Effect of partition placement on the energy storage process in phase change material-based thermal energy storage systems

Simulation studies of the melting process of phase change materials (PCM) were carried out using the ANSYS Fluent package using the fixed grid enthalpy porosity method. The considered geometric model was a rectangular shell-and-tube storage structure with a partition in various positions, in a single- or 2-tube system. Modules with partitions were compared to modules without partitions. Placing vertical partitions shortened the PCM melting time by 59%, while changing the orientation of the partition to horizontal shortened the melting time by 22.7%. The shortest melting time was obtained for a 2-tube system with a diagonal partition.