Title: Numerical thermodynamic analysis of heat storage porous duct under pulsating flow using lattice Boltzmann method

Authors: Bayssain Amami; Raja Rabhi; Hacen Dhahri; Abdallah Mhimid

Addresses: National School of Engineers, Laboratory of Thermal and Energy Systems Studies, Monastir University, Ibn Eljazza Street, 5019 Monastir, Tunisia ' National School of Engineers, Laboratory of Thermal and Energy Systems Studies, Monastir University, Ibn Eljazza Street, 5019 Monastir, Tunisia ' National School of Engineers, Laboratory of Thermal and Energy Systems Studies, Monastir University, Ibn Eljazza Street, 5019 Monastir, Tunisia ' National School of Engineers, Laboratory of Thermal and Energy Systems Studies, Monastir University, Ibn Eljazza Street, 5019 Monastir, Tunisia

Abstract: This paper deals with a thermodynamic analysis of sensible heat storage unit built by porous media. Analysis of the system's performances was tested through forced pulsating fluid flow, as thermal enhancement technique. Brinkman-Forchheimer-extended Darcy model is incorporated in momentum equations. Local thermal non-equilibrium (LTNE) between fluid and solid phases is adopted. A thermal Lattice Boltzmann model using three distribution functions has been proposed. Both energetic and exergetic efficiencies are determined for a complete cycle of charging and discharging as function of pulsating amplitude and for different emerging parameters values. It is found that the system's performance can be improved by a proper selection of operational parameters. The system's performances are getting better when increasing pulsating amplitude. With high pulsating intensity flow, the energetic and exergetic efficiencies augment, respectively, ~44% and 32% when porosity increases and 53% and 40% when augmenting Reynolds number and ~21% and 26% as pulsating frequency rises up.

Keywords: TES; thermal energy storage; sensible heat; porous media; pulsating flow; exergy; LBM; Lattice Boltzmann method.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2017.083948

International Journal of Exergy, 2017 Vol.22 No.4, pp.376 - 395

Received: 25 Apr 2016
Accepted: 13 Dec 2016
Published online: 26 Apr 2017 *

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