Heat Transfer by Natural Convection in a Square Enclosure Containing PCM Suspensions

Ching-Jenq Ho, Chau-Yang Huang and Chi-Ming Lai
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Ching-Jenq Ho: Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan City 701, Taiwan
Chau-Yang Huang: Green Energy and Environment Research Laboratories, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu 310, Taiwan
Chi-Ming Lai: Department of Civil Engineering, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan City 701, Taiwan

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 10, 1-17

Abstract: Research on using phase change material (PCM) suspension to improve the heat transfer and energy storage capabilities of thermal systems is booming; however, there are limited studies on the application of PCM suspension in transient natural convection. In this paper, the implicit finite difference method was used to numerically investigate the transient and steady-state natural convection heat transfer in a square enclosure containing a PCM suspension. The following parameters were included in the simulation: aspect ratio of the physical model = 1, ratio of the buoyancies caused by temperature and concentration gradients = 1, Raleigh number ( R a T ) = 10 3 –10 5 , Stefan number ( Ste ) = 0.005–0.1, subcooling factor ( Sb ) = 0–1.0, and initial mass fraction (or concentration) of PCM particles ( c i ) = 0–0.1. The results showed that the use of a PCM suspension can effectively enhance heat transfer by natural convection. For example, when R a T = 10 3 , Ste = 0.01, c i = 0.1, and Sb = 1, the steady-state natural convection heat transfer rate inside the square enclosure can be improved by 70% compared with that of pure water. With increasing Sb , the Nusselt number can change nonlinearly, resulting in a local optimal value.

Keywords: natural convection; heat transfer; phase change materials; numerical analysis (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: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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