SBIR Phase I: Improving Energy Efficiency by Using Nanofluids in Vapor Compression Systems

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）的第一阶段项目旨在将纳米颗粒和过滤膜结合到蒸汽压缩系统中，以提高能源效率。该方法是识别具有适当表面性质的纳米颗粒，并将这些纳米颗粒悬浮在表面活性剂类型的基础材料中。这不仅将使纳米流体与制冷剂改善在典型蒸汽压缩系统的冷凝器中发生的传热，而且还解决了传统非均相固液混合物中发生的沉积、粘聚和腐蚀等问题。一种新型的膜系统将在冷凝器的出口收集纳米颗粒，并将颗粒返回到冷凝器的进口，从而防止颗粒进入压缩机。该项目更广泛的商业影响将是提高蒸汽压缩系统的能源效率。在医疗设备，计算机芯片，家用电器，工业冷却和制冷系统中使用高性能冷却系统的需求。纳米流体以其优越的传热性能而闻名。挑战在于如何将纳米流体引入蒸汽压缩系统，这是本项目要解决的问题。该项目的预期结果是蒸汽压缩系统的能耗降低约10%。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to incorporate nanoparticles and filtration membranes into vapor compression systems to improve energy efficiency. The approach is to identify nanoparticles with proper surface properties and suspend these nanoparticles in a surfactant type base material. This will not only enable the nanofluid with the refrigerant to improve the heat transfer occurring in the condenser of a typical vapor compression system, but also solve the problems such as sedimentation, cohesion and corrosion that happen with conventional heterogeneous solid liquid mixtures. A novel membrane system will be introduced to collect the nanoparticles at the outlet of the condenser and return the particles to the inlet of the condenser, thereby preventing particles from entering the compressor. The broader/commercial impact of this project will be the potential to improve the energy efficiency in vapor compression systems. There is a demand for high performance cooling systems used in medical devices, computer chips, residential appliances, industrial cooling and refrigeration systems. Nanofluids have been known for their superior heat transfer properties. The challenge is how to introduce the nanofluids into a vapor compression system, which is addressed by this project. The anticipated result of this project is about 10% reduction in energy consumption of vapor compression systems.