Numerical and experimental analysis of active elastocaloric regeneratorsAhčin, Žiga (Avtor) Tušek, Jaka (Mentor) elastocaloric effectcaloric coolingelastocaloric regeneratorexperimental analysisnumerical modellingoptimizationElastocaloric cooling technology is considered an environmentally friendly alternative to vapor-compression cooling technology because it uses environmentally benign materials and has the potential to achieve high efficiency. It is based on the elastocaloric effect in shape-memory materials when subjected to sufficient mechanical stress. One of the main challenges of elastocaloric technology is to develop an effective and durable elastocaloric regenerator. A tube-based elastocaloric regenerator loaded under compression has high potential to solve this issue. A comprehensive experimental and numerical analysis of the thermo-hydraulic properties of the tube-based elastocaloric regenerator was conducted. We concluded that the tube-based geometry provides a good balance between heat transfer properties and viscous losses. In the second part, an active elastocaloric regenerator was built and experimentally tested for its cooling and heating properties. The regenerator demonstrated sustained dynamic operation and achieved record-breaking performance. It attained a maximum temperature span of 31.3 K and a specific cooling/heating power of 4,400 W kg-1 of the elastocaloric material. Finally, a new 1D numerical model was developed and validated against the experimental results. The model was used to compare fatigueresistant tube-based and parallel-plate active elastocaloric regenerators, leading to a better understanding of the potential and limitations of this technology. [Ž. Ahčin]20232023-10-19 08:30:24Doktorsko delo/naloga151755sl