Effect of nanoparticle size on the thermal performance of paraffin-O2 hybrid heat sink using molecular dynamics approach

Abstract

Phase change materials and nanostructures are necessary to raise the efficiency of thermal energy (TE) storage systems, hence improving the efficiency of energy storage units. For this reason, the construction makes use of metal oxides and nanoscale metal particles. This work examined, using molecular dynamics modeling, the influence of nanoparticle (NP) size on the paraffin/O<inf>2</inf>/Al<inf>2</inf>O<inf>3</inf> hybrid heat sink performance. The results show that the thermal conductivity of the structure rose from 391.34 to 404.44 W/m.K as Al<inf>2</inf>O<inf>3</inf> NP size rose. This resulted in lengthier NP aggregation from 6.95 to 7.02 ns. Moreover, changing the radius of NPs in a simulated construction would boost the heat flow from 333.99 to 368.05 W/m2. Consequently, phase change materials and nanostructures improve the heat transfer (HT) and storage capacity of the system. Renewable energy systems, electronics cooling, and thermal management in industrial processes are just a few of the many disciplines where this technology might find use. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.