IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v362y2024ics0306261924003842.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Three-dimensional topology-optimized structures for enhanced low-temperature thermal energy storage

Author

Listed:
  • Lum, L.Y.X.
  • Wong, T.N.
  • Ho, J.Y.
  • Leong, K.C.

Abstract

In this study, a three-dimensional topologically-optimized structure was developed to enhance the thermal energy storage performance of low-temperature phase change materials. The topology of the structure employed in the thermal energy storage device was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics by maximizing heat diffusion in a design domain with a constant temperature plate and adiabatic boundary conditions. The optimized thermal energy storage device was additively manufactured, and its thermal performance was experimentally characterized and compared against two conventional structures as baselines, viz., a plate fin and a pin fin structure. For the first time, this study seeks to determine the sole influence of fin topology on thermal energy storage performance by designing the fins with the same physical parameters, viz., surface area, volume, base plate size, and material. The fin structure volumes were set at approximately 5% of the simulated domain volume and were fabricated by Selective Laser Melting, a metal additive manufacturing technique. The fin structures were experimentally tested under three different constant plate temperatures (65 °C, 70 °C, and 75 °C) using two different phase change materials (RT35 and PEG1000). Their performances were evaluated by comparing the total charging time, melt fraction, and base plate temperature. Our results show that the topology of the optimized fin structure can reduce charging times by up to 9.1% when a constant plate temperature of 65 °C is applied. The topology of the optimized fins also achieved base plate temperatures that were up to 4 °C lower than conventional fins while having a more uniform distribution of heat to the phase change material within the housing. Additionally, by fixing the critical physical parameters of the fin structures, this work also shows that the fin topology plays a significant role in enhancing the melting performance of thermal storage devices.

Suggested Citation

  • Lum, L.Y.X. & Wong, T.N. & Ho, J.Y. & Leong, K.C., 2024. "Three-dimensional topology-optimized structures for enhanced low-temperature thermal energy storage," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 362(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:362:y:2024:i:c:s0306261924003842
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.123001
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261924003842
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.123001?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jegadheeswaran, S. & Pohekar, Sanjay D., 2009. "Performance enhancement in latent heat thermal storage system: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(9), pages 2225-2244, December.
    2. Mahdi, Jasim M. & Nsofor, Emmanuel C., 2018. "Solidification enhancement of PCM in a triplex-tube thermal energy storage system with nanoparticles and fins," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 975-986.
    3. Mahmoud, Saad & Tang, Aaron & Toh, Chin & AL-Dadah, Raya & Soo, Sein Leung, 2013. "Experimental investigation of inserts configurations and PCM type on the thermal performance of PCM based heat sinks," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 1349-1356.
    4. Sharma, Atul & Tyagi, V.V. & Chen, C.R. & Buddhi, D., 2009. "Review on thermal energy storage with phase change materials and applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 318-345, February.
    5. See, Y.S. & Ho, J.Y. & Leong, K.C. & Wong, T.N., 2022. "Experimental investigation of a topology-optimized phase change heat sink optimized for natural convection," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).
    6. Tafone, Alessio & Borri, Emiliano & Cabeza, Luisa F. & Romagnoli, Alessandro, 2021. "Innovative cryogenic Phase Change Material (PCM) based cold thermal energy storage for Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES) – Numerical dynamic modelling and experimental study of a packed bed unit," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    7. Qin, Zhen & Ji, Chenzhen & Low, Zheng Hua & Tong, Wei & Wu, Chenlong & Duan, Fei, 2022. "Geometry effect of phase change material container on waste heat recovery enhancement," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 327(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Idris Al Siyabi & Sourav Khanna & Tapas Mallick & Senthilarasu Sundaram, 2018. "Multiple Phase Change Material (PCM) Configuration for PCM-Based Heat Sinks—An Experimental Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-14, June.
    2. Ibrahim, Nasiru I. & Al-Sulaiman, Fahad A. & Rahman, Saidur & Yilbas, Bekir S. & Sahin, Ahmet Z., 2017. "Heat transfer enhancement of phase change materials for thermal energy storage applications: A critical review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 26-50.
    3. Soares, N. & Gaspar, A.R. & Santos, P. & Costa, J.J., 2015. "Experimental study of the heat transfer through a vertical stack of rectangular cavities filled with phase change materials," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 192-205.
    4. Sharif, M.K. Anuar & Al-Abidi, A.A. & Mat, S. & Sopian, K. & Ruslan, M.H. & Sulaiman, M.Y. & Rosli, M.A.M., 2015. "Review of the application of phase change material for heating and domestic hot water systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 557-568.
    5. Li, Huiqiang & Chen, Huisu & Li, Xiangyu & Sanjayan, Jay G., 2014. "Development of thermal energy storage composites and prevention of PCM leakage," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 225-233.
    6. Sardari, Pouyan Talebizadeh & Mohammed, Hayder I. & Giddings, Donald & walker, Gavin S. & Gillott, Mark & Grant, David, 2019. "Numerical study of a multiple-segment metal foam-PCM latent heat storage unit: Effect of porosity, pore density and location of heat source," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    7. Qiu, Xiaolin & Li, Wei & Song, Guolin & Chu, Xiaodong & Tang, Guoyi, 2012. "Microencapsulated n-octadecane with different methylmethacrylate-based copolymer shells as phase change materials for thermal energy storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 188-199.
    8. Zhang, Guozhu & Cao, Ziming & Xiao, Suguang & Guo, Yimu & Li, Chenglin, 2022. "A promising technology of cold energy storage using phase change materials to cool tunnels with geothermal hazards," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    9. Xu, Ben & Li, Peiwen & Chan, Cholik, 2015. "Application of phase change materials for thermal energy storage in concentrated solar thermal power plants: A review to recent developments," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 286-307.
    10. Salunkhe, Pramod B. & Shembekar, Prashant S., 2012. "A review on effect of phase change material encapsulation on the thermal performance of a system," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(8), pages 5603-5616.
    11. Abdelsalam, M.Y. & Teamah, H.M. & Lightstone, M.F. & Cotton, J.S., 2020. "Hybrid thermal energy storage with phase change materials for solar domestic hot water applications: Direct versus indirect heat exchange systems," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(P1), pages 77-88.
    12. Pereira da Cunha, Jose & Eames, Philip, 2016. "Thermal energy storage for low and medium temperature applications using phase change materials – A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 227-238.
    13. Zhang, P. & Xiao, X. & Ma, Z.W., 2016. "A review of the composite phase change materials: Fabrication, characterization, mathematical modeling and application to performance enhancement," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 472-510.
    14. Mohamed, Shamseldin A. & Al-Sulaiman, Fahad A. & Ibrahim, Nasiru I. & Zahir, Md. Hasan & Al-Ahmed, Amir & Saidur, R. & Yılbaş, B.S. & Sahin, A.Z., 2017. "A review on current status and challenges of inorganic phase change materials for thermal energy storage systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 1072-1089.
    15. Pirasaci, Tolga & Wickramaratne, Chatura & Moloney, Francesca & Yogi Goswami, D. & Stefanakos, Elias, 2017. "Dynamics of phase change in a vertical PCM capsule in the presence of radiation at high temperatures," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 498-506.
    16. Murray, Robynne E. & Groulx, Dominic, 2014. "Experimental study of the phase change and energy characteristics inside a cylindrical latent heat energy storage system: Part 2 simultaneous charging and discharging," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 724-734.
    17. Li, C. & Wang, R.Z., 2012. "Building integrated energy storage opportunities in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(8), pages 6191-6211.
    18. Pandiyarajan, V. & Chinnappandian, M. & Raghavan, V. & Velraj, R., 2011. "Second law analysis of a diesel engine waste heat recovery with a combined sensible and latent heat storage system," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(10), pages 6011-6020, October.
    19. Murray, Robynne E. & Groulx, Dominic, 2014. "Experimental study of the phase change and energy characteristics inside a cylindrical latent heat energy storage system: Part 1 consecutive charging and discharging," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 571-581.
    20. Rao, Zhonghao & Wang, Shuangfeng, 2011. "A review of power battery thermal energy management," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(9), pages 4554-4571.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:362:y:2024:i:c:s0306261924003842. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.