Enhancement of ice formation around vertical finned tubes for cold storage applications

Abstract

This paper reports the results of an experimental investigation on the solidification of phase change material (PCM) around a vertical finned tube. The objective is to assess the enhancing effects of the geometrical and operational parameters on the phase change process. The number of fins, fin width, tube wall temperature and mass flow rate of the working fluid were varied and their effects on the phase change parameters were discussed. It is found that the decrease of the tube wall temperature, the increase of the number of fins and width of fins increase the interface position, velocity, solidified mass and reduce the time for complete solidification. The variation of the mass flow rate of the working fluid showed relatively small effects. The study highlights the relative merits of the finned tubes and points out as new contributions the optimum number of fins and the optimum fin width.