Matching Items (6)
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- All Subjects: Energy Efficiency
- Creators: Phelan, Patrick
Description
As one of the most promising materials for high capacity electrode in next generation of lithium ion batteries, silicon has attracted a great deal of attention in recent years. Advanced characterization techniques and atomic simulations helped to depict that the lithiation/delithiation of silicon electrode involves processes including large volume change (anisotropic for the initial lithiation of crystal silicon), plastic flow or softening of material dependent on composition, electrochemically driven phase transformation between solid states, anisotropic or isotropic migration of atomic sharp interface, and mass diffusion of lithium atoms. Motivated by the promising prospect of the application and underlying interesting physics, mechanics coupled with multi-physics of silicon electrodes in lithium ion batteries is studied in this dissertation. For silicon electrodes with large size, diffusion controlled kinetics is assumed, and the coupled large deformation and mass transportation is studied. For crystal silicon with small size, interface controlled kinetics is assumed, and anisotropic interface reaction is studied, with a geometry design principle proposed. As a preliminary experimental validation, enhanced lithiation and fracture behavior of silicon pillars via atomic layer coatings and geometry design is studied, with results supporting the geometry design principle we proposed based on our simulations. Through the work documented here, a consistent description and understanding of the behavior of silicon electrode is given at continuum level and some insights for the future development of the silicon electrode are provided.
ContributorsAn, Yonghao (Author) / Jiang, Hanqing (Thesis advisor) / Chawla, Nikhilesh (Committee member) / Phelan, Patrick (Committee member) / Wang, Yinming (Committee member) / Yu, Hongyu (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
The research analyzes the transformation of wasted thermal energy into a usable form through thermogalvanic devices. This technology helps mitigate international growing energy demands. Building energy efficiency is a critical research topic, since the loads account for 40% of all energy demand in developed nations, and 30% in less developed nations. A significant portion of the energy consumed for heating and cooling, where a majority is dissipated to the ambient as waste heat. This research answers how much power output (µW·cm-2) can the thermogalvanic brick experimentally produce from an induced temperature gradient? While there are multiple avenues for the initial and optimized prototype design, one key area of interest relating to thermogalvanic devices is the effective surface area of the electrodes. This report highlights the experimental power output measurements of a Cu/Cu2+ thermogalvanic brick by manipulating the effective surface area of the electrodes. Across three meshes, the maximum power output normalized for temperature was found to be between 2.13-2.87 x 10-3 μWcm-2K-2. The highest normalized power output corresponded to the mesh with the highest effective surface area, which was classified as the fine mesh. This intuitively aligned with the theoretical understanding of surface area and maximum power output, where decreasing the activation resistance also reduces the internal resistance, which increases the theoretical maximum power.
ContributorsKiracofe, Ryan Moore (Author) / Phelan, Patrick (Thesis director) / El Asmar, Mounir (Committee member) / Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
Arizona has been rapidly expanding in both population and construction over the last 20 years, and with the hot summer climate, many homeowners experience a significant increase in their utility bills. The cost to reduce these energy bills with home renovations can become expensive. This has become increasingly apparent over the last few years with the impact that covid had on the global supply chain. Prices of materials and labor have never been higher, and with this, the price of energy continues to increase. Therefore, it is important to explore methods to make homes more energy-efficient without the price tag. In addition to benefitting the homeowner by decreasing the cost of their monthly utility bills, making homes more energy efficient will aid in the overall goal of reducing carbon emissions.
ContributorsFiller, Peyton (Author) / Phelan, Patrick (Thesis director) / Parrish, Kristen (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description
The complicated, unpredictable, and often chaotic hot water usage pattern of typical households severely limits the effectiveness and efficiency of traditional solar hot water heater systems. Similar to large scale concentrating solar power plants, the use of thermal energy storage techniques to store collected solar energy as latent heat has the potential to improve the efficiency of solar hot water systems. Rather than being used to produce steam to generate electricity, the stored thermal energy would be used to heat water on-demand well after the sun sets. The scope of this thesis was to design, analyze, build, and test a proof of concept prototype for an on-demand solar water heater for residential use with latent heat thermal energy storage. The proof of concept system will be used for future research and can be quickly reconfigured making it ideal for use as a test bed. This thesis outlines the analysis, design, and testing processes used to model, build, and evaluate the performance of the prototype system.
The prototype system developed to complete this thesis was designed using systems engineering principles and consists of several main subsystems. These subsystems include a parabolic trough concentrating solar collector, a phase change material reservoir including heat exchangers, a heat transfer fluid reservoir, and a plumbing system. The system functions by absorbing solar thermal energy in a heat transfer fluid using the solar collector and transferring the absorbed thermal energy to the phase change material for storage. The system was analyzed using a mathematical model created in MATLAB and experimental testing was used to verify that the system functioned as designed. The mathematical model was designed to be adaptable for evaluating different system configurations for future research. The results of the analysis as well as the experimental tests conducted, verify that the proof of concept system is functional and capable of producing hot water using stored thermal energy. This will allow the system to function as a test bed for future research and long-term performance testing to evaluate changes in the performance of the phase change material over time. With additional refinement the prototype system has the potential to be developed into a commercially viable product for use in residential homes.
The prototype system developed to complete this thesis was designed using systems engineering principles and consists of several main subsystems. These subsystems include a parabolic trough concentrating solar collector, a phase change material reservoir including heat exchangers, a heat transfer fluid reservoir, and a plumbing system. The system functions by absorbing solar thermal energy in a heat transfer fluid using the solar collector and transferring the absorbed thermal energy to the phase change material for storage. The system was analyzed using a mathematical model created in MATLAB and experimental testing was used to verify that the system functioned as designed. The mathematical model was designed to be adaptable for evaluating different system configurations for future research. The results of the analysis as well as the experimental tests conducted, verify that the proof of concept system is functional and capable of producing hot water using stored thermal energy. This will allow the system to function as a test bed for future research and long-term performance testing to evaluate changes in the performance of the phase change material over time. With additional refinement the prototype system has the potential to be developed into a commercially viable product for use in residential homes.
ContributorsPetre, Andrew (Author) / Rajadas, John N (Thesis advisor) / Madakannan, Arunachalanadar (Committee member) / Rogers, Bradley (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2015
Description
The relationship between settler-colonial governments and Indigenous nations has been a contentious one, filled with disingenuity and fueled by the abuse of power dynamics. Specifically, colonial governments have repeatedly used power in mapping, cultural Othering, resource control, and research methodologies to assimilate, acculturate, or otherwise dominate every aspect of Indigenous lives. A relatively recent pushback from Indigenous peoples led to the slow reclamation of sovereignty, including in the United States. Revamped federal Indian programs allegedly promote tribal self-determination, yet they paradoxically serve a vast quantity of cultures through singular blanket programs that are blind to the cultural component of Indigenous identity - the centerfold of colonial aggression for centuries. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Public and Indian Housing is no exception, using a Western framework to provide generic services that neither serve cultural needs nor are tailored to the specific environment traditional homes were historically and epistemologically suited for. This research analyzes the successes of new programs as well as the failures of the federal government to conduct responsible research and promote the authentic self-determination of tribes in terms of housing and urban development. It also considers the successes and failures of tribes to effectively engage in program reformation negotiation, community planning, and accountability measures to ensure their communities are served with enough culturally-appropriate, sustainable housing without mistrusting their own housing entities. Solutions for revising this service gap are proposed, adhering to a framework that centers diverse cultural values, community input, and functional design to increase each tribe’s implementation of self-determination in HUD housing programs.
ContributorsDeVault, Kayla (Author) / Martinez, David (Thesis advisor) / Hale, Michelle (Thesis advisor) / Phelan, Patrick (Committee member) / Dalla Costa, Wanda (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
Description
Failures in the cold chain, the system of refrigerated storage and transport that provides fresh produce or other essentials to be maintained at desired temperatures and environmental conditions, lead to food and energy waste. The mini container (MC) concept is introduced as an alternative to conventional refrigerated trucks (“reefers”), particularly for small growers. The energy consumption and corresponding GHG emissions for transporting tomatoes in two cities representing contrasting climates is analyzed for conventional reefers and the proposed mini containers. The results show that, for partial reefer loads, using the MCs reduces energy consumption and GHG emissions. The transient behavior of the vapor compression refrigeration cycle is analyzed by considering each component as a “lumped” system, and the resulting sub-models are solved using the Runge Kutta 4th-order method in a MATLAB code at hot and cold ambient temperatures. The time needed to reach steady state temperatures and the temperature values are determined. The maximum required compressor work in the transient phase and at steady state are computed, and as expected, as the ambient temperature increases, both values increase. Finally, the average coefficient of performance (COP) is determined for varying heat transfer coefficient values for the condenser and for the evaporator. The results show that the average COP increases as heat transfer coefficient values for the condenser and the evaporator increase. Starting the system from rest has an adverse effect on the COP due to the higher compressor load needed to change the temperature of the condenser and the evaporator. Finally, the impact on COP is analyzed by redirecting a fraction of the cold exhaust air to provide supplemental cooling of the condenser. It is noted that cooling the condenser improves the system's performance better than cooling the fresh air at 0% of returned air to the system.To sum up, the dissertation shows that the comparison between the conventional reefer and the MC illustrates the promising advantages of the MC, then a transient analysis is developed for deeply understanding the behaviors of the system component parameters, which leads finally to improvements in the system to enhance its performance.
ContributorsSyam, Mahmmoud Muhammed (Author) / Phelan, Patrick (Thesis advisor) / Villalobos, Rene (Thesis advisor) / Huang, Huei-Ping (Committee member) / Bocanegra, Luis (Committee member) / Al Omari, Salah (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023