Eur. Phys. J. Plus (2022) 137: 573
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-022-02505-0

Regular Article

Modeling for freezing of PCM enhanced with nano-powders within a duct

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Jazan University, 82822, Jazan, Saudi Arabia

^a yrothan@jazanu.edu.sa

Received: 29 October 2021
Accepted: 20 February 2022
Published online: 12 May 2022

Abstract

Addition of CuO powders in nano-sized with various shapes through pure PCM through the space among triangular and sinusoidal containers was analyzed in current study. The geometry was symmetric and half of container was analyzed in modeling to reduce number of elements. Two sides cold flow makes the solidification faster and solid front was presented in outputs. Single-phase formulation for NEPCM was applied and conductivity has been considered as function of shape of nanoparticles. The fraction of 0.02 and 0.04 was utilized for NEPCM and two shapes have been applied for nano-powders. Non-uniform grid was applied to produce finer grid near the solid front. Energy equations with source term of solidification were analyzed without involving the gravity effect and comparison with previous article showed nice agreement. Finite element method for modeling of this unsteady phenomenon has been implemented with considering implicit approach for unsteady terms. As shape coefficient changes from 3 to 5.7, the required time for full freezing declines about 5.97%. Also, dispersing nano-powders can decrease the needed time about 11.74%. Considering platelet copper oxide results in best case with lowest solidification time.