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Experimental Study on Heat Storage Properties Comparison of Paraffin/Metal Foams Phase Change Material Composites

  • Special Column: Recent Advances in PCMs as Thermal Energy Storage in Energy Systems
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Abstract

Heat storage properties of phase change materials (PCMs) are essential characteristics that perform a key role in thermal heat energy storage systems. The thermal properties of PCMs can be improved by developing metal foam/PCM composites. The addition of metal foam in PCMs has a significant effect on the thermal characteristics of PCMs. In this paper, the heat storage properties of two different metal foam/PCM composites were experimentally examined. The behavior of paraffin in metal foam (copper and iron-nickel)/paraffin composites concerning pure paraffin at a constant heat flux of 1000 W/m2 in three directions simultaneously (x, y, and z) was studied. Paraffin was infiltrated into copper and iron-nickel foams to develop composite materials which resulted in enhancing the thermal conductivity of the paraffin. A comparative analysis is made on the heat storage properties of paraffin in copper and iron-nickel foams/paraffin composites. Inner temperature distribution during the phase transition process is experimentally evaluated. This comparison indicates that temperature uniformity in copper foam/paraffin composite is better than in iron-nickel foam/paraffin composite and pure paraffin at the same heat flux. Experimental results show that at heat flux of 1000 W/m2, the heat storage time for copper foam/paraffin composite is 20.63% of that of iron-nickel foam/paraffin composite.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila, 47080, Pakistan

    Waqar Ahmed, Abid Hussain & Hanzla Shahid

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Space Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Hanzla Shahid

  3. Department of Mechanical, Mechatronics and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, Faisalabad Campus, Punjab, Pakistan

    Imran Ali

  4. Mechanical Engineering Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, 31261, Saudi Arabia

    Hafiz Muhammad Ali

  5. Interdisciplinary Research Center for Renewable Energy and Power Systems (IRC-REPS), King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, 31261, Saudi Arabia

    Hafiz Muhammad Ali

Authors
  1. Waqar Ahmed
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  2. Abid Hussain
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  3. Hanzla Shahid
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  4. Imran Ali
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  5. Hafiz Muhammad Ali
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Abid Hussain or Hafiz Muhammad Ali.

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On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

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Ahmed, W., Hussain, A., Shahid, H. et al. Experimental Study on Heat Storage Properties Comparison of Paraffin/Metal Foams Phase Change Material Composites. J. Therm. Sci. 33, 469–478 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11630-023-1828-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11630-023-1828-5

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