Two-phase flow ejector as water refrigerant by using waste heat

Abstract

Energy saving and the use of clean energy sources have recently become significant issues. It is expected that clean energy sources such as solar panels and fuel cells will be installed in many private dwellings. However, when electrical power is generated, exhaust heat is simultaneously produced. Especially for the summer season, the development of refrigeration systems that can use this waste heat is highly desirable. One approach is an ejector that can reduce the mechanical compression work required in a normal refrigeration cycle. We focus on the use of water as a refrigerant, since this can be safely implemented in private dwellings. Although the energy conversion efficiency is low, it is promising because it can use heat that would otherwise be discarded. However, a steam ejector refrigeration cycle requires a large amount of energy to change saturated water into vapour. Thus, we propose a more efficient two-phase flow ejector cycle. Experiments were carried out in which the quality of the two-phase flow from a tank was varied, and the efficiency of the ejector and nozzle was determined. The results show that a vacuum state can be achieved and suction exerted with a two-phase flow state at the ejector nozzle inlet.