Thermal conductivity enhancement of energy storage media using carbon fibers

Carbon fibers with a high thermal conductivity are used to enhance the ther mal conductivities of energy storage media. Two types of enhancement techni ques were studied. One is the technique using randomly oriented fibers, whi le the other is that of using a fiber brush. The carbon fibers essentially enhance the effective thermal conductivity of fiber/paraffin composites. Fo r the random type, the fiber length has little effect on the effective ther mal conductivity. The fiber brush increases the effective thermal conductiv ities to the maximum values predicted which is theoretically. The fiber bru sh is also useful for enhancing the effective thermal conductivities of pac ked beds of particles. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.