Investigative Study of Solidification and Melting of Stearic Acid in Triplex Pipe with Perforated Fin Surface

The energy storage capacity of latent heat thermal energy storage systems is high therefore these systems are efficient among all other thermal heat storage. This study experimentally investigates the charging and solidification of stearic acid (C18H36O2) in the finned triplex pipe heat exchanger with holes on the fin surface. The melting and discharging of stearic acid are carried out at steady inlet heat transfer fluid (HTF) i.e., water temperature. This study also investigates the result of the change in HTF flow rate on solidification and melting of phase change material. Finally, the study focuses on the comparison of average effectiveness for finned triplex tube heat exchanger and finned triplex tube with cylindrical holes on fin surface with rates of 0.33 and 0.43 Kg/s. The results showed that the average effectiveness with a finned triplex tube with a perforated fin surface is 4% more than that of a finned triplex tube at 0.33 Kg/s whereas it is 5 % more at 0.43 Kg/s during the charging process. On the other side during discharging process average effectiveness is 14 % more at 0.33 Kg/s and 11 % at 0.43 Kg/s.