Effect of orientation of elliptic tube on the total melting time of latent thermal energy storage systems

Encapsulation of Phase Change Materials (PCM) for energy storage, thermal comfort and many other applications is receiving much attention due to the fact that material, physical characteristics geometry container can affect drastically performance PCM. change materials have usually low conductivity which impairs their charging discharging characteristics. Different geometries were investigated including rectangular, cylindrical spherical with without extended surfaces investigate heat charge processes. Cylindrical circular sections intensively while cylinders tubes elliptic elongated cross section received less attention, although they may better storage.
 The present numerical investigation aimed at contributing understand effects how different geometrical operational parameters enclosed reports results a study on containing PCM under melting conditions. 2D inward problem modeled by using CFD code. model based upon enthalpy-porosity method along finite control volume techniques. predictions are validated against available experimental results. process analyzed two orientations enclosures. Due flow field effect namely Rayleigh-Bénard convection, showed horizontal enclosure higher rate hence lower total time compared those vertical enclosure.