Diffusion in rare-gas liquids : an experimental study

This thesis describes the design and development of an apparatus for measuring the diffusion coefficients of cryogenic liquids. The diaphragm cell method is used. The experimental apparatus has a facility for the continuous monitoring of a radioactive tracer which is diffusing across a sintered stainless steel diaphragm. A scintillation counter assembly consisting of a cesium iodide crystal, a lucite light guide and a photomultiplier tube is used for this purpose. A temperature control method is incorporated which is capable of maintaining a set temperature to within ± 0.03 K in space and time. Modified equations for the diaphragm cell are derived for the case of continuous monitoring. It is shown that neither the initial concentrations of the two compartments of the cell nor the exact starting time of diffusion are necessary to compute the diffusion coefficient. The apparatus is used to measure the tracer diffusion coefficients of krypton in liquid argon over a temperature range of 85 - 103 K. The present data are discussed in relation to some other experimental and computer simulation results

Carbon dioxide based power generation in renewable energy systems

After a substantial impact on refrigeration, carbon dioxide (CO2) is gaining considerable attention as a working fluid for thermal power generation. This can be attributed mainly to its excellent heat transfer properties and compactness of components arising from its high density. It has the merit of being amenable to operation in sub-, trans- or super-critical Brayton cycle modes. However, inhibiting factors are high pressures needed when operated in trans- or supercritical cycles and the work of compression eroding most of the work of expansion in sub-critical cycle operation. Some of the lacunae of CO2 such as high work of compression can be alleviated by using non-mechanical means such as thermal compression using the adsorption technique either for partial compression in high pressure Brayton cycles or for total compression in low pressure cycles. CO2 has also been proposed as an additive to flammable hydrocarbons such that their flammability can be suppressed and yet retaining their other desirable thermodynamic qualities. This review explores the potential and limitations of thermodynamic cycles where either CO2 is used alone or as a component in mixture of working fluids. Inter alia, it also highlights the issues of regulation of load management using the efficiency-specific power output plane. When used as a blending component, pinch point in the regenerators affects the cycle performance. The objective is to identify research and developmental challenges involving CO2 as a working fluid specifically for solar power generation. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Activated carbon-carbon dioxide based two stage adsorption compression Brayton cycle power generation

Enhancement of energy delivery of a carbon dioxide (CO2) Brayton cycle without compression work liability is achievable using low grade heat for thermal compression. The limitation of the expansion ratios of a single stage adsorption thermal compression is obviated by opting for pressure build up in two stages. Despite the use of a large number of adsorbers, it is shown that, specific work output can be augmented substantially with no undue penalty on the overall cycle efficiency albeit with a marginal shortfall in work output per unit mass of adsorbent. These features are elucidated through an activated carbon based thermal compression of CO2 yet limiting high side pressures to 80 bar and the principal heat source at a temperature equal to or less than 300 degrees C in tandem with another low grade source at 100 degrees C for thermal compression. The net outcome is a substantial reduction in the size of the power block and heat exchangers resulting from enhancement of the expansion ratio and reduction in the mass flow rate in the circuit

Performance evaluation of an integrated solar water heater as an option for building energy conservation

Since a majority of residential and industrial building hot water needs are around 50 degrees C, an integrated solar water heater could provide a bulk source that blends collection and storage into one unit. This paper describes the design, construction and performance test results of one such water-heating device. The test unit has an absorber area of 1.3 m(2) and can hold 1701 of water, of which extractable volume per day is 1001. Its performance was evaluated under various typical operating conditions. Every morning at about 7:00 a.m., 1001 of hot water were drawn from the sump and replaced with cold water from the mains. Although, during most of the days, the peak temperatures of water obtained are between 50 and 60 degrees C, the next morning temperatures were lower at 45-50 degrees C. Daytime collection efficiencies of about 60% and overall efficiencies of about 40% were obtained. Tests were conducted with and without stratification. Night radiation losses were reduced by use of a screen insulation

Visualization of convection loops due to Rayleigh-Benard convection during solidification

This paper describes the techniques adopted for visualization of Rayleigh-Benard convection during solidification of eutectic, hypo- and hyper-eutectic salt solutions. Neutrally buoyant hollow glass spheres were inducted in the body of the solidifying salt solution. The convection currents were captured by scattering of a laser beam by these beads. The apparatus has two components, namely: (i) measurement of interface/mushy region movement and temperature distribution and (ii) flow visualization with laser beam scattered by hollow glass spheres. The distinct nature of convection cells in the eutectic and hypo eutectic region is brought out

Numerical Study of Heat Transfer From Pin-Fin Heat Sink Using Steady and Pulsated Impinging Jets

This paper investigates numerically the heat transfer characteristics of confined slot jet impingement on a pin-fin heat sink. A variety of pin-fin heat sinks is investigated, and the resulting enhancement of heat transfer studied. The distribution of heat transfer coefficient on the top surface of the base plate and that along the fin height are examined. Both steady and pulsated jets are studied. It is observed that for a steady jet impingement on a pin-fin heat sink, the effective heat transfer coefficient increases with fin height, leading to a corresponding decrease in base plate temperature for the same heat flux. In the case of pulsated jets, the influence of pulse frequency and the Reynolds number is examined, and their effect on the effective heat transfer coefficient is studied

Visualization of convection loops due to Rayleigh-Benard convection during solidification

This paper describes the techniques adopted for visualization of Rayleigh-Benard convection during solidification of eutectic, hypo- and hyper-eutectic salt solutions. Neutrally buoyant hollow glass spheres were inducted in the body of the solidifying salt solution. The convection currents were captured by scattering of a laser beam by these beads. The apparatus has two components, namely: (i) measurement of interface/mushy region movement and temperature distribution and (ii) flow visualization with laser beam scattered by hollow glass spheres. The distinct nature of convection cells in the eutectic and hypo eutectic region is brought out

Supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle for concentrated solar power

Supercritical carbon dioxide based Brayton cycle for possible concentrated solar power applications is investigated and compared with trans- and sub-critical operations of the same fluid. Thermal efficiency, specific work output and magnitude of irreversibility generation are used as some of the performance indicators. While the thermal efficiency increases almost linearly with low side pressure in the sub- and trans-critical cycles, it attains a maximum in the supercritical regime at 85 bar after which there are diminishing returns on increasing the low side pressure. It is also found that supercritical cycle is capable of producing power with a thermal efficiency of >30% even at a lower source temperature (820K) and accounting for foreseeable non-idealities albeit with a higher turbine inlet pressure (similar to 300 bar) which is not matched by a conventional sub-critical cycle even with a high source temperature of 978K. The reasons for lower efficiency than in an ideal cycle are extracted from an irreversibility analysis of components, namely, compressor, regenerator, turbine and gas cooler. Low sensitivity to the source temperature and extremely small volumetric flow rates in the supercritical cycle could offset the drawback of high pressures through a compact system

A trade-off between maxima in efficiency and specific work output of super- and trans-critical CO2 Brayton cycles

Several operational aspects for thermal power plants in general are non-intuitive and involve simultaneous optimization of a number of operational parameters. In the case of solar operated power plants, it is even more difficult due to varying heat source temperatures induced by variability in insolation levels. This paper introduces a quantitative methodology for load regulation of a CO2 based Brayton cycle power plant using the `thermal efficiency and specific work output' coordinate system. The analysis shows that a transcritical CO2 cycle offers more flexibility under part load performance than the supercritical cycle in case of non-solar power plants. However, for concentrated solar power, where efficiency is important, supercritical CO2 cycle fares better than transcritical CO2 cycle. A number of empirical equations relating heat source temperature, high side pressure with efficiency and specific work output are proposed which could assist in generating control algorithms. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Diurnal and environmental characterization of solar photovoltaic panels using a PC-AT add on plug in card

This article describes the development of an instrumentation system for characterizing photovoltaic panels. It uses an add on card (which contains DAC, ADC and digital input/output ports) in conjunction with a PC-AT. The panels in a field are selected in succession through a set of relays actuated by the digital output port. The selected panel is loaded in discreet steps by a transistor loading circuit which is activated by the digital to analog convertor to trace the most significant portion of the I-V curve. The data shows that the power output is invariably lower than that specified by the manufacturer. The reasons for drop in output have been analyzed. It is shown that these effects can be represented by the curvature of I-V characteristic at the maximum power point (OP). The loss of power due to accumulation of dust and the increase in temperature of the panels can be significant