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Numerical study on discharging process of a latent heat triple-tube heat exchanger in the presence of a central plate using the enthalpy–porosity approach

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Abstract

In the present numerical analysis, the influences of incorporating a central plate into the enclosure of a phase change material (PCM) on the solidification enhancement of a latent heat energy storage system are explored numerically. This study focuses mainly on determining the role of the central plate in enhancing the PCM discharging process. To evaluate the capability of the central plate in enhancing the PCM phase change process, various scenarios are considered in the present study. Firstly, the solidification performances of the states with no fin as well as uniform fins without the inserted central plate are compared with the discharging capability of the case equipped with the central plate. The liquid fraction as well as the PCM temperature contours are compared to assess the effectiveness of the central plate location on the PCM discharging mode, secondly. After the case with the best thermal performance is determined, the influences of adding the uniform fins and central plate into the PCM enclosure are investigated simultaneously. Then, the impacts of various configurations, namely the inline and staggered scenarios, on the PCM discharging phenomenon are analyzed in the central plate presence. As the last step, the effects of various PCMs on discharging mode of the thermal unit are studied to evaluate the PCM role in enhancing the discharging process. The numerical results reveal that the influences of the central plate incorporation on improving the solidification performance are greater than that of the melting case in the absence of the uniform fins. Time saving percentages of case VII (case with the central plate and uniform fins) compared to the no-fin case are 68.91, 71.02, and 74.84% for RT-35, RT-35HC, and n-eicosane, respectively. Furthermore, the case with RT-35HC as the PCM experienced the highest discharging rate compared to other cases.

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Abbreviations

GA:

Genetic algorithm

HTF:

Heat transfer fluid

LHTESS:

Latent heat thermal energy storage system

PCM:

Phase change material

LTES:

Latent thermal energy storage

TES:

Thermal energy storage

A m :

Mushy zone constant

C p (JKg− 1 K− 1):

Thermal energy storage

\(d\) (mm):

Interior fin distance from the bottom plate

\(g\) (ms− 2):

Gravity

h (Jkg− 1):

Sensible enthalpy

h ref (Jkg− 1):

Sensible enthalpy at reference temperature

H (Jkg− 1):

Total enthalpy

\(k\) (Wm− 1 K− 1):

Thermal conductivity

\({L}_{\mathrm{f}}\) (Jkg− 1):

Latent heat of fusion

\(m\) (kg):

Mass of PCM

\(P\) (Pa):

Pressure

\(Q\) (kJ):

Thermal energy storage capacity

\(\dot{Q}\) (kJs− 1):

Heat storage rate

t :

Time (s)

\({t}_{\mathrm{s}}\) (s):

Solidification time

\(T\) (K):

Temperature

TDER:

Time-dependent enhancement ratio

\({T}_{\mathrm{e}}\)(K):

End temperature

\({T}_{\mathrm{i}}\)(K):

Initial temperature

\({T}_{\mathrm{Liquidus}}\)(K):

Liquidus temperature

\({T}_{\mathrm{ref}}\)(K):

Reference temperature

\({T}_{\mathrm{Solidus}}\)(K):

Solidus temperature

\(\overrightarrow{V}\) (m/s):

Velocity vector

\(\beta \) (K− 1):

Thermal Expansion coefficient

\(\lambda \) :

Liquid fraction

\(\mu \) (kgm− 1 s− 1):

Viscosity

\(\rho \) (kgm− 3):

Density

\({\rho }_{\mathrm{ref}}\) (kgm− 3):

Density at reference temperature

\(\Delta H\) (Jkg− 1):

PCM Latent heat

l :

Liquid

ref:

Reference

s :

Solid

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  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Jiroft, Jiroft, Iran

    Aghil Iranmanesh

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Iranmanesh, A. Numerical study on discharging process of a latent heat triple-tube heat exchanger in the presence of a central plate using the enthalpy–porosity approach. J Therm Anal Calorim 148, 9673–9699 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-023-12341-8

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