Enhanced cold storage performance through nano-powder integration in water: A numerical simulation study

Abstract

This research provides an in-depth simulation of cold energy storage within the freezing phase within an enclosure designed with a complex geometry. The study models transient heat conduction and incorporates tree-shaped fins to direct cold energy into the enclosure's corners. Dispersing nano-powders in water was found to considerably enhance the thermal conductivity of the working fluid. The effects of various nano-powder diameters and fractions were inspected to assess their influence on the solidification process. Temperature distribution and solid fraction contour maps were developed, with the governing equations solved employing the Galerkin approach and validated against existing benchmarks. The findings reveal that water alone required 703.11 s for complete solidification. However, the addition of nano-powders greatly impacted freezing times, with medium-sized powders proving most effective. Initially, larger powders reduced solidification time by 19.98 %, but later led to a 49.28 % increase. Nano-sized powders, in particular, shortened freezing time by approximately 41.22 %, underscoring their effectiveness in accelerating the solidification process.