Application of Phase Change Material-Based Thermal Capacitor in Double Tube Heat Exchanger—A Numerical Investigation

Matthew Fong, Jundika Kurnia and Agus P. Sasmito
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Matthew Fong: Department of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
Jundika Kurnia: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Seri Iskandar 32610, Malaysia
Agus P. Sasmito: Department of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 17, 1-19

Abstract: In many heat transfer related applications, there is a need for a stable, constant supply temperature. As a result, the integration of intermittent renewable sources of heat into these processes can prove to be challenging, requiring special temperature smoothing devices or strategies. This study focuses on the application of phase change materials integrated into a double tube heat exchanger as a possible thermal smoothing device. The objective of this study is to evaluate the ability of the exchanger to smoothen out temperature variations within the cold stream outlet while the hot stream is subject to oscillating inlet conditions. A computational fluid dynamics approach is used where a numerical model is developed, validated and then used to model the conjugate heat transfer within the heat exchanger. Four organic phase change materials (PCM) with different phase change temperatures were selected for investigation (myristic, octadecane, eicosane, and wax) to study the relationship between melting temperature and stabilization performance. A parametric study was then conducted by varying the Reynolds number of the flow as well as temperature oscillation period and amplitude to study the sensitivity of the system. The results confirm the potential of a phase change material-based thermal capacitor at dampening oscillations across the heat exchanger.

Keywords: thermal capacitor; phase change material; latent heat; thermal storage; thermal smoothening; energy storage (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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