Thermal Behavior of Phase Change Material (PCM) Inside a Cavity: Numerical Approach

Abstract

In this study, the melting process and thermal behaviour of a PCM in the presence of an embedded U-shaped heat source was numerically investigated using the COMSOL-3D Multiphysics software. Two different cases were analyzed in this study. In the first case, a rectangular cavity filled with a paraffin phase change material and an embedded U-shaped heating source was analyzed. Paraffin was used because of its low melting point temperature which is approximately 32 °C. It was observed that the melting rate was around the heating source due to the low conductivity of the paraffin. In the second case, Bentonite and paraffin were used in four different combinations. It was observed that the heat transfer rate was higher for Bentonite than for paraffin. This is because Bentonite has higher thermal conductivity and a low heat capacity.