Role of metallic foam in heat storage in the presence of nanofluid and microencapsulated phase change material

The focus of this paper is the use of a ternary fluid containing Al2O3 nanoparticles and the microencapsulated phase change material MEPCM. Different heat flux intensities were applied in the outside wall of a porous pipe with fluid entering at different flow rates. The results revealed that the addition of metallic foam improves the heat transfer between the wall of the pipe and the fluid. ERG aluminum foam was the metal foam used in this analysis with a permeability ranging from 10 ppi to 40 ppi. This heat enhancement further improved by adding nanoparticles to the fluid. The heat storage capability of the proposed fluid also increased with the addition of microencapsulated phase change material (MEPCM) particles. The results revealed that 20% MEPCM and 3% nanoparticles in water is an ideal balance for heat storage and enhancement, with a 6.7% improvement in the case of water flowing in a porous pipe.