Numerical heat transfer studies of a latent heat storage system containing nano-enhanced phase change material

Abstract

The heat transfer enhancement in the latent heat thermal energy storage system through dispersion of nanoparticle is reported. The resulting nanoparticle-enhanced phase change materials (NEPCM) exhibit enhanced thermal conductivity in comparison to the base material. The effects of nanoparticle volume fraction and some other parameters such as natural convection are studied in terms of solid fraction and the shape of the solid-liquid phase front. It has been found that higher nanoparticle volume fraction result in a larger solid fraction. The present results illustrate that the suspended nanoparticles substantially increase the heat transfer rate and also the nanofluid heat transfer rate increases with an increase in the nanoparticles volume fraction. The increase of the heat release rate of the NEPCM shows its great potential for diverse thermal energy storage application.