Melting of PCM in a thermal energy storage unit: Numerical investigation and effect of nanoparticle enhancement

Sciacovelli, Adriano; Colella, Francesco; Verda, Vittorio

doi:10.1002/er.2974

Cited by 150 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Using a 2D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model by considering the phase change phenomenon through an enthalpy method, Sciacovelli et al [83] analyzed the melting of a single vertical shell-andtube thermal energy storage charged with paraffin and copper nanoparticles. It was found that natural convection and the temperature of the inlet heat transfer fluid had a significant impact on the melting process of the nano-enhanced PCM.…”

Section: Numerical and Experimental Investigation On Thermodynamic Bementioning

confidence: 99%

Nano-enhanced phase change materials for improved building performance

Lin

Sohel

2016

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews

161

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Nano-enhanced phase change materials (PCMs) have attracted increasing attention to address one of the key barriers (i.e. low thermal conductivity) to the wide adoption of PCMs in many industrial applications. This paper discusses the generic problem and key issues associated with appropriately using this new class of materials in buildings for effective thermal management and improved energy performance. An overview on major recent development and application of nano-enhanced PCMs as thermal energy storage media is provided. A case study based on a PCM ceiling ventilation system integrated with solar photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collectors is then performed to evaluate the potential benefits due to the dispersion of copper nanoparticles into the PCM base fluid of RT24. The results showed that this nano-enhanced PCM has higher melting and solidification rates than that of the pure PCM. Compared to the use of the pure PCM, 8.3% more heat was charged in and 25.1% more heat was discharged from the nano-enhanced PCM under the three winter test days. More research is needed to understand the fundamental mechanisms behind the PCM thermal conductivity enhancement through the dispersion of nanometer-sized materials and to investigate how these mechanisms drive building performance enhancement. Abstract: Nano-enhanced phase change materials (PCMs) have attracted increasing attention to address one of the key barriers (i.e. low thermal conductivity) to the wide adoption of PCMs in many industrial applications. This paper discusses the generic problem and key issues associated with appropriately using this new class of materials in buildings for effective thermal management and improved energy performance. An overview on major recent development and application of nano-enhanced PCMs as thermal energy storage media is provided. A case study based on a PCM ceiling ventilation system integrated with solar photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collectors is then performed to evaluate the potential benefits due to the dispersion of copper nanoparticles into the PCM base fluid of RT24. The results showed that this nano-enhanced PCM has higher melting and solidification rates than that of the pure PCM. Compared to the use of the pure PCM, 8.3% more heat was charged in and 25.1% more heat was discharged from the nano-enhanced PCM under the three winter test days. More research is needed to understand the fundamental mechanisms behind the PCM thermal conductivity enhancement through the dispersion of nanometer-sized materials and to investigate how these mechanisms drive building performance enhancement.

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Section: Numerical and Experimental Investigation On Thermodynamic Bementioning

confidence: 99%

Nano-enhanced phase change materials for improved building performance

Lin

Sohel

2016

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews

161

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“…A lot of research was conducted to decrease the charge time, adding a wire matrix on the tube [1], adding fins on the vertical wall [2], adding fins to the rectangle [3], using composite heat sinks [4], using two Phase Change Materials [5], inserting heat pipes [6], adding nanoparticles to the PCM [7,8], using encapsulated PCM [9], inserting matrix metal into the PCM [10], using two elliptical cylinders [11], and using porous media [12] being among them.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increased Melting Heat Transfer in the Latent Heat Energy Storage from the Tube-and-Shell Model to the Combine-and-Shell Model

Korawan

Soeparman

Wijayanti

et al. 2017

Modelling and Simulation in Engineering

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The melting of paraffin in thermal storage tube-and-shell and combine-and-shell models was conducted with the numerical research aim of decreasing the charge time through changing the shape of the tube into combining form. The results discussed are temperature contour, liquid-solid interface contour, temperature distribution, liquid fraction, and the average Nusselt number. The results show that the charge time in the tube-and-shell model is 2000 s, while the combine-and-shell model is 1200 s, meaning an overall decrease in charge time in the combine-and-shell model by 40% when compared to that of the tube-and-shell model.

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“…Unfortunately, the most used PCMs have low thermal conductivities (around 0.5 W/mK) affecting significantly the power density of the whole storage system. To date, many solutions have been proposed for overcoming these drawbacks: micro and macro PCM encapsulation, [4], use of nanoparticles, [5], [6], improvement of the solid phase thermal conductivity by using composite materials, [8], metallic PCM's [9] or heat pipes [10] and increase the heat transfer area by means of fins or extended surfaces [11] but also by having a large energy exchange surface by unit volume, [12]. The latest is the concept on which the storage prototype here considered is based.…”

Section: Description Of the Storagementioning

confidence: 99%

Pre-design of a Mini CSP Plant

et al. 2015

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The REELCOOP project funded by the European Union aims at developing and demonstrating three small scale solar electricity generating units with two of them using thermal power cycles and one using PV. The system described here includes parabolic trough collectors and an organic Rankine cycle (ORC), enhanced by a biogas boiler and a thermal storage. With a net aperture area of 979 m² the solar field supplies saturated steam at 170°C to the ORC which produces a nominal electrical output of 60 kW. Excess thermal energy will be stored in a novel vertical spiral plate heat exchanger with phase change material. Additionally a biogas boiler can deliver steam at the desired pressure to the ORC. Detailed planning of the hydraulic circuit is ongoing. Several components, mainly solar field and ORC, are under fabrication so that their construction on-site is expected for next winter, followed by commissioning envisaged for March 2015.

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Melting of PCM in a thermal energy storage unit: Numerical investigation and effect of nanoparticle enhancement

Cited by 150 publications

References 36 publications

Nano-enhanced phase change materials for improved building performance

Nano-enhanced phase change materials for improved building performance

Increased Melting Heat Transfer in the Latent Heat Energy Storage from the Tube-and-Shell Model to the Combine-and-Shell Model

Pre-design of a Mini CSP Plant

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