Experimental Study of Natural Convection Heat Transfer in a Microencapsulated Phase Change Material Slurry

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2010

Authors

Bogdan M. Diaconu (Author) FEUP; Szabolcs Varga (Author) FEUP; Armando C. Oliveira (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Energy : the international journal

Pages: 2688-2693

ISSN: 0360-5442

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 51 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 58 Citations

INSPEC

COMPENDEX

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Other engineering and technologies

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-60B

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2009.06.028

Abstract (EN): A new microencapsulated PCM (Phase Change Material) slurry (MEPCS) at high concentration (45% w/w) was developed based on microencapsulated Rubitherm RT6. Its heat storage and heat transfer characteristics have been experimentally investigated in order to assess its suitability for integration into a low temperature heat storage system for solar air conditioning applications. Differential scanning calorimetry tests have been conducted to evaluate the cold storage capacity and phase change temperature range. An experimental setup was built in order to quantify the natural convection heat transfer occurring from a vertical helically coiled tube immersed in the MEPCS. First, tests were carried out using water in order to obtain natural convection heat transfer correlations and then a comparison was made with the results obtained for the MEPCS. It was found that inside the phase change interval the values of the heat transfer coefficient for the MEPCS were significantly higher than for water, under identical temperature conditions.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific