Simulation of a Fast-Charging Porous Thermal Energy Storage System Saturated with a Nano-Enhanced Phase Change Material

Mohammad Ghalambaz, S.A.M. Mehryan, Hassan Shirivand, Farshid Shalbafi, Obai Younis, Kiao Inthavong, Goodarz Ahmadi and Pouyan Talebizadehsardari
Additional contact information
Mohammad Ghalambaz: Metamaterials for Mechanical, Biomechanical and Multiphysical Applications Research Group, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City 758307, Vietnam
S.A.M. Mehryan: Young Researchers and Elite Club, Yasooj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Yasooj 7591493686, Iran
Hassan Shirivand: Faculty of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran 1983969411, Iran
Farshid Shalbafi: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz 61355, Iran
Obai Younis: Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering at Wadi Addwaser, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Wadi Addwaser 11991, Saudi Arabia
Kiao Inthavong: Mechanical & Automotive, School of Engineering, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia
Goodarz Ahmadi: Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699, USA
Pouyan Talebizadehsardari: Metamaterials for Mechanical, Biomechanical and Multiphysical Applications Research Group, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City 758307, Vietnam

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-20

Abstract: The melting of a coconut oil–CuO phase change material (PCM) embedded in an engineered nonuniform copper foam was theoretically analyzed to reduce the charging time of a thermal energy storage unit. A nonuniform metal foam could improve the effective thermal conductivity of a porous medium at regions with dominant conduction heat transfer by increasing local porosity. Moreover, the increase in porosity contributes to flow circulation in the natural convection-dominant regimes and adds a positive impact to the heat transfer rate, but it reduces the conduction heat transfer and overall heat transfer. The Taguchi optimization method was used to minimize the charging time of a shell-and-tube thermal energy storage (TES) unit by optimizing the porosity gradient, volume fractions of nanoparticles, average porosity, and porous pore sizes. The results showed that porosity is the most significant factor and lower porosity has a faster charging rate. A nonuniform porosity reduces the charging time of TES. The size of porous pores induces a negligible impact on the charging time. Lastly, the increase in volume fractions of nanoparticles reduces the charging time, but it has a minimal impact on the TES unit’s charging power.

Keywords: nonuniform metal foam; melting heat transfer; thermal 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: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/6/1575/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/6/1575/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:6:p:1575-:d:515648

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().