Effect of fins in enhancing phase change material fusion in a spherical thermal energy storage container

Abstract

Abstract The increased depletion of fossil fuels needs alternatives like solar energy to address daily demands. However, solar energy is intermittent, hence it is integrated with thermal energy storage (TES) systems. Phase change materials (PCM) are used in TES systems, but they suffer from meagre thermal conductivity, leading to less fusion. This study enhances PCM fusion using four different cases, namely, case 1 (without fins), case 2 (with two fins placed near the top), case 3 (with two fins placed near the bottom), and case 4 (with two fins placed near the top and bottom), respectively. The study is done with heat transfer fluid (HTF) temperature at 70 °C and 75 °C with a 30 LPH flow rate. Case 4 displayed a melting time reduction of 34%, and 47.7% when compared with case 1. It is also found with high thermal efficiency and effectiveness. The results indicate that case 4 is effective in expediting fusion and enhancing storage performance due to optimal fin placement, hence suggested for solar applications.