Ahmad Jamekhorshid

In this work, the nature and application of phase change materials (PCMs) are specifically discussed. In this study, the capabilities of PCMs and their role in changing the thermal transfer characteristics of fluids and improving the performance of thermal systems have been investigated. For this purpose, the slurry flow of PCMs was passed through a tube with a definite circular cross-section area at constant thermal flask. Also, the effect of simultaneous function of PCMS slurry flow and butterfly fins (BFs) has been studies. The main aim of exploiting BFs is to create appropriate medium for the emersion and evolution of turbulent flow inside the tube. Eventually, the available heat transfer resistance governed by the formation of thermal boundary layer in laminar flows will be eliminated. In this study, both laminar and turbulent flow regimes were studied and compared together by the ANSYS FLUENT Software. The final simulated results were validated by the extant experimental data which exhibited acceptable conformity. The results showed that the addition of PCMs to the basic fluid could ameliorate the rate of heat transfer up to 41%. Moreover, by evaluation of the results referred to using BFs in the tube and its widely influence on the fluid, it could be concluded that placing BFs within the direction of turbulent flow cannot significantly improve the heat transfer efficiency, however, the pressure drop was increased by 2.3 times. Despite all ineffectual exploitation of BFs in turbulent flow, their application revealed positive approach I laminar flow and addition of heat transfer efficiency was observed up to 240%. This is due to the turbulence in the flow and disappearing the thermal boundary layer resistance. Finally, it can be generalized that the simultaneous usage of PCMs with BFs can enhance the heat transfer conditions which leads to improvement of operational conditions in heat efficacy of heat transfer systems including mostly heat exchangers.