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At least 397 records · Page 22

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS2013

Vapor Compression and Thermoelectric Heat Pump Heat Exchangers for a Condensate Distillation System: Design and Experiment

Maximizing the reuse of wastewater while minimizing the use of consumables is critical in long duration space exploration. One of the more promising methods of reclaiming urine is the distillation/condensation process used in the cascade distillation system (CDS). This system accepts a mixture of urine and toxic stabilizing agents, heats it to vaporize the water and condenses and cools the resulting water vapor. The CDS wastewater flow requires heating and its condensate flow requires cooling. Performing the heating and cooling processes separately requires two separate units, each of which would require large amounts of electrical power. By heating the wastewater and cooling the condensate in a single heat pump unit, mass, volume, and power efficiencies can be obtained. The present work describes and compares two competing heat pump methodologies that meet the needs of the CDS: 1) a series of mini compressor vapor compression cycles and 2) a thermoelectric heat exchanger. In the paper, the system level requirements are outlined, the designs of the two heat pumps are described in detail, and the results of heat pump performance tests are provided. A summary is provided of the heat pump mass, volume and power trades and a selection recommendation is made.

Erickson, Lisa R.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Vapor Compression and Thermoelectric Heat Pumps for a Cascade Distillation Subsystem: Design and Experiment

Humans on a spacecraft require significant amounts of water for drinking, food, hydration, and hygiene. Maximizing the reuse of wastewater while minimizing the use of consumables is critical for long duration space exploration. One of the more promising consumable-free methods of reclaiming wastewater is the distillation/condensation process used in the Cascade Distillation Subsystem (CDS). The CDS heats wastewater to the point of vaporization then condenses and cools the resulting water vapor. The CDS wastewater flow requires heating for evaporation and the product water flow requires cooling for condensation. Performing the heating and cooling processes separately would require two separate units, each of which would demand large amounts of electrical power. Mass, volume, and power efficiencies can be obtained by heating the wastewater and cooling the condensate in a single heat pump unit. The present work describes and compares two competing heat pump methodologies that meet the needs of the CDS: 1) a series of mini compressor vapor compression cycles and 2) a thermoelectric heat exchanger. In the paper, the CDS system level requirements are outlined, the designs of the two heat pumps are described in detail, and the results of heat pump analysis and performance tests are provided. The mass, volume, and power requirement for each heat pump option is compared and the advantages and disadvantages of each system are listed.

Erickson, Lisa R.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Pumping Wavelength Related Population Inversion in Nd:doped Laser

Pumping wavelength related population inversion in Nd:doped laser has been investigated, where the laser is regarded as two thermodynamic equilibrium systems, upper state one and lower state one. The population inversion limits at various pumping wavelengths and temperatures are compared. The effective metastable life time has been derived, where both pump and laser fields within Nd:doped laser medium reduce the lifetime. The saturation of lifetime is discussed. As a result, in-band pumping of Nd: doped laser is good for improving the efficiency and achieving narrow-linewidth of laser wavelength due to less population inversion; off-band pumping is benefit for extracting high pulse energy thanks of large population inversion.

optical Parametric Oscillator↗

DOE OSTI2020

Failure analysis of a cooling pump using modal and vibration analysis

Four pumps redundantly supply cooling water to a system. All four pumps underwent maintenance during a recently scheduled downtime. During preliminary evaluation following maintenance, one pump, the subject of this document, exhibited higher vibration levels compared to the other three pumps. The pump underwent further performance testing to rule out potential damage resulting from the higher vibration. Vibration analysis and modal analysis including steady state spectrum, operational deflection shape, run up transients, and modal impact have been utilized to identify dynamic characteristics that could contribute to the increased vibration levels. This article will cover the testing setup, methodology, analysis results, and recommendations.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2022

Cold Climate Integrated Heat Pump

This paper introduces development of a residential air-source integrated heat pump for cold climates (CCIHP). The heat pump is multi-functional to meet all the home comfort demands, including space cooling, space heating, domestic water heating and energy storage. The CCIHP is an ideal solution to decarbonize northern homes via providing efficient space heating and water heating to replace natural gas. It uses a three-stage compressor and a single set of heat exchangers and valves to deliver all the functions, and thus achieve cost reduction. We developed an innovative system configuration and related controls to solve typical charge unbalance in heat pumps, accelerate charge migration and smoothen mode transition in integrated heat pumps. Laboratory investigations were conducted for individual modes and verified the control functions. Laboratory tests demonstrated that the unit delivered outstanding performance. It achieved 17.0 SEER (seasonal cooling energy efficiency rating) and 11.0 HSPF (heating seasonal performance factor). In the most efficient mode (combined space cooling and water heating mode), the unit reached a total energy efficiency of 35.0 EER and required only 25 minutes to heat a 50-gallon tank of water. The CCIHP can heat 1.7 GPM water from 58 to 125°F in a direct flow-through, when the ambient temperature is above 47°F. In a dedicated water heating mode using outdoor air source, the heat pump operated down to 17°F, achieving a COP > 2.6, and heated 50-gallon water within 1 hour.

Shen, Bo↗

DOE OSTI2022

PCM Selection for Heat Pump Integrated with Thermal Energy Storage for Demand Response in Residential Buildings

Phase Change Materials (PCM) based Thermal energy storage (TES) is a widespread solution to shift buildings’ peak energy demand and add stability to the grid. PCMs can be used for space heating and cooling applications in residential buildings by integrating into the heat pump equipment or building envelope via several possible configurations. The heat pump integrated active PCM storage can provide significant energy savings and reduce peak demand, but the benefits vary substantially depending on the system configuration, storage capacity, and the temperature range of the PCM used. It is critical to provide a review of the materials and their suitability in heat pump integrated PCM systems. This paper will present an analysis of the PCM material selection for heat pump integrated TES in various configurations. The comprehensive review will compare the phase change materials with different melting temperatures, and configurations, corresponding to the energy savings and demand impact reported in the literature. This work is significant to guide the design of high-performance heat pump integrated PCM systems.

Sultan, Sara↗

DOE OSTI2022

Efficiency and Capacity Performance of a Stirling-Cycle Water-to-Water Heat Pump

The performance of a 10 kW (2.8 ton) heat pump has been modeled in preparation for evaluation in a controlled-atmosphere psychrometric facility. The heat pump uses an electrically driven Stirling engine with nitrogen as a working fluid. The appropriate standards for testing are ANSI/AHRI/ASHRAE ISO Standard 13256-2:1998 (RA 2012), Water-Source Heat Pumps—Testing and Rating for Performance—Part 2: Water-to-Water and Brine-to-Water Heat Pumps. The heating and cooling efficiency and capacity of the device has been modeled at different hot and cold sink temperatures spanning a wide range of possible operating conditions. The heat pump was designed for a seasonal efficiency energy ratio (SEER) of 22. The high efficiency of this product coupled with the use of nitrogen as a working fluid makes it an important tool for the decarbonization of residential, commercial, and industrial HVAC&R applications.

Kowalski, Steve↗

DOE OSTI2023

Optimization of a Residential Air Source Heat Pump using Refrigerants with GWP <150 for Improved Performance and Reduced Emission

Using low-GWP refrigerants can reduce the Green House Gas (GHG) emission of heat pump systems. Heat exchangers and compressors are the key components and have a prominent impact on system performance, significant research is devoted to reducing the cost of the heat exchangers while achieving the same or better system performance with refrigerant charge reduction.To better understand the environmental impacts of optimized systems with low-GWP refrigerants, Life Cycle Climate Performance (LCCP) evaluation method was used to evaluate the direct and indirect emissions of the system over the course of its lifetime from manufacturing to disposal. The DOE/ORNL Heat Pump Design Model (HPDM) is used to evaluate the performance of heat pumps. Multi-objective optimizations using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm are performed on a 3-ton R410A residential air source heat pump on market. Seven R410A alternatives, i.e., R32, R454B, R454C, R455A, R457A, R1234yf and R1234ze(E) are investigated. The last five fluids have GWP lower than 150.As a result, 5.5%-12.8% seasonal energy efficiency ratio 2 (SEER2) improvement is achieved, and the optimized systems reduce life cycle CO2 emission by 8.5%-28.6% with GWP lower than 150 refrigerants. The optimal heat exchangers can fit into the original R410A fan-coil units; therefore, the proposed design method establishes a production and installation path to produce cost-effective low-GWP heat pumps easily accepted by end users.

Li, Zhenning↗

DOE OSTI2023

Microfluidic systems, pumps, valves, fluidic chips thereof, and applications of same

Microfluidic systems, pumps, valves and applications of the same are provided. The microfluidic system may be a pump or a valve having a fluidic chip and an actuator controlling the opening and closing of the fluidic channel in the fluidic chip. The actuator may be disposed to tilt from the fluidic chip, forming a tilted-rotor peristaltic pump. Alternatively, the actuator may be a rolling ball actuator, and different fluidic chips may be used in different applications. For example, the fluidic chip may be a spiral pump chip having spiral channels, a rotary peristaltic pump chip having multiple output channels, or a multi-port valve chip having one port interconnected with multiple different ports. An analytical valve chip may switchably interconnect bioreactor and rinse/calibration input channels to sensor and waste output channels. The actuator of a random-access valve can move from one valve position to another without opening or closing intermediate ones.

Reiserer, Ronald S.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Heat Exchangers Circuitry Optimization using Low-GWP Refrigerants in Reversible Heat Pump Applications

Tube-fin heat exchangers (TFHX) are widely used in heat pump applications. Circuitry optimization can improve system performance. Previous optimizations focus on improving component-level performance under a specific operating condition, i.e., the TFHX either works as a condenser or an evaporator. The optimal circuitry obtained under air conditioning (AC) mode cannot guarantee optimal performance when used in heat pump (HP) mode. This study implements a bi-objective formulation to achieve optimal system performance in both AC and HP modes. An integer permutation-based Genetic Algorithm is integrated with Heat Pump Design Model (HPDM) to perform heat pump optimization. Six refrigerants, i.e., R410A, R452B, R454B, R32, D2Y60 and L41a are investigated. Case studies show that optimal heat exchangers yield 2.1%-6.1% EER improvement under AC mode and 1.9%-8.5% COP improvement under HP mode. Use of this design approach can help assure a preferable performance of reversible heat pumps during both cooling and heating mode usage.

Li, Zhenning↗

DOE OSTI2023

Microfluidic systems, pumps, valves, fluidic chips thereof, and applications of same

Reiserer, Ronald S.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Multifunctional Heat Pump with Energy Storage Capability

Replacing gas furnaces with heat pumps on a large scale can pose challenges to the electrical grid. It will significantly increase the demand, strain the electrical grid, especially during peak usage times. To ensure that heat pumps contribute to reducing emissions, it's essential to increase the share of renewable energy in the grid. However, the supply of renewable energy is unstable. Large scale of electrification must address the concern of grid resilience to meet necessary heating/cooling demands and shift peak electric load. All these require future heat pumps having energy storage capability. These systems can store excess energy during low-demand periods and release it during high-demand periods, reducing stress on the grid. This paper will introduce an innovative configuration, control, and laboratory investigations of a multifunctional packaged heat pump. In addition to the original indoor and outdoor air coils, the heat pump has a parallel hydronic loop with a brazed plate heat exchanger (BHP). The hydronic loop circulates hot/chilled water to store heating/cooling energy in phase change material (PCM). It is capable of space cooling, space heating, cooling energy storage/defrosting, water heating/heating energy storage with outdoor air source or indoor air source, and cooling/heating energy free discharge. The laboratory studies and breadboard unit are presented. Additionally, building energy simulation demonstrates utility cost reduction potential via charging PCM panels/ceilings during off-peak hours and releasing the energy during peak hours to mitigate the peak power consumption.

Shen, Bo↗

DOE OSTI2024

Residential Integrated Heat Pump to Meet All the Home Comfort Needs

This paper will introduce development and field trial of a residential air-source integrated heat pump for cold climates. The heat pump is multi-functional to meet all the home comfort demands, including space cooling, space heating, domestic water heating. The integrated heat pump is an ideal solution to decarbonize northern homes via providing efficient space heating and water heating to replace natural gas. It uses a three-stage compressor and a single set of heat exchangers and valves to deliver all the functions, and thus achieve cost reduction. We developed an innovative system configuration and related controls to solve typical charge unbalance, accelerate charge migration and smoothen mode transition in integrated heat pumps. Laboratory investigations were conducted for individual modes and verified the control functions. Laboratory tests demonstrated that the unit delivered outstanding performance. It achieved 17.0 SEER (seasonal cooling energy efficiency rating) and 11.0 HSPF (heating seasonal performance factor). In the most efficient mode (combined space cooling and water heating mode), the unit reached a total energy efficiency > 30.0 EER and required only 25 minutes to heat a 50-gallon tank of water. One heat pump prototype is going through a field trial since April, 2023 in Syracuse, New York. The one-year field test results are summarized.

Shen, Bo↗

DOE OSTI2025

Deployable Element Ultra High Vacuum Pump

Most existing vacuum pump technologies remain stationary, limiting their effectiveness in a molecular environment. In low vacuum environments, molecules move in a particular path towards the source of pumping. As the mean-free-path increases, the system’s ability to capture molecules diminishes and pump-down time increases. To address this, the team explored various designs that would deploy the pump surface closer to the molecules. After several iterations, a “windmill” shape for the final design. This design employs titanium sublimation technology in a deployable configuration, effectively reducing the distance between residual molecules and the pump surfaces, thereby minimizing randomness and improving particle capture.

Etayem, Brandon [Northern Illinois U.]↗

DOE OSTI2025

A critical review of electrochemical heat pump technologies: Status, challenges, and perspectives

The development of advanced heat pump technologies is critical for reducing global energy consumption in the building sector, where space heating and cooling account for nearly 50% of energy use. Electrochemical heat pumps (EHPs) offer a promising alternative to vapor compression systems by enabling direct electrochemical-to-thermal energy conversion, often with environmentally benign working fluids that exhibit low or zero global warming potential (GWP). Prior literature has predominantly focused on chemically reactive heat pumps, while comprehensive assessments of electrochemical mechanisms remain limited. Here, this review addresses this gap by systematically evaluating the underlying principles, architectures, and performance metrics of EHP systems. Compared to conventional vapor compression systems, EHPs can achieve 10%-30% higher energy efficiency, with reported cooling coefficients of performance (COP c ) ranging from 3.5 to 14.3 under standard operating conditions. Despite these advantages, widespread adoption is hindered by challenges including membrane degradation, electrode fouling, sluggish redox kinetics, and elevated system-level capital costs. To address these limitations, the review outlines three research priorities: (i) the development of advanced membranes, catalysts, and electrode materials with enhanced chemical and mechanical stability; (ii) the application of molecular-level simulations for the rational design of high-performance redox-active working fluids; and (iii) the integration of advanced diagnostic techniques for real-time monitoring and sustained operation of EHPs. By consolidating recent advances and explicitly identifying technological and scientific gaps, this work uniquely contributes a comprehensive framework for guiding future electrochemical heat pump research and facilitating the transition to sustainable thermal management technologies.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2025

Polarizing 3 He via metastability exchange optical pumping using a 1.2 mbar sealed cell at magnetic fields up to 5 T

Here, we report high nuclear polarization of 1.2 mbar 3 He gas in a sealed cell in magnetic fields up to 5 T using Metastability Exchange Optical Pumping (MEOP). The creation of a highly polarized 3 He gas target for use in the 5 T field of Jefferson Lab’s CLAS12 spectrometer would enable new studies of spin-dependent asymmetries on the neutron. We describe a systematic study which was conducted for the first time up to the full 5 T field required for the final target design to evaluate the effects of discharge intensity, pump laser power, and optical pumping transition schemes on nuclear polarization and pumping rates. Steady-state polarizations up to 86% in magnetic fields between 2 and 5 T were achieved, with a discharge-on relaxation time of 898 s at 5 T. These results underscore the potential of MEOP for high-field applications in nuclear physics experiments.

3He polarization↗

DOE OSTI2020

Optically pumped semiconductor laser based on a type-II CdS/ZnSe heterostructure

An optically pumped semiconductor laser based on a type-II CdS/ZnSe nanoheterostructure containing 10 quantum wells (QWs) was studied. The structure was grown by metal-organic vapour phase epitaxy on a GaAs substrate. The lifetime of electron-hole pairs at a low pump level was measured by luminescence decay to be ∼0 ns. The peak power of the microcavity semiconductor laser at room temperature and longitudinal pumping by a repetitively pulsed N{sub 2} laser was 7.2 W at a wavelength of 514 nm. The relatively low laser slope efficiency (0.35 %) is explained by amplified spontaneous emission propagating along the structure. The peak power and efficiency of the laser in the case of transverse pumping increase to 70 W and 3.5 %, respectively. (lasers)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2024

End-Use Savings Shapes Measure Documentation: Heat Pump Rooftop Units

The heat pump rooftop units (RTUs) measure replaces gas furnace and electric resistance RTUs with high-efficiency heat pump rooftop units (HP-RTUs). The HP-RTUs are intended to be top-of-the line, including high-efficiency fans and heat pump systems. The fans are variable speed, allowing the HP-RTUs to operate as single-zone variable air volume systems. The heat pumps are also variable speed, allowing for high part load performance. All schedules in the existing RTUs are transferred to the new HP-RTUs for consistency. Furthermore, any energy efficiency features in the existing baseline RTUs such as energy recovery or economizers are also transferred to the new HP-RTUs for consistency. This measure is applicable to approximately 45% of the ComStock floor area. The HP-RTU measure demonstrates 10.3% total site energy savings (449 trillion British thermal units [TBtu]) for the U.S. commercial building stock modeled in ComStock.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗