The thermal behaviour of a special heat exchanger filled with the phase change material dedicated for low – temperature storage applications

Abstract

The work deals with an experimental and theoretical analysis of a special heat exchanger filled with the PCM (Phase Change Material) mixture of paraffin wax capsuled in the melamine-formaldehyde membrane and water, dedicated to low-temperature storage applications. In the first part of the article, the PCM topic was introduced. The next part consists information about the designed and manufactured special heat exchanger with the PCM. During the experiment as a PCM is utilized mixture of paraffin wax in microcapsules within the water. The experimental results of temperature distributions and stored energy in the heat exchanger were compared with the theoretical model proposed in the literature. In the discussion section, the authors describe a new idea of the PCM storage tank application, which could be applied e.g. in nuclear facilities.

Numerical Model of Heat Pipes as an Optimization Method of Heat Exchangers

“…On the other hand, the authors of [18][19][20][21][22] numerically investigate the processes taking place in heat pipes for specific applications and for individual processes taking place inside heat pipes, where similar processes can be observed to those observed in this publication. In turn, the authors of the works [23][24][25] investigate the basic processes of heat exchange also taking place in heat pipes and look at these processes on the example of heat storage. In turn, Fydrych [26] discussed heat exchange processes in cryogenic conditions for which heat pipes can be an ideal application.…”

The Use of Capsuled Paraffin Wax in Low-Temperature Thermal Energy Storage Applications: An Experimental and Numerical Investigation

“…In Section 1, it was mentioned that the tested PCM is dedicated to working in a special storage heat exchanger/tank [38,39]. It was decided that the PCM, due to the design of the heat exchanger, should be studied in a cylindrical system for the conditions most similar to those in which it will be operated later.…”

“…This container unit filled with PCM has to operate with a system named a Flower Shape Oscillating Heat Pipe (FSOHP), which was described in detail by Czajkowski et al in [36] and it has also been patented in [37] by Pietrowicz et al Thus, an integral element in the innovative system for cooling mixed substances is a special exchanger that contains the PCM described and studied in this paper. The operational parameters of the exchanger have been defined and described by Ochman and Pietrowicz in [38], and have also been patented by Pietrowicz et al [39]. What is important, due to the required technological process, PCMs are expected to store the "cold" energy in the range of 4 • C to 6 • C. The paraffin wax, due to its thermodynamic and functional properties, is a pertinent candidate for this novel system, as it was mentioned.…”