Improved Heat-Engine Solar-Energy System
Heat engine solar-energy system improved by installing overcapacity heat exchanger and buffer loop between engine fluid and solar heated fluid.
Miller, D. C.↗
SEARCH · Engineering Papers
Results for “heating systems”
Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
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Artemis I Space Launch System Base Heat Shield Thermal Protection System Performance
The Space Launch System (SLS) Core Stage base heat shield experienced the highest external heating environments on the entire launch vehicle during Artemis I ascent flight. This result was consistent with design predictions. The base heat shield experiences P50 cork combustion dynamics at low altitudes, plume-induced recirculation at moderate altitudes and then in-space base flow physics out to Main Engine Cut-Off (MECO). The base heat shield thermal protection system (TPS) is composed of a P50 cork ablator which is bonded to a substrate. The heat shield protects the gimbal actuation system, RS-25 turbomachinery systems and other aft section sensitive components during ascent. This paper estimates the base heat shield TPS performance from Artemis I using flight data from the NASA Langley Research Center’s Scientifically Calibrated In-Flight Imagery (SCIFLI) Airborne Multispectral Imager (SAMI), development flight instrumentation (DFI) and other TPS recession flight measurements. Predictions from computational and ground test-derived engineering ablation models and observations are also applied. Since no base heat shield substrate thermocouple data were obtained for Artemis I, an estimate of the TPS performance data is derived here. This data assesses thermal margin of the SLS Core Stage base heat shield and best informs the Artemis II Crewed mission to the moon.
aerothermodynamics↗
An analysis of Potential Benefits of Adding Diurnal Thermal Storage in Geothermal Heat Pump Systems
Geothermal heat pumps (GHP) are highly efficient for space heating and cooling, utilizing the subsurface of the ground as seasonal energy storage through borehole heat exchangers (i.e., heat stored in summer is used to provide heating in winter, and cold stored in winter is used to provide cooling in summer). On the other hand, diurnal thermal energy storage can actively be charged and discharged for load shifting. Conventional thermal energy storage uses tanks filled with thermal storage media (such as phase change materials) and heat exchangers. It occupies building floor space or land areas outside the building, which may not be available especially in residential buildings. This paper will introduce a novel configuration that can utilize existing GHP system for both diurnal and seasonal thermal storage. This system can actively charge the ground on daily basis by injecting heat or cold in borehole heat exchangers. A simulation model was created for the novel configuration. Computer simulations were conducted using the model for the new GHP system serving a typical single-family house in three U.S. cities representing hot, warm, and cold climates. Based on simulation results, the potential benefits of load shifting and downsize of the expensive ground heat exchangers used by the GHP system were assessed.
Anees, Fady [ORNL]↗
Application of heat pipes to a nuclear aircraft propulsion system
Heat pipes in nuclear aircraft propulsion system, describing core, heat exchangers, and reactor to jet engine heat transport system
Puthoff, R. L.↗
Active heat exchange system development for latent heat thermal energy storage
Active heat exchange concepts for use with thermal energy storage systems in the temperature range of 250 C to 350 C, using the heat of fusion of molten salts for storing thermal energy are described. Salt mixtures that freeze and melt in appropriate ranges are identified and are evaluated for physico-chemical, economic, corrosive and safety characteristics. Eight active heat exchange concepts for heat transfer during solidification are conceived and conceptually designed for use with selected storage media. The concepts are analyzed for their scalability, maintenance, safety, technological development and costs. A model for estimating and scaling storage system costs is developed and is used for economic evaluation of salt mixtures and heat exchange concepts for a large scale application. The importance of comparing salts and heat exchange concepts on a total system cost basis, rather than the component cost basis alone, is pointed out. The heat exchange concepts were sized and compared for 6.5 MPa/281 C steam conditions and a 1000 MW(t) heat rate for six hours. A cost sensitivity analysis for other design conditions is also carried out.
Lefrois, R. T.↗
Low heat leak connector for cryogenic system
Heat leak from the surrounding atmosphere during fluid transfer from a spaced shell-insulated vessel for storing liquified gas having an upper gaseous phase, in minimized by forming a relatively wide, shallow blister on the wall of the vessel at the point of transfer line connection. The shell and the opposed walls of the blister have aligned openings whose common axis passes centrally through the blister and is normal to the surfaces of the vessel and shell. A fluid transfer line conduit passing through the shell opening is in fluid-tight connection with the shell and blister wall. The fluid transfer line confines the fluid in a continuous stream. The blister is filled with a heat insulating material which provides a thermal break between the central wall portions of the blister. A connector at the bottom of the vessel comprises a tube extending between the openings in the blister which projects a short distance within the body of liquefied gas and terminates in a reverse bend to prevent backflow of liquid through the pipe.
Stelts, P. D.↗
Active heat exchange system development for latent heat thermal energy storage
Various active heat exchange concepts were identified from among three generic categories: scrapers, agitators/vibrators and slurries. The more practical ones were given a more detailed technical evaluation and an economic comparison with a passive tube-shell design for a reference application (300 MW sub t storage for 6 hours). Two concepts were selected for hardware development: (1) a direct contact heat exchanger in which molten salt droplets are injected into a cooler counterflowing stream of liquid metal carrier fluid, and (2) a rotating drum scraper in which molten salt is sprayed onto the circumference of a rotating drum, which contains the fluid salt is sprayed onto the circumference of a rotating drum, which contains the fluid heat sink in an internal annulus near the surface. A fixed scraper blade removes the solidified salt from the surface which was nickel plated to decrease adhesion forces. In addition to improving performance by providing a nearly constant transfer rate during discharge, these active heat exchanger concepts were estimated to cost at least 25% less than the passive tube-shell design.
Alario, J.↗
Active heat exchange system development for latent heat thermal energy storage
Alternative mechanizations of active heat exchange concepts were analyzed for use with heat of fusion Phase Change Materials (PCM's) in the temperature range of 250 C to 350 C for solar and conventional power plant applications. Over 24 heat exchange concepts were reviewed, and eight were selected for detailed assessment. Two candidates were chosen for small-scale experimentation: a coated tube and shell that exchanger, and a direct contact reflux boiler. A dilute eutectic mixture of sodium nitrate and sodium hydroxide was selected as the PCM from over fifty inorganic salt mixtures investigated. Preliminary experiments with various tube coatings indicated that a nickel or chrome plating of Teflon or Ryton coating had promise of being successful. An electroless nickel plating was selected for further testing. A series of tests with nickel-plated heat transfer tubes showed that the solidifying sodium nitrate adhered to the tubes and the experiment failed to meet the required discharge heat transfer rate of 10 kW(t). Testing of the reflux boiler is under way.
Lefrois, R. T.↗
Active heat exchange system development for latent heat thermal energy storage
Various active heat exchange concepts were identified from among three generic categories: scrapers, agitators/vibrators and slurries. The more practical ones were given a more detailed technical evaluation and an economic comparison with a passive tube-shell design for a reference application. Two concepts selected for hardware development are a direct contact heat exchanger in which molten salt droplets are injected into a cooler counterflowing stream of liquid metal carrier fluid, and a rotating drum scraper in which molten salt is sprayed onto the circumference of a rotating drum, which contains the fluid heat sink in an internal annulus near the surface. A fixed scraper blade removes the solidified salt from the surface which has been nickel plated to decrease adhesion forces. Suitable phase change material (PCM) storage media with melting points in the temperature range of interest (250 C to 400 C) were investigated. The specific salt recommended for laboratory tests was a chloride eutectic (20.5KCl-24/5 NaCl-55.0MgCl 2% by wt.), with a nominal melting point of 385 C.
Alario, J.↗
Active heat exchange system development for latent heat thermal energy storage
Five tasks to select, design, fabricate, test and evaluate candidate active heat exchanger modules for future applications to solar and conventional utility power plants were discussed. Alternative mechanizations of active heat exchange concepts were analyzed for use with heat of fusion phase change materials (PCMs) in the temperature range of 250 to 350 C. Twenty-six heat exchange concepts were reviewed, and eight were selected for detailed assessment. Two candidates were selected for small-scale experimentation: a coated tube and shell heat exchanger and a direct contact reflux boiler. A dilute eutectic mixture of sodium nitrate and sodium hydroxide was selected as the PCM from over 50 candidate inorganic salt mixtures. Based on a salt screening process, eight major component salts were selected initially for further evaluation. The most attractive major components in the temperature range of 250 to 350 C appeared to be NaNO3, NaNO2, and NaOH. Sketches of the two active heat exchange concepts selected for test are given.
Lefrois, R. T.↗
Integrated High Operating Temperature Heat Storage System for Process Waste Heat
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25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
Systems and methods for radiative cooling and heating
Systems and methods for radiative cooling and heating are provided. For example, systems for radiative cooling can include a top layer including one or more polymers, where the top layer has high emissivity in at least a portion of the thermal spectrum and an electromagnetic extinction coefficient of approximately zero, absorptivity of approximately zero, and high transmittance in at least a portion of the solar spectrum, and further include a reflective layer including one or more metals, where the reflective layer has high reflectivity in at least a portion of the solar spectrum.
Yu, Nanfang↗
Systems and methods for radiative cooling and heating
Systems and methods for radiative cooling and heating are provided. For example, systems for radiative cooling can include a top layer including one or more polymers, where the top layer has high emissivity in at least a portion of the thermal spectrum and an electromagnetic extinction coefficient of approximately zero, absorptivity of approximately zero, and high transmittance in at least a portion of the solar spectrum, and further include a reflective layer including one or more metals, where the reflective layer has high reflectivity in at least a portion of the solar spectrum.
Yu, Nanfang↗
Heat transfer systems for nuclear reactor cores, and related systems
A system for transferring heat from a nuclear reactor comprises a nuclear reactor comprising a nuclear fuel and a reactor vessel surrounding the nuclear reactor and a heat transfer system surrounding the nuclear reactor. The heat transfer system comprises an inner wall surrounding the nuclear reactor vessel, first fins coupled to an outer surface of inner wall, an outer wall between the inner wall and a surrounding environment, and second fins coupled to an inner surface of the outer wall and extending in a volume between the outer surface of the inner wall and the inner surface of the outer wall, the outer surface of the inner wall and the first fins configured to transfer heat from the nuclear reactor core to the second fins and the inner surface of the outer wall by thermal radiation. The heat transfer system may be directly coupled to the nuclear reactor vessel, or may be coupled to an external reflector surrounding the nuclear reactor vessel. Related heat transfer systems and systems for selectively removing heat from a nuclear reactor are disclosed.
Ougouag, Abderrafi Mohammed El-Amine↗
Model-Based Investigation of Multi-Fault Interactions and Performance Degradation in Residential Heat Pump Systems
Faults in heat pump systems can significantly degrade performance, reduce efficiency, and accelerate component wear, leading to higher operating costs and maintenance demands. While numerous studies have investigated the impact of individual faults, the interactions between multiple concurrent faults remain insufficiently understood, despite their common occurrence in real-world operation. This study conducts a comprehensive simulation analysis of multiple simultaneous faults in a vapor compression heat pump using a validated heat pump design model (HPDM) tool. Detailed component-level modeling methods are implemented to examine performance sensitivity under combinations of refrigerant flow and heat exchanger faults. The results reveal complex fault interactions that can mask or amplify system deviations, challenging conventional diagnostic approaches. Findings from this work provide meaningful insights for the development of more robust fault detection and diagnosis algorithms, supporting improved reliability and energy efficiency in next-generation heat pump technologies.
Hu, Yifeng [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000242875185)↗
Heat pipe cooling system with sensible heat sink
A heat pipe cooling system which employs a sensible heat sink is discussed. With this type of system, incident aerodynamic heat is transported via a heat pipe from the stagnation region to the heat sink and absorbed by raising the temperature of the heat sink material. The use of a sensible heat sink can be advantageous for situations where the total mission heat load is limited, as it is during re-entry, and a suitable radiation sink is not available.
Silverstein, Calvin C.↗
Supercritical CO2 Equipment Installations at the San Rafael Energy Research Center (SRERC) for the Investigation of Heat Transfer Behavior in Solid Fuel Systems
Heat transfer behavior in sCO2 power cycles when firing solid fuels
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
Comparison between a Residential Dual Source Heat Pump System Integrated with Thermal Storage and an Air Source Heat Pump System at Cold Climate
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Shi, Liang↗