Enhancing the thermal performance of PCM in a shell and tube latent heat energy storage system by utilizing innovative fins

Al-Mudhafar, Ahmed H.N.; Nowakowski, Andrzej; Nicolleau, F.

doi:10.1016/j.egyr.2021.02.034

Cited by 77 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…The nanoparticles and the space between the fins do not have an effective effect on improving the performance, but the inclination of the annular fins has a remarkable effect on improving the performance of the LHSS. Al-Mudhafar et al (2021) numerically studied the effect of the added fin shape on the shell and tube exchanger on the heat properties of a LHS for the charging and discharging states of the PCM. Three fin shapes, namely, longitudinal fins, T-shaped fins and tree-shaped fins, are tested for the performance of LHSS.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Fin Shape on Thermal Performance Enhancement of PCM-Based Low-Grade Heat Harnessing Exchanger

Jaffal¹,

Jaleel²

2022

Frontiers in Heat and Mass Transfer

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The phase change material (PCM)-based low-grade heat harnessing exchanger is used to study the recovering wasted energy from grey water. This experimental study investigated the effect of fin shape on improving the thermal performance of a PCM-based low-grade heat harnessing exchanger. Three heat exchangers of equal dimensions, namely, finless, inclined finned and V-shaped finned heat exchangers, were manufactured and tested in a container containing the PCM. A finless heat exchanger was adopted as a base case to demonstrate the improvement of heat transfer by using fins. The finless heat exchanger consists of two serpentine tubes where the cold water and grey water flow in a counter flow arrangement. A series of experimental tests was conducted for the three exchangers with similar operational conditions for both PCM process (melting and solidification). Compared with the finless heat exchanger, the results show that the addition of the fins remarkably enhances the heat transfer between the heat exchanger and PCM in the two processes. The inclined fins are superior than the V-shaped fins in enhancing thermal performance. Compared with the finless heat exchanger, the heat transfer improvement in melting process is reached about 187.49% and 149.88% for heat exchanger with the inclined and V-shaped fins, respectively. The reduction in the solidification time is approximately 3 times higher than the reduction in the melting time for inclined fins and approximately 2.85 times for the V-shaped fins. Increasing the mass flow rates of grey water and cold water accelerates the melting and solidification of the PCM, and this acceleration is obvious in solidification.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Fin Shape on Thermal Performance Enhancement of PCM-Based Low-Grade Heat Harnessing Exchanger

Jaffal¹,

Jaleel²

2022

Frontiers in Heat and Mass Transfer

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“…The shell and tube thermal exchanger combined with extended surfaces is an ideal case because of the high heat transfer performance, its simple design, and its easier combination in applications. This unit is based on the PCM's position and the number and location of tubes, which are also categorized into several types, including pipe, cylinder, and multi-tube [46]. In the tube mode, the PCM is inside the tube and the HTF flows over the external wall.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural Convection Effect on Solidification Enhancement in a Multi-Tube Latent Heat Storage System: Effect of Tubes’ Arrangement

et al. 2021

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The solidification process in a multi-tube latent heat energy system is affected by the natural convection and the arrangement of heat exchanger tubes, which changes the buoyancy effect as well. In the current work, the effect of the arrangement of the tubes in a multi-tube heat exchanger was examined during the solidification process with the focus on the natural convection effects inside the phase change material (PCM). The behavior of the system was numerically analyzed using liquid fraction and energy released, as well as temperature, velocity and streamline profiles for different studied cases. The arrangement of the tubes, considering seven pipes in the symmetrical condition, are assumed at different positions in the system, including uniform distribution of the tubes as well as non-uniform distribution, i.e., tubes concentrated at the bottom, middle and the top of the PCM shell. The model was first validated compared with previous experimental work from the literature. The results show that the heat rate removal from the PCM after 16 h was 52.89 W (max) and 14.85 W (min) for the cases of uniform tube distribution and tubes concentrated at the bottom, respectively, for the proposed dimensions of the heat exchanger. The heat rate removal of the system with uniform tube distribution increases when the distance between the tubes and top of the shell reduces, and increased equal to 68.75 W due to natural convection effect. The heat release rate also reduces by increasing the temperature the tubes. The heat removal rate increases by 7.5%, and 23.7% when the temperature increases from 10 °C to 15 °C and 20 °C, respectively. This paper reveals that specific consideration to the arrangement of the tubes should be made to enhance the heat recovery process attending natural convection effects in phase change heat storage systems.

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“…Recently, energy storage units have achieved a level with a high influence and application in utilized technology [1]. Energy storage systems can be helpful by saving waste energy and releasing it to reduce the consumption of the national grid [2,3]. Thermal energy storage (TES) is a type of energy storage which stores and release heat during the melting and solidification period of the applied phase change materials.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The shell and tube thermal exchanger treated with fins or extended surfaces is considered an ideal case due to the high heat transfer efficiency, simple design and easier connection to applications. Such a system depends on the type and the location of the PCM, and the number and places of heat transfer fluid (HTF) channels, which are likewise classified into various forms: pipe, cylinder, and multi-tube [2]. In a cavity form, Ghalambaz et al [41] investigated the flow and heat transfer of PCMs in the presence of a magnetic field.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Solidification Enhancement in a Multi-Tube Latent Heat Storage System for Efficient and Economical Production: Effect of Number, Position and Temperature of the Tubes

Mahdi

Mohammed

et al. 2021

Nanomaterials

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Thermal energy storage is an important component in energy units to decrease the gap between energy supply and demand. Free convection and the locations of the tubes carrying the heat-transfer fluid (HTF) have a significant influence on both the energy discharging potential and the buoyancy effect during the solidification mode. In the present study, the impact of the tube position was examined during the discharging process. Liquid-fraction evolution and energy removal rate with thermo-fluid contour profiles were used to examine the performance of the unit. Heat exchanger tubes are proposed with different numbers and positions in the unit for various cases including uniform and non-uniform tubes distribution. The results show that moving the HTF tubes to medium positions along the vertical direction is relatively better for enhancing the solidification of PCM with multiple HTF tubes. Repositioning of the HTF tubes on the left side of the unit can slightly improve the heat removal rate by about 0.2 in the case of p5-u-1 and decreases by 1.6% in the case of p5-u-2. It was found also that increasing the distance between the tubes in the vertical direction has a detrimental effect on the PCM solidification mode. Replacing the HTF tubes on the left side of the unit negatively reduces the heat removal rate by about 1.2 and 4.4%, respectively. Further, decreasing the HTF temperature from 15 °C to 10 and 5 °C can increase the heat removal rate by around 7 and 16%, respectively. This paper indicates that the specific concern to the HTF tube arrangement should be made to improve the discharging process attending free convection impact in phase change heat storage.

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Enhancing the thermal performance of PCM in a shell and tube latent heat energy storage system by utilizing innovative fins

Cited by 77 publications

References 7 publications

Effect of Fin Shape on Thermal Performance Enhancement of PCM-Based Low-Grade Heat Harnessing Exchanger

Effect of Fin Shape on Thermal Performance Enhancement of PCM-Based Low-Grade Heat Harnessing Exchanger

Natural Convection Effect on Solidification Enhancement in a Multi-Tube Latent Heat Storage System: Effect of Tubes’ Arrangement

Solidification Enhancement in a Multi-Tube Latent Heat Storage System for Efficient and Economical Production: Effect of Number, Position and Temperature of the Tubes

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