IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v297y2024ics0360544224009666.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Energy storage, thermal-hydraulic, and thermodynamic characteristics of a latent thermal energy storage system with 180-degree bifurcated fractal fins

Author

Listed:
  • Hong, Yuxiang
  • Cheng, Zihao
  • Li, Qing
  • Du, Juan

Abstract

The low thermal conductivity of organic phase change materials limits the performance of latent thermal energy storage (TES) systems. Inspired by fractal theory, this study proposes an innovative 180° fractal fin for enhancing the thermal performance of latent TES systems. The effects of length ratios (l) and fractal levels (N) are numerically investigated employing the enthalpy-porosity method. Compared with traditional rectangular fins, the results indicate that the 180° fractal fins reduce the integral average value of the maximum velocity by 2.24%–48.51%, which indicates the suppression of natural convection by the latter. Increasing l and N result in a general increase in melting time. Compared to the TES systems without fins and with rectangular fins, the 180° fractal fins can respectively reduce melting time by up to 88.79% and 28.00%, increase integral average Nusselt number by up to 7.30 times and 34.21%, and enhance energy storage power by a maximum of 8.55 times and 38.71%. Moreover, flow viscous entropy generation can be neglected compared to thermal entropy generation. In contrast to rectangular fins, the employment of fractal fins leads to a maximum reduction of 90.06% and 99.10% in total frictional entropy generation and thermal entropy generation, respectively.

Suggested Citation

  • Hong, Yuxiang & Cheng, Zihao & Li, Qing & Du, Juan, 2024. "Energy storage, thermal-hydraulic, and thermodynamic characteristics of a latent thermal energy storage system with 180-degree bifurcated fractal fins," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 297(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:297:y:2024:i:c:s0360544224009666
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2024.131193
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544224009666
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2024.131193?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. Mathew, Adarsh Abi & Thangavel, Venugopal, 2021. "A novel thermal energy storage integrated evacuated tube heat pipe solar dryer for agricultural products: Performance and economic evaluation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 1674-1693.
    2. Zhang, Ji & Cao, Zhi & Huang, Sheng & Huang, Xiaohui & Liang, Kun & Yang, Yan & Zhang, Haoran & Tian, Mi & Akrami, Mohammad & Wen, Chuang, 2022. "Improving the melting performance of phase change materials using novel fins and nanoparticles in tubular energy storage systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 322(C).
    3. Mao, Qianjun & Hu, Xinlei & Li, Tao, 2022. "Study on heat storage performance of a novel vertical shell and multi-finned tube tank," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 76-88.
    4. Liu, Zhan & Liu, Zihui & Liu, Gang & Yang, Xiaohu & Yan, Jinyue, 2022. "Melting assessment on the effect of nonuniform Y-shaped fin upon solid–liquid phase change in a thermal storage tank," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 321(C).
    5. Tavakoli, Ali & Farzaneh-Gord, Mahmood & Ebrahimi-Moghadam, Amir, 2023. "Using internal sinusoidal fins and phase change material for performance enhancement of thermal energy storage systems: Heat transfer and entropy generation analyses," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 222-237.
    6. Zhao, Chunrong & Sun, Yubiao & Wang, Ji & Hooman, Kamel, 2022. "The applicability of volume-averaging method to simulate melting in a multi-scaled periodic structure," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    7. Zhang, Chengbin & Li, Jie & Chen, Yongping, 2020. "Improving the energy discharging performance of a latent heat storage (LHS) unit using fractal-tree-shaped fins," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    8. Huang, Yongping & Liu, Xiangdong, 2021. "Charging and discharging enhancement of a vertical latent heat storage unit by fractal tree-shaped fins," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 199-217.
    9. Sciacovelli, A. & Gagliardi, F. & Verda, V., 2015. "Maximization of performance of a PCM latent heat storage system with innovative fins," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 707-715.
    10. Abdi, Amir & Martin, Viktoria & Chiu, Justin N.W., 2019. "Numerical investigation of melting in a cavity with vertically oriented fins," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C), pages 1027-1040.
    11. Zhu, Rongsheng & Jing, Dalei, 2024. "Numerical study on the discharging performance of a latent heat thermal energy storage system with fractal tree-shaped convergent fins," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    12. Yang, Xiaohu & Yu, Jiabang & Xiao, Tian & Hu, Zehuan & He, Ya-Ling, 2020. "Design and operating evaluation of a finned shell-and-tube thermal energy storage unit filled with metal foam," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(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. Kirincic, Mateo & Trp, Anica & Lenic, Kristian & Batista, Josip, 2024. "Latent thermal energy storage performance enhancement through optimization of geometry parameters," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 365(C).
    2. Fei Ma & Tianji Zhu & Yalin Zhang & Xinli Lu & Wei Zhang & Feng Ma, 2023. "A Review on Heat Transfer Enhancement of Phase Change Materials Using Fin Tubes," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-25, January.
    3. Yang, Xiaohu & Guo, Junfei & Yang, Bo & Cheng, Haonan & Wei, Pan & He, Ya-Ling, 2020. "Design of non-uniformly distributed annular fins for a shell-and-tube thermal energy storage unit," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    4. Yao, Shouguang & Huang, Xinyu, 2021. "Study on solidification performance of PCM by longitudinal triangular fins in a triplex-tube thermal energy storage system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    5. Zhu, Rongsheng & Jing, Dalei, 2024. "Numerical study on the discharging performance of a latent heat thermal energy storage system with fractal tree-shaped convergent fins," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    6. Zheng, Zhang-Jing & Cai, Xiao & Yang, Chao & Xu, Yang, 2022. "Improving the solidification performance of a latent heat thermal energy storage unit using arrow-shaped fins obtained by an innovative fast optimization algorithm," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 566-577.
    7. Yan, Peiliang & Fan, Weijun & Han, Yu & Ding, Hongbing & Wen, Chuang & Elbarghthi, Anas F.A. & Yang, Yan, 2023. "Leaf-vein bionic fin configurations for enhanced thermal energy storage performance of phase change materials in smart heating and cooling systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 346(C).
    8. Liu, Zhan & Liu, Zihui & Guo, Junfei & Wang, Fan & Yang, Xiaohu & Yan, Jinyue, 2022. "Innovative ladder-shaped fin design on a latent heat storage device for waste heat recovery," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 321(C).
    9. Luo, Mengxi & Zhang, Yongxue & Niu, Yaoyu & Lu, Bohui & Wang, Zixi & Zhang, Jinya & Wang, Ke & Zhu, Jianjun, 2023. "Experimental and numerical investigations on the thermal performance enhancement of a latent heat thermal energy storage unit with several novel snowflake fins," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    10. Zhu, Chen & Mou, Xiaofeng & Bao, Zewei, 2024. "Optimization of tree-shaped fin structures towards enhanced discharging performance of metal hydride reactor for thermochemical heat storage based on entransy theory," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    11. Palmer, Ben & Arshad, Adeel & Yang, Yan & Wen, Chuang, 2023. "Energy storage performance improvement of phase change materials-based triplex-tube heat exchanger (TTHX) using liquid–solid interface-informed fin configurations," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 333(C).
    12. Ewelina Radomska & Lukasz Mika & Karol Sztekler & Lukasz Lis, 2020. "The Impact of Heat Exchangers’ Constructions on the Melting and Solidification Time of Phase Change Materials," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-44, September.
    13. Huang, Yongping & Yao, Feng & Liu, Xiangdong, 2021. "Numerical study on the thermal enhancement of horizontal latent heat storage units with hierarchical fins," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 383-397.
    14. Huang, Yongping & Deng, Zilong & Chen, Yongping & Zhang, Chengbin, 2023. "Performance investigation of a biomimetic latent heat thermal energy storage device for waste heat recovery in data centers," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 335(C).
    15. Zhao, B.C. & Wang, R.Z., 2020. "A novel 3-D model of an industrial-scale tube-fin latent heat storage using salt hydrates with supercooling: A model validation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).
    16. Liu, Yang & Zheng, Ruowei & Li, Ji, 2022. "High latent heat phase change materials (PCMs) with low melting temperature for thermal management and storage of electronic devices and power batteries: Critical review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    17. Zhang, Ji & Cao, Zhi & Huang, Sheng & Huang, Xiaohui & Liang, Kun & Yang, Yan & Zhang, Haoran & Tian, Mi & Akrami, Mohammad & Wen, Chuang, 2022. "Improving the melting performance of phase change materials using novel fins and nanoparticles in tubular energy storage systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 322(C).
    18. Mohammad Ghalambaz & Hayder I. Mohammed & Jasim M. Mahdi & Amir Hossein Eisapour & Obai Younis & Aritra Ghosh & Pouyan Talebizadehsardari & Wahiba Yaïci, 2021. "Intensifying the Charging Response of a Phase-Change Material with Twisted Fin Arrays in a Shell-And-Tube Storage System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-19, March.
    19. Huang, Xinyu & Yao, Shouguang & Yang, Xiaohu & Zhou, Rui, 2022. "Melting performance assessments on a triplex-tube thermal energy storage system: Optimization based on response surface method with natural convection," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 890-910.
    20. Zhang, Shuai & Yan, Yuying, 2023. "Energy, exergy and economic analysis of ceramic foam-enhanced molten salt as phase change material for medium- and high-temperature thermal energy storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(PA).

    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:energy:v:297:y:2024:i:c:s0360544224009666. 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.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    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.