Temperature-Energy Relationships and Spatial Distribution Analysis for Nano-Enhanced Phase Change Materials Via Thermal Energy Storage

Abstract

This study investigates the thermal performance of nano-enhanced phase change materials (NEPCMs) for thermal energy storage (TES) applications, focusing on their energy behavior during phase transitions. The primary objective was to model and compare the heat storage capabilities of NEPCMs, specifically involving aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles, and pure water, using a finite control volume approach to simulate the governing energy equations. Thermophysical properties such as density, specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and volumetric expansion were defined for both base PCMs and nanoparticles to derive effective NEPCM properties. Using MATLAB, discretized equations were implemented to analyze spatial and temperature-dependent energy variations across a two-dimensional domain. Key findings demonstrate that NEPCMs exhibit sharper and more localized energy peaks, attributed to latent heat effects and enhanced thermal conductivity. In contrast, water exhibited broader, smoother energy profiles due to its high specific heat capacity and lack of phase transitions in the studied temperature range. Visualization through 3D surface plots and scatter plots confirmed that NEPCMs enable faster charging/discharging and improved thermal regulation, making them suitable for dynamic TES applications such as solar energy harvesting, electronic cooling, and waste heat recovery. This research underscores the importance of integrating nanoparticles into PCMs to optimize thermal responsiveness and efficiency, and recommends further work in optimizing nanoparticle volume fractions and incorporating transient convection models