Copper water heat pipe applied for Stirling engine
Power generation in remote locations requires the advancement of efficient and long-lasting power generation technologies. One possible solution is a microreactor, which uses heat pipes to transport fission heat from a nuclear source to Stirling engines producing energy. In this context, TERRA (Adva...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Brazilian Radiation Protection Society (Sociedade Brasileira de Proteção Radiológica, SBPR)
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://bjrs.org.br/revista/index.php/REVISTA/article/view/1876 |
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| Summary: | Power generation in remote locations requires the advancement of efficient and long-lasting power generation technologies. One possible solution is a microreactor, which uses heat pipes to transport fission heat from a nuclear source to Stirling engines producing energy. In this context, TERRA (Advanced Fast Reactor Technology) project conducted by the Institute for Advanced Studies (IEAv) developed a Stirling engine and copper-water heat pipes for an initial study of both coupled devices. However, before using a nuclear source, it is necessary to understand the thermal behavior of the devices using an electrical heating source. Thus, the objective of this work is to test experimentally if a copper heat pipe can carry the necessary heat to activate the Free Piston Stirling engine. For this, it was necessary to develop a copper adapter to connect the pipe to the engine. The pipe was connected to the engine and temperatures were collected using T-thermocouples. The results of the experiments showed that the heat pipe was able to transport 28 W to the Stirling engine, which ran continuously. The maximum heat pipe temperatures were 253°C and the Stirling engine ran at 212°C in the hot source. Therefore, it was demonstrated that the IEAv´s copper-water heat pipe is capable of conducting the necessary heat to activate the IEAv´s Stirling engine and produce electricity. The results will form the basis for the future application of a nuclear source. |
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| ISSN: | 2319-0612 |