Abstract: The visualized experiments of melting of paraffin wax in open-cell aluminum foam are performed using the microscopical technique and the infrared camera. The phase change process of paraffin wax and fluid flow are revealed in aluminum foam at the pore level, and the thermal performance of the paraffin-aluminum foam composite is visually investigated. The experimental results indicate that the aluminum foam can helpfully enhance phase change heat transfer of paraffin wax, and the wax-aluminum foam composite mainly dominated by the conduction of metal matrix has better thermal performance than the pure wax with clearly melting interface. In addition, several fragments of suspended matters are observed to be existed in the liquid wax.

Key words: metal foam, phase change materials, melting, visualized experiment

摘要： 采用光学显微与红外热成像技术对开孔泡沫铝内石蜡的融化相变过程进行了可视化实验，更加直观地考察泡沫铝强化石蜡传热性能，并重点分析泡沫金属微观孔隙结构下石蜡融化界面演化、融化液相流体流动及温度分布特征。研究结果表明：相变材料中填充泡沫金属可有效降低导热热阻、强化相变传热；与纯石蜡系统相比，石蜡/泡沫铝复合材料系统温度分布更加均匀，具有更好的热响应性能。与纯石蜡系统存在明显的融化前沿界面相比，石蜡/泡沫铝复合系统中融化区与非融化区交错分布，融化界面相对模糊。此外，实验还观测到泡沫铝内石蜡融化液相中存在大量片絮状悬浮物现象。

关键词: 泡沫金属, 相变材料, 融化, 可视化实验