Thermal performance enhancement of paraffin wax with AL2O3 and CuO nanoparticles - A numerical study

Abstract

The heat transfer enhancement of paraffin wax, a cheap and widely used latent heat thermal energy storage material, using nanoparticles is investigated. The effects of nanoparticle volume fraction on both the melting and solidification rates of paraffin wax are analysed and compared for Al2O3 and CuO nanoparticles. Present results show that dispersing nanoparticles in smaller volumetric fractions increase the heat transfer rate. The enhancement in thermal performance of paraffin wax is greater for Al2O3 compared with that for CuO nanoparticles.