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Thermal performance enhancement of ice storage capsules by pine tree-shaped fins.

Author(s) : WANG Y., LU Y., WU S., QI Y., WU L.

Type of article: IJR article

Summary

Latent thermal energy storage capsules suffer from a slow energy storage rate because of the inherently low thermal conductivity of phase change materials (PCM). To overcome this limitation, this study proposes a novel pine tree-shaped (PTS) fin design. This design integrates a central pin fin with three levels of annular fins to enhance heat transfer within spherical ice storage capsules. Using the enthalpy-porosity method, we numerically investigated the solidification process in ice storage capsules equipped with the PTS fins, comparing their performance to capsules with simple pin fins and those without any fin. Our analysis focused on the progression of the ice-water interface, the corresponding temperature field evolution, and local temperature responses. The results unequivocally demonstrate the superior effectiveness of the PTS fin design. Furthermore, we systematically investigated how the length fractal dimension (D) and the apex angle difference (θ) of the PTS fins influence the ice storage enhancement performance. Within the studied range of 1.25≤D ≤ 3 and 0◦≤θ≤12.5◦, our findings indicate that the optimal configuration for the three-level PTS fin is D = 1.25 and θ=7.5◦ This specific design excels in terms of both dimensionless cold energy storage capacity per unit weight and cold energy storage capacity per unit time and weight. Finally, we provide a prediction formula to estimate the solidified ice volume in a capsule (R = 50 mm) employing the optimal PTS fin (D = 1.25, θ=7.5◦) during solidification. This formula offers a practical tool for developing more effective ice storage strategies in engineering applications.

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Pages: 11 p.

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Details

  • Original title: Thermal performance enhancement of ice storage capsules by pine tree-shaped fins.
  • Record ID : 30034916
  • Languages: English
  • Subject: Technology
  • Source: International Journal of Refrigeration - Revue Internationale du Froid - vol. 186
  • Publication date: 2026/06
  • DOI: http://dx.doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2026.02.029

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