Numerical Simulation on Thermal Energy Storage Behavior of Cu/paraffin nanofluids PCMs

PCMs have foreseeable applications in residential buildings for effective use of solar energy. Paraffin is cheap and has moderate thermal energy storage density but low thermal conductivity. In this paper, we numerically investigate the melting processes of Cu/paraffin nanofluids PCMs. The results strongly suggested that the phase change heat transfer of paraffin was enhanced due to the addition of nanoparticles. For 1 wt% Cu/paraffin, the melting time can be saved 13.1%. The numerical results have a good agreement with the experimental results in describing the melting phenomena. These results show that adding nanoparticles is an efficient way to enhance the heat transfer in latent heat thermal energy storage system. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Kunming University of Science and Technology