Thermal Analysis of Mobile Thermal Battery with Aluminum Mesh Subjected to Solar-Concentrated Heating

Abstract

AbstractSolar thermal heating analysis of a tube in the presence of metallic meshes, resembling the mobile thermal battery, is carried out. The influence of metallic meshes on the heat-transfer rates inside the tube is examined in detail. Structured aluminum meshes are incorporated into the tube while stagnant water is assumed as the working fluid inside the tube. Numerical analysis using the control-volume approach is incorporated to solve the governing equations of heat transfer and fluid flow inside the tube. The dimensionless temperature parameter is introduced to quantify the excessive local heating inside the tube with and without meshes under the solar-concentrated irradiation. It is found that aluminum meshes act like a conduction tree and enhance the heat-transfer rates in water inside the tube. The local excessive heating and large temperature difference are avoided inside the tube when the aluminum meshes are used inside the tube. The influence of natural convection current on the heat-transfer...