Heat transfer from multiple cylinders during melting process: Solar applications

The current numerical study is conducted to analyze the melting process around a multiple horizontal circular cylinders in the presence of the natural convection in the melt phase. A numerical code is developed using an unstructured finite-volume method and an enthalpy porosity technique to solve for natural convection coupled to solid-liquid phase change. It is found that the effect of natural convection and the cylinder arrangement are important and should be considered in the design of systems involving phase change materials.