Experimental measurements and numerical computation of nanofluid and microencapsulated phase change material in porous material

The electronic industry is increasingly investigating different approaches for the cooling of electronic equipment. The use of bulk phase change materials is also a promising approach for energy storage. The introduction of microencapsulated phase change materials combined with nanofluids can be beneficial. The combined use of a nanofluid and a metallic porous material can be used to mitigate problems resulting from small thermal conductivity. This study investigated a ternary mixture of water with a nanofluid and a microencapsulated phase change material in a porous medium. The model was previously validated with experimental data using a 0.5%vol concentration nanofluid in water. The results revealed that heat storage capability can be achieved as long as the microencapsulated phase change materials, which consists of encapsulated eicosane, is at a concentration of 20%. Because the melting temperature of microencapsulated phase change materials is approximately 36°C, energy storage at a low flow rate and heat flux is recommended.