Analysis of thermal energy storage with pcm in cylindrical container filled by porous medium

Thermal Energy Storage has a significant role in heat recovery systems and energy uses optimization. For the thermal energy storage applications, the Phase Change Materials (PCM) are the main elements in the system. Paraffin waxes are the common materials and also are preferred as the phase change material for the low temperature thermal energy storage systems; however, the paraffin as an organic material has low thermal conductivity and this feature has a notable effect on the thermal energy storage process. As a matter of fact, there are many ways to improve the thermal conductivity of these materials, such as adding the nanoparticles to the material, using the finned heaters, utilizing porous medium and etc. In this project the impact of the porous medium on the melting process inside a cylindrical container has been investigated. By adding the porous medium, average of the melting time of the Paraffin has been reduced approximately about 7% to 20 %, relating to the pure paraffin average melting time. In the following chapters, the temperature profiles of the process, inside the container, with and without porous medium, has been assessed. It has been observed that, the temperature gradient inside the porous medium during the melting procedure is considerably lower than pure paraffin condition. Basically, in this experimental study, during the melting process, the temperature profile along the container is examined. Consequently, the outcomes helped to obtain a useful information to perceive the heat transfer physic which led to a comprehensive conclusion, that the heat transfer at the beginning of the experiments is controlled by conduction. Afterward, by the mixture of the conduction and convection, the heat transfer is purely done by natural convection.