Induction plasma heating - System performance, hydrogen operation and gas core reactor simulator development
Induction plasma heating system for hydrogen-argon simulated gas cooled reactor studies
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Induction plasma heating system for hydrogen-argon simulated gas cooled reactor studies
Report describes solar modular domestic-hot-water and space-heating system intended for use in small single family dwelling where roof-mounted collectors are not feasible. Contents include design, performance, and hardware specifications for assembly, installation, operation, and maintenance of system.
A preliminary design review on the development of a prototype solar heating system for single family dwellings is presented. The collector, storage, transport, control, and site data acquisition subsystems are described.
Internal resistance shock tube driver gas heating system design, fabrication, and testing
This paper presents the results of an investigation to determine the effects of leakages in collector and duct work on the system performance of a typical single-family residence solar air heating system. Positive (leakage out) and negative (leakage in) pressure systems were examined. Collector and duct leakage rates were varied from 10 to 30 percent of the system flow rate. Within the range of leakage rates investigated, solar contribution to heated space and domestic hot water loads was found to be reduced up to 30 percent from the no-leak system contribution with duct leakage equally divided between supply and return duct; with supply duct leakage greater than return leakage a reduction of up to 35 percent was noted. The negative pressure system exhibited a reduction in solar contribution somewhat larger than the positive pressure system for the same leakage rates.
The technical and economic feasibility of incorporating thermal energy storage components into the proposed Twin Cities District heating project was evaluated. The technical status of the project is reviewed and conceptual designs of district heating systems with and without thermal energy storage were compared in terms of estimated capital requirements, fuel consumption, delivered energy cost, and environmental aspects. The thermal energy storage system is based on cogeneration and the storage of heat in aquifers.
The National Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade (NSTX-U) will operate at axial toroidal fields of < 1 T and plasma currents, Ip < 2 MA. The development of non-inductive (NI) plasmas is a major long-term research goal for NSTX-U. Time dependent numerical simulations of 28 GHz electron cyclotron (EC) heating of low density NI start-up plasmas generated by Coaxial Helicity Injection (CHI) in NSTX-U predict a significant and rapid increase of the central electron temperature (Te(0)) before the plasma becomes overdense. The increased Te(0) will significantly reduce the Ip decay rate of CHI plasmas, allowing the coupling of fast wave heating and neutral beam injection. A megawatt-level, 28 GHz electron heating system is planned for heating NI start-up plasmas in NSTX-U. In addition to EC heating of CHI start-up discharges, this system will be used for electron Bernstein wave (EBW) plasma start-up, and eventually for EBW heating and current drive during the Ip flattop.
The National Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade (NSTX-U) will operate at axial toroidal fields of < 1 T and plasma currents, Ip < 2 MA. The development of non-inductive (NI) plasmas is a major long-term research goal for NSTX-U. Time dependent numerical simulations of 28 GHz electron cyclotron (EC) heating of low density NI start-up plasmas generated by Coaxial Helicity Injection (CHI) in NSTX-U predict a significant and rapid increase of the central electron temperature (Te(0)) before the plasma becomes overdense. The increased Te(0) will significantly reduce the Ip decay rate of CHI plasmas, allowing the coupling of fast wave heating and neutral beam injection. A megawatt-level, 28 GHz electron heating system is planned for heating NI start-up plasmas in NSTX-U. In addition to EC heating of CHI start-up discharges, this system will be used for electron Bernstein wave (EBW) plasma start-up, and eventually for EBW heating and current drive during the Ip flattop.
Report contains sufficient information to assemble complete tested residential flat-plate solar heating system. Descriptive material provides design, performance, and hardware specifications for utilization by architectural engineers, and contractors in procurement, installation, operation, and maintenance of similar solar applications.
The current status of the mechanical and electromagnetic design for the ICRF antenna system for W7-X is presented. Two antenna plugins are discussed: one consisting of a pair of straps with pre-matching to cover the first frequency band, 25–38 MHz, and a second one consisting of two short strap triplets to cover a frequency band around 76 MHz. This paper focusses on the two strap antenna for the lower frequency band. Power coupling of the antenna to a reference plasma profile is studied with the help of the codes TOPICA and Microwave Studio that deliver the scattering matrix needed for the optimization of the geometric parameters of the straps and antenna box. Radiation power spectra for different phasings of the two straps are obtained using the code ANTITER II and different heating scenario are discussed. The potential for heating, fast particle generation, and current drive is discussed. The problem of RF coupling through the plasma edge and of edge power deposition is summarized. Important elements of the complete ion cyclotron resonance heating system are discussed: a resonator circuit with tap feed to limit the maximum voltage in the system, and a decoupler to counterbalance the large mutual coupling between the 2 straps. The mechanical design highlights the challenges encountered with this antenna: adaptation to a large variety of plasma configurations, the limited space within the port to accommodate the necessary matching components and the watercooling needed for long pulse operation.
The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) completed a fourth year-long evaluation on residential hot water heating systems in a laboratory environment (east central Florida, hot-humid climate). The evaluation studied the performance of five hot water systems (HWS) plus a reference baseline system for each fuel, (i.e., electric and natural gas). Electric HWS consisted of two residential electric heat pump water heaters (HPWHs, 60 and 80 gallons), a solar thermal system using a polymer absorber (glazed) collector with 80-gallon storage and a duplicate 50-gallon standard electric water heater with added cap and wrap insulation. Baseline performance data were collected from a standard 50-gallon electric water heater of minimum code efficiency to compare energy savings. Similarly, a standard 40-gallon upright vented natural gas water heater served as baseline for the natural gas fuel category. The latter, having a larger jacket diameter [18 in., with an energy factor (EF) of 0.62] with increased insulation, replaced a former baseline (17 in. diameter, EF = 0.59) that served during three previous testing rotations (2009–2013). A high-efficiency, condensing natural gas hybrid water heater with 27-gallon buffered tank was also tested and compared against the gas baseline. All systems underwent testing simultaneously side-by-side under the criteria specified elsewhere in this report.
The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) completed a fourth year-long evaluation on residential hot water heating systems in a laboratory environment (east central Florida, hot-humid climate). The evaluation studied the performance of five hot water systems (HWS) plus a reference baseline system for each fuel, (i.e., electric and natural gas). Electric HWS consisted of two residential electric heat pump water heaters (HPWHs, 60 and 80 gallons), a solar thermal system using a polymer absorber (glazed) collector with 80-gallon storage and a duplicate 50-gallon standard electric water heater with added cap and wrap insulation. Baseline performance data were collected from a standard 50-gallon electric water heater of minimum code efficiency to compare energy savings. Similarly, a standard 40-gallon upright vented natural gas water heater served as baseline for the natural gas fuel category. The latter, having a larger jacket diameter [18 in., with an energy factor (EF) of 0.62] with increased insulation, replaced a former baseline (17 in. diameter, EF = 0.59) that served during three previous testing rotations (2009–2013). A high-efficiency, condensing natural gas hybrid water heater with 27-gallon buffered tank was also tested and compared against the gas baseline. All systems underwent testing simultaneously side-by-side under the criteria specified elsewhere in this report.
The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) has completed a fourth year-long evaluation on residential hot water heating systems in a laboratory environment (east central Florida, hot-humid climate). This report contains a summary of research activities regarding the evaluation of two residential electric heat pump water heaters (HPWHs), a solar thermal system utilizing a polymer glazed absorber and a high efficiency natural gas system.
A collection of three quarterly reports are given covering the development of two prototype solar heating systems consisting of the following subsystems: collector, storage, control, transport, and site data acquisition. The two systems are being installed at York, Pennsylvania, and Manchester, New Hampshire.
The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) has completed a fourth year-long evaluation on residential hot water heating systems in a laboratory environment (east central Florida, hot-humid climate). This report contains a summary of research activities regarding the evaluation of two residential electric heat pump water heaters (HPWHs), a solar thermal system utilizing a polymer glazed absorber and a high efficiency natural gas system.
This multi-unit field demonstration of combined space and water heating (combi) systems was conducted to help document combi system installation and performance issues that needed to be addressed through research. The objective of the project was to put commercialized forced-air tankless combi units into the field through local contractors that were trained by manufacturers and GTI staff under the auspices of utility-implemented Emerging Technology Programs. With support from PARR, NYSERDA and other partners, the project documented system performance and installations in Chicago and New York. Combi systems were found to save nearly 200 therms in cold climates at efficiencies between about 80% and 94%. Combi systems using third-party air handler units specially designed for condensing combi system operation performed better than the packaged integrated combi systems available for the project. Moreover, combi systems tended to perform poorly when the tankless water heaters operating at high turn-down ratios. Field tests for this study exposed installation deficiencies due to contractor unfamiliarity with the products and the complexity of field engineering and system tweaking to achieve high efficiencies. Widespread contractor education must be a key component to market expansion of combi systems. Installed costs for combi systems need to come down about 5% to 10% to satisfy total resource calculations for utility-administered energy efficiency programs. Greater sales volumes and contractor familiarity can drive costs down. More research is needed to determine how well heating systems such as traditional furnace/water heater, combis, and heat pumps compare in similar as-installed scenarios, but under controlled conditions.
Geothermal district heating (GDH) systems have limited penetration in the U.S., with an estimated installed capacity of only 100 MWth for a total of 21 sites. We see higher deployment in other regions, for example, in Europe with an installed capacity of more than 4,700 MWth for 257 GDH sites. The U.S. Department of Energy Geothermal Vision (GeoVision) Study is currently looking at the potential to increase the deployment in the U.S. and to understand the impact of this increased deployment. This paper reviews 31 performance, cost, and financial parameters as input for numerical simulations describing GDH system deployment in support of the GeoVision effort. The focus is on GDH systems using hydrothermal and Enhanced Geothermal System resources in the U.S.; ground-source heat pumps and heat-to-electricity conversion technology were excluded. Parameters investigated include 1) capital and operation and maintenance costs for both subsurface and surface equipment; 2) performance factors such as resource recovery factors, well flow rates, and system efficiencies; and 3) financial parameters such as inflation, interest, and tax rates. Current values as well as potential future improved values under various scenarios are presented. Sources of data considered include academic and popular literature, software tools such as GETEM and GEOPHIRES, industry interviews, and analysis conducted by other task forces for the GeoVision Study, e.g., on the drilling costs and reservoir performance.
Optical system for radiative heat transfer for thermal protection of reentry vehicle