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Transient modeling of a thermosiphon based air conditioner with compact thermal storage: modeling and validation.

Number: pap. 2144

Author(s) : DHUMANE R., DU Y., LING J., et al.

Summary

The Roving Comforter (RoCo) is an innovative personal thermal management technology currently being developed at the University of Maryland as part of Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-e) project. Among several system configurations of RoCo, the paper focuses on a miniature battery-powered vapor compression cycle (VCC) system fitted on a remote-controlled robotic platform. The heat rejected from the condenser during its operation is stored in a compact phase change material (PCM) based heat storage device. Once the PCM storage reaches full capacity, it needs to be recharged. The PCM heat exchanger needs to be designed so that the melting PCM captures the heat generated during the VCC operation and then re-solidifies again with minimal energy usage during the its recharge mode. The thermosiphon operates through the same refrigerant circuit by bypassing certain components like the compressor to reduce flow resistance. Thus the circuit is designed to operate as a VCC during the cooling mode and as thermosiphon during the recharge mode. The VCC needs to have a high coefficient of performance (COP) while the thermosiphon needs to solidify PCM material at highest possible rate. To capture the time-dependent behavior of solidification, transient modeling of thermosiphon is desired. The prototype developed has a COP of 2.85 and needs roughly 8 hours to recharge the thermosiphon. Comparison of modeling results with the experimental data have been provided to validate the model. Several cases of RoCo thermosiphon are then simulated for different PCM using the model to select the most suitable PCM.

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Pages: 10 p.

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Details

  • Original title: Transient modeling of a thermosiphon based air conditioner with compact thermal storage: modeling and validation.
  • Record ID : 30018809
  • Languages: English
  • Source: 2016 Purdue Conferences. 16th International Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Conference at Purdue.
  • Publication date: 2016/07/11

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