You are here

UCF Digital Collections ยป ETD Collection

DESIGN OF SEA WATER HEAT EXCHANGERFOR MINIATURE VAPOR COMPRESSION CYCLE

Download pdf | Full Screen View

Date Issued:
2009
Abstract/Description:
Recent advances in the development of miniature vapor compression cycle components have created unique opportunities for heating and cooling applications, specifically to human physiological requirements that arise in extreme environments. Diving in very cold water between 1.7 and 5°C requires active heating because passive thermal insulation has proven inadequate for long durations. To maintain diver mobility and cognitive performance, it is desirable to provide 250 to 300 W of heat from an un-tethered power source. The use of a miniature vapor compression cycle reduces the amount of power (batteries or fuel cell) that the diver must carry by 2.5 times over a standard resistive heater. This study develops the compact evaporator used to extract heat from the sea water to provide heat to the diver. The performance is calculated through the application of traditional single-phase and two-phase heat transfer correlations using numerical methods. Fabrication methods were investigated and then a prototype was manufactured. A test stand was developed to fully characterize the evaporator at various conditions. The evaporator is then evaluated for the conditions of interest. Test results suggest the correlations applied over predict performance up to 20%. The evaporator tested meets the performance specifications and design criteria and is ready for system integration.
Title: DESIGN OF SEA WATER HEAT EXCHANGERFOR MINIATURE VAPOR COMPRESSION CYCLE.
49 views
27 downloads
Name(s): Hughes, James, Author
Chow, Louis, Committee Chair
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2009
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: Recent advances in the development of miniature vapor compression cycle components have created unique opportunities for heating and cooling applications, specifically to human physiological requirements that arise in extreme environments. Diving in very cold water between 1.7 and 5°C requires active heating because passive thermal insulation has proven inadequate for long durations. To maintain diver mobility and cognitive performance, it is desirable to provide 250 to 300 W of heat from an un-tethered power source. The use of a miniature vapor compression cycle reduces the amount of power (batteries or fuel cell) that the diver must carry by 2.5 times over a standard resistive heater. This study develops the compact evaporator used to extract heat from the sea water to provide heat to the diver. The performance is calculated through the application of traditional single-phase and two-phase heat transfer correlations using numerical methods. Fabrication methods were investigated and then a prototype was manufactured. A test stand was developed to fully characterize the evaporator at various conditions. The evaporator is then evaluated for the conditions of interest. Test results suggest the correlations applied over predict performance up to 20%. The evaporator tested meets the performance specifications and design criteria and is ready for system integration.
Identifier: CFE0002917 (IID), ucf:48016 (fedora)
Note(s): 2009-12-01
M.S.M.E.
Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Mechanical Materials and Aerospace Engineering
Masters
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): miniature vapor compression
active heating
HVAC
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002917
Restrictions on Access: private 2014-11-01
Host Institution: UCF

In Collections