Purpose The aim of this study is to identify key factors limiting efficiency of pumped heat energy storage systems and determine some general features of transient behavior of solid state, sensible heat storages. Moreover, it aimed at establishing a feasible approach to transient conjugate heat transfer (CHT) analyses for such applications. Design/methodology/approach A zero-dimensional analytical model is used to determine the system efficiency sensitivity to efficiency of its components. Analysis of argon gas flow in an exemplary configuration of layered bed thermal energy storage is presented. The analysis incorporates a unsteady reynolds averaged navier stokes model with conjugate heat transfer between gas and solid storage core. Findings It is established that exergetic efficiency of the heat storage is one of the key factors for the system’s overall performance. Three full cycles of storage charging and discharging having 17 h physical time in total are simulated, with calculation of exergetic efficiency for each of the cycles. From standpoint of the system efficiency, it is concluded that the presented heat storage kind has limited exergetic efficiency because of severe temperature drop at the solid–fluid interface in comparison to granular kind of heat storage devices. From the methodological standpoint, it is concluded that calculating the exergetic efficiency of the heat storage by direct computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis requires significant amount of walltime and computational resources. Originality/value The paper presents unconventional approach to using standard CFD tools by exploiting numerical diffusion to numerically suppress high-frequency solution oscillations. This strategy grants that the analysis, otherwise requiring impractically long computation walltime, is completed within a practical time.

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The study presents a mesh dependency study for a carotid artery bifurcation geometry of a real-life specimen. The results of time-averaged velocity profiles at artery control surfaces and wall shear stresses are compared between a set of structured and unstructured meshes, with varying non–dimensional boundary layer first element thickness (y+) parameter. A set of four meshes in total is considered: a full–hexagonal structured mesh, an unstructured tetrahedral mesh with prism inflation layer, both created for y+=1 and y+=30. Apart from numerical results, overall mesh creation work time, overall analysisstability are compared with the mesh quality results: cell non–orthogonality, cell skew and aspect ratio. Numerical results are validated against results of real–life CT examination performed in Poznań Medical University.

An analysis of argon gas flow in exemplary configuration of layered bed thermal energy storage is presented. The analysis incorporates URANS model with conjugate heat transfer between gas and solid storage core. The aim of this analysis was to identify key factors limiting exergy efficiency of this storage type and determine some details about storage transient behaviour. Three full cycles of storage loading and unloading having 17 hours physical time in total are simulated, with calculation of exergetic efficiency for each of the cycles. Conclusions regarding this storage type feasibility for indirect power storage in pumped heat systems are made.

The study presents a computational study of a drag reduction device based on an active boundary layer control for a generic truck-trailer utility road vehicle. The conceptual device is in accordance with upcoming EU regulations regarding attachable aerodynamic devices for heavy utility vehicles. Design and principles of operation of the conceptual device are presented. The device is intended to increase decrease the trailer’s base drag coefficient by manipulation of the separated flow region behind the vehicle base. Results of a steady state Reynolds averaged analysis and Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation are presented to show the discrepancies of fluid flow patterns between baseline and augmented configuration as well as between mentioned CFD approaches. Results for drag reduction for baseline truck-trailer configuration and aerodynamically augmented configuration are presented.