Experiments on microencapsulated phase change material suspensions flow in rectangular minichannels

Comparative experiments were conducted on the laminar flow frictional characteristics of suspensions with microencapsulated phase change material (MEPCM) in water flowing through rectangular copper minichannels. The MEPCM particles were mixed with distilled water to form suspensions with various mass concentrations ranging from 0% to 20%. The bulk viscosities of the suspensions were measured by using a cylindrical rotating rheometer. The experiments were performed to explore the effect of MEPCM concentration on the friction factors and pressure drops of the MEPCM suspensions flowing in minichannels. It was found out that based on the measured viscosities, the friction factors approximately agreed with those of continuous Newtonian fluid in laminar flow region. The measured pressure drops of the MEPCM suspensions flowing in the minichannels increase over the entire range of the velocity as the concentration increases.