Natural Convection Effect on Solidification Enhancement in a Multi-Tube Latent Heat Storage System: Effect of Tubes’ Arrangement

The solidification process in a multi-tube latent heat energy system is affected by the natural convection and arrangement of exchanger tubes, which changes buoyancy effect as well. In current work, tubes was examined during with focus on effects inside phase change material (PCM). behavior numerically analyzed using liquid fraction released, well temperature, velocity streamline profiles for different studied cases. considering seven pipes symmetrical condition, are assumed at positions system, including uniform distribution non-uniform distribution, i.e., concentrated bottom, middle top PCM shell. model first validated compared previous experimental work from literature. results show that rate removal after 16 h 52.89 W (max) 14.85 (min) cases tube respectively, proposed dimensions exchanger. increases when distance between shell reduces, increased equal to 68.75 due effect. release also reduces increasing temperature tubes. 7.5%, 23.7% 10 °C 15 20 °C, respectively. This paper reveals specific consideration should be made enhance recovery attending storage systems.