Mahanakorn University of Technology

About: Mahanakorn University of Technology is a education organization based out in Bangkok, Thailand. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Heat transfer & Nusselt number. The organization has 629 authors who have published 1291 publications receiving 21655 citations.

Dye-sensitized solar cell using natural dyes extracted from rosella and blue pea flowers

Abstract: Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated using natural dyes extracted from rosella, blue pea and a mixture of the extracts. The light absorption spectrum of the mixed extract contained peaks corresponding to the contributions from both rosella and blue pea extracts. However, the mixed extract adsorbed on TiO 2 does not show synergistic light absorption and photosensitization compared to the individual extracts. Instead, the cell sensitized by the rosella extract alone showed the best sensitization, which was in agreement with the broadest spectrum of the extract adsorbed on TiO 2 film. In case that the dyes were extracted at 100 ∘ C , using water as extracting solvent, the energy conversion efficiency ( η ) of the cells consisting of rosella extract alone, blue pea extract alone and mixed extract was 0.37%, 0.05% and 0.15%, respectively. The sensitization performance related to interaction between the dye and TiO 2 surface is discussed. The explanations are supported by the light absorption of the extract solution compared to extracts adsorbed on TiO 2 and also dye structures. The effects of changing extracting temperature, extracting solvent and pH of the extract solution are also reported. The efficiency of rosella extract sensitized DSSC was improved from 0.37% to 0.70% when the aqueous dye was extracted at 50 ∘ C instead of 100 ∘ C and pH of the dye was adjusted from 3.2 to 1.0. Moreover, DSSC stability was also improved by the changes in conditions. However, the efficiency of a DSSC using ethanol as extracting solvent was found to be diminished after being exposed to the simulated sunlight for a short period.

Analysis of strength development in cement-stabilized silty clay from microstructural considerations

Abstract: This paper analyzes the strength development in cement-stabilized silty clay based on microstructural considerations. A qualitative and quantitative study on the microstructure is carried out using a scanning electron microscope, mercury intrusion pore size distribution measurements, and thermal gravity analysis. Three influential factors in this investigation are water content, curing time, and cement content. Cement stabilization improves the soil structure by increasing inter-cluster cementation bonding and reducing the pore space. As the cement content increases for a given water content, three zones of improvement are observed: active, inert and deterioration zones. The active zone is the most effective for stabilization where the cementitious products increase with cement content and fill the pore space. In the active zone, the effective mixing state is achieved when the water content is 1.2 times the optimum water content. In this state, the strength is the greatest because of the highest quantity of cementitious products. In the short stabilization period, the volume of large pores (larger than 0.1 μm) increases because of the input of coarser particles (unhydrated cement particles) while the volume of small pores (smaller than 0.1 μm) decreases because of the solidification of the cement gel (hydrated cement). With time, the large pores are filled with the cementitious products; thus, the small pore volume increases, and the total pore volume decreases. This causes the strength development over time.

Linear and nonlinear vibration analysis of elastically restrained ends FGM beams with porosities

Abstract: Linear and nonlinear vibration problems of elastically end restrained beams made of functionally graded materials (FGMs) are investigated in this present paper. Due to porosities, possibly occurring inside FGMs during fabrication, it is therefore necessary to consider the vibration behavior of beams having porosities in this investigation. The rule of mixture is modified to describe and approximate material properties of the functionally graded beams with porosity phases. The differential transformation method (DTM) is employed to solve linear and nonlinear vibration responses of FGM beams with different kinds of elastic supports. The effects of material property distribution, spring constants and porosity volume fraction on linear and nonlinear frequencies of FGM beams are also presented and discussed in detail.

Experimental investigation of heat transfer and flow friction in a circular tube fitted with regularly spaced twisted tape elements

Abstract: Experimental investigation of heat transfer and friction factor characteristics in a double pipe heat exchanger fitted with regularly spaced twisted tape elements, were studied. The inner and outer diameters of the inner tube are 50.6 and 25.8 mm, respectively and cold and hot water were used as working fluids in shell side and tube side. The twisted tapes were made of the stainless steel strip with thickness of 1 mm and the length of 1500 mm. They were inserted in the test tube section in two different cases: (1) full-length typical twisted tape at different twisted ratios (y = 6.0 and 8.0), and (2) twisted tape with various free space ratios (S = 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0). The results, obtained from the tube with twisted tape insert, were compared with those without twisted tape. The results show that the heat transfer coefficient increased with twist ratio (y). Whereas the increase in the free space ratio (S) would improve both the heat transfer coefficient and friction factor. The results from each case were correlated for Nusselt number and friction factor. Subsequently, the predicted Nusselt number and friction factor from the correlations were plotted to compare with the experimental data. It was found that Nusselt number was within ± 15% and ± 10% for friction factor.

Heat transfer enhancement in a tube using delta-winglet twisted tape inserts

Abstract: Heat transfer, flow friction and thermal performance factor characteristics in a tube fitted with delta-winglet twisted tape, using water as working fluid are investigated experimentally. Influences of the oblique delta-winglet twisted tape (O-DWT) and straight delta-winglet twisted tape (S-DWT) arrangements are also described. The experiments are conducted using the tapes with three twist ratios (y/w = 3, 4 and 5) and three depth of wing cut ratios (DR = d/w = 0.11, 0.21 and 0.32) over a Reynolds number range of 3000–27,000 in a uniform wall heat flux tube. The obtained results show that mean Nusselt number and mean friction factor in the tube with the delta-winglet twisted tape increase with decreasing twisted ratio (y/w) and increasing depth of wing cut ratio (DR). It is also observed that the O-DWT is more effective turbulator giving higher heat transfer coefficient than the S-DWT. Over the range considered, Nusselt number, friction factor and thermal performance factor in a tube with the O-DWT are, respectively, 1.04–1.64, 1.09–1.95, and 1.05–1.13 times of those in the tube with typical twisted tape (TT). Empirical correlations for predicting Nusselt number and friction factor have been employed. The predicted data are within ±10% for Nusselt number and ±10% for friction factor.