The influence of flow modification on air and PCM temperatures in an accumulative heat exchanger

Abstract

The paper presents the influence of flow modification on the operation of an accumulative heat exchanger. This device can be used as a regenerator in ventilation and air supply systems. A heat exchanger uses ceresine (a mixture of paraffins) as a phase change material (PCM). The aim of this research was to determine the effect of flow modification on temperature distribution and pressure drops in the device. The introduction contains a short description of the test stand used, including the accumulative heat exchanger, the guide vanes, and the locations of measurement and control equipment. We found that additional objects limited vortex structures, increased the inside temperature, and dropped the pressure along the heat exchanger. Guidelines for further research are proposed and briefly discussed.