Thermal analysis of PCM containing heat exchanger enhanced with normal annular fines

Abstract

In this study, the effect of fins' height and Stefan number on performance of a shell and tube heat exchanger which contains a phase change material is investigated numerically and experimentally. Melting time, solidification time, liquid mass fraction, melting and solidification front and temperature distribution in different directions (longitudinal, radial and angular) are among criteria for the heat exchangers' comparison. In order to generalize the comparison, melting and solidification fronts are studied for different sections of the shell, fin section and mid-section, for different fins' height during charging and discharging processes. The results show that, these two parameters play important roles in the heat exchanger performance. Increasing Stefan number, the melting time reduces; which exhibits a descending trend in rate when the fins are heightened. In addition, investigating both processes, it can be figured out that increasing fins' height influences the solidification time more significantly than melting.