Investigation the thermal performance of Nano-Enhanced Phase Change Material (NEPCM) in an enclosure

Abstract

Phase change materials (PCMs) play a vital role in thermal energy storage applications, as they provide efficient and dependable heat storage and release capabilities. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the thermal performance of Nano-Enhanced Phase Change Material (NEPCM) in an enclosure, with a focus on the effect of temperature variation and the role of nanoparticles. Variable temperature regimes significantly influence the physical and thermal properties of the NEPCM, as revealed by numerical simulations. The enthalpy-porosity approach for the phase change process and the solution of the Navier-Stokes equations for fluid flow serve as the primary foundations for the numerical model that will be covered in this study. With only a single phase of user input, ANSYS facilitates the creation of three-dimensional models and solid geometry meshes. Notably, an increase in the temperature of the heat-supplying wall resulted in substantial changes to the NEPCM, which we have thoroughly investigated and quantified. It has been demonstrated that the incorporation of various nanoparticles (Al2O3, CuO, and ZnO) into paraffin enhances the heating process, thereby enhancing the thermal conductivity, heat transfer coefficient, and surface tension of the NEPCM. The three nanoparticles decrease the mass fraction of paraffin in the range of 0.00 to 0.960 at the same concentration and testing temperature. In addition, increasing nanoparticle concentration under higher temperature regimes resulted in a faster and more uniform nanoparticle synthesis, significantly enhancing the NEPCM's thermal performance. Particularly, as the temperature increased, the NEPCM near the wall melted more rapidly. The study reveals the crucial role that temperature plays in modulating the behavior and performance of NEPCM, thereby providing valuable insights for thermal management systems. These results demonstrate the significance of temperature control for maximizing the potential of NEPCM in a variety of applications. As the temperature rises, one side becomes covered in the blue color (solid), while in the standard case, the melting curve shows a little red region (melting) at the other side that starts to increase when the nanomaterial's are added.