CHARACTERISTICS OF A PLATE-FIN HEAT-EXCHANGER WITH PHASE-CHANGE MATERIALS

A single-pass cross-flow heat exchanger with both fluids (air) unmixed , in which one or two kinds of phase change materials (PCM) were enclo sed, was studied experimentally and analytically. This heat exchanger provides thermal energy storage and can be used to recover waste heat. Four kinds of heat exchangers were tested: The one with no PCM, other s with lower melting point PCM and higher melting point PCM, one with both PCMs. Three kinds of experiments - steady, transient, and periodi c experiments - were performed. A numerical analysis was carried out f or periodic operation. From these results the characteristics of each heat exchanger were determined and suitable operating conditions were found.