Abstract
Effect of natural convection during the melting process of capric acid-based multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT/CA) thermal energy storage system has been investigated experimentally. The temperature variations of phase change material were measured during the charging process. Effects of Stefan number and Fourier number on Nusselt number, as well as energy and exergy of the storage medium for different vol. fractions of MWCNT/CA-based phase change material, have been analysed and compared during charging process. Furthermore, the present work also extends to evaluate the thermophysical properties, i.e. thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity in liquid and solid phase of MWCNT/CA-based PCM by T-history method. Results revealed that the melting time for 0.02% vol. fraction of MWCNT/CA-based PCM is 66.66% lower compared to pure capric acid PCM. The thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity of 0.02% MWCNT/CA-based PCM obtained higher value than other samples in liquid and solid phases. Rayleigh number justified that natural convection heating process occurred within the TES system. Furthermore, the energy and exergy of 0.02% vol. fraction-based MWCNT/CA storage medium achieved 61.9% and 70.92% maximum values than pure CA phase change material, respectively. Therefore, 0.02% vol. fraction of MWCNT/CA could be suitable nanoenhanced phase change material for thermal energy storage systems.
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