The aim of this direction is to reveal the essential attribute of industrial afterheat and the essential characteristic of utilization according to energy grade, to establish the quantitative evaluation standard of afterheat resources and working medium energy levels, to propose and perfect the analytical method for thermodynamic process and cycle in industrial afterheat utilization, and to achieve reasonable allocation of heat transfer and thermal conversion process. Major research direction: (1) Analyze the afterheat resource level and establishing the optimal cascade utilization standards. Using a certain cycle, such as organic rankine cycle, to recycle low grade heat and analyzing theoretically and experimentally; (2) Analyze general engine performance by finite time thermodynamics and irreversible thermodynamics, and investigate the maximum efficiency of energy conversion; (3) Investigate the performance of specific thermodynamic cycles, such as Stirling cycle, electrochemical cycle and Brownian motion cycle. Next we will focus on microcosmic cycle (quantum, statistic) and improve the current thermodynamic cycles to meet industrial needs.
