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Advanced Thermal Simulation of Energy Systems: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "J: Thermal Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 92

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Guest Editor
School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
Interests: two-phase flows; boiling; smart surfaces; drop impact; liquid interfaces; sprays; thermal systems; heat pipes; microfluidics; microdroplet management; microgravity
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

“Energy systems” encompass all the thermodynamic systems in which heat or mass transfer occurs. These systems implicate a huge number of phenomena and applications, from the ground to outer space. In order to focus the contents of this Special Issue, we aim to explore topics covering the successful implementation of recently advanced and innovative numerical and analytical modeling techniques. These methods could have a substantial impact on the comprehension and virtual reproducibility of physical phenomena, supporting an increase in industrial system performance and thermal efficiency. I invite all colleagues and scientists working in the field of thermo-fluid dynamics and thermal sciences to submit a paper with at last two of the following three main characteristics: (1) inspiring or offering a better explanation of physical processes, (2) having a clear link to a high-impact and novel application, and (3) containing an original advancement in terms of numerical modeling or methods.

Prof. Dr. Marco Marengo
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • thermal systems
  • multi-phase flows
  • boiling
  • evaporation
  • condensation
  • cavitation
  • liquid interfaces
  • sprays
  • porous media
  • heat pipes
  • heat exchangers
  • microfluidics
  • nanofluids
  • nucleation
  • compressible flows
  • VOF method
  • level-set method
  • phase field simulation
  • molecular dynamics
  • lattice Boltzmann

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

23 pages, 4306 KiB  
Article
A Dynamic Investigation of a Solar Absorption Plant with Nanofluids for Air-Conditioning of an Office Building in a Mild Climate Zone
by Luca Cirillo, Sabrina Gargiulo, Adriana Greco, Claudia Masselli, Sergio Nardini, Vincenzo Orabona and Lucrezia Verneau
Energies 2025, 18(13), 3480; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18133480 - 1 Jul 2025
Abstract
This study explores the impact of using water-Al2O3 nanofluids, at different nanoparticle concentrations, in solar thermal collectors for solar cooling applications. Improving the seasonal energy performance of solar cooling systems is a current research priority, and this work investigates whether [...] Read more.
This study explores the impact of using water-Al2O3 nanofluids, at different nanoparticle concentrations, in solar thermal collectors for solar cooling applications. Improving the seasonal energy performance of solar cooling systems is a current research priority, and this work investigates whether nanofluids can significantly enhance system efficiency compared to traditional heat transfer fluids. A transient simulation was carried out using a dynamic model developed in TRNSYS (TRANsient SYstem Simulation), evaluating the system performance throughout the cooling season. The results show that in July, under low volumetric flow conditions and with nanoparticle concentrations of 0.6% and 0.3%, the solar fraction reaches a maximum value of 1. Using a nanofluid at 0.6% concentration leads to significantly higher fractional energy savings compared to pure water. Despite increased pumping energy, the overall energy savings—which include the contribution from an auxiliary boiler—exceed 80% when nanofluids are used. This study goes beyond previous work by providing a dynamic, system-level simulation of nanofluid-enhanced solar cooling performance under realistic operating conditions. The findings demonstrate the practical potential of nanofluids as a valid and more energy-efficient alternative in solar thermal applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Thermal Simulation of Energy Systems: 2nd Edition)
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