Abstract
The relatively high storage density and negligible temperature stratification of phase-changing materials (PCMs) facilitate their application as storage modules for managing the mismatch between energy generation and consumption. The poor heat diffusivity of these materials limits their storage effectiveness, and therefore employing efficient thermal enhancers is required. This study examines the fin-aided foam strip as a hybrid enhancer for overcoming the relatively low thermal response of erythritol as PCM in a triple-pipe containment system. Four different enhancement additives, including porous foam, graphene nanoparticles, longitudinal fins, and foam strips within the same volume limitations, were compared and tested via applying an experimentally validated simulation model to verify the functionality of the proposed thermal enhancers. The results show that the inclusion of full foam, fin arrays, and fin-assisted foam strips substantially enhances the solidifying behaviour of PCM as compared to the inclusion of nanoparticles alone. The solidifying time can be decreased by 60.8 %, 63.2 %, and 77.3 %, while the recovery rate can be increased by 152.9, 171.6 %, and 340.1 %, respectively. The results also suggest that increasing the length of strips while decreasing their thickness can further enhance the thermal response of PCM for solidification within the same volume limitations.
•Fin-assisted foam strip as new enhancer for energy recovery in PCM was introduced.•Solidification of PCM was numerically simulated and validated via previous research.•Role of foam strips as compared to full foam, fin array, and nanoparticles was revealed.•Fin-assisted foam strips provided the highest solidifying and energy recovery rates.