Applied Thermodynamics: Modern Developments (2nd Volume)

A special issue of Applied Mechanics (ISSN 2673-3161).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (16 April 2024) | Viewed by 9347

Special Issue Editors

Department of Mechanics of Solids, Surfaces and Systems, University of Twente, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands
Interests: degradation thermodynamics; system characterization; tribology; irreversible thermodynamics; lubricant grease, design and manufacturing
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Guest Editor
Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
Interests: maintenance science; degradation thermodynamics; tribology; mechatronics; design and manufacturing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue follows on from the first volume of the Special Issue, entitled “Applied Thermodynamics: Modern Developments” (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applmech/special_issues/applied_thermodynamics_developments), published in Applied Mechanics in 2022.

Energy content, transformation and transfer are fundamental in the field of thermodynamics. Rigorous interpretations of the first and second laws of thermodynamics have introduced material properties, elucidated system behaviors, and characterized material configurations and active processes (physical, chemical, etc.). Classical works in thermodynamics have found extensive practical applications in often controlled, predominantly single-process transformations, as well as laboratory experiments that provide insights into system behaviors. Engineering thermodynamics forms the basis on which combustion engines, power plants and heating/cooling systems operate. The advent of modern irreversible thermodynamics launched a new era in which thermodynamics has become the most widely used field of science for characterizing diverse multi-scale inter-disciplinary systems, including biological, nuclear, chemical, electrical, mechanical and thermal systems. In a world where artificial intelligence is the lowest hanging fruit for system analysts and maintenance engineers, the understanding of system–process interactions remains sparse. Unexpected system behaviors due to aging and instabilities continue to render artificial intelligence and other approaches inadequate and often incapable—hence the need for continued research into the further development and practical applications of thermodynamics, particularly into systems and processes for which existing methods are inapplicable or inconsistent.

This Special Issue solicits original research papers, review articles, and short communications in the area of applied thermodynamics. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Aging/degradation/remaining useful life (RUL) modeling;
  • Thermodynamics of tribology;
  • Power generation;
  • System optimization;
  • Characterization of materials and material configurations;
  • Energy systems (storage, transfer and losses);
  • Dissipative mechanisms;
  • Nuclear thermodynamics.

Dr. Jude Osara
Prof. Dr. Michael Bryant
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Mechanics is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • thermodynamics
  • energy transformation
  • system characterization
  • materials
  • system analysis
  • entropy
  • energy dissipation

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 5814 KiB  
Article
Study of a Square Single-Phase Natural Circulation Loop Using the Lattice Boltzmann Method
by Johan Augusto Bocanegra, Annalisa Marchitto and Mario Misale
Appl. Mech. 2023, 4(3), 927-947; https://doi.org/10.3390/applmech4030048 - 28 Aug 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 971
Abstract
Natural circulation loops are thermohydraulic circuits used to transport heat from a source to a sink in the absence of a pump, using the forces induced by the thermal expansion of a working fluid to circulate it. Natural circulation loops have a wide [...] Read more.
Natural circulation loops are thermohydraulic circuits used to transport heat from a source to a sink in the absence of a pump, using the forces induced by the thermal expansion of a working fluid to circulate it. Natural circulation loops have a wide range of engineering applications such as in nuclear power plants, solar systems, and geothermic and electronic cooling. The Lattice Boltzmann Method was applied to the simulation of this thermohydraulic system. This numerical method has several interesting features for engineering applications, such as parallelization capabilities or direct temporal convergence. A 2D model of a single-phase natural circulation mini-loop with a small inner diameter was implemented and tested under different operation conditions following a double distribution function approach (coupling a lattice for the fluid and a secondary lattice for the thermal field). An analytical relationship between the Reynolds number and the modified Grashof number was used to validate the numerical model. Two regimes were found for the circulation, a laminar regime for low Reynolds numbers and a non-laminar regime characterized by a traveling vortex near the heater and cooler’s walls. Both regimes did not present flux inversion and are considered stable. The recirculation of the fluid can explain some of the heat transfer characteristics in each regime. Changing the Prandtl number to a higher value affects the transient response, increasing the temperature and velocity oscillations before reaching the steady state. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Thermodynamics: Modern Developments (2nd Volume))
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15 pages, 3337 KiB  
Article
Nanoparticle Size and Heat Pipe Angle Impact on the Thermal Effectiveness of a Cylindrical Screen Mesh Heat Pipe
by Prabhu Alphonse, Karthikeyan Muthukumarasamy and Ratchagaraja Dhairiyasamy
Appl. Mech. 2023, 4(3), 870-884; https://doi.org/10.3390/applmech4030045 - 27 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1065
Abstract
This study examines the effects of particle size and heat pipe angle on the thermal effectiveness of a cylindrical screen mesh heat pipe using silver nanoparticles (Ag) as the test substance. The experiment investigates three different particle sizes (30 nm, 50 nm, and [...] Read more.
This study examines the effects of particle size and heat pipe angle on the thermal effectiveness of a cylindrical screen mesh heat pipe using silver nanoparticles (Ag) as the test substance. The experiment investigates three different particle sizes (30 nm, 50 nm, and 80 nm) and four different heat pipe angles (0°, 45°, 60°, and 90°) on the heat transmission characteristics of the heat pipe. The results show that the thermal conductivity of the heat pipe increased with an increase in heat pipe angle for all particle sizes, with the highest thermal conductivity attained at a 90° heat pipe angle. Furthermore, the thermal resistance of the heat pipe decreased as the particle size decreased for all heat pipe angles. The thermal conductivity measurements of the particle sizes—30, 50, and 80 nm—were 250 W/mK, 200 W/mK, and 150 W/mK, respectively. The heat transfer coefficient values for particle sizes 30 nm, 50 nm, and 80 nm were 5500 W/m2K, 4500 W/m2K, and 3500 W/m2K, respectively. The heat transfer coefficient increased with increased heat pipe angle for all particle sizes, with the highest heat transfer coefficient obtained at a 90° heat pipe angle. The addition of Ag nanoparticles at a volume concentration of 1% reduced the thermal resistance of the heat pipe, resulting in improved heat transfer performance. At a heat load of 150 W, the thermal resistance decreased from 0.016 °C/W without nanoparticles to 0.012 °C/W with 30 nm nanoparticles, 0.013 °C/W with 50 nm nanoparticles, and 0.014 °C/W with 80 nm nanoparticles. This study also found that the heat transfer coefficient increased with increased heat pipe angle for all particle sizes, with the highest heat transfer coefficient obtained at a 90° heat pipe angle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Thermodynamics: Modern Developments (2nd Volume))
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24 pages, 19227 KiB  
Article
Biomass Combustion in the Helically Coiled Domestic Boiler Combined with the Equilibrium/Chemical Kinetics CFD Approach
by Izabela Wardach-Święcicka, Sylwia Polesek-Karczewska and Dariusz Kardaś
Appl. Mech. 2023, 4(2), 779-802; https://doi.org/10.3390/applmech4020040 - 17 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1098
Abstract
In the face of threats related to energy supply and climate change, the use of biomass is gaining importance, particularly in distributed energy systems. Combustion of biomass, including residue biomass, is considered one of the routes to increase the share of renewables in [...] Read more.
In the face of threats related to energy supply and climate change, the use of biomass is gaining importance, particularly in distributed energy systems. Combustion of biomass, including residue biomass, is considered one of the routes to increase the share of renewables in energy generation. The modeling of gaseous phase reactions remains crucial in predicting the combustion behavior of biomass and pollutant emissions. However, their simulation becomes a challenging task due to the computational cost. This paper presents a numerical analysis of the combustion process of a gas mixture released during biomass decomposition in a domestic 25 kW coil-type boiler. Three types of biogenic fuels were taken into consideration. The work aimed at examining the available tools for modeling gas burning, thus the geometry of the system was limited only to the 2D case. The thermodynamic equilibrium composition of pyrolysis gas was determined and implemented in Ansys to simulate the process. The computational results showed the potential of detailed, but reduced, combustion mechanisms of CH4/CO/H2 mixtures in predicting the main process features. The mechanism involving 85 reactions appeared to be more reliable compared to that comprising 77 reactions, particularly for volatiles with higher H2 content, whilst offering an acceptable calculation time. The burning characteristics obtained for volatiles with less CH4 and more H2 are in good agreement with the real operation conditions reported for the boiler. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Thermodynamics: Modern Developments (2nd Volume))
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23 pages, 1669 KiB  
Article
Applying the Action Principle of Classical Mechanics to the Thermodynamics of the Troposphere
by Ivan R. Kennedy and Migdat Hodzic
Appl. Mech. 2023, 4(2), 729-751; https://doi.org/10.3390/applmech4020037 - 05 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1595
Abstract
Advances in applied mechanics have facilitated a better understanding of the recycling of heat and work in the troposphere. This goal is important to meet practical needs for better management of climate science. Achieving this objective may require the application of quantum principles [...] Read more.
Advances in applied mechanics have facilitated a better understanding of the recycling of heat and work in the troposphere. This goal is important to meet practical needs for better management of climate science. Achieving this objective may require the application of quantum principles in action mechanics, recently employed to analyze the reversible thermodynamics of Carnot’s heat engine cycle. The testable proposals suggested here seek to solve several problems including (i) the phenomena of decreasing temperature and molecular entropy but increasing Gibbs energy with altitude in the troposphere; (ii) a reversible system storing thermal energy to drive vortical wind flow in anticyclones while frictionally warming the Earth’s surface by heat release from turbulence; (iii) vortical generation of electrical power from translational momentum in airflow in wind farms; and (iv) vortical energy in the destructive power of tropical cyclones. The scalar property of molecular action (@t mvds, J-sec) is used to show how equilibrium temperatures are achieved from statistical equality of mechanical torques (mv2 or mr2ω2); these are exerted by Gibbs field quanta for each kind of gas phase molecule as rates of translational action (d@t/dt ≡mr2ω/dt ≡ mv2). These torques result from the impulsive density of resonant quantum or Gibbs fields with molecules, configuring the trajectories of gas molecules while balancing molecular pressure against the density of field energy (J/m3). Gibbs energy fields contain no resonant quanta at zero Kelvin, with this chemical potential diminishing in magnitude as the translational action of vapor molecules and quantum field energy content increases with temperature. These cases distinguish symmetrically between causal fields of impulsive quanta (Σhν) that energize the action of matter and the resultant kinetic torques of molecular mechanics (mv2). The quanta of these different fields display mean wavelengths from 10−4 m to 1012 m, with radial mechanical advantages many orders of magnitude greater than the corresponding translational actions, though with mean quantum frequencies (v) similar to those of radial Brownian movement for independent particles (ω). Widespread neglect of the Gibbs field energy component of natural systems may be preventing advances in tropospheric mechanics. A better understanding of these vortical Gibbs energy fields as thermodynamically reversible reservoirs for heat can help optimize work processes on Earth, delaying the achievement of maximum entropy production from short-wave solar radiation being converted to outgoing long-wave radiation to space. This understanding may improve strategies for management of global changes in climate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Thermodynamics: Modern Developments (2nd Volume))
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19 pages, 6256 KiB  
Article
Euler–Euler Multi-Scale Simulations of Internal Boiling Flow with Conjugated Heat Transfer
by Edouard Butaye, Adrien Toutant and Samuel Mer
Appl. Mech. 2023, 4(1), 191-209; https://doi.org/10.3390/applmech4010011 - 06 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1507
Abstract
A numerical approach was implemented, to study a boiling flow in a horizontal serpentine tube. A NEPTUNE_CFD two-fluid model was used, to study the behavior of the refrigerant R141b in diabatic cases. The model was based on the Euler–Euler formalism of the Navier–Stokes [...] Read more.
A numerical approach was implemented, to study a boiling flow in a horizontal serpentine tube. A NEPTUNE_CFD two-fluid model was used, to study the behavior of the refrigerant R141b in diabatic cases. The model was based on the Euler–Euler formalism of the Navier–Stokes equations, in which governing equations are solved for both phases of the fluid at each time step. The conjugate heat transfer—between the tube wall and the fluid—was considered via a coupling with the SYRTHES 4.3 software, which solves solid conduction in three dimensions. A mesh convergence study was carried out, which found that a resolution of 40 meshes per diameter was necessary for our case. The approach was validated by comparison with an experimental study of the literature, based on the faithful reproduction of the positions of two-phase flow regime transitions in the domain. Original post-processing was used, to unravel the flow characteristics. The mean and RMS fields of void fraction, temperatures and stream wise velocities in several sections were analyzed, when statistical convergence was reached. A thermal equilibrium was reached in the saturated liquid, but not in the vapor phase, due to the flow dynamic and possibly the presence of droplets. Finally, a thermal analysis of the configuration was proposed. It demonstrated the strong coupling between the temperature distribution in the solid, and the two-phase flow regimes at stake in the fluid domain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Thermodynamics: Modern Developments (2nd Volume))
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11 pages, 1141 KiB  
Article
Heat Transfer Deterioration by the Copper Oxide Layer on Horizontal Subcooled Flow Boiling
by Edgar Santiago Galicia, Tomihiro Kinjo, Ouch Som Onn, Toshihiko Saiwai, Kenji Takita, Kenji Orito and Koji Enoki
Appl. Mech. 2023, 4(1), 20-30; https://doi.org/10.3390/applmech4010002 - 04 Jan 2023
Viewed by 2234
Abstract
Water–copper is one of the most common combinations of working fluid and heating surface in high-performance cooling systems. Copper is usually selected for its high thermal conductivity and water for its high heat transfer coefficient, especially in the two-phase regime. However, copper tends [...] Read more.
Water–copper is one of the most common combinations of working fluid and heating surface in high-performance cooling systems. Copper is usually selected for its high thermal conductivity and water for its high heat transfer coefficient, especially in the two-phase regime. However, copper tends to suffer oxidation in the presence of water and thus the heat flux performance is affected. In this research, an experimental investigation was conducted using a cooper bare surface as a heating surface under a constant mass flux of 600 kg·m2·s1 of deionized water at a subcooled inlet temperature ΔTsub of 70 K under atmospheric pressure conditions on a closed-loop. To confirm the heat transfer deterioration, the experiment was repeated thirteen times. On the flow boiling region after thirteen experiments, the results show an increase in the wall superheat ΔTsat of approximately 26% and a reduction in the heat flux of approximately 200 kW·m2. On the other hand, the effect of oxidation on the single phase is almost marginal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Thermodynamics: Modern Developments (2nd Volume))
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