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10th Anniversary of Applied Sciences: Invited Papers in Applied Thermal Engineering

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Thermal Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 16006

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rua Luis Reis Santos, University of Coimbra, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: thermal engineering systems; renewable energy technologies; thermal design and optimization; thermal management; thermal storage; energy capture technology; thermal engineering economics; laser diagnostics; heat and fluid multiphase flows; constructal theory; information theory in data analysis
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce the opening of this Special Issue on applied thermal engineering to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Applied Sciences. This is a recent and long-awaited section of the journal dedicated to the advances of science and technology in thermal engineering. Thermal systems and processes are essential to meet the challenges in the energy field, including its production, capture, storage, utilization, conservation and waste reduction. With this Special Issue, we would like to provide an opportunity to share the state-of-art research developed in the thermal engineering field. Specifically, we’re looking for contributions in the following:

  • Renewable and clean-energy technologies;
  • Thermal systems design to produce, store and efficiently use energy in industrial application;
  • Components, devices and equipment for thermal engineering processes;
  • Thermodynamics modeling and design analysis;
  • Economic assessment of thermal engineering applications;
  • Applications of heat and fluid flow;
  • Thermoeconomic analysis, evaluation and optimization.

Prof. Dr. Miguel R. Oliveira Panão
Guest Editor

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 7225 KiB  
Article
ANN Modeling to Analyze the R404A Replacement with the Low GWP Alternative R449A in an Indirect Supermarket Refrigeration System
by Morteza Ghanbarpour, Adrián Mota-Babiloni, Pavel Makhnatch, Bassam E. Badran, Jörgen Rogstam and Rahmatollah Khodabandeh
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(23), 11333; https://doi.org/10.3390/app112311333 - 30 Nov 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2571
Abstract
Artificial neural networks (ANNs) have been considered for assessing the potential of low GWP refrigerants in experimental setups. In this study, the capability of using R449A as a lower GWP replacement of R404A in different temperature levels of a supermarket refrigeration system is [...] Read more.
Artificial neural networks (ANNs) have been considered for assessing the potential of low GWP refrigerants in experimental setups. In this study, the capability of using R449A as a lower GWP replacement of R404A in different temperature levels of a supermarket refrigeration system is investigated through an ANN model trained using field measurements as input. The supermarket refrigeration was composed of two indirect expansion circuits operated at low and medium temperatures and external subcooling. The results predicted that R449A provides, on average, a higher 10% and 5% COP than R404A at low and medium temperatures, respectively. Moreover, the cooling capacity was almost similar with both refrigerants in both circuits. This study also revealed that the ANN model could be employed to accurately predict the energy performance of a commercial refrigeration system and provide a reasonable judgment about the capability of the alternative refrigerant to be retrofitted in the system. This is very important, especially when the measurement data comes from field measurements, in which values are obtained under variable operating conditions. Finally, the ANN results were used to compare the carbon footprint for both refrigerants. It was confirmed that this refrigerant replacement could reduce the emissions of supermarket refrigeration systems. Full article
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11 pages, 6302 KiB  
Article
Effect of a Geothermal Heat Pump in Cooling Mode on the Housing Environment and Swine Productivity Traits
by Hong-Seok Mun, Muhammad Ammar Dilawar, Dhanushka Rathnayake, Il-Byung Chung, Chong-Dae Kim, Sang-Bum Ryu, Kwang-Woo Park, Sang-Ro Lee and Chul-Ju Yang
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(22), 10778; https://doi.org/10.3390/app112210778 - 15 Nov 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 1937
Abstract
This study compared the effects of the cooling mode of a geothermal heat pump (GHP) system with those of a traditional cooling system (ventilation fans) inside a pig house on the internal house temperature, harmful gas emissions, and the growth performance of the [...] Read more.
This study compared the effects of the cooling mode of a geothermal heat pump (GHP) system with those of a traditional cooling system (ventilation fans) inside a pig house on the internal house temperature, harmful gas emissions, and the growth performance of the pigs. During the 19-week experimental period, the temperature inside the house connected to the GHP cooling system was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that of a house with a conventional cooling system. Similarly, the temperature–humidity index (THI) was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) in the GHP cooling system-connected pig house. Furthermore, the concentrations of ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) were also decreased significantly in the GHP-installed pig house (p < 0.05). However, no differences were observed in the concentrations of particulate matter (PM2.5) and formaldehyde (p > 0.05). The pigs reared in the GHP-equipped pig house gained significantly more weight (p < 0.05) by the end of the experiment. The GHP cooling system can therefore be implemented as a renewable, environmentally friendly energy source in pig farms for sustainable swine production without adversely affecting the productivity parameters. Full article
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10 pages, 2503 KiB  
Article
Enhancement of Convection Heat Transfer in Air Using Ultrasound
by Grzegorz Musielak and Dominik Mierzwa
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(19), 8846; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11198846 - 23 Sep 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2389
Abstract
The use of ultrasound is a new method to enhance convection drying. However, there is little information in the literature on the improvement of convective heat transfer caused by ultrasound. Therefore, the heat transport during ultrasound-assisted convective heating of small samples in a [...] Read more.
The use of ultrasound is a new method to enhance convection drying. However, there is little information in the literature on the improvement of convective heat transfer caused by ultrasound. Therefore, the heat transport during ultrasound-assisted convective heating of small samples in a hybrid dryer was experimentally examined. A small Biot number regime of heat transfer was considered. The results confirmed a great enhancement of heat transfer due to the application of ultrasound. Due to the use of ultrasound, the convective heat exchange coefficient increased from 45% to almost 250%. The enhancement is a linear function of applied ultrasound power. It was shown that the energy absorption of ultrasound existed, but the thermal effect of this absorption was very small. Full article
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14 pages, 2980 KiB  
Article
Theoretical Global Warming Impact Evaluation of Medium and High Temperature Heat Pumps Using Low GWP Refrigerants
by Morteza Ghanbarpour, Adrián Mota-Babiloni, Bassam E. Badran and Rahmatollah Khodabandeh
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(15), 7123; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11157123 - 1 Aug 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2688
Abstract
This study provides a global warming impact analysis of environmentally friendly refrigerants used as replacements for R134a and R245fa. R290, R1234yf, R1234ze(E), R513A and R450A are considered as refrigerants to replace R134a in medium temperature applications. For R245fa, there are five alternative refrigerants, [...] Read more.
This study provides a global warming impact analysis of environmentally friendly refrigerants used as replacements for R134a and R245fa. R290, R1234yf, R1234ze(E), R513A and R450A are considered as refrigerants to replace R134a in medium temperature applications. For R245fa, there are five alternative refrigerants, R1224yd(Z), R600, R1336mzz(Z), R1233zd(E) and R1234ze(Z), which are selected for high-temperature applications. The analysis is done considering the emission factors in Brazil, Sweden, Canada and Poland. In Sweden and Brazil, the total equivalent warming impact per heating capacity of R134a is higher than its alternative refrigerants in medium temperature application, although R134a exhibits a higher coefficient of performance than its alternatives. In high-temperature applications, R1336mzz(Z) has the lowest total equivalent warming impact per heating capacity due to its higher coefficient of performance than other tested refrigerants. The highest total equivalent warming impact per heating capacity belongs to R245fa in all countries except in Poland, where R600 exhibits a higher value due to its lower coefficient of performance and the relatively higher emission factor in Poland compared to other selected countries. These results revealed that in addition to the global warming potential, the emission factor associated with the sources of electricity generation has a crucial impact on indirect emissions. Full article
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18 pages, 4659 KiB  
Article
Energy, Exergy, and Environmental (3E) Analysis of Hydrocarbons as Low GWP Alternatives to R134a in Vapor Compression Refrigeration Configurations
by Morteza Ghanbarpour, Adrián Mota-Babiloni, Bassam E. Badran and Rahmatollah Khodabandeh
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(13), 6226; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11136226 - 5 Jul 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2914
Abstract
The phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons and substitution with low global warming potential values are consequences of the awareness about the environmental impacts of greenhouse gases. This theoretical study evaluated the energy and exergy performances and the environmental impact of three vapor compression system configurations [...] Read more.
The phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons and substitution with low global warming potential values are consequences of the awareness about the environmental impacts of greenhouse gases. This theoretical study evaluated the energy and exergy performances and the environmental impact of three vapor compression system configurations operating with the hydrocarbons R290, R600a, and R1270 as alternatives to R134a. The refrigeration cycle configurations investigated in this study include a single-stage cycle, a cycle equipped with an internal heat exchanger, and a two-stage cycle with vapor injection. According to the results, the alternative hydrocarbon refrigerants could provide comparable system performance to R134a. The analysis results also revealed that using an internal heat exchanger or a flash tank vapor injection could improve the system’s efficiency while decreasing the heating capacity. The most efficient configuration was the two-stage refrigeration cycle with vapor injection, as revealed by the exergy analysis. The environmental impact analysis indicated that the utilization of environmentally-friendly refrigerants and improving the refrigeration system’s efficiency could mitigate equivalent CO2 emissions significantly. The utilization of hydrocarbons reduced the carbon footprint by 50%, while a 1% to 8% reduction could be achieved using the internal heat exchanger and flash tank vapor injection. Full article
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17 pages, 6969 KiB  
Article
Effect of Blade Leading and Trailing Edge Configurations on the Performance of a Micro Tubular Propeller Turbine Using Response Surface Methodology
by Seungsoo Jang, Yeong-Wan Je and Youn-Jea Kim
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5596; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125596 - 17 Jun 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2414
Abstract
With the recent rise in importance of environmental issues, research on micro hydropower, a kind of renewable energy source, is being actively conducted. In this study, a micro tubular propeller turbine was selected for study of micro hydropower in pipes. Numerical analysis was [...] Read more.
With the recent rise in importance of environmental issues, research on micro hydropower, a kind of renewable energy source, is being actively conducted. In this study, a micro tubular propeller turbine was selected for study of micro hydropower in pipes. Numerical analysis was conducted to evaluate the performance. Response surface methodology using design of experiments was performed to efficiently investigate the effect of the blade leading and trailing edge elliptic aspect ratios on the performance. The trailing edge configuration was found to be more related to the performance, because of the drastic pressure variation due to the stagnation point formed, regardless of the leading edge configuration. To improve the performance, a NACA airfoil was introduced. The results show that the flow became more stable than the reference model, and the efficiency was increased by 2.44%. Full article
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