Effect of Mushy Zone Parameter on Phase Change Behavior of Different Configurations Storage Unit: Numerical Simulation and Experimental Validation

Ahmed Saad Soliman, Ahmed A. Sultan () and Mohamed A. Sultan
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Ahmed Saad Soliman: Mechanical Power Engineering Department, Mansoura University, El-Mansoura 35516, Egypt
Ahmed A. Sultan: Mechanical Power Engineering Department, Mansoura University, El-Mansoura 35516, Egypt
Mohamed A. Sultan: Mechanical Engineering Department, Higher Future Institute of Engineering and Technology, El-Mansoura 35516, Egypt

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 21, 1-18

Abstract: The melting process of paraffin wax placed in storage capsules of different shapes was experimentally and numerically studied. The phase change material (PCM) was initially at 27 °C. The effect of the mushy zone parameter (A mush ) value on the melting process of the PCM was studied with storage capsules of different shapes (circular, vertical oval, and horizontal oval). The results of the numerical model were validated with the experimental results to obtain the optimum A mush value for each shape of the latent heat storage unit. The results showed that the value of the A mush has a great impact on the numerical results of the PCM melting process and changes with the shape of the storage capsule. The rate of heat transfer, convection, and fluid velocity all decrease as the A mush value rises. The experimental results of the circular, vertical oval, and horizontal oval capsules match very well with the numerical model with A mush values equal to 2 × 10 6 , 1 × 10 5 , and 1 × 10 6 , respectively.

Keywords: natural convection; CFD; melting PCM; enthalpy-porosity method; mushy zone parameter (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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