Numerical Assessment of an Innovative Design of an Evacuated Tube Solar Collector Incorporated with PCM Embedded Metal Foam/Plate Fins

Mohamed Houcine Dhaou, Sofiene Mellouli, Faisal Alresheedi and Yassine El-Ghoul
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Mohamed Houcine Dhaou: Department of Physics, College of Science, Qassim University, Buraidah 51411, Saudi Arabia
Sofiene Mellouli: Thermal and Energy Systems Studies Laboratory (LESTE), College of Engineering, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia
Faisal Alresheedi: Department of Physics, College of Science, Qassim University, Buraidah 51411, Saudi Arabia
Yassine El-Ghoul: Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Qassim University, Buraidah 51411, Saudi Arabia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 19, 1-11

Abstract: The objective of this manuscript is to study the possibility of improving the thermal performance of an Evacuated Tube Solar Collector (ETSC) with the integration of a Phase Change Material (PCM) incorporated into metallic foam and fitted with plate fins. A 2D mathematical model has been proposed. Two types of metal foams (copper and nickel) were inserted. In addition, the effect of metal foam pore size of on heat transfer was studied. The results were acquired through numerical simulations of four different cases; namely, Case 1: pure PCM, Case 2: with metal foam, Case 3: with fins and Case 4: with metal foam and fins. The evaluation procedure involved observing the total change in Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) temperature and melted PCM fraction during a single day. The results proved that the thermal performance of ETSC is improved considerably by inserting metal foam and fins simultaneously. The time required for the whole process is improved by almost 9% compared to the case of pure PCM, and 2% compared to the case of inserting only plate fins. Results revealed that the pore size of the metal foams slightly affects the dynamic process of heat storage/release in the ETSC/PCM system.

Keywords: PCM; metal foam; evacuated solar tube (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 (1)

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