Effective CuO/PCM Filled Curved-Quadrilateral Sector Thermal Energy Storage System for Battery Thermal Management

Abstract

The present work investigates the passive cooling capabilities of CuO nanoparticle-enhanced phase change materials (CPCMs), revealing that the orientation of the thermal energy storage system significantly influences the thermal behavior and melting characteristics of CPCMs, ultimately affecting heat dissipation. Conventional shapes like rectangular or cylindrical enclosures do not effectively optimize heat transfer and phase change processes. Selecting a curved-quadrilateral sector as the encapsulation shape addresses these issues by enhancing heat transfer efficiency, promoting uniform melting, and optimizing the phase change process. Experimental validation confirms model accuracy, demonstrating minimal discrepancies between predicted and observed data. The results reveal that increasing the inclination angle leads to longer melting fraction durations. Furthermore, the concentration of CuO nanoparticles in PCMs significantly influences thermal conductivity and melting rates. The analysis of a CPCM3 (5 vol%) reveals critical insights that, in the early stage, rapid melting occurs near the heat source, resulting in a 150% performance improvement. This is followed by an intermediate stage where natural convection further enhances melting, yielding a 140% increase in liquid fraction. Eventually, as the PCM transitions predominantly to liquid, performance stabilizes at a 50% improvement. These findings emphasize the importance of enclosure geometry and orientation in PCM-based thermal management systems, particularly for energy storage and passive cooling applications.