Three-dimensional PCM melting in a vertical cylindrical enclosure including the effects of tilting

Experiments have been conducted in order to generate detailed data associated with the outward melting of a PCM induced by a heated rod that is placed concentrically within a cylindrical enclosure. Heat transfer and melting effects in a base-case configuration consisting of a vertically-oriented enclosure are successfully simulated with an established two-dimensional numerical model, partially validating the experimental apparatus and procedure. Experimental measurements indicate that modest tilting of the test cell significantly affects measured local temperatures within the PCM, as well as the temporal evolution of the solid morphology as it melts. The modification is attributed to the establishment of three-dimensional flow within the molten PCM. The experimental data for the tilted enclosure cases might be used to validate three-dimensional models for PCM melting in geometrical configurations relevant to, for example, latent heat thermal energy storage systems.