Thermal Energy storage of phase change material

In summary, the student is looking for ideas on how to scope the project he intends to do for his final year engineering project. He is concerned about the difficulty in finding information on numerical simulation for melting of phase change materials. He is open to any ideas. He also asks for recommendations on books to read for literature review.
  • #1
anthro
4
0
Hi all you braniacs out there... I am a final year mechanical engineering student. I need to do a final year project on numerical simulation on melting of phase change material.. I will be required to make use of gambit and fluent CFD software of which i have no idea about... However currently, my main concern is to define a scope of the study which i intend to do.. It has got to do with the above topic... I will most probably require to do a study, modelling and numerical simulation on melting of PCM in a rectangular enclosure.

However, i am free to define a scope, such as maybe putting fins on the enclosure to increase the heat transfer rate and so on... I am quite void of ideas... Does anyone have any suggestions?? I am open to any ideas..

plus any recommendation for books that i could pick to do some literature review??

Thanks for letting me waste your time...
 
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  • #2
WEll other than ur heat transfer book u can ask ur university for Fluent tutorials provided by the manufacturer of the program they have EXACTLY the same problem ur trying to solve, a tutorial involving phase change :). As for ideas i think fins is a good idea, other ideas would be difficult to solve in FLuent especially that u can't use 2 different fluids.
 
  • #3
Anthro, there was a project in european 6th Marco Program called Distor that was to design, build and test a PCM heat exchanger for solar CSP plants (I was involved). Find a web related:
http://www.iberdrolaingenieria.com/ibding/contenido/documentacion/14.pdf
good luck
 
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  • #4
Oh like wow man deja vu to the max dude

I worked on a similar project in 1979/80!

It was a Jimmy Carter solar energy technology development grant looking at phase change materials in a hybrid (active & passive) solar energy device.

It was canceled by Reagan along with all the other solar research but I've always thought PCMs would one day find their application.

Anyone can do a finite element model these days. It's the boundary conditions, the inputs to your model that make things interesting. Look to your inputs for ideas for making this a useful project. Maybe two modes of heating, partially submerged with air on top or something. Invent something.

OIC a post indicating only one fluid at a time. But what if you used superposition and summed two simulations? The prof might like that.

The thing we were working on was a window replacement with the PCM tubes in the middle, and louvers on each side, reconfigured at dawn and dusk. Gather the heat of the sun in the day, heat the house at night. Maybe something like that.

Can you share any specs, i.e. size, form factor, temps, heat capacities, etc?
 
  • #5
Considering he was a final year engineering student 3 years ago, I think he probably already solved the problem.
 

1. What is thermal energy storage of phase change material (PCM)?

Thermal energy storage of phase change material refers to the process of storing thermal energy in the form of latent heat, which is released or absorbed when a material undergoes a phase change (such as solid to liquid or liquid to gas).

2. How does thermal energy storage of PCM work?

Thermal energy storage of PCM works by utilizing the latent heat of a material to store and release thermal energy. When the material absorbs heat, it undergoes a phase change and stores the thermal energy in the form of latent heat. When the material is cooled, it releases the stored thermal energy as it undergoes a reverse phase change.

3. What are the benefits of using PCM for thermal energy storage?

There are several benefits to using PCM for thermal energy storage, including high energy storage density, low cost, and the ability to store and release energy at a constant temperature. PCM can also be easily integrated into existing systems and can help reduce energy consumption and costs.

4. What are the different types of PCM used for thermal energy storage?

There are several types of PCM used for thermal energy storage, including organic, inorganic, and eutectic materials. Organic PCM, such as paraffin wax, have low melting points and are commonly used for low-temperature applications. Inorganic PCM, such as salt hydrates, have higher melting points and are suitable for high-temperature applications. Eutectic materials are a combination of organic and inorganic PCM, providing a wider range of melting points.

5. What are the potential applications of thermal energy storage using PCM?

Thermal energy storage using PCM has a wide range of potential applications, including in buildings for heating and cooling, in industrial processes for heat transfer and temperature control, and in renewable energy systems for storing excess energy. It can also be used in transportation, such as in electric vehicles, to improve energy efficiency and extend battery life.

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