摘要:ObjectiveBattery thermal management is crucial for ensuring the performance, safety, and longevity of batteries, particularly in electric vehicles and energy-storage systems. Direct air-cooling systems are widely used because of their simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and reliability. However, while increasing the air velocity leads to a higher heat-dissipation efficiency, it also leads to higher power consumption and noise. This study aims to experimentally and numerically analyze the flow and heat transfer characteristics of a typical flat fin-and-tube heat exchanger used in battery thermal management. This research focuses on investigating the effects of operational parameters, including air velocity, temperature difference between the coolant and air, and coolant mass flow rate, on the heat transfer performance.MethodsBoth experimental and numerical approaches were employed to evaluate the heat transfer performance of the heat exchanger. The experimental setup featured a copper-fin and 316L stainless steel tube unit with two fans to enhance forced convection, and tests were conducted across air velocities of 2.1-6.1 m/s, coolant-to-air temperature differences of 20-40 ℃, and coolant mass flow rates of 0.35-0.55 kg/s. The performance was evaluated using the heat transfer coefficients, pressure drops, and overall heat dissipation rate, with an uncertainty of 6.5% and repeatability within 2.2%. A three-dimensional steady-state CFD model of a unit was developed by adopting no-slip wall conditions, symmetry/periodic boundaries, and wall contact resistance with the corresponding boundary conditions. Mesh independence was achieved with approximately 1.41 million cells, solver residuals established at 10⁻⁷, and parametric analysis was conducted for tube outer diameters ranging from 3 mm to 6 mm and bundle spacings from 7 mm to 11 mm.Results and DiscussionsThe results illustrate the effects of air velocity, temperature difference, and coolant mass flow rate on the thermohydraulic performance of the heat exchanger. As the air velocity increases, the airside heat transfer coefficient improves owing to the enhanced convective heat transfer, with a maximum increase of 102.1% in the 2.1-6.1 m/s velocity range. Similarly, increasing the temperature difference from 20 ℃ to 40 ℃ leads to a rise in the heat transfer coefficient by 19.1% to 28.9%, showing a nearly linear relationship. A higher coolant mass flow rate enhances the heat transfer rate, leading to a proportional increase in the heat transfer coefficient. Numerical simulations confirm these trends and provide insights into the flow behaviors, including the formation of cross-flow vortices that enhance heat transfer, particularly at higher air velocities. The simulations also reveal that transverse vortices form in the fin gaps, which shrink with increasing air velocity. Furthermore, the simulation results indicate that the optimal pipe diameter for maximizing heat transfer performance is 6 mm, with a tube bundle pitch of 9 mm.ConclusionsThis study concludes that the air velocity, coolant temperature difference, and coolant mass flow rate are the primary factors influencing the heat transfer performance of flat fin-and-tube heat exchangers for battery thermal management. Both the experimental and numerical results indicate that increasing the air velocity and coolant mass flow rate significantly enhances the heat transfer. Furthermore, the temperature difference between the coolant and air directly affects the heat transfer coefficient. Based on these findings, the optimal heat exchanger design should have a pipe diameter of 6 mm and tube bundle pitch of 9 mm. This configuration provides the optimum heat transfer performance and is recommended for improving the efficiency of air-cooled thermal management systems for high-performance battery applications.
关键词:heat transfer performance;flat fin-and-tube heat exchanger;battery thermal management system;air cooling
摘要:Although hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) do not deplete the stratospheric ozone layer, a few of these have high Global Warming Potentials (GWPs) ranging from 12 to 14 000. At present, these chemicals are widespread in air conditioners, refrigerators, aerosols, foams, and other products. This study systematically analyzed HFC allowance allocation systems and the practical experiences from the European Union and United States. The focus is on analyzing HFC control concepts, quota allocation mechanisms, and calculation rules in the EU and US, as well as the characteristics of the two systems. It has been observed that both the EU and US have adopted synergistic approaches to protect the ozone layer and address climate change. They jointly promote the implementation of the Kigali Amendment and achievement of climate neutrality goals, and reduce HFCs through economic measures and market mechanisms. Specifically, the EU was the first to adopt paid quotas, thereby strengthening the market constraints. Meanwhile, the US flexibly used market tools, including free quotas with a quota transfer offset system. Additionally, both have established quota-accounting methods based on the GWP values of substances, and the US has developed a toolbox for HFC quota allocation. China implemented the HFCs quota licensing system in 2024. The experiences of the HFC allowance allocation systems in the EU and US can provide references for China's compliance with the Kigali Amendment.
关键词:HFCs;quota;Kigali Amendment;the European Union;the United States
摘要:Superfluid helium (4He) exhibits special phenomena such as anomalous thermal conduction, fountain, and crawling film effects at sub-Kelvin temperatures owing to its quantum properties. Dilution refrigerators utilize 3He as the working fluid for circulation. 3He produces cooling effects as it passes through the phase interface in the mixing chamber. It is then pumped out by a room-temperature pump after evaporation in the still chamber. The superfluid helium inside the still chamber forms a liquid film on the wall and flows toward higher temperatures. This results in significant heat leakage owing to its anomalous thermal conductivity. The superfluid helium liquid film also affects the purity of 3He during the circulation process, thereby influencing the cooling capacity of the dilution refrigerator. The “knife-edge” and “small orifice” structures are the primary means for suppressing superfluid helium films. This study analyzed the impact of the purity of the working fluid 3He on the cooling capacity of the dilution refrigerator and the limitation placed on the system's 3He circulation flow rate by the size of the “small orifice”. Experimental tests were conducted to measure the mass flow rate of the superfluid helium crawling film at 0.95 K with two types of suppression structures: “small orifice” and “knife-edge with small orifice”. The use of “knife-edge with small orifice” resulted in a 35.6% improvement in the suppression effect of the superfluid helium crawling film compared with the use of “small orifice” alone.
关键词:dilution refrigerator;superfluid helium film flow;knife-edge;small orifice
摘要:With the expansion of air-source heat pump (ASHP) heating systems, ASHP arrays have become the primary arrangements for medium-to large-scale heating projects. However, the "cold island effect" and "wet island effect" are likely to form at the center of the ASHP arrays. This results in frequent frosting and defrosting in the heat pump units. Conversely, the frequent frosting and defrosting also influence the "cold and wet island effect" in the ASHP array. To evaluate the mutual influences between the "cold and wet island effects" and the phenomena of frosting and defrosting, this study performed an investigation based on a demonstration project using ASHP array in Weihai, Shandong Province. The study established a field-testing platform and conducted field measurements. Typical day-testing results indicate that under the influence of the "cold and wet island effect", the defrosting frequency of ASHP unit at the center of the array increased by 225% compared with those on the periphery. Frequent defrosting reduced the intensity of the cold island effect of the central units by 4.3% and increased the wet island effect intensity by 3.9%. However, the effect was not significant. Additionally, the nominal heating capacity loss coefficient during the frosting-defrosting cycle for the central units increased by 59.3%, and their average heating capacity and COP decreased by 31.6% and 34.0%, respectively, compared with the peripheral units. This indicates a significant performance degradation in the central units.
关键词:air-source heat pump array;cold and wet island effects;frosting and defrosting;field tests
摘要:To resolve the issues of significant throttling loss and performance degradation of a baseline transcritical CO2 air-source heat pump system (Base) for building space heating, an ejector subcooling transcritical CO2 air-source heat pump system (ESH) driven by the waste heat of the compressor discharge gas is proposed in this paper. The thermodynamic performance of the ESH system was optimized and analyzed using four working fluids. Five typical cities were selected for comparison, and the heating season performance factor (HSPF) was analyzed. The results reveal that the coefficient of performance (COP) of the ESH system first increased and then decreased with the increase of discharge pressure, and an optimal discharge pressure exists. Compared with the Base system, the ESH system using R1234ze(Z) displayed the most remarkable improvement in COP (with the highest increase of 20.64%). The discharge pressure of the ESH system reduced by up to 9.20% compared with that of the Base system, and the exergy efficiency increased by 7.13%-18.61%. The HSPF of the ESH system was 9.68% to 14.21% higher than that of the Base system. The performance improvement was higher when it was used in severely cold regions.
关键词:transcritical CO2;ejector subcooling;waste heat of discharge gas;air-source heat pump;heating season performance factor
摘要:Because the driving method of electric vehicles differs from that of conventional ones, the power sources of electric vehicles can be diversified. The Global Warming Potential (GWP) and ozone depletion potential (ODP) values of the refrigerant R290 are lower than those of R134a. Consequently, R290 has become an important option for electric vehicle air-conditioners. In this study, an electric vehicle air-conditioning compressor test system was set up to study the compressor performance of two refrigerants (R134a and R290) under variable evaporating temperatures, condensing temperatures, and compressor speeds. The simulated and experimental values for the two refrigerants were also analyzed. The results reveal that the condensing temperature significantly affected the compressor powers of R134a and R290. As the condensing temperature increased by 1 ℃, the compressor power increased by ~3%. The evaporating temperature had a smaller effect on the compressor powers of R134a and R290: as the evaporating temperature increased by 1 ℃, the compressor power decreased by ~0.3%. The prediction errors of compressor power for R134a and R290 were approximately 5% and 10%, respectively. For the same temperature difference, the compressor performance of R290 was significantly better than that of R134a. Furthermore, the isentropic and volumetric efficiencies of R290 were 10%-15% and 6%-9% higher, respectively. At the same pressure ratio, the compressor performance of R290 was similar to that of R134a. In addition, the compressor performances of R290 and R134a were essentially the same at different compressor speeds. However, further optimization is necessary for the applicability of semi-empirical simulation models in variable-speed compressors, particularly at high compressor speeds.
关键词:R290;compressor;isentropic efficiency;volumetric efficiency;simulation model
摘要:Efficiency of the thermal management system directly affects the energy consumption and driving range of a vehicle. This article proposes a new integrated thermal management heat pump system and develops its control strategy. The study analyzed its performance at low temperatures for waste heat recovery. The experiments were conducted under different powers, which verified that the strategy of controlling the waste heat recovery conditions using a six-way valve can reduce the system energy consumption. In addition, in real vehicle tests at -7 ℃ and -18 ℃, the 1-hour energy consumption of the test vehicles equipped with the waste heat recovery system was reduced by 24% and 35%, respectively. The waste heat recovery system for verifying the energy-saving potential of the application increased the driving range of the electric vehicles by 22.95% under urban conditions and 37.29% under high-speed conditions.
摘要:In the backdrop of the growing energy crisis and drive for carbon neutrality, new energy vehicles have become a key area of interest. However, the complexity of the heat source distribution and the gradual increase in power density pose higher challenges to vehicle radiators. In this study, the heat transfer characteristics of the thermal management system of a range-extended hybrid electric vehicle were investigated. Furthermore, three cooling circuits and radiator arrangements were designed. The effects of different radiator arrangements on the heat transfer and flow characteristics were investigated. Additionally, power/pressure drop and power density values were proposed to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the radiator arrangement. The results reveal that the serial case (low-temperature radiator, air-to-air intercooler, and high-temperature radiator arranged in series) displayed a high power density of 2 862 kW/m3 and a better power/pressure drop ratio of 0.15 kW/Pa. It exhibited the best overall heat transfer and flow performance considering the competition balance between pressure drop and heat dissipation. With an increase in the heat transfer capacity, the cooling flow rate generally exhibited an increasing trend.
关键词:hybrid electric vehicle;thermal management system;radiator;power density
摘要:In this study, based on a two-unit (evaporator and condenser) system bench, the heat transfer performance of a battery cooler with refrigerant-side inlet aluminum tube inner diameters (IATIDs) of 5 mm, 8 mm, 12 mm, and 15 mm was investigated. The effects of the different IATIDs on the pressure drop and heat transfer power of the battery cooler were also investigated. When the IATLD of the battery cooler increased from 5 mm to 8 mm, the pressure drop in working condition 1 (refrigerant side: expansion valve inlet pressure of 2 MPa, valve inlet subcooling degree of 5 ℃, cooler outlet pressure of 0.4 MPa, and cooler outlet superheat degree of 5 ℃, coolant side: inlet temperature of 25 ℃ and flow rate of 16 L/min) reduced from 231.5 kPa to 52 kPa, and the pressure drop in working condition 2 (refrigerant side: valve inlet pressure of 1.9 MPa, valve inlet subcooling degree of 5 ℃, cooler outlet pressure of 0.35 MPa, and cooler outlet superheat degree of 5 ℃, coolant side: outlet temperature of 15 ℃ and flow rate of 20 L/min) reduced from 262.5 kPa to 111.7 kPa. The mass flow rate and heat transfer rate increased. When the IATID increased from 8 mm to 15 mm, the pressure drop in working condition 1 reduced from 52 kPa to 13.6 kPa, the pressure drop in working condition 2 reduced from 111.7 kPa to 30.8 kPa, and the mass flow rate and heat transfer rate decreased. The heat transfer rate attained a maximum value at an IATID of 8 mm under the two conditions, i.e. 9 214.7 W for condition 1 and 13 698.1 W for condition 2. By fitting the relationship between different IATIDs and heat transfer rate, we can match the appropriate IATID to obtain the maximum heat transfer rate.
关键词:battery cooler;inlet aluminum tube inner diameter;uncertainty;pressure drop;heat transfer rate
摘要:A coaxial spiral tube heat exchanger used for the phase change cold storage of liquid hydrogen cold-chain logistics vehicles is proposed. A three-dimensional heat and flow coupling numerical model of the heat exchanger was established. The influences of parameters such as the hydrogen mass flow rate and mass flow rate of the heat transfer fluid on the outlet temperature of the heat transfer fluid and the phase change cold-storage solidification fraction in the heat exchanger were determined. The results reveal that the outlet temperature of the heat transfer fluid and the cold-storage solidification fraction were closely related to the hydrogen and heat transfer fluid mass flow rates. With the continuous transient heat transfer process between hydrogen and the heat transfer fluid, the outlet temperature of the heat transfer fluid and the cold storage solidification fraction varied rapidly and gradually stabilized. Under the conditions of hydrogen inlet temperature of 30 K, hydrogen mass flow rate of 3.5-6.8 kg/h, hydrogen inlet pressure of 0.6-1.4 MPa, mass flow rate of heat transfer fluid of 414.0-828.0 kg/h, and inlet temperature of heat transfer fluid of 246.0-252.0 K, the shell passage of the spiral tube heat exchanger was not obstructed by solidification of the heat transfer fluid.
摘要:The size and location of the separating holes at low mass flow rates (<1 g/s) have a significant impact on the performance of condensers with liquid separation. The heat transfer performance and pressure drop of R600a in five microchannel condensers with liquid separation were studied experimentally. Additionally, the heat transfer performance and pressure drop characteristics of the five liquid separation condensers under different refrigerant mass flows, inlet air temperatures and velocities, and condensing pressures were analyzed. According to the experimental results, the heat-exchange performance of the condenser with liquid separation orifice at the second baffle was better than that at the third baffle. As the mass flow rate of the refrigerant increased, the refrigerant-side pressure drop in the liquid separation condenser decreased significantly. When the refrigerant mass flow rate was 0.60 g/s and 0.40 g/s, the refrigerant-side pressure drop of the condenser with liquid separation orifice on the second baffle was 21.28% and 17.29% lower, respectively, than that of the baseline condenser without liquid separation. The performances of the liquid separation condensers with different orifice diameters were compared using the comprehensive evaluation factor PEF. The average PEF value of the liquid separation condenser with an orifice size of 1.2 mm was 1.58. This was the highest among all the liquid separation condensers and yielded the best comprehensive performance.
关键词:liquid separation condenser;separating orifice size;separating orifice position;heat transfer performance;pressure drop
摘要:The subcooled flow boiling heat transfer of R1233zd(E) in uniform- and variable-width parallel microchannels was investigated experimentally. The heat transfer characteristics of two channel structures were analyzed and compared under different subcooling, mass-flux, and heat-flux conditions. The experimental results reveal that the onset of nucleate boiling (ONB) of the variable-width parallel microchannel occurred earlier and that the wall temperature could be maintained at a lower value. In addition, the overall heat transfer characteristics of the variable-width microchannel were better than those of the uniform-width microchannel. When the mass flux was 1 263 kg/(m2·s), the wall superheat of the variable-width parallel microchannel was 3.2 ℃ lower than that of the uniform-width parallel microchannel. When the heat flux was 150 kW/m2, the coefficient of heat transfer (HTC) of the variable-width parallel microchannel increased by 30%-50% compared with that of the uniform-width parallel microchannel. Moreover, the two-phase pressure drop in the variable-width parallel microchannels was higher than that in the uniform-width parallel microchannels, with a maximum increase of 61%.
关键词:subcooled flow boiling;parallel microchannel;boiling heat transfer;heat transfer characteristic
摘要:This study investigated the impact of different micro-rib arrangements on the flow and heat transfer performance of microchannel heat exchangers. Sixteen rib configurations were designed, and four optimized structures were analyzed through numerical simulations. Key parameters, including the velocity and temperature fields, pressure drop, friction coefficient, base temperature, and Nusselt number were evaluated against a smooth rectangular microchannel. The results reveal that the rib structures significantly increased the pressure loss and friction, with sharper profiles causing a higher resistance. Additionally, these induced throttling effects and generated horseshoe and wake vortices, thereby generating distinct flow patterns. The heat transfer was enhanced significantly, with a maximum base temperature reduction of 12.87 K and a 57.4% increase in the relative Nusselt number. Among the evaluated designs, the Type 1 microchannel achieved the best trade-off between pressure drop and heat transfer performance.
摘要:Desiccant-coated heat exchangers (DCHEs) play an important role in dehumidification. However, considering the ineffective structural optimization and selection of operating conditions, the efficiency of the current dehumidification technology needs improvement. Therefore, in this study, an efficient hydrogel composite material was developed, a dehumidification experimental platform was established, and a physical model of a hydrogel-based desiccant-coated heat exchanger was developed in COMSOL based on the material characteristics. Three structural parameters, including adsorbent coating thickness, fin spacing, and air channel length, were extracted. The dehumidification performance was optimized and experimentally verified. The study determined that the hydrogel-based desiccant heat exchanger had the best dehumidification performance when the coating thickness was 0.4 mm, fin spacing was 2.2 mm, and air passage length was 20 mm. Unlike other models, this model considers the coupling of multiple physical fields, including the humidity field, adsorbed water fraction field, and fluid temperature field in the heat exchanger. The moisture removal capacity increased by 10.35 g/kg (dry air), and the moisture removal rate improved by 48.65% after structural optimization.
关键词:DCHE;hydrogel adsorbent;heat and mass transfer;dehumidification
摘要:To prevent issues such as liquid hammer or oil starvation resulting from excessive or insufficient liquid carried from the accumulator in air conditioner compressors, controlling the liquid mass within reasonable limits is essential. This requires an accurate prediction method for evaluating the liquid carryover. The purpose of this study is to develop a model to predict the mass of liquid carried from an accumulator and to validate this model experimentally. The flow process of the refrigerant-oil mixture is divided into four subprocesses: vapor-liquid phase change, vapor-liquid interphase mass transfer, inlet tube injection flow, and outlet tube convergence flow. Four submodels are established to describe these subprocesses, and an algorithm based on the backward difference method is developed to solve them. An experimental apparatus is set up to measure the liquid carryover from the accumulator. The experimental results show that the deviation between the model predictions and experimental values is within ±3%, with an average deviation of 0.7%. The proposed accumulator model can be used to design the structural parameters of the oil return hole, avoiding liquid hammer and oil starvation in compressors.
摘要:To study the performance of a new environmentally friendly refrigerant mixture, the simulation software Aspen Plus was used to simulate the compressor discharge temperature, compression work, evaporating temperature, system cooling capacity, and COP of the zeotropic refrigerant mixture R1234yf/R116/R14 under different component ratios for a three-stage auto-cascading refrigeration system. The accuracy of the model was verified by comparing it with existing experimental data. Additionally, the simulation results were compared and analyzed. The results reveal that the compressor operating conditions and evaporating temperature were close to each other under the different compositions. The cooling capacity and COP of the system were the largest, and the performance was the best when the composition was 0.50/0.27/0.23. This study provided a theoretical basis for applying the R1234yf refrigerant in refrigeration systems.
摘要:The natural phenomenon of liquid-solid two-phase flow is exceptionally common and closely related to various human production and life processes. Obtaining the flow pattern of the liquid-solid two-phase flow in pipelines is crucial for correcting real-time flow rates and ensuring the safe operation of the entire system to prevent obstructions. This study used the dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) algorithm combined with a series of preprocessing measures to reconstruct the flow pattern of a liquid-solid two-phase flow. An experimental platform was constructed to verify the results. The reconstruction effect was evaluated using the relative error. The research results indicate that although certain differences existed between the reconstructed liquid-solid two-phase flow patterns obtained by the DMD-based identification method and the true flow pattern, the differences were within a reasonable range and can objectively reflect the evolution process of the liquid-solid two-phase flow patterns. Compared with experimental and numerical simulation methods, the method for identifying liquid-solid two-phase flow patterns based on the DMD has significant advantages in terms of data processing, accuracy, efficiency, and applicability. It is not limited to specific scenarios, without the need to provide the inherent logic of data, and can simultaneously obtain modes with a single frequency and growth rate and construct reduced-order dynamic models. Thereby, it saves computational resources.
摘要:This article introduces the current status of energy efficiency standards and the labeling of air conditioners in China and ASEAN countries. It compares the energy efficiency of the air conditioners in China and ASEAN countries in terms of the applicable products, testing methods, energy efficiency characterization indicators, and energy efficiency labeling. Additionally, it analyzes the development trend of energy efficiency standards for air conditioners. The results indicate that the energy efficiency standards for Chinese air conditioners are highly consistent with those of most ASEAN countries in terms of their energy efficiency evaluation systems, testing points, and rating conditions. The main difference is that ASEAN countries assess only the refrigeration energy efficiency and the refrigeration season. The differences in outdoor temperature-time curves are reasonable. However, these result in incomparable energy efficiency values. The energy efficiency labels of various countries are based on the energy efficiency standards. Although the forms vary, there are no substantial differences. The development of energy efficiency standards includes various aspects such as the improvement of the energy efficiency evaluation system, enhancement of energy efficiency indicators, improvement of testing methods, expansion of product coverage, adaptability of product functions, and technological upgrades. Among these, dynamic testing is an important development direction. However, the technical difficulty is high, and a certain degree of uncertainty exists. The research results can provide a reference for further improvement of the energy efficiency standards of room air conditioners in China and ASEAN countries and promote regional coordination.
摘要:The vitrification preservation methods for cell microdroplets have received considerable attention in the field of cryopreservation. However, the vitrification process for microdroplets has limitations such as uncontrollable cooling/rewarming processes. In this study, a cryopreservation system for controllable rapid cooling and rewarming during the vitrification of cell microdroplets was constructed by combining the lifting of a moving slide table with the Joule heating rewarming method. This system achieves rapid and controllable cooling by adjusting the speed of immersion in liquid nitrogen and realizes a fast rewarming process by controlling the heating time and current intensity of Joule heating. Thus, it realizes the vitrification of microdroplets and significantly prevents damage to cells caused by devitrification during the droplet rewarming process. The results show that the cooling rate controlled by this system attained 1.8 × 10⁴ ℃/min. This enabled the vitrification preservation of cell microdroplets with a relatively low concentration of cryoprotectant. The rewarming rate control attained 4.0 × 10⁴ ℃/min. This effectively prevented the occurrence of devitrification and ice crystal regrowth during the rewarming process of the relatively low concentration of cryoprotectant. Cryopreservation of A549 cells in microdroplets verified that the survival rate after cryopreservation and resuscitation using this system is significantly higher than that after conventional straw preservation. The research presented in this paper is likely to provide new solutions for the automatic vitrification preservation and rewarming of cell microdroplets.
关键词:vitrification;Joule Heating;Cooling and Rewarming Rate;Cell Microdroplets