Life Cycle Analysis of the Raseta Pump Using OpenLCA

Developed and crafted in Madagascar, the Raseta pump is a novel hydraulic ram (hydram) pump using a springs system. It operates differently from other pumps by the exclusive use of water energy due to the water hammer phenomenon induced by the sudden stop of the water flow. The present study initiates the investigation of the environmental impacts of this new type of hydram pump through a life cycle analysis using OpenLCA 1.8. It was found that, when operating in a small-scale water pumping system, the choice of the pump supply pipe material has small differences of environmental impacts, whether the material is made of steel or polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Moreover, compared to a solar pump for the same pumping flow rate, the use of the Raseta pump is more environmentally friendly and less harmful to human health. However, the actual advantageous utilization of such a system needs further studies such as social and techno-economic analysis.

Effect of Jet-to-Jet Distance and Pipe Position On Flow and Heat Transfer Features of Active Clearance Control Systems

The goal of the present work is to investigate the effect of supply pipe position on the heat transfer features of various active clearance control (ACC) geometries, characterized by different jet-to-jet distances. All geometries present 0.8 mm circular impingement holes arranged in a single row. The jets generated by such holes cool a flat target surface, which is replicated by a metal plate in the experimental setup. Measurements are performed using the steady-state technique, obtained by heating up the target plate thanks to an electrically heated Inconel foil applied on the side of the target opposite to the jets. Temperature is also measured on this side by means of an IR camera. Heat transfer is then evaluated thanks to a custom designed finite difference procedure, capable of solving the inverse conduction problem on the target plate. The effect of pipe positioning is studied in terms of pipe-to-target distance (from 3 to 11 jet diameters) and pipe orientation (i.e. rotation around its axis, from 0° to 40° with respect to target normal direction), while the investigated jet Reynolds numbers range from 6000 to 10000. The obtained results reveal that heat transfer is maximized for a given pipe-to-target distance, dependent on both jet-to-jet distance and target surface extension. Pipe rotation also affects the cooling features in a non-monotonic way, suggesting the existence of different flow regimes related to jet inclination.

Diagnostic Protocol for Thermal Performance of District Heating Pipes in Operation. Part 1: Estimation of Supply Pipe Temperature by Measuring Temperature at Valves after Shutdown

This study evaluates temperatures measured at district heating (DH) valves in manholes and their usability for non-destructively assessing the thermal performance of buried DH pipes. The study was conducted as a field test in which part of a DH network was shut down and the temperature decline in the valves was analysed in terms of absolute temperature and thermal response time from the DH pipe to the top of the valve. The calculated and measured supply pipe temperatures by the drainage valves were in good agreement, with 1% deviation. The valve measurement analysis from this study shows that the drainage valve has good potential to serve as a measurement point for assessing the thermal status of a DH network. However, the shutdown valve measurements were greatly affected by the manhole environment.

Effect of Jet-to-Jet Distance and Pipe Position on Flow and Heat Transfer Features of Active Clearance Control Systems

The goal of the present work is to investigate the effect of supply pipe position on the heat transfer features of various active clearance control (ACC) geometries, characterized by different jet-to-jet distances. All geometries present 0.8 mm circular impingement holes arranged in a single row. The jets generated by such holes cool a flat target surface, which is replicated by a metal plate in the experimental setup. Measurements are performed using the steady-state technique, obtained by heating up the target plate thanks to an electrically heated Inconel foil applied on the side of the target opposite to the jets. Temperature is also measured on this side by means of an IR camera. Heat transfer is then evaluated thanks to a custom designed finite difference procedure, capable of solving the inverse conduction problem on the target plate. The effect of pipe positioning is studied in terms of pipe-to-target distance (from 3 to 11 jet diameters) and pipe orientation (i.e. rotation around its axis, from 0° to 40° with respect to target normal direction), while the investigated jet Reynolds numbers range from 6000 to 10000. The obtained results reveal that heat transfer is maximized for a given pipe-to-target distance, dependent on both jet-to-jet distance and target surface extension. Pipe rotation also affects the cooling features in a non-monotonic way, suggesting the existence of different flow regimes related to jet inclination.