An analytical model for a multilayer elastocaloric cooling regenerator

Abstract

Layering elastocaloric materials can effectively maximize the average elastocaloric effect along the regenerator with a temperature gradient. An explicit correlation for mapping the performance of the layering elastocaloric regenerator from design parameters was developed by simplifying elastocaloric material property and energy conservation equations. Cooling capacity and coefficient of performance are found to be theoretically inversely linear with temperature span when the nonlinear dependence of elastocaloric heat on temperature is disregarded. The optimum utilization factor, the volume fraction of materials, the number of layers, and the transformation temperature spacing are obtained by confining the materials operating in the vicinity of their transformation temperatures. Performance degradation caused by hysteresis is found to be approximately linear with the hysteretic entropy change normalized by the isothermal entropy change.

Characterization of the temperature-dependent superelastic and elastocaloric effects of a NiTi tube under compression at 293–330 K

“…[51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64] For an actual cooler or heat pump, it always operates at a finite temperature lift between the hot side (heat sink) with a temperature of T h and the cold side (heat source) with a temperature of Tc. [65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72][73][74][75][76][77] Comprehensive characterizations of the superelastic and elastocaloric effects of NiTi and NiTi-based SMAs in the desired temperature range are vital to the development of this cutting-edge technology for green heating and air-conditioning.…”