Solidification in a water-saturated porous medium when convection is present (response of solid-liquid interface due to time-varying cooling temperature)

2006 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 294-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shigeo Kimura ◽  
Atsushi Okajima ◽  
Takahiro Kiwata ◽  
Takahiro Fusaoka
Author(s):  
Huijin Xu ◽  
Yan Wang ◽  
Xingchao Han

Purpose Phase change energy storage is an important solution for overcoming human energy crisis. This study aims to present an evaluation for the thermal performances of a phase change material (PCM) and a PCM–metal foam composite. Effects of pore size, pore density, thermal conductivity of solid structure and mushy region on the thermal storage process are examined. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, temperature, flow field and solid–liquid interface of a PCM with or without porous media were theoretically assessed. The influences of basic parameters on the melting process were analyzed. A PCM thermal storage device with a metal foam composite is designed and a thermodynamic analysis for it is conducted. The optimal PCM temperature and the optimal HTF temperature in the metal foam-enhanced thermal storage device are derived. Findings The results show that the solid–liquid interface of pure PCM is a line area and that of the mixture PCM is a mushy area. The natural convection in the melting liquid is intensive for a PCM without porous medium. The porous medium weakens the natural convection and makes the temperature field, flow field and solid–liquid interface distribution more homogeneous. The metal foam can greatly improve the heat storage rate of a PCM. Originality/value Thermal storage rate of a PCM is compared with that of a PCM–metal foam composite. A thermal analysis is performed on the multi-layered parallel-plate thermal storage device with a PCM embedded in a highly conductive porous medium, and an optimal melting temperature is obtained with the exergy optimization. The heat transfer enhancement with metal foams proved to be necessary for the thermal storage application.


2003 ◽  
Vol 107 ◽  
pp. 1057-1060
Author(s):  
M. Petrangeli Papini ◽  
A. Bianchi ◽  
P. Behra ◽  
M. Majone ◽  
M. Beccari

1986 ◽  
Vol 108 (3) ◽  
pp. 654-659 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Weaver ◽  
R. Viskanta

The paper reports on an experimental and analytical study of freezing of a liquid-saturated porous medium. Experiments have been performed in a cylindrical capsule cooled from the outside and oriented vertically and horizontally to obtain quantitative temperature distribution and fusion front motion and shape data. Different-size glass and aluminum spherical beads were used for the porous medium, and distilled water was used as the phase-change material. A mathematical model, based on a one-dimensional analysis which considered heat conduction as the only mode of heat transfer in both the solid and liquid regions, has been developed and sensitivity studies have been carried out. Comparison of experimental data with predictions of the solid–liquid interface position and temperature distribution shows good agreement and thus confirms the mathematical model for a system of glass beads and water. However, for a system of aluminum beads and water the thermophysical property model is inadequate, and agreement between predictions and data is relatively poor.


2020 ◽  
Vol 124 (5) ◽  
pp. 2987-2993
Author(s):  
Chi-Kuang Sun ◽  
Yi-Ting Yao ◽  
Chih-Chiang Shen ◽  
Mu-Han Ho ◽  
Tien-Chang Lu ◽  
...  

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