Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2007
Publication Source
Journal of Applied Physics
Abstract
Experimental study was carried out to study the phase change heat transfer within a composite of phase change material (PCM) infiltrated high thermal conductivity foam. An experimental setup was built to measure the temperature profiles and capture the melting evolution of the PCM inside aluminum foams. Aluminum foams were used as the porous material, and low melting temperature paraffin wax was used as the PCM. It was observed from the results that the system parameters of the wax/foam composite had a significant influence on its heat transfer behavior.
By using higher porosity aluminum foam, the steady-state temperature was reached faster as compared to the foams with lower porosity. Similarly for the bigger pore size foams the steady state was attained faster as compared to the smaller pore size foams. This was due to the greater effect of convection in both the higher porosity and bigger pore size foams. However, for the lower porosity foams the heater temperature was comparatively lower than the higher porosity foams due to greater heat conduction through the foam material. Therefore, an optimal value should be selected for the foam porosity and pore size such that the effects of both conduction and convection heat transfers can be completely utilized to have a greater and improved thermal performance for the wax/aluminum foam composite.
Inclusive pages
083549-1 to 083549-6
ISBN/ISSN
0021-8979
Document Version
Published Version
Copyright
Copyright © 2007, American Institute of Physics
Publisher
American Institute of Physics
Volume
102
Peer Reviewed
yes
eCommons Citation
Lafdi, Khalid; Mesalhy, Osama Mesalam; and Shaikh, Shadab, "Experimental Study on the Influence of Foam Porosity and Pore Size on the Melting of Phase Change Materials" (2007). Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications. 19.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/cme_fac_pub/19
Included in
Other Chemical Engineering Commons, Other Materials Science and Engineering Commons, Polymer and Organic Materials Commons
Comments
This article has been archived and provided for download in compliance with publisher policies on self-archiving. Permission documentation is on file.