Energy storage, thermal-hydraulic, and thermodynamic characteristics of a latent thermal energy storage system with 180-degree bifurcated fractal fins

Yuxiang Hong, Zihao Cheng, Qing Li and Juan Du

Energy, 2024, vol. 297, issue C

Abstract: The low thermal conductivity of organic phase change materials limits the performance of latent thermal energy storage (TES) systems. Inspired by fractal theory, this study proposes an innovative 180° fractal fin for enhancing the thermal performance of latent TES systems. The effects of length ratios (l) and fractal levels (N) are numerically investigated employing the enthalpy-porosity method. Compared with traditional rectangular fins, the results indicate that the 180° fractal fins reduce the integral average value of the maximum velocity by 2.24%–48.51%, which indicates the suppression of natural convection by the latter. Increasing l and N result in a general increase in melting time. Compared to the TES systems without fins and with rectangular fins, the 180° fractal fins can respectively reduce melting time by up to 88.79% and 28.00%, increase integral average Nusselt number by up to 7.30 times and 34.21%, and enhance energy storage power by a maximum of 8.55 times and 38.71%. Moreover, flow viscous entropy generation can be neglected compared to thermal entropy generation. In contrast to rectangular fins, the employment of fractal fins leads to a maximum reduction of 90.06% and 99.10% in total frictional entropy generation and thermal entropy generation, respectively.

Keywords: Latent thermal energy storage; Phase change material; Fractal fin; Heat transfer; Thermodynamic characteristic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:297:y:2024:i:c:s0360544224009666

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2024.131193

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