Analysis of oxy-fuel combustion power cycle utilizing a pressurized coal combustor

Growing concerns over greenhouse gas emissions have driven extensive research into new power generation cycles that enable carbon dioxide capture and sequestration. In this regard, oxy-fuel combustion is a promising new technology in which fuels are burned in an environment of oxygen and recycled combustion gases. In this paper, an oxy-fuel combustion power cycle that utilizes a pressurized coal combustor is analyzed. We show that this approach recovers more thermal energy from the flue gases because the elevated flue gas pressure raises the dew point and the available latent enthalpy in the flue gases. The high-pressure water-condensing flue gas thermal energy recovery system reduces steam bleeding which is typically used in conventional steam cycles and enables the cycle to achieve higher efficiency. The pressurized combustion process provides the purification and compression unit with a concentrated carbon dioxide stream. For the purpose of our analysis, a flue gas purification and compression process including de-SO[subscript x], de-NO[subscript x], and low temperature flash unit is examined. We compare a case in which the combustor operates at 1.1 bars with a base case in which the combustor operates at 10 bars. Results show nearly 3% point increase in the net efficiency for the latter case.Aspen Technology, Inc.Thermoflow Inc

Development and Characterization of an Air-Cooled Loop Heat Pipe With a Wick in the Condenser

Thermal management of modern electronics is rapidly becoming a critical bottleneck of their computational performance. Air-cooled heat sinks offer ease and flexibility in installation and are currently the most widely used solution for cooling electronics. We report the characterization of a novel loop heat pipe (LHP) with a wick in the condenser, developed for the integration into an air-cooled heat sink. The evaporator and condenser are planar (102 mm × 102 mm footprint) and allow for potential integration of multiple, stacked condensers. The condenser wick is used to separate the liquid and vapor phases during condensation by capillary menisci and enables the use of multiple condensers with equal condensation behavior and performance. In this paper, the thermal–fluidic cycle is outlined, and the requirements to generate capillary pressure in the condenser are discussed. The LHP design to fulfill the requirements is then described, and the experimental characterization of a single-condenser version of the LHP is reported. The thermal performance was dependent on the fan speed and the volume of the working fluid; a thermal resistance of 0.177  °C/W was demonstrated at a heat load of 200 W, fan speed of 5000 rpm and fluid volume of 67 mL. When the LHP was filled with the working fluid to the proper volume, capillary pressure in the condenser was confirmed for all heat loads tested, with a maximum of 3.5 kPa at 200 W. When overfilled with the working fluid, the condenser was flooded with liquid, preventing the formation of capillary pressure and significantly increasing the LHP thermal resistance. This study provides the detailed thermal–fluidic considerations needed to generate capillary pressure in the condenser for controlling the condensation behavior and serves as the basis of developing multiple-condenser LHPs with low thermal resistance.United States. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (W31P4Q-09-1-0007

Development of a Compensation Chamber for Use in a Multiple Condenser Loop Heat Pipe

We report the design and analysis of a novel compensation chamber for use in PHUMP, a multiple condenser loop heat pipe (LHP) capable of dissipating 1000 W. The LHP is designed for integration into a high performance air-cooled heat sink to address thermal management challenges in advanced electronic systems. The compensation chamber is integrated into the evaporator of the device and provides a region for volumetric expansion of the working fluid over a range of operating temperatures. Additionally, the compensation chamber serves to set the liquid side pressure of the device, preventing both flooding of the condensers and dry out of the evaporator. The compensation chamber design was achieved through a combination of computational simulation using COMSOL Multiphysics and models developed based on experimental work of previous designs. The compensation chamber was fabricated as part of the evaporator using Copper and Monel sintered wicks with various particle sizes to achieve the desired operating characteristics. Currently, the compensation chamber is being incorporated into a multiple condenser LHP for a high performance air-cooled heat sink. Copyright © 2013 by ASME.United States. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Microsystems Technology Office. Microtechnologies for Air-Cooled Exchange Program (Grant Number W31P4Q-09-1-0007

Changes in design thinking through participation in design based wilderness education

In the summer of 2014, 30 students from the Singapore University of Technology and Design and 6 students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology participated in a 10-week Global Leadership Program (GLP) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. GLP provides students with the opportunity to develop design thinking and engineering science competencies alongside leadership skills. A curriculum combining elements of design-based learning and wilderness education was developed and implemented to holistically address the development of these three skillsets. This pilot study is the group’s first attempt to investigate the effect of participation in design-based wilderness education on student design thinking. Through qualitative analysis of student interviews 8 major themes that students associated with changes in their design thinking were identified: being flexible, the importance of high-fidelity testing, the value of simplicity, the importance of trying, survival as motivation, having empathy for others, trusting the process, and identifying team strengths

Characterization of a Condenser for a High Performance Multi-Condenser Loop Heat Pipe

We experimentally characterized a condenser design for a multi-condenser loop heat pipe (LHP) capable of dissipating 1000 W. The LHP is designed for integration into a high performance air-cooled heat sink to address thermal management challenges in advanced electronic systems. The multi-layer stack of condensers utilizes a sintered wick design to stabilize the liquid-vapor interface and prevent liquid flooding of the lower condenser layers in the presence of a gravitational head. In addition a liquid subcooler is incorporated to suppress vapor flashing in the liquid return line. We fabricated the condensers using photo-chemically etched Monel frames with Monel sintered wicks with particle sizes up to 44 νm. We characterized the performance of the condensers in a custom experimental flow rig that monitors the pressure and temperatures of the vapor and liquid. The condenser dissipated the required heat load with a subcooling of up to 18°C, while maintaining a stable liquid-vapor interface with a capillary pressure of 6.2 kPa. In the future, we will incorporate the condenser into a loop heat pipe for a high performance air-cooled heat sink.United States. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Microsystems Technology Office. Microtechnologies for Air-Cooled Exchange Program (Grant Number W31P4Q-09-1-0007

Dynamic Modeling and Control System Definition for a Micro-CSP Plant Coupled With Thermal Storage Unit

Organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems are gaining ground as a means of effectively providing sustainable energy. Coupling small-scale ORCs powered by scroll expander-generators with solar thermal collectors and storage can provide combined heat and power to underserved rural communities. Simulation of such systems is instrumental in optimizing their control strategy. However, most models developed so far operate at steady-state or focus either on ORC or on storage dynamics. In this work, a model for the dynamics of the solar ORC system is developed to evaluate the impact of variable heat sources and sinks, thermal storage, and the variable loads associated with distributed generation. This model is then used to assess control schemes that adjust operating conditions for daily environmental variation

Development and Characterization of a Loop Heat Pipe With a Planar Evaporator and Condenser

We present the development and characterization of an air-cooled loop heat pipe with a planar evaporator and condenser. The condenser is mounted vertically above the evaporator, and impellers are integrated both sides of the condenser with tight clearance. The planar geometry allows for effective convective cooling by increasing the surface area and the convective heat transfer coefficient. To ensure condensation across the area of the condenser, a wicking structure is integrated in the condenser. The evaporator incorporates a multi-layer wicking structure to maintain a thermal gradient between the vapor and liquid regions, which is used to sustain the vapor and liquid pressures necessary for operation. The loop heat pipe was demonstrated to remove 140 W of heat at a temperature difference between the evaporator base and inlet air of 50 °C. This work is the first step towards the development of an air-cooled, multiple-condenser loop heat pipe.United States. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Microsystems Technology Office. Microtechnologies for Air-Cooled Exchangers (Grant W31P4Q-09-1-0007

Investigation of a Multiple Impeller Design for a High Performance Air-Cooled Heat Sink

A high-performance air-cooled heat sink that incorporates a novel heat pipe with multiple parallel condenser layers and interdigitated blower impellers is presented. A flow circuit model was developed in order to predict the air flow performance of a 15-layer impeller system using experimental measurements from a single layer. A 15-layer impeller system was constructed to validate the flow circuit model. The performance of the multi-layer system was investigated by using a hot wire anemometer to compare flow between layers and by measuring the inflation rate of a bag enclosing the air outlets. This work addresses important issues that allow the extension of the air flow modeling and experimental results from a single impeller design to a multilayer stack of impellers operating in parallel and sharing a common inlet. Topics: Impellers , Design , Heat sinksUnited States. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Microsystems Technology Office. Microtechnologies for Air-Cooled Exchangers (Grant W31P4Q-09-1-0007

Integration of a Multiple-Condenser Loop Heat Pipe in a Compact Air-Cooled Heat Sink

We present the characterization of a compact, high performance air-cooled heat sink with an integrated loop heat pipe. In this configuration, heat enters the heat sink at the evaporator base and is transferred within the heat pipe by the latent heat of vaporization of a working fluid. From the condensers, the heat is transferred to the ambient air by an integrated fan. Multiple condensers are used to increase the surface area available for air-cooling, and to ensure the equal and optimal operation of the individual condensers, an additional wick is incorporated into the condensers. We demonstrated with this design (10.2 cm × 10.2 cm × 9 cm), a total thermal resistance of less than 0.1 °C/W while dissipating a heat load of 500 W from a source at 75 °C. Furthermore, constant thermal resistance was observed in the upright as well as sideways orientations. This prototype is a proof-of-concept demonstration of a high performance and efficient air-cooled heat sink design that can be readily integrated for various electronics packaging and data center applications.United States. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Microsystems Technology Office. Microtechnologies for Air-Cooled Exchangers (Grant Number W31P4Q-09-1-0007

Design and Analysis of High-Performance Air-Cooled Heat Exchanger with an Integrated Capillary-Pumped Loop Heat Pipe

We report the design and analysis of a high-power air-cooled heat exchanger capable of dissipating over 1000 W with 33 W of input electrical power and an overall thermal resistance of less than 0.05 K/W. The novelty of the design combines the blower and heat sink into an integrated compact unit (4" × 4" × 4") to maximize the heat transfer area and reduce the required airflow rates and power. The device consists of multiple impeller blades interdigitated with parallel-plate condensers of a capillary-pumped loop heat pipe. The impellers are supported on a common shaft and powered with a low-profile permanent magnet synchronous motor, while a single flat-plate evaporator is connected to the heat load.United States. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Microsystems Technology Office. Microtechnologies for Air-Cooled Exchangers (Grant number W31P4Q-09-1-0007