Thermal management of nano-encapsulated PCMs inside a porous wavy U-shaped energy storage system subject to Boussinesq approximation and fusion temperature

• Published in: Case studies in thermal engineering Vol. 73; p. 106520
• Main Authors: Ohid, S.A., Nayak, M.K., Ali, Rifaqat, Kallel, Mohamed, Nazari, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2025
• Subjects: Buoyancy-driven flow; Entropy generation; NEPCM; Thermal energy storage system; Wavy heater; NEPCM; Wavy heater; Thermal energy storage system; Buoyancy-driven flow; Entropy generation
• ISSN: 2214-157X; 2214-157X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.csite.2025.106520

Many devices require precise temperature control within a constrained temperature range because they are susceptible to irregular temperature increases or gradients. Indeed, because different building materials have differing coefficients of thermal expansion, a device's sensitive structures may experience internal thermal stress due to temperature variations. Consequently, nano-encapsulated PCMs show promise in terms of their ability to ameliorate working fluid performance while maintaining the devices at a certain cooling temperature. The present article, therefore, numerically investigates the behavior of NC and entropy generation of NEPCM suspension inside a U-shaped thermal energy storage system with a wavy-shaped heater. Modeled governing equations were solved numerically by FEM. The behavior of heat capacity ratios, temperature distributions, fluid structure, entropy generation, and heat transfer efficiency were explored via graphical presentations. It is noticed that augmentation of horizontal displacement of the wavy heater (HD), Rayleigh number (Ra), porosity of the medium (ε), and Darcy number (Da) upsurges the stream function, isotherms, and heat capacity ratio, velocities, and entropy generation. It is also visualized that Nuave increases by 85.72 %, 25.51 %, 49.16 %, 0.75 %, 0.49 % respectively due to the enhancement of Ra from 105to106, ε from 0.1 to 0.9, Da from 10−4to10−2, Stefan number from 0.5 to 0.7, fusion temperature from 0.1 to 0.5.