A thermal rectifier transmits heat asymmetrically, transmitting heat in one direction and acting as an insulator in the opposite direction. For conduction at steady-state, thermal rectification can occur naturally in systems where the thermal conductivity of the material(s) varies in space and with temperature. However, in practical applications, rectification may often need to be controlled or understood under transient conditions. Using a bulk composite, specifically a two-slab composite, as a model system, we analyze transient rectifying behavior. We find that under some conditions transient rectification can be several times larger than steady-state rectification. Further, both the thermal diffusivity of the system and the temperature-dependent thermal conductivity or thermal capacitance play an important role in affecting the transient rectifying behavior of the system, with the nonlinearity of the system leading to unusual behavior where rectification is maximized.
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September 2017
This article was originally published in
Journal of Heat Transfer
Research-Article
Thermal Rectification Under Transient Conditions: The Role of Thermal Capacitance and Thermal Conductivity
Francisco A. Herrera,
Francisco A. Herrera
Department of Aerospace and
Mechanical Engineering,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556
e-mail: fherrer2@nd.edu
Mechanical Engineering,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556
e-mail: fherrer2@nd.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Tengfei Luo,
Tengfei Luo
Department of Aerospace and
Mechanical Engineering,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556;
Center for Sustainable Energy at Notre Dame,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556
e-mail: tluo@nd.edu
Mechanical Engineering,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556;
Center for Sustainable Energy at Notre Dame,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556
e-mail: tluo@nd.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
David B. Go
David B. Go
Department of Aerospace and
Mechanical Engineering,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556;
Department of Chemical and
Biomolecular Engineering,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556
e-mail: dgo@nd.edu
Mechanical Engineering,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556;
Department of Chemical and
Biomolecular Engineering,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556
e-mail: dgo@nd.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Francisco A. Herrera
Department of Aerospace and
Mechanical Engineering,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556
e-mail: fherrer2@nd.edu
Mechanical Engineering,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556
e-mail: fherrer2@nd.edu
Tengfei Luo
Department of Aerospace and
Mechanical Engineering,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556;
Center for Sustainable Energy at Notre Dame,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556
e-mail: tluo@nd.edu
Mechanical Engineering,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556;
Center for Sustainable Energy at Notre Dame,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556
e-mail: tluo@nd.edu
David B. Go
Department of Aerospace and
Mechanical Engineering,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556;
Department of Chemical and
Biomolecular Engineering,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556
e-mail: dgo@nd.edu
Mechanical Engineering,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556;
Department of Chemical and
Biomolecular Engineering,
University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, IN 46556
e-mail: dgo@nd.edu
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Heat Transfer Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF HEAT TRANSFER. Manuscript received August 22, 2016; final manuscript received February 24, 2017; published online May 2, 2017. Assoc. Editor: Alan McGaughey.
J. Heat Transfer. Sep 2017, 139(9): 091301 (8 pages)
Published Online: May 2, 2017
Article history
Received:
August 22, 2016
Revised:
February 24, 2017
Citation
Herrera, F. A., Luo, T., and Go, D. B. (May 2, 2017). "Thermal Rectification Under Transient Conditions: The Role of Thermal Capacitance and Thermal Conductivity." ASME. J. Heat Transfer. September 2017; 139(9): 091301. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4036339
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