Experimental Investigation on Latent Thermal Energy Storages (LTESs) Based on Pure and Copper-Foam-Loaded PCMs

Morena Falcone, Danish Rehman, Matteo Dongellini, Claudia Naldi, Beatrice Pulvirenti and Gian Luca Morini
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Morena Falcone: Department of Industrial Engineering, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Viale Risorgimento, 2, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Danish Rehman: Department of Industrial Engineering, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Viale Risorgimento, 2, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Matteo Dongellini: Department of Industrial Engineering, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Viale Risorgimento, 2, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Claudia Naldi: Department of Industrial Engineering, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Viale Risorgimento, 2, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Beatrice Pulvirenti: Department of Industrial Engineering, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Viale Risorgimento, 2, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Gian Luca Morini: Department of Industrial Engineering, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Viale Risorgimento, 2, 40136 Bologna, Italy

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 13, 1-13

Abstract: In this work, a commercial paraffin PCM (RT35) characterized by a change range of the solid-liquid phase transition temperature T s − l = 29 – 36 °C and the low thermal conductivity λ SL = 0.2 W/m K is experimentally tested by submitting it to thermal charging/discharging cycles. The paraffin is contained in a case with a rectangular base and heated from the top due to electrical resistance. The aim of this research is to show the benefits that a 95% porous copper metal foam (pore density P D = 20 P P I ) can bring to a PCM-based thermal storage system by simply loading it, due to the consequent increase in the effective thermal conductivity of the medium ( λ LOAD = 7.03 W/m K). The experimental results highlight the positive effects of the copper foam presence, such as the heat conduction improvement throughout the system, and a significant reduction in time for the complete melting of the PCM. In addition, the experimental data highlight that in the copper-foam-loaded PCM the maximum temperature reached during the heating process is lower than 20 K with respect to the test with pure PCM, imposing the same heat flux on the top ( P = 3.5 W/m 2 ).

Keywords: phase change material; metal foam; thermal homogeneity; energy storage; LTESS; heat conductivity; melting cycle (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: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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