A Modified Kelvin Model for Thermal Performance Simulation of High Mechanical Property Open-Cell Metal Foams

Abstract

This paper proposes a modified Kelvin model for high mechanical property open-cell metal foams and investigates its application in thermal simulations. The thermal conductivity is simulated based on the steady state method and the results are consistent with experimental values. The melting process of phase change materials (PCMs) in Kelvin model and its modified model is numerically investigated under a temperature constant heat resource. By detecting the temperature variations, it shows that the metal foam greatly improves the heat transfer in energy storage systems. Besides, the comparison of the melting process in two foam models indicates that the systems based on high mechanical property metal foams have a shorter melting time. The melting process of paraffin in modified Kelvin metal foam models with three different porosities (65%, 70% and 75%) are numerically analyzed and compared.