Search results

1 – 10 of over 4000
Article
Publication date: 29 April 2022

Mojtaba Fadaei, Mohsen Izadi, Ehsanolah Assareh and Ali Ershadi

This study aims to evaluate the melting process of the phase-change RT-35 material in a shell and tube heat exchanger saturated with a porous medium. Titanium porous media with…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate the melting process of the phase-change RT-35 material in a shell and tube heat exchanger saturated with a porous medium. Titanium porous media with isotropic and inhomogeneous structures are studied. The considered tubes in the shell and tube exchanger are made of copper with specific thicknesses. The phase-change material has a non-Newtonian behavior and follows the endorsed Carreau–Yasuda Model.

Design/methodology/approach

The enthalpy–porosity method is used for modeling of the melting process. The governing equations were transferred to their dimensionless forms. Finally, the equations are solved by applying the Galerkin finite element method.

Findings

The findings for different values of the relative permeability (K*) and permeability deviation angle (λ) are represented in the forms of charts, streamlines and constant temperature contours. The considerable effects of the relative permeability (K*) and deviation angle (λ) on the flow line patterns of the melting phase-change material are some of the significant achievements of this works.

Originality/value

This study was conducted using data from relevant research articles provided by reputable academic sources. The data included in this manuscript have not been published previously and are not under consideration by any other journal.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 32 no. 12
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 November 2019

Mohammad Ghalambaz, Kasra Ayoubi Ayoubloo and Ahmad Hajjar

This paper aims to investigate melting heat transfer of a non-Newtonian phase change material (PCM) in a cylindrical enclosure-space between two tubes using a deformed mesh method.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate melting heat transfer of a non-Newtonian phase change material (PCM) in a cylindrical enclosure-space between two tubes using a deformed mesh method.

Design/methodology/approach

Metal foam porous layers support the inner and outer walls of the enclosure. The porous layers and clear space of the enclosure are filled with PCM. The natural convection effects during the phase change are taken into account, and the governing equations for the molten region and solid region of the enclosure are introduced. The governing equations are transformed into non-dimensional form and then solved using finite element method. The results are compared with the literary works and found in good agreement. The non-Newtonian effects on the phase change heat transfer and melting front are studied.

Findings

The results show that the increase of non-Newtonian effects (the decrease of the power-law index) enhances the heat melting process in the cavity at the moderate times of phase change heat transfer. The temperature gradients in porous metal foam over the hot wall are small, and hence, the porous layer notably increases the melting rate. When the melting front reaches the cold porous layer, strong non-linear behaviors of the melting front can be observed.

Originality/value

The phase change heat transfer of non-Newtonian fluid in a cylindrical enclosure partially filled with metal foams is addressed for the first time.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 30 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 June 2019

Amin Samimi Behbahan, Aminreza Noghrehabadi, C.P. Wong, Ioan Pop and Morteza Behbahani-Nejad

The purpose of this paper is to study thermal performance of metal foam/phase change materials composite under the influence of the enclosure aspect ratios (ratio of enclosure…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study thermal performance of metal foam/phase change materials composite under the influence of the enclosure aspect ratios (ratio of enclosure height: length). In this study, a compound metal foam/phase change material (PCM), which has been proved to be one of the most promising approaches for thermal conductivity promotion on PCMs, was used.

Design/methodology/approach

The PCM is considered initially at its melting temperature. The enclosure for all the cases has a constant volume with various aspect ratios. The left side of the enclosure is suddenly exposed to a thermal source having a constant heat flux, while the other three surfaces are kept thermally insulated. A two-dimensional numerical model considering the non-equilibrium thermal factor, non-Darcy effect and local natural convection was proposed. The coupling between velocity and pressure is solved using the SIMPLEC, and the Rhie and Chow interpolation is used to avoid the checker-board solutions for the pressure.

Findings

The effects of foam porosity and aspect ratio of the enclosure on the PCM’s melting time were investigated. The results indicated that enclosure aspect ratio plays a fundamental role in phase change of copper foam/PCM composites. For higher porosities, enclosures with bigger aspect ratios proved to led to optimal melting time. Besides, the best enclosure aspect ratio and foam porosity for a fixed-volume enclosure to have the shortest melting time are 2.1 and 91.66 per cent, respectively. However, for a specific amount of PCM inside a variable volume enclosure, the optimal melting time was for foam with ε = 95 per cent. The achieved results prove the great importance of selection of aspect ratio to benefit both conduction and convection heat transfer simultaneously.

Originality/value

The area of energy storage systems is original.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 29 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 May 2016

V R Voller

– The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how anomalous diffusion behaviors can be manifest in physically realizable phase change systems.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how anomalous diffusion behaviors can be manifest in physically realizable phase change systems.

Design/methodology/approach

In the presence of heterogeneity the exponent in the diffusion time scale can become anomalous, exhibiting values that differ from the expected value of 1/2. Here the author investigates, through directed numerical simulation, the two-dimensional melting of a phase change material (PCM) contained in a pattern of cavities separated by a non-PCM matrix. Under normal circumstances we would expect that the progress of melting F(t) would exhibit the normal diffusion time exponent, i.e., Ft1/2. The author’s intention is to investigate what features of the PCM cavity pattern might induce anomalous phase change, where the progress of melting has a time exponent different from n=1/2.

Findings

When the PCM cavity pattern has an internal length scale, i.e., when there is a sub-domain pattern which, when reproduced, gives us the full domain pattern, the direct simulation recovers the normal ∼t1/2 phase change behavior. When, however, there is no internal length scale, e.g., the pattern is a truncated fractal, an anomalous super diffusive behavior results with melting going as t n; n > 1/2. By studying a range of related fractal patterns, the author is able to relate the observed sub-diffusive exponent to the cavity pattern’s fractal dimension. The author also shows, how the observed behavior can be modeled with a non-local fractional diffusion treatment and how sub-diffusion phase change behavior (Ft n; n < 1/2) results when the phase change nature of the materials in the cavity and matrix are inverted.

Research limitations/implications

Although the results clearly demonstrate under what circumstances anomalous phase change behavior can be practically produced, the question of an exact theoretical relationship between the cavity pattern geometry and the observed anomalous time exponent is not known.

Practical implications

The clear role of the influence of heterogeneity on heat flow behavior is illustrated. Suggesting that modeling heat and fluid flow in heterogeneous systems requires careful consideration.

Originality/value

The novel direct simulation of melting in a two-dimensional PCM cavity pattern provides a clear illustration of anomalous behavior in a classic heat and fluid flow system and by extension provides motivation to continue the numerical investigation of anomalous and non-local behaviors and fractional calculus tools.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 26 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 June 2019

Huijin Xu, Yan Wang and Xingchao Han

Phase change energy storage is an important solution for overcoming human energy crisis. This study aims to present an evaluation for the thermal performances of a phase change

Abstract

Purpose

Phase change energy storage is an important solution for overcoming human energy crisis. This study aims to present an evaluation for the thermal performances of a phase change material (PCM) and a PCM–metal foam composite. Effects of pore size, pore density, thermal conductivity of solid structure and mushy region on the thermal storage process are examined.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, temperature, flow field and solid–liquid interface of a PCM with or without porous media were theoretically assessed. The influences of basic parameters on the melting process were analyzed. A PCM thermal storage device with a metal foam composite is designed and a thermodynamic analysis for it is conducted. The optimal PCM temperature and the optimal HTF temperature in the metal foam-enhanced thermal storage device are derived.

Findings

The results show that the solid–liquid interface of pure PCM is a line area and that of the mixture PCM is a mushy area. The natural convection in the melting liquid is intensive for a PCM without porous medium. The porous medium weakens the natural convection and makes the temperature field, flow field and solid–liquid interface distribution more homogeneous. The metal foam can greatly improve the heat storage rate of a PCM.

Originality/value

Thermal storage rate of a PCM is compared with that of a PCM–metal foam composite. A thermal analysis is performed on the multi-layered parallel-plate thermal storage device with a PCM embedded in a highly conductive porous medium, and an optimal melting temperature is obtained with the exergy optimization. The heat transfer enhancement with metal foams proved to be necessary for the thermal storage application.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 30 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2014

Jean Batina, Serge Blancher and Tarik Kouskou

Mathematical and numerical models are developed to study the melting of a Phase Change Material (PCM) inside a 2D cavity. The bottom of the cell is heated at constant and uniform…

Abstract

Purpose

Mathematical and numerical models are developed to study the melting of a Phase Change Material (PCM) inside a 2D cavity. The bottom of the cell is heated at constant and uniform temperature or heat flux, assuming that the rest of the cavity is completely adiabatic. The paper used suitable numerical methods to follow the interface temporal evolution with a good accuracy. The purpose of this paper is to show how the evolution of the latent energy absorbed to melt the PCM depends on the temperature imposed on the lower wall of the cavity.

Design/methodology/approach

The problem is written with non-homogeneous boundary conditions. Momentum and energy equations are numerically solved in space by a spectral collocation method especially oriented to this situation. A Crank-Nicolson scheme permits the resolution in time.

Findings

The results clearly show the evolution of multicellular regime during the process of fusion and the kinetics of phase change depends on the boundary condition imposed on the bottom cell wall. Thus the charge and discharge processes in energy storage cells can be controlled by varying the temperature in the cell PCM. Substantial modifications of the thermal convective heat and mass transfer are highlighted during the transient regime. This model is particularly suitable to follow with a good accuracy the evolution of the solid/liquid interface in the process of storage/release energy.

Research limitations/implications

The time-dependent physical properties that induce non-linear coupled unsteady terms in Navier-Stokes and energy equations are not taken into account in the present model. The present model is actually extended to these coupled situations. This problem requires smoother geometries. One can try to palliate this disadvantage by constructing smoother approximations of non-smooth geometries. The augmentation of polynomials developments orders increases strongly the computing time. When the external heat flux or temperature imposed at the PCM is much greater than the temperature of the PCM fusion, one must choose carefully some data to assume the algorithms convergence.

Practical implications

Among the areas where this work can be used, are: buildings where the PCM are used in insulation and passive cooling; thermal energy storage, the PCM stores energy by changing phase, solid to liquid (fusion); cooling and transport of foodstuffs or pharmaceutical or medical sensitive products, the PCM is used in the food industry, pharmaceutical and medical, to minimize temperature variations of food, drug or sensitive materials; and the textile industry, PCM materials in the textile industry are used in microcapsules placed inside textile fibres. The PCM intervene to regulate heat transfer between the body and the outside.

Originality/value

The paper's originality is reflected in the precision of its results, due to the use of a high-accuracy numerical approximation based on collocation spectral methods, and the choice of Chebyshev polynomials basis in both axial and radial directions.

Article
Publication date: 19 June 2007

Marcela Cruchaga and Diego Celentano

This work is devoted to the experimental analysis, numerical modelling and validation of ice melting processes.

Abstract

Purpose

This work is devoted to the experimental analysis, numerical modelling and validation of ice melting processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The thermally coupled incompressible Navier‐Stokes equations including water density inversion and isothermal phasechange phenomena are assumed as the governing equations of the problem. A fixed‐mesh finite element formulation is proposed for the numerical solution of such model. In particular, this formulation is applied to the analysis of two different transient problems.

Findings

The numerical results computed with the finite element formulation have been found to be very similar to the corresponding predictions, also obtained in this study, provided by a finite volume enthalpy‐based technique. Both numerical results, in turn, satisfactorily approached the available experimental measurements expressly conducted in the context of this work for validation purposes.

Research limitations/implications

They are mainly due to some model simplifications (e.g. no volume changes are considered during the solid‐liquid transformation) and to the inherent difficulties associated with the experimental measurements.

Practical implications

This study may be relevant for a better understanding of the phenomena occurring in different engineering applications involving phasechange in water: food freezing, ice formation in pipes, freezing/melting processes in soils, ice growth in plane wings, etc.

Originality/value

The study is mainly focused on the validation of the numerical predictions obtained with the finite element formulation mentioned above with other results provided by a well‐known finite volume technique and, in addition, with available laboratory measurements carried out in the context of this work.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 17 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 July 2023

Hakan F. Oztop, Muhammed Gür, Fatih Selimefendigil and Hakan Coşanay

The purpose of this study is to do a numerical analysis of the jet to a body filled with phase change material (PCM). The melting of the PCM filled body was investigated by the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to do a numerical analysis of the jet to a body filled with phase change material (PCM). The melting of the PCM filled body was investigated by the hot jet flow. Four different values of the Reynolds number were taken, ranging from 5 × 103 = Re = 12.5 103. Water, Al2O3 1%, Al2O3 2% and hybrid nanofluid (HNF; Al2O3–Ag mixture) were used as fluid types and the effects of fluid type on melting were investigated. At 60 °C, the jet stream was impinged on the PCM filled body at different Reynolds numbers.

Design/methodology/approach

Two-dimensional analysis of melting of PCM inserted A block via impinging turbulent slot jet is numerically studied. Governing equations for turbulent flow are solved by using the finite element method via analysis and system fluent R2020.

Findings

The obtained results showed that the best melting occurred when the Reynolds number increased and the HNF was used. However, the impacts of using alumina-water nanofluid were slight. At Re = 12,500, phase completion time was reduced by about 13.77% when HNF was used while this was only 3.93% with water + alumina nanofluid as compared to using only water at Re = 5,000. In future studies, HNF concentrations will change the type of nanoenhanced PCMs. In addition, the geometry and jet parameters of the PCM-filled cube can be changed.

Originality/value

Effects of impinging jet onto PCM filled block and control of melting via impinging hot jet of PCM. Thus, novelty of the work is to control of melting in a block by impinging hot jet and nanoparticles.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 33 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 2014

Ahmad Ali Rabienataj Darzi, Mousa Farhadi, Mahmoud Jourabian and Yousef Vazifeshenas

The aim of this study is to apply an enthalpy-based lattice Boltzmann method with multi distribution function model, to investigate melting process with natural convection inside…

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to apply an enthalpy-based lattice Boltzmann method with multi distribution function model, to investigate melting process with natural convection inside a cavity with an obstacle. The cavity is filled with water (ice)-based nanofluid containing copper nanoparticles.

Design/methodology/approach

This methodology eliminates the requirement of satisfying conditions at the phase change front. The combination of lattice D2Q9 and D2Q5 models is implemented to determine the density, velocity and temperature fields. The simulations are carried out for Rayleigh number of 105, various volume fractions of the nanoparticles and various positions of the cubic obstacle.

Findings

The predicated results demonstrate that the use of nanoparticles leads to enhancement of thermal conductivity of nano-enhanced phase change materials in comparison with conventional PCMs. When the position of the obstacle changes from the top to the bottom of the cavity the melting rate increases 75 percent. The numerical study indicates that by increasing the solid concentration from 0 to 0.04, the heat release enhances 52.7, 41.2 and 30 percent when the obstacle is located on the top, middle and bottom sections of the cavity, respectively. It is also observed that, the employment of nanoparticles is more effective when the heat conduction dominates.

Originality/value

The main unacceptable property of most PCMs is their low thermal conductivity, and hence, heat transfer enhancement using nanofluid will be useful for thermal energy storage applications.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 24 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 March 2024

Hakan F. Oztop, Burak Kiyak and Ishak Gökhan Aksoy

This study aims to focus on understanding how different jet angles and Reynolds numbers influence the phase change materials’ (PCMs) melting process and their capacity to store…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to focus on understanding how different jet angles and Reynolds numbers influence the phase change materials’ (PCMs) melting process and their capacity to store energy. This approach is intended to offer novel insights into enhancing thermal energy storage systems, particularly for applications where heat transfer efficiency and energy storage are critical.

Design/methodology/approach

The research involved an experimental and numerical analysis of PCM with a melting temperature range of 22 °C–26°C under various conditions. Three different jet angles (45°, 90° and 135°) and two container angles (45° and 90°) were tested. Additionally, two different Reynolds numbers (2,235 and 4,470) were used to explore the effects of jet outlet velocities on PCM melting behaviour. The study used a circular container and analysed the melting process using the hot air inclined jet impingement (HAIJI) method.

Findings

The obtained results showed that the average temperature for the last time step at Ф = 90° and Re = 4,470 is 6.26% higher for Ф = 135° and 14.23% higher for Ф = 90° compared with the 45° jet angle. It is also observed that the jet angle, especially for Ф = 90°, is a much more important factor in energy storage than the Reynolds number. In other words, the jet angle can be used as a passive control parameter for energy storage.

Originality/value

This study offers a novel perspective on the effective storage of waste heat transferred with air, such as exhaust gases. It provides valuable insights into the role of jet inclination angles and Reynolds numbers in optimizing the melting and energy storage performance of PCMs, which can be crucial for enhancing the efficiency of thermal energy storage systems.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 4000