Electricity Generation and Enhanced Heat Transfer via Pulsating Ferro-Nanofluid

CBET-1403872 Thompson收集废物能源的新方法可以减少对化石燃料的依赖，离网发电，并提高车辆和建筑的能效。传统的热电材料可以用于这些应用；然而，由于其相对较低的热导率和较低的熔化温度，它们的使用受到限制。拟议的研究项目集中在一种新的热能收集/转换方法上，该方法由毛细管大小的热管组成，热管中充满磁流体，通过温差运行。当振荡热管(OHP)内的磁性流体暴露在螺线管中时，就会产生交流电。OHPS的高导热性和温度稳定性使其能够在传统热电材料不可行的条件和应用中得到应用。这一新的余热回收过程将为能量回收和热管理提供一种新的方法，应用于广泛的能效应用。该项目的研究目标是更好地理解热流体感应，这是一种独特的热动电磁能量转换过程，它是螺线管附近的磁性纳米流体在温度驱动下流动所固有的，可以导致传热增强和发电。将在不同的OHP平台上进行精心设计的实验，以确定设计和运行参数对这些OHP在热流和发电方面性能的影响。我们将合成各种纳米流体，并利用动态光散射(DLS)、原子力显微镜(AFM)和透射电子显微镜(TEM)等技术对其进行表征，以确定其在OHP操作前后的物理和热特性。将研究热疲劳和纳米颗粒沉降的影响。还将构建一个透明的OHP，以更好地了解纳米流体和OHP操作参数对能量收集、流体力学和热传递的影响程度。将通过利用和修改选定的OHP模型上的现有多物理软件来完成热-动力学-电磁建模。研究目标是确定：(1)在螺线管附近的热驱动、脉动的纳米铁流体毛细管流中磁场和热传递的耦合程度；(2)如何通过改变特定的设计参数在振荡热管中有效地传递热和/或产生磁场；(3)纳米铁流体的热驱动脉动毛细管流能够在多大程度上：(I)增强传热和/或(Ii)影响纳米颗粒的悬浮(团聚)和颗粒大小/分布(即纳米流体的热疲劳)，以及(4)一种新的、多物理分析/数值模型，帮助预测热流体感应固有的热传递和发电。

CBET - 1403872ThompsonNew methods for harvesting waste energy can allow for reduced fossil fuel-dependence, off-grid power generation and more efficient vehicles and buildings. Traditional thermoelectric materials can be used for these applications; however, their use is limited due to their relatively low thermal conductivities and low melting temperatures. The proposed research project centers on a new thermal-to-electrical energy harvesting/conversion method comprised of a capillary-sized heat pipe filled with magnetic fluid that operates via temperature difference. When the magnetic fluid inside the oscillating heat pipe (OHP) is exposed to a solenoid, an electrical alternating-current is generated. The high thermal conductivity and temperature stability of OHPs will allow for their utilization in conditions and applications where traditional thermoelectric materials are not viable. This new waste-heat recovery process will provide a new method for energy recovery and thermal management in a wide range of energy efficient applications.The project's research objective is to better understand "thermofluidic induction" a unique thermo-kinetic-electromagnetic energy conversion process inherent to temperature-driven flow of magnetic nanofluid near a solenoid which can result in heat transfer enhancement and electrical power generation. Well-designed experiments on various OHP platforms will be conducted to determine the influence of the design and operating parameters on the performance of these OHPs in terms of heat flux and electrical power generation. Various nanofluids will be synthesized and then characterized using a wide range of techniques, including dynamic light scattering (DLS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), in order to determine their physical and thermal characteristics before and after OHP-operation. The effects of thermal fatigue and nanoparticle settling will be studied. A transparent OHP will also be constructed to better understand the extent to which the nanofluid and OHP operating parameters affect energy harvesting, fluid mechanics and heat transfer. Thermo-kinetic-electromagnetic modeling will be accomplished by utilizing and modifying available multiphysics software on select OHP models. The research objectives are to determine: (1) the extent to which the magnetic field and heat transfer are coupled in thermally-driven, pulsating capillary flow of ferro-nanofluid near a solenoid, (2) how to effectively transfer heat and/or generate a magnetic field in an oscillating heat pipe by varying specific design parameters, (3) the extent to which thermally-driven, pulsating capillary flows of ferro-nanofluids can: (i) enhance heat transfer and/or (ii) affect nanoparticle suspendability (agglomeration) and particle size/distribution (i.e. thermal fatigue of nanofluids) and finally (4) a novel, multiphysics analytical/numerical model that aids in predicting heat transfer and electrical power generation inherent to thermofluidic induction.