CFD-Based Investigation of Heat Transfer and Melting Dynamics in Phase Change Materials (PCM)

The increasing share of renewable energy sources introduces significant intermittency into power systems, necessitating efficient energy storage solutions. Latent heat thermal energy storage using phase change materials offers high energy density and near isothermal operation. However, its performance is constrained by low thermal conductivity and high viscosity, which limit heat transfer and natural convection. This work presents a numerical investigation of PCM melting using ANSYS Fluent®. The model is validated against experimental data obtained through non-intrusive optical techniques. The results demonstrate good agreement between numerical and experimental liquid-fraction evolution, confirming the model's reliability for further studies on heat-transfer enhancement strategies.