Hybrid thermal management of lithium-ion batteries using nanofluid,metal foam,and phase change material: an integrated numerical–experimental approach

Safety issues of Li-ion batteries imposed by unfavorable thermal behavior accentuate the need for efficient thermal management systems to prevent the runaway conditions. To that end, a hybrid thermal management system is designed and further investigated numerically and experimentally in the present study. The passive cooling system is fabricated by saturating copper foam with paraffin as the phase change material (PCM) and integrated with an active cooling system with alumina nanofluid as the coolant fluid. Results for various Reynolds numbers and different heating powers indicate that the hybrid nanofluid cooling system can successfully fulfill safe operation of the battery during stressful operating conditions. The maximum time in which all PCM field is changed to the liquid phase is defined as the onset of the stressful conditions. Therefore, the start time of stressful conditions at 41 W and Re 420 is increased from 3700 s with nanofluid composed of 1% volume fraction nanoparticles (VF-1%) to 4600 s with nanofluid VF-2% during high current discharge rates. Nanofluid cooling extends the operating time of the battery in comparison with the water-based cooling system with 200-s (nanofluid with volume fraction of 1%) and 900-s (nanofluid with volume fraction of 2%) increases in operating time at Reynolds of 420. Using nanofluid, instead of water, postpones the onset of paraffin phase transition effectively and prolongs its melting time which consequently leads to a decrease in the rate of temperature rise.

     

Optimal input design for hydrodynamic derivatives estimation of nonlinear dynamic model of AUV

Input design has a dominant role in developing the dynamic model of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) through system identification. Optimal input design is the process of generating informative inputs that can be used to provide a good-quality dynamic model of AUV. In this paper, amplitude-modulated pseudo-random binary signal (APRBS) inputs are optimally designed in order to estimate the hydrodynamic derivatives of an AUV’s nonlinear dynamic model. The input controls are designed so as to minimize uncertainty in estimating hydrodynamic derivatives. The employed approach can design multiple inputs and apply constraints on an AUV system’s inputs and outputs. The genetic algorithm is utilized to solve the constraint optimization problem. The presented algorithm is used for designing the input signals of Hydrolab300 AUV, and the estimation obtained by these inputs is compared with that of zigzag maneuver. According to the results, the designed APRBS inputs improve the uncertainties that exist in estimating hydrodynamic derivatives better than zigzag inputs.     

Photonic crystal channel drop filters with mirror cavities

In this paper, a new channel drop filter in two dimensional photonic crystals with mirror cavities is proposed. In the structure, three cavities are used. One is used for a resonant tunneling-based channel drop filter. The others are used to realize reflection feedback in the bus waveguide, which consists of a point defect micro-cavity side-coupled to a waveguide. The simulation results by using the finite-difference time-domain method conclude 98% output efficiency.     

Fischer-Tropsch synthesis by nano-structured iron catalyst

Effects of nanoscale iron oxide particles on textural structure, reduction, carburization and catalytic behavior of precipitated iron catalyst in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) are investigated. Nanostructured iron catalysts were prepared by microemulsion method in two series. Firstly, Fe2O3, CuO and La2O3 nanoparticles were prepared separately and were mixed to attain Fe/Cu/La nanostructured catalyst (sep-nano catalyst); Secondly nanostructured catalyst was prepared by co-precipitation in a water-in-oil microemulsion method (mix-nano catalyst). Also, conventional iron catalyst was prepared with common co-precipitation method. Structural characterizations of the catalysts were performed by TEM, XRD, H2 and CO-TPR tests. Particle size of iron oxides for sep-nano and mix-nano catalysts, which were determined by XRD pattern (Scherrer equation) and TEM images was about 20 and 21.6 nm, respectively. Catalyst evaluation was conducted in a fixed-bed stainless steel reactor and compared with conventional iron catalyst. The results revealed that FTS reaction increased while WGS reaction and olefin/paraffin ratio decreased in nanostructured iron catalysts.     

Deactivation studies of nano-structured iron catalyst in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

A nano-structured iron catalyst for syngas conversion to hydrocarbons in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) was prepared by micro-emulsion method. Compositions of bulk iron phase and phase transformations of carbonaceous species during catalyst deactivation in FTS reaction were characterized by temperature-programmed surface reaction with hydrogen (TPSR-H2), and XRD techniques. Many carbonaceous species on surface and bulk of the nano-structured iron catalysts were completely identified by combined TPSR-H2 and XRD spectra and which were compared with those recorded on conventional co-precipitated iron catalyst. The results reveal that the catalyst deactivation results from the formation of inactive carbide phases and surface carbonaceous species like graphite, and it will be increased when the particle size of iron oxides was reduced in FTS iron catalyst.     

Promoter effect on the CO2-H2O formation during Fischer-Tropsch synthesis on iron-based catalysts

The effects of Mg, La and Ca promoters on primary and secondary CO_2 and H_2O formation pathways during Fischer-Tropsch synthesis on precipitated Fe/Cu/SiO_2 catalysts are investigated. The chemisorbed oxygen atoms in the primary pathway formed in the CO dissociation steps reacted with co-adsorbed hydrogen or carbon monoxide to produce H_2O and CO_2 , respectively. The secondary pathway was the water-gas shift reaction. The results indicated that the CO_2 production led to an increase in both primary and secondary pathways, and H_2 O production decreased when surface basicity of the catalyst increased in the order Ca >Mg >La.     

Sensitive Superoxide Biosensor Based on Silicon Carbide Nanoparticles

Direct electron transfer of immobilized superoxide dismutase (Cu, Zn‐SOD) onto silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles displays a pair of well defined and nearly reversible redox peaks with formal potential (E°′) of −0.03 V in pH 7.4. The heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (k_s) and surface coverage (Γ) of immobilized SOD are 11.0±0.4 s⁻¹ and 1.42×10⁻¹¹ mol cm⁻². Biosensor shows fast amperometric response (3s) with sensitivity and detection limit of 1.416 nA μM⁻¹, 1.66 μM, and 1.375 nA μM⁻¹, 2.1 μM for cathodically or anodically detection of superoxide, respectively. This biosensor also exhibits good stability, reproducibility and long life‐time.     

Mixed finite difference and Galerkin methods for solving Burgers equations using interpolating scaling functions

The current paper proposes a technique for the numerical solution of Burgers equations. The method is based on finite difference formula combined with the Galerkin method, which uses the interpolating scaling functions. Several test problems are given, and the numerical results are reported to show the accuracy and efficiency of the new algorithm. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hirshfeld surface analysis of two new phosphorothioic triamide structures

Hirshfeld surfaces and two‐dimensional fingerprint plots are used to analyse the intermolecular interactions in two new phosphorothioic triamide structures, namely N,N′,N′′‐tris(3,4‐dimethylphenyl)phosphorothioic triamide acetonitrile hemisolvate, P(S)[NHC₆H₃‐3,4‐(CH₃)₂]₃·0.5CH₃CN or C₂₄H₃₀N₃PS·0.5CH₃CN, (I), and N,N′,N′′‐tris(4‐methylphenyl)phosphorothioic triamide–3‐methylpiperidinium chloride (1/1), P(S)[NHC₆H₄(4‐CH₃)]₃·[3‐CH₃‐C₅H₉NH₂]⁺·Cl⁻ or C₂₁H₂₄N₃PS·C₆H₁₄N⁺·Cl⁻, (II). The asymmetric unit of (I) consists of two independent phosphorothioic triamide molecules and one acetonitrile solvent molecule, whereas for (II), the asymmetric unit is composed of three components (molecule, cation and anion). In the structure of (I), the different components are organized into a six‐molecule aggregate through N—H...S and N—H...N hydrogen bonds. The components of (II) are aggregated into a two‐dimensional array through N—H...S and N—H...Cl hydrogen bonds. Moreover, interesting features of packing arise in this structure due to the presence of a double hydrogen‐bond acceptor (the S atom of the phosphorothioic triamide molecule) and of a double hydrogen‐bond donor (the N—H unit of the cation). For both (I) and (II), the full fingerprint plot of each component is asymmetric as a consequence of the presence of three fragments. These analyses reveal that H...H interactions [67.7 and 64.3% for the two symmetry‐independent phosphorothioic triamide molecules of (I), 30.7% for the acetonitrile solvent of (I), 63.8% in the phosphorothioic triamide molecule of (II) and 62.9% in the 3‐methylpiperidinium cation of (II)] outnumber the other contacts for all the components in both structures, except for the chloride anion of (II), which only receives the Cl...H contact. The phosphorothioic triamide molecules of both structures include unsaturated C atoms, thus presenting C...H/H...C interactions: 17.6 and 21% for the two symmetry‐independent phosphorothioic triamide molecules in (I), and 22.7% for the phosphorothioic triamide molecule of (II). Furthermore, the N—H...S hydrogen bonds in both (I) and (II), and the N—H...Cl hydrogen bonds in (II), are the most prominent interactions, appearing as large red spots on the Hirshfeld surface maps. The N...H/H...N contacts in structure (I) are considerable, whereas for (II), they give a negligible contribution to the total interactions in the system.     

Particle size effects in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis by Co catalyst supported on carbon nanotubes

The effect of Co particle size on the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) activity of carbon nanotube (CNT)-supported Co catalysts was investigated. Microemulsion (using water-to-surfactant molar ratios of 2 to12) and impregnation techniques were used to prepare catalysts with different Co particle sizes. Kinetic studies were performed to understand the effect of Co particle size on catalytic activity. Size-dependent kinetic parameters were developed using a thermodynamic method, to evaluate the structural sensitivity of the CNT-supported Co catalysts. The size-independent FTS reaction rate constant and size-independent adsorption parameter increased with increasing reac-tion temperature. The Polani parameter also depended on catalyst particle size, because of changes in the catalyst surface coverage.