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Article
Numerical Study for Enhancing the Thermal Conductivity of Phase Change Material (PCM) Storage using High Thermal Conductivity Porous Matrix
Energy Conversion and Management
  • Osama Mesalam Mesalhy, University of Dayton
  • Khalid Lafdi, University of Dayton
  • Ahmed Elgafy, University of Dayton
  • Keith Bowman, University of Dayton
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-1-2005
Abstract

In this paper, the melting process inside an irregular geometry filled with high thermal conductivity porous matrix saturated with phase change material PCM is investigated numerically. The numerical model is resting on solving the volume averaged conservation equations for mass, momentum and energy with phase change (melting) in the porous medium. The convection motion of the liquid phase inside the porous matrix is solved considering the Darcy, Brinkman and Forchiemer effects. A local thermal non-equilibrium assumption is considered due to the large difference in thermal properties between the solid matrix and PCM by applying a two energy equation model. The numerical code shows good agreement for pure PCM melting with another published numerical work. Through this study it is found that the presence of the porous matrix has a great effect on the heat transfer and melting rate of the PCM energy storage. Decreasing the porosity of the matrix increases the melting rate, but it also damps the convection motion. It is also found that the best technique to enhance the response of the PCM storage is to use a solid matrix with high porosity and high thermal conductivity.

Inclusive pages
847–867
ISBN/ISSN
0196-8904
Publisher
Elsevier
Peer Reviewed
Yes
Citation Information
Osama Mesalam Mesalhy, Khalid Lafdi, Ahmed Elgafy and Keith Bowman. "Numerical Study for Enhancing the Thermal Conductivity of Phase Change Material (PCM) Storage using High Thermal Conductivity Porous Matrix" Energy Conversion and Management Vol. 46 Iss. 6 (2005)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/khalid_lafdi/75/