Feature Papers of Thermo in 2022

A special issue of Thermo (ISSN 2673-7264).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 33218

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As Editor-in-Chief of Thermo, I am pleased to announce this collection, entitled “Feature Papers of Thermo in 2022”. This Special Issue will be a collection of high-quality reviews and original papers from editorial board members, guest editors, and leading researchers, discussing new knowledge or new cutting-edge developments of fundamental research and applications dealing with heat and temperature aspects including but not limited to the following topics:

  • Heat and temperature;
  • Thermodynamics;
  • Calorimeters and calorimetry;
  • Thermal properties of the matter;
  • Heat transfer methods: radiation, conduction, and convection;
  • Isolated thermal systems;
  • Quantum ideal gas;
  • Energy and free energy;
  • Phases equilibrium and phase transitions;
  • Solubility phenomena;
  • Structure–properties relationships;
  • Bose–Einstein condensation;
  • Quantum fluid;
  • Canonical probability distribution;
  • Ideal/real heat engines and refrigerators;
  • Waste heat recovery;
  • Energy storage and saving;
  • Thermal exergy analysis and management.

Prof. Dr. Johan Jacquemin
Guest Editor

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. Thermo 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 1000 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

  • thermal sciences
  • thermophysics
  • solubility phenomena
  • chemical thermodynamics and chemical engineering

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 192 KiB  
Editorial
Editorial Special Issue on Feature Papers of Thermo in 2022
by Johan Jacquemin
Thermo 2023, 3(2), 329-330; https://doi.org/10.3390/thermo3020020 - 07 Jun 2023
Viewed by 599
Abstract
In this Special Issue of Thermo, a collection of 11 papers is presented based on a preselection of the Editor in Chief of the journal for this particular and specific Special Issue called Feature Papers of Thermo in 2022 [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Thermo in 2022)

Research

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28 pages, 569 KiB  
Article
Natural Convection Heat Transfer from an Isothermal Plate
by Aubrey Jaffer
Thermo 2023, 3(1), 148-175; https://doi.org/10.3390/thermo3010010 - 03 Feb 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3001
Abstract
Using boundary-layer theory, natural convection heat transfer formulas that are accurate over a wide range of Rayleigh numbers (Ra) were developed in the 1970s and 1980s for vertical and downward-facing plates. A comprehensive formula for upward-facing plates remained unsolved because they [...] Read more.
Using boundary-layer theory, natural convection heat transfer formulas that are accurate over a wide range of Rayleigh numbers (Ra) were developed in the 1970s and 1980s for vertical and downward-facing plates. A comprehensive formula for upward-facing plates remained unsolved because they do not form conventional boundary-layers. From the thermodynamic constraints on heat-engine efficiency, the novel approach presented here derives formulas for natural convection heat transfer from isothermal plates. The union of four peer-reviewed data-sets spanning 1<Ra<1012 has 5.4% root-mean-squared relative error (RMSRE) from the new upward-facing heat transfer formula. Applied to downward-facing plates, this novel approach outperforms the Schulenberg (1985) formula’s 4.6% RMSRE with 3.8% on four peer-reviewed data-sets spanning 106<Ra<1012. The introduction of the harmonic mean as the characteristic length metric for vertical and downward-facing plates extends those rectangular plate formulas to other convex shapes, achieving 3.8% RMSRE on vertical disk convection from Hassani and Hollands (1987) and 3.2% from Kobus and Wedekind (1995). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Thermo in 2022)
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8 pages, 1889 KiB  
Article
Heat Capacity of Solid Halide Eutectics and Their Enthalpy at Melting Point
by Alexander Redkin, Iraida Korzun, Tatyana Yaroslavtseva, Olga Reznitskikh, Yuriy Zaikov, Sergeiy Kumkov and Anna Kodintseva
Thermo 2023, 3(1), 96-103; https://doi.org/10.3390/thermo3010007 - 18 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1512
Abstract
The isobaric heat capacity of solid eutectic mixtures LiCl-KCl-CsCl, LiBr-CsBr and LiBr-KBr-CsBr was investigated from room temperature up to melting point. The molar heat capacity of all mixtures under study was found to be close to the additive sum of that of pure [...] Read more.
The isobaric heat capacity of solid eutectic mixtures LiCl-KCl-CsCl, LiBr-CsBr and LiBr-KBr-CsBr was investigated from room temperature up to melting point. The molar heat capacity of all mixtures under study was found to be close to the additive sum of that of pure salts. The heat accumulated up to melting temperature is directly dependent on the melting point. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Thermo in 2022)
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20 pages, 2358 KiB  
Article
Prediction of Performance and Geometrical Parameters of Single-Phase Ejectors Using Artificial Neural Networks
by Mehdi Bencharif, Sergio Croquer, Yu Fang, Sébastien Poncet, Hakim Nesreddine and Said Zid
Thermo 2023, 3(1), 1-20; https://doi.org/10.3390/thermo3010001 - 28 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1691
Abstract
Ejectors have gained renewed interest in the last decades, especially in heat-driven refrigeration systems, to reduce the load of the compressor. Their performance is usually influenced by many factors, including the working fluid, operating conditions and basic geometrical parameters. Determining the relationships between [...] Read more.
Ejectors have gained renewed interest in the last decades, especially in heat-driven refrigeration systems, to reduce the load of the compressor. Their performance is usually influenced by many factors, including the working fluid, operating conditions and basic geometrical parameters. Determining the relationships between these factors and accurately predicting ejector performance over a wide range of conditions remain challenging. The objective of this study is to develop fast and efficient models for the design and operation of ejectors using artificial neural networks. To this end, two models are built. The first one predicts the entrainment and limiting compression ratio given 12 input parameters, including the operating conditions and geometry. The second model predicts the optimal geometry given the desired performance and operating conditions. An experimental database of ejectors using five working fluids (R134a, R245fa, R141b, and R1234ze(E), R1233zd(E)) has been built for training and validation. The accuracy of the ANN models is assessed in terms of the linear coefficient of correlation (R) and the mean squared error (MSE). The obtained results after training for both cases show a maximum MSE of less than 10% and a regression coefficient (R) of, respectively, 0.99 and 0.96 when tested on new data. The two models have then a good generalization capacity and can be used for design purposes of future refrigeration systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Thermo in 2022)
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34 pages, 2968 KiB  
Article
A New Look at Physico-Chemical Causes of Changing Climate: Is the Seasonal Variation in Seawater Temperature a Significant Factor in Establishing the Partial Pressure of Carbon Dioxide in the Earth’s Atmosphere?
by Ivan R. Kennedy, John W. Runcie, Shuo Zhang and Raymond J. Ritchie
Thermo 2022, 2(4), 401-434; https://doi.org/10.3390/thermo2040028 - 17 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2104
Abstract
Seasonal oscillations in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) in the Earth’s atmosphere, stronger in northern latitudes, are assumed to show that terrestrial photosynthesis exceeds respiration in summer, reducing the pCO2 in air but increasing its [...] Read more.
Seasonal oscillations in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) in the Earth’s atmosphere, stronger in northern latitudes, are assumed to show that terrestrial photosynthesis exceeds respiration in summer, reducing the pCO2 in air but increasing its value in winter when respiration exceeds photosynthesis. We disagree, proposing that variation in the temperature of the surface mixing zone of seawater also reversibly regulates the pCO2 in air as a non-equilibrium process between air and seawater. We predict by thermal modelling that carbonate (CO32−) concentration in the surface mixed layer seawater declines in winter by conversion to bicarbonate with CaCO3 (calcite or aragonite) becoming more soluble and, proportional to the fall of temperature, calcite decalcifying more strongly, allowing more CO2 emission to air. Paradoxically, the increasing CO2 concentration in seawater favoring photosynthesis peaking in mid-summer declines simultaneously in autumn and early winter, forced by boundary layer fugacity into phase transfer to the atmosphere, supporting peak atmospheric pCO2 by late winter. These physico-chemical processes reverse in late winter and spring as seawater warms favoring calcification, fugacity forcing CO2 from the atmosphere as bicarbonate declines and carbonate increases, augmenting suspended calcite particles by several percent. Our numerical computation predicts that the larger range of thermal fluctuations in the northern hemisphere could reversibly favor absorption from air of more than one mole of CO2 per square meter in summer with calcite formation potentially augmenting shallow limestone reefs, despite falling pH, if there is a trend for increasing seawater temperature. Another assumption we challenge is that upwelling and advection from deeper water is the sole cause of increases in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and alkalinity in surface waters, even in the southern hemisphere. Instead, some calcite dissolution is favored as water temperature falls near the surface. Standard enthalpy analysis of key DIC reactions indicates why this oscillation is more obvious in the northern hemisphere with seasonal variations in water temperature (ca. 7.1 °C) being almost twice those in the southern hemisphere (ca. 4.7 °C) with a greater depth of the surface mixing zone of seawater in the southern oceans. Questions remain regarding the relative rates of biotic and abiotic inorganic precipitation and dissolution of CaCO3 in the mixing zone. In summary, rapid biogenic calcification is favored by summer photosynthesis, but slower abiotic calcification is also more likely in warmer water. We conclude that the relative significance of terrestrial biotic and seawater abiotic processes in seawater on the seasonal oscillation in the atmosphere can only be assessed by direct seasonal measurements in seawater. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Thermo in 2022)
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12 pages, 1814 KiB  
Article
Thermodynamic Assessment and Solubility of Ni in LBE Coolants
by Pradeep Samui and Renu Agarwal
Thermo 2022, 2(4), 371-382; https://doi.org/10.3390/thermo2040025 - 20 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1654
Abstract
Lead–Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) is a heavy metal liquid alloy used as a coolant for compact high temperature reactors (CHTRs), fast breeder reactor (FBRs) and as a spallation target for ADS. In spite of many advantages due to its thermophysical properties, corrosion towards structural [...] Read more.
Lead–Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) is a heavy metal liquid alloy used as a coolant for compact high temperature reactors (CHTRs), fast breeder reactor (FBRs) and as a spallation target for ADS. In spite of many advantages due to its thermophysical properties, corrosion towards structural materials remains one of the major issues of LBE. In absence of any oxygen impurity, corrosion in LBE is driven by dissolution processes and the solubility of the main elements of the structural material alloys. Using the CALPHAD method, Thermo-Calc software, a thermodynamic database was developed to assess the interaction between Ni and LBE coolant. The solubilities of Ni in LBE, Bi and Pb liquids have been calculated at different temperatures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Thermo in 2022)
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10 pages, 1359 KiB  
Article
On the Study of Thermal Transitions in Selected n-Paraffins Using Differential Scanning Calorimetry
by Charles M. Earnest, Josh Jones and Ashley Dunn
Thermo 2022, 2(3), 302-311; https://doi.org/10.3390/thermo2030021 - 19 Sep 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1341
Abstract
The results obtained from a study of the thermal transformations of polymorphic long-chain normal paraffins (n-C32H66 and n-C36H74) are presented here. The research was performed using a power-compensated Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC). Both heating and cooling [...] Read more.
The results obtained from a study of the thermal transformations of polymorphic long-chain normal paraffins (n-C32H66 and n-C36H74) are presented here. The research was performed using a power-compensated Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC). Both heating and cooling experiments were performed in dynamic nitrogen atmosphere. Thermodynamic data for both polymorphic transitions, as well as the fusion endotherms, were determined from the DSC thermal curves. Using the heats of transition (∆H), in Joules/gram, obtained from the data in the DSC thermal curves, molar heats of transition (∆H), in kJ/mol, were calculated and compared to previously published values. The molar entropy of transition (∆S) was then calculated for each of the observed thermal events. Additional information is given by the author on obtaining the best results from the use of DSC for the thermal behavior of n-paraffins. This manuscript opens with a review of most of the early work and the results it provided dealing with polymorphism of n-paraffin solids. Some of this referenced work was performed prior to the advent of computerized analytical instrumentation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Thermo in 2022)
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22 pages, 10166 KiB  
Article
Parametrization of the NRTL Model with a Multiobjective Approach: Implications in the Process Simulation
by Luis Fernández, Juan Ortega and Adriel Sosa
Thermo 2022, 2(3), 267-288; https://doi.org/10.3390/thermo2030019 - 31 Aug 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1716
Abstract
Thermodynamics, as a scientific tool, advises on the control of variables involved in processes of different nature and is particularly useful in the design of equipment, or to obtain previous simulations. However, to generate more accurate models, an exact science is required. Thus, [...] Read more.
Thermodynamics, as a scientific tool, advises on the control of variables involved in processes of different nature and is particularly useful in the design of equipment, or to obtain previous simulations. However, to generate more accurate models, an exact science is required. Thus, the thermodynamic–mathematical binomial is able to relate the fundamental variables of a system using the potential functions directing the process, although these relationships are not always completely satisfactory, as it is necessary to complete the modelling with a set of parameters, which depend on the experimentation. To ensure a better description of the behavior of a system, in this work a multi-objective optimization procedure (MOP) is applied to the NRTL model, comparing the results with other conventional procedures used to characterize the real properties of the binary methyl methanoate + pentane. The results obtained with the MOP confirmed a better representation of the experimental information with NRTL, analyzing its impact on the simulation/design processes. The set of optimal parametrizations obtained allow several options to be process engineered to select the most appropriate one depending on the specific problem to be designed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Thermo in 2022)
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33 pages, 20836 KiB  
Article
Multi-Scale Modelling of the Bound Metal Deposition Manufacturing of Ti6Al4V
by Dmitry G. Luchinsky, Vasyl Hafiychuck, Kevin R. Wheeler, Sudipta Biswas, Christopher E. Roberts, Ian M. Hanson, Tracie J. Prater and Peter V. E. McClintock
Thermo 2022, 2(3), 116-148; https://doi.org/10.3390/thermo2030011 - 23 Jun 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2895
Abstract
Nonlinear shrinkage of the metal part during manufacturing by bound metal deposition, both on the ground and under microgravity, is considered. A multi-scale physics-based approach is developed to address the problem. It spans timescales from atomistic dynamics on the order of nanoseconds to [...] Read more.
Nonlinear shrinkage of the metal part during manufacturing by bound metal deposition, both on the ground and under microgravity, is considered. A multi-scale physics-based approach is developed to address the problem. It spans timescales from atomistic dynamics on the order of nanoseconds to full-part shrinkage on the order of hours. This approach enables estimation of the key parameters of the problem, including the widths of grain boundaries, the coefficient of surface diffusion, the initial redistribution of particles during the debinding stage, the evolution of the microstructure from round particles to densely-packed grains, the corresponding changes in the total and chemical free energies, and the sintering stress. The method has been used to predict shrinkage at the levels of two particles, of the filament cross-section, of the sub-model, and of the whole green, brown, and metal parts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Thermo in 2022)
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Review

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23 pages, 4769 KiB  
Review
Comprehensive Review of Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) Technologies
by Ayah Marwan Rabi, Jovana Radulovic and James M. Buick
Thermo 2023, 3(1), 104-126; https://doi.org/10.3390/thermo3010008 - 29 Jan 2023
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 11397
Abstract
As renewable energy production is intermittent, its application creates uncertainty in the level of supply. As a result, integrating an energy storage system (ESS) into renewable energy systems could be an effective strategy to provide energy systems with economic, technical, and environmental benefits. [...] Read more.
As renewable energy production is intermittent, its application creates uncertainty in the level of supply. As a result, integrating an energy storage system (ESS) into renewable energy systems could be an effective strategy to provide energy systems with economic, technical, and environmental benefits. Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) has been realized in a variety of ways over the past decades. As a mechanical energy storage system, CAES has demonstrated its clear potential amongst all energy storage systems in terms of clean storage medium, high lifetime scalability, low self-discharge, long discharge times, relatively low capital costs, and high durability. However, its main drawbacks are its long response time, low depth of discharge, and low roundtrip efficiency (RTE). This paper provides a comprehensive review of CAES concepts and compressed air storage (CAS) options, indicating their individual strengths and weaknesses. In addition, the paper provides a comprehensive reference for planning and integrating different types of CAES into energy systems. Finally, the limitations and future perspectives of CAES are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Thermo in 2022)
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22 pages, 694 KiB  
Review
Potential of Microwave Heating and Plasma for Biosecurity Applications
by Saeedeh Taheri, Dylan John McFarlane, Scott William Mattner and Graham Ian Brodie
Thermo 2022, 2(3), 312-333; https://doi.org/10.3390/thermo2030022 - 19 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1892
Abstract
This review explores the use of microwave heating and microwave-generated plasma for biosecurity applications. Microwave heating has been shown to rapidly heat and kill a wide range of pests and pathogens. Examples of microwave thermal disinfestation of soils, grains, hay, and timber are [...] Read more.
This review explores the use of microwave heating and microwave-generated plasma for biosecurity applications. Microwave heating has been shown to rapidly heat and kill a wide range of pests and pathogens. Examples of microwave thermal disinfestation of soils, grains, hay, and timber are presented and discussed. Microwave energy can also ionize various gasses, including air, to create plasma. Plasmas are described by many characteristics, such as temperature, degree of ionization, and density. In the “after glow” (cold plasma) of a plasma discharge, there are sufficient charged particles and excited atoms to generate elevated UV levels and ionize the surfaces of objects. Examples of cold plasma and plasma-activated water disinfestation of grains and other commodities are also presented and discussed. Brief comments on the scale-up of this technology have also been presented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Thermo in 2022)
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6 pages, 200 KiB  
Review
Chemical Thermodynamics—A Practical Wonderland
by Rubin Battino and Trevor M. Letcher
Thermo 2022, 2(1), 84-89; https://doi.org/10.3390/thermo2010007 - 21 Mar 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2336
Abstract
Chemical thermodynamics is frequently thought of as being a hard subject and quite abstract. In fact, it is one of the most practical of subjects when you consider that the field of chemical engineering (responsible for endless useful applications) is effectively applied chemical [...] Read more.
Chemical thermodynamics is frequently thought of as being a hard subject and quite abstract. In fact, it is one of the most practical of subjects when you consider that the field of chemical engineering (responsible for endless useful applications) is effectively applied chemical thermodynamics. In this essay, examples of these applications are given, especially with respect to sustainability. The essay first considers the limits of thermodynamics and the constraints put on it in terms of the rigorous definitions of the principal function’s energy, entropy, and Gibbs energy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Thermo in 2022)
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