Improving Thermal Conductivity in Heat Sink Using Copper Foam-Paraffin Phase Change Materials

Phase change materials (PCMs) play a vital role in thermal energy storage systems because of their ability to absorb and release heat. However, their low thermal conductivity limits how quickly energy can be stored and retrieved. Adding copper metal foam toPCMs significantly improves their thermal conductivity. This study explores the increase in thermal conductivity of a metal foam-paraffin composite compared to pure paraffin. Copper metal foam, known for its excellent thermal conductivity, enhances the heat transfer rate within the composite. Both theoretical and experimental evaluations were conducted to measure and compare the thermal conductivity of the copper foam/PCM composite. The results showed that the composite achieved a thermal conductivity of 5.5 W/mK at 13 Wmuch higher than the 0.2 W/mK observed in pure PCM. Additionally, the copper/PCM composite reduced the heat sink temperature by 25–30%. This improvement is attributed to the enhanced thermal pathways created by the structure of the copper foam, despite the inverse relationship between infiltration ratio and pore density.