EFFECT OF SUPERGRAVITY ON MELTING PHASE CHANGE IN METAL FOAM

The present study analyzed the melting behaviors of phase change materials that were filled in metal foam under various supergravity conditions. Numerical models were established and validated through experimental results. The melting characteristics of melting front shape, liquid fraction and heat storage, temperature, and velocity distribution were discussed over the entire melting process. Results demonstrated that supergravity greatly enhanced the buoyancy convection in the liquid, thereby increasing the melting fraction, reducing the full melting time, and reducing the bottom refractory phenomenon. As the gravity increased from 1g to 10g, a 14.25% reduction in time was saved. However, the temperature uniformity was significantly degraded by increasing supergravity. Temperature uniformity under the normal gravity (1g) was the best among other cases, being 10.2% higher than that under 10g. It was necessary to consider the comprehensive influence of high gravity upon temperature uniformity as well as heat storage rate in real engineering applications.