Thermal Management Effectiveness and Efficiency of a Fin Surrounded by a Phase Change Material (PCM)

Extended surfaces, also known as fins are used commonly for heat transfer enhancement in energy storage and thermal management problems. A fin may improve the rate of by offering greater surface area. While performance a single-phase ambient such air is well-understood, relatively lesser work available on performance, including parameters effectiveness efficiency, when embedded phase change material (PCM). key theoretical challenge analysis transient nature problem that must be combined with diffusion fin. This presents between base wall PCM presence The processes fin, using perturbation time-dependent boundary condition. Results found to good agreement numerical simulations. Expressions efficiency functions time derived. impact various geometry, Stefan number analyzed. an array equally-spaced It shown while provides additional area enhanced melting PCM, limit benefit especially at small times. On other hand, large times limited slow PCM. presented here fundamental understanding based management. derived this offer useful tools designing improving practical systems.