<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    <rss version="2.0">
      <channel xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/">
        <title>Frontiers in Thermal Engineering | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/thermal-engineering</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Frontiers in Thermal Engineering | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
        <generator>Frontiers Feed Generator,version:1</generator>
        <pubDate>2026-08-05T19:24:33.816+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
        <item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2026.1794072</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2026.1794072</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Thermodynamic modeling and performance assessment of a domestic refrigeration system using selected hydrocarbon refrigerants with varying condenser lengths]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-14T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Sunday O. Oyedepo</author><author>Damola S. Adelekan</author><author>Olajuwon E. Adenugba</author><author>Joseph A. Oyebanji</author><author>Taiwo O. Babarinde</author><author>Oluwaseun Kilanko</author><author>Solomon O. Banjo</author><author>Collins N. Nwaokocha</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Because of the effects of climate change, there has been a major drive toward the development of energy-efficient refrigeration systems. Refrigeration systems are optimized to fulfill the requirements of environmental preservation and energy conservation. In this study, the thermodynamic modeling and simulation of a domestic refrigerator with varying condenser lengths (2.5 and 5 m) and selected hydrocarbon refrigerants [liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and isobutane (R600a)] were examined using the CYCLE_D-HX software. The performance parameters investigated include power consumption, heat rejection rate, overall heat transfer coefficient, pressure drop, and coefficient of performance (COP). The results of the study show that the least cabinet temperature (−11 °C) was reached by the refrigerator when operated with R600a and a condenser length of 5 m. The average COP of the system when using LPG is approximately 4.42% higher than that of R600a with a condenser length of 2.5 m, whereas the average COP when using LPG is approximately 4.07% higher than that of R600a with a condenser length of 5 m. The average power consumption of the system with LPG is approximately 3.75% lower than that of R600a at a condenser length of 5 m, whereas it is approximately 16.02% lower than that of R600a when a condenser length of 2.5 m was used. The average heat rejection rate of the system with R600a is 1.23% higher than that of LPG with a condenser length of 2.5 m, whereas the average heat rejection rate with R600a is 1.85% higher than that of LPG with a condenser length of 5 m. The average overall heat transfer coefficient of the system with R600a is 0.98% greater than that of LPG with a condenser length of 2.5 m. Conversely, it is 1.39% greater than that of LPG with a condenser length of 5 m. On the basis of the results of this study, the system performed best with LPG (with a condenser length of 2.5 m) in terms of COP and power consumption, whereas R600a (with a condenser length of 5 m) performed best in terms of cooling capacity and heat rejection rate from the condenser.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2026.1783912</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2026.1783912</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Thermal management of supercapacitors: a review of thermal challenges, management strategies, future directions]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Asonganyi Atayo</author><author>Balakrishnan Subeshan</author><author>Eylem Asmatulu</author><author>Muhammad Rahman</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Supercapacitors (SCs) have emerged as critical energy storage devices for high-power applications including electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and power grid stabilization. However, their performance is significantly influenced by temperature variations, with lifespan reducing by 50% for every 10K increase above 298K. This comprehensive review analyzes the thermal challenges facing supercapacitors and evaluates current thermal management strategies. The study examines temperature effects on key SC components including electrolytes, electrodes, and separators, revealing that ionic conductivity increases with temperature while high temperatures accelerate degradation through Joule heating, pressure evolution, and increased equivalent series resistance. Performance analysis shows that extreme temperatures severely impact self-discharge rates, aging mechanisms, and overall efficiency. Current thermal management approaches are categorized into passive systems (heat pipes, phase change materials, natural convection) and active systems (forced air cooling, liquid cooling). Comparative analysis demonstrates that liquid cooling offers superior temperature control with up to 35% lower maximum temperatures in SC-specific experimental studies, while PCM-based systems provide excellent temperature uniformity. Heat pipe cooling shows 7.5%–11.7% temperature reduction and 2.1% improvement in capacity retention compared to natural convection. The review identifies critical research gaps including limited understanding of molecular-level degradation mechanisms, lack of standardized testing protocols, and insufficient development of cost-effective thermal interface materials. Future directions emphasize hybrid thermal management systems, advanced materials with enhanced thermal stability, and integrated design approaches for optimizing both device architecture and thermal control strategies.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2026.1850683</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2026.1850683</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Flexible polymeric asymmetric vapor chambers incorporating microchannels of extreme wettability for electronic device cooling]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-19T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Vasiliki Tselepi</author><author>Dimitrios Nioras</author><author>Evangelos Gogolides</author><author>Kosmas Ellinas</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Flexible and lightweight thermal management technologies are essential for emerging applications such as wearable electronics, soft robotics, and flexible devices, yet traditional metal-based vapor chambers remain too rigid, heavy, and electrically conductive for such systems. In this work, we present a complete microfabrication process to a flexible and ultra-thin (250 μm) asymmetric vapor chamber made from Cyclic olefin copolymer that integrates superhydrophilic microchannels designed to enhance capillary-driven liquid motion inside the device. The device’s architecture enables efficient two-phase heat transport while maintaining mechanical flexibility. The heat transfer performance is evaluated, under varying bending angles (10°, 20° and 45°) and different water filling ratios (28%, 42% and 70%) to identify the optimum configuration of vapor chamber in respect to mechanical deformation, working liquid volume, and surface wettability properties. The results show that the superhydrophilic microchannels treated for 9-min with oxygen plasma and Polyethylene Glycol coating exhibit low and stable thermal resistance across different deformation states (0–20°) which is 20% lower compared to the devices with untreated microchannels. This work provides a sustainable microfabrication approach for flexible passive cooling devices.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2026.1864229</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2026.1864229</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Regulation of near-field radiative heat transfer between two-dimensional borophene sheets under uniaxial strain based on first-principles calculations]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Huimin Huang</author><author>Qiang Cheng</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study investigates the near field radiative heat transfer (NFRHT) regulation behavior of χ3-phase two-dimensional borophene (Bχ3) sheets under uniaxial strain, based on first-principles calculations and fluctuation-dissipation theory. By analyzing the dielectric functions and spectral heat transfer coefficients of borophene under different strain conditions, the near-field radiative heat transfer properties of single-layer and bilayer borophene under x/y-axis strain are explored, where the x-direction corresponds to the Bχ3 lattice direction a, and the y-axis is perpendicular to the x-axis. Results indicate that strain significantly alters the optical properties of borophene. Under x-axis strain, the normalized heat transfer coefficient first decreases then increases with strain, reaching a maximum increase of 3.6 times compared to the unstrained state. In contrast, y-axis strain exhibits a monotonic increase, with a maximum enhancement of approximately 126 times. Furthermore, bilayer borophene exhibited more pronounced near-field radiative heat transfer modulation effects than monolayer borophene, particularly under tensile strain. The study demonstrates that carefully designing the direction and magnitude of strain enables precise control over near-field heat transport, providing a theoretical basis for developing efficient thermal management devices based on borophene.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2026.1808591</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2026.1808591</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Examining condensation and freezing behavior on a laser-patterned metallic surface using an AI neural network model]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-29T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jane C. Turner</author><author>Aryan Singh Dalal</author><author>Hande Küçük McGinty</author><author>Melanie M. Derby</author><author>Amy R. Betz</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionCondensation and freezing of water droplets on solid surfaces occur in a wide range of natural and engineered systems; uncontrolled or unwanted ice formation poses significant challenges to performance and safety. Surface texture greatly influences droplet nucleation, growth, coalescence, and freezing mechanisms by affecting wettability and droplet pinning.MethodIn this paper, the effects of a microtextured aluminum surface are visualized at high magnification (e.g., 600×) during condensation from moist air at 20 °C–23 °C and 39%–47% RH. Condensed droplet images are processed with an artificial intelligence (AI) model.Results and discussionDifferent textures measurably affect droplet condensation dynamics and subsequent freezing behavior. A neural network-based object detection model was developed to quantify droplet population, average diameter, phase state, and surface coverage across entire fields of view. The model was trained on over 1,300 images. The detection model provided statistically robust insights into the relationships of condensation dynamics, surface texture, and freezing behavior. The AI-derived measurements for condensed droplets show that both droplet population decline and diameter growth follow power-law scaling over time. The microtextured surface displayed smaller power-law exponents compared to the smooth control surface. This indicates a shift in condensation behavior caused by increased droplet pinning and decreased mobility on the microtextured surface. These changes are also linked to much faster freezing. The microtextured surfaces achieved full frost coverage at an average time of 139.5 s, which is roughly three times quicker than smooth substrates with an average freezing time of 419.5 s. The findings reveal that surface-induced pinning directly influenced condensation growth and subsequent freezing behavior.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2026.1798897</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2026.1798897</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Advanced computational approaches for bioheat transfer in minimally invasive cancer thermal therapies]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-13T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Neetu Singh</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Minimally invasive thermal therapies—including radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, laser interstitial thermal therapy, and high-intensity focused ultrasound—are increasingly central to the local treatment of solid tumors across multiple organ systems. The efficacy and safety of these modalities depend critically on accurate prediction of spatiotemporal temperature distributions within biologically complex tissues characterized by structural heterogeneity, vascular perfusion, and dynamic thermophysiological responses. Although classical bioheat models have provided a foundational theoretical framework, their simplifying assumptions frequently limit predictive fidelity under clinically realistic, perfusion-dominated, and high-gradient conditions. This Advanced Review synthesizes recent advances in computational bioheat transfer modeling for cancer thermal therapies, encompassing extended and non-Fourier formulations, multiphysics and multiscale frameworks, vascular-resolved and porous-media approaches, patient-specific image-based simulations, and emerging hybrid data-driven strategies. Quantitative comparisons across modeling paradigms are presented to clarify trade-offs among physiological fidelity, computational tractability, and validation maturity. Particular emphasis is placed on vascular heat transport, temperature-dependent thermophysical properties, phase transition phenomena, and thermal damage kinetics, including Arrhenius-based injury modeling. The review further examines validation hierarchies, uncertainty quantification, regulatory credibility frameworks, and the growing integration of physics-informed machine learning for real-time treatment planning and adaptive control. Collectively, these developments signal a transition toward precision, uncertainty-aware, and patient-adaptive thermal oncology, while highlighting the methodological, computational, and regulatory challenges that must be addressed to enable routine clinical translation.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2026.1602847</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2026.1602847</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Human cooling solutions: alternatives to conventional cooling solutions]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Elisa Y. M. Ang</author><author>Aminu Yusuf</author><author>Chew Beng Soh</author><author>Peng Cheng Wang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[To break the cycle of traditional air conditioning, rising carbon emissions, and increasing urban heat, a fundamental redesign of how humans achieve thermal comfort is essential. This review explores emerging technological trends in alternative cooling solutions from two perspectives. First, localized or personal cooling devices are gaining attention as a sustainable alternative to conventional space cooling. However, current technologies remain insufficient to fully replace traditional air conditioning. This review examines the limitations of commercial personal cooling devices and highlights advancements aiming to bridge this gap. Second, given the improbability of personal cooling entirely replacing space cooling in the near future, alternative large-scale cooling approaches must also be considered. This review discusses current and emerging cooling cycles, along with complementary technologies designed to enhance energy efficiency, including district cooling, radiative cooling, cooling paints, and the integration of green spaces.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2026.1734742</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2026.1734742</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Thermal simulation of a flat-plate solar collector based on heat transfer coefficients]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-29T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Brief Research Report</category>
        <author>Ángel Alfonso García López</author><author>Iván Antonio García-Montalvo</author><author>Sadoth Sandoval Torres</author><author>Alma Dolores Pérez-Santiago</author><author>Marco Antonio Sánchez-Medina</author><author>Diana Matías-Pérez</author><author>Emilio Hernández-Bautista</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Renewable energy plays a crucial role in mitigating environmental impact and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Solar thermal energy offers a clean and sustainable alternative. This study presents a phenomenological mathematical model for simulating heat transfer in a flat-plate solar collector. The model aims to optimize thermal efficiency and support the design of energy systems. The thermal analysis considers temperature gradients across the glass cover (GC), the air gap between the GC and the absorber plate (GC-AP), the aluminum absorber plate (AP), the airflow inside the tubes, and the wood insulation (WI) at the base. A thermal resistance network is developed that incorporates conduction, convection, and radiation mechanisms. Heat transfer coefficients are obtained from experimental measurements of temperature and air velocity, including ambient, GC, AP, insulation, and working fluid temperatures. These coefficients feed an energy balance model, producing differential equations that are solved numerically using Scilab Xcos to simulate the collector’s behavior. The GC acts as a selective filter, transmitting short-wave radiation and limiting long-wave emissions, contributing to a greenhouse effect that enhances performance. However, significant thermal losses occur through insulation and optical elements. Model validation against experimental data yields RMSE of 0.19 °C for natural convection and 0.0089 °C for forced convection. The thermal efficiency of 52.7% under forced convection and 29.3% under natural convection. Total energy losses amount to 35% via insulation and 15% due to optical inefficiencies. The results highlight the critical role of airflow and the importance of improving optical properties and insulation to enhance collector performance.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1683632</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1683632</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Sustainable air dehumidification using liquid desiccant technology: performance analysis of a packed-bed system]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-10-21T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Satwinder Singh</author><author>Ravinder Kumar</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionDesiccant-based dehumidification is a promising energy-efficient solution for air moisture control, particularly in humid climates.MethodsThis paper aims to experimentally evaluate the performance of a counter flow packed bed dehumidifier using PVC honeycomb packing with calcium chloride solution as a desiccant. Desiccant solution flow rate, air mass flow rate, and air inlet temperature were the main input variables taken into account in the experiment.ResultsThe performance of the system was assessed by measuring the moisture removal rate, the exit air temperature, and the air’s outlet humidity ratio. Results show that increasing the air mass flow rate from 0.00074 to 0.00119 kg/s and raising the desiccant inlet temperature from 50 °C to 70 °C increases the moisture extraction rate from 0.032 × 10−4 kg/s to 0.225 × 10−4 kg/s and a corresponding rise in outlet humidity ratio.DiscussionThese outcomes contribute to the optimization of liquid desiccant dehumidifiers and hence support their broader application in energy-efficient climate control systems.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1682295</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1682295</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Synthesis, characterization, and performance evaluation of Al2O3 nanoparticles in HFE7000 refrigerant for domestic refrigeration]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-10-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Munish Digra</author><author>Jagdev Singh</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Nanorefrigerants, which consist of base refrigerant enhanced with nanoscale particles, represent a promising advancement in thermal management systems. This study reports the successful synthesis, characterization, and experimental evaluation of a novel Al2O3/HFE-7000 nanorefrigerant intended for domestic refrigeration applications. Aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles were synthesised via a citrate sol-gel method, followed by calcination at 800 °C, and characterised using Powder X-ray Diffraction (PXRD), Field Emission Scanning (FESEM), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analyses. The nanoparticles exhibited high crystallinity, spherical morphology, an average size of ∼22.5 nm, and a surface area of 26.2 m2/g with mesoporous structure. The nanorefrigerant was prepared by dispersing Al2O3 nanoparticles in HFE-7000 using ultra sonication and magnetic stirring, aided by Tween-80 surfactant to ensure long-term dispersion stability. Five different nanoparticle concentrations (0.02%–1.5% wt) were tested. A custom-engineered vapour compression refrigeration system (VCRS) test rig was deployed to evaluate the thermophysical performance across five temperature conditions. Key findings revealed that the addition of Al2O3 significantly enhanced the Coefficient of Performance (COP), improved subcooling, and reduced the discharge pressure and compression ratio—without compromising system stability. The optimal concentration range was identified as 1.2–1.4 wt%, beyond which increases in viscosity and potential nanoparticle agglomeration could offset thermal benefits. These results highlight the potential of Al2O3/HFE-7000 nanorefrigerants as high-efficiency, environmentally friendly alternatives for domestic cooling applications.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1654815</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1654815</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Innovations in thermal energy systems, bridging traditional and emerging technologies for sustainable energy solutions]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-09-12T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Systematic Review</category>
        <author>Val Hyginus Udoka Eze</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionThermal energy systems (TES) have been foundational to global industrialization and power generation, with fossil fuel-based technologies providing nearly 81% of the global primary energy supply as of 2024. However, their dependence on finite resources and low conversion efficiencies, often below 40% in conventional steam power plants, has led to significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for over 35% of global CO2 output. The urgent need for sustainable, efficient, and low-carbon alternatives has prompted transformative innovations in TES over the past two decades, particularly in hybridization and digital optimization.MethodsThis study employed the PRISMA methodology to systematically review 163 peer-reviewed articles published between 2004 and 2024. The analysis focused on trends and advancements in TES, including enhancements in Rankine cycle efficiency, deployment of advanced storage media such as phase change materials (PCMs), thermochemical options, nano-enhanced composites, and hybrid configurations integrating biomass, concentrated solar power (CSP), and photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) systems. Special emphasis was given to the role of digitalization, including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT), and digital twin technologies in optimizing TES performance.ResultsThe findings reveal substantial progress in TES modernization. Digital tools enabled real-time optimization, predictive maintenance, and adaptive control, improving system efficiency by 20%-35% and reducing downtime by up to 40% in pilot projects. Waste heat recovery technologies, notably organic Rankine cycles (ORCs) and thermoelectric generators (TEGs), achieved energy recovery efficiencies exceeding 80% for low- to medium-grade heat streams. Modular and containerized TES solutions demonstrated effectiveness in decentralized applications, reducing post-harvest losses by up to 30% in agriculture and improving vaccine cold chain reliability in sub-Saharan Africa by over 50%. Furthermore, integration with electrochemical storage and green hydrogen pathways has positioned TES at the core of multi-vector decarbonized energy platforms.DiscussionThe review underscores that the future of TES will be defined by interdisciplinary research and development, advanced material innovation, particularly nanostructured composites, and supportive regulatory frameworks. Hybrid renewable integration and digitalization are central to achieving Paris Agreement goals, enhancing energy security, and promoting global energy equity. The transition toward intelligent, low-carbon thermal networks reflects not only technological evolution but also a paradigm shift essential for long-term sustainability.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1594443</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1594443</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Phy-ChemNODE: an end-to-end physics-constrained autoencoder-NeuralODE framework for learning stiff chemical kinetics of hydrocarbon fuels]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-08-15T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Tadbhagya Kumar</author><author>Anuj Kumar</author><author>Pinaki Pal</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Predictive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of reacting flows in energy conversion systems are accompanied by a major computational bottleneck of solving a stiff system of coupled ordinary differential equations (ODEs) associated with detailed fuel chemistry. This issue is exacerbated with the complexity of fuel chemistry as the number of reactive scalars and chemical reactions increase. In this work, a physics-constrained Autoencoder (AE)-NeuralODE framework, termed as PhyChemNODE, is developed for data-driven modeling and temporal emulation of stiff chemical kinetics for complex hydrocarbon fuels, wherein a non-linear AE is employed for dimensionality reduction of the thermochemical state and the NODE learns temporal dynamics of the system in the low-dimensional latent space obtained from the AE. Both the AE and NODE are trained together in an end-to-end manner. We further enhance the approach by incorporating elemental mass conservation constraints directly into the loss function during model training. This ensures that total mass as well as individual elemental species masses are conserved in an a-posteriori manner. Demonstration studies are performed for methane combustion kinetics (32 species, 266 chemical reactions) over a wide thermodynamic and composition space at high pressure. Effects of various model hyperparameters, such as relative weighting of different terms in the loss function and dimensionality of the AE latent space, on the accuracy of Phy-ChemNODE are assessed. The physics-based constraints are shown to improve both training efficiency and physical consistency of the data-driven model. Further, a-posteriori autoregressive inference tests demonstrate that Phy-ChemNODE leads to reduced temporal stiffness in the latent space, and achieves 1-3 orders of magnitude speedup relative to the detailed kinetic mechanism depending on the type of ODE solver (implicit or explicit) used for numerical integration, while ensuring prediction fidelity.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1560746</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1560746</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A comparative study of cable fire dynamics: bench-scale experiments and numerical simulations with and without fire-retardant coating]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-08-13T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Raj Kumar Mishra</author><author>Mahesh Kumar Tiwari</author><author>Ankit Dasgotra</author><author>Ankit Sharma</author><author>Akhil Gupta</author><author>Mukut Kumar Meena</author><author>Ravi Kumar</author><author>Pavan Kumar Sharma</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Cable fires are one of the primary causes of fire hazards in nuclear power plants (NPPs) and warehouse buildings. This paper presents a study on the experimental and numerical analysis of cable failure with and without fire-resistant coating. The experiments were conducted in two sets under two different average heat fluxes, ranging from 15 (13–15) kW/ m2 to 20 (17–20) kW/ m2. A total of 10 experiments were analyzed, with five varying fire-resistant coating thicknesses from 0 to 0.8 mm for each heat flux value. For the power cable without coating, under an average heat flux value of 15 kW/ m2, the failure time was recorded as 1,897 s. Furthermore, the core and outer sheath temperatures at the time of failure, under the same heat flux, were recorded as 282.60°C and 353.90°C, respectively. For the power cable without coating under a heat flux value of 20 kW/ m2, the failure time was recorded as 991 s; the core and outer sheath temperatures at failure were recorded as 223.16°C and 310.16°C, respectively. Correlations for both heat fluxes were established, showing close agreement with experimental results—within a 2% variation. COMSOL Multiphysics software is used to perform the numerical simulations. The simulation results for the uncoated cable showed that under a heat flux value of 15 kW/ m2, the failure time, core temperature, and outer sheath temperature were 1898 s, 333.37°C, and 361.83°C, respectively. Under a heat flux value of 20 kW/ m2 for a power cable without coating, the simulation results obtained for cable failure time, core temperature, and outer sheath temperature were found to be 990 s, 212.73°C, and 256.45°C, respectively. The absolute mean deviation for the outer sheath in numerical validation was 9.94%, while for the core, it was 14.19%. The simulation results show good agreement with the experimental results. These findings contribute to a better understanding of cable burning characteristics and failure times.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1513507</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1513507</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Application oriented material characterisation and simulation for adsorption thermal energy storage]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-05-27T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Henri Schmit</author><author>Simon Pöllinger</author><author>Tobias Schubert</author><author>Eberhard Lävemann</author><author>Stefan Hiebler</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Thermal energy storage based on adsorption and desorption of water on zeolites promises high energy storage densities. In the design of adsorption thermal energy storages, an application oriented material characterisation and simulation is necessary to choose an adsorbent that is a good match for the application conditions. Therefore, a method consisting of four steps is proposed. In the first step, potential adsorbents are compared to each other under application conditions using characteristic curves. The equilibrium data to determine the characteristic curves of commercially available CWK 13XBFK and NaYBFK is measured via a simultaneous thermal analysis (STA) device used in thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) mode and a coupled humidity generator. The characteristic curves of CWK 13XBFK and NaYBFK are successfully determined for adsorption potentials ΔF between 105 kJ kg-1 ≤ ΔF ≤ 3,495 kJ kg-1 and 106 kJ kg-1 ≤ ΔF ≤ 3,524 kJ kg-1, respectively. In both investigated scenarios of a mobile sorption storage and a industrial tumble dryer, CWK NaYBFK has a slightly higher volumetric water uptake than 13XBFK. In the second step, breakthrough curves are recorded for both zeolites under adsorption and desorption conditions for a mobile sorption storage. The results indicate that the desorption conditions are a better match for CWK NaYBFK while the adsorption conditions are a better match for CWK 13XBFK. In the third step, the experimental breakthrough curves serve to validate a fixed bed simulation that can be used to construct a sorption system for the investigated adsorption and desorption conditions. In the fourth and last step, both zeolites are cycled for 140 cycles between a temperature of 300 °C and dew point temperature of 60°C for desorption and a temperature of 42.5°C and 30 °C for adsorption. These conditions based on the integration of a sorption system into an industrial tumble dryer lead to a decrease of the water adsorption capacity of 36.5% for CWK 13XBFK and 3.3% for CWK NaYBFK.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1561295</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1561295</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Experimental analysis of a latent heat thermal energy storage unit enhanced by branched fins]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-05-23T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Shiva Pandiri</author><author>Jacob Murphy</author><author>Kamran Fouladi</author><author>Saeed Tiari</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The global shift towards renewable energy to replace fossil fuels has led to exploring thermal energy storage techniques employing phase change materials (PCM), known as latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES). Renewable energy sources such as solar and wind have limitations due to their unpredictable nature and thus require adequate storage during times of intermittency. PCMs offer a high energy storage density, however, their thermal performance is limited by their low thermal conductivity. This is leading researchers to investigate passive heat transfer enhancement techniques, such as nanoparticle dispersion, porous matrices, heat pipes, and fins, to improve heat transfer within PCMs. Recent studies have primarily focused on the numerical analysis of branched fins, leaving a significant gap in experimental validation. This study addresses this gap by providing a comprehensive experimental evaluation of the thermal performance of a LHTES system enhanced by branched fins, The performance of various fin configurations is compared during both charging and discharging processes. The present study takes a novel approach in comparing performance of radial fins, Y-fins, and snowflake fins in two sets of cases: four-fin and six-fin arrangements, which are compared to a baseline of a zero-fin configuration. All four-fin arrangements contain the same volume of copper, and all six-fin arrangements contain more copper than the four-fin arrangements. The fin configurations are compared based on charging and discharging times and the system energy response. The comparisons indicate that all branched fins configurations resulted in significant reductions in charging and discharging times compared to the benchmark. For four-fin arrangements, radial fins show a decrease of 81.52% and 63.45%, Y-fins show a reduction of 85.97% and 73.64% and snowflake fins show a reduction of 86.3% and 73.2% in charging and discharging times, respectively. For six-fin arrangements, radial fins show a reduction of 89.76% and 76.87%, Y-fins show a reduction of 91.63% and 83.03%, and snowflake fins show a reduction of 91.61% and 86.14% reduction in charging and discharging times, respectively.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1549926</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1549926</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Thermo-economic assessment of metallic high-temperature latent heat storage system]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-04-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Alok Kumar Ray</author><author>Sagar Vashisht</author><author>Dibakar Rakshit</author><author>K. Ravi Kumar</author><author>Hal Gurgenci</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The promising prospects of high-temperature latent heat storage (HT-LHS) systems are accentuated by their advantages, including significant energy storage density, superior energetic efficiency, quasi-isothermal functionality, and seamless integration with renewable energy systems such as 3rd Gen Concentrated Solar Plant and Thermophotovoltaic systems. This study evaluates the thermo-economic performance of a proposed HT-LHS system having silicon as phase change material (PCM). A single thermal cell and a complete LHS system (consisting of several thermal cells) integrated with the supercritical CO2 cycle are considered for the thermal and economic analyses, respectively. Furthermore, the charging performance of an equivalent thermal cell is compared with a specific Li-ion cell. Notably, a single thermal cell’s gravimetric and volumetric energy densities surpass those of the specific Li-ion cell by approximately fourfold. Moreover, the charging time of the equivalent thermal cell, with minimal heat flow, is notably shorter than that of the Li-ion cell with comparable capacity. In terms of the levelized cost of electricity (LCoE), the HT-LHS technology demonstrates a significantly lower price of 9.547 Rs/kWh when storing 200 MWh of energy. Sensitivity analysis of LCoE reveals the opposite effect of loan repayment years (LOY) compared to other economic parameters. LCoE varies by 23.1%,16.43%,14.4%, and 8.06% by changing Return on equity (ROE), interest rate on the loan (IOL), Operation and maintenance cost, and discount rate from −40% to 40%.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1548806</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1548806</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Performance and emission assessment of an indirect ignition diesel engine fuelled with waste plastic pyrolysis oil and ethanol blends]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-04-02T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Mrinal Bhowmik</author><author>Madhujit Deb</author><author>G. R. K. Sastry</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The present study examines the performance and emission attributes of an indirect injection diesel engine powered by blends of waste plastic pyrolysis oil (WPPO) and ethanol, evaluating their viability as substitutes for traditional diesel fuel. Experimental results reveal that blend BL2 (25 vol.% WPPO and 10 vol.% ethanol) exhibits superior brake thermal efficiency (BTHE), surpassing diesel by 1.3% at full load, while other prepared blends demonstrate comparable performance. Brake-specific fuel consumption decreases with increasing load, with BL2 outperforming diesel by 3.7% at full load. Unburned hydrocarbon emissions are lower for BL1 (15% WPPO and 5% ethanol) and BL2, with reductions of 6.7% and 10.4%, respectively, compared to diesel at full load. In contrast, blends with higher ethanol content show decreased nitric oxide emissions, with BL1 and BL2 reducing 20.1% and 21.7. Carbon monoxide emissions are consistently reduced across all blends, with 25% reductions attributed to improved oxygen availability for combustion. The findings demonstrate that WPPO-ethanol blends, particularly BL1 and BL2, offer a promising pathway for reducing environmental pollutants while maintaining or enhancing engine performance, highlighting their potential as supplementary fuels for internal combustion engines.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1591428</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1591428</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Bio-thermal medical devices, methods, and models: new developments and advances]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-03-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Manpreet Singh</author><author>Arka Bhowmik</author><author>Ramjee Repaka</author><author>Kunal Mitra</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1520951</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2025.1520951</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Magnetic particle imaging resolution needed for magnetic hyperthermia treatment planning: a sensitivity analysis]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-02-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Shreeniket Pawar</author><author>Nageshwar Arepally</author><author>Hayden Carlton</author><author>Joshua Vanname</author><author>Robert Ivkov</author><author>Anilchandra Attaluri</author>
        <description><![CDATA[PurposeMagnetic particle imaging (MPI) is a nascent tracer imaging modality that generates images from magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONs) in tissue. MPI resolution is a critical input parameter for defining the reliability of simulations-based temperature predictions for magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia (MNPH). The objective of this study was to ascertain how spatial resolution provided by MPI data affects the reliability of predicted temperatures and thermal dose in simulations using MPI data as inputs.MethodsComputed tomography (CT) and MPI scans obtained from a tumor injected with MIONs were co-registered to align their coordinates. Co-registered data were used to obtain geometry and volumetric heat sources for computational simulations of MNPH in phantom tumors. In addition to using the MPI-derived in vivo MION distribution (D1) we analyzed two mathematical MION distributions: uniform (D2) and Gaussian (D3). All distributions were discretized into cubic voxels and the data were imported into a commercial finite element bioheat transfer (FEBHT) software for thermal simulations. FEBHT simulations were conducted using the Pennes’ bioheat equation using four different MION specific loss power (SLP) values in the range 300–600 [W/g Fe]. The impact on predicted temperature resolution and thermal dose of spatial resolution were assessed by varying the linear voxel density (LVD) from 0.36 to 4.06 [voxel/mm]. Results were compared against the simulation with the highest LVD [4.06(voxel/mm)], where deviations in temperature of ≤ ±1 [°C] and thermal dose coverage ≤ ±5 [%] were deemed acceptable.ResultsThe D3 distribution resulted in the highest predicted temperatures, followed by D1 and D2; however, in terms of thermal dose, D1 showed lowest tumor coverage, requiring higher heat output from MIONs than was required for the other distributions studied. The results of the sensitivity analysis revealed that the predicted tumor temperature increased with LVD across all tested SLP values. Additionally, we observed that the minimum acceptable LVD increased with SLP.ConclusionCurrent (preclinical small animal) MPI scanners provide sufficient spatial resolution to predict temperature to within ±1 [°C], and thermal dose coverage to within ±5 [%] for MION formulations having heat output SLP = <370 [W/g Fe]. Higher spatial resolution is needed to achieve a similar precision when MION SLP exceeds 370 [W/g Fe]. We also conclude from the results that assuming a uniform MION distribution in tissue, which has been a common practice in MNPH simulations, overestimates the SLP needed to deposit meaningful thermal dose.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2024.1517404</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fther.2024.1517404</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Development of a high thermal efficiency heavy-duty engine]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-02-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Erick Garcia</author><author>Vassilis Triantopoulos</author><author>Joseph Trzaska</author><author>André L. Boehman</author><author>Maxwell Taylor</author><author>Jian Li</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The U.S. Department of Energy Supertruck 2 program placed emphasis on development of heavy-duty trucks with high freight efficiency using commercially realizable technology suites. This paper describes the research and development process used to pursue a high thermal efficiency heavy-duty engine under Supertruck 2. The team focused on over-expanded engine cycles and advanced piston designs. This paper describes how single-cylinder engine studies using thermal barrier coated pistons, high compression pistons, and over-expanded cycles informed the development process of a multi-cylinder demonstration engine that achieved 49.9% peak thermal efficiency. While tailoring the injection strategy and other control parameters optimized the demonstration engine, more than half of the efficiency improvement came from the over-expanded cycle.]]></description>
      </item>
      </channel>
    </rss>