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Melting performance enhancement of a latent thermal energy storage device using innovative arc fins and nanoparticles

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Abstract

In this study, novel longitudinal arc fins were proposed to increase the melting performance of phase change material in a latent heat thermal energy storage device. In order to optimize these innovative arc fins, various configurations of these fins were designed by changing the arc length, fin angle and eccentricity of the inner tube. In order to evaluate the performance of the new fins, five arrangements of traditional rectangular plate fins as well as a bare tube case were also numerically simulated. In all examined cases, the volume fraction of fins was considered constant and equal to 6.13%. Consequently, the best configuration of innovative fins was found by comparing melting characteristics of them with those of traditional rectangular plate fins. In addition, the effects of Al2O3 nanoparticles on melting performance of some designed arc fins including the most efficient ones were evaluated. Results revealed that the best case was able to reduce the total melting time by 96.5% with respect to the bare tube and 67.7% with respect to 12 number of rectangular fins. In comparison with the pure PCM as the base case, addition of 2% and 5% nanoparticles can lead to time savings of 10.44% and 12.36%, respectively.

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Abbreviations

\(k\) :

Thermal conductivity (W m−1 K−1)

Cp:

Specific heat (J Kg−1 K−1)

\(L_{{\text{f}}}\) :

Latent heat of fusion (J Kg−1)

P :

Pressure

\({\varvec{u}}\) :

Velocity vector

g :

Gravity acceleration

t :

Time

\(C_{{{\text{mz}}}}\) :

Mushy zone constant (Kg m− 3 s− 1)

\(T_{{\text{s}}}\) :

Solidus temperature phases (K)

\(T_{{\text{l}}}\) :

Liquidus temperature (K)

\(T_{{{\text{ref}}}}\) :

Reference temperature (K)

\(h_{{{\text{sens}}}}\) :

Sensible enthalpy

\(h_{{{\text{lat}}}}\) :

Latent enthalpy

\(h_{{{\text{ref}}}}\) :

Enthalpy at reference temperature

\(k_{{\text{b}}}\) :

Boltzmann constant

\(h_{{\text{f}}}\) :

Fin height (mm)

\(t_{{\text{f}}}\) :

Fin thickness (mm)

e :

Eccentric distance (mm)

E :

Eccentricity ratio (mm)

\(R_{{\text{s}}}\) :

Shell radius (mm)

\(R_{{\text{t}}}\) :

Tube radius (mm)

a :

Internal and external radius (mm)

\(V_{{\text{f}}}\) :

Fin volume (m3)

\(V_{{\text{t}}}\) :

Total volume (m3)

\(\lambda\) :

Liquid fraction

\(\theta\) :

Angle between two fins

\(\varepsilon\) :

A small number

\(\beta\) :

Thermal expansion coefficient (k−1)

\(\rho\) :

Density (kg m−3)

\(\mu\) :

Kinematic viscosity (N s m− 2)

\(\varphi_{{\text{n}}}\) :

Percentage of nanoparticles

\(\phi_{{\text{f}}}\) :

Fin volume fraction

FVM:

Finite volume method

PCM:

Phase change material

NEPCM:

Nano-phase change material

HTF:

Heat transfer fluid

TES:

Thermal energy storage

LH-TES:

Latent heat thermal energy storage

TC-TES:

Thermochemical thermal energy storage

SH-TES:

Sensible heat thermal energy storage

RF:

Rectangular fin

CAF:

Concentric arc fin

BT:

Bare tube

EAF:

Eccentric arc fin

PCM:

Phase change material

n :

Nanoparticle

NEPCM:

Nano-phase change material

s :

Solidus

l :

Liquidus

ref:

Reference

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr, 75169, Iran

    Yasser Amini & Mohammad Hossein Abbasirad

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  1. Yasser Amini
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  2. Mohammad Hossein Abbasirad
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Correspondence to Yasser Amini.

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Technical Editor: Ahmad Arabkoohsar.

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Amini, Y., Abbasirad, M.H. Melting performance enhancement of a latent thermal energy storage device using innovative arc fins and nanoparticles. J Braz. Soc. Mech. Sci. Eng. 45, 298 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40430-023-04227-5

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