measurement-assisted feedback control beyond thermality.

Fundamental heat transfer research for gas turbine engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Metzger, D. E. (Editor)

1980-01-01

Thirty-seven experts from industry and the universities joined 24 NASA Lewis staff members in an exchange of ideas on trends in aeropropulsion research and technology, basic analyses, computational analyses, basic experiments, near-engine environment experiments, fundamental fluid mechanics and heat transfer, and hot technology as related to gas turbine engines. The workshop proceedings described include pre-workshop input from participants, presentations of current activity by the Lewis staff, reports of the four working groups, and a workshop summary.

Extracting maximum power from active colloidal heat engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, D.; Nardini, C.; Cates, M. E.; Fodor, É.

2018-03-01

Colloidal heat engines extract power out of a fluctuating bath by manipulating a confined tracer. Considering a self-propelled tracer surrounded by a bath of passive colloids, we optimize the engine performances based on the maximum available power. Our approach relies on an adiabatic mean-field treatment of the bath particles which reduces the many-body description into an effective tracer dynamics. It leads us to reveal that, when operated at constant activity, an engine can only produce less maximum power than its passive counterpart. In contrast, the output power of an isothermal engine, operating with cyclic variations of the self-propulsion without any passive equivalent, exhibits an optimum in terms of confinement and activity. Direct numerical simulations of the microscopic dynamics support the validity of these results even beyond the mean-field regime, with potential relevance to the design of experimental engines.

Design and evaluation of fluidized bed heat recovery for diesel engine systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamm, J. R.; Newby, R. A.; Vidt, E. J.; Lippert, T. E.

1985-01-01

The potential of utilizing fluidized bed heat exchangers in place of conventional counter-flow heat exchangers for heat recovery from adiabatic diesel engine exhaust gas streams was studied. Fluidized bed heat recovery systems were evaluated in three different heavy duty transport applications: (1) heavy duty diesel truck; (2) diesel locomotives; and (3) diesel marine pushboat. The three applications are characterized by differences in overall power output and annual utilization. For each application, the exhaust gas source is a turbocharged-adiabatic diesel core. Representative subposed exhaust gas heat utilization power cycles were selected for conceptual design efforts including design layouts and performance estimates for the fluidized bed heat recovery heat exchangers. The selected power cycles were: organic rankine with RC-1 working fluid, turbocompound power turbine with steam injection, and stirling engine. Fuel economy improvement predictions are used in conjunction with capital cost estimates and fuel price data to determine payback times for the various cases.

Thermoelectric Exhaust Heat Recovery with Heat Pipe-Based Thermal Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brito, F. P.; Martins, Jorge; Hançer, Esra; Antunes, Nuno; Gonçalves, L. M.

2015-06-01

Heat pipe (HP)-based heat exchangers can be used for very low resistance heat transfer between a hot and a cold source. Their operating temperature depends solely on the boiling point of their working fluid, so it is possible to control the heat transfer temperature if the pressure of the HP can be adjusted. This is the case of the variable conductance HPs (VCHP). This solution makes VCHPs ideal for the passive control of thermoelectric generator (TEG) temperature levels. The present work assesses, both theoretically and experimentally, the merit of the aforementioned approach. A thermal and electrical model of a TEG with VCHP assist is proposed. Experimental results obtained with a proof of concept prototype attached to a small single-cylinder engine are presented and used to validate the model. It was found that the HP heat exchanger indeed enables the TEG to operate at a constant, optimal temperature in a passive and safe way, and with a minimal overall thermal resistance, under part load, it effectively reduces the active module area without deprecating the temperature level of the active modules.

On the practical efficiency of shape memory engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCormick, P. G.

1987-02-01

The effects of non-ideal behavior, i.e., thermal efficiencies less than perfect, on the efficiency of shape memory (SME) engines are analyzed. Account is taken of the temperature hysteresis between the forward and reverse transformation and the finite elastic compliance of the SM element and the engine. The temperature difference produced by a particular stress cycle and necessary to complete the cycle is quantified, along with the temperature penalty which arises from non-ideal behavior. The hysteresis, elastic compliance and low working strains in cycled materials are shown to yield low thermal efficiencies, e.g., 1.95 pct instead of 6.74 pct in the case of a 20 k hysteresis. Heat recycling can theoretically improve the efficiency to about 3.23 pct.

Making Work: Demonstrating Thermodynamic Concepts with Solar-Powered Wax and Rubber Heat Engines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Appleyard, S. J.

2007-01-01

Construction details are provided for simple heat engines that use candle wax and elastomers as working substances. The engines are constructed using common household materials and can be easily constructed in a school classroom or at home. They work reliably and are useful tools for demonstrating the conversion of heat to mechanical work. They…

Natural Gas Engine-Driven Heat Pump Demonstration at DoD Installations: Performance and Reliability Summary

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-09

ER D C/ CE R L TR -0 9 -1 0 Natural Gas Engine-Driven Heat Pump Demonstration at DoD Installations Performance and Reliability Summary...L ab or at or y Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. ERDC/CERL TR-09-10 June 2009 Natural Gas Engine-Driven Heat Pump ...CERL TR-09-10 ii Abstract: Results of field testing natural gas engine-driven heat pumps (GHP) at six southwestern U.S. Department of Defense (DoD

Electrical performances of pyroelectric bimetallic strip heat engines describing a Stirling cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnaud, A.; Boughaleb, J.; Monfray, S.; Boeuf, F.; Cugat, O.; Skotnicki, T.

2015-12-01

This paper deals with the analytical modeling of pyroelectric bimetallic strip heat engines. These devices are designed to exploit the snap-through of a thermo-mechanically bistable membrane to transform a part of the heat flowing through the membrane into mechanical energy and to convert it into electric energy by means of a piezoelectric layer deposited on the surface of the bistable membrane. In this paper, we describe the properties of these heat engines in the case when they complete a Stirling cycle, and we evaluate the performances (available energy, Carnot efficiency...) of these harvesters at the macro- and micro-scale.

High Temperature Solid Lubricant Materials for Heavy Duty and Advanced Heat Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dellacorte, C.; Wood, J. C.

1994-01-01

Advanced engine designs incorporate higher mechanical and thermal loading to achieve efficiency improvements. This approach often leads to higher operating temperatures of critical sliding elements (e.g. piston ring/cylinder wall contacts and valve guides) which compromise the use of conventional and even advanced synthetic liquid lubricants. For these applications solid lubricants must be considered. Several novel solid lubricant composites and coatings designated PS/PM200 have been employed to dry and marginally oil lubricated contacts in advanced heat engines. These applications include cylinder kits of heavy duty diesels, and high temperature Stirling engines, sidewall seals of rotary engines, and various exhaust valve and exhaust component applications. This paper describes the tribological and thermophysical properties of these tribomaterials and reviews the results of applying them to engine applications. Other potential tribological materials and applications are also discussed with particular emphasis on heavy duty and advanced heat engines.

Memory alloy heat engine and method of operation

DOEpatents

Johnson, Alfred Davis

1977-01-01

A heat engine and method of operation employing an alloy having a shape memory effect. A memory alloy element such as one or more wire loops are cyclically moved through a heat source, along a path toward a heat sink, through the heat sink and then along another path in counter-flow heat exchange relationship with the wire in the first path. The portion of the wire along the first path is caused to elongate to its trained length under minimum tension as it is cooled. The portion of the wire along the second path is caused to contract under maximum tension as it is heated. The resultant tension differential between the wires in the two paths is applied as a force through a distance to produce mechanical work. In one embodiment a first set of endless memory alloy wires are reeved in non-slip engagement between a pair of pulleys which are mounted for conjoint rotation within respective hot and cold reservoirs. Another set of endless memory alloy wires are reeved in non-slip engagement about another pair of pulleys which are mounted in the respective hot and cold reservoirs. The pulleys in the cold reservoir are of a larger diameter than those in the hot reservoir and the opposite reaches of the wires between the two sets of pulleys extend in closely spaced-apart relationship in counter-flow heat regenerator zones. The pulleys are turned to move the two sets of wires in opposite directions. The wires are stretched as they are cooled upon movement through the heat regenerator toward the cold reservoirs, and the wires contract as they are heated upon movement through the regenerator zones toward the hot reservoir. This contraction of wires exerts a larger torque on the greater diameter pulleys for turning the pulleys and supplying mechanical power. Means is provided for applying a variable tension to the wires. Phase change means is provided for controlling the angular phase of the pulleys of each set for purposes of start up procedure as well as for optimizing engine

Advantages of using a logarithmic scale in pressure-volume diagrams for Carnot and other heat engine cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shieh, Lih-Yir; Kan, Hung-Chih

2014-04-01

We demonstrate that plotting the P-V diagram of an ideal gas Carnot cycle on a logarithmic scale results in a more intuitive approach for deriving the final form of the efficiency equation. The same approach also facilitates the derivation of the efficiency of other thermodynamic engines that employ adiabatic ideal gas processes, such as the Brayton cycle, the Otto cycle, and the Diesel engine. We finally demonstrate that logarithmic plots of isothermal and adiabatic processes help with visualization in approximating an arbitrary process in terms of an infinite number of Carnot cycles.

Heat engine by exorcism of Maxwell Demon using spin angular momentum reservoir

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bedkihal, Salil; Wright, Jackson; Vaccaro, Joan; Gould, Tim

Landauer's erasure principle is a hallmark in thermodynamics and information theory. According to this principle, erasing one bit of information incurs a minimum energy cost. Recently, Vaccaro and Barnett (VB) have explored the role of multiple conserved quantities in memory erasure. They further illustrated that for the energy degenerate spin reservoirs, the cost of erasure can be solely in terms of spin angular momentum and no energy. Motivated by the VB erasure, in this work we propose a novel optical heat engine that operates under a single thermal reservoir and a spin angular momentum reservoir. The novel heat engine exploits ultrafast processes of phonon absorption to convert thermal phonon energy to coherent light. The entropy generated in this process then corresponds to a mixture of spin up and spin down populations of energy degenerate electronic ground states which acts as demon's memory. This information is then erased using a polarised spin reservoir that acts as an entropy sink. The proposed heat engines goes beyond the traditional Carnot engine.

Nonlinear dynamics analysis of a low-temperature-differential kinematic Stirling heat engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izumida, Yuki

2018-03-01

The low-temperature-differential (LTD) Stirling heat engine technology constitutes one of the important sustainable energy technologies. The basic question of how the rotational motion of the LTD Stirling heat engine is maintained or lost based on the temperature difference is thus a practically and physically important problem that needs to be clearly understood. Here, we approach this problem by proposing and investigating a minimal nonlinear dynamic model of an LTD kinematic Stirling heat engine. Our model is described as a driven nonlinear pendulum where the motive force is the temperature difference. The rotational state and the stationary state of the engine are described as a stable limit cycle and a stable fixed point of the dynamical equations, respectively. These two states coexist under a sufficient temperature difference, whereas the stable limit cycle does not exist under a temperature difference that is too small. Using a nonlinear bifurcation analysis, we show that the disappearance of the stable limit cycle occurs via a homoclinic bifurcation, with the temperature difference being the bifurcation parameter.

Heat transfer to throat tubes in a square-chambered rocket engine at the NASA Lewis Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nesbitt, James A.; Brindley, William J.

1989-01-01

A gaseous H2/O2 rocket engine was constructed at the NASA-Lewis to provide a high heat flux source representative of the heat flux to the blades in the high pressure fuel turbopump (HPFTP) during startup of the space shuttle main engines. The high heat flux source was required to evaluate the durability of thermal barrier coatings being investigated for use on these blades. The heat transfer, and specifically, the heat flux to tubes located at the throat of the test rocket engine was evaluated and compared to the heat flux to the blades in the HPFTP during engine startup. Gas temperatures, pressures and heat transfer coefficients in the test rocket engine were measured. Near surface metal temperatures below thin thermal barrier coatings were also measured at various angular orientations around the throat tube to indicate the angular dependence of the heat transfer coefficients. A finite difference model for a throat tube was developed and a thermal analysis was performed using the measured gas temperatures and the derived heat transfer coefficients to predict metal temperatures in the tube. Near surface metal temperatures of an uncoated throat tube were measured at the stagnation point and showed good agreement with temperatures predicted by the thermal model. The maximum heat flux to the throat tube was calculated and compared to that predicted for the leading edge of an HPFTP blade. It is shown that the heat flux to an uncooled throat tube is slightly greater than the heat flux to an HPFTP blade during engine startup.

The thermodynamic efficiency of heat engines with friction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bizarro, João P. S.

2012-04-01

The presence of the work done against friction is incorporated into the analysis of the efficiency of heat engines based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics. We obtain the efficiencies of Stirling and Brayton engines with friction and recover results known from finite-time thermodynamics. We show that ηfric/η ≈ (1 - Wfric/W), where ηfric/η is the ratio of the efficiencies with and without friction and Wfric/W is the fraction of the work W performed by the working fluid which is spent against friction forces.

Finite-size effect on optimal efficiency of heat engines.

PubMed

Tajima, Hiroyasu; Hayashi, Masahito

2017-07-01

The optimal efficiency of quantum (or classical) heat engines whose heat baths are n-particle systems is given by the strong large deviation. We give the optimal work extraction process as a concrete energy-preserving unitary time evolution among the heat baths and the work storage. We show that our optimal work extraction turns the disordered energy of the heat baths to the ordered energy of the work storage, by evaluating the ratio of the entropy difference to the energy difference in the heat baths and the work storage, respectively. By comparing the statistical mechanical optimal efficiency with the macroscopic thermodynamic bound, we evaluate the accuracy of the macroscopic thermodynamics with finite-size heat baths from the statistical mechanical viewpoint. We also evaluate the quantum coherence effect on the optimal efficiency of the cycle processes without restricting their cycle time by comparing the classical and quantum optimal efficiencies.

Power enhancement of heat engines via correlated thermalization in a three-level "working fluid".

PubMed

Gelbwaser-Klimovsky, David; Niedenzu, Wolfgang; Brumer, Paul; Kurizki, Gershon

2015-09-23

We explore means of maximizing the power output of a heat engine based on a periodically-driven quantum system that is constantly coupled to hot and cold baths. It is shown that the maximal power output of such a heat engine whose "working fluid" is a degenerate V-type three-level system is that generated by two independent two-level systems. Hence, level degeneracy is a thermodynamic resource that may effectively double the power output. The efficiency, however, is not affected. We find that coherence is not an essential asset in such multilevel-based heat engines. The existence of two thermalization pathways sharing a common ground state suffices for power enhancement.

Phase-coherent engineering of electronic heat currents with a Josephson modulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fornieri, Antonio; Blanc, Christophe; Bosisio, Riccardo; D'Ambrosio, Sophie; Giazotto, Francesco

In this contribution we report the realization of the first balanced Josephson heat modulator designed to offer full control at the nanoscale over the phase-coherent component of electronic thermal currents. The ability to master the amount of heat transferred through two tunnel-coupled superconductors by tuning their phase difference is the core of coherent caloritronics, and is expected to be a key tool in a number of nanoscience fields, including solid state cooling, thermal isolation, radiation detection, quantum information and thermal logic. Our device provides magnetic-flux-dependent temperature modulations up to 40 mK in amplitude with a maximum of the flux-to-temperature transfer coefficient reaching 200 mK per flux quantum at a bath temperature of 25 mK. Foremost, it demonstrates the exact correspondence in the phase-engineering of charge and heat currents, breaking ground for advanced caloritronic nanodevices such as thermal splitters, heat pumps and time-dependent electronic engines.

Exergy analysis of electrically- and thermally-driven engines to drive heat pumps: An exhaustive comparative study

DOE PAGES

Ally, Moonis R.; Sharma, Vishaldeep; Abdelaziz, Omar

2017-02-21

The choice of driving a heat pump with an electrically$-$or a thermally-driven engine is a vexing question complicated by the carbon footprint and environmental impact of using electricity versus natural gas (or waste heat) as the main driver for the respective engines. The amount of useful work generated by these two distinct engines is the focal point of this paper, which addresses a key question: which engine presents a better choice for a given heat pumping application within the constraints of energy and environmental stewardship? Extensive use of energy, exergy, and availability analysis is necessary to quantify the useful workmore » and to examine the issue holistically for both types of engines. The methodology explains why the output of work from these two distinct engines to satisfy a given load is vastly different, a direct consequence of their inherent Irreversibility. Thermodynamic consistency is guaranteed by satisfaction of the First and Second Laws applied to closed systems and their subsystems. The general conclusion is that thermally-driven engines are not industrious converters of heat to mechanical work.« less

Exergy analysis of electrically- and thermally-driven engines to drive heat pumps: An exhaustive comparative study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ally, Moonis R.; Sharma, Vishaldeep; Abdelaziz, Omar

The choice of driving a heat pump with an electrically$-$or a thermally-driven engine is a vexing question complicated by the carbon footprint and environmental impact of using electricity versus natural gas (or waste heat) as the main driver for the respective engines. The amount of useful work generated by these two distinct engines is the focal point of this paper, which addresses a key question: which engine presents a better choice for a given heat pumping application within the constraints of energy and environmental stewardship? Extensive use of energy, exergy, and availability analysis is necessary to quantify the useful workmore » and to examine the issue holistically for both types of engines. The methodology explains why the output of work from these two distinct engines to satisfy a given load is vastly different, a direct consequence of their inherent Irreversibility. Thermodynamic consistency is guaranteed by satisfaction of the First and Second Laws applied to closed systems and their subsystems. The general conclusion is that thermally-driven engines are not industrious converters of heat to mechanical work.« less

Heat transfer in rocket engine combustion chambers and regeneratively cooled nozzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

A conjugate heat transfer computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model to describe regenerative cooling in the main combustion chamber and nozzle and in the injector faceplate region for a launch vehicle class liquid rocket engine was developed. An injector model for sprays which treats the fluid as a variable density, single-phase media was formulated, incorporated into a version of the FDNS code, and used to simulate the injector flow typical of that in the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME). Various chamber related heat transfer analyses were made to verify the predictive capability of the conjugate heat transfer analysis provided by the FDNS code. The density based version of the FDNS code with the real fluid property models developed was successful in predicting the streamtube combustion of individual injector elements.

Efficiency at maximum power output of linear irreversible Carnot-like heat engines.

PubMed

Wang, Yang; Tu, Z C

2012-01-01

The efficiency at maximum power output of linear irreversible Carnot-like heat engines is investigated based on the assumption that the rate of irreversible entropy production of the working substance in each "isothermal" process is a quadratic form of the heat exchange rate between the working substance and the reservoir. It is found that the maximum power output corresponds to minimizing the irreversible entropy production in two isothermal processes of the Carnot-like cycle, and that the efficiency at maximum power output has the form η(mP)=η(C)/(2-γη(C)), where η(C) is the Carnot efficiency, while γ depends on the heat transfer coefficients between the working substance and two reservoirs. The value of η(mP) is bounded between η(-)≡η(C)/2 and η(+)≡η(C)/(2-η(C)). These results are consistent with those obtained by Chen and Yan [J. Chem. Phys. 90, 3740 (1989)] based on the endoreversible assumption, those obtained by Esposito et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 150603 (2010)] based on the low-dissipation assumption, and those obtained by Schmiedl and Seifert [Europhys. Lett. 81, 20003 (2008)] for stochastic heat engines which in fact also satisfy the low-dissipation assumption. Additionally, we find that the endoreversible assumption happens to hold for Carnot-like heat engines operating at the maximum power output based on our fundamental assumption, and that the Carnot-like heat engines that we focused on do not strictly satisfy the low-dissipation assumption, which implies that the low-dissipation assumption or our fundamental assumption is a sufficient but non-necessary condition for the validity of η(mP)=η(C)/(2-γη(C)) as well as the existence of two bounds, η(-)≡η(C)/2 and η(+)≡η(C)/(2-η(C)). © 2012 American Physical Society

An assessment of CFD-based wall heat transfer models in piston engines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sircar, Arpan; Paul, Chandan; Ferreyro-Fernandez, Sebastian

The lack of accurate submodels for in-cylinder heat transfer has been identified as a key shortcoming in developing truly predictive, physics-based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models that can be used to develop combustion systems for advanced high-efficiency, low-emissions engines. Only recently have experimental methods become available that enable accurate near-wall measurements to enhance simulation capability via advancing models. Initial results show crank-angle dependent discrepancies with respect to previously used boundary-layer models of up to 100%. However, available experimental data is quite sparse (only few data points on engine walls) and limited (available measurements are those of heat flux only). Predictivemore » submodels are needed for medium-resolution ("engineering") LES and for unsteady Reynolds-averaged simulations (URANS). Recently, some research groups have performed DNS studies on engine-relevant conditions using simple geometries. These provide very useful data for benchmarking wall heat transfer models under such conditions. Further, a number of new and more sophisticated models have also become available in the literature which account for these engine-like conditions. Some of these have been incorporated while others of a more complex nature, which include solving additional partial differential equations (PDEs) within the thin boundary layer near the wall, are underway. These models will then be tested against the available DNS/experimental data in both SI (spark-ignition) and CI (compression-ignition) engines.« less

Thermodynamic and Mechanical Analysis of a Thermomagnetic Rotary Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fajar, D. M.; Khotimah, S. N.; Khairurrijal

2016-08-01

A heat engine in magnetic system had three thermodynamic coordinates: magnetic intensity ℋ, total magnetization ℳ, and temperature T, where the first two of them are respectively analogous to that of gaseous system: pressure P and volume V. Consequently, Carnot cycle that constitutes the principle of a heat engine in gaseous system is also valid on that in magnetic system. A thermomagnetic rotary engine is one model of it that was designed in the form of a ferromagnetic wheel that can rotates because of magnetization change at Curie temperature. The study is aimed to describe the thermodynamic and mechanical analysis of a thermomagnetic rotary engine and calculate the efficiencies. In thermodynamic view, the ideal processes are isothermal demagnetization, adiabatic demagnetization, isothermal magnetization, and adiabatic magnetization. The values of thermodynamic efficiency depend on temperature difference between hot and cold reservoir. In mechanical view, a rotational work is determined through calculation of moment of inertia and average angular speed. The value of mechanical efficiency is calculated from ratio between rotational work and heat received by system. The study also obtains exergetic efficiency that states the performance quality of the engine.

An Analysis of the Effect of Surface Heat Exchange on the Thermal Behavior of an Idealized Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Güven, O.; Melville, J. G.; Molz, F. J.

1983-06-01

Analytical expressions are derived for the temperature distribution and the mean temperature of an idealized aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) system, taking into account the heat exchange at the ground surface and the finite thickness of the overlying layer above the storage aquifer. The analytical expressions for the mean temperature may be used to obtain rough estimates of first-cycle recovery factors for preliminary evaluations of shallow confined or unconfined ATES systems. The results, which are presented in nondimensional plots, indicate that surface heat exchange may have a significant influence on the thermal behavior of shallow ATES systems. Thus it is suggested that the effects of surface heat exchange should be considered carefully and included in the detailed analyses of such ATES systems.

Atmospheric heat engines on earth and Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Philip, J. R.

1987-06-01

The character of the earth's atmospheric heat engine depends, inter alia, on the relatively tight linkage between surface fluxes of energy and of H2O. On Mars, on the other hand, H2O-based latent heat fluxes are only a trivial fraction of total surface energy fluxes, and the dominant component of the working fluid is CO2. These considerations are made quantitative through evaluation of Lambda, the equivalent temperature excess at the surface for a particular component of the working fluid. The very different values (and latitudinal distribution) of Lambda on the two planets signalize vividly their different meteorology. Preliminary study of the climatology of Lambda on earth brings out, in particular, the tightness of the H2O-energy linkage in the tropics.

Development and test of combustion chamber for Stirling engine heated by natural gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Tie; Song, Xiange; Gui, Xiaohong; Tang, Dawei; Li, Zhigang; Cao, Wenyu

2014-04-01

The combustion chamber is an important component for the Stirling engine heated by natural gas. In the paper, we develop a combustion chamber for the Stirling engine which aims to generate 3˜5 kWe electric power. The combustion chamber includes three main components: combustion module, heat exchange cavity and thermal head. Its feature is that the structure can divide "combustion" process and "heat transfer" process into two apparent individual steps and make them happen one by one. Since natural gas can mix with air fully before burning, the combustion process can be easily completed without the second wind. The flame can avoid contacting the thermal head of Stirling engine, and the temperature fields can be easily controlled. The designed combustion chamber is manufactured and its performance is tested by an experiment which includes two steps. The experimental result of the first step proves that the mixture of air and natural gas can be easily ignited and the flame burns stably. In the second step of experiment, the combustion heat flux can reach 20 kW, and the energy utilization efficiency of thermal head has exceeded 0.5. These test results show that the thermal performance of combustion chamber has reached the design goal. The designed combustion chamber can be applied to a real Stirling engine heated by natural gas which is to generate 3˜5 kWe electric power.

Camelina sativa: An ideal platform for the metabolic engineering and field production of industrial lipids.

PubMed

Bansal, Sunil; Durrett, Timothy P

2016-01-01

Triacylglycerols (TAG) containing modified fatty acids with functionality beyond those found in commercially grown oil seed crops can be used as feedstocks for biofuels and bio-based materials. Over the years, advances have been made in transgenically engineering the production of various modified fatty acids in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. However, the inability to produce large quantities of transgenic seed has limited the functional testing of the modified oil. In contrast, the emerging oil seed crop Camelina sativa possesses important agronomic traits that recommend it as an ideal production platform for biofuels and industrial feedstocks. Camelina possesses low water and fertilizer requirements and is capable of yields comparable to other oil seed crops, particularly under stress conditions. Importantly, its relatively short growing season enables it to be grown as part of a double cropping system. In addition to these valuable agronomic features, Camelina is amenable to rapid metabolic engineering. The development of a simple and effective transformation method, combined with the availability of abundant transcriptomic and genomic data, has allowed the generation of transgenic Camelina lines capable of synthesizing high levels of unusual lipids. In some cases these levels have surpassed what was achieved in Arabidopsis. Further, the ability to use Camelina as a crop production system has allowed for the large scale growth of transgenic oil seed crops, enabling subsequent physical property testing. The application of new techniques such as genome editing will further increase the suitability of Camelina as an ideal platform for the production of biofuels and bio-materials. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. and Société Française de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire (SFBBM). All rights reserved.

An Idealized Direct-Contact Biomass Pyrolysis Reactor Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, R. S.; Bellan, J.

1996-01-01

A numerical study is performed in order to assess the performance of biomass pyrolysis reactors which utilize direct particle-wall thermal conduction heating. An idealized reactor configuration consisting of a flat-plate turbulent boundary layer flow with particle convection along the heated wall and incorporating particle re-entrainment is considered.

Nanoscale phase engineering of thermal transport with a Josephson heat modulator.

PubMed

Fornieri, Antonio; Blanc, Christophe; Bosisio, Riccardo; D'Ambrosio, Sophie; Giazotto, Francesco

2016-03-01

Macroscopic quantum phase coherence has one of its pivotal expressions in the Josephson effect, which manifests itself both in charge and energy transport. The ability to master the amount of heat transferred through two tunnel-coupled superconductors by tuning their phase difference is the core of coherent caloritronics, and is expected to be a key tool in a number of nanoscience fields, including solid-state cooling, thermal isolation, radiation detection, quantum information and thermal logic. Here, we show the realization of the first balanced Josephson heat modulator designed to offer full control at the nanoscale over the phase-coherent component of thermal currents. Our device provides magnetic-flux-dependent temperature modulations up to 40 mK in amplitude with a maximum of the flux-to-temperature transfer coefficient reaching 200 mK per flux quantum at a bath temperature of 25 mK. Foremost, it demonstrates the exact correspondence in the phase engineering of charge and heat currents, breaking ground for advanced caloritronic nanodevices such as thermal splitters, heat pumps and time-dependent electronic engines.

Nanoscale phase engineering of thermal transport with a Josephson heat modulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fornieri, Antonio; Blanc, Christophe; Bosisio, Riccardo; D'Ambrosio, Sophie; Giazotto, Francesco

2016-03-01

Macroscopic quantum phase coherence has one of its pivotal expressions in the Josephson effect, which manifests itself both in charge and energy transport. The ability to master the amount of heat transferred through two tunnel-coupled superconductors by tuning their phase difference is the core of coherent caloritronics, and is expected to be a key tool in a number of nanoscience fields, including solid-state cooling, thermal isolation, radiation detection, quantum information and thermal logic. Here, we show the realization of the first balanced Josephson heat modulator designed to offer full control at the nanoscale over the phase-coherent component of thermal currents. Our device provides magnetic-flux-dependent temperature modulations up to 40 mK in amplitude with a maximum of the flux-to-temperature transfer coefficient reaching 200 mK per flux quantum at a bath temperature of 25 mK. Foremost, it demonstrates the exact correspondence in the phase engineering of charge and heat currents, breaking ground for advanced caloritronic nanodevices such as thermal splitters, heat pumps and time-dependent electronic engines.

Quantum Otto heat engine with three-qubit XXZ model as working substance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, X. L.; Sun, Qi; Guo, D. Y.; Yu, Qian

2018-02-01

A quantum Otto heat engine is established with a three-qubit Heisenberg XXZ model with Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interaction under a homogeneous magnetic field as the working substance. The quantum Otto engine is composed of two quantum isochoric processes and two quantum adiabatic processes. Here we have restricted Bc /Bh =Jc /Jh = r in the two adiabatic processes, where r is the adiabatic compression ratio. The work output and efficiency are calculated for our cycle. The possible adiabatic compression ratios and the ratios of work output between our working substance and a single spin under the same external conditions in the Otto cycle are analyzed with different DM interaction parameters and anisotropic parameters. The effects of pairwise entanglements on the heat engine efficiency are discussed.

Coolant Design System for Liquid Propellant Aerospike Engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McConnell, Miranda; Branam, Richard

2015-11-01

Liquid propellant rocket engines burn at incredibly high temperatures making it difficult to design an effective coolant system. These particular engines prove to be extremely useful by powering the rocket with a variable thrust that is ideal for space travel. When combined with aerospike engine nozzles, which provide maximum thrust efficiency, this class of rockets offers a promising future for rocketry. In order to troubleshoot the problems that high combustion chamber temperatures pose, this research took a computational approach to heat analysis. Chambers milled into the combustion chamber walls, lined by a copper cover, were tested for their efficiency in cooling the hot copper wall. Various aspect ratios and coolants were explored for the maximum wall temperature by developing our own MATLAB code. The code uses a nodal temperature analysis with conduction and convection equations and assumes no internal heat generation. This heat transfer research will show oxygen is a better coolant than water, and higher aspect ratios are less efficient at cooling. This project funded by NSF REU Grant 1358991.

An improved heat transfer configuration for a solid-core nuclear thermal rocket engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, John S.; Walton, James T.; Mcguire, Melissa L.

1992-01-01

Interrupted flow, impingement cooling, and axial power distribution are employed to enhance the heat-transfer configuration of a solid-core nuclear thermal rocket engine. Impingement cooling is introduced to increase the local heat-transfer coefficients between the reactor material and the coolants. Increased fuel loading is used at the inlet end of the reactor to enhance heat-transfer capability where the temperature differences are the greatest. A thermal-hydraulics computer program for an unfueled NERVA reactor core is employed to analyze the proposed configuration with attention given to uniform fuel loading, number of channels through the impingement wafers, fuel-element length, mass-flow rate, and wafer gap. The impingement wafer concept (IWC) is shown to have heat-transfer characteristics that are better than those of the NERVA-derived reactor at 2500 K. The IWC concept is argued to be an effective heat-transfer configuration for solid-core nuclear thermal rocket engines.

Waste heat recovery from adiabatic diesel engines by exhaust-driven Brayton cycles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khalifa, H. E.

1983-01-01

An evaluation of Bryton Bottoming Systems (BBS) as waste heat recovery devices for future adiabatic diesel engines in heavy duty trucks is presented. Parametric studies were performed to evaluate the influence of external and internal design parameters on BBS performance. Conceptual design and trade-off studies were undertaken to estimate the optimum configuration, size, and cost of major hardware components. The potential annual fuel savings of long-haul trucks equipped with BBS were estimated. The addition of a BBS to a turbocharged, nonaftercooled adiabatic engine would improve fuel economy by as much as 12%. In comparison with an aftercooled, turbocompound engine, the BBS-equipped turbocharged engine would offer a 4.4% fuel economy advantage. If installed in tandem with an aftercooled turbocompound engine, the BBS could effect a 7.2% fuel economy improvement. The cost of a mass-produced 38 Bhp BBS is estimated at about $6460 or 170/Bhp. Technical and economic barriers that hinder the commercial introduction of bottoming systems were identified. Related studies in the area of waste heat recovery from adiabatic diesel engines and NASA-CR-168255 (Steam Rankine) and CR-168256 (Organic Rankine).

Building an Understanding of Heat Transfer Concepts in Undergraduate Chemical Engineering Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nottis, Katharyn E. K.; Prince, Michael J.; Vigeant, Margot A.

2010-01-01

Understanding the distinctions among heat, energy and temperature can be difficult for students at all levels of instruction, including those in engineering. Misconceptions about heat transfer have been found to persist, even after students successfully complete relevant coursework. New instructional methods are needed to address these…

Efficiency at maximum power output of linear irreversible Carnot-like heat engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yang; Tu, Z. C.

2012-01-01

The efficiency at maximum power output of linear irreversible Carnot-like heat engines is investigated based on the assumption that the rate of irreversible entropy production of the working substance in each “isothermal” process is a quadratic form of the heat exchange rate between the working substance and the reservoir. It is found that the maximum power output corresponds to minimizing the irreversible entropy production in two isothermal processes of the Carnot-like cycle, and that the efficiency at maximum power output has the form ηmP=ηC/(2-γηC), where ηC is the Carnot efficiency, while γ depends on the heat transfer coefficients between the working substance and two reservoirs. The value of ηmP is bounded between η-≡ηC/2 and η+≡ηC/(2-ηC). These results are consistent with those obtained by Chen and Yan [J. Chem. Phys.JCPSA60021-960610.1063/1.455832 90, 3740 (1989)] based on the endoreversible assumption, those obtained by Esposito [Phys. Rev. Lett.PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.105.150603 105, 150603 (2010)] based on the low-dissipation assumption, and those obtained by Schmiedl and Seifert [Europhys. Lett.EULEEJ0295-507510.1209/0295-5075/81/20003 81, 20003 (2008)] for stochastic heat engines which in fact also satisfy the low-dissipation assumption. Additionally, we find that the endoreversible assumption happens to hold for Carnot-like heat engines operating at the maximum power output based on our fundamental assumption, and that the Carnot-like heat engines that we focused on do not strictly satisfy the low-dissipation assumption, which implies that the low-dissipation assumption or our fundamental assumption is a sufficient but non-necessary condition for the validity of ηmP=ηC/(2-γηC) as well as the existence of two bounds, η-≡ηC/2 and η+≡ηC/(2-ηC).

Thermoelectric properties of an interacting quantum dot based heat engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erdman, Paolo Andrea; Mazza, Francesco; Bosisio, Riccardo; Benenti, Giuliano; Fazio, Rosario; Taddei, Fabio

2017-06-01

We study the thermoelectric properties and heat-to-work conversion performance of an interacting, multilevel quantum dot (QD) weakly coupled to electronic reservoirs. We focus on the sequential tunneling regime. The dynamics of the charge in the QD is studied by means of master equations for the probabilities of occupation. From here we compute the charge and heat currents in the linear response regime. Assuming a generic multiterminal setup, and for low temperatures (quantum limit), we obtain analytical expressions for the transport coefficients which account for the interplay between interactions (charging energy) and level quantization. In the case of systems with two and three terminals we derive formulas for the power factor Q and the figure of merit Z T for a QD-based heat engine, identifying optimal working conditions which maximize output power and efficiency of heat-to-work conversion. Beyond the linear response we concentrate on the two-terminal setup. We first study the thermoelectric nonlinear coefficients assessing the consequences of large temperature and voltage biases, focusing on the breakdown of the Onsager reciprocal relation between thermopower and Peltier coefficient. We then investigate the conditions which optimize the performance of a heat engine, finding that in the quantum limit output power and efficiency at maximum power can almost be simultaneously maximized by choosing appropriate values of electrochemical potential and bias voltage. At last we study how energy level degeneracy can increase the output power.

Heat pump system

DOEpatents

Swenson, Paul F.; Moore, Paul B.

1979-01-01

An air heating and cooling system for a building includes an expansion-type refrigeration circuit and a heat engine. The refrigeration circuit includes two heat exchangers, one of which is communicated with a source of indoor air from the building and the other of which is communicated with a source of air from outside the building. The heat engine includes a heat rejection circuit having a source of rejected heat and a primary heat exchanger connected to the source of rejected heat. The heat rejection circuit also includes an evaporator in heat exchange relation with the primary heat exchanger, a heat engine indoor heat exchanger, and a heat engine outdoor heat exchanger. The indoor heat exchangers are disposed in series air flow relationship, with the heat engine indoor heat exchanger being disposed downstream from the refrigeration circuit indoor heat exchanger. The outdoor heat exchangers are also disposed in series air flow relationship, with the heat engine outdoor heat exchanger disposed downstream from the refrigeration circuit outdoor heat exchanger. A common fluid is used in both of the indoor heat exchangers and in both of the outdoor heat exchangers. In a first embodiment, the heat engine is a Rankine cycle engine. In a second embodiment, the heat engine is a non-Rankine cycle engine.

Heat pump system

DOEpatents

Swenson, Paul F.; Moore, Paul B.

1982-01-01

An air heating and cooling system for a building includes an expansion-type refrigeration circuit and a heat engine. The refrigeration circuit includes two heat exchangers, one of which is communicated with a source of indoor air from the building and the other of which is communicated with a source of air from outside the building. The heat engine includes a heat rejection circuit having a source of rejected heat and a primary heat exchanger connected to the source of rejected heat. The heat rejection circuit also includes an evaporator in heat exchange relation with the primary heat exchanger, a heat engine indoor heat exchanger, and a heat engine outdoor heat exchanger. The indoor heat exchangers are disposed in series air flow relationship, with the heat engine indoor heat exchanger being disposed downstream from the refrigeration circuit indoor heat exchanger. The outdoor heat exchangers are also disposed in series air flow relationship, with the heat engine outdoor heat exchanger disposed downstream from the refrigeration circuit outdoor heat exchanger. A common fluid is used in both of the indoor heat exchanges and in both of the outdoor heat exchangers. In a first embodiment, the heat engine is a Rankine cycle engine. In a second embodiment, the heat engine is a non-Rankine cycle engine.

Irreversibilities and efficiency at maximum power of heat engines: the illustrative case of a thermoelectric generator.

PubMed

Apertet, Y; Ouerdane, H; Goupil, C; Lecoeur, Ph

2012-03-01

Energy conversion efficiency at maximum output power, which embodies the essential characteristics of heat engines, is the main focus of the present work. The so-called Curzon and Ahlborn efficiency η(CA) is commonly believed to be an absolute reference for real heat engines; however, a different but general expression for the case of stochastic heat engines, η(SS), was recently found and then extended to low-dissipation engines. The discrepancy between η(CA) and η(SS) is here analyzed considering different irreversibility sources of heat engines, of both internal and external types. To this end, we choose a thermoelectric generator operating in the strong-coupling regime as a physical system to qualitatively and quantitatively study the impact of the nature of irreversibility on the efficiency at maximum output power. In the limit of pure external dissipation, we obtain η(CA), while η(SS) corresponds to the case of pure internal dissipation. A continuous transition between from one extreme to the other, which may be operated by tuning the different sources of irreversibility, also is evidenced.

Power enhancement of heat engines via correlated thermalization in a three-level “working fluid”

PubMed Central

Gelbwaser-Klimovsky, David; Niedenzu, Wolfgang; Brumer, Paul; Kurizki, Gershon

2015-01-01

We explore means of maximizing the power output of a heat engine based on a periodically-driven quantum system that is constantly coupled to hot and cold baths. It is shown that the maximal power output of such a heat engine whose “working fluid” is a degenerate V-type three-level system is that generated by two independent two-level systems. Hence, level degeneracy is a thermodynamic resource that may effectively double the power output. The efficiency, however, is not affected. We find that coherence is not an essential asset in such multilevel-based heat engines. The existence of two thermalization pathways sharing a common ground state suffices for power enhancement. PMID:26394838

Some heat engine cycles in which liquids can work.

PubMed

Allen, P C; Paulson, D N; Wheatley, J C

1981-01-01

Liquids can work in heat engine cycles that employ regeneration. Four such cycles are discussed: Stirling, Malone, Stirling-Malone, and Brayton. Both regeneration and the role of the second thermodynamic medium are treated, and the principles are verified by quantitative measurements with propylene in a Stirling-Malone cycle.

Ceramic valve development for heavy-duty low heat rejection diesel engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weber, K. E.; Micu, C. J.

1989-01-01

Monolithic ceramic valves can be successfully operated in a heavy-duty diesel engine, even under extreme low heat rejection operating conditions. This paper describes the development of a silicon nitride valve from the initial design stage to actual engine testing. Supplier involvement, finite element analysis, and preliminary proof of concept demonstration testing played a significant role in this project's success.

Oscillating flow loss test results in Stirling engine heat exchangers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koester, G.; Howell, S.; Wood, G.; Miller, E.; Gedeon, D.

1990-01-01

The results are presented for a test program designed to generate a database of oscillating flow loss information that is applicable to Stirling engine heat exchangers. The tests were performed on heater/cooler tubes of various lengths and entrance/exit configurations, on stacked and sintered screen regenerators of various wire diameters and on Brunswick and Metex random fiber regenerators. The test results were performed over a range of oscillating flow parameters consistent with Stirling engine heat exchanger experience. The tests were performed on the Sunpower oscillating flow loss rig which is based on a variable stroke and variable frequency linear drive motor. In general, the results are presented by comparing the measured oscillating flow losses to the calculated flow losses. The calculated losses are based on the cycle integration of steady flow friction factors and entrance/exit loss coefficients.

Some heat engine cycles in which liquids can work

PubMed Central

Allen, P. C.; Paulson, D. N.; Wheatley, J. C.

1981-01-01

Liquids can work in heat engine cycles that employ regeneration. Four such cycles are discussed: Stirling, Malone, Stirling-Malone, and Brayton. Both regeneration and the role of the second thermodynamic medium are treated, and the principles are verified by quantitative measurements with propylene in a Stirling-Malone cycle. PMID:16592952

Ideal MHD Stability Prediction and Required Power for EAST Advanced Scenario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Junjie; Li, Guoqiang; Qian, Jinping; Liu, Zixi

2012-11-01

The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) is the first fully superconducting tokamak with a D-shaped cross-sectional plasma presently in operation. The ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability and required power for the EAST advanced tokamak (AT) scenario with negative central shear and double transport barrier (DTB) are investigated. With the equilibrium code TOQ and stability code GATO, the ideal MHD stability is analyzed. It is shown that a moderate ratio of edge transport barriers' (ETB) height to internal transport barriers' (ITBs) height is beneficial to ideal MHD stability. The normalized beta βN limit is about 2.20 (without wall) and 3.70 (with ideal wall). With the scaling law of energy confinement time, the required heating power for EAST AT scenario is calculated. The total heating power Pt increases as the toroidal magnetic field BT or the normalized beta βN is increased.

Adaptive individual-cylinder thermal state control using intake air heating for a GDCI engine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roth, Gregory T.; Sellnau, Mark C.

A system for a multi-cylinder compression ignition engine includes a plurality of heaters, at least one heater per cylinder, with each heater configured to heat air introduced into a cylinder. Independent control of the heaters is provided on a cylinder-by-cylinder basis. A combustion parameter is determined for combustion in each cylinder of the engine, and control of the heater for that cylinder is based on the value of the combustion parameter for combustion in that cylinder. A method for influencing combustion in a multi-cylinder compression ignition engine, including determining a combustion parameter for combustion taking place in a cylinder ofmore » the engine and controlling a heater configured to heat air introduced into that cylinder, is also provided.« less

Comparison of liquid rocket engine base region heat flux computations using three turbulence models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kumar, Ganesh N.; Griffith, Dwaine O., II; Prendergast, Maurice J.; Seaford, C. M.

1993-01-01

The flow in the base region of launch vehicles is characterized by flow separation, flow reversals, and reattachment. Computation of the convective heat flux in the base region and on the nozzle external surface of Space Shuttle Main Engine and Space Transportation Main Engine (STME) is an important part of defining base region thermal environments. Several turbulence models were incorporated in a CFD code and validated for flow and heat transfer computations in the separated and reattaching regions associated with subsonic and supersonic flows over backward facing steps. Heat flux computations in the base region of a single STME engine and a single S1C engine were performed using three different wall functions as well as a renormalization-group based k-epsilon model. With the very limited data available, the computed values are seen to be of the right order of magnitude. Based on the validation comparisons, it is concluded that all the turbulence models studied have predicted the reattachment location and the velocity profiles at various axial stations downstream of the step very well.

The Further Development of Heat-Resistant Materials for Aircraft Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bollenrath, Franz

1946-01-01

The present report deals with the problems involved in the greater utilization and development of aircraft engine materials, and specifically; piston materials, cylinder heads, exhaust valves, and exhaust gas turbine blading. The blades of the exhaust gas turbine are likely to be the highest stressed components of modern power plants from a thermal-mechanical and chemical standpoint, even though the requirements on exhaust valves of engines with gasoline injection are in general no less stringent. For the fire plate in Diesel engines the specifications for mechanical strength and design are not so stringent, and the question of heat resistance, which under these circumstances is easier obtainable, predominates.

Phase-space interference in extensive and nonextensive quantum heat engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardal, Ali Ü. C.; Paternostro, Mauro; Müstecaplıoǧlu, Özgür E.

2018-04-01

Quantum interference is at the heart of what sets the quantum and classical worlds apart. We demonstrate that quantum interference effects involving a many-body working medium is responsible for genuinely nonclassical features in the performance of a quantum heat engine. The features with which quantum interference manifests itself in the work output of the engine depends strongly on the extensive nature of the working medium. While identifying the class of work substances that optimize the performance of the engine, our results shed light on the optimal size of such media of quantum workers to maximize the work output and efficiency of quantum energy machines.

Thermal engine driven heat pump for recovery of volatile organic compounds

DOEpatents

Drake, Richard L.

1991-01-01

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for separating volatile organic compounds from a stream of process gas. An internal combustion engine drives a plurality of refrigeration systems, an electrical generator and an air compressor. The exhaust of the internal combustion engine drives an inert gas subsystem and a heater for the gas. A water jacket captures waste heat from the internal combustion engine and drives a second heater for the gas and possibly an additional refrigeration system for the supply of chilled water. The refrigeration systems mechanically driven by the internal combustion engine effect the precipitation of volatile organic compounds from the stream of gas.

Superconducting-circuit quantum heat engine with frequency resolved thermal baths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofer, Patrick P.; Souquet, Jean-René; Clerk, Aashish A.

The study of quantum heat engines promises to unravel deep, fundamental concepts in quantum thermodynamics. With this in mind, we propose a novel, realistic device that efficiently converts heat into work while maintaining reasonably large output powers. The key concept in our proposal is a highly peaked spectral density in both the thermal baths as well as the working fluid. This allows for a complete separation of the heat current from the working fluid. In our setup, Cooper pairs tunnelling across a Josephson junction serve as the the working fluid, while two resonant cavities coupled to the junction act as frequency-resolved thermal baths. The device is operated such that a heat flux carried entirely by the photons induces an electrical current against a voltage bias, providing work.

Quantum optomechanical piston engines powered by heat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mari, A.; Farace, A.; Giovannetti, V.

2015-09-01

We study two different models of optomechanical systems where a temperature gradient between two radiation baths is exploited for inducing self-sustained coherent oscillations of a mechanical resonator. From a thermodynamic perspective, such systems represent quantum instances of self-contained thermal machines converting heat into a periodic mechanical motion and thus they can be interpreted as nano-scale analogues of macroscopic piston engines. Our models are potentially suitable for testing fundamental aspects of quantum thermodynamics in the laboratory and for applications in energy efficient nanotechnology.

Study on Waste Heat Utilization Device of High-Temperature Freshwater in the Modern Marine Diesel Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shuaijun; Liu, Chentao; Zhou, Yao

2018-01-01

Based on using the waste heat recycling from high temperature freshwater in marine diesel engine to heat fuel oil tank, lubrication oil tank and settling tank and so on to achieve energy saving, improve fuel efficiency as the goal, study on waste heat utilization device of high-temperature freshwater in the modern marine diesel engine to make the combustion chamber effectively cooled by high-temperature freshwater and the inner liner freshwater temperature heat is effectively utilized and so on to improve the overall efficiency of the power plant of the ship and the diesel optimum working condition.

Model of Heat Exchangers for Waste Heat Recovery from Diesel Engine Exhaust for Thermoelectric Power Generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, Chad; Vuppuluri, Prem; Shi, Li; Hall, Matthew

2012-06-01

The performance and operating characteristics of a hypothetical thermoelectric generator system designed to extract waste heat from the exhaust of a medium-duty turbocharged diesel engine were modeled. The finite-difference model consisted of two integrated submodels: a heat exchanger model and a thermoelectric device model. The heat exchanger model specified a rectangular cross-sectional geometry with liquid coolant on the cold side, and accounted for the difference between the heat transfer rate from the exhaust and that to the coolant. With the spatial variation of the thermoelectric properties accounted for, the thermoelectric device model calculated the hot-side and cold-side heat flux for the temperature boundary conditions given for the thermoelectric elements, iterating until temperature and heat flux boundary conditions satisfied the convection conditions for both exhaust and coolant, and heat transfer in the thermoelectric device. A downhill simplex method was used to optimize the parameters that affected the electrical power output, including the thermoelectric leg height, thermoelectric n-type to p-type leg area ratio, thermoelectric leg area to void area ratio, load electrical resistance, exhaust duct height, coolant duct height, fin spacing in the exhaust duct, location in the engine exhaust system, and number of flow paths within the constrained package volume. The calculation results showed that the configuration with 32 straight fins was optimal across the 30-cm-wide duct for the case of a single duct with total height of 5.5 cm. In addition, three counterflow parallel ducts or flow paths were found to be an optimum number for the given size constraint of 5.5 cm total height, and parallel ducts with counterflow were a better configuration than serpentine flow. Based on the reported thermoelectric properties of MnSi1.75 and Mg2Si0.5Sn0.5, the maximum net electrical power achieved for the three parallel flow paths in a counterflow arrangement was 1

Thermal Analysis on Plume Heating of the Main Engine on the Crew Exploration Vehicle Service Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Xiao-Yen J.; Yuko, James R.

2007-01-01

The crew exploration vehicle (CEV) service module (SM) main engine plume heating is analyzed using multiple numerical tools. The chemical equilibrium compositions and applications (CEA) code is used to compute the flow field inside the engine nozzle. The plume expansion into ambient atmosphere is simulated using an axisymmetric space-time conservation element and solution element (CE/SE) Euler code, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software. The thermal analysis including both convection and radiation heat transfers from the hot gas inside the engine nozzle and gas radiation from the plume is performed using Thermal Desktop. Three SM configurations, Lockheed Martin (LM) designed 604, 605, and 606 configurations, are considered. Design of multilayer insulation (MLI) for the stowed solar arrays, which is subject to plume heating from the main engine, among the passive thermal control system (PTCS), are proposed and validated.

Improved silicon carbide for advanced heat engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whalen, Thomas J.

1987-01-01

This is the second annual technical report entitled, Improved Silicon Carbide for Advanced Heat Engines, and includes work performed during the period February 16, 1986 to February 15, 1987. The program is conducted for NASA under contract NAS3-24384. The objective is the development of high strength, high reliability silicon carbide parts with complex shapes suitable for use in advanced heat engines. The fabrication methods used are to be adaptable for mass production of such parts on an economically sound basis. Injection molding is the forming method selected. This objective is to be accomplished in a two-phase program: (1) to achieve a 20 percent improvement in strength and a 100 percent increase in Weibull modulus of the baseline material; and (2) to produce a complex shaped part, a gas turbine rotor, for example, with the improved mechanical properties attained in the first phase. Eight tasks are included in the first phase covering the characterization of the properties of a baseline material, the improvement of those properties and the fabrication of complex shaped parts. Activities during the first contract year concentrated on two of these areas: fabrication and characterization of the baseline material (Task 1) and improvement of material and processes (Task 7). Activities during the second contract year included an MOR bar matrix study to improve mechanical properties (Task 2), materials and process improvements (Task 7), and a Ford-funded task to mold a turbocharger rotor with an improved material (Task 8).

Improved silicon carbide for advanced heat engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whalen, Thomas J.

1988-01-01

This is the third annual technical report for the program entitled, Improved Silicon Carbide for Advanced Heat Engines, for the period February 16, 1987 to February 15, 1988. The objective of the original program was the development of high strength, high reliability silicon carbide parts with complex shapes suitable for use in advanced heat engines. Injection molding is the forming method selected for the program because it is capable of forming complex parts adaptable for mass production on an economically sound basis. The goals of the revised program are to reach a Weibull characteristic strength of 550 MPa (80 ksi) and a Weibull modulus of 16 for bars tested in 4-point loading. Two tasks are discussed: Task 1 which involves materials and process improvements, and Task 2 which is a MOR bar matrix to improve strength and reliability. Many statistically designed experiments were completed under task 1 which improved the composition of the batches, the mixing of the powders, the sinter and anneal cycles. The best results were obtained by an attritor mixing process which yielded strengths in excess of 550 MPa (80 ksi) and an individual Weibull modulus of 16.8 for a 9-sample group. Strengths measured at 1200 and 1400 C were equal to the room temperature strength. Annealing of machined test bars significantly improved the strength. Molding yields were measured and flaw distributions were observed to follow a Poisson process. The second iteration of the Task 2 matrix experiment is described.

Multilevel quantum Otto heat engines with identical particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, X. L.; Guo, D. Y.; Wu, S. L.; Yi, X. X.

2018-02-01

A quantum Otto heat engine is studied with multilevel identical particles trapped in one-dimensional box potential as working substance. The symmetrical wave function for Bosons and the anti-symmetrical wave function for Fermions are considered. In two-particle case, we focus on the ratios of W^i (i=B,F) to W_s, where W^B and W^F are the work done by two Bosons and Fermions, respectively, and W_s is the work output of a single particle under the same conditions. Due to the symmetrical of the wave functions, the ratios are not equal to 2. Three different regimes, low-temperature regime, high-temperature regime, and intermediate-temperature regime, are analyzed, and the effects of energy level number and the differences between the two baths are calculated. In the multiparticle case, we calculate the ratios of W^i_M/M to W_s, where W^i_M/M can be seen as the average work done by a single particle in multiparticle heat engine. For other working substances whose energy spectrum has the form of E_n˜ n^2, the results are similar. For the case E_n˜ n, two different conclusions are obtained.

Impact of Dissociation and Sensible Heat Release on Pulse Detonation and Gas Turbine Engine Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Povinelli, Louis A.

2001-01-01

A thermodynamic cycle analysis of the effect of sensible heat release on the relative performance of pulse detonation and gas turbine engines is presented. Dissociation losses in the PDE (Pulse Detonation Engine) are found to cause a substantial decrease in engine performance parameters.

Osmotic Heat Engine Using Thermally Responsive Ionic Liquids.

PubMed

Zhong, Yujiang; Wang, Xinbo; Feng, Xiaoshuang; Telalovic, Selvedin; Gnanou, Yves; Huang, Kuo-Wei; Hu, Xiao; Lai, Zhiping

2017-08-15

The osmotic heat engine (OHE) is a promising technology for converting low grade heat to electricity. Most of the existing studies have focused on thermolytic salt systems. Herein, for the first time, we proposed to use thermally responsive ionic liquids (TRIL) that have either an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) or lower critical solution temperature (LCST) type of phase behavior as novel thermolytic osmotic agents. Closed-loop TRIL-OHEs were designed based on these unique phase behaviors to convert low grade heat to work or electricity. Experimental studies using two UCST-type TRILs, protonated betaine bis(trifluoromethyl sulfonyl)imide ([Hbet][Tf 2 N]) and choline bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([choline][Tf 2 N]) showed that (1) the specific energy of the TRIL-OHE system could reach as high as 4.0 times that of the seawater and river water system, (2) the power density measured from a commercial FO membrane reached up to 2.3 W/m 2 , and (3) the overall energy efficiency reached up to 2.6% or 18% of the Carnot efficiency at no heat recovery and up to 10.5% or 71% of the Carnet efficiency at 70% heat recovery. All of these results clearly demonstrated the great potential of using TRILs as novel osmotic agents to design high efficient OHEs for recovery of low grade thermal energy to work or electricity.

Performance analysis of exhaust heat recovery using organic Rankine cycle in a passenger car with a compression ignition engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghilvacs, M.; Prisecaru, T.; Pop, H.; Apostol, V.; Prisecaru, M.; Pop, E.; Popescu, Gh; Ciobanu, C.; Mohanad, A.; Alexandru, A.

2016-08-01

Compression ignition engines transform approximately 40% of the fuel energy into power available at the crankshaft, while the rest part of the fuel energy is lost as coolant, exhaust gases and other waste heat. An organic Rankine cycle (ORC) can be used to recover this waste heat. In this paper, the characteristics of a system combining a compression ignition engine with an ORC which recover the waste heat from the exhaust gases are analyzed. The performance map of the diesel engine is measured on an engine test bench and the heat quantities wasted by the exhaust gases are calculated over the engine's entire operating region. Based on this data, the working parameters of ORC are defined, and the performance of a combined engine-ORC system is evaluated across this entire region. The results show that the net power of ORC is 6.304kW at rated power point and a maximum of 10% reduction in brake specific fuel consumption can be achieved.

Ceramic technology for advanced heat engines project. Semiannual progress report, October 1985-March 1986

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1986-08-01

Significant accomplishments in fabricating cermaic components for the Department of Energy (DOE), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and Department of Defense (DOD) advanced heat engine programs have provided evidence that the operation of ceramic parts in high-temperature engine environments is feasible. However, additional research is needed in materials and processing development, design methodology, and data base and life prediction. An assessment of needs was completed, and a five-year project plan was developed with extensive input from private industry. The objective of the project is to develop the industrial technology base required for reliable ceramics for application in advanced automotivemore » heat engines. The project approach includes determining the mechanisms controlling reliability, improving processes for fabricating existing ceramics, developing new materials with increased reliability, and testing these materials in simulated engine environments to confirm reliability. although this is a generic materials project, the focus is on structural ceramics for advanced gas turbine and diesel engines, ceramic bearings and attachments, and ceramic coatings for thermal barrier and wear applications in these engines.« less

Life cycle cost assessment of future low heat rejection engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petersen, D. R.

1986-01-01

The Adiabatic Diesel Engine Component Development (ADECD) represents a project which has the objective to accelerate the development of highway truck engines with advanced technology aimed at reduced fuel consumption. The project comprises three steps, including the synthesis of a number of engine candidate designs, the coupling of each with a number of systems for utilizing exhaust gas energy, and the evaluation of each combination in terms of desirability. Particular attention is given to the employed evaluation method and the development of this method. The objective of Life Cycle Cost (LCC) evaluation in the ADECD program was to select the best from among 42 different low heat rejection engine (LHRE)/exhaust energy recovery system configurations. The LCC model is discussed along with a maintenance cost model, the evaluation strategy, the selection of parameter ranges, and a full factorial analysis.

Angle-dependent quantum Otto heat engine based on coherent dipole-dipole coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Shan-He; Luo, Xiao-Qing; Chen, Jin-Can; Sun, Chang-Pu

2016-08-01

Electromagnetic interactions between molecules or within a molecule have been widely observed in biological systems and exhibit broad application for molecular structural studies. Quantum delocalization of molecular dipole moments has inspired researchers to explore new avenues to utilize this physical effect for energy harvesting devices. Herein, we propose a simple model of the angle-dependent quantum Otto heat engine which seeks to facilitate the conversion of heat to work. Unlike previous studies, the adiabatic processes are accomplished by varying only the directions of the magnetic field. We show that the heat engine continues to generate power when the angle relative to the vector r joining the centres of coupled dipoles departs from the magic angle θm where the static coupling vanishes. A significant improvement in the device performance has to be attributed to the presence of the quantum delocalized levels associated with the coherent dipole-dipole coupling. These results obtained may provide a promising model for the biomimetic design and fabrication of quantum energy generators.

Work extremum principle: structure and function of quantum heat engines.

PubMed

Allahverdyan, Armen E; Johal, Ramandeep S; Mahler, Guenter

2008-04-01

We consider a class of quantum heat engines consisting of two subsystems interacting with a work-source and coupled to two separate baths at different temperatures Th>Tc. The purpose of the engine is to extract work due to the temperature difference. Its dynamics is not restricted to the near equilibrium regime. The engine structure is determined by maximizing the extracted work under various constraints. When this maximization is carried out at finite power, the engine dynamics is described by well-defined temperatures and satisfies the local version of the second law. In addition, its efficiency is bounded from below by the Curzon-Ahlborn value 1-radical Tc/Th and from above by the Carnot value 1-(Tc/Th). The latter is reached-at finite power--for a macroscopic engine, while the former is achieved in the equilibrium limit Th-->Tc . The efficiency that maximizes the power is strictly larger than the Curzon-Ahloborn value. When the work is maximized at a zero power, even a small (few-level) engine extracts work right at the Carnot efficiency.

Convective Heating of the LIFE Engine Target During Injection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Holdener, D S; Tillack, M S; Wang, X R

2011-10-24

Target survival in the hostile, high temperature xenon environment of the proposed Laser Inertial Fusion Energy (LIFE) engine is critical. This work focuses on the flow properties and convective heat load imposed upon the surface of the indirect drive target while traveling through the xenon gas. While this rarefied flow is traditionally characterized as being within the continuum regime, it is approaching transition where conventional CFD codes reach their bounds of operation. Thus ANSYS, specifically the Navier-Stokes module CFX, will be used in parallel with direct simulation Monte Carlo code DS2V and analytically and empirically derived expressions for heat transfermore » to the hohlraum for validation. Comparison of the viscous and thermal boundary layers of ANSYS and DS2V were shown to be nearly identical, with the surface heat flux varying less than 8% on average. From the results herein, external baffles have been shown to reduce this heat transfer to the sensitive laser entrance hole (LEH) windows and optimize target survival independent of other reactor parameters.« less

Quantum heat engine with coupled superconducting resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardal, Ali Ü. C.; Aslan, Nur; Wilson, C. M.; Müstecaplıoǧlu, Özgür E.

2017-12-01

We propose a quantum heat engine composed of two superconducting transmission line resonators interacting with each other via an optomechanical-like coupling. One resonator is periodically excited by a thermal pump. The incoherently driven resonator induces coherent oscillations in the other one due to the coupling. A limit cycle, indicating finite power output, emerges in the thermodynamical phase space. The system implements an all-electrical analog of a photonic piston. Instead of mechanical motion, the power output is obtained as a coherent electrical charging in our case. We explore the differences between the quantum and classical descriptions of our system by solving the quantum master equation and classical Langevin equations. Specifically, we calculate the mean number of excitations, second-order coherence, as well as the entropy, temperature, power, and mean energy to reveal the signatures of quantum behavior in the statistical and thermodynamic properties of the system. We find evidence of a quantum enhancement in the power output of the engine at low temperatures.

Quantum heat engine with coupled superconducting resonators.

PubMed

Hardal, Ali Ü C; Aslan, Nur; Wilson, C M; Müstecaplıoğlu, Özgür E

2017-12-01

We propose a quantum heat engine composed of two superconducting transmission line resonators interacting with each other via an optomechanical-like coupling. One resonator is periodically excited by a thermal pump. The incoherently driven resonator induces coherent oscillations in the other one due to the coupling. A limit cycle, indicating finite power output, emerges in the thermodynamical phase space. The system implements an all-electrical analog of a photonic piston. Instead of mechanical motion, the power output is obtained as a coherent electrical charging in our case. We explore the differences between the quantum and classical descriptions of our system by solving the quantum master equation and classical Langevin equations. Specifically, we calculate the mean number of excitations, second-order coherence, as well as the entropy, temperature, power, and mean energy to reveal the signatures of quantum behavior in the statistical and thermodynamic properties of the system. We find evidence of a quantum enhancement in the power output of the engine at low temperatures.

Safe Affordable Fission Engine-(SAFE-) 100a Heat Exchanger Thermal and Structural Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steeve, B. E.

2005-01-01

A potential fission power system for in-space missions is a heat pipe-cooled reactor coupled to a Brayton cycle. In this system, a heat exchanger (HX) transfers the heat of the reactor core to the Brayton gas. The Safe Affordable Fission Engine- (SAFE-) 100a is a test program designed to thermally and hydraulically simulate a 95 Btu/s prototypic heat pipe-cooled reactor using electrical resistance heaters on the ground. This Technical Memorandum documents the thermal and structural assessment of the HX used in the SAFE-100a program.

A unique high heat flux facility for testing hypersonic engine components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Melis, Matthew E.; Gladden, Herbert J.

1990-01-01

This paper describes the Hot Gas Facility, a unique, reliable, and cost-effective high-heat-flux facility for testing hypersonic engine components developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center. The Hot Gas Facility is capable of providing heat fluxes ranging from 200 Btu/sq ft per sec on flat surfaces up to 8000 Btu/sq ft per sec at a leading edge stagnation point. The usefulness of the Hot Gas Facility for the NASP community was demonstrated by testing hydrogen-cooled structures over a range of temperatures and pressures. Ranges of the Reynolds numbers, Prandtl numbers, enthalpy, and heat fluxes similar to those expected during hypersonic flights were achieved.

Development of a spinning wave heat engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zinn, B. T.; Powell, E. A.; Hubbartt, J. E.

1982-01-01

A theoretical analysis and an experimental investigation were conducted to assess the feasibility of developing a spinning wave heat engine. Such as engine would utilize a large amplitude traveling acoustic wave rotating around a cylindrica chamber, and it should not suffer from the inefficiency, noise, and intermittent thrust which characterizes pulse jet engines. The objective of this investigation was to determine whether an artificially driven large amplitude spinning transverse wave could induce a steady flow of air through the combustion chamber under cold flow conditions. In the theoretical analysis the Maslen and Moore perturbation technique was extended to study flat cylinders (pancake geometry) with completely open side walls and a central opening. In the parallel experimental study, a test moel was used to determine resonant frequencies and radial pressure distributions, as well as oscillatory and steady flow velocities at the inner and outer peripheries. The experimental frequency was nearly the same as the theoretical acoustic value for a model of the same outer diameter but without a central hole. Although the theoretical analysis did not predict a steady velocity component, simulaneous measurements of hotwire and microphone responses have shown that the spinning wave pumps a mean flow radially outward through the cavity.

A Stirling engine for use with lower quality fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, Christopher J.

There is increasing interest in using renewable fuels from biomass or alternative fuels such as municipal waste to reduce the need for fossil based fuels. Due to the lower heating values and higher levels of impurities, small scale electricity generation is more problematic. Currently, there are not many technologically mature options for small scale electricity generation using lower quality fuels. Even though there are few manufacturers of Stirling engines, the history of their development for two centuries offers significant guidance in developing a viable small scale generator set using lower quality fuels. The history, development, and modeling of Stirling engines were reviewed to identify possible model and engine configurations. A Stirling engine model based on the finite volume, ideal adiabatic model was developed. Flow dissipation losses are shown to need correcting as they increase significantly at low mean engine pressure and high engine speed. The complete engine including external components was developed. A simple yet effective method of evaluating the external heat transfer to the Stirling engine was created that can be used with any second order Stirling engine model. A derivative of the General Motors Ground Power Unit 3 was designed. By significantly increasing heater, cooler and regenerator size at the expense of increased dead volume, and adding a combustion gas recirculation, a generator set with good efficiency was designed.

A new osteonecrosis animal model of the femoral head induced by microwave heating and repaired with tissue engineered bone

PubMed Central

Han, Rui; Geng, Chengkui; Wang, Yongnian; Wei, Lei

2008-01-01

The objective of this research was to induce a new animal model of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) by microwave heating and then repair with tissue engineered bone. The bilateral femoral heads of 84 rabbits were heated by microwave at various temperatures. Tissue engineered bone was used to repair the osteonecrosis of femoral heads induced by microwave heating. The roentgenographic and histological examinations were used to evaluate the results. The femoral heads heated at 55°C for ten minutes showed low density and cystic changes in X-ray photographs, osteonecrosis and repair occurred simultaneously in histology at four and eight weeks, and 69% femoral heads collapsed at 12 weeks. The ability of tissue engineered bone to repair the osteonecrosis was close to that of cancellous bone autograft. The new animal model of ONFH could be induced by microwave heating, and the tissue engineering technique will provide an effective treatment. PMID:18956184

Three dimensional simulation of nucleate boiling heat and mass transfer in cooling passages of internal combustion engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehdipour, R.; Baniamerian, Z.; Delauré, Y.

2016-05-01

An accurate knowledge of heat transfer and temperature distribution in vehicle engines is essential to have a good management of heat transfer performance in combustion engines. This may be achieved by numerical simulation of flow through the engine cooling passages; but the task becomes particularly challenging when boiling occurs. Neglecting two phase flow processes in the simulation would however result in significant inaccuracy in the predictions. In this study a three dimensional numerical model is proposed using Fluent 6.3 to simulate heat transfer of fluid flowing through channels of conventional size. Results of the present theoretical and numerical model are then compared with some empirical results. For high fluid flow velocities, departure between experimental and numerical results is about 9 %, while for lower velocity conditions, the model inaccuracy increases to 18 %. One of the outstanding capabilities of the present model, beside its ability to simulate two phase fluid flow and heat transfer in three dimensions, is the prediction of the location of bubble formation and condensation which can be a key issue in the evaluation of the engine performance and thermal stresses.

Optimal Area Profiles for Ideal Single Nozzle Air-Breathing Pulse Detonation Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paxson, Daniel E.

2003-01-01

The effects of cross-sectional area variation on idealized Pulse Detonation Engine performance are examined numerically. A quasi-one-dimensional, reacting, numerical code is used as the kernel of an algorithm that iteratively determines the correct sequencing of inlet air, inlet fuel, detonation initiation, and cycle time to achieve a limit cycle with specified fuel fraction, and volumetric purge fraction. The algorithm is exercised on a tube with a cross sectional area profile containing two degrees of freedom: overall exit-to-inlet area ratio, and the distance along the tube at which continuous transition from inlet to exit area begins. These two parameters are varied over three flight conditions (defined by inlet total temperature, inlet total pressure and ambient static pressure) and the performance is compared to a straight tube. It is shown that compared to straight tubes, increases of 20 to 35 percent in specific impulse and specific thrust are obtained with tubes of relatively modest area change. The iterative algorithm is described, and its limitations are noted and discussed. Optimized results are presented showing performance measurements, wave diagrams, and area profiles. Suggestions for future investigation are also discussed.

Bleed cycle propellant pumping in a gas-core nuclear rocket engine system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kascak, A. F.; Easley, A. J.

1972-01-01

The performance of ideal and real staged primary propellant pumps and bleed-powered turbines was calculated for gas-core nuclear rocket engines over a range of operating pressures from 500 to 5000 atm. This study showed that for a required engine operating pressure of 1000 atm the pump work was about 0.8 hp/(lb/sec), the specific impulse penalty resulting from the turbine propellant bleed flow as about 10 percent; and the heat required to preheat the propellant was about 7.8 MN/(lb/sec). For a specific impulse above 2400 sec, there is an excess of energy available in the moderator due to the gamma and neutron heating that occurs there. Possible alternative pumping cycles are the Rankine or Brayton cycles.

The atmospheric heat engine response to climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pauluis, O. M.

2014-12-01

Moist convection is characterized by complex interactions between dynamics and thermodynamics. As air parcels within the atmosphere, they experience multiple thermodynamic transformations, such as compression and expansion, diabatic heating and cooling, condensation and mixing. These transformations correspond to those of a heat engine that produces kinetic energy while transporting energy from a warm source to a colder sink. This atmospheric heat engine is however directly affected by moist processes. First, falling precipitation acts as a break on the circulation by dissipating a significant amount of kinetic energy. Second, evaporation of unsaturated water and diffusion of water vapor are irrevesible processes that also reduce the amount of work that can be produced. An important challenge is to quantify the impacts that these two effects have on the generation of kinetic energy. Here, I will introduce a new technique - the Mean Air Flow As Lagragian Dynamics Approximation (MAFALDA) - that can be used to systematically analyze the thermodynamic behavior of complex atmospheric flows. This approach relies on sorting the upward mass transport in terms of the equivalent potential temperature of the air parcels to obtain an isentropic streamfunction. This streamfunction is then used to determine the thermodynamic evolution of air parcels as they move through the atmosphere. This approach is applied to analyze how convective systems would behave in a warmer climate. It is shown that an increase in atmospheric temperature lead to a significant increase of the amount of kinetic energy that is produced per unit of mass of air transported. At the same time, the total generation of kinetic energy is only slightly affected. Taken together, these findings imply that, in a warming atmosphere, the number of intense convective events will be reduced, while their intensity should increase. I will also discuss the new possibility of systematically studying the thermodynamic

Failure analysis of a Stirling engine heat pipe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Thomas J.; Cairelli, James E.; Khalili, Kaveh

1989-01-01

Failure analysis was conducted on a heat pipe from a Stirling Engine test rig which was designed to operate at 1073 K. Premature failure had occurred due to localized overheating at the leading edge of the evaporator fin. It was found that a crack had allowed air to enter the fin and react with the sodium coolant. The origin of the crack was found to be located at the inner surface of the Inconel 600 fin where severe intergranular corrosion had taken place.

Achieving the classical Carnot efficiency in a strongly coupled quantum heat engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Y. Y.; Chen, B.; Liu, J.

2018-02-01

Generally, the efficiency of a heat engine strongly coupled with a heat bath is less than the classical Carnot efficiency. Through a model-independent method, we show that the classical Carnot efficiency is achieved in a strongly coupled quantum heat engine. First, we present the first law of quantum thermodynamics in strong coupling. Then, we show how to achieve the Carnot cycle and the classical Carnot efficiency at strong coupling. We find that this classical Carnot efficiency stems from the fact that the heat released in a nonequilibrium process is balanced by the absorbed heat. We also analyze the restrictions in the achievement of the Carnot cycle. The first restriction is that there must be two corresponding intervals of the controllable parameter in which the corresponding entropies of the work substance at the hot and cold temperatures are equal, and the second is that the entropy of the initial and final states in a nonequilibrium process must be equal. Through these restrictions, we obtain the positive work conditions, including the usual one in which the hot temperature should be higher than the cold, and a new one in which there must be an entropy interval at the hot temperature overlapping that at the cold. We demonstrate our result through a paradigmatic model—a two-level system in which a work substance strongly interacts with a heat bath. In this model, we find that the efficiency may abruptly decrease to zero due to the first restriction, and that the second restriction results in the control scheme becoming complex.

Achieving the classical Carnot efficiency in a strongly coupled quantum heat engine.

PubMed

Xu, Y Y; Chen, B; Liu, J

2018-02-01

Generally, the efficiency of a heat engine strongly coupled with a heat bath is less than the classical Carnot efficiency. Through a model-independent method, we show that the classical Carnot efficiency is achieved in a strongly coupled quantum heat engine. First, we present the first law of quantum thermodynamics in strong coupling. Then, we show how to achieve the Carnot cycle and the classical Carnot efficiency at strong coupling. We find that this classical Carnot efficiency stems from the fact that the heat released in a nonequilibrium process is balanced by the absorbed heat. We also analyze the restrictions in the achievement of the Carnot cycle. The first restriction is that there must be two corresponding intervals of the controllable parameter in which the corresponding entropies of the work substance at the hot and cold temperatures are equal, and the second is that the entropy of the initial and final states in a nonequilibrium process must be equal. Through these restrictions, we obtain the positive work conditions, including the usual one in which the hot temperature should be higher than the cold, and a new one in which there must be an entropy interval at the hot temperature overlapping that at the cold. We demonstrate our result through a paradigmatic model-a two-level system in which a work substance strongly interacts with a heat bath. In this model, we find that the efficiency may abruptly decrease to zero due to the first restriction, and that the second restriction results in the control scheme becoming complex.

Regressed relations for forced convection heat transfer in a direct injection stratified charge rotary engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Chi M.; Schock, Harold J.

1988-01-01

Currently, the heat transfer equation used in the rotary combustion engine (RCE) simulation model is taken from piston engine studies. These relations have been empirically developed by the experimental input coming from piston engines whose geometry differs considerably from that of the RCE. The objective of this work was to derive equations to estimate heat transfer coefficients in the combustion chamber of an RCE. This was accomplished by making detailed temperature and pressure measurements in a direct injection stratified charge (DISC) RCE under a range of conditions. For each specific measurement point, the local gas velocity was assumed equal to the local rotor tip speed. Local physical properties of the fluids were then calculated. Two types of correlation equations were derived and are described in this paper. The first correlation expresses the Nusselt number as a function of the Prandtl number, Reynolds number, and characteristic temperature ratio; the second correlation expresses the forced convection heat transfer coefficient as a function of fluid temperature, pressure and velocity.

Efficiency at maximum power of a laser quantum heat engine enhanced by noise-induced coherence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorfman, Konstantin E.; Xu, Dazhi; Cao, Jianshu

2018-04-01

Quantum coherence has been demonstrated in various systems including organic solar cells and solid state devices. In this article, we report the lower and upper bounds for the performance of quantum heat engines determined by the efficiency at maximum power. Our prediction based on the canonical three-level Scovil and Schulz-Dubois maser model strongly depends on the ratio of system-bath couplings for the hot and cold baths and recovers the theoretical bounds established previously for the Carnot engine. Further, introducing a fourth level to the maser model can enhance the maximal power and its efficiency, thus demonstrating the importance of quantum coherence in the thermodynamics and operation of the heat engines beyond the classical limit.

Engineering design aspects of the heat-pipe power system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Capell, B. M.; Houts, M. G.; Poston, D. I.; Berte, M.

1997-01-01

The Heat-pipe Power System (HPS) is a near-term, low-cost space power system designed at Los Alamos that can provide up to 1,000 kWt for many space nuclear applications. The design of the reactor is simple, modular, and adaptable. The basic design allows for the use of a variety of power conversion systems and reactor materials (including the fuel, clad, and heat pipes). This paper describes a project that was undertaken to develop a database supporting many engineering aspects of the HPS design. The specific tasks discussed in this paper are: the development of an HPS materials database, the creation of finite element models that will allow a wide variety of investigations, and the verification of past calculations.

A novel transient wall heat transfer approach for the start-up of SI engines with gasoline direct injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lejsek, David; Kulzer, André; Hammer, Jürgen

2010-11-01

The introduction of CO2-reduction technologies like Start-Stop or the Hybrid-Powertrain and the worldwide stringent emission legislation require a detailed optimization of the engine start-up. The combustion concept development as well as the calibration of the engine control unit makes an explicit thermodynamic analysis of the combustion process during the start-up necessary. Initially, the well-known thermodynamic analysis of in-cylinder pressure at stationary condition was transmitted to the highly non-stationary engine start-up. For this running mode of the engine the current models for calculation of the transient wall heat fluxes were found to be misleading. With a fraction of nearly 45% of the burned fuel energy, the wall heat is very important for the calculation of energy balance and for the combustion process analysis. Based on the measurements of transient wall heat transfer densities during the start-up presented in a former work (Lejsek and Kulzer in Investigations on the transient wall heat transfer at start-up for SI engines with gasoline direct injection. SAE Paper), the paper describes the development of adaptations to the known correlations by Woschni (MTZ 31:491, 1970), Hohenberg (Experimentelle Erfassung der Wandwärme von Kolbenmotoren. TU Graz, Habil., 1980) and Bargende (Ein Gleichungsansatz zur Berechnung der instationären Wandwärmeverluste im Hochdruckteil von Ottomotoren. TH Darmstadt, PhD-Thesis, 1991) for the application during engine start-up. To demonstrate the high accuracy of the model, the results of the cyclic resolved thermodynamic analysis using the presented novel approaches were compared with the results of the measurements. It is shown, that the novel heat flux models for the engine start-up process gives a cyclic resolved thermodynamic analysis to optimize the engine start-up pretty efficient.

Fuel Composition and Performance Analysis of Endothermically Heated Fuels for Pulse Detonation Engines

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

Waste heat from a pulse detonation engine (PDE) was extracted via concentric, counter flow heat exchangers to produce supercritical pyrolytic...mass spectrometry HLPC = High performance liquid chromatography NPT = National pipe thread PAH = Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon PDE = Pulse...Precision Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The resulting “stressed” fuel showed a 29 shift to lower molecular weight compounds, as well as the production

Amniotic fluid stem cells: an ideal resource for therapeutic application in bone tissue engineering.

PubMed

Pantalone, A; Antonucci, I; Guelfi, M; Pantalone, P; Usuelli, F G; Stuppia, L; Salini, V

2016-07-01

Skeletal diseases, both degenerative and secondary to trauma, infections or tumors, represent an ideal target for regenerative medicine and in the last years, stem cells have been considered as good candidates for in vitro and in vivo bone regeneration. To date, several stem cell sources, such as adult mesenchymal stem cells, embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), have shown significant osteogenic potential. In this narrative review, we analyze the possible advantages of the use of AFSCs in the treatment of skeletal diseases, especially through the application of tissue engineering and biomaterials. Among the different sources of stem cells, great attention has been recently devoted to amniotic fluid-derived stem cells (AFSC) characterized by high renewal capacity and ability to differentiate along several different lineages. Due to these features, AFSCs represent an interesting model for regenerative medicine, also considering their low immunogenicity and the absence of tumor formation after transplantation in nude mice.

Improving Free-Piston Stirling Engine Specific Power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Briggs, Maxwell Henry

2014-01-01

This work uses analytical methods to demonstrate the potential benefits of optimizing piston and/or displacer motion in a Stirling Engine. Isothermal analysis was used to show the potential benefits of ideal motion in ideal Stirling engines. Nodal analysis is used to show that ideal piston and displacer waveforms are not optimal in real Stirling engines. Constrained optimization was used to identify piston and displacer waveforms that increase Stirling engine specific power.

Improving Free-Piston Stirling Engine Specific Power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Briggs, Maxwell H.

2015-01-01

This work uses analytical methods to demonstrate the potential benefits of optimizing piston and/or displacer motion in a Stirling engine. Isothermal analysis was used to show the potential benefits of ideal motion in ideal Stirling engines. Nodal analysis is used to show that ideal piston and displacer waveforms are not optimal in real Stirling engines. Constrained optimization was used to identify piston and displacer waveforms that increase Stirling engine specific power.

40 CFR 1065.645 - Amount of water in an ideal gas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 34 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Amount of water in an ideal gas. 1065.645 Section 1065.645 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS ENGINE-TESTING PROCEDURES Calculations and Data Requirements § 1065.645 Amount of water in an ideal gas. This section describes how to...

40 CFR 1065.645 - Amount of water in an ideal gas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 34 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Amount of water in an ideal gas. 1065.645 Section 1065.645 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS ENGINE-TESTING PROCEDURES Calculations and Data Requirements § 1065.645 Amount of water in an ideal gas. This section describes how to...

40 CFR 1065.645 - Amount of water in an ideal gas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 33 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Amount of water in an ideal gas. 1065.645 Section 1065.645 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS ENGINE-TESTING PROCEDURES Calculations and Data Requirements § 1065.645 Amount of water in an ideal gas. This section describes how to...

Identifying Student Difficulties with Entropy, Heat Engines, and the Carnot Cycle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Trevor I.; Christensen, Warren M.; Mountcastle, Donald B.; Thompson, John R.

2015-01-01

We report on several specific student difficulties regarding the second law of thermodynamics in the context of heat engines within upper-division undergraduate thermal physics courses. Data come from ungraded written surveys, graded homework assignments, and videotaped classroom observations of tutorial activities. Written data show that students…

Gas engine heat pump cycle analysis. Volume 1: Model description and generic analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer, R. D.

1986-10-01

The task has prepared performance and cost information to assist in evaluating the selection of high voltage alternating current components, values for component design variables, and system configurations and operating strategy. A steady-state computer model for performance simulation of engine-driven and electrically driven heat pumps was prepared and effectively used for parametric and seasonal performance analyses. Parametric analysis showed the effect of variables associated with design of recuperators, brine coils, domestic hot water heat exchanger, compressor size, engine efficiency, insulation on exhaust and brine piping. Seasonal performance data were prepared for residential and commercial units in six cities with system configurations closely related to existing or contemplated hardware of the five GRI engine contractors. Similar data were prepared for an advanced variable-speed electric unit for comparison purposes. The effect of domestic hot water production on operating costs was determined. Four fan-operating strategies and two brine loop configurations were explored.

Proceedings of the NITINOL Heat Engine Conference, 26-27 September 1978, Silver Spring, Maryland

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-09-27

allowed us to design, build, and test various engine designs, while exploring advanced concepts with computer modeling of motor dynamics and heat exchange ...exclude the effects of element geometi y and other material parameters which affect the heat exchange rate and kinetics of the SRP. 5-3...is in Rference 8. 13. In the present work we exclude the effects of element geometry and other material parameters which affect the heat exchange

Performance of a Turboprop Engine with Heat Recovery in Off-Design Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andriani, Roberto; Ghezzi, Umberto; Gamma, Fausto; Ingenito, Antonella; Agresta, Antonio

2013-09-01

The research for fuel consumption and pollution reduction in new generation aero engines has indicated intercooling and regeneration as very effective methods for this purpose. Hence, different countries have joined their efforts in common research programs, to develop new gas turbine engines able to reduce considerably the fuel consumption and the ambient impact by means of these two techniques. To study their effects on the engine performance and characteristics, a thermodynamic numerical program that simulates the behavior of a turboprop engine with intercooling and regeneration in different operating conditions has been developed. After the parametric study, and the definition of the design conditions, the off-design analysis is carried on, comparing the main characteristics of the intercooled-regenerated turboprop with those of a conventional engine. Then, once a particular mission profile was fixed, the engine performance, in particular the equivalent power, the fuel consumption and the heat exchanger weight were discussed.

Dissociation and Recombination Effects on the Performance of Pulse Detonation Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Povinelli, Louis A.

2003-01-01

This paper summarizes major theoretical results for pulse detonation engine performance taking into account real gas chemistry, as well as significant performance differences resulting from the presence of ram and compression heating. An unsteady CFD analysis, as well as a thermodynamic cycle analysis, was conducted in order to determine the actual and the ideal performance for an air-breathing pulse detonation engine (PDE) using either a hydrogen-air or ethylene-air mixture over a flight Mach number range from 0 to 4. The results clearly elucidate the competitive regime of PDE application relative to ramjets and gas turbines.

Features of the gas dynamics and local heat transfer in intake system of piston engine with supercharging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plotnikov, L. V.

2017-09-01

Comparison of experimental research results of gas dynamics and instantaneous local heat transfer in the intake pipes for piston internal combustion engines (ICE) without and with supercharging are presented in the article. Studies were conducted on full-scale experimental setups in terms of gas dynamic nonstationarity, which is characteristic of piston engines. It has been established that the turbocharger installation in a gas-air system of piston internal combustion engine leads to significant differences in the patterns of change in gas-dynamic and heat transfer characteristics of flows. These data can be used in a modernization of piston engines due to installation of a turbocharger or in a development of gas-air systems for piston ICE with supercharging.

Performance and heat transfer characteristics of a carbon monoxide/oxygen rocket engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linne, Diane L.

1993-01-01

The combustion and heat transfer characteristics of a carbon monoxide and oxygen rocket engine were evaluated. The test hardware consisted of a calorimeter combustion chamber with a heat sink nozzle and an eighteen element concentric tube injector. Experimental results are given at chamber pressures of 1070 and 3070 kPa, and over a mixture ratio range of 0.3 to 1.0. Experimental C efficiency was between 95 and 96.5 percent. Heat transfer results are discussed both as a function of mixture ratio and axial distance in the chamber. They are also compared to a Nusselt number correlation for fully developed turbulent flow.

The performance of solar thermal electric power systems employing small heat engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pons, R. L.

1980-01-01

The paper presents a comparative analysis of small (10 to 100 KWe) heat engines for use with a solar thermal electric system employing the point-focusing, distributed receiver (PF-DR) concept. Stirling, Brayton, and Rankine cycle engines are evaluated for a nominal overall system power level of 1 MWe, although the concept is applicable to power levels up to at least 10 MWe. Multiple concentrators are electrically connected to achieve the desired plant output. Best performance is achieved with the Stirling engine, resulting in a system Levelized Busbar Energy Cost of just under 50 mills/kWH and a Capital Cost of $900/kW, based on the use of mass-produced components. Brayton and Rankine engines show somewhat less performance but are viable alternatives with particular benefits for special applications. All three engines show excellent performance for the small community application.

Holographic aids for internal combustion engine flow studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Regan, C.

1984-01-01

Worldwide interest in improving the fuel efficiency of internal combustion (I.C.) engines has sparked research efforts designed to learn more about the flow processes of these engines. The flow fields must be understood prior to fuel injection in order to design efficient valves, piston geometries, and fuel injectors. Knowledge of the flow field is also necessary to determine the heat transfer to combustion chamber surfaces. Computational codes can predict velocity and turbulence patterns, but experimental verification is mandatory to justify their basic assumptions. Due to their nonintrusive nature, optical methods are ideally suited to provide the necessary velocity verification data. Optical sytems such as Schlieren photography, laser velocimetry, and illuminated particle visualization are used in I.C. engines, and now their versatility is improved by employing holography. These holographically enhanced optical techniques are described with emphasis on their applications in I.C. engines.

Heat-machine control by quantum-state preparation: from quantum engines to refrigerators.

PubMed

Gelbwaser-Klimovsky, D; Kurizki, G

2014-08-01

We explore the dependence of the performance bounds of heat engines and refrigerators on the initial quantum state and the subsequent evolution of their piston, modeled by a quantized harmonic oscillator. Our goal is to provide a fully quantized treatment of self-contained (autonomous) heat machines, as opposed to their prevailing semiclassical description that consists of a quantum system alternately coupled to a hot or a cold heat bath and parametrically driven by a classical time-dependent piston or field. Here, by contrast, there is no external time-dependent driving. Instead, the evolution is caused by the stationary simultaneous interaction of two heat baths (having distinct spectra and temperatures) with a single two-level system that is in turn coupled to the quantum piston. The fully quantized treatment we put forward allows us to investigate work extraction and refrigeration by the tools of quantum-optical amplifier and dissipation theory, particularly, by the analysis of amplified or dissipated phase-plane quasiprobability distributions. Our main insight is that quantum states may be thermodynamic resources and can provide a powerful handle, or control, on the efficiency of the heat machine. In particular, a piston initialized in a coherent state can cause the engine to produce work at an efficiency above the Carnot bound in the linear amplification regime. In the refrigeration regime, the coefficient of performance can transgress the Carnot bound if the piston is initialized in a Fock state. The piston may be realized by a vibrational mode, as in nanomechanical setups, or an electromagnetic field mode, as in cavity-based scenarios.

Heat-machine control by quantum-state preparation: From quantum engines to refrigerators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gelbwaser-Klimovsky, D.; Kurizki, G.

2014-08-01

We explore the dependence of the performance bounds of heat engines and refrigerators on the initial quantum state and the subsequent evolution of their piston, modeled by a quantized harmonic oscillator. Our goal is to provide a fully quantized treatment of self-contained (autonomous) heat machines, as opposed to their prevailing semiclassical description that consists of a quantum system alternately coupled to a hot or a cold heat bath and parametrically driven by a classical time-dependent piston or field. Here, by contrast, there is no external time-dependent driving. Instead, the evolution is caused by the stationary simultaneous interaction of two heat baths (having distinct spectra and temperatures) with a single two-level system that is in turn coupled to the quantum piston. The fully quantized treatment we put forward allows us to investigate work extraction and refrigeration by the tools of quantum-optical amplifier and dissipation theory, particularly, by the analysis of amplified or dissipated phase-plane quasiprobability distributions. Our main insight is that quantum states may be thermodynamic resources and can provide a powerful handle, or control, on the efficiency of the heat machine. In particular, a piston initialized in a coherent state can cause the engine to produce work at an efficiency above the Carnot bound in the linear amplification regime. In the refrigeration regime, the coefficient of performance can transgress the Carnot bound if the piston is initialized in a Fock state. The piston may be realized by a vibrational mode, as in nanomechanical setups, or an electromagnetic field mode, as in cavity-based scenarios.

The heat rate index indicator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lasasso, M.; Runyan, B.; Napoli, J.

1995-06-01

This paper describes a method of tracking unit performance through the use of a reference number called the Heat Rate Index Indicator. The ABB Power Plant Controls OTIS performance monitor is used to determine when steady load conditions exist and then to collect controllable and equipment loss data which significantly impact thermal efficiency. By comparing these loss parameters to those found during the previous heat balance, it is possible to develop a new adjusted heat rate curve. These impacts on heat rate are used to changes the shape of the tested heat rate curve by the appropriate percentages over amore » specified load range. Mathcad is used to determine the Heat Rate Index by integrating for the areas beneath the adjusted heat rate curve and a heat rate curve that represents the unit`s ideal heat rate curve is the Heat Rate Index. An index of 1.0 indicates that the unit is operating at an ideal efficiency, while an index of less than 1.0 indicates that the unit is operating at less than ideal conditions. A one per cent change in the Heat Rate Index is equivalent to a one percent change in heat rate. The new shape of the adjusted heat rate curve and the individual curves generated from the controllable and equipment loss parameters are useful for determining performance problems in specific load ranges.« less

Entropic anomaly and maximal efficiency of microscopic heat engines.

PubMed

Bo, Stefano; Celani, Antonio

2013-05-01

The efficiency of microscopic heat engines in a thermally heterogenous environment is considered. We show that-as a consequence of the recently discovered entropic anomaly-quasistatic engines, whose efficiency is maximal in a fluid at uniform temperature, have in fact vanishing efficiency in the presence of temperature gradients. For slow cycles the efficiency falls off as the inverse of the period. The maximum efficiency is reached at a finite value of the cycle period that is inversely proportional to the square root of the gradient intensity. The relative loss in maximal efficiency with respect to the thermally homogeneous case grows as the square root of the gradient. As an illustration of these general results, we construct an explicit, analytically solvable example of a Carnot stochastic engine. In this thought experiment, a Brownian particle is confined by a harmonic trap and immersed in a fluid with a linear temperature profile. This example may serve as a template for the design of real experiments in which the effect of the entropic anomaly can be measured.

On introduction of artificial intelligence elements to heat power engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dregalin, A. F.; Nazyrova, R. R.

1993-10-01

The basic problems of 'the thermodynamic intelligence' of personal computers have been outlined. The thermodynamic intellect of personal computers as a concept has been introduced to heat processes occurring in engines of flying vehicles. In particular, the thermodynamic intellect of computers is determined by the possibility of deriving formal relationships between thermodynamic functions. In chemical thermodynamics, a concept of a characteristic function has been introduced.

Some single-piston closed-cycle machines and Peter Tailer's thermal lag engine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

West, C.D.

1993-01-01

Peter Tailer has devised, built, and operated a beautifully simple engine with a closed working gas cycle, external heating, and only a single piston. The aim of this paper is to cast some light on the possible modes of operation for his machine. The methods develops to analyze certain aspects of Stirling cycle engines, and especially the thermodynamic losses incurred in systems that are neither perfectly isothermal nor perfectly adiabatic, can be applied to Tailer's system. The results identify two idealized cycles fr such machines; relate those cycles to a single piston, ported cylinder machine proposed earlier; and offer amore » possible explanation for the success of the thermal lag engine.« less

Peracetic Acid: A Practical Agent for Sterilizing Heat-Labile Polymeric Tissue-Engineering Scaffolds

PubMed Central

Yoganarasimha, Suyog; Trahan, William R.; Best, Al M.; Bowlin, Gary L.; Kitten, Todd O.; Moon, Peter C.

2014-01-01

Advanced biomaterials and sophisticated processing technologies aim at fabricating tissue-engineering scaffolds that can predictably interact within a biological environment at the cellular level. Sterilization of such scaffolds is at the core of patient safety and is an important regulatory issue that needs to be addressed before clinical translation. In addition, it is crucial that meticulously engineered micro- and nano- structures are preserved after sterilization. Conventional sterilization methods involving heat, steam, and radiation are not compatible with engineered polymeric systems because of scaffold degradation and loss of architecture. Using electrospun scaffolds made from polycaprolactone, a low melting polymer, and employing spores of Bacillus atrophaeus as biological indicators, we compared ethylene oxide, autoclaving and 80% ethanol to a known chemical sterilant, peracetic acid (PAA), for their ability to sterilize as well as their effects on scaffold properties. PAA diluted in 20% ethanol to 1000 ppm or above sterilized electrospun scaffolds in 15 min at room temperature while maintaining nano-architecture and mechanical properties. Scaffolds treated with PAA at 5000 ppm were rendered hydrophilic, with contact angles reduced to 0°. Therefore, PAA can provide economical, rapid, and effective sterilization of heat-sensitive polymeric electrospun scaffolds that are used in tissue engineering. PMID:24341350

Ideal MHD stability and performance of ITER steady-state scenarios with ITBs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poli, F. M.; Kessel, C. E.; Chance, M. S.; Jardin, S. C.; Manickam, J.

2012-06-01

Non-inductive steady-state scenarios on ITER will need to operate with internal transport barriers (ITBs) in order to reach adequate fusion gain at typical currents of 9 MA. The large pressure gradients at the location of the internal barrier are conducive to the development of ideal MHD instabilities that may limit the plasma performance and may lead to plasma disruptions. Fully non-inductive scenario simulations with five combinations of heating and current drive sources are presented in this work, with plasma currents in the range 7-10 MA. For each configuration the linear, ideal MHD stability is analysed for variations of the Greenwald fraction and of the pressure peaking factor around the operating point, aiming at defining an operational space for stable, steady-state operations at optimized performance. It is shown that plasmas with lower hybrid heating and current drive maintain the minimum safety factor above 1.5, which is desirable in steady-state operations to avoid neoclassical tearing modes. Operating with moderate ITBs at 2/3 of the minor radius, these plasmas have a minimum safety factor above 2, are ideal MHD stable and reach Q ≳ 5 operating above the ideal no-wall limit.

Relations between the efficiency, power and dissipation for linear irreversible heat engine at maximum trade-off figure of merit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iyyappan, I.; Ponmurugan, M.

2018-03-01

A trade of figure of merit (\\dotΩ ) criterion accounts the best compromise between the useful input energy and the lost input energy of the heat devices. When the heat engine is working at maximum \\dotΩ criterion its efficiency increases significantly from the efficiency at maximum power. We derive the general relations between the power, efficiency at maximum \\dotΩ criterion and minimum dissipation for the linear irreversible heat engine. The efficiency at maximum \\dotΩ criterion has the lower bound \

Ideal MHD Stability and Characteristics of Edge Localized Modes on CFETR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zeyu; Chan, Vincent; Xu, Xueqiao; Wang, Xiaogang; Cfetr Physics Team

2017-10-01

Investigation on the equilibrium operation regime, its ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) stability and edge localized modes (ELM) characteristics is performed for China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR). The CFETR operation regime study starts with a baseline scenario derived from multi-code integrated modeling, with key parameters varied to build a systematic database. These parameters, under profile and pedestal constraints, provide the foundation for engineering design. The linear stabilities of low-n and intermediate-n peeling-ballooning modes for CFETR baseline scenario are analyzed. Multi-code benchmarking, including GATO, ELITE, BOUT + + and NIMROD, demonstrated good agreement in predicting instabilities. Nonlinear behavior of ELMs for the baseline scenario is simulated using BOUT + + . Instabilities are found both at the pedestal top and inside the pedestal region, which lead to a mix of grassy and type I ELMs. Pedestal structures extending inward beyond the pedestal top are also varied to study the influence on ELM characteristic. Preliminary results on the dependence of the Type-I ELM divertor heat load scaling on machine size and pedestal pressure will also be presented. Prepared by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344 and National Magnetic Confinement Fusion Research Program of China (Grant No. 2014GB110003 and 2014GB107004).

Thermodynamics of an ideal generalized gas: I. Thermodynamic laws.

PubMed

Lavenda, B H

2005-11-01

The equations of state for an ideal relativistic, or generalized, gas, like an ideal quantum gas, are expressed in terms of power laws of the temperature. In contrast to an ideal classical gas, the internal energy is a function of volume at constant temperature, implying that the ideal generalized gas will show either attractive or repulsive interactions. This is a necessary condition in order that the third law be obeyed and for matter to have an electromagnetic origin. The transition from an ideal generalized to a classical gas occurs when the two independent solutions of the subsidiary equation to Lagrange's equation coalesce. The equation of state relating the pressure to the internal energy encompasses the full range of cosmological scenarios, from the radiation to the matter dominated universes and finally to the vacuum energy, enabling the coefficient of proportionality, analogous to the Grüeisen ratio, to be interpreted in terms of the degrees of freedom related to the temperature exponents of the internal energy and the absolute temperature expressed in terms of a power of the empirical temperature. The limit where these exponents merge is shown to be the ideal classical gas limit. A corollary to Carnot's theorem is proved, asserting that the ratio of the work done over a cycle to the heat absorbed to increase the temperature at constant volume is the same for all bodies at the same volume. As power means, the energy and entropy are incomparable, and a new adiabatic potential is introduced by showing that the volume raised to a characteristic exponent is also the integrating factor for the quantity of heat so that the second law can be based on the property that power means are monotonically increasing functions of their order. The vanishing of the chemical potential in extensive systems implies that energy cannot be transported without matter and is equivalent to the condition that Clapeyron's equation be satisfied.

Numerical investigation of two- and three-dimensional heat transfer in expander cycle engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burch, Robert L.; Cheung, Fan-Bill

1993-01-01

The concept of using tube canting for enhancing the hot-side convective heat transfer in a cross-stream tubular rocket combustion chamber is evaluated using a CFD technique in this study. The heat transfer at the combustor wall is determined from the flow field generated by a modified version of the PARC Navier-Stokes Code, using the actual dimensions, fluid properties, and design parameters of a split-expander demonstrator cycle engine. The effects of artificial dissipation on convergence and solution accuracy are investigated. Heat transfer results predicted by the code are presented. The use of CFD in heat transfer calculations is critically examined to demonstrate the care needed in the use of artificial dissipation for good convergence and accurate solutions.

Radiative Heat Transfer modelling in a Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paul, Chandan; Sircar, Arpan; Ferreyro-Fernandez, Sebastian

Detailed radiation modelling in piston engines has received relatively little attention to date. Recently, it is being revisited in light of current trends towards higher operating pressures and higher levels of exhaust-gas recirculation, both of which enhance molecular gas radiation. Advanced high-efficiency engines also are expected to function closer to the limits of stable operation, where even small perturbations to the energy balance can have a large influence on system behavior. Here several different spectral radiation property models and radiative transfer equation (RTE) solvers have been implemented in an OpenFOAM-based engine CFD code, and simulations have been performed for amore » heavy-duty diesel engine. Differences in computed temperature fields, NO and soot levels, and wall heat transfer rates are shown for different combinations of spectral models and RTE solvers. The relative importance of molecular gas radiation versus soot radiation is examined. And the influence of turbulence-radiation interactions is determined by comparing results obtained using local mean values of composition and temperature to compute radiative emission and absorption with those obtained using a particle-based transported probability density function method.« less

Modeling Radiative Heat Transfer and Turbulence-Radiation Interactions in Engines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paul, Chandan; Sircar, Arpan; Ferreyro-Fernandez, Sebastian

Detailed radiation modelling in piston engines has received relatively little attention to date. Recently, it is being revisited in light of current trends towards higher operating pressures and higher levels of exhaust-gas recirculation, both of which enhance molecular gas radiation. Advanced high-efficiency engines also are expected to function closer to the limits of stable operation, where even small perturbations to the energy balance can have a large influence on system behavior. Here several different spectral radiation property models and radiative transfer equation (RTE) solvers have been implemented in an OpenFOAM-based engine CFD code, and simulations have been performed for amore » full-load (peak pressure ~200 bar) heavy-duty diesel engine. Differences in computed temperature fields, NO and soot levels, and wall heat transfer rates are shown for different combinations of spectral models and RTE solvers. The relative importance of molecular gas radiation versus soot radiation is examined. And the influence of turbulence-radiation interactions is determined by comparing results obtained using local mean values of composition and temperature to compute radiative emission and absorption with those obtained using a particle-based transported probability density function method.« less

Heat engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rekos, N. F., Jr.; Parsons, E. L., Jr.

1989-09-01

For the past decade, the Department of Energy (DOE) has sponsored projects to develop diesel and gas turbine engines capable of operating on low-cost, coal-based fuels. Much of the current work addresses the use of coal-water fuel (CWF) in diesel and turbines, although there is some work with dry coal feed and other coal fuels. Both the diesel and gas turbine portions of the program include proof-of-concept and support projects. Specific highlights of the program include: engine tests and economic analyses have shown that CWF can replace 70 percent of the diesel oil used in the duty cycle of a typical main-line locomotive; A. D. Little and Cooper-Bessemer completed a system and economic study of coal-fueled diesel engines for modular power and industrial cogeneration markets. The coal-fueled diesel was found to be competitive at fuel oil prices of $5.50 per million British thermal units (MBtu); Over 200 hours of testing have been completed using CWF in full-scale, single-cylinder diesel engines. Combustion efficiencies have exceeded 99 percent; Both CWF and dry coal fuel forms can be burned in short residence time in-line combustors and in off-base combustors with a combustion efficiency of over 99 percent; Rich/lean combustion systems employed by the three major DOE contractors have demonstrated low NO(sub x) emissions levels; Contractors have also achieved promising results for controlling sulfur oxide (SO(sub x)) emissions using calcium-based sorbents; Slagging combustors have achieved between 65 and 95 percent slag capture, which will limit particulate loading on pre-turbine cleanup devices. For many of the gas turbine and diesel applications emission standards do not exist. Our goal is to develop coal-fueled diesels and gas turbines that not only meet all applicable emission standards that do exist, but also are capable of meeting possible future standards.

Some single-piston closed-cycle machines and Peter Tailer`s thermal lag engine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

West, C.D.

1993-06-01

Peter Tailer has devised, built, and operated a beautifully simple engine with a closed working gas cycle, external heating, and only a single piston. The aim of this paper is to cast some light on the possible modes of operation for his machine. The methods develops to analyze certain aspects of Stirling cycle engines, and especially the thermodynamic losses incurred in systems that are neither perfectly isothermal nor perfectly adiabatic, can be applied to Tailer`s system. The results identify two idealized cycles fr such machines; relate those cycles to a single piston, ported cylinder machine proposed earlier; and offer amore » possible explanation for the success of the thermal lag engine.« less

From quantum heat engines to laser cooling: Floquet theory beyond the Born–Markov approximation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Restrepo, Sebastian; Cerrillo, Javier; Strasberg, Philipp; Schaller, Gernot

2018-05-01

We combine the formalisms of Floquet theory and full counting statistics with a Markovian embedding strategy to access the dynamics and thermodynamics of a periodically driven thermal machine beyond the conventional Born–Markov approximation. The working medium is a two-level system and we drive the tunneling as well as the coupling to one bath with the same period. We identify four different operating regimes of our machine which include a heat engine and a refrigerator. As the coupling strength with one bath is increased, the refrigerator regime disappears, the heat engine regime narrows and their efficiency and coefficient of performance decrease. Furthermore, our model can reproduce the setup of laser cooling of trapped ions in a specific parameter limit.

An analytical study on the performance of the organic Rankine cycle for turbofan engine exhaust heat recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saadon, S.; Abu Talib, A. R.

2016-10-01

Due to energy shortage and global warming, issues of energy saving have become more important. To increase the energy efficiency and reduce the fuel consumption, waste heat recovery is a significant method for energy saving. The organic Rankine cycle (ORC) has great potential to recover the waste heat from the core jet exhaust of a turbofan engine and use it to produce power. Preliminary study of the design concept and thermodynamic performance of this ORC system would assist researchers to predict the benefits of using the ORC system to extract the exhaust heat engine. In addition, a mathematical model of the heat transfer of this ORC system is studied and developed. The results show that with the increment of exhaust heat temperature, the mass flow rate of the working fluid, net power output and the system thermal efficiency will also increase. Consequently, total consumption of jet fuel could be significantly saved as well.

Ceramic Technology for Advanced Heat Engines Project. Semiannual progress report, October 1984-March 1985

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1985-09-01

A five-year project plan was developed with extensive input from private industry. The objective of the project is to develop the industrial technology base required for reliable ceramics for application in advanced automotive heat engines. The project approach includes determining the mechanisms controlling reliability, improving processes for fabricating existing ceramics, developing new materials with increased reliability, and testing these materials in simulated engine environments to confirm reliability. Although this is a generic materials project, the focus is on structural ceramics for advanced gas turbine and diesel engines, ceramic bearings and attachments, and ceramic coatings for thermal barrier and wear applicationsmore » in these engines.« less

Effect on cold starting performance of an exhaust gas to engine coolant heat exchanger in an automobile

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goettler, H.J.; Vidger, L.J.

The effect of exhaust-to-coolant heat exchange on fuel economy and cab heater performance during cold start was studied using a 1981 Ford Granada automobile and a 1977 Buick V-6 engine on a test stand. The ambient soaking temperatures ranged from 35 to -15 degrees Fahrenheit. It was found that fuel used in a 7 minute warm up run of the test stand engine was less by 2.1 to 4.6% when the heat exchanger replaced the muffler in the system. Likewise for the Granada, fuel consumption was less by 2.8 to 3.8% over an in town test route and less bymore » 1.5 to 1.8% on a highway test route, when the heat exchanger replaced the muffler. Similarly, the time required for the coolant at the inlet of the cab heater to reach a temperature of 180 Fahrenheit was 27.5 to 28.8% shorter for the test stand engine, 6.3 to 7.0% shorter for the Granada in town route and 16.6 to 16.9% shorter for the Granada highway route, when the heat exchanger replaced the muffler.« less

Space Launch System Base Heating Test: Sub-Scale Rocket Engine/Motor Design, Development & Performance Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehta, Manish; Seaford, Mark; Kovarik, Brian; Dufrene, Aaron; Solly, Nathan

2014-01-01

ATA-002 Technical Team has successfully designed, developed, tested and assessed the SLS Pathfinder propulsion systems for the Main Base Heating Test Program. Major Outcomes of the Pathfinder Test Program: Reach 90% of full-scale chamber pressure Achieved all engine/motor design parameter requirements Reach steady plume flow behavior in less than 35 msec Steady chamber pressure for 60 to 100 msec during engine/motor operation Similar model engine/motor performance to full-scale SLS system Mitigated nozzle throat and combustor thermal erosion Test data shows good agreement with numerical prediction codes Next phase of the ATA-002 Test Program Design & development of the SLS OML for the Main Base Heating Test Tweak BSRM design to optimize performance Tweak CS-REM design to increase robustness MSFC Aerosciences and CUBRC have the capability to develop sub-scale propulsion systems to meet desired performance requirements for short-duration testing.

Speed and efficiency limits of multilevel incoherent heat engines.

PubMed

Mukherjee, V; Niedenzu, W; Kofman, A G; Kurizki, G

2016-12-01

We present a comprehensive theory of heat engines (HE) based on a quantum-mechanical "working fluid" (WF) with periodically modulated energy levels. The theory is valid for any periodicity of driving Hamiltonians that commute with themselves at all times and do not induce coherence in the WF. Continuous and stroke cycles arise in opposite limits of this theory, which encompasses hitherto unfamiliar cycle forms, dubbed here hybrid cycles. The theory allows us to discover the speed, power, and efficiency limits attainable by incoherently operating multilevel HE depending on the cycle form and the dynamical regimes.

Modeling and optimization of a typical fuel cell-heat engine hybrid system and its parametric design criteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yingru; Chen, Jincan

A theoretical modeling approach is presented, which describes the behavior of a typical fuel cell-heat engine hybrid system in steady-state operating condition based on an existing solid oxide fuel cell model, to provide useful fundamental design characteristics as well as potential critical problems. The different sources of irreversible losses, such as the electrochemical reaction, electric resistances, finite-rate heat transfer between the fuel cell and the heat engine, and heat-leak from the fuel cell to the environment are specified and investigated. Energy and entropy analyses are used to indicate the multi-irreversible losses and to assess the work potentials of the hybrid system. Expressions for the power output and efficiency of the hybrid system are derived and the performance characteristics of the system are presented and discussed in detail. The effects of the design parameters and operating conditions on the system performance are studied numerically. It is found that there exist certain optimum criteria for some important parameters. The results obtained here may provide a theoretical basis for both the optimal design and operation of real fuel cell-heat engine hybrid systems. This new approach can be easily extended to other fuel cell hybrid systems to develop irreversible models suitable for the investigation and optimization of similar energy conversion settings and electrochemistry systems.

A Simulation Study on a Thermoelectric Generator for Waste Heat Recovery from a Marine Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Dongxu; Tseng, King Jet; Wei, Zhongbao; Zheng, Yun; Romagnoli, Alessandro

2017-05-01

In this study, a marine engine has been evaluated for waste heat recovery (WHR) using thermoelectric generators (TEG). The feasibility of Mg2Sn0.75Ge0.25, Cu2Se, and Cu1.98Se as potential thermoelectric (TE) material were investigated. A straight fin heat exchanger is used to enhance the heat transfer between the hot exhaust gas and TE modules. To facility the analysis, a system level thermal resistance model is built and validated with experiments. After the model is validated, a small marine engine with rated power of 1.7-3 MW is taken as baseline model and it is found that around 2-4 KW electrical power can be extracted from exhaust gas by the TEG at varying design and operating parameters. The back pressure effect induced by the heat exchanger is also considered in this study. Finally, a parameter study is conducted regarding the impact of the TE module height on the output power. It is shown that the height of the TE leg could play a significant role in the module geometry design, and that the optimal height varies between 1 mm and 2 mm under different heat exchangers and exhaust gas flow rates.

The effect of exhaust-to-coolant heat transfer on warm-up time and fuel consumption of two automobile engines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goettler, H.J.; Vidger, L.J.; Majkrzak

A 1977 Buick V-6 engine and a 1981 Ford Granada automobile were equipped with heat exchangers to transfer energy from the exhaust gases to the cooling water after cold starts in order to shorten engine warm-up periods and improve fuel economy. A parallel concern was the time required to reach satisfactory heat delivery to the passenger compartment. The Buick engine was investigated in the laboratory. The Ford automobile was tested during driving over a 12.4 km length of freeway and over an 8.6 km test route including both in-town and highway segments. Prior to each test run the engines weremore » exposed to ambient air for at least 8 hours at temperatures ranging from -26/sup 0/C to +2/sup 0/C. The use of the heat exchangers resulted in average reductions of fuel consumption of 2.8% during a 7 minute warm-up period for the engine, and of 2.2% for the automobile when tested on the above test routes. The corresponding times for the coolant in the automobile compartment heater to reach maximum temperature were reduced by 16% and 7%. While fuel savings were achieved, their economic value is questionable, particularly in light of a possible retrofit of an existing automobile with an exhaust-to-coolant heat exchanger and the necessary control equipment.« less

Modular Heat Exchanger With Integral Heat Pipe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schreiber, Jeffrey G.

1992-01-01

Modular heat exchanger with integral heat pipe transports heat from source to Stirling engine. Alternative to heat exchangers depending on integrities of thousands of brazed joints, contains only 40 brazed tubes.

Conflict between internal combustion engine and thermoelectric generator during waste heat recovery in cars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korzhuev, M. A.

2011-02-01

It is shown that an internal combustion engine and a thermoelectric generator (TEG) arranged on the exhaust pipe of this engine come into the conflict of thermal machines that is related to using the same energy resource. The conflict grows with increasing useful electric power W e of the TEG, which leads to the limitation of both the maximum TEG output power ( W {e/max}) and the possibility of waste heat recovery in cars.

Development of advanced high temperature in-cylinder components and tribological systems for low heat rejection diesel engines, phase 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kroeger, C. A.; Larson, H. J.

1992-03-01

Analysis and concept design work completed in Phase 1 have identified a low heat rejection engine configuration with the potential to meet the Heavy Duty Transport Technology program specific fuel consumption goal of 152 g/kW-hr. The proposed engine configuration incorporates low heat rejection, in-cylinder components designed for operation at 24 MPa peak cylinder pressure. Water cooling is eliminated by selective oil cooling of the components. A high temperature lubricant will be required due to increased in-cylinder operating temperatures. A two-stage turbocharger air system with intercooling and aftercooling was selected to meet engine boost and BMEP requirements. A turbocompound turbine stage is incorporated for exhaust energy recovery. The concept engine cost was estimated to be 43 percent higher compared to a Caterpillar 3176 engine. The higher initial engine cost is predicted to be offset by reduced operating costs due the lower fuel consumption.

Development of advanced high temperature in-cylinder components and tribological systems for low heat rejection diesel engines, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kroeger, C. A.; Larson, H. J.

1992-01-01

Analysis and concept design work completed in Phase 1 have identified a low heat rejection engine configuration with the potential to meet the Heavy Duty Transport Technology program specific fuel consumption goal of 152 g/kW-hr. The proposed engine configuration incorporates low heat rejection, in-cylinder components designed for operation at 24 MPa peak cylinder pressure. Water cooling is eliminated by selective oil cooling of the components. A high temperature lubricant will be required due to increased in-cylinder operating temperatures. A two-stage turbocharger air system with intercooling and aftercooling was selected to meet engine boost and BMEP requirements. A turbocompound turbine stage is incorporated for exhaust energy recovery. The concept engine cost was estimated to be 43 percent higher compared to a Caterpillar 3176 engine. The higher initial engine cost is predicted to be offset by reduced operating costs due the lower fuel consumption.

Fuel savings with conventional hot water space heating systems by incorporating a natural gas powered heat pump. Preliminary project: Development of heat pump technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanheyden, L.; Evertz, E.

1980-12-01

Compression type air/water heat pumps were developed for domestic heating systems rated at 20 to 150 kW. The heat pump is driven either by a reciprocating piston or rotary piston engine modified to operate on natural gas. Particular features of natural gas engines as prime movers, such as waste heat recovery and variable speed, are stressed. Two systems suitable for heat pump operation were selected from among five different mass produced car engines and were modified to incorporate reciprocating piston compressor pairs. The refrigerants used are R 12 and R 22. Test rig data transferred to field conditions show that the fuel consumption of conventional boilers can be reduced by 50% and more by the installation of engine driven heat pumps. Pilot heat pumps based on a 1,600 cc reciprocating piston engine were built for heating four two-family houses. Pilot pump operation confirms test rig findings. The service life of rotary piston and reciprocating piston engines was investigated. The tests reveal characteristic curves for reciprocating piston engines and include exhaust composition measurements.

Biodiesel From waste cooking oil for heating, lighting, or running diesel engines

Treesearch

Rico O. Cruz

2009-01-01

Biodiesel and its byproducts and blends can be used as alternative fuel in diesel engines and for heating, cooking, and lighting. A simple process of biodiesel production can utilize waste cooking oil as the main feedstock to the transesterification and cruzesterification processes. I currently make my own biodiesel for applications related to my nursery and greenhouse...

The Sensitivity of Precooled Air-Breathing Engine Performance to Heat Exchanger Design Parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webber, H.; Bond, A.; Hempsell, M.

The issues relevant to propulsion design for Single Stage To Orbit (SSTO) vehicles are considered. In particular two air- breathing engine concepts involving precooling are compared; SABRE (Synergetic Air-Breathing and Rocket Engine) as designed for the Skylon SSTO launch vehicle, and a LACE (Liquid Air Cycle Engine) considered in the 1960's by the Americans for an early generation spaceplane. It is shown that through entropy minimisation the SABRE has made substantial gains in performance over the traditional LACE precooled engine concept, and has shown itself as the basis of a viable means of realising a SSTO vehicle. Further, it is demonstrated that the precooler is a major source of thermodynamic irreversibility within the engine cycle and that further reduction in entropy can be realised by increasing the heat transfer coefficient on the air side of the precooler. If this were to be achieved, it would improve the payload mass delivered to orbit by the Skylon launch vehicle by between 5 and 10%.

Optimization of a heat-pipe-cooled space radiator for use with a reactor-powered Stirling engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moriarty, Michael P.; French, Edward P.

1987-01-01

The design optimization of a reactor-Stirling heat-pipe-cooled radiator is presented. The radiator is a self-deploying concept that uses individual finned heat pipe 'petals' to reject waste heat from a Stirling engine. Radiator optimization methodology is presented, and the results of a parametric analysis of the radiator design variables for a 100-kW(e) system are given. The additional steps of optiminzing the radiator resulted in a net system mass savings of 3 percent.

Not All Ideals are Equal: Intrinsic and Extrinsic Ideals in Relationships.

PubMed

Rodriguez, Lindsey M; Hadden, Benjamin W; Knee, C Raymond

2015-03-01

The ideal standards model suggests that greater consistency between ideal standards and actual perceptions of one's relationship predicts positive relationship evaluations; however, no research has evaluated whether this differs across types of ideals. A self-determination theory perspective was derived to test whether satisfaction of intrinsic ideals buffers the importance of extrinsic ideals. Participants (N=195) in committed relationships directly and indirectly reported the extent to which their partner met their ideal on two dimensions: intrinsic (e.g., warm, intimate) and extrinsic (e.g., attractive, successful). Relationship need fulfillment and relationship quality were also assessed. Hypotheses were largely supported, such that satisfaction of intrinsic ideals more strongly predicted relationship functioning, and satisfaction of intrinsic ideals buffered the relevance of extrinsic ideals for outcomes.

Not All Ideals are Equal: Intrinsic and Extrinsic Ideals in Relationships

PubMed Central

Rodriguez, Lindsey M.; Hadden, Benjamin W.; Knee, C. Raymond

2015-01-01

The ideal standards model suggests that greater consistency between ideal standards and actual perceptions of one’s relationship predicts positive relationship evaluations; however, no research has evaluated whether this differs across types of ideals. A self-determination theory perspective was derived to test whether satisfaction of intrinsic ideals buffers the importance of extrinsic ideals. Participants (N=195) in committed relationships directly and indirectly reported the extent to which their partner met their ideal on two dimensions: intrinsic (e.g., warm, intimate) and extrinsic (e.g., attractive, successful). Relationship need fulfillment and relationship quality were also assessed. Hypotheses were largely supported, such that satisfaction of intrinsic ideals more strongly predicted relationship functioning, and satisfaction of intrinsic ideals buffered the relevance of extrinsic ideals for outcomes. PMID:25821396

Shape memory alloy heat engines and energy harvesting systems

DOEpatents

Browne, Alan L; Johnson, Nancy L; Keefe, Andrew C; Alexander, Paul W; Sarosi, Peter Maxwell; Herrera, Guillermo A; Yates, James Ryan

2013-12-17

A heat engine includes a first rotatable pulley and a second rotatable pulled spaced from the first rotatable pulley. A shape memory alloy (SMA) element is disposed about respective portions of the pulleys at an SMA pulley ratio. The SMA element includes first spring coil and a first fiber core within the first spring coil. A timing cable is disposed about disposed about respective portions of the pulleys at a timing pulley ratio, which is different than the SMA pulley ratio. The SMA element converts a thermal energy gradient between the hot region and the cold region into mechanical energy.

District Heating Systems Performance Analyses. Heat Energy Tariff

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziemele, Jelena; Vigants, Girts; Vitolins, Valdis; Blumberga, Dagnija; Veidenbergs, Ivars

2014-12-01

The paper addresses an important element of the European energy sector: the evaluation of district heating (DH) system operations from the standpoint of increasing energy efficiency and increasing the use of renewable energy resources. This has been done by developing a new methodology for the evaluation of the heat tariff. The paper presents an algorithm of this methodology, which includes not only a data base and calculation equation systems, but also an integrated multi-criteria analysis module using MADM/MCDM (Multi-Attribute Decision Making / Multi-Criteria Decision Making) based on TOPSIS (Technique for Order Performance by Similarity to Ideal Solution). The results of the multi-criteria analysis are used to set the tariff benchmarks. The evaluation methodology has been tested for Latvian heat tariffs, and the obtained results show that only half of heating companies reach a benchmark value equal to 0.5 for the efficiency closeness to the ideal solution indicator. This means that the proposed evaluation methodology would not only allow companies to determine how they perform with regard to the proposed benchmark, but also to identify their need to restructure so that they may reach the level of a low-carbon business.

Experimental study of quasi-periodic on-off phenomena in a small-scale traveling wave thermoacoustic heat engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, M.; Ju, Y. L.

2017-07-01

Periodic and spontaneous on-off oscillation belongs to the onset and damping behaviors of thermoacoustic engines, and investigations on this phenomenon lead to better operation of the thermoacoustic engines with stable performances. In this paper, the quasi- periodic on-off oscillation in a small-scale traveling wave thermoacoustic heat engine with a resonator length of only 1 m was experimentally investigated. The type of working media, mean pressure and the input heating power are the main operating parameters, which significantly affect the formation of the periodic on-off oscillation. The experimental results demonstrated there was a critical charge pressure over which the periodic on-off oscillation could happen. For the small- scale engine with helium gas as the working media, the mean pressure threshold value was about 1.4 MPa and the on-off oscillation occurred with a single frequency. Using nitrogen and argon gas as the working media, the on-off oscillation was not observed. The reason was qualitatively analyzed as well.

Thermoelectric Generation Using Counter-Flows of Ideal Fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Xiangning; Lu, Baiyi; Zhu, Miaoyong; Suzuki, Ryosuke O.

2017-08-01

Thermoelectric (TE) performance of a three-dimensional (3-D) TE module is examined by exposing it between a pair of counter-flows of ideal fluids. The ideal fluids are thermal sources of TE module flow in the opposite direction at the same flow rate and generate temperature differences on the hot and cold surfaces due to their different temperatures at the channel inlet. TE performance caused by different inlet temperatures of thermal fluids are numerically analyzed by using the finite-volume method on 3-D meshed physical models and then compared with those using a constant boundary temperature. The results show that voltage and current of the TE module increase gradually from a beginning moment to a steady flow and reach a stable value. The stable values increase with inlet temperature of the hot fluid when the inlet temperature of cold fluid is fixed. However, the time to get to the stable values is almost consistent for all the temperature differences. Moreover, the trend of TE performance using a fluid flow boundary is similar to that of using a constant boundary temperature. Furthermore, 3-D contours of fluid pressure, temperature, enthalpy, electromotive force, current density and heat flux are exhibited in order to clarify the influence of counter-flows of ideal fluids on TE generation. The current density and heat flux homogeneously distribute on an entire TE module, thus indicating that the counter-flows of thermal fluids have high potential to bring about fine performance for TE modules.

Condensation and critical exponents of an ideal non-Abelian gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talaei, Zahra; Mirza, Behrouz; Mohammadzadeh, Hosein

2017-11-01

We investigate an ideal gas obeying non-Abelian statistics and derive the expressions for some thermodynamic quantities. It is found that thermodynamic quantities are finite at the condensation point where their derivatives diverge and, near this point, they behave as \\vert T-Tc\\vert^{-ρ} in which Tc denotes the condensation temperature and ρ is a critical exponent. The critical exponents related to the heat capacity and compressibility are obtained by fitting numerical results and others are obtained using the scaling law hypothesis for a three-dimensional non-Abelian ideal gas. This set of critical exponents introduces a new universality class.

Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating Engine(s)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pike, Edward

The objective of the Cummins ARES program, in partnership with the US Department of Energy (DOE), is to develop advanced natural gas engine technologies that increase engine system efficiency at lower emissions levels while attaining lower cost of ownership. The goals of the project are to demonstrate engine system achieving 50% Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE) in three phases, 44%, 47% and 50% (starting baseline efficiency at 36% BTE) and 0.1 g/bhp-hr NOx system out emissions (starting baseline NOx emissions at 2 – 4 g/bhp-hr NOx). Primary path towards above goals include high Brake Mean Effective Pressure (BMEP), improved closed cyclemore » efficiency, increased air handling efficiency and optimized engine subsystems. Cummins has successfully demonstrated each of the phases of this program. All targets have been achieved through application of a combined set of advanced base engine technologies and Waste Heat Recovery from Charge Air and Exhaust streams, optimized and validated on the demonstration engine and other large engines. The following architectures were selected for each Phase: Phase 1: Lean Burn Spark Ignited (SI) Key Technologies: High Efficiency Turbocharging, Higher Efficiency Combustion System. In production on the 60/91L engines. Over 500MW of ARES Phase 1 technology has been sold. Phase 2: Lean Burn Technology with Exhaust Waste Heat Recovery (WHR) System Key Technologies: Advanced Ignition System, Combustion Improvement, Integrated Waste Heat Recovery System. Base engine technologies intended for production within 2 to 3 years Phase 3: Lean Burn Technology with Exhaust and Charge Air Waste Heat Recovery System Key Technologies: Lower Friction, New Cylinder Head Designs, Improved Integrated Waste Heat Recovery System. Intended for production within 5 to 6 years Cummins is committed to the launch of next generation of large advanced NG engines based on ARES technology to be commercialized worldwide.« less

Cappuccino and Specific Heat Versus Heat of Vaporization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hidden, Frits; Boomsma, Jorn; Schins, Anton; van den Berg, Ed

2012-02-01

A cappuccino is prepared by adding about 50 mL frothing, foaming milk to a cup of espresso. Whole milk is best for foaming and the ideal milk temperature when adding it to the espresso is 65 °C. The espresso itself may be warmer than that. During the heating the milk should not burn, as that would spoil the taste. The best way is to heat the milk slowly while stirring to froth the milk and create foam. But modern cappuccino machines in restaurants do not have time for slow heating. Could we heat the milk by just adding hot water?

Thermodynamical analysis of a quantum heat engine based on harmonic oscillators.

PubMed

Insinga, Andrea; Andresen, Bjarne; Salamon, Peter

2016-07-01

Many models of heat engines have been studied with the tools of finite-time thermodynamics and an ensemble of independent quantum systems as the working fluid. Because of their convenient analytical properties, harmonic oscillators are the most frequently used example of a quantum system. We analyze different thermodynamical aspects with the final aim of the optimization of the performance of the engine in terms of the mechanical power provided during a finite-time Otto cycle. The heat exchange mechanism between the working fluid and the thermal reservoirs is provided by the Lindblad formalism. We describe an analytical method to find the limit cycle and give conditions for a stable limit cycle to exist. We explore the power production landscape as the duration of the four branches of the cycle are varied for short times, intermediate times, and special frictionless times. For short times we find a periodic structure with atolls of purely dissipative operation surrounding islands of divergent behavior where, rather than tending to a limit cycle, the working fluid accumulates more and more energy. For frictionless times the periodic structure is gone and we come very close to the global optimal operation. The global optimum is found and interestingly comes with a particular value of the cycle time.

Development of thermoacoustic engine operating by waste heat from cooking stove

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, B. M.; Abakr, Y. A.; Riley, P. H.; Hann, D. B.

2012-06-01

There are about 1.5 billion people worldwide use biomass as their primary form of energy in household cooking[1]. They do not have access to electricity, and are too remote to benefit from grid electrical supply. In many rural communities, stoves are made without technical advancements, mostly using open fires cooking stoves which have been proven to be extremely low efficiency, and about 93% of the energy generated is lost during cooking. The cooking is done inside a dwelling and creates significant health hazard to the family members and pollution to environment. SCORE (www.score.uk.com) is an international collaboration research project to design and build a low-cost, high efficiency woodstove that uses about half amount of the wood of an open wood fire, and uses the waste heat of the stove to power a thermoacoustic engine (TAE) to produce electricity for applications such as LED lighting, charging mobile phones or charging a 12V battery. This paper reviews on the development of two types of the thermoacoustic engine powered by waste heat from cooking stove which is either using Propane gas or burning of wood as a cooking energy to produce an acceptable amount of electricity for the use of rural communities.

Polaron effects on the performance of light-harvesting systems: a quantum heat engine perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Dazhi; Wang, Chen; Zhao, Yang; Cao, Jianshu

2016-02-01

We explore energy transfer in a generic three-level system, which is coupled to three non-equilibrium baths. Built on the concept of quantum heat engine, our three-level model describes non-equilibrium quantum processes including light-harvesting energy transfer, nano-scale heat transfer, photo-induced isomerization, and photovoltaics in double quantum-dots. In the context of light-harvesting, the excitation energy is first pumped up by sunlight, then is transferred via two excited states which are coupled to a phonon bath, and finally decays to the reaction center. The efficiency of this process is evaluated by steady state analysis via a polaron-transformed master equation; thus the entire range of the system-phonon coupling strength can be covered. We show that the coupling with the phonon bath not only modifies the steady state, resulting in population inversion, but also introduces a finite steady state coherence which optimizes the energy transfer flux and efficiency. In the strong coupling limit, the steady state coherence disappears and the efficiency recovers the heat engine limit given by Scovil and Schultz-Dubois (1959 Phys. Rev. Lett. 2 262).

Membrane-based osmotic heat engine with organic solvent for enhanced power generation from low-grade heat.

PubMed

Shaulsky, Evyatar; Boo, Chanhee; Lin, Shihong; Elimelech, Menachem

2015-05-05

We present a hybrid osmotic heat engine (OHE) system that uses draw solutions with an organic solvent for enhanced thermal separation efficiency. The hybrid OHE system produces sustainable energy by combining pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) as a power generation stage and membrane distillation (MD) utilizing low-grade heat as a separation stage. While previous OHE systems employed aqueous electrolyte draw solutions, using methanol as a solvent is advantageous because methanol is highly volatile and has a lower heat capacity and enthalpy of vaporization than water. Hence, the thermal separation efficiency of a draw solution with methanol would be higher than that of an aqueous draw solution. In this study, we evaluated the performance of LiCl-methanol as a potential draw solution for a PRO-MD hybrid OHE system. The membrane transport properties as well as performance with LiCl-methanol draw solution were evaluated using thin-film composite (TFC) PRO membranes and compared to the results obtained with a LiCl-water draw solution. Experimental PRO methanol flux and maximum projected power density of 47.1 L m(-2) h(-1) and 72.1 W m(-2), respectively, were achieved with a 3 M LiCl-methanol draw solution. The overall efficiency of the hybrid OHE system was modeled by coupling the mass and energy flows between the thermal separation (MD) and power generation (PRO) stages under conditions with and without heat recovery. The modeling results demonstrate higher OHE energy efficiency with the LiCl-methanol draw solution compared to that with the LiCl-water draw solution under practical operating conditions (i.e., heat recovery<90%). We discuss the implications of the results for converting low-grade heat to power.

Membrane-Based Osmotic Heat Engine with Organic Solvent for Enhanced Power Generation from Low-Grade Heat

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shaulsky, E; Boo, C; Lin, SH

We present a hybrid osmotic heat engine (OHE) system that uses draw solutions with an organic solvent for enhanced thermal separation efficiency. The hybrid OHE system produces sustainable energy by combining pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) as a power generation stage and membrane distillation (MD) utilizing low-grade heat as a separation stage. While previous OHE systems employed aqueous electrolyte draw solutions, using methanol as a solvent is advantageous because methanol is highly volatile and has a lower heat capacity and enthalpy of vaporization than water. Hence, the thermal separation efficiency of a draw solution with methanol would be higher than that ofmore » an aqueous draw solution. In this study, we evaluated the performance of LiCl-methanol as a potential draw solution for a PRO-MD hybrid OHE system. The membrane transport properties as well as performance with LiCl methanol draw solution were evaluated using thin-film composite (TFC) PRO membranes and compared to the results obtained with a LiCl water draw solution. Experimental PRO methanol flux and maximum projected power density of 47.1 L m(-2) h(-1) and 72.1 W m(-2), respectively, were achieved with a 3 M LiCl-methanol draw solution. The overall efficiency of the hybrid OHE system was modeled by coupling the mass and energy flows between the thermal separation (MD) and power generation (PRO) stages under conditions with and without heat recovery. The modeling results demonstrate higher ORE energy efficiency with the LiCl methanol draw solution compared to that with the LiCl water draw solution under practical operating conditions (i.e., heat recovery <90%). We discuss the implications of the results for converting low-grade heat to power.« less

Gas-heat-pump development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Creswick, F. A.

Incentives for the development of gas heat pumps are discussed. Technical progress made on several promising technologies was reviewed. The status of development of gas-engine-driven heat pumps, the absorption cycle for the near- and long-term gas heat pump systems, the Stirling engine, the small Rankine-cycle engines, and gas-turbine-driven heat pump systems were briefly reviewed. Progress in the US, Japan, and Europe is noted.

Experimental investigation of a multicylinder unmodified diesel engine performance, emission, and heat loss characteristics using different biodiesel blends: rollout of B10 in Malaysia.

PubMed

Abedin, M J; Masjuki, H H; Kalam, M A; Varman, M; Arbab, M I; Fattah, I M Rizwanul; Masum, B M

2014-01-01

This paper deals with the performance and emission analysis of a multicylinder diesel engine using biodiesel along with an in-depth analysis of the engine heat losses in different subsystems followed by the energy balance of all the energy flows from the engine. Energy balance analysis allows the designer to appraise the internal energy variations of a thermodynamic system as a function of ''energy flows" across the control volume as work or heat and also the enthalpies associated with the energy flows which are passing through these boundaries. Palm and coconut are the two most potential biodiesel feed stocks in this part of the world. The investigation was conducted in a four-cylinder diesel engine fuelled with 10% and 20% blends of palm and coconut biodiesels and compared with B5 at full load condition and in the speed range of 1000 to 4000 RPM. Among the all tested blends, palm blends seemed more promising in terms of engine performance, emission, and heat losses. The influence of heat losses on engine performance and emission has been discussed thoroughly in this paper.

Correlation of cylinder-head temperatures and coolant heat rejections of a multicylinder, liquid-cooled engine of 1710-cubic-inch displacement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lundin, Bruce T; Povolny, John H; Chelko, Louis J

1949-01-01

Data obtained from an extensive investigation of the cooling characteristics of four multicylinder, liquid-cooled engines have been analyzed and a correlation of both the cylinder-head temperatures and the coolant heat rejections with the primary engine and coolant variables was obtained. The method of correlation was previously developed by the NACA from an analysis of the cooling processes involved in a liquid-cooled-engine cylinder and is based on the theory of nonboiling, forced-convection heat transfer. The data correlated included engine power outputs from 275 to 1860 brake horsepower; coolant flows from 50 to 320 gallons per minute; coolants varying in composition from 100 percent water to 97 percent ethylene glycol and 3 percent water; and ranges of engine speed, manifold pressure, carburetor-air temperature, fuel-air ratio, exhaust-gas pressure, ignition timing, and coolant temperature. The effect on engine cooling of scale formation on the coolant passages of the engine and of boiling of the coolant under various operating conditions is also discussed.

Laser-assisted nanoceramics reinforced polymer scaffolds for tissue engineering: additional heating and stem cells behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shishkovsky, Igor; Scherbakov, Vladimir; Volchkov, Vladislav; Volova, Larisa

2018-02-01

The conditions of selective laser melting (SLM) of tissue engineering scaffolds affect cell response and must be engineered to support cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. In the present study, the influence of additional heating during SLM process on stem cell viability near biopolymer matrix reinforced by nanoceramics additives was carried out. We used the biocompatible and bioresorbable polymers (polyetheretherketone /PEEK/ and polycaprolactone /PCL/) as a matrix and nano-oxide ceramics - TiO2, Al2O3, ZrO2, FexOy and/or hydroxyapatite as a basis of the additives. The rate of pure PEEK and PCL bio-resorption and in mixtures with nano oxides on the matrix was studied by the method of mass loss on bacteria of hydroxylase and enzyme complex. The stem cellular morphology, proliferative MMSC activity, and adhesion of the 2D and 3D nanocomposite matrices were the subjects of comparison. Medical potential of the SLS/M-fabricated nano-oxide ceramics after additional heating as the basis for tissue engineering scaffolds and cell targeting systems were discussed.

Dissipated energy and entropy production for an unconventional heat engine: the stepwise `circular cycle'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

di Liberto, Francesco; Pastore, Raffaele; Peruggi, Fulvio

2011-05-01

When some entropy is transferred, by means of a reversible engine, from a hot heat source to a colder one, the maximum efficiency occurs, i.e. the maximum available work is obtained. Similarly, a reversible heat pumps transfer entropy from a cold heat source to a hotter one with the minimum expense of energy. In contrast, if we are faced with non-reversible devices, there is some lost work for heat engines, and some extra work for heat pumps. These quantities are both related to entropy production. The lost work, i.e. ? , is also called 'degraded energy' or 'energy unavailable to do work'. The extra work, i.e. ? , is the excess of work performed on the system in the irreversible process with respect to the reversible one (or the excess of heat given to the hotter source in the irreversible process). Both quantities are analysed in detail and are evaluated for a complex process, i.e. the stepwise circular cycle, which is similar to the stepwise Carnot cycle. The stepwise circular cycle is a cycle performed by means of N small weights, dw, which are first added and then removed from the piston of the vessel containing the gas or vice versa. The work performed by the gas can be found as the increase of the potential energy of the dw's. Each single dw is identified and its increase, i.e. its increase in potential energy, evaluated. In such a way it is found how the energy output of the cycle is distributed among the dw's. The size of the dw's affects entropy production and therefore the lost and extra work. The distribution of increases depends on the chosen removal process.

Ceramic technology for advanced heat engines project: Semiannual progress report for April through September 1986

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1987-03-01

An assessment of needs was completed, and a five-year project plan was developed with extensive input from private industry. Objective is to develop the industrial technology base required for reliable ceramics for application in advanced automotive heat engines. The project approach includes determining the mechanisms controlling reliability, improving processes for fabricating existing ceramics, developing new materials with increased reliability, and testing these materials in simulated engine environments to confirm reliability. Although this is a generic materials project, the focus is on structural ceramics for advanced gas turbine and diesel engines, ceramic bearings and attachments, and ceramic coatings for thermal barriermore » and wear applications in these engines.« less

Improved silicon nitride for advanced heat engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yeh, H. C.; Wimmer, J. M.

1986-01-01

Silicon nitride is a high temperature material currently under consideration for heat engine and other applications. The objective is to improve the net shape fabrication technology of Si3N4 by injection molding. This is to be accomplished by optimizing the process through a series of statistically designed matrix experiments. To provide input to the matrix experiments, a wide range of alternate materials and processing parameters was investigated throughout the whole program. The improvement in the processing is to be demonstrated by a 20 percent increase in strength and a 100 percent increase in the Weibull modulus over that of the baseline material. A full characterization of the baseline process was completed. Material properties were found to be highly dependent on each step of the process. Several important parameters identified thus far are the starting raw materials, sinter/hot isostatic pressing cycle, powder bed, mixing methods, and sintering aid levels.

Implementing CDIO project-based learning in training of Heat and Power engineers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boiko, E. A.; Shishmarev, P. V.; Karabarin, D. I.; Yanov, S. R.; Pikalova, A. A.

2017-11-01

This paper presents the experience and current results of CDIO standards implementation in training of bachelors in Heat and Power Engineering at Thermal Power Stations academic department in Siberian Federal University. It provides information on methodology of modernization of educational programs, curricula and programs of disciplines in transition to CDIO project-based learning technology. Preliminary assessment and analysis of lessons learned and scaling perspectives are given.

Engine and radiator: fetal and placental interactions for heat dissipation.

PubMed

Schröder, H J; Power, G G

1997-03-01

The 'engine' of fetal metabolism generates heat (3-4 W kg-1 in fetal sheep) which has to be dissipated to the maternal organism. Fetal heat may move through the amniotic/allantoic fluids to the uterine wall (conductive pathway; total conductance, 1.1 W degrees C-1 kg-1) and with the umbilical arterial blood flow (convective pathway) to the placenta. Because resistance to heat flow is larger than zero fetal temperature exceeds maternal temperature by about 0.5 degree C (0.3-1 degree C). Probably 85% of fetal heat is lost to the maternal organism through the placenta, which thus serves as the main 'radiator'. Placental heat conductivity appears to be extremely high and this may lead to impaired heat exchange (guinea-pig placenta). A computer simulation demonstrates that fetal temperature is essentially clamped to maternal temperature, and that fetal thermoregulatory efforts to gain thermal independence would be futile. Indeed, when the late gestational fetus in utero is challenged by cold stress, direct and indirect indicators of (non-shivering) thermogenesis (oxygen consumption, increase of plasma glycerol and free fatty acid levels) change only moderately. In prematurely delivered lambs, however, cold stress provokes summit metabolism and maximum heat production. Only when birth is imitated in utero (by cord clamping, external artificial lung ventilation and cooling) do thermogenic efforts approach levels typical of extra-uterine life. This suggests the presence of inhibitors of thermogenesis of placental origin, e.g. prostaglandins and adenosine. When the synthesis of prostaglandins is blocked by pretreatment with indomethacin, sheep fetuses react to intra-uterine cooling with vigorous thermogenic responses, which can be subdued by infusion of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Since the sheep placenta is known to produce sufficient amounts of PGE2, it seems that the placenta controls fetal thermogenic responses to some extent. This transforms the fetus into an ectothermic

Lower operational costs in heat treatment and process engineering through improved temperature measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furniss, C. P.

New metal-sheathed thermocouple systems are described which have lowered operational heat treatment costs and process engineering. The improvements which these thermocouples represent over conventional ones with regard to chemical composition, thermomechanical properties, oxidation resistance, weldability, and coefficient of linear expansion are pointed out. Experimentally determined cost savings for a variety of applications are reported.

Ceramic technology for advanced heat engines project. Semiannual progress report, April-September 1985

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1986-05-01

An assessment of needs was completed, and a five-year project plan was developed with input from private industry. Objective is to develop the industrial technology base required for reliable ceramics for application in advanced automotive heat engines. Focus is on structural ceramics for advanced gas turbine and diesel engines, ceramic bearings and attachments, and ceramic coatings for thermal barrier and wear applications in these engines. The work described in this report is organized according to the following WBS project elements: management and coordination; materials and processing (monolithics, ceramic composites, thermal and wear coatings, joining); materials design methodology (contact interfaces, newmore » concepts); data base and life prediction (time-dependent behavior, environmental effects, fracture mechanics, NDE development); and technology transfer. This report includes contributions from all currently active project participants.« less

Sex Education and Ideals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Ruyter, Doret J.; Spiecker, Ben

2008-01-01

This article argues that sex education should include sexual ideals. Sexual ideals are divided into sexual ideals in the strict sense and sexual ideals in the broad sense. It is argued that ideals that refer to the context that is deemed to be most ideal for the gratification of sexual ideals in the strict sense are rightfully called sexual…

Rankine cycle waste heat recovery system

DOEpatents

Ernst, Timothy C.; Nelson, Christopher R.

2015-09-22

A waste heat recovery (WHR) system connects a working fluid to fluid passages formed in an engine block and/or a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine, forming an engine heat exchanger. The fluid passages are formed near high temperature areas of the engine, subjecting the working fluid to sufficient heat energy to vaporize the working fluid while the working fluid advantageously cools the engine block and/or cylinder head, improving fuel efficiency. The location of the engine heat exchanger downstream from an EGR boiler and upstream from an exhaust heat exchanger provides an optimal position of the engine heat exchanger with respect to the thermodynamic cycle of the WHR system, giving priority to cooling of EGR gas. The configuration of valves in the WHR system provides the ability to select a plurality of parallel flow paths for optimal operation.

Improving Free-Piston Stirling Engine Power Density

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Briggs, Maxwell H.

2016-01-01

Analyses and experiments demonstrate the potential benefits of optimizing piston and displacer motion in a free piston Stirling Engine. Isothermal analysis shows the theoretical limits of power density improvement due to ideal motion in ideal Stirling engines. More realistic models based on nodal analysis show that ideal piston and displacer waveforms are not optimal, often producing less power than engines that use sinusoidal piston and displacer motion. Constrained optimization using nodal analysis predicts that Stirling engine power density can be increased by as much as 58% using optimized higher harmonic piston and displacer motion. An experiment is conducted in which an engine designed for sinusoidal motion is forced to operate with both second and third harmonics, resulting in a maximum piston power increase of 14%. Analytical predictions are compared to experimental data showing close agreement with indirect thermodynamic power calculations, but poor agreement with direct electrical power measurements.

Thermo-mechanical concepts applied to modeling liquid propellant rocket engine stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kassoy, David R.; Norris, Adam

2016-11-01

The response of a gas to transient, spatially distributed energy addition can be quantified mathematically using thermo-mechanical concepts available in the literature. The modeling demonstrates that the ratio of the energy addition time scale to the acoustic time scale of the affected volume, and the quantity of energy added to that volume during the former determine the whether the responses to heating can be described as occurring at nearly constant volume, fully compressible or nearly constant pressure. Each of these categories is characterized by significantly different mechanical responses. Application to idealized configurations of liquid propellant rocket engines provides an opportunity to identify physical conditions compatible with gasdynamic disturbances that are sources of engine instability. Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

Experimental Investigation of a Multicylinder Unmodified Diesel Engine Performance, Emission, and Heat Loss Characteristics Using Different Biodiesel Blends: Rollout of B10 in Malaysia

PubMed Central

Abedin, M. J.; Masjuki, H. H.; Kalam, M. A.; Varman, M.; Arbab, M. I.; Fattah, I. M. Rizwanul; Masum, B. M.

2014-01-01

This paper deals with the performance and emission analysis of a multicylinder diesel engine using biodiesel along with an in-depth analysis of the engine heat losses in different subsystems followed by the energy balance of all the energy flows from the engine. Energy balance analysis allows the designer to appraise the internal energy variations of a thermodynamic system as a function of ‘‘energy flows” across the control volume as work or heat and also the enthalpies associated with the energy flows which are passing through these boundaries. Palm and coconut are the two most potential biodiesel feed stocks in this part of the world. The investigation was conducted in a four-cylinder diesel engine fuelled with 10% and 20% blends of palm and coconut biodiesels and compared with B5 at full load condition and in the speed range of 1000 to 4000 RPM. Among the all tested blends, palm blends seemed more promising in terms of engine performance, emission, and heat losses. The influence of heat losses on engine performance and emission has been discussed thoroughly in this paper. PMID:25162046

Experimental investigation of a thermoacoustic-Stirling refrigerator driven by a thermoacoustic-Stirling heat engine.

PubMed

Luo, E C; Dai, W; Zhang, Y; Ling, H

2006-12-22

In this paper, a thermally-driven thermoacoustic refrigerator system without any moving part is reported. This refrigeration system consists of a thermoacoustic-Stirling heat engine and a thermoacoustic-Stirling refrigerator; that is, the former is the driving source for the latter. Both the subsystems are designed to operate on traveling-wave mode. In the experiment, it was found that the DC-flows had significant negative effect on the heat engine and the refrigerator. To suppress these DC-flows, two flexible membranes were inserted into the two subsystems and worked very well. Then extensive experiments were made to test the influence of different parameters on refrigeration performance of the whole system. The system has so far achieved a no-load temperature of -65 degrees C, a cooling capacity of about 270 W at -20 degrees C and 405 W at 0 degrees C; in fact, the result showed a good prospect of the refrigeration system in room-temperature cooling such as food refrigeration and air-conditioning.

Low heat transfer oxidizer heat exchanger design and analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanic, P. G.; Kmiec, T. D.; Peckham, R. J.

1987-01-01

The RL10-IIB engine, a derivative of the RLIO, is capable of multi-mode thrust operation. This engine operates at two low thrust levels: tank head idle (THI), which is approximately 1 to 2 percent of full thrust, and pumped idle (PI), which is 10 percent of full thrust. Operation at THI provides vehicle propellant settling thrust and efficient engine thermal conditioning; PI operation provides vehicle tank pre-pressurization and maneuver thrust for log-g deployment. Stable combustion of the RL10-IIB engine at THI and PI thrust levels can be accomplished by providing gaseous oxygen at the propellant injector. Using gaseous hydrogen from the thrust chamber jacket as an energy source, a heat exchanger can be used to vaporize liquid oxygen without creating flow instability. This report summarizes the design and analysis of a United Aircraft Products (UAP) low-rate heat transfer heat exchanger concept for the RL10-IIB rocket engine. The design represents a second iteration of the RL10-IIB heat exchanger investigation program. The design and analysis of the first heat exchanger effort is presented in more detail in NASA CR-174857. Testing of the previous design is detailed in NASA CR-179487.

Heating and current drive requirements for ideal MHD stability and ITB sustainment in ITER steady state scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poli, Francesca

2012-10-01

Steady state scenarios envisaged for ITER aim at optimizing the bootstrap current, while maintaining sufficient confinement and stability to provide the necessary fusion yield. Non-inductive scenarios will need to operate with Internal Transport Barriers (ITBs) in order to reach adequate fusion gain at typical currents of 9 MA. However, the large pressure gradients associated with ITBs in regions of weak or negative magnetic shear can be conducive to ideal MHD instabilities in a wide range of βN, reducing the no-wall limit. Scenarios are established as relaxed flattop states with time-dependent transport simulations with TSC [1]. Fully non-inductive configurations with current in the range of 7-10 MA and various heating mixes (NB, EC, IC and LH) have been studied against variations of the pressure profile peaking and of the Greenwald fraction. It is found that stable equilibria have qmin> 2 and moderate ITBs at 2/3 of the minor radius [2]. The ExB flow shear from toroidal plasma rotation is expected to be low in ITER, with a major role in the ITB dynamics being played by magnetic geometry. Combinations of H&CD sources that maintain reverse or weak magnetic shear profiles throughout the discharge and ρ(qmin)>=0.5 are the focus of this work. The ITER EC upper launcher, designed for NTM control, can provide enough current drive off-axis to sustain moderate ITBs at mid-radius and maintain a non-inductive current of 8-9MA and H98>=1.5 with the day one heating mix. LH heating and current drive is effective in modifying the current profile off-axis, facilitating the formation of stronger ITBs in the rampup phase, their sustainment at larger radii and larger bootstrap fraction. The implications for steady state operation and fusion performance are discussed.[4pt] [1] Jardin S.C. et al, J. Comput. Phys. 66 (1986) 481[0pt] [2] Poli F.M. et al, Nucl. Fusion 52 (2012) 063027.

Design and implementation of a multiaxial loading capability during heating on an engineering neutron diffractometer

DOE PAGES

Benafan, O.; Padula, S. A.; Skorpenske, H. D.; ...

2014-10-02

Here we discuss a gripping capability that was designed, implemented, and tested for in situ neutron diffraction measurements during multiaxial loading and heating on the VULCAN engineering materials diffractometer at the spallation neutron source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Estimation of instantaneous heat transfer coefficients for a direct-injection stratified-charge rotary engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, C. M.; Addy, H. E.; Bond, T. H.; Chun, K. S.; Lu, C. Y.

1987-01-01

The main objective of this report was to derive equations to estimate heat transfer coefficients in both the combustion chamber and coolant pasage of a rotary engine. This was accomplished by making detailed temperature and pressure measurements in a direct-injection stratified-charge rotary engine under a range of conditions. For each sppecific measurement point, the local physical properties of the fluids were calculated. Then an empirical correlation of the coefficients was derived by using a multiple regression program. This correlation expresses the Nusselt number as a function of the Prandtl number and Reynolds number.

Hydrogen/Oxygen Propellant Densifier Thermoacoustic Stirling Heat Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, C. T.; Yeckley, A. J.; Schieb, D. J.; Haberbusch, M. S.

2004-06-01

A unique, patent pending, thermoacoustic propellant densifier for the simultaneous densification of hydrogen and oxygen propellants for aerospace vehicles is introduced. The densifier uses a high-pressure amplitude, low-frequency Thermoacoustic Stirling Heat Engine (TASHE) coupled with a uniquely designed half-wave-length resonator to drive a pulse tube cryocooler using a Gas Helium (GHe) working fluid. The extremely reliable TASHE has no moving parts, is water cooled, and is electrically powered. The helium-filled TASHE is designed to ASME piping codes, which enables the safe inspection of the system while in operation. The resonator is designed to eliminate higher-order harmonics with minimal acoustic losses. A system description will be presented, and experimental data on both the TASHE and the resonator will be compared with analytical results.

Charge-Trapping-Induced Non-Ideal Behaviors in Organic Field-Effect Transistors.

PubMed

Un, Hio-Ieng; Cheng, Peng; Lei, Ting; Yang, Chi-Yuan; Wang, Jie-Yu; Pei, Jian

2018-05-01

Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) with impressively high hole mobilities over 10 cm 2 V -1 s -1 and electron mobilities over 1 cm 2 V -1 s -1 have been reported in the past few years. However, significant non-ideal electrical characteristics, e.g., voltage-dependent mobilities, have been widely observed in both small-molecule and polymer systems. This issue makes the accurate evaluation of the electrical performance impossible and also limits the practical applications of OFETs. Here, a semiconductor-unrelated, charge-trapping-induced non-ideality in OFETs is reported, and a revised model for the non-ideal transfer characteristics is provided. The trapping process can be directly observed using scanning Kelvin probe microscopy. It is found that such trapping-induced non-ideality exists in OFETs with different types of charge carriers (p-type or n-type), different types of dielectric materials (inorganic and organic) that contain different functional groups (OH, NH 2 , COOH, etc.). As fas as it is known, this is the first report for the non-ideal transport behaviors in OFETs caused by semiconductor-independent charge trapping. This work reveals the significant role of dielectric charge trapping in the non-ideal transistor characteristics and also provides guidelines for device engineering toward ideal OFETs. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

High-Lift Engine Aeroacoustics Technology (HEAT) Test Program Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zuniga, Fanny A.; Smith, Brian E.

1999-01-01

The NASA High-Speed Research program developed the High-Lift Engine Aeroacoustics Technology (HEAT) program to demonstrate satisfactory interaction between the jet noise suppressor and high-lift system of a High-Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) configuration at takeoff, climb, approach and landing conditions. One scheme for reducing jet exhaust noise generated by an HSCT is the use of a mixer-ejector system which would entrain large quantities of ambient air into the nozzle exhaust flow through secondary inlets in order to cool and slow the jet exhaust before it exits the nozzle. The effectiveness of such a noise suppression device must be evaluated in the presence of an HSCT wing high-lift system before definitive assessments can be made concerning its acoustic performance. In addition, these noise suppressors must provide the required acoustic attenuation while not degrading the thrust efficiency of the propulsion system or the aerodynamic performance of the high-lift devices on the wing. Therefore, the main objective of the HEAT program is to demonstrate these technologies and understand their interactions on a large-scale HSCT model. The HEAT program is a collaborative effort between NASA-Ames, Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, Douglas Aircraft Corp., Lockheed-Georgia, General Electric and NASA - Lewis. The suppressor nozzles used in the tests were Generation 1 2-D mixer-ejector nozzles made by General Electric. The model used was a 13.5%-scale semi-span model of a Boeing Reference H configuration.

Engineering prediction of turbulent skin friction and heat transfer in high-speed flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cary, A. M., Jr.; Bertram, M. H.

1974-01-01

A large collection of experimental turbulent-skin-friction and heat-transfer data for flat plates and cones was used to determine the most accurate of six of the most popular engineering-prediction methods; the data represent a Mach number range from 4 to 13 and ratio of wall to total temperature ranging from 0.1 to 0.7. The Spalding and Chi method incorporating virtual-origin concepts was found to be the best prediction method for Mach numbers less than 10; the limited experimental data for Mach numbers greater than 10 were not well predicted by any of the engineering methods except the Coles method.

Universality of maximum-work efficiency of a cyclic heat engine based on a finite system of ultracold atoms.

PubMed

Ye, Zhuolin; Hu, Yingying; He, Jizhou; Wang, Jianhui

2017-07-24

We study the performance of a cyclic heat engine which uses a small system with a finite number of ultracold atoms as its working substance and works between two heat reservoirs at constant temperatures T h and T c (heat capacity which includes finite-size effects, the work output is optimized with respect to the temperature of the working substance at a special instant along the cycle. The maximum-work efficiency η mw at small relative temperature difference can be expanded in terms of the Carnot value [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], where a 0 is a function depending on the particle number N and becomes vanishing in the symmetric case. Moreover, we prove using the relationship between the temperatures of the working substance and heat reservoirs that the maximum-work efficiency, when accurate to the first order of η C , reads [Formula: see text](ΔT 2 ). Within the framework of linear irreversible thermodynamics, the maximum-power efficiency is obtained as [Formula: see text](ΔT 2 ) through appropriate identification of thermodynamic fluxes and forces, thereby showing that this kind of cyclic heat engines satisfy the tight-coupling condition.

Development of Modified Incompressible Ideal Gas Model for Natural Draft Cooling Tower Flow Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyhlík, Tomáš

2018-06-01

The article deals with the development of incompressible ideal gas like model, which can be used as a part of mathematical model describing natural draft wet-cooling tower flow, heat and mass transfer. It is shown, based on the results of a complex mathematical model of natural draft wet-cooling tower flow, that behaviour of pressure, temperature and density is very similar to the case of hydrostatics of moist air, where heat and mass transfer in the fill zone must be taken into account. The behaviour inside the cooling tower is documented using density, pressure and temperature distributions. The proposed equation for the density is based on the same idea like the incompressible ideal gas model, which is only dependent on temperature, specific humidity and in this case on elevation. It is shown that normalized density difference of the density based on proposed model and density based on the nonsimplified model is in the order of 10-4. The classical incompressible ideal gas model, Boussinesq model and generalised Boussinesq model are also tested. These models show deviation in percentages.

Effects of PM fouling on the heat exchange effectiveness of wave fin type EGR cooler for diesel engine use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Sang-Hoon; Hwang, Se-Joon; Park, Sang-Ki; Choi, Kap-Seung; Kim, Hyung-Man

2012-06-01

Developing an effective method of reducing nitrogen oxide emissions is an important goal in diesel engine research. The use of cooled exhaust gas recirculation has been considered one of the most effective techniques of reducing nitrogen oxide. However, since the combustion characteristics in a diesel engine involves high temperature and load, the amount of particulate matter emission tends to increase, and there is a trade-off between the amount of nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions. In the present study, engine dynamometer experiments are performed to investigate the effects of particulate matter fouling on the heat exchange characteristics of wave fin type exhaust gas recirculation coolers that have four cases of two wave pitch and three fin pitch lengths. To optimize the fin and wave pitches of the EGR cooler, the exhaust gas temperature, pressure drop and heat exchange effectiveness are compared. The experimental results show that the exhaust gas recirculation cooler with a fin pitch of 3.6 mm and a wave pitch of 8.8 mm exhibits better heat exchange characteristics and smaller particulate matter fouling effect than the other coolers.

Generalized Pseudo-Reaction Zone Model for Non-Ideal Explosives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wescott, B. L.

2007-12-01

The pseudo-reaction zone model was proposed to improve engineering scale simulations with high explosives that have a slow reaction component. In this work an extension of the pseudo-reaction zone model is developed for non-ideal explosives that propagate well below the steady-planar Chapman-Jouguet velocity. A programmed burn method utilizing Detonation Shock Dynamics (DSD) and a detonation velocity dependent pseudo-reaction rate has been developed for non-ideal explosives and applied to the explosive mixture of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil (ANFO). The pseudo-reaction rate is calibrated to the experimentally obtained normal detonation velocity—shock curvature relation. Cylinder test simulations predict the proper expansion to within 1% even though significant reaction occurs as the cylinder expands.

Results of 30 kWt Safe Affordable Fission Engine (SAFE-30) primary heat transport testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedersen, Kevin; van Dyke, Melissa; Houts, Mike; Godfroy, Tom; Martin, James; Dickens, Ricky; Williams, Eric; Harper, Roger; Salvil, Pat; Reid, Bob

2001-02-01

The use of resistance heaters to simulate heat from fission allows extensive development of fission systems to be performed in non-nuclear test facilities, saving time and money. Resistance heated tests on the Safe Affordable Fission Engine-30 kilowatt (SAFE30) test article are being performed at the Marshall Space Flight Center. This paper discusses the results of these experiments to date, and describes the additional testing that will be performed. Recommendations related to the design of testable space fission power and propulsion systems are made. .

Analysis of thermal stress of the piston during non-stationary heat flow in a turbocharged Diesel engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gustof, P.; Hornik, A.

2016-09-01

In the paper, numeric calculations of thermal stresses of the piston in a turbocharged Diesel engine in the initial phase of its work were carried out based on experimental studies and the data resulting from them. The calculations were made using a geometrical model of the piston in a five-cylinder turbocharged Diesel engine with a capacity of about 2300 cm3, with a direct fuel injection to the combustion chamber and a power rating of 85 kW. In order to determine the thermal stress, application of own mathematical models of the heat flow in characteristic surfaces of the piston was required to show real processes occurring on the surface of the analysed component. The calculations were performed using a Geostar COSMOS/M program module. A three-dimensional geometric model of the piston was created in this program based on a real component, in order to enable the calculations and analysis of thermal stresses during non-stationary heat flow. Modelling of the thermal stresses of the piston for the engine speed n=4250 min-1 and engine load λ=1.69 was carried out.

Analysis and simulation of the I C engine Otto cycle using the second law of thermodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdel-Rahim, Y. M.

The present investigation is an application of the second law of thermodynamics to the spark ignition engine cycle. A comprehensive thermodynamic analysis of the air standard cycle is conducted using the first and second laws of thermodynamics, the ideal gas equation of state and the perfect gas properties for air. The study investigates the effect of the cycle parameters on the cycle performance reflected by the first and second law efficiencies, the heat added, the work done, the available energy added as well as the history of the internal, available and unavailable energies along the cycle. The study shows that the second law efficiency is a function of the compression ratio, the initial temperature, the maximum temperature as well as the dead state temperature. A non-dimensional comprehensive thermodynamic simulation model for the actual Otto cycle is developed to study the effects of the design and operating parameters of the cycle on the cycle performance. The analysis takes into account engine geometry, mixture strength, heat transfer, piston motion, engine speed, mechanical friction, spark advance and combustion duration.

Improving Power Density of Free-Piston Stirling Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Briggs, Maxwell H.; Prahl, Joseph; Loparo, Kenneth

2016-01-01

Analyses and experiments demonstrate the potential benefits of optimizing piston and displacer motion in a free piston Stirling Engine. Isothermal analysis shows the theoretical limits of power density improvement due to ideal motion in ideal Stirling engines. More realistic models based on nodal analysis show that ideal piston and displacer waveforms are not optimal, often producing less power than engines that use sinusoidal piston and displacer motion. Constrained optimization using nodal analysis predicts that Stirling engine power density can be increased by as much as 58 using optimized higher harmonic piston and displacer motion. An experiment is conducted in which an engine designed for sinusoidal motion is forced to operate with both second and third harmonics, resulting in a maximum piston power increase of 14. Analytical predictions are compared to experimental data showing close agreement with indirect thermodynamic power calculations, but poor agreement with direct electrical power measurements.

ETR HEAT EXCHANGER BUILDING, TRA644. WORKERS ARE INSTALLING HEAT EXCHANGER ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

ETR HEAT EXCHANGER BUILDING, TRA-644. WORKERS ARE INSTALLING HEAT EXCHANGER PIPING. INL NEGATIVE NO. 56-3122. Jack L. Anderson, Photographer, 9/21/1956 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Test Reactor Area, Materials & Engineering Test Reactors, Scoville, Butte County, ID

ZMOTTO- MODELING THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeleznik, F. J.

1994-01-01

The ZMOTTO program was developed to model mathematically a spark-ignited internal combustion engine. ZMOTTO is a large, general purpose program whose calculations can be established at five levels of sophistication. These five models range from an ideal cycle requiring only thermodynamic properties, to a very complex representation demanding full combustion kinetics, transport properties, and poppet valve flow characteristics. ZMOTTO is a flexible and computationally economical program based on a system of ordinary differential equations for cylinder-averaged properties. The calculations assume that heat transfer is expressed in terms of a heat transfer coefficient and that the cylinder average of kinetic plus potential energies remains constant. During combustion, the pressures of burned and unburned gases are assumed equal and their heat transfer areas are assumed proportional to their respective mass fractions. Even the simplest ZMOTTO model provides for residual gas effects, spark advance, exhaust gas recirculation, supercharging, and throttling. In the more complex models, 1) finite rate chemistry replaces equilibrium chemistry in descriptions of both the flame and the burned gases, 2) poppet valve formulas represent fluid flow instead of a zero pressure drop flow, and 3) flame propagation is modeled by mass burning equations instead of as an instantaneous process. Input to ZMOTTO is determined by the model chosen. Thermodynamic data is required for all models. Transport properties and chemical kinetics data are required only as the model complexity grows. Other input includes engine geometry, working fluid composition, operating characteristics, and intake/exhaust data. ZMOTTO accommodates a broad spectrum of reactants. The program will calculate many Otto cycle performance parameters for a number of consecutive cycles (a cycle being an interval of 720 crankangle degrees). A typical case will have a number of initial ideal cycles and progress through levels

Effect of fluid-colloid interactions on the mobility of a thermophoretic microswimmer in non-ideal fluids.

PubMed

Fedosov, Dmitry A; Sengupta, Ankush; Gompper, Gerhard

2015-09-07

Janus colloids propelled by light, e.g., thermophoretic particles, offer promising prospects as artificial microswimmers. However, their swimming behavior and its dependence on fluid properties and fluid-colloid interactions remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate the behavior of a thermophoretic Janus colloid in its own temperature gradient using numerical simulations. The dissipative particle dynamics method with energy conservation is used to investigate the behavior in non-ideal and ideal-gas like fluids for different fluid-colloid interactions, boundary conditions, and temperature-controlling strategies. The fluid-colloid interactions appear to have a strong effect on the colloid behavior, since they directly affect heat exchange between the colloid surface and the fluid. The simulation results show that a reduction of the heat exchange at the fluid-colloid interface leads to an enhancement of colloid's thermophoretic mobility. The colloid behavior is found to be different in non-ideal and ideal fluids, suggesting that fluid compressibility plays a significant role. The flow field around the colloid surface is found to be dominated by a source-dipole, in agreement with the recent theoretical and simulation predictions. Finally, different temperature-control strategies do not appear to have a strong effect on the colloid's swimming velocity.

Non-idealities in the 3ω method for thermal characterization in the low- and high-frequency regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaber, Wassim; Chapuis, Pierre-Olivier

2018-04-01

This work is devoted to analytical and numerical studies of diffusive heat conduction in configurations considered in 3ω experiments, which aim at measuring thermal conductivity of materials. The widespread 2D analytical model considers infinite media and translational invariance, a situation which cannot be met in practice in numerous cases due to the constraints in low-dimensional materials and systems. We investigate how thermal boundary resistance between heating wire and sample, native oxide and heating wire shape affect the temperature fields. 3D finite element modelling is also performed to account for the effect of the bonding pads and the 3D heat spreading down to a typical package. Emphasis is given on the low-frequency regime, which is less known than the so-called slope regime. These results will serve as guides for the design of ideal experiments where the 2D model can be applied and for the analyses of non-ideal ones.

Enhancement of the CAVE computer code. [aerodynamic heating package for nose cones and scramjet engine sidewalls

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rathjen, K. A.; Burk, H. O.

1983-01-01

The computer code CAVE (Conduction Analysis via Eigenvalues) is a convenient and efficient computer code for predicting two dimensional temperature histories within thermal protection systems for hypersonic vehicles. The capabilities of CAVE were enhanced by incorporation of the following features into the code: real gas effects in the aerodynamic heating predictions, geometry and aerodynamic heating package for analyses of cone shaped bodies, input option to change from laminar to turbulent heating predictions on leading edges, modification to account for reduction in adiabatic wall temperature with increase in leading sweep, geometry package for two dimensional scramjet engine sidewall, with an option for heat transfer to external and internal surfaces, print out modification to provide tables of select temperatures for plotting and storage, and modifications to the radiation calculation procedure to eliminate temperature oscillations induced by high heating rates. These new features are described.

High temperature solar photon engines. [heat engines for terrestrial and space-based solar power plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hertzberg, A.; Decher, R.; Mattick, A. T.; Lau, C. V.

1978-01-01

High temperature heat engines designed to make maximum use of the thermodynamic potential of concentrated solar radiation are described. Plasmas between 2000 K and 4000 K can be achieved by volumetric absorption of radiation in alkali metal vapors, leading to thermal efficiencies up to 75% for terrestrial solar power plants and up to 50% for space power plants. Two machines capable of expanding hot plasmas using practical technology are discussed. A binary Rankine cycle uses fluid mechanical energy transfer in a device known as the 'Comprex' or 'energy exchanger.' The second machine utilizes magnetohydrodynamics in a Brayton cycle for space applications. Absorption of solar energy and plasma radiation losses are investigated for a solar superheater using potassium vapor.

Engineered heat treated methanogenic granules: a promising biotechnological approach for extreme thermophilic biohydrogen production.

PubMed

Abreu, Angela A; Alves, Joana I; Pereira, M Alcina; Karakashev, Dimitar; Alves, M Madalena; Angelidaki, Irini

2010-12-01

In the present study, two granular systems were compared in terms of hydrogen production rate, stability and bacterial diversity under extreme thermophilic conditions (70 degrees C). Two EGSB reactors were individually inoculated with heat treated methanogenic granules (HTG) and HTG amended with enrichment culture with high capacity of hydrogen production (engineered heat treated methanogenic granules - EHTG), respectively. The reactor inoculated with EHTG (R(EHTG)) attained a maximum production rate of 2.7l H(2)l(-1)day(-1) in steady state. In comparison, the R(HTG) containing the HTG granules was very unstable, with low hydrogen productions and only two peaks of hydrogen (0.8 and 1.5l H(2)l(-1)day(-1)). The presence of active hydrogen producers in the R(EHTG) system during the reactor start-up resulted in the development of an efficient H(2)-producing bacterial community. The results showed that "engineered inocula" where known hydrogen producers are co-inoculated with HTG is an efficient way to start up biohydrogen-producing reactors. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Numerical modelling of flow and heat transfer in the rotating disc cavities of a turboprop engine.

PubMed

Faragher, J; Ooi, A

2001-05-01

A numerical analysis of the flow and heat transfer in the cavity between two co-rotating discs with axial inlet and radial outflow of fluid, a configuration common in gas turbine engines, is described. The results are compared with the experimental data of Northrop and Owen. The effectiveness of the k-epsilon turbulence model with the two-layer zonal model for near-wall treatment of Chen and Patel is tested for this type of flow. Using three-dimensional models it is shown that modelling discrete holes at the outlet as opposed to a continuous slot, which is the approximation inherent in the two-dimensional axisymmetric model, has little effect on the predicted Nusselt number distribution along the disc surface. Results of a conjugate heat transfer analysis of a spacer in the turbine section of a turboprop engine are then presented.

Radiation heat transfer calculations for the uranium fuel-containment region of the nuclear light bulb engine.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodgers, R. J.; Latham, T. S.; Krascella, N. L.

1971-01-01

Calculation results are reviewed of the radiant heat transfer characteristics in the fuel and buffer gas regions of a nuclear light bulb engine based on the transfer of energy by thermal radiation from gaseous uranium fuel in a neon vortex, through an internally cooled transparent wall, to seeded hydrogen propellant. The results indicate that the fraction of UV energy incident on the transparent walls increases with increasing power level. For the reference engine power level of 4600 megw, it is necessary to employ space radiators to reject the UV radiated energy absorbed by the transparent walls. This UV energy can be blocked by employing nitric oxide and oxygen seed gases in the fuel and buffer gas regions. However, this results in increased UV absorption in the buffer gas which also requires space radiators to reject the heat load.

Validation of the Jarzynski relation for a system with strong thermal coupling: an isothermal ideal gas model.

PubMed

Baule, A; Evans, R M L; Olmsted, P D

2006-12-01

We revisit the paradigm of an ideal gas under isothermal conditions. A moving piston performs work on an ideal gas in a container that is strongly coupled to a heat reservoir. The thermal coupling is modeled by stochastic scattering at the boundaries. In contrast to recent studies of an adiabatic ideal gas with a piston [R.C. Lua and A.Y. Grosberg, J. Phys. Chem. B 109, 6805 (2005); I. Bena, Europhys. Lett. 71, 879 (2005)], the container and piston stay in contact with the heat bath during the work process. Under this condition the heat reservoir as well as the system depend on the work parameter lambda and microscopic reversibility is broken for a moving piston. Our model is thus not included in the class of systems for which the nonequilibrium work theorem has been derived rigorously either by Hamiltonian [C. Jarzynski, J. Stat. Mech. (2004) P09005] or stochastic methods [G.E. Crooks, J. Stat. Phys. 90, 1481 (1998)]. Nevertheless the validity of the nonequilibrium work theorem is confirmed both numerically for a wide range of parameter values and analytically in the limit of a very fast moving piston, i.e., in the far nonequilibrium regime.

Shape memory alloy heat engines and energy harvesting systems

DOEpatents

Browne, Alan L; Johnson, Nancy L; Shaw, John Andrew; Churchill, Christopher Burton; Keefe, Andrew C; McKnight, Geoffrey P; Alexander, Paul W; Herrera, Guillermo A; Yates, James Ryan; Brown, Jeffrey W

2014-09-30

A heat engine includes a first rotatable pulley and a second rotatable pulley spaced from the first rotatable pulley. A shape memory alloy (SMA) element is disposed about respective portions of the pulleys at an SMA pulley ratio. The SMA element includes a first wire, a second wire, and a matrix joining the first wire and the second wire. The first wire and the second wire are in contact with the pulleys, but the matrix is not in contact with the pulleys. A timing cable is disposed about respective portions of the pulleys at a timing pulley ratio, which is different than the SMA pulley ratio. The SMA element converts a thermal energy gradient between the hot region and the cold region into mechanical energy.

Aerodynamic Heat-Power Engine Operating on a Closed Cycle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ackeret, J.; Keller, D. C.

1942-01-01

Hot-air engines with dynamic compressors and turbines offer new prospects of success through utilization of units of high efficiencies and through the employment of modern materials of great strength at high temperature. Particular consideration is given to an aerodynamic prime mover operating on a closed circuit and heated externally. Increase of the pressure level of the circulating air permits a great increase of limit load of the unit. This also affords a possibility of regulation for which the internal efficiency of the unit changes but slightly. The effect of pressure and temperature losses is investigated. A general discussion is given of the experimental installation operating at the Escher Wyss plant in Zurich for a considerable time at high temperatures.

Ideal MHD stability and characteristics of edge localized modes on CFETR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ze-Yu; Chan, V. S.; Zhu, Yi-Ren; Jian, Xiang; Chen, Jia-Le; Cheng, Shi-Kui; Zhu, Ping; Xu, Xue-Qiao; Xia, Tian-Yang; Li, Guo-Qiang; Lao, L. L.; Snyder, P. B.; Wang, Xiao-Gang; the CFETR Physics Team

2018-01-01

Investigation on the equilibrium operation regime, its ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) stability and edge localized modes (ELM) characteristics is performed for the China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR). The CFETR operation regime study starts with a baseline scenario (R  =  5.7 m, B T  =  5 T) derived from multi-code integrated modeling, with key parameters {{β }N},{{β }T},{{β }p} varied to build a systematic database. These parameters, under profile and pedestal constraints, provide the foundation for the engineering design. The long wavelength low-n global ideal MHD stability of the CFETR baseline scenario, including the wall stabilization effect, is evaluated by GATO. It is found that the low-n core modes are stable with a wall at r/a  =  1.2. An investigation of intermediate wavelength ideal MHD modes (peeling ballooning modes) is also carried out by multi-code benchmarking, including GATO, ELITE, BOUT++ and NIMROD. A good agreement is achieved in predicting edge-localized instabilities. Nonlinear behavior of ELMs for the baseline scenario is simulated using BOUT++. A mix of grassy and type I ELMs is identified. When the size and magnetic field of CFETR are increased (R  =  6.6 m, B T  =  6 T), collisionality correspondingly increases and the instability is expected to shift to grassy ELMs.

Diesel engine catalytic combustor system. [aircraft engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ream, L. W. (Inventor)

1984-01-01

A low compression turbocharged diesel engine is provided in which the turbocharger can be operated independently of the engine to power auxiliary equipment. Fuel and air are burned in a catalytic combustor to drive the turbine wheel of turbine section which is initially caused to rotate by starter motor. By opening a flapper value, compressed air from the blower section is directed to catalytic combustor when it is heated and expanded, serving to drive the turbine wheel and also to heat the catalytic element. To start, engine valve is closed, combustion is terminated in catalytic combustor, and the valve is then opened to utilize air from the blower for the air driven motor. When the engine starts, the constituents in its exhaust gas react in the catalytic element and the heat generated provides additional energy for the turbine section.

A simple method of calculating Stirling engines for engine design optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martini, W. R.

1978-01-01

A calculation method is presented for a rhombic drive Stirling engine with a tubular heater and cooler and a screen type regenerator. Generally the equations presented describe power generation and consumption and heat losses. It is the simplest type of analysis that takes into account the conflicting requirements inherent in Stirling engine design. The method itemizes the power and heat losses for intelligent engine optimization. The results of engine analysis of the GPU-3 Stirling engine are compared with more complicated engine analysis and with engine measurements.

Laser direct writing of combinatorial libraries of idealized cellular constructs: Biomedical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schiele, Nathan R.; Koppes, Ryan A.; Corr, David T.; Ellison, Karen S.; Thompson, Deanna M.; Ligon, Lee A.; Lippert, Thomas K. M.; Chrisey, Douglas B.

2009-03-01

The ability to control cell placement and to produce idealized cellular constructs is essential for understanding and controlling intercellular processes and ultimately for producing engineered tissue replacements. We have utilized a novel intra-cavity variable aperture excimer laser operated at 193 nm to reproducibly direct write mammalian cells with micrometer resolution to form a combinatorial array of idealized cellular constructs. We deposited patterns of human dermal fibroblasts, mouse myoblasts, rat neural stem cells, human breast cancer cells, and bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells to study aspects of collagen network formation, breast cancer progression, and neural stem cell proliferation, respectively. Mammalian cells were deposited by matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation direct write from ribbons comprised of a UV transparent quartz coated with either a thin layer of extracellular matrix or triazene as a dynamic release layer using CAD/CAM control. We demonstrate that through optical imaging and incorporation of a machine vision algorithm, specific cells on the ribbon can be laser deposited in spatial coherence with respect to geometrical arrays and existing cells on the receiving substrate. Having the ability to direct write cells into idealized cellular constructs can help to answer many biomedical questions and advance tissue engineering and cancer research.

Improving Power Density of Free-Piston Stirling Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Briggs, Maxwell H.; Prahl, Joseph M.; Loparo, Kenneth A.

2016-01-01

Analyses and experiments demonstrate the potential benefits of optimizing piston and displacer motion in a free-piston Stirling Engine. Isothermal analysis shows the theoretical limits of power density improvement due to ideal motion in ideal Stirling engines. More realistic models based on nodal analysis show that ideal piston and displacer waveforms are not optimal, often producing less power than engines that use sinusoidal piston and displacer motion. Constrained optimization using nodal analysis predicts that Stirling engine power density can be increased by as much as 58 percent using optimized higher harmonic piston and displacer motion. An experiment is conducted in which an engine designed for sinusoidal motion is forced to operate with both second and third harmonics, resulting in a piston power increase of as much as 14 percent. Analytical predictions are compared to experimental data and show close agreement with indirect thermodynamic power calculations, but poor agreement with direct electrical power measurements.

Hypersonic engine component experiments in high heat flux, supersonic flow environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gladden, Herbert J.; Melis, Matthew E.

1993-01-01

A major concern in advancing the state-of-the-art technologies for hypersonic vehicles is the development of an aeropropulsion system capable of withstanding the sustained high thermal loads expected during hypersonic flight. Even though progress has been made in the computational understanding of fluid dynamics and the physics/chemistry of high speed flight, there is also a need for experimental facilities capable of providing a high heat flux environment for testing component concepts and verifying/calibrating these analyses. A hydrogen/oxygen rocket engine heat source was developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center as one element in a series of facilities at national laboratories designed to fulfill this need. This 'Hot Gas Facility' is capable of providing heat fluxes up to 450 w/sq cm on flat surfaces and up to 5,000 w/sq cm at the leading edge stagnation point of a strut in a supersonic flow stream. Gas temperatures up to 3050 K can also be attained. Two recent experimental programs conducted in this facility are discussed. The objective of the first experiment is to evaluate the erosion and oxidation characteristics of a coating on a cowl leading edge (or strut leading edge) in a supersonic, high heat flux environment. Macrophotographic data from a coated leading edge model show progressive degradation over several thermal cycles at aerothermal conditions representative of high Mach number flight. The objective of the second experiment is to assess the capability of cooling a porous surface exposed to a high temperature, high velocity flow environment and to provide a heat transfer data base for a design procedure. Experimental results from transpiration cooled surfaces in a supersonic flow environment are presented.

Methane heat transfer investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

Future high chamber pressure LOX/hydrocarbon booster engines require copper base alloy main combustion chamber coolant channels similar to the SSME to provide adequate cooling and reusable engine life. Therefore, it is of vital importance to evaluate the heat transfer characteristics and coking thresholds for LNG (94% methane) cooling, with a copper base alloy material adjacent to he fuel coolant. High pressure methane cooling and coking characteristics recently evaluated at Rocketdyne using stainless steel heated tubes at methane bulk temperatures and coolant wall temperatures typical of advanced engine operation except at lower heat fluxes as limited by the tube material. As expected, there was no coking observed. However, coking evaluations need be conducted with a copper base surface exposed to the methane coolant at higher heat fluxes approaching those of future high chamber pressure engines.