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Effect of dispersion hybrid structural properties of MWCNTs and Al2O3 on microstructural and thermal characteristics of PCMs for thermal energy storage in solar water desalination

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Abstract

Devices of solar water desalination confront many problems including the low thermal properties of phase change materials (PCMs) such as heat transfer, storage of heat capacity, charging and discharging capability. Thus, these properties need to be improved by using a simple and novel procedure. So, incorporation and dispersion of hybrid nano-powders inside PCMs is considered a simple and novel procedure to improve the thermal properties of solar water desalination devices. The present article is focused on incorporating different nano-powders of MWCNTs and Al2O3 inside PCMs to improve the thermal characteristics of solar water desalination applications. Different nano-powders of MWCNTs and Al2O3 have been incorporated as: (i) 1.0 mass% Al2O3, (ii) 1.0 mass% MWCNTs, and (iii) hybrid 1.0 mass% of Al2O3 + 1.0 mass% MWCNTs, inside a constant amount of 250 gm RT-65HC paraffin wax. An innovative prototype was designed and produced to measure the thermal characteristics of solar water desalination devices. Various analyses have been carried out to study the influence of nano-powders scattering on the morphological, microstructural observations, chemical and thermal characteristics, including SEM, XRD, FT-IR, TGA, DSC, thermal conductivity, and infrared thermography. Microstructural observations showed that the excellent dispersion of nano-powders was at hybrid nano-additives of 1.0 mass% MWCNTs + 1.0 mass% Al2O3 inside PCMs. The uniform scattering of hybrid 1.0 mass% MWCNTs + 1.0 mass% Al2O3 inside PCMs assists to eliminate any defects. Finally, thermal characteristics of hybrid nano-additives phase change materials (NAPCMs) were improved specially in thermal stability, latent heat temperature, and thermal conductivity at 89%, 80%, and 32.8%, respectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Industrial Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Omar T. Bafakeeh

  2. Automotive Engineering Department, Higher Technological Institute, 6th of October City Branch, Giza, Egypt

    Mohamed S. Shiba

  3. Production Engineering and Printing Technology Department, Akhbar El Yom Academy, Giza, Egypt

    Abou Bakr Elshalakany

  4. Faculty of Energy and Industrial Technology, October Technological University, Giza, Egypt

    Abou Bakr Elshalakany

  5. Manufacturing Engineering and Production Technology Department, Modern Academy for Engineering and Technology, P.O. Box 11571, Cairo, Egypt

    Mohamed Abu-Okail

  6. Mechanical Engineering Department, Higher Technological Institute, 6th of October City Branch, Giza, Egypt

    Ahmed M. Hussien

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  1. Omar T. Bafakeeh
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  2. Mohamed S. Shiba
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  3. Abou Bakr Elshalakany
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  5. Ahmed M. Hussien
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Correspondence to Mohamed Abu-Okail.

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Bafakeeh, O.T., Shiba, M.S., Elshalakany, A.B. et al. Effect of dispersion hybrid structural properties of MWCNTs and Al2O3 on microstructural and thermal characteristics of PCMs for thermal energy storage in solar water desalination. J Therm Anal Calorim 148, 4087–4104 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-023-11973-0

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