Analysis of radiative and phase-change phenomena with application to space-based thermal energy storage

Abstract

The simplified geometry for the analysis is an infinite, axis symmetric annulus with a specified solar flux at the outer radius. The inner radius is either adiabatic (modeling Flight Experiment conditions), or convective (modeling Solar Dynamic conditions). Liquid LiF either contacts the outer wall (modeling ground based testing), or faces a void gap at the outer wall (modeling possible space based conditions). The analysis is presented in three parts: Part 3 considers and adiabatic inner wall and linearized radiation equations; part 2 adds effects of convection at the inner wall; and part 1 includes the effect of the void gap, as well as previous effects, and develops the radiation model further. The main results are the differences in melting behavior which can occur between ground based 1 g experiments and the microgravity flight experiments. Under 1 gravity, melted PCM will always contact the outer wall having the heat flux source, thus providing conductance from this source to the phase change front. In space based tests where a void gap may likely form during solidification, the situation is reversed; radiation is now the only mode of heat transfer and the majority of melting takes place from the inner wall