Heat transfer during melting around an isothermal vertical cylinder

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Journal of Heat Transfer (Transcations of the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers), Series C); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3248210· OSTI ID:5424916

Souza Mendes, P R; Pinho Brasil, Jr, A C ^[1]

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1. Pontificia Univ. Catolica, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

Research on alternative energy resources has intensified during the past few decades as a consequence of the alarming increase in energy cost. Effective thermal energy storage systems have become a true necessity, especially in solar energy applications. Using the phase change of some materials in thermal energy storage systems is advantageous in various ways. For example, the heat capacity of the storage reservoir is tremendously increased (on a unit volume basis), since latent heat of fusion is involved. In addition, there are advantages as far as heat transfer from and to the reservoir is concerned. Until recently, most papers on phase change dealt exclusively with conduction heat transfer, although it has been known for some time that natural convection may play a key role during melting and freezing. Lately, however, several studies (Viskanta, 1983) considering buoyancy effects on phase-change heat transfer have been reported. The present paper reports on experimental measurements undertaken to investigate outward melting around a vertical cylinder embedded in a solid initially at its fusion temperature. The cylinder is maintained at a uniform temperature that exceeds the fusion temperature. The top and bottom of the phase-change material are adiabatic, and a small air gap provides a slip boundary condition at the top. The main objective of the research reported here was to obtain experimental data for the above mentioned configuration. It is remarkable that, although the isothermal boundary condition at the heat source has been extensively studied experimentally for melting to a vertical plate (e.g., Ho and Viskanta, 1984; Okada, 1983), there are very few experimental data available for melting to an isothermal cylinder positioned vertically.

• OSTI ID: 5424916
• Journal Information: Journal of Heat Transfer (Transcations of the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers), Series C); (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Heat Transfer (Transcations of the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers), Series C); (United States) Vol. 109:4; ISSN 0022-1481; ISSN JHTRA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
142000* -- Solar Energy-- Heat Storage-- (1980-)
CONVECTION
CYLINDERS
ENERGY TRANSFER
ENTHALPY
EQUIPMENT
FUSION HEAT
HEAT TRANSFER
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
NATURAL CONVECTION
PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
THERMAL CONDUCTION
THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPMENT
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSITION HEAT