Performance of Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage System with Split Fins

Abstract

The effect of the split heating plate is tested in the application of the latent-heat-thermal energy storage system in order to enhance performance in the melting process. A heating plate with a number of split fins is devised having both the fin and the split-heating-plate effect as well as being feasible to manufacture. Its performance was verified by a variety of experiments : the melting rate is successfully increased by using this heating plate with split fins compared with the case of nonsplit fins. Observed melting patterns illustrated how the size of the fin should be determined in order to achieve uniform melting along the fin surface. Moreover, by examination of the influence of the inclination angle from the horizontal, it was determined that the inclination of the fins induces no improvement in melting rate.