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Enhancement of Heat Transfer and Energy Recovery

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 December 2023) | Viewed by 6130

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Tian Zhao

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Guest Editor

1. Key Laboratory for Thermal Science and Power Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
2. Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
Interests: heat transfer enhancement; heat transfer optimization; topology optimization; energy system modeling and assessment; thermodynamic system optimization; absorption systems; organic Rankine cycle; thermal energy storage

Dr. Huimin Wei

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Guest Editor

School of Energy, Power and Mechanical Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
Interests: heat transfer enhancement; cooling tower; thermal energy storage

Dr. Wei Shao

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Guest Editor

Institute of Thermal Science and Technology, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
Interests: thermal system optimization; pulse tube refrigeration; heat transfer enhancement; microchannel heat sink

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Due to the current energy and environmental challenges, improving energy efficiency is of great importance and urgency. Boosting the performance of energy transport processes and utilizing energy sources in depth are two independent but effective approaches for this purpose. Studies on these two topics are attracting significant and increasing interest in the communities related to energy studies in recent years.

This Special Issue of Sustainability is organized to provide a forum for cutting-edge studies on these two issues. High-quality original research articles, reviews, and perspectives are welcome. Regarding the intensification of transport processes, this Special Issue concentrates on heat transfer enhancement, as around 80% of energy is transported in the form of heat. From the perspective of energy recovery, this Special Issue is dedicated to the recovery of waste heat as well as the utilization of solar and geothermal heat resources. Novel materials, devices, cycles, and system integrations are of interest, as is the optimization of current technologies. Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:

Heat transfer enhancement and optimization, theoretical studies, and applications;
Topology optimization of heat conduction and convective heat transfer processes;
Design and optimization of heat dissipation devices such as regular and microscale heat sinks with single-phase and phase-change heat transfer processes;
Low-grade heat recovery technologies driven by renewable heat sources such as geothermal and solar energy;
Industrial waste heat recovery technologies, system integration, assessment, and optimization;
Thermoelectrical materials, devices, and system integration;
Organic Rankine cycle, organic flash cycle, trilateral cycle, pure and zeotropic working fluids, system layout, system design, and evaluation;
Absorption systems, working pairs, system scheme, and system integration;
Ammonia-based power cycles, such as the Kalina cycle and Allam cycle;
Photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) systems and their applications in energy systems;
Thermal energy storage applications for waste heat recovery;
Heat transfer enhancement techniques in thermal energy storage systems;
Advanced and emerging technologies in the energy field, such as machine learning and digital twins.

We are looking forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Tian Zhao
Dr. Huimin Wei
Dr. Wei Shao
Guest Editors

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.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

heat transfer enhancement and optimization
topology optimization
design optimization of heat dissipation devices
waste heat recovery
thermoelectrics
organic Rankine cycle and organic flash cycle
absorption systems
ammonia-based power cycles, Kalina cycle, and Allam cycle
photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) systems
thermal energy storage
machine learning
digital twins

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 13993 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Anti-Condensation Radiant Heating Floor System in Buildings under Moistening Weather

by Rong Hu, Jincan Liang, Ting Lan, Yingde Yin and Gang Liu

Sustainability 2023, 15(15), 11580; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151511580 - 26 Jul 2023

Viewed by 950

Abstract

In most regions of southern China, condensation frequently occurs on building surfaces during the period from March to April. This phenomenon has been affecting people’s safety and structural properties. This article proposes an innovative anti-condensation floor system based on the reverse Carnot cycle. The evaporation side treats the air and reduces the moisture content, and the heat extracted from the condensation side is recovered by a heat exchanger and transferred to the floor through capillary mats. Simulation studies of the dynamic operation performance have been conducted through the TRNSYS 18 software. The results show that an innovative anti-condensation floor system can effectively keep the floor dry in Guilin. At the same time, regarding the indoor comfort level index, the PMV value is within ±0.5, and the energy consumption of the system is 42% less than that of the cooling dehumidification system. The system also performs well in representative cities where the air moisture content is less than 12 g/kg. This article also provides a reference for the feasibility of radiant floor systems in humid climate areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enhancement of Heat Transfer and Energy Recovery)

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25 pages, 5218 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Investigation of Thermal-Hydraulic Performance of Externally Finned Tubes

by Aigul Zhanuzakovna Amrenova, Abay Mukhamediyarovich Dostiyarov, Iliya Krastev Iliev, Ayaulym Konysbekovna Yamanbekova, Rakhimzhan Kabievich Orumbayev and Dias Raybekovich Umyshev

Sustainability 2023, 15(12), 9448; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129448 - 12 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 880

Abstract

Currently there are various concepts of heat transfer intensification, on the basis of which methods have been developed to increase the heat transfer coefficient in the channels of heat exchange surfaces, which do not lead to significant additional energy costs for flow movement. The article presents the results of an experimental study on the influence of various types of fins on heat transfer processes and hydraulic resistance. The results obtained show that fins in the form of crosses and triangles are the most efficient in terms of heat transfer. However, they create the greatest hydraulic resistance. The largest value of the Nusselt number is relevant for fins type 5 and 6 due to a more active effect on the core of the flow owing to its shape. Fins 7 and 4 have the minimal influence, since they have the ‘smoothest’ shape. Studies have shown that with Reynolds numbers in the range of 13,000–32,000, fins of type 4 and 7 show the greatest resistance. It is shown that it is possible to switch from pipes without fins to pipes with fins by including the coefficient B in the Nusselt equation having a range of 0.03–0.061. It is shown that under certain conditions, heat transfer when using fins can decrease with increasing Reynolds number. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enhancement of Heat Transfer and Energy Recovery)

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16 pages, 1958 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation of the Enhancement of Boiling Heat Transfer Performance Utilizing a Hybrid Wetting Surface with a Macroscopic Millimeter-Scale Pillar Array

by Chun Shen, Dongjun Xu, Bo Wei, Chengchun Zhang, Shenghua Du and Tian Zhao

Sustainability 2023, 15(10), 7920; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107920 - 11 May 2023

Viewed by 1257

Abstract

The heat transfer process is an important part of energy utilization and conversion, and boiling heat transfer is one of the most significant and effective heat transfer modes in use. Enhancing boiling heat transfer can directly improve energy use efficiency and promote the sustainable development of the energy industry. Surfaces with mixed wetting topologies have been proven to possess the potential to enhance boiling heat transfer. However, the heat transfer promoting mechanism of these types of surfaces requires further clarification on actual heat exchanger surfaces with macroscale heat transfer enhancement structures, such as millimeter-scale pillars. In this study, the boiling heat transfer enhancement mechanism and the performance of the hybrid wetting surfaces with an array of macropillars were explored using both experimentation and numerical simulation. In the experiment, the single bubble growth dynamics at the onset sites of nucleation of these hybrid wetting surfaces in the initial boiling stage were recorded using a CCD camera with a top view. The boiling heat transfer coefficient was also measured at the stable boiling stage. Within the entire tested range of heat flux (3.75–18 W/cm²), the hybrid wetting surfaces significantly enhanced the boiling heat transfer, and the HPo(bottom)–HPi(top) surface (surf-2) exhibited the best heat transfer performance. At the representative heat flux 12.5 W/cm², the boiling heat transfer coefficient of the HPo (bottom)–HPi (top) surface (surf-2) and the HPi (bottom)–HPo (top) surface (surf-3) were more than 33% and 18% higher than the pure copper flat surface, and more than 16% and 3% higher than the uniform HPi surface (surf-4), respectively. On the one hand, due to the view field of camera being blocked by the fiercely growing bubbles in the stable boiling stage, it was difficult to record bubble numbers and gather statistics at the onset sites of nucleation in order to correlate the bubble dynamics with the mechanism of boiling heat transfer enhancement. On the other hand, the single bubble growth dynamics recorded during the initial boiling stage lacked information about the hybrid wetting surfaces in the vertical cross-sectional plane. Therefore, a two-dimensional VOF-based numerical simulation was adopted to supplement the contribution of hybrid wetting surfaces in the vertical plane. The simulation results indicated that the hybrid wetting surfaces with macropillars can inhibit bubble overgrowth and accelerate bubble departure compared with spatially uniform hydrophobic surface. The bubble radius and departure time on surf-2 were smaller than those on surf-3. These are believed to be the reasons why the surf-2 surface exhibited the best heat transfer performance in the experiment. Both the experiment and numerical analysis proved that the hybrid wetting surfaces with macroscale pillars can promote the boiling heat transfer, thus demonstrating potential applications in actual horizontal or vertical tube boiling heat exchangers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enhancement of Heat Transfer and Energy Recovery)

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20 pages, 5205 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experiment and Simulation on a Refrigeration Ventilation System for Deep Metal Mines

by Wei Shao, Shuo Wang, Wenpu Wang, Kun Shao, Qi Xiao and Zheng Cui

Sustainability 2023, 15(10), 7818; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107818 - 10 May 2023

Viewed by 1199

Abstract

Significant harm from heat has become a key restriction for deep metal mining with increasing mining depth. This paper proposes a refrigeration ventilation system for deep metal mines combined with an existing air cycling system and builds an experimental platform with six stope simulation boxes. Using the heat current method and the driving-resistance balance relationship, the heat transfer and flow constraints of the system were constructed. An artificial neural network was used to establish models of heat exchangers and refrigerators with historical experimental data. Combining the models of the system and stope simulation box, an algorithm that iterates the water outlet temperature of the evaporator and condenser of the refrigerator was proposed to design the coupled simulation model. The heat balance analysis and comparison of the air outlet temperatures of the stope, as well as the heat transfer rates of the heat exchangers with the experimental data, validated the coupled simulation model. Additionally, the effects of cooling fans and the air inlet temperature of the cooling tower were discussed, which provided a powerful modelling method for the coupled model of a refrigeration ventilation system, helps to reduce energy consumption, and improves the sustainability of mining production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enhancement of Heat Transfer and Energy Recovery)

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Review

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37 pages, 7243 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Review of Radiative Heat Transfer in Fixed-Bed Particle Solar Receivers

by Guilong Dai, Jiangfei Huangfu, Xiaoyu Wang, Shenghua Du and Tian Zhao

Sustainability 2023, 15(13), 9918; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15139918 - 21 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1339

Abstract

A highly efficient receiver is required because re-radiation loss increases dramatically with increased working temperature. Among a large number of receivers, the fixed-bed Particle Solar Receiver (PSR) represents a new pathway to high temperature with maximum overall thermal efficiency. The incoming solar radiation can penetrate deeper into the fixed-bed PSR filled with semi-transparent quartz and ceramic particles (spheres or Raschig rings), resulting in an increased volumetric effect. Reports show that an optimized PSR can realize overall receiver efficiency of around 92% at outlet temperatures above 1000 K, and achieve the annual temperature above 1000 K over 65% annual operating hours integrated with a concentrated solar power (CSP) system. To fully understand radiative heat transfer characteristics and provide deep insight into thermal efficiency, radiation energy is classified as incident solar radiation and radiative heat exchange in two parts. The transfer mechanism, the solution method and the progress of the investigation for each section are summarized and discussed in detail. Then, challenges and future directions, including an innovative design method, an improved experimental approach and an effective simulation method are proposed to put forward this receiver to be a preferred substitute in advanced, high-temperature power cycles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enhancement of Heat Transfer and Energy Recovery)

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