Improving Thermal Environment of Power Generation Cabin via Vapor Chamber in Cold Regions

This study introduces the innovative application of a vapor chamber to mitigate fuel freezing and temperature disparity in power generation cabins operating under extreme cold conditions. A vapor chamber was designed and implemented within a low-temperature power generation platform in Daqing, China, where outdoor temperatures were below −20 °C. The research focused on evaluating the thermal performance of the cabin under natural and forced convection conditions, with and without the vapor chamber. The experimental investigations assessed the effects of the vapor chamber on the thermal dynamics of the power generation cabin, particularly the temperature of the bottom fuel oil and the air temperature distribution. The results indicated that without the vapor chamber significant temperature disparities and potential risks to electrical equipment were present. The vapor chamber effectively utilizes the heat generated by the diesel engine, thus accelerating the heating rate of the fuel at the bottom. It reduces the duration of the decrease in the oil temperature of the upper and lower layers during the initial start-up from 0.44 h and 0.5 h to 0.31 h and 0.35 h, respectively, effectively preventing the risk of fuel freezing in the initial start-up stage. In addition, the installation of the vaporization chamber significantly improves the temperature uniformity of the air inside the cabin. The maximum temperature difference between the upper and lower air in the cabin decreases by 33 °C, effectively improving the overall thermal environment.