Numerical investigation of nano-enhanced phase change material melting in the 3D annular tube with spiral fins

Juan Duan and Zeyu Peng

Renewable Energy, 2022, vol. 193, issue C, 251-263

Abstract: In the annular tube with spiral fins, adding the nanoparticles in phase change material (nano-PCM) can significantly improve the energy storage efficiency. The use of spiral fins coupled with nanoparticles could greatly broaden the application of PCM in the annular tube in the energy storage field. However, the energy storage process of nano-PCM in the annular tube with spiral fins is a research gap that has not been investigated before. In this study, the energy storage process and enhancement rate of this system are numerically investigated, which could provide a reference for the future design of this energy storage system. Results show that the melting rate of PCM added graphene is six times as fast as PCM added Al2O3 in the same situation. Adding 1% graphene into the PCM could significantly enhance the energy storage process. Increasing the volume concentration of nanoparticles of Al2O3 or graphene from 0% to 5% reduces the total energy storage capacity per unit mass of nano-PCMs to 16.53% or 10.87%, but increasing the spiral cycle (the distortion degree of the spiral fin) does not. With the synergistic effects of spiral cycle and nanoparticles, the maximum enhancement rates of energy storage of PCM added Al2O3 or graphene are 40.28% and 92.84%, respectively.

Keywords: Energy storage; Nano-PCM; Volume concentration; Spiral cycle (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:193:y:2022:i:c:p:251-263

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2022.05.014

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