Simulation and optimization of energy in oil storage tanks using nanocomposite of phase change materials by Computational Fluid Dynamics

Current research has simulated polymer oxide/metal oxide nanofibers (nanocomposites) through the COMSOL Multiphysics software. The oil was placed inside a cylindrical tank covered with a thin layer of phase change material nanocomposites. A combination of polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a the phase change material (PCM) and polyamide 6 (PA6) as a support matrix for nanofibers were used. The effect of some parameters such as the type of metal oxide nanoparticles (Al2O3, Fe2O3, TiO2, and CuO), the ratio of metal oxide to polymer (2% and 8% by weight), and time (600 and 4800 s) on some thermophysical properties such as changes in temperature, density and thermal conductivity were investigated. The simulation results showed that the most suitable system for thermal management is related to the presence of nanoparticles and PCM with the highest weight percentage. It was also found that the use of the nanofibers of phase change materials is very effective in improving thermal management and temperature control. As a result, they can be used as suitable materials for storing and transferring energy. The addition of 8% nanoparticles led to a 22.5% increase in thermal conductivity. Also, by providing the same initial and boundary conditions for all cases, the amount of melting in the presence of nanoparticles with a high percentage (8%) was higher than the with a low percentage (2%). As a result, the addition of nanoparticles to increase the melting rate can be very useful for various heat management purposes such as energy storage.