Bionic-response surface combination optimization method for latent heat storage performance improvement

Improving the melting and solidification rate of phase change material is crucial for enhancing the charging or discharging power of a latent heat storage system. This research proposed a novel two-tube heat exchanger latent heat storage unit with longitudinal fins of horsetail stem based on the bionic structure of horsetail stem cross-section. Numerical modeling of transient melting of phase change material in horsetail stem fins by natural convection was established. The model’s accuracy was verified and compared with horsetail stem fins and conventional straight fins. Moreover, we optimized and designed the new fin structure based on the response surface method with minimum melting time as the objective function. The optimization results show that the optimized ponytail fins have a more uniform temperature distribution of the phase change material, significantly eliminating the influence of the heat transfer hysteresis zone, and reaching the steady state more quickly under the heat storage condition. Compared to straight fins, optimized horsetail stem fins reduced the heat storage area by only 3.80% and shortened the phase change material melting time by 44.30%. The solidification time was also reduced by 54.59%. This study provides a new idea for the structural design of phase change heat storage fins.