Performance evaluation and optimization of compact tube-fin latent heat storage system in phase change nanoemulsion discharge mode

The low thermal conductivity of phase change materials (PCMs) and the reduced heat transfer temperature difference along a tube both limit the thermal performance of latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES). Herein, a compact tube-fin LHTES system based on phase change nanoemulsions was developed and the heat transfer process of nanoemulsion and PCM was numerically investigated. The effects of the heat transfer structure of the heat exchanger and the thermophysical parameters of the heat transfer fluid (HTF) on the cold energy discharge performance of the system were quantified. The optimized model reduced the discharge time by 24.4 % in nanoemulsion mode relative to water. Heat transfer improvement on the PCM side could be achieved by decreasing the fin spacing and tube spacing and by increasing the fin thickness. Such improvement reinforced the heat transfer enhancement of the nanoemulsion. The heat transfer mechanism was explained by the temperature distributions of the HTF and PCM along the tube. The phase-change thermostatic properties of the nanoemulsion and PCM contributed to the formation of dual-phase-change coupled heat transfer (i.e., the heat transfer process when the fluid inside the tube and the PCM filled outside the tube undergo a simultaneous phase change) within the LHTES, increasing the heat transfer temperature difference and the magnitude of the driving force. Increasing the phase change temperature difference accelerated the onset of dual-phase-change heat transfer, while increasing the PCM content prolonged the process. Briefly, this study provided operational and design assistance for LHTES systems in nanoemulsion mode with the intention to accelerate heat transfer rates. •Combination of compact fins and nanoemulsion to enhance PCM discharging performance.•Quantitatively analyzed the synergistic heat transfer enhancement of fin structures and nanoemulsions.•Compared to water, a maximal 24.4 % of discharging time can be saved by nanoemulsion under same fin structures.•The underlying mechanism lies in the formation of a dual-phase-change coupled heat transfer mode.