Abstract
In the present study, a numerical investigation is performed to understand the flow and heat transfer characteristics of hybrid nano-enhanced phase change material in a heat exchanger. A heat exchanger of cylindrical cross-section is considered for the analysis. Paraffin wax (RT50) is considered as the phase change material (PCM) into which SWCNT-MgO hybrid spherical nanoparticles are dispersed. The parametric study is performed by varying the Nusselt number and heat transfer coefficient over a wide range of nano-particle volume fractions and different temperatures. The melting and heat transfer characteristics of the phase change material are investigated using ANSYS Fluent V.20.0. The problem is modeled as an unsteady, two-dimensional incompressible flow, considering the effects of melting and solidification. This study has identified that the melting rate of the PCM was significantly influenced by varying the particle volume fraction and temperature of the inner fluid. The transient melting behavior of the PCM is investigated by plotting contours of temperature distribution.
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