Dion Savio Antao

Atmospheric pressure dc corona discharges: operating regimes and potential applications

The operating regimes and the structures of dc corona discharges in air, nitrogen, helium and hydrogen?methane mixtures are studied for a point to plate electrode configuration. The characteristics of the dc negative corona discharge are investigated. In addition to the bright glow at the cathode (pin) region, a uniform diffuse glow is observed near the anode (plate) surface for the negative corona. This diffuse glow is observed in air and hydrogen?methane discharges only and not in nitrogen discharges. The presence of a glow near the planar anode is perhaps due to the increased electric field caused by a negative ion sheath formed only in electronegative gases. Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) was used to obtain species, spatially resolved temperature measurements and electric field estimations for the corona discharges in air. For the negative corona, the presence of a weak glow indicates an active plasma region near the positive planar electrode which may be useful for processing techniques such as plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The dc negative corona discharge was observed to deposit films on the anode surface for air and methane.

Un-Shocked High Amplitude Standing Waves in Wave-Shaped Resonators

A numerical study of non-linear, high amplitude standing waves in non-cylindrical circular resonators is reported here. These waves are shock-less and can generate peak acoustic overpressures that can exceed the ambient pressure by three/four times its nominal value. A high fidelity compressible computational fluid dynamic model is used to simulate the phenomena in cylindrical and arbitrarily shaped axisymmetric resonators. A right circular cylinder and frustum of cone are the two geometries studied. The model is validated using past numerical and experimental results of standing waves in cylindrical resonators. The non-linear nature of the harmonic response of the frustum of cone resonator system is investigated for two different working fluids (carbon dioxide and argon) operating at various values of piston amplitude. The high amplitude non-linear oscillations demonstrated can be used as a prime mover in a variety of applications including thermoacoustic cryocooling.Copyright

Numerical and Experimental Investigations of an Orifice Type Cryogenic Pulse Tube Refrigerator

A helium filled orifice type pulse tube refrigerator (OPTR) was designed, built and operated to provide cryogenic cooling. The OTPR is a travelling wave thermoacoustic refrigerator that operates on a modified reverse Stirling cycle. The experimental studies are carried out at various values of the mean pressure of helium (0.35 MPa – 2.2 MPa), amplitudes of pressure oscillations, frequencies of operation and sizes of orifice opening. The experimental results are compared with the predictions from a detailed time-dependent numerical model. In the CFD model, the compressible forms of the continuity, momentum and energy equations are solved for both the refrigerant gas (helium) and the porous media regions (the regenerator and the three heat-exchangers) in the OPTR. An improved representation of heat transfer in the porous media is achieved by employing a thermal non-equilibrium model to couple the gas and solid (porous media) energy equations. The model predictions show better comparisons with the experimental results when the effects of wall thicknesses of the various components of the OPTR are included in the model.Copyright

Experimental and Numerical Characterization of an Orifice Type Cryogenic Pulse Tube Refrigerator

An orifice type pulse tube refrigerator (OPTR) was designed, built and operated to provide cryogenic cooling. The OTPR is a travelling wave thermoacoustic refrigerator that operates on a modified reverse Stirling cycle. We consider a system that is comprised of a pressure wave generator (a linear motor), an aftercooler heat-exchanger, a regenerator (comprising of a porous structure for energy separation), a pulse tube (in lieu of a displacer piston as found in Stirling refrigerators) with a cold and a warm heat-exchanger at its two ends, a needle-type orifice valve, an inertance tube and a buffer volume. The experimental characterization is done at various values of mean pressure of helium (∼ 0.35 MPa–2.2 MPa), amplitude of pressure oscillations, frequency of operation and size of orifice opening. A detailed time-dependent axisymmetric computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model of the OPTR is simulated to predict the performance of the OPTR. In the CFD model, the continuity, momentum and energy equations are solved for both the refrigerant gas (helium) and the porous media regions (the regenerator and the three heat-exchangers) in the OPTR. An accurate representation of heat transfer in the porous media is achieved by employing a thermal non-equilibrium model to couple the gas and solid (porous media) energy equations. In the future, a validated computational model can be used for system improvement and optimization.Copyright

Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulations of an Inertance Type Pulse Tube Refrigerator

A numerical study is reported here for the investigation of the fundamental flow and heat transfer processes found in an inertance type pulse tube refrigerator (IPTR). The general design of an IPTR incorporates a pressure wave generator, a transfer line, an aftercooler, a regenerator, a pulse tube, a pair of heat exchangers for the cold and hot ends of the pulse tube, an inertance tube and a reservoir. The performance of the IPTR system is simulated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) using cylindrical co-ordinates (r–z) and applying the axisymmetric assumption. The IPTR is driven by a cyclically moving piston at one end of the system operating at a fixed frequency with helium as the working fluid. Both constant temperature and convective heat transfer boundary conditions are examined along the external walls of the hot heat exchangers. The simulations reveal interesting steady-periodic flow patterns that develop in the pulse tube due to the fluctuations caused by the piston and the presence of the inertance tube. The secondary-flow recirculation patterns in the pulse tube reduce the heat pumping effect from the low-temperature heat exchanger to the high-temperature heat exchangers.Copyright