Skip to main content
Article
Dynamics of a Closed-Loop Thermosyphon Incorporating Thermal Storage
Numerical Heat Transfer, Part A
  • Kelly Homan, Missouri University of Science and Technology
  • Kyle S. Benne
Abstract

The coupling between a natural-convection thermosyphon loop and a thermal storage device is analyzed numerically for a charging process in which energy is added to the system at a fixed rate. Since energy accumulates in the storage component, the driving buoyant force is continually altered and the behavior is inherently transient. The undesirable consequence is a less than uniform charge of the storage volume. Relevant dimensionless parameters are identified which enable improvement in the shape of the charge profile. The results indicate that a more uniform charge profile is obtained by targeting the frictional losses to a flow regime most strongly proportional to flow rate and by decreasing the relative vertical height over which heat input occurs.

Department(s)
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Keywords and Phrases
  • Buoyancy,
  • Capillary Flow,
  • Electric Charge,
  • Fluid Mechanics,
  • Heat Storage,
  • Lithium Batteries,
  • Siphons,
  • Storage (Materials)
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2008 Taylor & Francis, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
1-1-2008
Publication Date
01 Jan 2008
Citation Information
Kelly Homan and Kyle S. Benne. "Dynamics of a Closed-Loop Thermosyphon Incorporating Thermal Storage" Numerical Heat Transfer, Part A (2008)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/kelly-homan/12/