Pub Date : 2026-01-24DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129899
Kai Wang , Dezheng Wang , Bin Zheng , Wei Wang , Biao Zhou
Perfluorohexanone (C6F12O) is a clean fire suppressant and is often used together with nitrogen (N2), but the thermal pyrolysis behavior and radical evolution in C6F12O–N2 mixtures are still not well understood. Previous studies mainly considered discharge conditions or other buffer gases and rarely combined experiments with multi-scale simulations. This study integrates tubular-furnace experiments, density functional theory (DFT) and ReaxFF molecular dynamics (MD) to clarify the dominant pyrolysis pathways of C6F12O–N2 and the effects of operating conditions. Experiments at 450–750 °C show that significant C6F12O pyrolysis starts near 550 °C, with products evolving from higher perfluoroalkanes (C5F12, C4F10, C3F8) to smaller fluorocarbons (C3F6, CF4) as temperature increases. DFT indicates that CC bonds adjacent to the carbonyl group are the weakest, leading to primary radicals C3F7·, C2F5· and CF3·, which explain the observed product spectrum. ReaxFF-MD reproduces these trends and resolves the time-dependent evolution of radicals under different temperature, mixing-ratio and pressure conditions. A moderate N2 fraction promotes initial activation of C6F12O, whereas excessive N2 or high pressure suppresses radical chain propagation and lowers the pyrolysis extent. The identified endothermic bond scission and fluorinated radicals that scavenge H·/OH· radicals provide mechanistic support for the combined cooling and chemical-inhibition effects responsible for fire suppression by C6F12O–N2 mixtures.
{"title":"Pyrolysis mechanism and radical evolution in C6F12O–N2 gas mixtures: A combined ReaxFF MD and DFT study","authors":"Kai Wang , Dezheng Wang , Bin Zheng , Wei Wang , Biao Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129899","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129899","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Perfluorohexanone (C<sub>6</sub>F<sub>12</sub>O) is a clean fire suppressant and is often used together with nitrogen (N<sub>2</sub>), but the thermal pyrolysis behavior and radical evolution in C<sub>6</sub>F<sub>12</sub>O–N<sub>2</sub> mixtures are still not well understood. Previous studies mainly considered discharge conditions or other buffer gases and rarely combined experiments with multi-scale simulations. This study integrates tubular-furnace experiments, density functional theory (DFT) and ReaxFF molecular dynamics (MD) to clarify the dominant pyrolysis pathways of C<sub>6</sub>F<sub>12</sub>O–N<sub>2</sub> and the effects of operating conditions. Experiments at 450–750 °C show that significant C<sub>6</sub>F<sub>12</sub>O pyrolysis starts near 550 °C, with products evolving from higher perfluoroalkanes (C<sub>5</sub>F<sub>12</sub>, C<sub>4</sub>F<sub>10</sub>, C<sub>3</sub>F<sub>8</sub>) to smaller fluorocarbons (C<sub>3</sub>F<sub>6</sub>, CF<sub>4</sub>) as temperature increases. DFT indicates that C<img>C bonds adjacent to the carbonyl group are the weakest, leading to primary radicals C<sub>3</sub>F<sub>7</sub>·, C<sub>2</sub>F<sub>5</sub>· and CF<sub>3</sub>·, which explain the observed product spectrum. ReaxFF-MD reproduces these trends and resolves the time-dependent evolution of radicals under different temperature, mixing-ratio and pressure conditions. A moderate N<sub>2</sub> fraction promotes initial activation of C<sub>6</sub>F<sub>12</sub>O, whereas excessive N<sub>2</sub> or high pressure suppresses radical chain propagation and lowers the pyrolysis extent. The identified endothermic bond scission and fluorinated radicals that scavenge H·/OH· radicals provide mechanistic support for the combined cooling and chemical-inhibition effects responsible for fire suppression by C<sub>6</sub>F<sub>12</sub>O–N<sub>2</sub> mixtures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8201,"journal":{"name":"Applied Thermal Engineering","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 129899"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074595","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-24DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129933
Yuyang Chen , Shiliang Yang , Jiajun Lu , Hua Wang
The anode refining furnace is primarily utilized to purify blister copper derived from copper matte converting, typically relying on methane combustion for thermal energy. This study establishes a numerical framework to investigate turbulent diffusion combustion and oxygen-enhancement mechanisms within a rotary refining furnace. The model fidelity was rigorously validated against the Sandia Flame D benchmark. Subsequently, the effects of oxygen concentration were systematically evaluated, focusing on jet dynamics, thermal topology, turbulence characteristics, and pollutant formation. Results demonstrate that oxygen enrichment significantly modulates species evolution and thermal field distribution. Specifically, increasing oxygen concentration from 80% to 95% intensified CO generation and expanded the high-temperature flame core, yielding superior thermal homogeneity. However, this thermal enhancement incurred a substantial penalty where NO emissions surged to 385 ppm at 95% oxygen. This represents a nearly four fold increase relative to the 80% baseline.
{"title":"CFD-based optimization of oxygen-enriched combustion in copper anode refining furnace","authors":"Yuyang Chen , Shiliang Yang , Jiajun Lu , Hua Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129933","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129933","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The anode refining furnace is primarily utilized to purify blister copper derived from copper matte converting, typically relying on methane combustion for thermal energy. This study establishes a numerical framework to investigate turbulent diffusion combustion and oxygen-enhancement mechanisms within a rotary refining furnace. The model fidelity was rigorously validated against the Sandia Flame D benchmark. Subsequently, the effects of oxygen concentration were systematically evaluated, focusing on jet dynamics, thermal topology, turbulence characteristics, and pollutant formation. Results demonstrate that oxygen enrichment significantly modulates species evolution and thermal field distribution. Specifically, increasing oxygen concentration from 80% to 95% intensified CO generation and expanded the high-temperature flame core, yielding superior thermal homogeneity. However, this thermal enhancement incurred a substantial penalty where NO emissions surged to 385 ppm at 95% oxygen. This represents a nearly four fold increase relative to the 80% baseline.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8201,"journal":{"name":"Applied Thermal Engineering","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 129933"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074638","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Optimizing the heating process is crucial for the efficient and high-performance application of insulators, yet this aspect has been largely overlooked in the current research. For the first time, this paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the thermal characteristics of insulators during heating, utilizing both experimental and numerical approaches. The heating uniformity and thermal efficiency of the oven system are chosen as the main two reference indicators of thermal performance. Furthermore, various oven heating structures were evaluated to identify an optimal design. The study also examined different operating conditions to determine the best heating strategy. A strong agreement was observed between experimental and numerical results, with a maximum relative discrepancy of 4.23%, validating the accuracy of the numerical methods. Significantly, under optimal conditions (inlet air velocity of 5 m/s and heating temperature of 140 °C), plan 3 (featuring panels on both sides of the oven) achieved a thermal efficiency of 15.64% and a coefficient of unevenness of 0.28. This represents a substantial improvement of 12.03% in thermal efficiency and a remarkable 94.83% reduction in the coefficient of unevenness compared to the original design. Therefore, plan 3 operated at 5 m/s and 140 °C is recommended as the most practical solution for heating insulators in the tunnel oven. Overall, this research provides a promising and effective methodology for optimizing insulator heating processes.
{"title":"Optimization of thermal efficiency and heating uniformity for insulator production in tunnel ovens using CFD simulations and experimental studies","authors":"Kailin Ren, Xin Luo, Zhigao Huang, Xuyang Cai, Riqing Chen, Donglei Liu, Shaojian Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129895","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129895","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Optimizing the heating process is crucial for the efficient and high-performance application of insulators, yet this aspect has been largely overlooked in the current research. For the first time, this paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the thermal characteristics of insulators during heating, utilizing both experimental and numerical approaches. The heating uniformity and thermal efficiency of the oven system are chosen as the main two reference indicators of thermal performance. Furthermore, various oven heating structures were evaluated to identify an optimal design. The study also examined different operating conditions to determine the best heating strategy. A strong agreement was observed between experimental and numerical results, with a maximum relative discrepancy of 4.23%, validating the accuracy of the numerical methods. Significantly, under optimal conditions (inlet air velocity of 5 m/s and heating temperature of 140 °C), plan 3 (featuring panels on both sides of the oven) achieved a thermal efficiency of 15.64% and a coefficient of unevenness of 0.28. This represents a substantial improvement of 12.03% in thermal efficiency and a remarkable 94.83% reduction in the coefficient of unevenness compared to the original design. Therefore, plan 3 operated at 5 m/s and 140 °C is recommended as the most practical solution for heating insulators in the tunnel oven. Overall, this research provides a promising and effective methodology for optimizing insulator heating processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8201,"journal":{"name":"Applied Thermal Engineering","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 129895"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074442","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129928
Alanis Zeoli , Samuel Gendebien , Titouan Janod , Tala Moussa , Chadi Maalouf , Anna Pacak , Vincent Lemort
Evaporative cooling technologies are getting more attention in the scientific community due to the urgent need to satisfy the growing demand for cooling buildings while decreasing emissions. Evaporative coolers offer a promising alternative to standard vapour-compression cycles, and many evaporative cooler variants have emerged in recent years to improve their performance. Similarly, the number of models developed to assess the performance of evaporative cooler configurations and simulate their behaviour under various operating conditions is constantly increasing. To obtain relevant results using simulation, it is necessary to perform a proper model validation, which is often handled using experimental data from the literature. However, model validation based on data from the literature can be time-consuming because the terminology of evaporative cooler configurations is not unified throughout the literature, and it requires gathering data from existing papers, which is rarely accessible in tables. This paper provides a framework for model validation using a two-step approach. First, the authors propose a comprehensive classification of evaporative coolers to unify the denominations of evaporative cooler configurations and understand the advantages and drawbacks of existing configurations. Second, standardised datasets are provided for each identified type of evaporative cooler. 18 datasets have been generated using existing experimental and numerical data from the literature, covering various operating conditions. Full datasets are available in an online open-source database to help the reader with model validation of various evaporative cooler configurations.
{"title":"Towards reliable model validation of evaporative coolers: Unified terminology and benchmark datasets","authors":"Alanis Zeoli , Samuel Gendebien , Titouan Janod , Tala Moussa , Chadi Maalouf , Anna Pacak , Vincent Lemort","doi":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129928","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129928","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Evaporative cooling technologies are getting more attention in the scientific community due to the urgent need to satisfy the growing demand for cooling buildings while decreasing <span><math><msub><mrow><mtext>CO</mtext></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> emissions. Evaporative coolers offer a promising alternative to standard vapour-compression cycles, and many evaporative cooler variants have emerged in recent years to improve their performance. Similarly, the number of models developed to assess the performance of evaporative cooler configurations and simulate their behaviour under various operating conditions is constantly increasing. To obtain relevant results using simulation, it is necessary to perform a proper model validation, which is often handled using experimental data from the literature. However, model validation based on data from the literature can be time-consuming because the terminology of evaporative cooler configurations is not unified throughout the literature, and it requires gathering data from existing papers, which is rarely accessible in tables. This paper provides a framework for model validation using a two-step approach. First, the authors propose a comprehensive classification of evaporative coolers to unify the denominations of evaporative cooler configurations and understand the advantages and drawbacks of existing configurations. Second, standardised datasets are provided for each identified type of evaporative cooler. 18 datasets have been generated using existing experimental and numerical data from the literature, covering various operating conditions. Full datasets are available in an online open-source database to help the reader with model validation of various evaporative cooler configurations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8201,"journal":{"name":"Applied Thermal Engineering","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 129928"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129886
Weisong Ling , Zhanpeng Hu , Jiarong Cui , Wenjun Xu , Yi Zhu , Chaofan Wang , Baocai Zhang , Wei Zhou
This study proposes an additive-subtractive composite manufacturing method to fabricate micro-nano composite porous wicks by combining selective laser sintering (SLS) and anodizing techniques. Initially, 316 L stainless steel substrates with microporous structures were fabricated using SLS. Subsequently, anodizing was applied to produce nanopores on the microporous substrate, forming a hybrid micro-nano porous structure. The effects of key parameters such as anodizing time, electrolyte concentration, and substrate wall thickness on porosity, pore size, and pore distribution were systematically analyzed. A three-stage evolution mechanism of nanopore formation: initial rapid pore formation, intermediate rapid growth, and final stabilization was revealed. Results show that anodizing significantly enhanced the wettability and capillary pumping performance of wick. The absorption time of deionized water was reduced by 38.46%, and the maximum capillary pumping mass was increased by 22.04%. The application of the micro-nano composite wick in a loop heat pipe (LHP) further demonstrated its superior heat transfer performance. Under a high heat load of 300 W, the anodized wick exhibited a lower evaporator outlet temperature and higher cooling water outlet temperature. The heat transfer efficiency was improved by 5.84% while thermal runaway was avoided. These findings provide theoretical and technological insights for the design and optimization of high-performance thermal management materials.
{"title":"Forming and mechanism investigation of heat pipe wick with micro-nano pore using additive-subtractive composite processing","authors":"Weisong Ling , Zhanpeng Hu , Jiarong Cui , Wenjun Xu , Yi Zhu , Chaofan Wang , Baocai Zhang , Wei Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129886","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129886","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study proposes an additive-subtractive composite manufacturing method to fabricate micro-nano composite porous wicks by combining selective laser sintering (SLS) and anodizing techniques. Initially, 316 L stainless steel substrates with microporous structures were fabricated using SLS. Subsequently, anodizing was applied to produce nanopores on the microporous substrate, forming a hybrid micro-nano porous structure. The effects of key parameters such as anodizing time, electrolyte concentration, and substrate wall thickness on porosity, pore size, and pore distribution were systematically analyzed. A three-stage evolution mechanism of nanopore formation: initial rapid pore formation, intermediate rapid growth, and final stabilization was revealed. Results show that anodizing significantly enhanced the wettability and capillary pumping performance of wick. The absorption time of deionized water was reduced by 38.46%, and the maximum capillary pumping mass was increased by 22.04%. The application of the micro-nano composite wick in a loop heat pipe (LHP) further demonstrated its superior heat transfer performance. Under a high heat load of 300 W, the anodized wick exhibited a lower evaporator outlet temperature and higher cooling water outlet temperature. The heat transfer efficiency was improved by 5.84% while thermal runaway was avoided. These findings provide theoretical and technological insights for the design and optimization of high-performance thermal management materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8201,"journal":{"name":"Applied Thermal Engineering","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 129886"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074366","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129924
Shuo Liu , Wenshu Li , Chenglong Wang , Dalin Zhang , Pengrui Qiao , Suizheng Qiu
With the deepening understanding of turbulent heat transfer phenomena in liquid metals, neither purely experimental measurements or purely numerical simulations alone can meet the demands of current research. In recent years, the development and application of data assimilation technology can contribute to solve this problem. In this work, a data-model fusion-driven method was created based on the Ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF). Then it was applied to the calibration of turbulent Prandtl number (Prt) and the prediction of average Nusselt number (Nu) for the flow and heat transfer phenomena of lead‑bismuth eutectic (LBE). Using the calibrated Prt model, the prediction of the average Nu not only achieved high agreement with Johnson's experimental data, with a relative error within 5%, but also significantly outperformed existing correlation formulas. Although its prediction accuracy decreases when extrapolating at low Peclet number (Pe), the error remains within ±15%. Under the higher Pe number condition, a single measurement point suffices for the calibration requirement while under the lower Pe condition, at least two measurement points are required to ensure reliable correction.
{"title":"Calibration and inversion using a data-model fusion-driven method with application to lead‑bismuth cooled reactors","authors":"Shuo Liu , Wenshu Li , Chenglong Wang , Dalin Zhang , Pengrui Qiao , Suizheng Qiu","doi":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129924","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129924","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With the deepening understanding of turbulent heat transfer phenomena in liquid metals, neither purely experimental measurements or purely numerical simulations alone can meet the demands of current research. In recent years, the development and application of data assimilation technology can contribute to solve this problem. In this work, a data-model fusion-driven method was created based on the Ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF). Then it was applied to the calibration of turbulent Prandtl number (<em>Pr</em><sub><em>t</em></sub>) and the prediction of average Nusselt number (<em>Nu</em>) for the flow and heat transfer phenomena of lead‑bismuth eutectic (LBE). Using the calibrated <em>Pr</em><sub><em>t</em></sub> model, the prediction of the average <em>Nu</em> not only achieved high agreement with Johnson's experimental data, with a relative error within 5%, but also significantly outperformed existing correlation formulas. Although its prediction accuracy decreases when extrapolating at low Peclet number (<em>Pe</em>), the error remains within ±15%. Under the higher <em>Pe</em> number condition, a single measurement point suffices for the calibration requirement while under the lower <em>Pe</em> condition, at least two measurement points are required to ensure reliable correction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8201,"journal":{"name":"Applied Thermal Engineering","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 129924"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129929
Mingguang Yang , Zhenhua Quan , Zejian Chang , Yaohua Zhao , Lei Xing , Lincheng Wang
A novel air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack with a dual-mode thermal management strategy is proposed to address challenges with both high-load heat dissipation and low-temperature operational challenges. The design integrates micro heat pipe arrays (MHPAs) to enhance heat transfer and enable self-driven heat recovery for inlet air preheating. A dynamic isothermal model is developed and validated against experimental results, providing guidance for structural optimization and operating strategies. Under the heat dissipation mode, coordinated fan control and MHPA configuration increased load capacity by 27.3% and boosted maximum power output by 12.6%. Under self-driven heat recovery mode, elevated the inlet air temperature from 0 °C to 12.8 °C, leading to a 9.0% improvement in low-temperature performance. These results demonstrate that the proposed PEMFC stack effectively combines a compact structure with energy-efficient operation, offering strong potential for reliable portable power applications under variable environmental conditions.
{"title":"Investigation on a novel air-cooled PEMFC stack with enhanced heat dissipation and self-driven heat replenishment via heat recovery","authors":"Mingguang Yang , Zhenhua Quan , Zejian Chang , Yaohua Zhao , Lei Xing , Lincheng Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129929","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129929","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A novel air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack with a dual-mode thermal management strategy is proposed to address challenges with both high-load heat dissipation and low-temperature operational challenges. The design integrates micro heat pipe arrays (MHPAs) to enhance heat transfer and enable self-driven heat recovery for inlet air preheating. A dynamic isothermal model is developed and validated against experimental results, providing guidance for structural optimization and operating strategies. Under the heat dissipation mode, coordinated fan control and MHPA configuration increased load capacity by 27.3% and boosted maximum power output by 12.6%. Under self-driven heat recovery mode, elevated the inlet air temperature from 0 °C to 12.8 °C, leading to a 9.0% improvement in low-temperature performance. These results demonstrate that the proposed PEMFC stack effectively combines a compact structure with energy-efficient operation, offering strong potential for reliable portable power applications under variable environmental conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8201,"journal":{"name":"Applied Thermal Engineering","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 129929"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074425","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129887
Yuxi Tao , Peisheng Li , Huiwu Liu , Lingxiao Weng , Xiaoliang Deng , Ying Zhang , Yuan Tian , Fanghua Ye
To address the heat dissipation challenges arising from the continuously increasing thermal load density in liquid-cooled data centers, a multi-stage separated gravity heat pipe cooling system is proposed in this work. The cooling system includes three plate heat exchangers connected in series forming the evaporator section and three microchannel heat exchangers arranged in parallel forming the condenser section. Each evaporator and its corresponding condenser are connected through gas riser and liquid downcomer pipes, which form three independent thermal circulation loops. This configuration enables staged heat transfer coupling, ensures reliable operation, and utilizes natural air as the cooling source to enhance system-level efficiency. To verify its thermal performance and operating characteristics, a comprehensive experimental platform was established. Experimental investigations on the effects of filling ratio, superheating, and subcooling on the system's heat transfer behavior were carried out. Experimental results showed that the overall heat transfer capacity first increased and then decreased with the filling ratio. The optimal performance was achieved when the filling ratios of the three stages was 30%–30%–30%. Under an ambient temperature of 30 °C, the system achieved a maximum heat transfer capacity of 17.82 kW and a corresponding Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 18.18, demonstrating excellent heat transfer capability under high heat flux conditions. Additionally, an appropriate degree of superheating enhanced the phase-change rate and the driving potential at the evaporator, while the effect of subcooling on the condenser exhibited nonlinear behavior. The heat transfer distribution among the stages revealed that the low-temperature stage consistently accounted for the highest proportion of total heat transfer. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed system and provide practical insights for the design and optimization of liquid-cooled server backplane systems.
{"title":"Experimental study on a multi-stage separated gravity heat pipe cooling system for liquid-cooled data center server racks","authors":"Yuxi Tao , Peisheng Li , Huiwu Liu , Lingxiao Weng , Xiaoliang Deng , Ying Zhang , Yuan Tian , Fanghua Ye","doi":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129887","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129887","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To address the heat dissipation challenges arising from the continuously increasing thermal load density in liquid-cooled data centers, a multi-stage separated gravity heat pipe cooling system is proposed in this work. The cooling system includes three plate heat exchangers connected in series forming the evaporator section and three microchannel heat exchangers arranged in parallel forming the condenser section. Each evaporator and its corresponding condenser are connected through gas riser and liquid downcomer pipes, which form three independent thermal circulation loops. This configuration enables staged heat transfer coupling, ensures reliable operation, and utilizes natural air as the cooling source to enhance system-level efficiency. To verify its thermal performance and operating characteristics, a comprehensive experimental platform was established. Experimental investigations on the effects of filling ratio, superheating, and subcooling on the system's heat transfer behavior were carried out. Experimental results showed that the overall heat transfer capacity first increased and then decreased with the filling ratio. The optimal performance was achieved when the filling ratios of the three stages was 30%–30%–30%. Under an ambient temperature of 30 °C, the system achieved a maximum heat transfer capacity of 17.82 kW and a corresponding Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 18.18, demonstrating excellent heat transfer capability under high heat flux conditions. Additionally, an appropriate degree of superheating enhanced the phase-change rate and the driving potential at the evaporator, while the effect of subcooling on the condenser exhibited nonlinear behavior. The heat transfer distribution among the stages revealed that the low-temperature stage consistently accounted for the highest proportion of total heat transfer. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed system and provide practical insights for the design and optimization of liquid-cooled server backplane systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8201,"journal":{"name":"Applied Thermal Engineering","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 129887"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146096149","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129947
He Fan , Hengrui Zhang , Yongzhen Wang , Xianyong Peng , Wen Sheng , Li Sun
Ultra-supercritical (USC) coal fired units are required to improve operational flexibility, in order to absorb more renewable energy generation into power grid. However, strong nonlinearity and various disturbances deteriorate the control performance of coordinated control system (CCS) severely. To this end, this work proposes a computationally efficient nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) method with integral action. Firstly, successive linearization (SL) is used to obtain linear predictive model at each sampling interval, and control action can be calculated online in an explicit form to promote the calculational efficiency. Then integral action is combined with the NMPC to reject various disturbances containing real measure noises, and the detailed procedure for parameter tuning is presented to meet different requirements on tracking performance and variation rate of control action. Lastly, stability analysis and simulation tests are performed to validate its effectiveness. Simulation results reveal that the proposed method has excellent computational efficiency, load tracking and anti-disturbance performances under wide load range from 30% to 100% rated load compared with the NMPC-SL method, constant MPC, conventional proportional-integral-derivative control and neural network generalized predictive control. Its computational efficiency increases by 87% compared with NMPC methods using quadratic programming. Besides, the designed CCS owns the satisfactory root mean square errors, namely, 0.453 MPa, 4.223 kJ/kg and 0.725 MW, and the mean absolute relative error of unit load decreases by at least 80% compared with other control strategies. Therefore, the proposed method can provide reference for improving operational flexibility and anti-disturbance performances of USC units.
{"title":"Computationally efficient nonlinear model predictive control with integral action for ultra-supercritical coal fired units under wide load operation with various disturbances","authors":"He Fan , Hengrui Zhang , Yongzhen Wang , Xianyong Peng , Wen Sheng , Li Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129947","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129947","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ultra-supercritical (USC) coal fired units are required to improve operational flexibility, in order to absorb more renewable energy generation into power grid. However, strong nonlinearity and various disturbances deteriorate the control performance of coordinated control system (CCS) severely. To this end, this work proposes a computationally efficient nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) method with integral action. Firstly, successive linearization (SL) is used to obtain linear predictive model at each sampling interval, and control action can be calculated online in an explicit form to promote the calculational efficiency. Then integral action is combined with the NMPC to reject various disturbances containing real measure noises, and the detailed procedure for parameter tuning is presented to meet different requirements on tracking performance and variation rate of control action. Lastly, stability analysis and simulation tests are performed to validate its effectiveness. Simulation results reveal that the proposed method has excellent computational efficiency, load tracking and anti-disturbance performances under wide load range from 30% to 100% rated load compared with the NMPC-SL method, constant MPC, conventional proportional-integral-derivative control and neural network generalized predictive control. Its computational efficiency increases by 87% compared with NMPC methods using quadratic programming. Besides, the designed CCS owns the satisfactory root mean square errors, namely, 0.453 MPa, 4.223 kJ/kg and 0.725 MW, and the mean absolute relative error of unit load decreases by at least 80% compared with other control strategies. Therefore, the proposed method can provide reference for improving operational flexibility and anti-disturbance performances of USC units.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8201,"journal":{"name":"Applied Thermal Engineering","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 129947"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074686","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129938
Yanzhi Chen , Tao Zhang , Jingyong Cai , Zhengrong Shi , Tao Ma , Xinli Lu , Zhichao Wang , Zhou Zheng , Jiayu Xiao , Yalin Chen
Domestic biomass pellet stoves are expected to provide low-carbon heating while simultaneously meeting efficiency and emission limits; however, most prior research targets industrial boilers, leaving stove-specific modeling and multi-parameter couplings insufficiently resolved. This study develops a full-scale CFD–DPM model of a pellet stove and validates it against a physical platform using three-dimensional temperature fields and outlet CO/NOx measurements. Based on the validated model, a systematic parametric study investigates the impact of furnace geometry (length, height, and width) and fuel type on combustion, heat transfer, and emissions. The results indicate that moderate elongation improves burnout, whereas excessive length introduces dilution and pressure losses. Intermediate height enhances temperature retention and effective residence time, which initially reduces CO concentration before an increase at excessive heights due to reduced temperature and incomplete combustion. However, the increase in furnace length also extends the high-temperature residence time, which can accelerate NOx formation. An intermediate width maximizes centrally located lateral mixing while avoiding near-wall cold regions. Fuel chemistry exerts a dominant influence: coconut shells provide the most favorable trade-off (high completeness with low CO and relatively low NOx), beech wood pellets offer balanced and compliant behavior, wood chips minimize NOx but tend to elevate CO, and wood pellets perform the weakest overall. For the geometry considered, combining L = 225 mm, H = 520 mm, and W = 290 mm with coconut shells (or beech wood pellets when coconut shells are unavailable) achieves the optimal trade-off among effective residence time, temperature retention, and pressure drop, while satisfying the Italian five-star standard. The results provide quantitative guidance for the design and operation of domestic biomass pellet stoves.
国内生物质颗粒炉有望提供低碳供暖,同时满足效率和排放限制;然而,大多数先前的研究都是针对工业锅炉的,没有充分解决特定炉子的建模和多参数耦合问题。本研究开发了颗粒炉的全尺寸CFD-DPM模型,并使用三维温度场和出口CO/NOx测量在物理平台上对其进行了验证。基于验证模型,系统参数研究了炉的几何形状(长度、高度和宽度)和燃料类型对燃烧、传热和排放的影响。结果表明,适度伸长率可以改善燃尽,而过大的长度则会导致稀释和压力损失。中等高度增强了温度保持和有效停留时间,这首先降低了CO浓度,然后在过高高度由于温度降低和不完全燃烧而增加。然而,炉长的增加也延长了高温停留时间,这可以加速NOx的形成。中间宽度最大限度地提高了位于中央的横向混合,同时避免了近壁冷区域。燃料化学发挥着主导作用:椰子壳提供了最有利的权衡(高完整性,低CO和相对较低的NOx),山毛榉木屑提供了平衡和合规的行为,木屑将NOx降至最低,但往往会提高CO,木屑的整体表现最差。考虑到几何形状,将L = 225 mm, H = 520 mm和W = 290 mm与椰子壳(或当椰子壳不可用时山毛榉木颗粒)相结合,在有效停留时间,温度保持和压降之间实现了最佳权衡,同时满足意大利五星级标准。研究结果为国产生物质颗粒炉的设计和运行提供了定量指导。
{"title":"Numerical optimization of geometries of a domestic biomass pellet stove","authors":"Yanzhi Chen , Tao Zhang , Jingyong Cai , Zhengrong Shi , Tao Ma , Xinli Lu , Zhichao Wang , Zhou Zheng , Jiayu Xiao , Yalin Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129938","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.129938","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Domestic biomass pellet stoves are expected to provide low-carbon heating while simultaneously meeting efficiency and emission limits; however, most prior research targets industrial boilers, leaving stove-specific modeling and multi-parameter couplings insufficiently resolved. This study develops a full-scale CFD–DPM model of a pellet stove and validates it against a physical platform using three-dimensional temperature fields and outlet CO/NO<sub>x</sub> measurements. Based on the validated model, a systematic parametric study investigates the impact of furnace geometry (length, height, and width) and fuel type on combustion, heat transfer, and emissions. The results indicate that moderate elongation improves burnout, whereas excessive length introduces dilution and pressure losses. Intermediate height enhances temperature retention and effective residence time, which initially reduces CO concentration before an increase at excessive heights due to reduced temperature and incomplete combustion. However, the increase in furnace length also extends the high-temperature residence time, which can accelerate NOx formation. An intermediate width maximizes centrally located lateral mixing while avoiding near-wall cold regions. Fuel chemistry exerts a dominant influence: coconut shells provide the most favorable trade-off (high completeness with low CO and relatively low NO<sub>x</sub>), beech wood pellets offer balanced and compliant behavior, wood chips minimize NO<sub>x</sub> but tend to elevate CO, and wood pellets perform the weakest overall. For the geometry considered, combining L = 225 mm, H = 520 mm, and W = 290 mm with coconut shells (or beech wood pellets when coconut shells are unavailable) achieves the optimal trade-off among effective residence time, temperature retention, and pressure drop, while satisfying the Italian five-star standard. The results provide quantitative guidance for the design and operation of domestic biomass pellet stoves.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8201,"journal":{"name":"Applied Thermal Engineering","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 129938"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074436","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}