Numerical Simulation of Rapid Heat Storage in Plate-Fin Phase Change Heat Exchanger

Abstract

Abstract Rapid phase change heat storage has significant application value in high-power density thermal management systems. This paper presents a comparative numerical simulation study of the rapid heat storage and release dynamics of two types of finned plate heat exchangers with different fin shapes. The study reveals that, under the same fin thickness and volume fraction, the contact surface area of triangular fins is 1.6 times that of rectangular fins, but the heat storage rate of triangular fin heat exchangers is 2 times that of rectangular fin heat exchangers. Due to the small characteristic scale and high material viscosity of the heat exchanger, the natural convection velocity of the liquid phase during the heat storage process is low, and its influence on enhancing the heat storage rate is weak.