Convection and Radiation During Melting of a Phase Change Material: A Simplified Model for Engineering Applications

Abstract : A simplified model for combined natural convection and radiation during melting process of a phase change material (PCM) is presented. First, the simplified model for natural convection during melting is validated using a CFD model, in addition to experimental and numerical benchmark solutions for a test case. Then, the simplified model for both natural convection and radiation is applied to the melting of a fatty acid eutectic filled in glass bricks and validated against lattice Boltzmann-discrete ordinate method (LBM-DOM). Finally, the complete model is applied to study the thermal behavior of a translucent wall; then validated experimentally using a full-scale building located in southern France.