NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF ENHANCING LATENT HEAT STORAGE USING FINS AND CONDUCTIVE BARRIERS

Al-Shafai, Ahmed Atef; Abdel-Hadi, Eed Abdel-Hafez; Taher, Sherif Hadey; Salem, Mohamed Reda; Elmohlawy, Ashraf

doi:10.21608/auej.2025.332683.1727

NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF ENHANCING LATENT HEAT STORAGE USING FINS AND CONDUCTIVE BARRIERS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Mechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering at Shoubra, Benha University, 108 Shoubra St., 11629, Cairo, Egypt

² Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Al Baha University, 65527, Al Baha, Saudi Arabia

10.21608/auej.2025.332683.1727

Abstract

This study conducts a numerical investigation into the performance of a Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage System (LHTESS), analyzing various configurations and operational parameters to identify optimal strategies for enhancing thermal performance. The study specifically focuses on the impact of different configurations of separation barriers attached to semicircular tubes, both finned and non-finned, in conjunction with varying Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) temperatures. The results reveal that higher HTF temperatures significantly improve thermal effectiveness, with 85°C achieving a 90% melting fraction in just 79 minutes, compared to only 28% at 65°C. Additionally, incorporating conducting fins reduces charging times by 40%, improving heat transfer and temperature distribution within the Phase Change Material (PCM). Full conducting barriers also enhance both melting fractions and overall performance, particularly in designs with complete barriers. Furthermore, the combination of fins and barriers results in substantial improvements, with Case 2C showing the highest effectiveness at 45.5%. These findings offer valuable insights into the future design and application of LHTESS, advancing the development of more efficient energy management solutions.

Keywords