Numerical Simulation Study of Heat Transfer Fluid Boiling Effects on Phase Change Material in Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage Units

Yu, Minghao; Zheng, Xun; Liu, Jing; Niu, Dong; Liu, Huaqiang; Gao, Hongtao

doi:10.3390/en18143836

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Numerical Simulation Study of Heat Transfer Fluid Boiling Effects on Phase Change Material in Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage Units

by

Minghao Yu

^1,*,

Xun Zheng

¹,

Jing Liu

²,

Dong Niu

¹,

Huaqiang Liu

¹

and

Hongtao Gao

¹

Department of Energy and Power Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China

²

College of Ocean and Civil Engineering, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Energies 2025, 18(14), 3836; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18143836

Submission received: 10 June 2025 / Revised: 3 July 2025 / Accepted: 17 July 2025 / Published: 18 July 2025

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Heat Transfer, Energy Conversion and Storage)

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Abstract

The innovation in thermal storage systems for solar thermal power generation is crucial for achieving efficient utilization of new energy sources. Molten salt has been extensively studied as a phase change material (PCM) for latent heat thermal energy storage systems. In this study, a two-dimensional model of a vertical shell-and-tube heat exchanger is developed, utilizing water-steam as the heat transfer fluid (HTF) and phase change material for heat transfer analysis. Through numerical simulations, we explore the interplay between PCM solidification and HTF boiling. The transient results show that tube length affects water boiling duration and PCM solidification thickness. Higher heat transfer fluid flow rates lower solidified PCM temperatures, while lower heat transfer fluid inlet temperatures delay boiling and shorten durations, forming thicker PCM solidification layers. Adding fins to the tube wall boosts heat transfer efficiency by increasing contact area with the phase change material. This extension of boiling time facilitates greater PCM solidification, although it may not always optimize the alignment of bundles within the thermal energy storage system.

Keywords: thermal energy storage; phase change material; flow boiling; discharging performance; numerical simulation

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MDPI and ACS Style

Yu, M.; Zheng, X.; Liu, J.; Niu, D.; Liu, H.; Gao, H. Numerical Simulation Study of Heat Transfer Fluid Boiling Effects on Phase Change Material in Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage Units. Energies 2025, 18, 3836. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18143836

AMA Style

Yu M, Zheng X, Liu J, Niu D, Liu H, Gao H. Numerical Simulation Study of Heat Transfer Fluid Boiling Effects on Phase Change Material in Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage Units. Energies. 2025; 18(14):3836. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18143836

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yu, Minghao, Xun Zheng, Jing Liu, Dong Niu, Huaqiang Liu, and Hongtao Gao. 2025. "Numerical Simulation Study of Heat Transfer Fluid Boiling Effects on Phase Change Material in Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage Units" Energies 18, no. 14: 3836. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18143836

APA Style

Yu, M., Zheng, X., Liu, J., Niu, D., Liu, H., & Gao, H. (2025). Numerical Simulation Study of Heat Transfer Fluid Boiling Effects on Phase Change Material in Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage Units. Energies, 18(14), 3836. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18143836

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Numerical Simulation Study of Heat Transfer Fluid Boiling Effects on Phase Change Material in Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage Units

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