LTES with PCM and metal foam in convergent and divergent shell and tube configurations assuming external heat loss
Thermal energy storage (TES) systems have become highly relevant due to the need to cut carbon emissions, and one of the most promising TES systems is the latent heat one (LTES) based on phase change materials (PCMs). However, the low thermal conductivity and poor heat transfer capabilities of PCMs...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Science Talks |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772569325000283 |
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| author | Renato Elpidio Plomitallo Bernardo Buonomo Oronzio Manca Sergio Nardini Giulia Righetti Simone Mancin |
| author_facet | Renato Elpidio Plomitallo Bernardo Buonomo Oronzio Manca Sergio Nardini Giulia Righetti Simone Mancin |
| author_sort | Renato Elpidio Plomitallo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Thermal energy storage (TES) systems have become highly relevant due to the need to cut carbon emissions, and one of the most promising TES systems is the latent heat one (LTES) based on phase change materials (PCMs). However, the low thermal conductivity and poor heat transfer capabilities of PCMs limit their performance. The LTES, which in this study incorporate phase change materials (PCMs) and metal foams, offer key benefits over traditional sensible heat storage options. The inclusion of metal foams increases the thermal conductivity of PCMs. This research examines a vertical shell-and-tube setup with a non-uniform internal tube cross-section, considering two different configurations: convergent internal tube and divergent one. It is also considered an inclination angle variation of the internal tube. In addition, it is made the assumption of external heat losses on the lateral surface. Heat transfer and phase change processes are analyzed using the Brinkman-Forchheimer-extended Darcy model and the enthalpy-porosity approach. The numerical solutions are performed through Ansys-Fluent. Findings indicate that LTES systems using metal foam and PCM have improved heat transfer, particularly in configurations with converging tube sections. Although higher heat loss during the melting, the convergent configuration has the faster melting time at each inclination angle. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b1a65b8c65d64273a24b09cd6a7b68c2 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2772-5693 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Science Talks |
| spelling | doaj-art-b1a65b8c65d64273a24b09cd6a7b68c22025-08-20T03:26:39ZengElsevierScience Talks2772-56932025-06-011410044610.1016/j.sctalk.2025.100446LTES with PCM and metal foam in convergent and divergent shell and tube configurations assuming external heat lossRenato Elpidio Plomitallo0Bernardo Buonomo1Oronzio Manca2Sergio Nardini3Giulia Righetti4Simone Mancin5Dipartimento di Tecnica e Gestione dei Sistemi Industriali, Stradella S. Nicola 3, 36100 Vicenza, Italy; Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, via Roma 29, 81031 Aversa, Italy; Corresponding author at: Dipartimento di Tecnica e Gestione dei Sistemi Industriali, Università degli Studi di Padova, Stradella S. Nicola 3, 36100 Vicenza, Italy.Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, via Roma 29, 81031 Aversa, ItalyDipartimento di Ingegneria, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, via Roma 29, 81031 Aversa, ItalyDipartimento di Ingegneria, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, via Roma 29, 81031 Aversa, ItalyDipartimento di Tecnica e Gestione dei Sistemi Industriali, Stradella S. Nicola 3, 36100 Vicenza, ItalyDipartimento di Tecnica e Gestione dei Sistemi Industriali, Stradella S. Nicola 3, 36100 Vicenza, ItalyThermal energy storage (TES) systems have become highly relevant due to the need to cut carbon emissions, and one of the most promising TES systems is the latent heat one (LTES) based on phase change materials (PCMs). However, the low thermal conductivity and poor heat transfer capabilities of PCMs limit their performance. The LTES, which in this study incorporate phase change materials (PCMs) and metal foams, offer key benefits over traditional sensible heat storage options. The inclusion of metal foams increases the thermal conductivity of PCMs. This research examines a vertical shell-and-tube setup with a non-uniform internal tube cross-section, considering two different configurations: convergent internal tube and divergent one. It is also considered an inclination angle variation of the internal tube. In addition, it is made the assumption of external heat losses on the lateral surface. Heat transfer and phase change processes are analyzed using the Brinkman-Forchheimer-extended Darcy model and the enthalpy-porosity approach. The numerical solutions are performed through Ansys-Fluent. Findings indicate that LTES systems using metal foam and PCM have improved heat transfer, particularly in configurations with converging tube sections. Although higher heat loss during the melting, the convergent configuration has the faster melting time at each inclination angle.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772569325000283Thermal energy storagePhase change materialMetal foamheat transfer |
| spellingShingle | Renato Elpidio Plomitallo Bernardo Buonomo Oronzio Manca Sergio Nardini Giulia Righetti Simone Mancin LTES with PCM and metal foam in convergent and divergent shell and tube configurations assuming external heat loss Science Talks Thermal energy storage Phase change material Metal foam heat transfer |
| title | LTES with PCM and metal foam in convergent and divergent shell and tube configurations assuming external heat loss |
| title_full | LTES with PCM and metal foam in convergent and divergent shell and tube configurations assuming external heat loss |
| title_fullStr | LTES with PCM and metal foam in convergent and divergent shell and tube configurations assuming external heat loss |
| title_full_unstemmed | LTES with PCM and metal foam in convergent and divergent shell and tube configurations assuming external heat loss |
| title_short | LTES with PCM and metal foam in convergent and divergent shell and tube configurations assuming external heat loss |
| title_sort | ltes with pcm and metal foam in convergent and divergent shell and tube configurations assuming external heat loss |
| topic | Thermal energy storage Phase change material Metal foam heat transfer |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772569325000283 |
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