Parametric analysis of fatigue-resistant elastocaloric regenerators : tensile vs. compressive loading

Ahčin, Žiga (avtor), Tušek, Jaka (avtor)

Elastocaloric cooling has recently shown high potential as an environmentally friendly alternative to vapor-compression technology. Here, we have studied and analyzed the geometric characteristics of two active elastocaloric regenerators (AeCRs) that were proved to have high application potential, i.e., a shell-and-tube AeCR loaded in compression and a parallel-plate AeCR loaded in tension, with the goal of maximizing their cooling performance. For this purpose, a previously developed and experimentally verified 1D numerical model was used. We focused only on the geometries and operating conditions that allow for durable, i.e., buckling-free operation in compression and fatigue-resistant operation in tension. The results show that although the applied strain of the parallel-plate AeCR loaded in tension needs to be limited (below 2%) to ensure fatigue-resistant operation, it outperforms (in terms of cooling power and COP at 15 K of temperature span) the shell-and-tube AeCR, which due to buckling issues suffers from a poorer heat-transfer geometry, but can withstand higher strains due to compressive loading. At the maximum strain of 2%, the optimum parallel-plate AeCR can generate a maximum cooling power of 1825 W (corresponding to 7075 W kg$^{−1}$ of elastocaloric material) and a COP of 9.15 at a zero-temperature span. On the other hand, due to a higher applied strain (3%) the optimum shell-and-tube AeCR can generate a higher maximum temperature span at zero cooling power (up to 50 K) but has limited cooling performance at lower temperature spans. In addition, the layering of the shell-and-tube AeCR was investigated for the first time to improve its performance. This study shows the crucial impact of the heat-transfer geometry (heat-transfer area and hydraulic diameter), which needs to be further improved in compression-loaded AeCRs to improve their efficiencies (without compromising the buckling stability). The study also shows the importance of the applied strain, which needs to be at least 2% or more to achieve a high cooling performance of the AeCR. The obtained results should serve as guidelines for designing powerful and efficient AeCRs in the future.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: elastocaloric effect, caloric cooling, Ni-Ti, regenerators, parametric analysis
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: FS - Fakulteta za strojništvo
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2023
• Št. strani: 13 str.
• Številčenje: Vol. 231, art. 120996
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-147390
• UDK: 519.876.5:621.57
• ISSN pri članku: 1359-4311
• DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2023.120996
• COBISS.SI-ID: 157626371
• Datum objave v RUL: 04.07.2023

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Applied thermal engineering
• Skrajšan naslov: Appl. therm. eng.
• Založnik: Elsevier
• ISSN: 1359-4311
• COBISS.SI-ID: 1861910

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva-Nekomercialno-Brez predelav 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: Najbolj omejujoča licenca Creative Commons. Uporabniki lahko prenesejo in delijo delo v nekomercialne namene in ga ne smejo uporabiti za nobene druge namene.

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: elastokalorični učinek, kalorično hlajenje, Ni-Ti, regeneratorji, parametrična analiza

Projekti

• Financer: EC - European Commission
• Program financ.: H2020
• Številka projekta: 803669
• Naslov: Superelastic Porous Structures for Efficient Elastocaloric Cooling
• Akronim: SUPERCOOL

• Financer: ARRS - Agencija za raziskovalno dejavnost Republike Slovenije
• Številka projekta: P2-0422
• Naslov: Funkcionalne tekočine za napredne energetske sisteme