Transient Cooling Using Organic Phase Change Materials

Galen R Jackson, Purdue University

Abstract

Thermal energy storage using phase change materials has been used for centuries as a method of thermal management and cooling. In the past few decades, there has been increased interest in using phase change materials as a method of cooling electronics with high thermal loads. The following document focuses on cooling transient, or cyclic, thermal loads with solid-liquid phase change materials. Analysis regarding the response of cooling cyclic heat loads with a phase change material is performed using both numerical and experimental approaches. A new method of modeling of phase change materials inside porous media is introduced, where an effective medium model is enhanced using a pore-scale subdomain called the pore-scale model. The pore-scale model is validated via cyclic heating experiments utilizing a variety of porous foams and the predictive capabilities of the model are assessed against the experimental results. The use of porous foams filled with phase change material for cooling is tested in three different designs, each with the goal of reducing the temperature output of a system encountering oscillatory heating. Each test case is assessed using metrics designed to determine the efficacy of the given approach. The different designs are used to highlight the advantages and limitations of using phase change materials for transient systems. A summary of where the use of phase change materials is most beneficial is provided, based on the results from the three design cases.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Fisher, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Mechanical engineering

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