The effect of the number of tubes on the charging and discharging performances of a novel bio-nPCM within a vertical multi-tube TES system

Mohammad Abdolahimoghadam and Masoud Rahimi

Energy, 2025, vol. 319, issue C

Abstract: Today, integrating phase change materials (PCMs) with renewable energy systems has become a prevalent strategy for enhancing sustainability. Thermal energy storage (TES) systems that contain PCMs, like any other equipment, need to be optimized and increase efficiency. To address this, this project investigated a vertical multi-tube configuration of a TES system employing a biological and nano-based PCM (bio-nPCM) composed of coconut oil and beeswax enhanced with graphene-copper (Gr-Cu) hybrid nanoparticles. This research provides insights into the interplay between material properties, system geometry, and heat transfer mechanisms in bio-nPCM-based TES systems, contributing to the design and optimization of such systems. A three-dimensional model of a one-tube TES system was validated with an experimental setup and subsequently developed for two-, three-, and four-tube TES systems. The findings demonstrated that employing multi-tube systems, specifically two, three, and four tubes, instead of a single-tube system, led to increased bio-PCM melting rates by 33.3 %, 49.01 %, and 55.71 % respectively. Furthermore, the combined use of 2 wt% Gr-Cu hybrid nanoparticles and four tubes resulted in an 80.25 % improvement in melting rate compared to the single-tube system with bio-PCM. Additionally, the presence of GNP in bio-PCM maximally heightened the melting rate by 5.05 %. Contour analysis revealed a substantial augmentation in natural convection flow, reaching up to 94.43 %, with an escalation in the number of tubes in the system. Concerning solidification, it was observed that in multi-tube systems containing bio-PCM, the utilization of three tubes instead of one resulted in a 57.07 % improvement in the solidification rate, representing the most significant enhancement. However, the performance of the four-tube system was not as effective as that of the three-tube system when employing bio-PCM. Conversely, the integration of four tubes and 2 wt% Gr-Cu reduced the solidification time by 74.28 %, surpassing the effectiveness of the three-tube system containing this nanoparticle by 5.12 %.

Keywords: Bio-nPCM; Melting; Solidification; Vertical thermal energy storage; Multi-tube (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:319:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225006528

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.135010

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