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Controlling and maximizing effective thermal properties by manipulating transient behaviors during energy-system cycles.
- Source :
-
International Communications in Heat & Mass Transfer . Jul2016, Vol. 75, p137-146. 10p. - Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- Transient processes generally constitute part of energy-system cycles. If skillfully manipulated, they actually are capable of assisting systems to behave beneficially to suit designers' needs. In the present study, behaviors related to both thermal conductivities ( κ ) and heat capacities ( c v ) are investigated. Three major findings validated by COMSOL simulations and micro-Hamiltonian-Oscillator analyses are reported: (1) effective κ and effective c v can be controlled to vary from their intrinsic material-property values to a few orders of magnitude larger; (2) a parameter, tentatively named as “nonlinear thermal bias”, is identified and can be used as a criterion in estimating energies transferred into the system during heating processes; (3) For bodies of fluids confined by a cold bottom and a hot top, it may be feasible to install a propeller that can be turned by a weak buoyancy force induced by the top-to-bottom heat conduction via the propeller, provided that densities of the propeller and the fluid are similar. Such a turning motion serves double purposes of performing the hydraulic work and increasing the effective κ of the propeller. Hence, hot-top-and-cold-bottom fluid-filled enclosures (e.g., oceans) that induce nearly no buoyancy flows may now, in principle, become energy-harnessing sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 07351933
- Volume :
- 75
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- International Communications in Heat & Mass Transfer
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 115742914
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2016.04.015