THERMAL SCIENCE

International Scientific Journal

Authors of this Paper

External Links

Lan Xiao

,

Deng Zhang

,

Shuang-Ying Wu

,

Hui-Jia Yu

CONDENSATION HEAT TRANSFER CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ALKALI METAL THERMAL TO ELECTRIC CONVERTER (AMTEC) POROUS WICK CONDENSER

ABSTRACT
An axisymmetric 2-D mathematical model was established and the volume of fluid +method was adopted to numerically investigate the condensation heat transfer process of alkali metal in the alkali metal thermal to electric converter (AMTEC) porous wick condenser. The steady-state physical fields of working medium were obtained and the impacts of some relevant parameters including geometrical and operational parameters on condensation heat transfer characteristics were discussed. The results show that the thickness of the liquid sodium increases along the radial direction. The temperature distribution in liquid phase is approximately linear. The condensation rate at the phasechange interface decreases along the radial direction, and the cold end heat flux, q, increases initially and then decreases along the radial direction. The porous wick condenser has very limited self-adaptive ability once the mass flow rate, M , exceeds in some critical value. In addition, there is a corresponding T for a certain M to ensure the w in stable phase-change interface. The performance of AMTEC can be enhanced by reducing the distance between artery and cell wall.
KEYWORDS
AMTEC, porous wick condenser, condensation heat transfer, numerical simulation
PAPER SUBMITTED: 2017-07-27
PAPER REVISED: 2018-02-04
PAPER ACCEPTED: 2018-02-11
PUBLISHED ONLINE: 2018-03-04
DOI REFERENCE: https://doi.org/10.2298/TSCI170727069X
CITATION EXPORT: view in browser or download as text file
THERMAL SCIENCE YEAR 2019, VOLUME 23, ISSUE Issue 3, PAGES [1911 - 1922]
REFERENCES
  1. Lodhi, M.A.K., et al., An Overview of Advanced Space/Terrestrial Power Generation Device: AMTEC, Journal of Power Sources, 103(2001), 1, pp. 25-33
  2. Wu, S.Y., et al., A Review on Advances in Alkali Metal Thermal to Electric Converters (AMTECs), International Journal of Energy Research, 33(2009), 10, pp. 868-892
  3. Svedberg, R.C., et al., Heat Shields for Alkali Metal Thermal to Electric Conversion(AMTEC) Cells, United State Patent, 1999
  4. Tournier, J., El-Genk, M.S., Performance Analysis of Pluto/Express, Multitube AMTEC Cells, Energy Conversion & Management, 40(1999), 2, pp. 139-173
  5. Tournier, J.M., et al., AMTEC Performance and Evaluation Analysis Model (APEAM): Comparison with Test Results of PX-4C, PX-5a, and PX-3a Cells, AIP Conference Proceedings, 420(1998), 1, pp. 1576-1585
  6. El-Genk, M.S., Tournier, J.M.P., Analyses of Static Energy Conversion Systems for Small Nuclear Power Plants, Progress in Nuclear Energy, 42(2003), 3, pp. 283-310
  7. El-Genk, M.S., Tournier, J.M., Performance Comparison of Potassium and Sodium Vapor Anode, Multi-Tube Amtec Converters, Energy Conversion & Management, 43(2002), 15, pp. 1931-1951
  8. Lodhi, M.A.K., Daloglu, A., Performance Parameters of Material Studies for AMTEC Cell, Journal of Power Sources, 85(2000), 2, pp. 203-211
  9. Wu, S.Y., et al., Influence of Working Fluids and Wick Materials on Performance of Porous Wick Evaporator Based on AMTEC, Journal of Engineering Thermophysics, 33(2012), 12, pp. 2150
  10. Wu, S.Y., et al., Parametric Study on Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics of Porous Wick Evaporator Based on AMTEC, Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, 26(2012), 3, pp. 973-981
  11. El-Genk, M.S., King, J.C., Performance Analyses of an Nb-1Zr/C-103 Vapor Anode Multi-Tube Alkali-Metal Thermal-to-Electric Conversion Cell, Energy Conversion & Management, 42(2001), 6, pp. 721-739
  12. Mohamed, E.M., Rashed, A., Film Condensation Generated by Free Convection in a Porous Medium, Thermal Science, 2016, DOI: 10.2298/TSCI160820316M
  13. Wang, S.C., et al., Steady Filmwise Condensation with Suction on a Finite-Size Horizontal Flat Plate Embedded in a Porous Medium Based on Brinkman and Darcy Models, International Journal of Thermal Sciences, 45(2006), 4, pp. 367-377
  14. Chang, T.B., Laminar Filmwise Condensation on Horizontal Disk Embedded in Porous Medium with Suction at Wall, Journal of Heat Transfer, 130(2008), 7, pp. 351-358
  15. Annamalai, A.S., Ramalingam, V., Experimental Investigation and Computational Fliud Dynamics Analysis of an Air Cooled Condenser Heat Pipe, Thermal Science, 15(2011), 3, pp. 759-772
  16. Chang, T.B., Yeh, W.Y., Theoretical Investigation into Condensation Heat Transfer on Horizontal Elliptical Tube in Stationary Saturated Vapor with Wall Suction, Applied Thermal Engineering, 31(2011), 5, pp. 946-953
  17. Alizadehdakhel, A., et al., CFD Modeling of Flow and Heat Transfer in a Thermosyphon, International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, 37(2010), 3, pp. 312-318
  18. Zhang, Y., et al., Capillary Blocking in Forced Convective Condensation in Horizontal Miniature Channels, Journal of Heat Transfer, 123(2001), 3, pp. 501
  19. Liu, Z., et al., VOF Modeling and Analysis of Filmwise Condensation Between Vertical Parallel Plates, Heat Transfer Research, 43(2012), 1, pp. 47-68
  20. Yang, Z., et al., Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Two Phase Flow During Boiling in a Coiled Tube, International Journal of Heat & Mass Transfer, 51(2008), 5, pp. 1003-1016
  21. Riva, E.D., Col, D.D., Effect of Gravity During Condensation of R134a in a Circular Minichannel, Microgravity Science and Technology, 23(2011), 1, pp. 87-97
  22. Zhang, H., et al., Heat Pipe Energy-saving Technology(in Chinese language), Chemical Industry Press, Beijing, China, 2009
  23. Liu, Z.C., et al., Numerical Simulation of Two Phase Flow and Heat Transfer in CPL Condenser with Porous Element, Journal of Engineering Thermophysics, 28(2007), 2, pp. 81-84
  24. Qu, Y., , Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics in the Porous Wick Condenser of CPL(in Chinese luaguage), Beijing: Tsinghua university, China, 2000
  25. Shi, M.H., et al., Boiling and Condensation(in Chinese language), Higher Education Press, Beijing, China, 1995
PDF VERSION [DOWNLOAD]
Condensation heat transfer characteristics of the alkali metal thermal to electric converter (AMTEC) porous wick condenser

© 2024 Society of Thermal Engineers of Serbia. Published by the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International licence