Thermal energy storage inside the chamber with a brick wall using the phase change process of paraffinic materials: A numerical simulation

Abstract

Phase change materials are one of the potential resources to replace fossil fuels in regards of supplying the energy of buildings. Basically, these materials absorb or release heat energy with the help of their latent heat. Phase change materials have low thermal conductivity and this makes it possible to use the physical properties of these materials in the tropical regions where the solar radiation is more direct and concentrated over a smaller area. In this theoretical work, an attempt has been made to study the melting process of these materials by applying constant heat flux and temperature. It was found that by increasing the thickness of phase change materials’ layers, due to the melting, more thermal energy is stored. Simultaneously it reduces the penetration of excessive heat into the chamber, so that by increasing the thickness of paraffin materials up to 20 mm, the rate of temperature reduction reaches more than 18%. It was also recognized that increasing the values of constant input heat flux increases buoyancy effects. Increasing the Stefan number from 0.1 to 0.3, increases the temperature by 6%.