Enhancing Melting Heat Transfer in a Double Tube Enclosure: The Role of Perforated Disk Fin Configurations

This study aims to enhance the thermal performance of latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems using phase change materials (PCMs) by introducing novel perforated disk fin configurations, overcoming PCMs’ low thermal conductivity while maintaining fixed fin material volume. Numerical simulations employ a finite volume solver tailored for phase change heat transfer to model phase transitions, and a pressure‐based algorithm to ensure stability across flow regimes. Adaptive time stepping captures dynamic temperature evolution without sacrificing accuracy. The strategic placement of small holes enhances both convective and conductive heat pathways within the PCM, reducing thermal resistance and boosting energy transfer rates. This configuration overcomes the low intrinsic thermal conductivity of PCMs, enabling rapid thermal storage and retrieval. Twelve distinct fin designs were numerically analyzed to evaluate the effects of staggered arrangements, hole diameters, and row layouts on PCM melting and solidification rates. The optimal configuration, featuring multiple staggered rows of small‐radius holes to maximize surface area and heat transfer, accelerated melting by 67% compared to conventional designs and by 29% relative to nonperforated fins. Perforated fins thus enable natural convection flow and enhanced heat transfer, significantly improving LHTES thermal performance.