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Thermal Performance of a PCM-Based Thermal Energy Storage with Metal Foam Enhancement

Author

Listed:
  • Xue Chen

    (School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, 92, West Dazhi Street, Harbin 150001, China
    School of Energy Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, 92, West Dazhi Street, Harbin 150001, China)

  • Xiaolei Li

    (School of Energy Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, 92, West Dazhi Street, Harbin 150001, China)

  • Xinlin Xia

    (School of Energy Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, 92, West Dazhi Street, Harbin 150001, China
    Key Laboratory of Aerospace Thermophysics of MIIT, Harbin Institute of Technology, 92, West Dazhi Street, Harbin 150001, China)

  • Chuang Sun

    (School of Energy Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, 92, West Dazhi Street, Harbin 150001, China
    Key Laboratory of Aerospace Thermophysics of MIIT, Harbin Institute of Technology, 92, West Dazhi Street, Harbin 150001, China)

  • Rongqiang Liu

    (School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, 92, West Dazhi Street, Harbin 150001, China)

Abstract

The energy transport inside a phase change material (PCM) based thermal energy storage system using metal foam as an enhancement technique is investigated numerically. The paraffin is used as the PCM and water as the heat transfer fluid (HTF). The transient heat transfer during the charging and discharging processes is solved, based on the volume averaged conservation equations. The flow in PCM/foam and HTF/foam composites is modelled by the Forchheimer-extended Darcy equation, while the two-temperature model is employed to account for the local thermal non-equilibrium effect between the foam matrix and fluid phase. The results show that the overall performance is greatly improved by inserting metal foam in both HTF and PCM sides. A nearly 84.9% decrease in the time needed for the total process is found compared with the case of pure PCM, and 40% compared with the case of metal foam insert only in the PCM side. Foam porosity and HTF inlet temperature greatly affect the dynamic heat storage/release process.

Suggested Citation

  • Xue Chen & Xiaolei Li & Xinlin Xia & Chuang Sun & Rongqiang Liu, 2019. "Thermal Performance of a PCM-Based Thermal Energy Storage with Metal Foam Enhancement," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-18, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:12:y:2019:i:17:p:3275-:d:261054
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Riheb Mabrouk & Hassane Naji & Hacen Dhahri & Zohir Younsi, 2020. "Insight into Foam Pore Effect on Phase Change Process in a Plane Channel under Forced Convection Using the Thermal Lattice Boltzmann Method," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-29, August.
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    4. Hamidreza Shabgard & Weiwei Zhu & Amir Faghri, 2019. "Integral Solution of Two-Region Solid–Liquid Phase Change in Annular Geometries and Application to Phase Change Materials–Air Heat Exchangers," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-20, November.
    5. Wołoszyn, Jerzy & Szopa, Krystian, 2023. "A combined heat transfer enhancement technique for shell-and-tube latent heat thermal energy storage," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 1342-1356.
    6. Mohammad Javad Zarei & Hassan Bazai & Mohsen Sharifpur & Omid Mahian & Bahman Shabani, 2020. "The Effects of Fin Parameters on the Solidification of PCMs in a Fin-Enhanced Thermal Energy Storage System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-20, January.
    7. Mohamed Houcine Dhaou & Sofiene Mellouli & Faisal Alresheedi & Yassine El-Ghoul, 2021. "Numerical Assessment of an Innovative Design of an Evacuated Tube Solar Collector Incorporated with PCM Embedded Metal Foam/Plate Fins," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-11, September.
    8. Joachim Baumeister & Jörg Weise & Sebastian Myslicki & Esther Kieseritzky & Götz Lindenberg, 2020. "PCM-Based Energy Storage System with High Power Output Using Open Porous Aluminum Foams," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-17, November.
    9. Hamidi, E. & Ganesan, P.B. & Sharma, R.K. & Yong, K.W., 2023. "Computational study of heat transfer enhancement using porous foams with phase change materials: A comparative review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    10. Ewelina Radomska & Lukasz Mika & Karol Sztekler, 2020. "The Impact of Additives on the Main Properties of Phase Change Materials," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-34, June.
    11. Martin Beer & Marcela Taušová & Radim Rybár & Michal Kaľavský, 2020. "A Novel Economical Method of Determining the Geometric Characteristic of the Metal Foam Based on Image Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-11, July.

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