Numerical simulation of thermal energy storage with phase change material and aluminum foam

A Latent Heat thermal energy storage system (LHTESS) is employed as a thermal buffer, since it avoids the intermittent supply of thermal energy due to the behaviour of the thermal source, in particular the renewable thermal source like the solar radiation. Therefore a LHTESS allows supplying the thermal energy in continuous way. The principal material of a LHTESS is the phase change material (PCM) given that it storages a high quantity of thermal energy during its phase change process thanks to the high value of latent heat. Moreover the thermal energy is stored at quasi-constant temperature because during the phase change process the heat is engaged to change phase and not to raise the temperature. Please download the full abstract below