Study on Natural Stratified Cooling Release Characteristics of Micro-Encapsulated Phase Change Material Suspension.
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| Title: | Study on Natural Stratified Cooling Release Characteristics of Micro-Encapsulated Phase Change Material Suspension. |
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| Authors: | Yu, Minghao1 (AUTHOR) yuminghao@dlmu.edu.cn, Zhou, Xun2 (AUTHOR), Hong, Haibo1,3 (AUTHOR), Lyu, Gangxin1,2 (AUTHOR), Lueng, Zack2,3 (AUTHOR), Pei, Jiali2,3 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Energies (19961073). May2026, Vol. 19 Issue 9, p2236. 32p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Cold storage, *Heat storage, *Conservation of energy, *Heat transfer, *Computer simulation, *Thermal gradient measurment, *Temperature control |
| Abstract: | To enhance the energy efficiency of data center cooling systems, this study introduces Micro-encapsulated Phase Change Material Suspension (MPCMS) into a naturally stratified cold storage system. Leveraging its superior properties, including high latent heat, high specific heat, and excellent fluidity, a three-dimensional transient numerical model was developed to investigate the thermal stratification characteristics during the discharging process. The analysis focuses on the impacts of operational conditions (flow rate and mass fraction) alongside key tank structural parameters (height-to-diameter ratio, uniform flow plate perforation rate, installation position, and aperture). The results indicate that the thermal stratification performance of MPCMS is significantly superior to that of water. Specifically, during the middle discharge stage (t* = 0.4) at a high flow rate of 12.56 m3/h, the thermocline thickness of MPCMS-10 wt% is restricted to only 245 mm, representing a 93.82% reduction compared to 3964 mm for water. Furthermore, at the initial discharge stage (t* = 0.05), the thermocline thickness decreases significantly with increasing MPCMS mass fraction; as the mass fraction rises from 10 wt% to 30 wt%, the thickness sharply drops from 421 mm to 120 mm (a 71.44% reduction), and the stratification number (Str) reaches an optimal 1.00. In terms of macroscopic structural optimization, a height-to-diameter (H/D) ratio between 2 and 4 provides the best balance of stratification stability and cold storage efficiency. Mechanistically, integrating a uniform flow plate effectively suppresses thermal jet disturbances. During the initial discharge stage, a plate with a 10% perforation ratio reduces the thermocline thickness by 69.12% (from 421 mm to 130 mm) relative to the no-plate baseline. The optimal flow plate configuration was identified as a 10% perforation rate, a 20 mm aperture, and an installation spacing of 1.25% of the tank height. Ultimately, this study validates the substantial potential of MPCMS through robust quantitative data, providing a solid theoretical foundation and precise design guidelines for high-efficiency cold storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Database: | Energy & Power Source |
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| Abstract: | To enhance the energy efficiency of data center cooling systems, this study introduces Micro-encapsulated Phase Change Material Suspension (MPCMS) into a naturally stratified cold storage system. Leveraging its superior properties, including high latent heat, high specific heat, and excellent fluidity, a three-dimensional transient numerical model was developed to investigate the thermal stratification characteristics during the discharging process. The analysis focuses on the impacts of operational conditions (flow rate and mass fraction) alongside key tank structural parameters (height-to-diameter ratio, uniform flow plate perforation rate, installation position, and aperture). The results indicate that the thermal stratification performance of MPCMS is significantly superior to that of water. Specifically, during the middle discharge stage (t* = 0.4) at a high flow rate of 12.56 m3/h, the thermocline thickness of MPCMS-10 wt% is restricted to only 245 mm, representing a 93.82% reduction compared to 3964 mm for water. Furthermore, at the initial discharge stage (t* = 0.05), the thermocline thickness decreases significantly with increasing MPCMS mass fraction; as the mass fraction rises from 10 wt% to 30 wt%, the thickness sharply drops from 421 mm to 120 mm (a 71.44% reduction), and the stratification number (Str) reaches an optimal 1.00. In terms of macroscopic structural optimization, a height-to-diameter (H/D) ratio between 2 and 4 provides the best balance of stratification stability and cold storage efficiency. Mechanistically, integrating a uniform flow plate effectively suppresses thermal jet disturbances. During the initial discharge stage, a plate with a 10% perforation ratio reduces the thermocline thickness by 69.12% (from 421 mm to 130 mm) relative to the no-plate baseline. The optimal flow plate configuration was identified as a 10% perforation rate, a 20 mm aperture, and an installation spacing of 1.25% of the tank height. Ultimately, this study validates the substantial potential of MPCMS through robust quantitative data, providing a solid theoretical foundation and precise design guidelines for high-efficiency cold storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 19961073 |
| DOI: | 10.3390/en19092236 |
