Brazil uses fuel cells to supplement utility power

Growing electric loads and the dearth of new power plants have created severe worldwide power shortages, as well as a crisis in the nation of Brazil. Analysis and modeling has shown that the crisis could be relieved in a fast and practical manner by placing fuel cells at optimum locations and carefully scheduling their operation. Acquiring the needed data for the model and optimizing the model took a lot of effort. For example, the time when the peak load occurs varies among the types of power consumers. In some residential neighborhoods of Brazil, the peak load occurs when people shower with electrically-heated water. There the fuel cells can be best located where their heat losses can be used to heat water.     

First Mars outpost power systems

Research into potential power systems for the First Mars Outpost (FMO) was performed. The author examined a representative mission architecture which was developed by NASA to determine power system requirements. Power system options including nuclear, isotope, photovoltaic (PV), chemical heat engine, and regenerative fuel cell (RFC) concepts were identified for potential Mars surface applications. A top-level characterization study was conducted to determine power system mass and area for each application. It is seen that PV systems are generally not suited for Mars surface applications due to the large surface area required and higher mass than a closed Brayton cycle SP100 reactor system. A reactor is currently being considered by NASA Lewis Research Center to provide power for base architectures including an ISRU (in situ resource utilization). An oxygen/methane powered heat engine would provide 40 kWe of emergency power for the habitat. A dynamic isotope power system (DIPS) is the current choice for a long-duration pressurized rover due to the excessive size of a PV/RFC system and higher mass of a heat engine system. DIPS has advantages for other low power systems due to its neatly immediate availability and flexibility (night or day power; no recharging required)     

Applications of Brayton cycle technology to space power

The Closed Brayton Cycle (CBC) power conversion cycle can be used with a wide range of heat sources for space power applications. These heat sources include solar concentrator, radioisotope, and reactor. With a solar concentrator, a solar dynamic ground demonstration test using existing Brayton components is being assembled for testing at NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC). This 2-kWe system has a turbine inlet temperature of 1015 K and is a complete end-to-end simulation of the Space Station Freedom solar dynamic design. With a radioisotope heat source, a 1-kWe Dynamic Isotope Power System (DIPS) is under development using an existing turboalternator compressor (TAC) for testing at the same NASA-LeRC facility. This DIPS unit is being developed as a replacement to Radioisotopic Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) to conserve the Pu-238 supply for interplanetary exploration. With a reactor heat source, many studies have been performed coupling the SP-100 reactor with a Brayton power conversion cycle. Applications for this reactor/CBC system include global communications satellites and electric propulsion for interplanetary exploration. applications. The CBC consists of a heater, turboalternator compressor (TAC), cooler, and recuperator. A mixture of He and Xe is used as the working fluid in the CBC system. The He provides superior heat transfer characteristics in the heater, cooler, and recuperator. The Xe adjusts the molecular weight to provide superior aerodynamic performance for maximized turbine and compressor efficiency. Cycle studies are performed to select the optimum He/Xe molecular weight or He to Xe mixture ratio. The following presents the characteristics and advantages of using the CBC for space power applications, CBC development status, characteristics and applications of the CBC with each of the heat sources, and finally performance projections     

通用油箱热模型的建模与仿真

全面考虑各种传热情况,建立了油箱壁面、油箱内气体和燃油的热平衡微分方程组,进而在Flowmaster平台上用C#语言二次开发了通用的油箱仿真模型.对某燃油系统进行了典型飞行剖面内的动态仿真,根据燃油质量、回流燃油质量流量和燃油温度的变化曲线定量分析用燃油作为热沉的冷却能力,确定适当的燃油混合循环质量流量以及燃油散热器的冷却量.结果表明:对于所研究的燃油系统,燃油能够冷却的最大热载荷约为50kW;当热载荷为70kW时,供油箱与前后输油箱的循环质量流量分别为0.3kg/s和0.1kg/s,燃油散热器冷却量为12kW.     

飞机燃油箱地面冷却惰化数值仿真

通过 COMSOL软件对飞机燃油箱地面冷却惰化进行了 3D仿真,得到了燃油温度、气相空间温度、燃油蒸汽体积分数随时间变化的情况;研究了抽气流量、蒸发温度、内热源功率、外界空气流速对冷却惰化的影响。结果表明:内热源功率过大时,燃油蒸汽体积分数高于可燃体积分数下限,将不能惰化;增大抽气流量以及降低蒸发温度,可以更快地降低气相空间温度,惰化效果更好;外界空气流速越大,气动加热热量越大,油箱气相空间温度越高,但外界空气流速较大时,系统仍能惰化。     

基于双火花塞点火策略的活塞式航空煤油发动机爆震控制

在一台650 mL单缸活塞式航空发动机上,针对双火花塞点火方式对活塞式航空煤油发动机的爆震控制进行了试验研究。结果表明:采用两个火花塞同步点火,且将点火提前角推迟可以有效的抑制爆震,同时燃烧放热率幅值逐渐降低,整体燃烧相位逐渐推迟;采用双火花塞异步点火随着点火提前角点火相位差的增加,爆震强度逐渐降低,通过匹配主火花塞点火提前角与副火花塞点火提前角可进一步提升发动机的动力性。      

低性能代偿损失的环境控制系统方案研究

从集成能源子系统的概念出发,提出了一种以环控系统为核心的热能管理组合方案。建立了该组合方案在巡航模式下工作时的数学模型,对其参数匹配的方法进行了探讨。并对主要附件性能的影响进行了分析。     

吸热型碳氢燃料的量热研究

对不同结构组成的吸热型碳氢燃料在不同工作温度下的热沉进行了测定和研究,并在此基础上,研制开发了一种性能较好的ＮＪ－１５０碳氢燃料,并测定了其有关的理化性质和热沉,实验结果表明ＮＪ－１５０是一种很有发展前途的吸热型碳氢燃料。     

竖直圆管内浮升力对超临界碳氢燃料裂解传热传质特性的影响

为了探究再生冷却过程中,浮升力对竖直圆管内超临界碳氢燃料裂解传热传质特性的影响,基于详细裂解反应动力学模型,建立了同时考虑碳氢燃料流动传热和裂解吸热的耦合算法,在此基础上对竖直管道内,浮升力对超临界RP-3的流动、传热和裂解反应的影响展开了数值研究。计算结果表明：与不考虑浮升力的情况相比,在浮升力影响显著的条件下,浮升力增强了向下流动的碳氢燃料壁面处与中心流区域的传热传质过程,燃料温度和裂解率的径向分布更加均匀,燃料吸热能力增强,换热系数上升,同时可以有效地抑制管道壁面上结焦的生成;而对于向上流动的流体,浮升力不利于壁面处与中心流区域的传热传质,导致冷却通道内碳氢燃料温度和裂解率径向分布的不均匀性增强,燃料吸热能力降低,换热系数下降,同时增加了管道壁面上的结焦量;同时,为了更好地理解浮升力的影响,本文还对不同壁面热流密度下向上和向下冷却通道内超临界碳氢燃料的裂解传热特性进行了分析;判别式Bo^*<6.0×10^-7不能准确地预测竖直管道内浮升力对超临界碳氢燃料裂解换热的影响。     

固体燃料超燃冲压发动机燃速研究进展

对固体燃料超燃冲压发动机燃烧面退移速率（简称燃速）研究现状和进展进行了详细阐述,分别从固体燃料类型、燃烧室构型、理论预估模型、数值模拟及实验研究等方面出发,论述了固体燃料在超声速流动下燃速研究的进展和难点;从亚燃冲压发动机、热防护层、富氧环境下绝热层烧蚀3个方面提炼出可以用于超燃冲压发动机燃速研究的经验和方法:①提出了加强针对固体燃料超声速流动中受热行为、传热传质过程的研究方向;②深入探索了固体超燃燃速性质;③开发了对应的数值软件及系统地进行实验等观点,为国内该领域的研究提供参考.      

旋流燃烧室对固体燃料冲压发动机药柱表面传热以及燃速的影响

为研究旋流燃烧室对固体燃料冲压发动机(SFRJ)药柱表面传热以及燃速的影响,以高密度聚乙烯(HDPE)为燃料,对旋流和无旋工况下的固体燃料冲压发动机进行了连管实验研究,并且编制了二维轴对称湍流燃烧仿真程序,采用流固耦合传热的方法以及非定常时间推进方式,对实验工况进行了数值模拟。结果表明:①药柱表面热流密度对燃速有显著影响,在回流区与附着点处,药柱表面的对流换热能力要明显优于再发展区;②在旋流工况下,在离心力与切向速度的作用下,使热解产物在药柱表面附近区域停留时间更长,有助于热解产物的充分反应,并且明显增强药柱表面对流换热能力,与无旋工况相比,提高幅度可达100%,并且在旋流工况下发动机可更快建立自持燃烧;③通过实验研究发现,旋流的引入提高发动机的燃速有积极作用,增幅可达26%,但会导致固体燃料冲压发动机补燃室压强出现周期性振荡。      

适用无人机的小型燃料电池控制方法

燃料电池动力系统作为一种长航时电动无人机的动力方案,其燃料电池的控制技术是决定动力系统可靠性和高效性的关键技术。针对用于无人机的小型空冷型开放阴极的质子交换膜燃料电池,考虑面向工程应用的燃料电池整体控制过程,兼顾电堆温度控制和水管理,提出了一种前馈型模糊PID的电堆温度控制方法,同时设计了一种基于安时积分门限法的膜水含量调节策略,以实现对整个燃料电池系统的高效控制。通过搭建燃料电池温度控制与水管理试验平台,对所提出的控制技术进行了试验验证,并与现有温控和水管理方法进行了对比分析。试验结果表明：所提前馈型模糊PID方法在较长时间的燃料电池启动过程中能够较快地达到目标温度,相比于PID方法减少了7%的调节时间,与传统模糊PID方法相当;燃料电池电流持续减小时,所提前馈型模糊PID方法对超调量的抑制效果具有明显优势,其超调量仅为PID方法的34%,为传统模糊PID方法的43%;所提安时积分门限排水控制方法既能防止水淹故障,又可提高燃料经济性,在所给工况中相比现有方法节约了15%的氢气。     

超临界压力下碳氢燃料在竖直圆管内换热特性

以国产航空煤油RP-3为对象研究了超临界压力下热流密度和进口温度对碳氢燃料在竖直向上管和竖直向下管的换热特性的影响.实验中热流密度变化范围为300~600kW/m2,进口温度变化范围为293~723K,压力及流量分别保持为5MPa以及3g/s.研究表明:在所有实验工况下,实验进口处将首先出现换热恶化现象,之后随着热边界层的充分发展换热逐渐增强;当管内流体状态从超临界压力液态过渡到超临界状态,由于物性的显著变化将导致换热沿管程方向得到显著强化.当进口油温超过其拟临界温度后,由于碳氢燃料吸热能力迅速降低导致管内出现了换热恶化.对于竖直向上流与竖直向下流,即使浮升力判断因子的值小于10-5,浮升力的影响仍然不能忽略.最后,在实验结果基础上,提出了超临界压力碳氢燃料在微细管内流动的强迫对流换热经验关系式.      

基于自适应神经模糊推理算法的无人机电推进燃料电池供气系统性能优化

本文针对某无人机基于聚合物交换膜燃料电池和锂离子电池的混合动力电推进系统的应用,研究开发了一种基于自适应神经模糊推理系统的电源管理系统控制技术,以控制混合动力电力推进系统,同时优化燃料电池供气系统的性能。本文以所建立的某无人机混合电推进系统数学模型为研究对象,研究了燃料电池电流与燃料电池供气系统压缩机功率之间的关系,建立了燃料电池电流与最佳压缩机功率关系的参考模型。在参考模型的基础上,引入自适应控制器来优化燃料电池供气系统的性能。基于自适应神经模糊推理系统的控制器将压缩机的实际运行功率动态调整到参考模型中定义的最佳值。自适应控制器的在线学习和训练能力用来辨识燃料电池电流的非线性变化,并产生压缩机电机电压的控制信号,以优化燃料电池供气系统的性能。在Matlab 仿真环境中开发了质子交换膜燃料电池和锂离子混合动力电推进系统模型并对所设计的控制器进行了仿真分析,结果表明基于自适应神经模糊推理系统的控制器为燃料电池供气系统压缩机性能优化提供了一种新颖而全面的途径,使燃料电池供气系统获得最大净功率输出。将燃料电池系统的净功率输出与最佳压缩机功率和恒定压缩机功率进行了比较,结果表明优化的压缩机功率配置比恒定的压缩机功率配置节能2.62%。同时,燃料电池自适应神经模糊推理系统控制器优化了燃料电池供气系统的能量利用。     

基于车载用燃料电池直流变换器的研究及应用

通过对燃料电池的特性及碳化硅(SiC)功率器件分析,研究适合车载用的高效率和高可靠性的燃料电池专用Boost变换器。通过对变换器的拓扑结构的优化、效率的提升及控制方法改进等方面研究,设计了一款电压变换比大的适合燃料电池运行要求的高效及可靠运行的变换器。试验样机测试证明,该变换器具有良好的动态和稳态控制特性、效率高,可实现燃料电池的稳定输出运行,有效保护了燃料电池,进一步延长了燃料电池寿命。     

Letter to Editor-electrolysis heat

The letter refers to the Toby Grotz's paper “Novel Means of Hydrogen Production Using Dual Polarity Control” and Waiter Russell's “Experiments with Zero Point Energy” presented at the 27th IECEC in San Diego in 1992. Commercial air to air heat pumps typically exhibit a COP, coefficient of performance, of 1.5, which means they deliver 1.5 units of thermal energy for each 1.0 units of electrical energy input. It is more likely that these 'Zero Point' effects are the electrical analogue of a mechanically powered vapor compression refrigeration cycle. The electrolyzer phenomenon reported by Grotz and others, if true, is a heat pump. Another commercial example of an all electrical, non-mechanical, refrigeration cycle heat pump are the in-room refrigerators in Japanese hotels, which utilize the reverse thermoelectric effect. Readers are reminded that the so-called “Zero Point Effect” is not producing more energy than is supplied to the systems, just that the COP mechanism is not yet understood in this case. The editor's response to the unexplained heat release during electrolysis is presented. He describes the experiment which was carried out with electrolysis currents ranging up to 75 amperes. For each temperature rise the resistance heating required more power than did the electrolysis process. The electrolysis had even delivered additional power in the fuel value of the released hydrogen, which was dissipated into the air. The authors calculated that making a gallon of such water would release the energy equivalent of 30 gallons of gasoline     

AMTEC cells challenge energy converters

Sodium-base alkali-metal-thermal-to-electric conversion (AMTEC) cells have been receiving attention. Recently they were selected for the next generation deep-space missions, which need a converter that makes electricity from radioisotope heat. The AMTEC cell, being an electrochemical converter of heat to electricity, has no moving parts and is not limited to Carnot-cycle efficiency. However, its heat source and sink have to be near each other, so the challenge in AMTEC design is to minimize thermal losses and maximize electricity production. This required clever thermal designs. By 1991, high-temperature materials and computer modeling became available. The important AMTEC application was generating power from radioisotope heat in deep space missions. These spacecraft power needs had previously been supplied by inefficient thermoelectric converters     

超临界压力下航空煤油RP-3壁面结焦特性对换热的影响

研究了超临界压力下航空煤油(RP-3)在微细管内流动过程中结焦对换热的影响规律.实验中系统压力保持为5MPa,燃油质量流量为3g/s.燃油溶解氧达到饱和,实验段进出口油温分别为127℃和450℃,实验时间为60min,并利用“称质法”获得煤油结焦量.结果表明:由于壁面结焦的差异使得换热特性沿实验段可分为3个区域:进口低温段的传热稳定区、结焦峰值处的传热恶化区和出口高温段的短期强化区.进口低温段结焦量较少,对换热的影响可以忽略;结焦峰值处由于其结焦迅速且量大致使管内传热热阻突增,传热系数下降36.1%故出现传热恶化;高温段出现短期强化是由于结焦微粒附着于管壁,增加了其粗糙度而导致近壁面处流体湍动能增大以及由于近壁面高温区域煤油裂解结焦而产生化学吸 热量,进而强化换热.随着时间的推移,结焦量不断增多,结焦热阻增加的效应抵消并超过以上两种因素的影响,因此又出现传热恶化.      

飞机燃油系统热管理研究

为了充分利用飞机所载燃油作为冷源来冷却飞机的其他机载设备与系统,发挥燃油的最大使用效益,提出了飞机燃油系统热管理.通过对飞机燃油系统中流体网络的关键部件燃油增压泵、液动涡轮泵和管网进行数学建模以求解流体网络各节点的流量、压力、温度和热损失,从而能预测出各种情况下换热器前的燃油入口温度和进入飞机发动机前的燃油温度.研究内容可为飞机燃油这一冷源的综合利用及飞机燃油系统的热管理提供科学依据.      

电动燃油泵驱动电机浸油冷却性能数值模拟

为了研究电动燃油泵驱动电机浸油冷却性能,基于冷却流体及电机各部件3维模型,充分考虑各部件发热功率以及材 料属性等物理量的影响,采用有限体积法对电机流-热耦合场进行模拟仿真,分析不同边界条件对电机流场和温度场的影响。结 果表明：在最大冷却燃油流量以及电机最高功率下,流道的压力损失和电机的最高温度均能满足电动燃油泵的运行要求;随着冷 却流量增加或燃油粘度的增大,流道的压力损失增大,且在最大冷却流量下,燃油粘度每增大1 mm 2 /s,压力损失增大约2 kPa;电 机功率和入口温度对电机各部件温度的影响较大,各部件温升与燃油进口温度近似呈线性关系,而环境温度对电机温度场影响较 小。研究结果为电动燃油泵电机浸油冷却流道的设计与优化提供了理论依据。