Characterization and numerical simulation on heat transfer performance of inorganic phase change thermal storage devices

Inorganic hydrated salt Ba(OH)2⋅8H2O is one of most potential thermal storage materials in the low-medium temperature range due to its highest latent heat per unit volume. Thermal stability tests, super-cooling and corrosion investigations of Ba(OH)2⋅8H2O on four metal materials were conducted, thermal cycling tests revealed that Ba(OH)2⋅8H2O as PCM had a good thermal reliability, the super-cooling increased and then stabilized after 300 thermal cooling cycles, the corrosion investigations showed that the copper had the strongest resistance corrosion performance. Furthermore, using copper as finned-tube and cylindrical shell and Ba(OH)2⋅8H2O as phase change material (PCM), numerical simulation of heat exchangers was carried out. The simulation results showed higher heat transfer efficiency was associated with the greater temperature difference between PCM and heating/cooling wall. The large fin width or small fin pitch could help extend the surface of the heat exchange, and contribute to improving the heat transfer efficiency.