Title: Fin effectivity investigation at solid-liquid phase change in axisymmetric heat exchangers using lattice Boltzmann method

Authors: Zeinab Hajamini; Hamed Moqtaderi; Sajedeh Kebriti

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of British Columbia, 2054-6250 Applied Science Lane, Vancouver, B.C., V6T 1ZA, Canada

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to analyse the fin parameters in a heat exchanger to optimise the melt rate of PCM. Shell and tube heat exchangers are considered. The shell contains PCM and annular fins placed on the tube wall. The fluid flow, heat transfer, and melting equations were solved using a 2D axisymmetric lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). LBM enthalpy-based method was developed in an axisymmetric form. According to our study of the effect of fin number and length on PCM melting rate, the optimal number of fins for thicknesses of    2𝑅  / 20 ,    2𝑅  / 40 and    2𝑅   / 200 is 3, 2, and 2, respectively, while the optimal length of fins for these thicknesses is 0.8R. Moreover, we also introduced a three-fin arrangement with uneven fin length, which increased melting rate. The effect of the secondary fin on the melting rate of PCM was also studied.

Keywords: fin effectivity; solid-liquid phase change; lattice Boltzmann method; LBM; axisymmetric heat exchanger.

DOI: 10.1504/PCFD.2024.138197

Progress in Computational Fluid Dynamics, An International Journal, 2024 Vol.24 No.3, pp.174 - 189

Received: 14 Jan 2022
Received in revised form: 02 Sep 2022
Accepted: 27 Oct 2022
Published online: 30 Apr 2024 *

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