Novel Variable Conductance Heat Pipe Coupled with a Stirling Engine

拟议的工作涉及可变容量热管(VCHP)的微型热电联产(MCHP)单元的设计、建造和测试，其中mCHP废热使用一个或多个(取决于存储容量)布置为与相变材料(PCM)热库连接的新型热管来管理。新颖之处在于在热管中使用了惰性气体库存，其压力可以根据家庭供暖需求而变化，并包括紧凑型PCM热库。惰性气体压力的变化被用来平稳和连续地调节家庭热交换系统的表面积(因此，容量)，而PCM热存储被用来管理在更长的时间范围内这种热的可用性。虽然该提案侧重于国内规模的地源热电联产应用，但这一概念同样适用于更大规模的商用热电联产。诺森比亚大学的贡献是开发了地源热电联产机组和变风量热电联产的仿真模型，并使用该模型设计了国内规模的试验台。试验台将在Norhumbria的低碳系统实验室使用现有的斯特林循环mCHP模块建造。VCHP单元将由协作者根据在模拟模型的帮助下设计的尺寸规范来建造。诺森比亚公司将进行一系列与典型家庭供暖负荷相关的热需求实验--冬季(空间供暖和热水)和夏季(仅限热水)。其目的是将研究发展到概念验证阶段。模拟模型的进一步应用将被用于为具有不同占有率和供暖需求的一系列房屋类型设计系统选项。结果将被报告作为可能的原型和现场演示的基础。

The proposed work involves the design, construction and testing on a micro-combined-heat-and-power (mCHP) unit of avariable capacity heat pipe (VCHP) in which the mCHP waste heat is managed using one or more (depending uponcapacity of the store) novel heat pipes arranged to link with a phase change material (PCM) thermal store. Novelty lies inthe use of an inert gas inventory in the heat pipe whose pressure can be varied in response to domestic heating demandand the inclusion of a compact PCM thermal store. Variations in inert gas pressure are used to regulate the domesticheating system heat exchange surface area (and, hence, capacity) smoothly and continuously, whilst the PCM thermalstore is used to manage the availability of this heat over extended time horizons. Though the proposal is focused ondomestic-scale mCHP applications, the concept is equally applicable to larger scale commercial combined heat and powerplants.Northumbria's University's contribution is to develop a simulation model of the mCHP unit and VCHP and use the model todesign a domestic-scale experimental pilot rig. The pilot rig will be constructed in Northumbria's Low Carbon Systemslaboratory using an existing Stirling cycle mCHP module. The VCHP unit will be constructed by the collaborators to thesizing specification designed with the assistance of the simulation model. Northumbria will perform a series of experimentsat thermal demands relevant to typical domestic heating loads - both winter (space heating and hot water) and summer (hotwater only). The intention is to develop the research to a proof-of-concept stage only. A further application of thesimulation model will be used to design system options for a range of house types with differing occupancies and heatingdemands. Results will be reported as a basis for possible prototying and field demonstration.