Energy storage and solidification of paraffin phase change material embedded with graphite nanofibers

Phase change materials (PCMs) are known to be excellent candidates for thermal energy storage in transient applications. However, enhancement of the thermal conductivity of a paraffin-based PCM is required for effective performance, particularly during solidification where diffusion is the dominant heat transfer mode. This study experimentally examines the effect that graphite nanofibers (GNFs), aspect ratio and power density have on both thermal storage and solidification time of a PCM which is embedded between two sets of aluminum fins. Additionally, a figure of merit is introduced in order to quantify the effectiveness of each of these three parameters with respect to solidification time. GNF enhancement was shown to reduce the maximum temperature in the thermal containment unit (TCU) by 48%. It was also found that for aspect ratios of 1, the GNF enhancement shortens solidification time by as much as 61% over the paraffin samples. This research indicates that GNF impregnation into phase change materials is an effective method for the enhancement of the thermal energy storage and the solidification of paraffin-based phase change materials. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.