Effect of Metal Foam Material Type and Porosity Pattern on Melting and Flow Dynamics in a Vertical Rectangular Cavity

Öz

Phase change materials have an important role in the field of energy storage. However, due to their low thermal conductivity, transferring applied heat to the entire system is difficult. It negatively affects the lack of use of the systems. Researchers are investigating many applications to prevent this and increase the thermal conductivity of the system. One of these methods is the application of metal foam (MF) embedded inside the phase change material (PCM) in the system. This study investigated the melting and natural convection characteristics of a 2D-designed rectangular cavity, and copper and aluminum MFs were placed inside this cavity, which was separated into two equal compartments. The porosity of these MFs was ɛ=0.90 and 0.95, and their proximity to the heat source was examined. The Brinkman-Forchheimer extended Darcy model was used in the cases solved based on the finite volume and enthalpy-porosity method. The results showed that RC4 is the case that shows the fastest melting performance, and the solid-liquid interface is not affected by natural convection. Increasing the porosity from ɛ=0.90 to 0.95 caused natural convection to occur. In these parameters, natural convection increases the thermal resistance and makes it difficult to transfer heat to unmelted phase change materials. It was determined that RC1 is the case that shows the fastest melting after RC4. The melting times of RC4 in Section 1 (S1) and Section 2 (S2) are 2.5 and 1.4 times faster than RC1, respectively. Besides, the placement of MF and porosity significantly affected the Nusselt number (Nu). The average Nu of RC4 is higher than that of RC1, and RC5 at the rate of 34.4% and 48.4%, respectively. As melting progressed, a stationary region was formed in the center of the cavity due to melted PCM moving upward from the hot wall to the cold section.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Different metal foam
• Heat transfer enhancement
• Latent heat thermal energy storage
• Melting
• Phase change material

Dikey Dikdörtgen Bir Boşlukta Metal Köpük Malzeme Tipi ve Gözeneklilik Deseninin Erime ve Akış Dinamikleri Üzerindeki Etkisi

Öz

Faz değişim malzemeleri enerji depolama alanında önemli bir role sahiptir. Ancak düşük ısıl iletkenlikleri nedeniyle uygulanan ısının tüm sisteme aktarılması zordur. Sistemlerin kullanılmamasını olumsuz yönde etkiler. Araştırmacılar bunu önlemek ve sistemin ısıl iletkenliğini artırmak için birçok uygulama araştırmaktadır. Bu yöntemlerden biri de sistemdeki faz değişim malzemesinin (PCM) içine gömülmüş metal köpük (MF) uygulamasıdır. Bu çalışmada iki boyutlu tasarlanmış dikdörtgen bir boşluğun erime ve doğal taşınım karakteristikleri incelenmiş olup, bu boşluğa iki eşit bölmeye ayrılmış bakır ve alüminyum MF'ler yerleştirilmiştir. Bu MF'lerin gözenekliliği ɛ=0,90 ve 0,95 olup ısı kaynağına yakınlıkları incelenmiştir. Sonlu hacim ve entalpi-gözeneklilik yöntemine göre çözülen vakalarda Brinkman-Forchheimer genişletilmiş Darcy modeli kullanılmıştır. Sonuçlar, RC4'ün en hızlı erime performansını gösteren durum olduğunu ve katı-sıvı arayüzünün doğal taşınımdan etkilenmediğini göstermiştir. Gözenekliliğin ɛ=0,90'dan 0,95'e çıkarılması doğal taşınımın oluşmasına neden olmuştur. Bu parametrelerde doğal taşınım ısıl direnci artırarak erimemiş faz değişim malzemelerine ısı transferini zorlaştırmaktadır. RC4'ten sonra en hızlı erimeyi gösteren durumun RC1 olduğu belirlenmiştir. Kesit 1 (S1) ve Kesit 2'deki (S2) RC4'ün erime süreleri sırasıyla RC1'den 2,5 ve 1,4 kat daha hızlıdır. Ayrıca, MF'nin yerleştirilmesi ve gözeneklilik Nusselt sayısını (Nu) önemli ölçüde etkilemiştir. RC4'ün ortalama Nu değeri RC1'den %34,4 ve RC5'ten %48,4 oranında daha yüksektir. Erime ilerledikçe erimiş PCM'nin sıcak duvardan soğuk bölüme doğru yukarı doğru hareket etmesi nedeniyle boşluğun merkezinde durağan bir bölge oluşmuştur.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Farklı gözenekli yapı
• Isı transfer iyileştirmesi
• Gizli ısı termal enerji depolama
• Erime
• Faz değiştiren madde

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