Work

Experimental Thermal Analysis of Box-Type Shell-and-Tube Configuration Filled with RT42 Phase Change Material: A Case Study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Thermal management in heat exchangers is crucial in many industrial, medical, and scientific applications. However, reducing dependency on active energy sources still represents a substantial challenge. In this context, phase change materials (PCMs) offer an effective solution due to their ability to store and release large amounts of latent heat, assisting in passive thermal management. Therefore, this study proposes the use of RT42 PCM inside a box-type shell-and-tube configuration to establish the relationship between flow rate and charging and discharging behavior of PCM. In the proposed system, heat transferring fluid (HTF) water is circulated in the internal tubes at 60 °C, where the temperature is monitored by a series of thermocouples strategically placed inside the box-type configuration. To evaluate the effect of the flow of HTF on the thermal behavior of the PCM, the charging (melting) and discharging (solidification) analysis is performed by varying the water flow rate at three levels: 1.2, 0.8, and 0.4 L/min inside the laminar region (Re < 2300). A thermal camera and two webcams were used to assess the surface temperature distribution and PCM response, respectively. It was determined that increasing the flow rate accelerates charging and discharging with fluctuations in temperature curves during melting.

Source: Physchem

DOI: 10.3390/physchem5040039

Authors: Ihsan Ur Rahman, Numan Khan, Oronzio Manca, Bernardo Buonomo, Sergio Nardini

Institution: University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli"

Language: English

Topic: Phase Change Materials Research

Subfield: Mechanical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,207

Funder: European Commission