Title
Spherical and cylindrical conductive thermal diodes based on VO<inf>2</inf>
Date Issued
01 July 2019
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Université de Poitiers
Publisher(s)
Springer Verlag
Abstract
We theoretically and comparatively study the performance of spherical and cylindrical conductive thermal diodes operating with a phase-change material, whose thermal conductivity significantly changes in a narrow interval of temperatures. Simple analytical expressions are derived for the temperature profiles, heat flows and optimal rectification factors of both diodes. It is shown that the diode geometry has a strong impact on the temperatures and heat flows, but not so much on the diode rectification factor. Optimal rectification factors of 20.8% and 20.7% are obtained for the spherical and cylindrical diodes operating with a temperature difference of 376−300 = 76 K and 376.5-300 = 76.5 K between the terminals of VO2 and a phase invariant material, respectively. These similar rectification factors could be enhanced with a material thermal conductivity exhibiting a higher contrast than that of VO2. The obtained results can thus be useful to guide the development of phase-change materials able to optimize the rectification of conductive thermal diodes with different geometries.
Volume
134
Issue
7
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Electroquímica
Química física
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85068977365
Source
European Physical Journal Plus
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus