Phase change analysis of an underwater glider propelled by the ocean's thermal energy

作     者：KONG Qiao-ling MA Jie 

作者机构：State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering Shanghai Jiaotong University Shanghai 200030 China 

出 版 物：《Journal of Marine Science and Application》 (船舶与海洋工程学报（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2007年第6卷第4期

页      面：37-43页

学科分类：0707[理学-海洋科学] 08[工学] 0815[工学-水利工程] 0824[工学-船舶与海洋工程] 0802[工学-机械工程] 082401[工学-船舶与海洋结构物设计制造] 0801[工学-力学（可授工学、理学学位）] 

基　　金：Supported by the Sustainable Energy Propulsion System Program of 211’s Engineering Foundation  Shanghai Jiaotong University 

主　　题：phase change heat transfer analysis ocean thermal energy underwater glider 

摘      要：The phase change characteristic of the power source of an underwater glider propelled by the ocean＇s thermal energy is the key factor in glider attitude control. A numerical model has been established based on the enthalpy method to analyze the phase change heat transfer process under convective boundary conditions. Phase change is not an isothermal process, but one that occurs at a range of temperature. The total melting time of the material is very sensitive to the surrounding temperature. When the temperature of the surroundings decreases 8 degrees, the total melting time increases 1.8 times. But variations in surrounding temperature have little effect on the initial temperature of phase change, and the slope of the temperature time history curve remains the same. However, the temperature at which phase change is completed decreases significantly. Our research shows that the phase change process is also affected by container size, boundary conditions, and the power source＇s cross sectional area. Materials stored in 3 cylindrical containers with a diameter of 38ram needed the shortest phase change time. Our conclusions should be helpful in effective design of underwater glider power systems.