Energy storage, thermal-hydraulic, and thermodynamic characteristics of a latent thermal energy storage system with 180-degree bifurcated fractal fins

The low thermal conductivity of organic phase change materials limits the performance of latent thermal energy storage (TES) systems. Inspired by fractal theory, this study proposes an innovative 180° fractal fin for enhancing the thermal performance of latent TES systems. The effects of length ratios (l) and fractal levels (N) are numerically investigated employing the enthalpy-porosity method. Compared with traditional rectangular fins, the results indicate that the 180° fractal fins reduce the integral average value of the maximum velocity by 2.24%–48.51%, which indicates the suppression of natural convection by the latter. Increasing l and N result in a general increase in melting time. Compared to the TES systems without fins and with rectangular fins, the 180° fractal fins can respectively reduce melting time by up to 88.79% and 28.00%, increase integral average Nusselt number by up to 7.30 times and 34.21%, and enhance energy storage power by a maximum of 8.55 times and 38.71%. Moreover, flow viscous entropy generation can be neglected compared to thermal entropy generation. In contrast to rectangular fins, the employment of fractal fins leads to a maximum reduction of 90.06% and 99.10% in total frictional entropy generation and thermal entropy generation, respectively.