Phase change process of nanoparticle enhanced PCM in a heat storage including unsteady conduction

Abstract

Thermal energy release process during solidification of water has been simulated in current investigation. Time-linked equation was solved via Galerkin approach and automatic time step has been considered. To augment thermal characteristics, NEPCM has been fabricated by embedding copper oxide in to water. Low deviation with experimental data confirms the accuracy of current code. With reduce of concentration of nanomaterial, process prolonged and higher temperature of domain has been reported. Selecting greater shape factor yields to stronger conduction mode which can result unit with lower solidification time. There was an approximate 1.34% reduction in discharging time with augment of shape factor and such percentage reaches to 4.6% for nanomaterial with 0.04 volume fraction. There is reducing tendency in time of solidification with augment of concentration of nanomaterial and outputs showed that 14.39% reduction for platelet CuO nano powders. Energy released reduces as time augments due to reduction in mass of liquid phase. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.