Thermal Performance Analysis of Nanoparticles Enhanced Phase Change Material (NEPCM) in Cold Thermal Energy Storage (CTES)

Abstract

Consideration on energy on energy saving in cooling has been voiced out lately. Cold Thermal Energy Storage (CTES) incorporating with phase change material (PCM)play an important role in cooling system as latent heat storage. Nevertheless, the nature of poor thermal conductivity and supercooling phenomena of PCM are the drawbacks that degrade the efficiency of CTES. A numerical and experimental work on phase change of PCM after dispersed with various types of nanoparticles is presented in this study. Nanoparticles with high thermal conductivity properties could be a good additive to enhance the thermal performance of PCM in latent heat thermal energy storage. The phase change rate of paraffin wax as PCM dispersed with three types of nanoparticles: Alumina (Al₂O₃), Copper oxide (CuO) and Zinc Oxide (ZnO) in a 25mm × 25mm square enclosure and the effect of heating side of the wall and the concentration of nanoparticles dispersed in PCM were investigated. ANSYS Workbench 17.0 that included mesh generation tools and FLUENT software was used to run the simulation. Enthalpy porosity method was applied in this numerical study. Results shown that heat transfer rate was improved by adding low volume fraction of nanoparticles. Heating from the side wall of the enclose has better melting rate than heating from below.