2016 12 12 C. THOUMYRE Thesis defense

Optimization of architectured structures for harnessing, storage and release of thermal energy.

Jury:

M. Jean-Marc DEDULLE, Professeur associé à Grenoble INP (Examinateur)
M. Frédéric KUZNIK, Professeur à l'INSA Lyon (Rapporteur)
M. Pierre LHUISSIER, Chargé de Recherches CNRS au laboratoire SIMaP (Co-Directeur de thèse)
M. Thomas PARDOEN, Professeur ordinaire à l'Université Catholique de Louvain (Rapporteur)
M. Luc SALVO, Professeur à Grenoble INP - Phelma (Directeur de thèse)
M. Bernard YRIEIX, Ingénieur chercheur à EDF - R&D (Examinateur)

Abstract

The problematic of heat storage is important in the present context. One of the solutions is to use phase change materials (PCM). Nevertheless their thermal properties are poors and a conductive substracte must absolutely be used in order to maximise the yield of theses systems.
The purposes of this PhD are the physics phenomena implementation understanding and characterization, and the optimization of architectured structures for heat storage systems. A dual approach was adopted both experimental and numerical on simple PCM reception structures (fins) and on more complex ones (open foams). We analyzed influences of geometrical parameters (system lenght and porosity, thickness and space betweens fins, cellfoam size) from reception structure, its constituent material and its orientation. Experimental results support well with numerical simulations. This permits to pursue a more systematical study about analyzed parameters, and notably to identify in which cases natural convection has to be taken into account. Finally, from these results, we developped a tool which permits to optimize architectured structures for a defined bill of specifications.