Parametric study of thermal energy storage in shell and tube heat exchanger double tube heat exchanger with I-shaped fins

Abstract

This paper presents the development of a novel heat exchanger design incorporating optimized “I”-shaped copper (Cu) fins to enhance thermal performance and energy efficiency. Using a numerical model based on the finite element method , the study investigated the impact of fin geometry optimization on energy storage and melting time within a shell-and-tube heat exchanger utilizing latent heat. The proposed design features a cellular arrangement of fins immersed in a phase change material (PCM-RT35). Key findings include a significant improvement in energy storage capacity and melting efficiency. Compared to existing designs, the I-shaped exchanger surpassed others in melting time by 13.94 %, 43.39 %, and 78.92 % compared to the honeycomb, longitudinal fin , and circular fin exchangers. Its superior power stems from high energy storage and a short melting time, with mean power improvements of 11.34 %, 37.9 %, and 51.78 %, respectively, over the other exchangers. These results demonstrate the potential of the optimized fin design to improve energy efficiency and thermal performance in latent heat storage systems. • Development of a new shell and tube heat exchanger configuration with new I-shaped fins; • Using the PCM-RT35 for latent heat energy storage; • The new I-shaped structure showed significant performance improvements compared with the honeycomb, longitudinal, and circular fins heat exchangers; • The geometric parameters, such as melting time and stored energy, substantially affect energy performance. • A gain in total stored energy and melting time compared with conventional exchangers.