Engineering and Technology Journal

Theoretical and experimental investigation of the effect of heat flux to lift water in a solar bubble pump

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Air Conditioning Engineering Dept., Warith Al-Anbiyaa University, Karbala 56001, Iraq.

2 Mechanical Engineering Dept., University of Technology-Iraq, Alsina’a street, 10066 Baghdad, Iraq.

3 Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.

Abstract

In remote areas, a scarcity of accessible water poses a significant predicament, and sun-powered propelling contraptions offer promising solutions. It is possible to collect solar energy with the goal of raising a fluid. Bubble pumps are used in the process of creating two-phase flows via the boiling of fluids in diffusion-absorption refrigeration cycles. In this investigation, a solar-powered bubble pump lifted the water. EES, which stands for engineering equation solver, was used in order to carry out the theoretical study of the bubble pump technology. Based on the results, it was determined that the void fraction displays a pattern that is comparable in applications using diffusion absorption refrigeration. In addition, the maximum water lift occurs at a certain heat flux value and any rise that is greater than this threshold causes the bubble pump to collapse entirely. Empirical tests were conducted utilizing bubble pumps with diameters of 8 mm and 10.21 mm to raise water across a distance of 4.53 m. The experiments examined a certain range of heat flow values at specified submergence ratios. According to the testing results, increasing the heat flux within the prescribed range significantly increased the 10.21 mm bubble pump's ability to lift water, yielding a maximum increase of 21%. According to the findings of the study, a universal set of optimal conditions and values for the bubble pump is not feasible to ascertain. This is because every system possesses distinct characteristics and operational elements that necessitate the utilization of optimized parameters for optimal performance.

Graphical Abstract

Highlights

  • A theoretical and experimental study was conducted on the bubble pump
  • A new model and design for the bubble pump were developed
  • Heat flux impacts the performance of the bubble pump
  • Future scopes of work on the bubble pump show promise

Keywords

Main Subjects

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