Researchers Domala Sai Suhas and Vikrant Khullar from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay have been investigating ways to improve the efficiency of systems that rely on managing heat and light, such as smart windows, greenhouses, and solar thermal systems. Their work focuses on understanding and optimizing the use of optically transparent thermal loss mitigators, which are materials that can reduce heat loss while allowing light to pass through.
In their recent study, Suhas and Khullar developed comprehensive experimental models to evaluate the effectiveness of various thermal loss mitigators. They examined carbon dioxide gas (CO2), air, vacuum (0.07mbar), transparent heat mirrors (made of indium tin oxide-coated glass), and aerogels (silica-based). The researchers found that using a combination of these mitigators and carefully orienting the absorber surface relative to the direction of irradiation can significantly enhance thermal loss mitigation.
The researchers used the stagnation temperature of the absorber surface as a key metric to compare the performance of different thermal loss mitigators. Under non-evacuated conditions, they discovered that CO2 performed as well as more advanced options like aerogels and transparent heat mirrors. Specifically, CO2 showed improvements of 2% to 7% over air, while vacuum, transparent heat mirrors (in vacuum), and aerogel (in vacuum) showed enhancements of 46% to 84%, 57% to 84%, and 66% to 86%, respectively, relative to air.
This research highlights the potential of CO2 as a cost-effective and efficient thermal loss mitigator, particularly in applications where vacuum conditions are not feasible. The findings could lead to more efficient and affordable solutions for managing heat in various energy systems, ultimately contributing to better performance and lower costs in the energy sector. The study was published in the journal Applied Thermal Engineering.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.