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Numerical study on melting and heat transfer characteristics of paraffin wax/ SiC paraffin using enthalpy-porosity model

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Abstract

The present numerical study addresses the buoyancy assisted transient two-dimensional early-stage heat transfer and melting process of PCM’s in a square enclosure. Two PCM materials are used namely pure paraffin wax and paraffin with 1 mass % fraction of SiC nano particles. The square enclosure walls are subjected to a constant temperature of 65 °C (Hot wall) and 27 °C (Cold wall) at bottom and top side, respectively, while remaining sides of the enclosure are perfectly insulated. A finite volume (FVM)-based Ansys fluent software along with enthalpy-porosity method is used to capture the phase change process from solid to liquid. The pressure–velocity coupling is performed by coupled scheme, while pressure correction is done by PRESTO method. The transient variation of PCM liquid fraction, temperature, velocity and enthalpy are plotted. The results obtained shows that a notable difference is confined between early melting stages of both paraffin and nano-enhanced paraffin materials. The close observation of velocity vectors clearly shows that the addition of SiC nanoparticles in pure paraffin improves the convective heat transfer rate with time. The addition of SiC nano particles in paraffin reduces the melting time of paraffin but contrary influence the uniformity in temperature distribution and heat transfer characteristics. The presence of SiC nanoparticles increases the liquid fraction and temperature rise by 33% as compared with pure paraffin.

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Abbreviations

V :

Fluid velocity (m s−1)

K t :

Thermal conductivity (W m−1 °C−1)

C p :

Specific heat at constant pressure (J kg−1 °C−1)

E s :

Specific enthalpy (J kg−1)

E sen :

Sensible enthalpy (J kg−1)

L h :

Latent heat (J kg−1)

S :

Momentum source term

E r :

Reference enthalpy (J kg−1)

T :

Temperature (°C)

T r :

Reference temperature (°C)

T h :

Hot wall temperature (°C)

T c :

Cold wall temperature (°C)

T sd :

Solidus temperature (°C)

T lq :

Liquidus temperature (°C)

T am :

Average melting temperature (°C)

T avg :

Area weighted average temperature (°C)

t :

Time (s)

H :

Height of the enclosure (mm)

Ra :

Rayleigh number

g :

Acceleration due to gravity (m s−2)

q wall :

Wall heat flux (W m−2)

M Z :

Mushy zone constant

PRESTO :

Pressure staggering option

PCM :

Phase change material

SiC :

Silicon carbide

P 1 :

Paraffin wax

P 2 :

Paraffin with 1% mass fraction of SiC

µ :

Dynamic viscosity (Pa.s)

ρ :

Density (kg m−3)

ω :

Constant

γ :

Thermal diffusivity (m2 s−1)

α :

Melted liquid fraction

\(\vartheta\) :

Kinematic viscosity (m2 s−1)

r:

Reference

h:

Hot

c:

Cold

sd:

Solidus

lq:

Liquidus

am:

Average melting

avg:

Average

s:

Specific

sen:

Sensible

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Acknowledgement

The author extends his appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia for funding this work through the Research Group Program under Grant No: RGP 2/26/43.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Khalid University, PO Box 394, Abha, 61421, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    C. Ahamed Saleel

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Correspondence to C. Ahamed Saleel.

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Saleel, C.A. Numerical study on melting and heat transfer characteristics of paraffin wax/ SiC paraffin using enthalpy-porosity model. J Therm Anal Calorim 147, 10497–10508 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-022-11265-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-022-11265-z

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