Research Fields
Engineering thermophysics and the science of energy and environment. This mainly includes research on the principles and methods of the utilization of energy, the mechanism of multi-energy hybridization and systematic integration, effective waste heat recovery, and energy efficiency and emission-reduction, etc.
Research Orientations
1. Hybrid distributed energy systems with multi-energy inputs: energy conversion and energy cascade utilization of distributed energy systems, micro-power and absorption refrigerators and heat pumps with waste heat recovery, and other energy efficient and emissions-reducing technology.
2. Solar thermal utilization technology: mechanisms of effective energy conversion based on energy cascade utilization and energy-level hybridization with multi-energy inputs, methods and technologies of thermal and thermo-chemical utilization, mechanisms of systems integration and key technologies.
3. Poly-generation and greenhouse gas emission reduction: Coordinative mechanisms of chemical energy cascaded utilization of fuel and CO2 enrichment, integration rationale and methods of CO2 emission reduction and energy conversion, systems integration innovation, and technology development roadmaps.
4. High-efficiency cooling and heat transfer enhancement technology: ADS advanced second loop cooling technology with liquid metal and helium mediums, design and multi-parameter optimization theory of low-resistant, high-efficiency and compact heat exchangers, cooling system integration, and application of cavitation technology.
Organization and Personnel
Research team: 2 academicians of Chinese Academy of Science, 8 research professors, 7 associate research professors, 7 assistant research professors, 2 post-doctors. 33 graduate students, including 19 PhD students, and 14 master’s students. 3 PhD students and 6 postgraduate students obtained their degrees.
Projects in 2013
In 2013, there were 32 projects consisting of newly approved projects and projects in progress. This included 4 under the National Program on Key Basic Research Project (973 Program), 2 under the National High-tech R&D Program of China (863 Program), 3 under the National Key Technology Research and Development Program, 1 under the Distributed Energy R & D Center Program, 1 under the National Natural Science Foundation of China (key program), 12 general programs and others under National Natural Science Foundation of China, International cooperation program supported by Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MOST), The Recruitment Program of Global Experts, and so on. Project funding totaled 28.47M CNY, or about 1.36 million CNY per capita.
Major Progress and Achievements in 2013
Distributed generation technology and systematic integration: Research on the design methodology of combined power and cooling generation systems driven by waste heat was conducted. The design of the cogeneration systems, micro-expander bench and mini-turbo expander shaft were completed. Tests showed that the expander speed can reach 60000 rpm. An absorption heat transformer with a COP over 0.4 was developed, which can generate 110℃ steam using waste heat between 80 to 90℃. A 1,000 square meters distributed CCHP R&D experimental platform has almost finished construction. Currently, a 20 kW internal combustion engine with hydrogen-rich fuel, high-speed micro power, ammonia absorption refrigeration, absorption heat transformer and other basic equipment were ready to provide support for the research and development of key technologies and integration testing of distributed energy.
Systems integration of solar thermochemistry and thermal power: invented a rotatable-axis tracking solar parabolic-trough collector, developed an active control concentrator technology under variable solar radiation, carried out research in key technology of the first coal -fired hybrid power plant with 10 MW concentrated solar thermal energy. Built a 100 kW solar thermochemical demonstration power plant, started construction on a parabolic trough solar thermochemical demonstration power plant in the energy station of FoxConn Industrial Park in Zhengzhou. Built a solar thermochemical hybridization and solar thermal energy utilization test platform. brought by traditional gasification processes. The cold gas efficiency could be advanced by 10 percent. We proposed the basic principles for China’s CCS development; finished relevant reports for the NDRC Climate Department; and provided support for the deployment of China’s CCS demonstration projects and strategic decision-making.
Grade improvement of low-temperature waste heat and energy storage: With isopropanol-acetone-hydrogen chemical heat pump (IAH-CHP) as the object of research, the formation mechanism of byproducts in the isopropanol dehydrogenation exothermic reaction was made clear, and a kinetic equation which can predict the selectivity of the reaction was first achieved. On this basis, an efficient catalyst was proposed to significantly improve the selectivity of the reaction. A non-thermal equilibrium model of acetone hydrogenation was also established, and the effect laws of the temperature distribution within the reactor on reaction conversion and selectivity was mastered through numerical simulation. Based on these findings, a CHP system which consists of reactive distillation and a series of temperature-decreasing exothermic reactors was proposed.
Pre-research on advanced secondary-loop cooling technology in ADS systems: The multi-objective optimization design of a regenerator in ADS systems was conducted, and an optimized design scheme was proposed to significantly improve the performance of ADS systems. With LBE-He heat exchanger as the research object, a full-size 3D numerical simulation was conducted to study the effects of various factors on flow and heat transfer in the heat exchanger. The modeling and meshing technologies for the cross-scale heat exchanger structure were successfully gained. At the Lang Fang base, a high-temperature and high-pressure (500℃, 3.4 MPa) experimental platform has been established to study heat transfer between LBE and Helium.
Liquid cavitation basic theory and its application: Both the dynamic behaviors of cavitation bubbles near the heating wall and their effect on heat transfer were clarified, and the mechanism of cavitation enhanced heat transfer was also brought to light from a microscopic point of view. In addition, the design and prototype production of 2.2 kW liquid cavitation heating equipment were also completed.
Chemical-power poly-generation and greenhouse gas reduction: We proposed a novel carbon hydrogen elements cascading conversion gasification system for coal which overcame the disadvantage of excessive consumption of oxygen
Dean: Jin Hongguang Tel: 86-10-82543032 E-mail: hgjin@iet.cn
Deputy dean: Zhang Na Tel: 86-10-82543058 E-mail: zhangna@iet.cn
Deputy dean: Hao Yong Tel: 86-10-82543150 E-mail: haoyong@iet.cn
