Numerical simulation of latent heat storage with conductance enhancing fins

Abstract

Precise understanding of heat transfer processes inside the latent thermal energy storage exposed to different initial and boundary conditions is crucial for development of optimized design and operating features of similar devices. The paper presents 3D numerical study of phase change material heat storage in the shape of vertical cylinder reservoir with axially placed heat source/sink equipped with variable number of conductance enhancing longitudinal rectangular fins. As the principally important observed is the case of vertically variable heat flux supplied to the phase change material during the melting process. The numerical modeling is based on the physical model of the process and is being carried out by Fluent software that uses finite volume method for solving continuity, momentum and energy equations. The coupling between pressure and velocity is based on the Semi- Implicit Pressure- Linked Equation (SIMPLE) algorithm. The results of numerical simulations are verified through the comparison with the own experimental results. Exemplary results for characteristic heat storage geometries and boundary conditions are presented and analyzed in the paper.