Optimization-based investigations of a thermofluidic engine for low-grade heat recovery
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Wang, Yukun
Markides, Christos N
Chachuat, Benoit
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
This paper presents an analysis of the non-inertive-feedback thermofluidic engine (NIFTE) under cyclic steady-state conditions. The analysis is based on a nonlinear model of NIFTE that had previously been validated experimentally, and applies an optimization-based approach to detect the cyclic steady states (CSS). The stability of the CSS is furthermore determined by analyzing their monodromy matrix. It is found that NIFTE can exhibit multiple CSS for certain values of the design parameters, which may be either stable or unstable, a result that had not been reported before. Subsequently, a parametric study is conducted by varying key design parameters, revealing that higher efficiencies could be achieved by controlling the engine at different CSS, including unstable ones. Lastly, the paper investigates the trade-offs between efficiency and work output in NIFTE.
Date Issued
2018-10-08
Date Acceptance
2018-10-01
Citation
IFAC-PapersOnLine, 2018, 51 (18), pp.690-695
ISSN
2405-8963
Publisher
IFAC Secretariat
Start Page
690
End Page
695
Journal / Book Title
IFAC-PapersOnLine
Volume
51
Issue
18
Copyright Statement
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Sponsor
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Grant Number
EP/K503381/1
Subjects
low-grade heat
thermofluidic oscillator
NIFTE
exergetic efficiency
cyclic steady state
limit cycle
stability analysis
bifurcation analysis
PERFORMANCE
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
Shenyang, PEOPLES R CHINA
Date Publish Online
2018-10-08