Numerical studies on PCM's contribution for thermal energy storage in continuous operation.
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| Title: | Numerical studies on PCM's contribution for thermal energy storage in continuous operation. |
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| Authors: | Rajak, Shyam Kumar1 (AUTHOR), Raj, Akash1 (AUTHOR), Ghosh, Debasree1 (AUTHOR) dghosh@bitmesra.ac.in |
| Source: | Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering. Jul2026, Vol. 104 Issue 7, p3952-3964. 13p. |
| Subjects: | Phase change materials, Thermal diffusivity, Heat storage, Numerical analysis, Dimensionless numbers, Paraffin wax, Solidification |
| Abstract: | The utilization of phase change materials (PCMs) holds immense promise for thermal energy storage due to their high latent heat capacity. However, the design of advanced continuous operation systems is currently hampered by the lack of a systematic framework for selecting the optimal PCM, leading to risks of inefficiency and unpredictable performance. This study directly confronts this challenge by establishing clear selection criteria based on a numerical investigation of simultaneous melting and solidification. We analyzed three paraffin‐based PCMs (RT 50, RT 35, and RT 27) under constant source (348 K) and sink (273 K) temperatures. The results reveal that achieving a stable, continuous melt fraction depends not on a single property like latent heat, but on the complex interplay between thermal diffusivity, driving forces, and convection, as quantified by Rayleigh and Prandtl numbers. RT 50 exhibited the most stable performance, attaining a steady melt fraction of 0.21 after 180 s and an average PCM temperature of 304.9 K, with Rayleigh numbers of 425 × 108 (charging) and 756 × 108 (discharging). In contrast, RT 27 and RT 35 showed continuously increasing melt fractions of 0.36 and 0.34 at 200 s, driven by higher thermal gradients (46 and 40 K, respectively) and Prandtl numbers (45.6 and 230), indicating unstable long‐term operation. This work provides a crucial, evidence‐based methodology for designing next‐generation, high‐efficiency thermal storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Engineering Source |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 194490729 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Numerical studies on PCM's contribution for thermal energy storage in continuous operation. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rajak%2C+Shyam+Kumar%22">Rajak, Shyam Kumar</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Raj%2C+Akash%22">Raj, Akash</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ghosh%2C+Debasree%22">Ghosh, Debasree</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> dghosh@bitmesra.ac.in</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Canadian+Journal+of+Chemical+Engineering%22">Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering</searchLink>. Jul2026, Vol. 104 Issue 7, p3952-3964. 13p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Phase+change+materials%22">Phase change materials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thermal+diffusivity%22">Thermal diffusivity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Heat+storage%22">Heat storage</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Numerical+analysis%22">Numerical analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Dimensionless+numbers%22">Dimensionless numbers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Paraffin+wax%22">Paraffin wax</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Solidification%22">Solidification</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: The utilization of phase change materials (PCMs) holds immense promise for thermal energy storage due to their high latent heat capacity. However, the design of advanced continuous operation systems is currently hampered by the lack of a systematic framework for selecting the optimal PCM, leading to risks of inefficiency and unpredictable performance. This study directly confronts this challenge by establishing clear selection criteria based on a numerical investigation of simultaneous melting and solidification. We analyzed three paraffin‐based PCMs (RT 50, RT 35, and RT 27) under constant source (348 K) and sink (273 K) temperatures. The results reveal that achieving a stable, continuous melt fraction depends not on a single property like latent heat, but on the complex interplay between thermal diffusivity, driving forces, and convection, as quantified by Rayleigh and Prandtl numbers. RT 50 exhibited the most stable performance, attaining a steady melt fraction of 0.21 after 180 s and an average PCM temperature of 304.9 K, with Rayleigh numbers of 425 × 108 (charging) and 756 × 108 (discharging). In contrast, RT 27 and RT 35 showed continuously increasing melt fractions of 0.36 and 0.34 at 200 s, driven by higher thermal gradients (46 and 40 K, respectively) and Prandtl numbers (45.6 and 230), indicating unstable long‐term operation. This work provides a crucial, evidence‐based methodology for designing next‐generation, high‐efficiency thermal storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1002/cjce.70233 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 13 StartPage: 3952 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Phase change materials Type: general – SubjectFull: Thermal diffusivity Type: general – SubjectFull: Heat storage Type: general – SubjectFull: Numerical analysis Type: general – SubjectFull: Dimensionless numbers Type: general – SubjectFull: Paraffin wax Type: general – SubjectFull: Solidification Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Numerical studies on PCM's contribution for thermal energy storage in continuous operation. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Rajak, Shyam Kumar – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Raj, Akash – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Ghosh, Debasree IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 07 Text: Jul2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00084034 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 104 – Type: issue Value: 7 Titles: – TitleFull: Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
