Experimental study on solidification of metal foam composite phase change material in a horizontal heat storage tube

doi:10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2022.0291

Abstract

Abstract:

Energy storage technology, particularly heat storage technology, can efficiently solve the intermittency issue of solar energy; thus, enhancing the quality and efficiency of the solar energy usage system. Stable energy flow output for the solar energy system is guaranteed upon this integration with the energy storage sections. A horizontal heat storage tank filled with paraffin and metal foam was designed to address the key problem of low thermal conductivity of phase change materials and low efficiency of heat storage/release systems. The solidification phase change behavior of paraffin-embedded metal foam was examined under the same heat storage condition (70.0 ℃) but at different cooling fluid temperatures (10.0 ℃, 15.0 ℃, 20.0 ℃, 25.0 ℃, and 30.0 ℃). The real-time position of the solidification front was captured by an HD camera, and the internal temperature response features during the solidification process were obtained from the measurements. The experimental findings revealed that the lower the temperature of the cold fluid, the faster the solidification rate. The total solidification time of paraffin was shortened by 52.0% when the cold fluid was 10.0 ℃ compared with the exothermic condition of 30.0 ℃. Although the axial position exerted little impact on the temperature development during the solidification process, the higher the vertical height of the measurement point at the same radial distance, the faster the temperature drop and the higher the temperature response rate. The temperature response rate of point 1a under cooling conditions of 10.0 ℃, 15.0 ℃, 20.0 ℃, 25.0 ℃, and 30.0 ℃ increased by 7.2%, 8.8%, 10.3%, 10.8%, and 11.7%, respectively, based on the temperature response value of point 1b. Providing guidance and help for the structural design and operation parameter selection of solid-liquid phase change applications, this study helps popularize the engineering application of heat storage tanks filled with metal foam.

Key words: solidification heat release, horizontal shell-and-tube heat exchanger, metal foam, temperature for heat transfer fluid, phase interface

CLC Number:

TK 124

Fan WANG, Zhao DU, Kang YANG, Xinyi WANG, Rukun HU, Xiaohu YANG. Experimental study on solidification of metal foam composite phase change material in a horizontal heat storage tube[J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2022, 11(11): 3667-3673.

Figures/Tables 6

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

References 19

1	喻彩梅, 章学来, 华维三. 十水硫酸钠相变储能材料研究进展[J]. 储能科学与技术, 2021, 10(3): 1016-1024.
	YU C M, ZHANG X L, HUA W S. Research progress of sodium sulfate decahydrate phase changematerial[J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2021, 10(3): 1016-1024.
2	王君雷, 徐祥贵, 孙通, 等. 一种螺旋翅片式相变储热单元的储热优化模拟[J]. 储能科学与技术, 2021, 10(2): 514-522.
	WANG J L, XU X G, SUN T, et al. Simulation of heat storage process in spiral fin phase change heat storage unit[J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2021, 10(2): 514-522.
3	盛鹏, 徐丽, 赵广耀, 等. 新型混合硝酸熔盐的制备及热物性研究[J]. 储能科学与技术, 2021, 10(1): 170-176.
	SHENG P, XU L, ZHAO G Y, et al. Preparation and thermophysical properties of novel mixed nitrate molten salts[J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2021, 10(1): 170-176.
4	王赛, 孙志高, 李娟, 等. 月桂酸/十四醇/二氧化硅定形相变材料的制备及性能研究[J]. 储能科学与技术, 2020, 9(6): 1768-1774.
	WANG S, SUN Z G, LI J, et al. Preparation and properties of lauric acid/tetradecanol/SiO₂ shape-stabilized phase change materials[J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2020, 9(6): 1768-1774.
5	杜昭, 阳康, 舒高, 等. 金属泡沫内石蜡固液相变蓄热/放热实验[J]. 储能科学与技术, 2022, 11(2): 531-537.
	DU Z, YANG K, SHU G, et al. Experimental study on the heat storage and release of the solid-liquid phase change in metal-foam-filled tube[J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2022, 11(2): 531-537.
6	万倩, 何露茜, 何正斌, 等. 泡沫铁/石蜡复合相变储能材料放热过程及其热量传递规律[J]. 储能科学与技术, 2020, 9(4): 1098-1104.
	WAN Q, HE L X, HE Z B, et al. Exothermic process and heat transfer of iron foam/paraffin composite phase change energy storage materials[J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2020, 9(4): 1098-1104.
7	徐众, 侯静, 万书权, 等. 金属泡沫/石蜡复合相变材料的制备及热性能研究[J]. 储能科学与技术, 2020, 9(1): 109-116.
	XU Z, HOU J, WAN S Q, et al. Preparation and thermal properties of metal foam/paraffin composite phase change materials[J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2020, 9(1): 109-116.
8	ZHANG P, MENG Z N, ZHU H, et al. Melting heat transfer characteristics of a composite phase change material fabricated by paraffin and metal foam[J]. Applied Energy, 2017, 185: 1971-1983.
9	杨佳霖, 杜小泽, 杨立军, 等. 泡沫金属强化石蜡相变蓄热过程可视化实验[J]. 化工学报, 2015, 66(2): 497-503.
	YANG J L, DU X Z, YANG L J, et al. Visualized experiment on dynamic thermal behavior of phase change material in metal foam[J]. CIESC Journal, 2015, 66(2): 497-503.
10	FERFERA R S, MADANI B. Thermal characterization of a heat exchanger equipped with a combined material of phase change material and metallic foams[J]. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2020, 148: doi:10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2019.119162.
11	WANG Z F, WU J N, LEI D Q, et al. Experimental study on latent thermal energy storage system with gradient porosity copper foam for mid-temperature solar energy application[J]. Applied Energy, 2020, 261: doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.114472.
12	TAO Y B, LIU Y K, HE Y L. Effects of PCM arrangement and natural convection on charging and discharging performance of shell-and-tube LHS unit[J]. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2017, 115: 99-107.
13	FENG S S, SHI M, LI Y F, et al. Pore-scale and volume-averaged numerical simulations of melting phase change heat transfer in finned metal foam[J]. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2015, 90: 838-847.
14	YAO Y P, WU H Y. Pore-scale simulation of melting process of paraffin with volume change in high porosity open-cell metal foam[J]. International Journal of Thermal Sciences, 2019, 138: 322-340.
15	李文强, 屈治国, 陶文铨. 金属泡沫内固-液相变数值模拟研究[J]. 工程热物理学报, 2013, 34(1): 141-144.
	LI W Q, QU Z G, TAO W Q. Numerical study of solid-liquid phase change in metallic foam[J]. Journal of Engineering Thermophysics, 2013, 34(1): 141-144.
16	ESAPOUR M, HAMZEHNEZHAD A, RABIENATAJ DARZI A A, et al. Melting and solidification of PCM embedded in porous metal foam in horizontal multi-tube heat storage system[J]. Energy Conversion and Management, 2018, 171: 398-410.
17	ZHANG P, MENG Z N, ZHU H, et al. Experimental and numerical study of heat transfer characteristics of a paraffin/metal foam composite PCM[J]. Energy Procedia, 2015, 75: 3091-3097.
18	ALHUSSENY A, AL-ZURFI N, NASSER A, et al. Impact of using a PCM-metal foam composite on charging/discharging process of bundled-tube LHTES units[J]. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2020, 150: doi: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2020.119320.
19	YANG X H, YU J B, GUO Z X, et al. Role of porous metal foam on the heat transfer enhancement for a thermal energy storage tube[J]. Applied Energy, 2019, 239: 142-156.

[1]	Zhao DU, Kang YANG, Gao SHU, Pan WEI, Xiaohu YANG. Experimental Study on the Heat Storage and Release of the Solid-Liquid Phase Change in Metal-Foam-Filled Tube [J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2022, 11(2): 531-537.
[2]	Jun ZHANG, Fengxia ZHAO, Zhao DU, Kang YANG, Yuanji LI, Xiaohu YANG. Influence of tank shape on heat storage performance： A numerical study [J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2022, 11(11): 3674-3680.
[3]	XU Zhong, HOU Jing, WAN Shuquan, LI Jun, WU Enhui, LIU Qianshu, GAN Xin. Preparation and thermal properties of metal foam/ paraffin composite phase change materials [J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2020, 9(1): 109-116.