scholarly journals Cooling Cycle Optimization for a Vuilleumier Refrigerator

Entropy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (12) ◽  
pp. 1562
Author(s):  
Raphael Paul ◽  
Abdellah Khodja ◽  
Andreas Fischer ◽  
Karl Heinz Hoffmann
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Estimate ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Thermodynamic Cycle ◽  
Cooling Power ◽  
Driving Mechanism ◽  
Power Gain ◽  
Piston Motion ◽  
External Energy ◽  
Stirling Engines ◽  
Hot Bath

Vuilleumier refrigerators are a special type of heat-driven cooling machines. Essentially, they operate by using heat from a hot bath to pump heat from a cold bath to an environment at intermediate temperatures. In addition, some external energy in the form of electricity can be used as an auxiliary driving mechanism. Such refrigerators are, for example, advantageous in situations where waste heat is available and cooling power is needed. Here, the question of how the performance of Vuilleumier refrigerators can be improved is addressed with a particular focus on the piston motion and thus the thermodynamic cycle of the refrigerator. In order to obtain a quantitative estimate of the possible cooling power gain, a special class of piston movements (the AS motion class explained below) is used, which was already used successfully in the context of Stirling engines. We find improvements of the cooling power of more than 15%.

scholarly journals Power-Optimized Sinusoidal Piston Motion and Its Performance Gain for an Alpha-Type Stirling Engine with Limited Regeneration

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 4564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathias Scheunert ◽  
Robin Masser ◽  
Abdellah Khodja ◽  
Raphael Paul ◽  
Karsten Schwalbe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Power Output ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Primary Energy Consumption ◽  
Performance Gain ◽  
Piston Motion ◽  
Stirling Engines ◽  
Remarkable Result ◽  
Performance Gains ◽  
Alpha Type

The recuperation of otherwise lost waste heat provides a formidable way to decrease the primary energy consumption of many technical systems. A possible route to achieve that goal is through the use of Stirling engines, which have shown to be reliable and efficient devices. One can increase their performance by optimizing the piston motion. Here, it is investigated to which extent the cycle averaged power output can be increased by using a special class of adjustable sinusoidal motions (the AS class). In particular the influence of the regeneration effectiveness on the piston motion is examined. It turns out that with the optimized piston motion one can achieve performance gains for the power output of up to 50% depending on the loss mechanisms involved. A remarkable result is that the power output does not depend strongly on the limitations of the regenerator, in fact—depending on the loss terms—the influence of the regenerator practically vanishes.

Optimization of a Novel Combined Power/Refrigeration Thermodynamic Cycle

Solar Energy ◽  
2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaoguang Lu ◽  
D. Yogi Goswami
Keyword(s):  
Waste Heat ◽  
Thermodynamic Cycle ◽  
Cycle Performance ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Second Law ◽  
Optimum Conditions ◽  
Ambient Temperatures ◽  
Reduced Gradient ◽  
Generalized Reduced Gradient ◽  
Performance Conditions

A novel combined power/refrigeration thermodynamic cycle is optimized for thermal performance in this paper. The cycle uses ammonia-water binary mixture as a working fluid and can be driven by various heat sources, such as solar, geothermal and low temperature waste heat. It could produce power as well as refrigeration with power output as a primary goal. The optimization program, which is based on the Generalized Reduced Gradient (GRG) algorithm, can be used to optimize for different objective functions. Examples that maximize second law efficiency, work output and refrigeration output are presented, showing the cycle may be optimized for any desired performance parameter. In addition, cycle performance over a range of ambient temperatures was investigated. It was found that for a source temperature of 360K, which is in the range of flat plate solar collectors, both power and refrigeration outputs are achieved under optimum conditions. All performance parameters, including first and second law efficiencies, power and refrigeration output decrease as the ambient temperature goes up. On the other hand, for a source of 440K, optimum conditions do not provide any refrigeration. However, refrigeration can be obtained even for this temperature under non-optimum performance conditions.

Novel Combined Power and Cooling Thermodynamic Cycle for Low Temperature Heat Sources, Part II: Experimental Investigation

2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunnar Tamm ◽  
D. Yogi Goswami
Keyword(s):  
Low Temperature ◽  
System Analysis ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Experimental System ◽  
Thermodynamic Cycle ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Water Mixture ◽  
Theoretical Simulation

A combined thermal power and cooling cycle proposed by Goswami is under intensive investigation, both theoretically and experimentally. The proposed cycle combines the Rankine and absorption refrigeration cycles, producing refrigeration while power is the primary goal. A binary ammonia-water mixture is used as the working fluid. This cycle can be used as a bottoming cycle using waste heat from a conventional power cycle or as an independent cycle using low temperature sources such as geothermal and solar energy. An experimental system was constructed to demonstrate the feasibility of the cycle and to compare the experimental results with the theoretical simulation. Results showed that the vapor generation and absorption condensation processes work experimentally, exhibiting expected trends, but with deviations from ideal and equilibrium modeling. The potential for combined turbine work and refrigeration output was evidenced in operating the system. Analysis of losses showed where improvements could be made, in preparation for further testing over a broader range of operating conditions.

scholarly journals Conversion of gas engine waste heat into cold using absorption chillers

2020 ◽  
Vol 168 ◽  
pp. 00046
Author(s):  
Georgii Karman ◽  
Yurii Oksen ◽  
Olena Trofymova ◽  
Yurii Komissarov ◽  
Borys Dizhevskyi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Conditioning ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Lithium Bromide ◽  
Thermodynamic Cycle ◽  
Cooling Capacity ◽  
Coolant Temperature ◽  
Gas Engine ◽  
Absorption Chillers ◽  
Full Conversion ◽  
Heating Medium

A possibility of gas engine waste heat conversion into cold for air conditioning in mines using lithium bromide absorption chillers is investigated. Dependencies of parameters of a thermodynamic cycle and energy indicators of chillers on temperatures of a heating medium and a coolant are obtained using mathematical modelling. It is shown that it is rational to use two chillers with sequential movement of a heating medium and a coolant through them in opposite directions for a full conversion of gas engine waste heat. COP of such a system is 0.733. This allows obtaining 2140 kW of cooling capacity with a coolant temperature of 7 °C when using a gas engine JMS-620 by Jenbacher.

Design and Optimization of Free Piston Expander for Energy Harvesting

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Champagne ◽  
L. Weiss
Keyword(s):  
Low Temperature ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Operating Efficiency ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Operational Parameters ◽  
Piston Motion ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Free Piston ◽  
Power Sources ◽  
Potential System

There is a growing opportunity and need for research that investigates alternate power sources. One such source is low temperature waste heat, or energy cast off to the environment as part of some larger process. Through the capture and use of this abundant energy source for power production, it is possible to enhance the overall operating efficiency of the larger system. This presents significant potential for sustainability increase and energy savings. One potential system that can operate from these sources is a low temperature, small-scale steam expander. Investigations of one such device called a Free Piston Expander (FPE) are presented in this work. In final form, the FPE will be a MEMS based device capable of operation as part of a complete low temperature steam system. In this present study, a millimeter scale device is constructed and tested to yield insight into critical operational parameters for future microfabricated designs. Construction of this testbed device is via concentric copper tubing, allowing an effective baseline study of these determining parameters. Parameters studied include device cross sectional area and shape as well as operational pressure. Once consistent parameters are determined, three separate variations of circular FPE design are further tested. These FPEs are designed to either constrain piston rotation or allow for rotational freedom during operation. Testing is performed on these devices for consistency in piston motion. Piston motion is characterized based on a single expansion and reaction of the piston.

A Novel Combined Power and Cooling Thermodynamic Cycle for Low Temperature Heat Sources: Part II — Experimental Investigation

Solar Energy ◽  
2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunmar Tamm ◽  
D. Yogi Goswami
Keyword(s):  
Low Temperature ◽  
System Analysis ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Experimental System ◽  
Thermodynamic Cycle ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Water Mixture ◽  
Theoretical Simulation ◽  
Intensive Investigation

A combined thermal power and cooling cycle proposed by Goswami is under intensive investigation, both theoretically and experimentally. The proposed cycle combines the Rankine and absorption refrigeration cycles, producing refrigeration while power is the primary goal. A binary ammonia-water mixture is used as the working fluid. This cycle can be used as a bottoming cycle using waste heat from a conventional power cycle or an independent cycle using low temperature sources such as geothermal and solar energy. An experimental system was constructed to demonstrate the feasibility of the cycle and to compare the experimental results with the theoretical simulation. Results showed that the vapor generation and absorption condensation processes work experimentally, exhibiting expected trends, but with deviations from ideal and equilibrium modeling. The potential for combined turbine work and refrigeration output was evidenced in operating the system. Analysis of losses showed where improvements could be made, in preparation for further testing over a broader range of operating parameters.

Design of a Small Renewable Resource Model based on the Stirling Engine with Alpha and Beta Configurations

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 360
Author(s):  
Faisal Zahari ◽  
Muhammad Murtadha Othman ◽  
Ismail Musirin ◽  
Amirul Asyraf Mohd Kamaruzaman ◽  
Nur Ashida Salim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Temperature Variation ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Renewable Resource ◽  
Stirling Engine ◽  
Heat Energy ◽  
Maintenance Cost ◽  
Resource Model ◽  
Stirling Cycle ◽  
Cooling Agent ◽  
Stirling Engines

<p>This paper presents the conceptual design of Stirling engine based Alpha and Beta configurations. The performances of Stirling engine based Beta configuration will be expounded elaborately in the discussion. The Stirling engines are durable in its operation that requires less maintenance cost.  The methodology for both configurations consists of thermodynamic formulation of Stirling Cycle, Schmidt theory and few composition of flywheel and Ross-Yoke dimension. Customarily, the Stirling engine based Beta configuration will operate during the occurrence of low and high temperature differences emanating from any type of waste heat energy. A straightforward analysis on the performance of Stirling engine based Beta configuration has been performed corresponding to the temperature variation of cooling agent. The results have shown that the temperature variation of cooling agent has a direct effect on the performances of Stirling engine in terms of its speed, voltage and output power. </p>

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