A research team consisting of Prof. Dr. Saad Mohammed Jalil and Prof. Dr. Mustafa Barzan Abdulghafour has successfully published a scientific research paper in the reputable international journal Heat Transfer, published by the global academic publisher Wiley. The journal is indexed in Scopus within the first quartile (Q1) and has a CiteScore of 6.9, reflecting its high scientific standing.

The paper is entitled:
“Thermal Characteristics of Phase Change Material Solidification Behavior in Annulus.”

The study focuses on improving energy efficiency and enhancing thermal performance in engineering applications. It presents a numerical and experimental investigation of the thermal performance and temperature distribution during the solidification process of a phase change material (PCM) inside concentric tube systems. The inlet temperature of the heat transfer fluid (HTF) flowing through the inner tube was maintained below the freezing temperature of the PCM (paraffin wax).

A three-dimensional numerical model was developed to simulate the different domains, including the tubes, the phase change material, and the heat transfer fluid. Experiments were conducted at various mass flow rates (0.0134, 0.032, 0.0713, and 0.0952 kg/s), during which the inlet and outlet temperatures of both the PCM and the HTF were measured.

The results showed strong agreement between the numerical simulations and the experimental data. Additionally, the findings revealed an inverse relationship between the mass flow rate and the time required for PCM solidification. Optimal solidification times of 155, 128, 66, and 55 minutes were achieved, producing hot water at approximately 37°C, suitable for domestic applications.