Impact Factors Analysis of the Enthalpy Method and the Effective Heat Capacity Method on the Transient Nonlinear Heat Transfer in Phase Change Materials (PCMs)

Abstract

An experimental method was used for validating the heat transfer within phase change materials (PCMs). The two models, enthalpy and effective heat capacity models, were implemented and three impact factors were analyzed. The results showed that it should not calculate using the same temperature range for the PCMs with different melting and freezing ranges. Narrower temperature range can make the enthalpy method more accurate. Also, the liquid fraction should be taken into account if the phase change had not completed. In addition, the proper treatment of latent heat made the effective heat capacity method more accurate than the enthalpy method.

Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the 12th Five Year National Science and Technology Support Key Project of China (no. 2011BAJ03B05) and (no. 2011BAE14B06).