Effect of Copper Foam on Heat Transfer and Temperature Control Characteristics of Phase Change Materials under Different Force Fields

Latent heat storage cooling technology based on phase change Materials (PCMs) holds broad application prospects in aerospace thermal management due to its high energy storage density and passive temperature control characteristics.Foam copper, a commonly used heat transfer enhancement medium for PCMs, suppresses natural convection while intensifying heat transfer.

Complex force fields induced by aircraft maneuvering—including overload, weightlessness, and variable acceleration—interact with foam Copper's convection-suppressing properties, creating uncertainty in its overall heat transfer enhancement effect. This study experimentally analyzes the impact offoam copper on PCM heat transfer and temperature control performance under various force field conditions.

Results indicate that under positive force fields, incorporating foam copper can reduce PCM melting time by up to 62.5% and extend effective temperature control duration by 153.4%. Conversely, under negative force fields, foam copper's melting acceleration effect diminishes with increasing force field intensity. Additionally, composite phase change materials (CPCMs) exhibit slightly reduced temperature uniformity and effective control duration in the later stages compared to pure PCMs. Notably, incorporating foamed copper significantly enhances the thermal stability of the phase change thermal control unit under complex force fields. Compared to pure PCM, CPCM exhibits an 86.8% reduction in melting time fluctuation and a 52.6% decrease in temperature control duration fluctuation under varying force field conditions.