A novel concept for heat transfer fluids used in district cooling systems
Low-temperature phase-change materials (PCMS) were mixed with water to enhance the performance of heat transfer fluid. Several PCMs were tested in a laboratory-scale test loop to check their suitability to district cooling applications. The phase-change temperatures and latent heats of fusion of tetradecane, pentadecane, and hexadecane paraffin waxes were measured using a differential scanning calorimeter. The heat of fusion of these materials is approximately 60% of that of ice. They exhibit no supercooling and are stable under repeated thermal cycling. For 10% and 25% PCM-water slurries, the heat transfer enhancement was found to be approximately 18 and 30 percent over the value of water, respectively. It was also found that, in the turbulent region, there is only a minor pumping penalty from the addition of up to 25% PCM to the water. It was demonstrated that pentadecane does not clog in a glass-tube chiller, and continuous pumping below its freezing, point (9.9[degrees]C):was successfully carried out in a bench-scale flow loop. Adding PCM to water increases the thermal capacity of the heat transfer fluid and therefore decreases the volume that needs to be pumped in a district cooling system. It also increases the heat transfer rate, resulting in smaller heat exchangers. Research is continuing on these fluids in order to determine their behavior in large-size loops and to arrive at optimum formulations.
- Research Organization:
- Drexel Univ., Philadelphia, PA (United States). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG01-90CE26602
- OSTI ID:
- 6527230
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/CE/26602-1; ON: DE93013298
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Development of advanced low-temperature heat transfer fluids for district heating and cooling
Development of advanced low-temperature heat transfer fluids for district heating and cooling. Final report, September 25, 1990--September 24, 1991
Related Subjects
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ALKANES
FUSION HEAT
DISTRICT COOLING
HEAT TRANSFER FLUIDS
HEAT EXCHANGERS
MELTING POINTS
MIXTURES
PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS
PROGRESS REPORT
PUMPING
THERMAL CYCLING
WATER
WAXES
COOLING
DISPERSIONS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENTHALPY
FLUIDS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSITION HEAT
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE
320603* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Municipalities & Community Systems- Public Utilities- (1980-)
360602 - Other Materials- Structure & Phase Studies