Experimental and numerical characterization of an impure phase change material using a thermal lattice Boltzmann method

Abstract

Of the phase change materials (PCMs) that regulate ambient temperature while reducing energy consumption, Octadecane is a good candidate because of its transparency properties and its adequate melting temperature. This study aims to characterize, through an approach combining numerical simulation and experiment, the behavior and thermo-physical properties of n-Octadecane. The approach takes into consideration the natural convection and the use of PCM's experimentally-obtained enthalpy-temperature curve that includes the supercooling and soluble impurities effects. The model uses the thermal lattice Boltzmann method based both on a partial bounce-back and an enthalpy formulation while including the experimental relationships. The numerical and experimental results exhibit good agreement. The approach adopted allows to highlight the behavior of the PCM to better characterize its thermo-physical properties. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd