Abstract
Latent-heat storage technologies are developing to reuse waste heat energy. This study aimed to develop a latent-heat storage system using factory waste heat in the temperature range from 100 °C to 200 °C. Direct-contact solidification behaviors between a heat-transfer fluid and phase-change material (PCM) were investigated. The PCM comprised mannitol and erythritol in a 70 %: 30 % mass ratio. The total PCM mass was 3.0 kg and oil flow rates of 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 kg/min were examined. To decrease the packaging height of the PCM mixture during the solidification process, aluminum metal fibers were added in the PCM region and their effects on the melting and solidification behaviors investigated. Results indicated that PCM-coated oil droplets were broken by the fibers, which prevented the height of the solidified PCM from increasing. The effects of metal fiber diameter, the proportion of fibers, and the position of the fibers within the PCM region were also investigated.
