ANALYSIS OF TRANSIENT HEAT TRANSFER IN A THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE MODULE

The transient behavior of a thermal energy storage system was studied numerically. The storage system is composed of cylindrical tube containing the phase change material (PCM) surrounded by the heat transfer fluid (HTF) that flows along the axial direction of the tube. The melting of PCM was solved using specific heat capacity method. The heat transfer inside the tubes was analyzed by solving the energy equation, which was coupled with the heat conduction equation in the container wall. The velocity profile was obtained by solving the annular flow outside the tubes. The parameters that control the thermal behavior were identified. Several numerical simulations were performed to assess the effects of the Reynolds number on the heat transfer process of the system during the melting of a PCM.