Generally, a thermosyphon is utilized as a heat exchanger. Then, it is an effective equipment for one of the solutions of today’s resource conservation and saving energy problems. The thermosyphon is able to transport heat between small temperature gradients without the need for the outside power. The system has three parts, an evaporator zone, adiabatic zone and condensed zone. The efficiently cycle of the thermal hydraulics system observed in the three zones of this thermosyphon is structurally examined for energy-conversion. The authors installed a power generator in the insulation zone of the thermosyphon, and examined the possibility of electric power generation and the heat transfer characteristics of the thermosyphon. The adiabatic zone was made of an acrylic tube. A turbine and a nozzle were set in the adiabatic zone. Water was used as working fluid. As a result, we confirmed that the output of the electric power and the heat transport rate of about 70–90% for this system were obtained.
An Assessment of the Economics of Future Electric Power Generation Options and the Implications for Fusion
