Influence of copper foam on the heat transfer and temperature control characteristics of phase change materials under different force fields

doi:10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2025.0220

Abstract

Abstract:

Phase change material (PCM)-based latent heat storage cooling technology has broad applications in aerospace thermal management because of its high energy storage density and passive temperature regulation capability. Copper foam, which is commonly employed to enhance the thermal conductivity of PCMs, suppresses natural convection while improving heat transfer. Complex force fields, including hypergravity, microgravity, and variable acceleration induced by vehicle maneuvers, interact with this convection suppression and introduce uncertainties in the overall heat transfer enhancement effect. Herein, experiments were conducted to analyze the effects of copper foam on the heat transfer and temperature control performance of PCM under different force field conditions. The results indicated that under positive force fields, incorporating copper foam reduces the PCM melting time by up to 62.5% and extends the effective temperature control time by up to 153.4%. Under negative force fields, the melting enhancement effect of copper foam decreases as the force field intensity increases, and the temperature uniformity and late-stage effective temperature control time of composite phase change materials (CPCMs) slightly decrease compared with that of pure PCM. Notably, the addition of copper foam considerably improves the heat transfer stability of the phase change thermal control unit under complex force fields; the fluctuation amplitudes of the melting time and temperature control duration of CPCMs are reduced by 86.8% and 52.6%, respectively, compared with that of pure PCM. These findings provide valuable theoretical insights for the optimal design of phase change materials in aerospace thermal management systems under complex force field conditions.

Key words: copper foam, phase change materials, different force fields, heat transfer performance, heat transfer stability

CLC Number:

TK 11

Qifa GAO, Nan ZHANG, Zhaoli ZHANG, Yanxia DU, Yanping YUAN. Influence of copper foam on the heat transfer and temperature control characteristics of phase change materials under different force fields[J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2025, 14(9): 3301-3310.

Figures/Tables 12

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材料	物性参数	数值
泡沫铜	密度/(kg/m³)	8979
	比热容/[J/(kg·℃)]	381
	热导率/[W/(m·℃)]	401
石蜡	密度/(kg/m³)	850
	比热容/[J/(kg·℃)]	2000
	相变潜热/(J/kg)	179700
	相变区间/℃	39～50

外力条件	熔化增强比/%
-5g	2.8
-3g	10
-1g	21.6
0g	46.7
1g	57.1
3g	62.5
5g	61.8

相变材料	外力条件
相变材料	-5g	-3g	-1g	1g	3g	5g
PCM有效控温时间/s	2330	2280	1270	950	620	580
CPCM有效控温时间/s	2300	2260	2160	1790	1530	1470