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Conference Article: Application of chemical heat pipe using SO₂/SO₃ reversible thermo chemical reaction to the transportation of high temperature thermal energy

Abstract

A chemical heat pipe system by use of SO₂/SO₃ reversible thermochemical reaction was described. The high temperature thermal energy transportation experiments by means of a hermetic apparatus composed of SO₂-oxidation and SO₃-deoxidization catalytic (Pt/alpha-Al₂O₃) packed bed reactors were carried out in a lab-scale. As a result, under the certain conditions where circulating gas flow rate, gas component, the initial temperature of two reactors were changed, it was recognized that the high temperature thermal energy could be transported continuously between two reactors without any drop in catalyst reactivity. In addition, it was found that it is indispensable to improve the heat transfer ability of a high temperature heat exchanger incorporated with a reactor, because there were a large temperature gradient in the catalytic packed bed. To improve the heat transfer rate of heat exchanger, an application of a finned tube-wall reactor, in which the catalyst was coated on the tube surface, was considered and the heat exchange experiments of the heat demand end were carried out in a lab-scale. It was recognized that a high reactivity on SO₂-oxidation and high efficiency on heat exchanging process was achieved in the finned tube-wall reactor. Finally, a new type chemical heat pipe with chemical heat-pump function, which enables to upgrade the temperature level of the heat demand end by controlling the pressure in the hermetic system, was discussed from a fundamental view of thermodynamical equilibrium.

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Reference:

Technical committee meeting on high temperature applications of nuclear energy. Oarai (Japan). 19-20 Oct 1992

International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)

IAEA-TECDOC--761, pp:102-107