Evaluation of the Melting Performance in a Conical Latent Heat Thermal Unit Having Variable Length Fins

Mohammad Ghalambaz, S.A.M. Mehryan, Mahboobeh Mahdavi, Obai Younis and Mohammad A. Alim
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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
Mahboobeh Mahdavi: Mechanical Engineering Department, Gannon University, 109 University Square, Erie, PA 16541, USA
Obai Younis: Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering at Wadi Addwaser, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Wadi Addwaser 11991, Saudi Arabia
Mohammad A. Alim: School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment, Western Sydney University, Kingswood, NSW 2747, Australia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-20

Abstract: A conical shell-tube design with non-uniform fins was addressed for phase change latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES). The shell was filled with nano-enhanced phase change material (NePCM). The cone aspect ratio of the shell and the fins aspect ratio were adopted as the geometrical design parameters. The type and volume fraction of the nanoparticles were other design parameters. The investigated nanoparticles were alumina, graphite oxide, silver, and copper. The finite element method was employed to solve the natural convection flow and phase change thermal energy equations in the LHTES unit. The Taguchi optimization method was utilized to maximize the melting rate in the unit. Two cases of ascending and descending conical shells were investigated. The outcomes showed that the shell-aspect ratio and fin aspect ratio were the most important design parameters, followed by the type and concentration of nanoparticles. Both ascending and descending designs could lead to the same melting rate at their optimum design. The optimum design of LHTES could improve the melting rate by up to 18.5%. The optimum design for ascending (descending) design was a plain tube (a cone aspect ratio of 1.17) filled by 4.5% alumina-Bio-PCM (1.5% copper-Bio-PCM).

Keywords: latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES); conical shape; non-uniform fin; nano-enhanced phase change material (NePCM) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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