Melting performance of a cold energy storage device filled with metal foam–composite phase-change materials

Performance prediction of cold thermal energy storage (CTES) devices is an important step in guiding their design and application. However, related studies are limited, and some do not consider the influence of structural parameters. In this study, a CTES with metal foam–composite phase-change materials (PCMs) was built, and the influence mechanism of the physical parameters of PCMs and structural parameters of metal foam on the melting of composite PCMs was studied through experiments, theory, and numerical simulation. Results show that the porosity, the material of the metal foam, and the thickness of the metal foam are the main factors affecting the melting rate and heat transfer strength of PCMS, whereas the effect of pore density can be ignored. Three general correlations about the liquid fraction; Nusselt number with Fo, Ste, and Ra; and dimensionless structural parameters of metal foams were analyzed and obtained. The results will provide data and theoretical basis for the design of CTES using metal foam–composite PCMs.