A Numerical Investigation of a Melting Rate Enhancement inside a Thermal Energy Storage System of Finned Heat Pipe with Nano-Enhanced Phase Change Material

Abstract

Thermal energy storage via the use of latent heat and phase transition materials is a popular technology in energy storage systems. It is vital to research different thermal enhancement techniques to further improve phase transition materials’ weak thermal conductivity in these systems. This work addresses the creation of a basic shell and a tube thermal storage device with wavy outer walls. Then, two key methods for thermal augmentation are discussed: fins and the use of a nano-enhanced phase change material (NePCM). Using the enthalpy–porosity methodology, a numerical model is developed to highlight the viability of designing such a model utilizing reduced assumptions, both for engineering considerations and real-time predictive control methods. Different concentrations of copper nanoparticles (0, 2, and 4 vol%) and wavenumbers (4,6 and 8) are investigated in order to obtain the best heat transmission and acceleration of the melting process. The time required to reach total melting in the studied TES system is reduced by 14% and 31% in the examined TES system, respectively, when NePCM (4 vol% nanoparticles) and N = 8 are used instead of pure PCM and N = 4. The finding from this investigation could be used to design a shell-and-tube base thermal energy storage unit.