Combined Effects of Eccentricity and Internal Fins on the Shell and Tube Latent Heat Storage Systems

Abstract

A numerical simulation study was performed on shell and tube configuration for latent heat storage applications where a Phase Change Material “PCM” - N-eicosane -was used to fill the shell side. The effects of smooth tube eccentricity from the shell center were investigated first, two values of eccentricity (ε=0.267, ε=0.533) were compared to the concentric case (ε=0). It was found out that increasing the eccentricity reduces the melting time by 5% and 10% for ε=0.267 and 0.533 respectively. Then the combined effects of eccentricity and attaching fins to the tube within the shell side were investigated for two fin types: straight rectangular fins and flipped triangular fins. The fin addition to the concentric tube reduced the melting time by about 36%, whereas combining the fins - of either type - to the tube of eccentricities of 0.267 and 0.533 reduced the melting by almost 41 % and 48% respectively, when compared to the smooth concentric tube case.