Numerical Optimization of a Single Bunch of NiTi Wires to Be Placed in an Elastocaloric Experimental Device: Preliminary Results

Italy has not yet presented to the scientific community any elastocaloric prototype suitable for refrigeration/air conditioning. The SUSSTAINEBLE project was born from the idea to build a demonstrative elastocaloric prototype for environmental conditioning. The prototype is planned to be rotary and composed by a few bunches of elastocaloric wires crossed by air as heat transfer fluid. Many are the parameters to be investigated before the realization of the device. A numerical practical tool would help to easily optimize the prototype. In this paper a two-dimensional tool of a single bunch of elastocaloric wires based on finite-element method is introduced; it can reproduce step by step the velocity and the pressure field of fluid to predict more accurately the solid-to-fluid heat exchange. The results of a test campaign mostly focused on the optimization of the frequency of the cycle, fluid velocity and the distance between the elastocaloric wires are presented. The results reveal that: (i) 0.12 Hz as frequency; (ii) 7 m s−1 as velocity; (iii) 1.0 mm as optimal wire distance, would better satisfy the trade-off existing in the maximization of temperature span and cooling power per mass unit: 23.7 K and 311.97 W kg−1 are the values achieved, respectively.