Carbon foam matrices saturated with PCM for thermal protection purposes

In the present work, numerical and experimental studies are proposed to predict and investigate the thermal characteristics of a thermal protection system consists of carbon foam matrix saturated with phase change material, PCM. Several types of carbon foam matrices with different porosities and thermal properties were introduced for the sake of a parametric study. The composite (carbon foam matrix saturated with PCM) was introduced into a cylindrical enclosure while it experiences its heat from a heat source setting on the top of the enclosure. The numerical simulation was performed using the volume averaging technique and a finite volume technique was used to discretize the heat diffusion equation while the phase change process was modeled using the enthalpy porosity method. The results are portrayed in terms of temperature and heat absorption time history and the numerical and experimental results showed good agreement. The results illustrated that the higher the porosity the more stability of the thermal performance of the matrix composite. On the other hand, the thermal conductivity of the composite matrix acts sharply to increase or decrease its heat absorption rate. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd.