This　work　conducted　experimental　investigations　on　the　thermal　energy　storage　performance　of　the　shell　and　tube　unit　with　composite　phase　change　materials　(PCM).　A　cylindrical　heat　storage　tank　filled　with　open-cell　metal　foam　and　annular　fins　was　proposed.　In　order　to　study　the　heat　transfer　enhancement　performance,　a　solid-liquid　phase　change　thermal　storage　experiment　system　was　set　up.　Based　on　the　system,　the　melting　process　was　experimentally　studied　and　the　real-time　temperature　response　data　in　PCM　were　recorded.　The　results　showed　that,　compared　with　metal　foam　tube,　the　unit　with　metal　foam/finned　tube　accelerated　the　paraffin　melting　and　reduced　the　overall　phase　transition　time.　Under　the　experimental　conditions,　the　full　melting　time　was　decreased　by　16.7%.　However,　the　addition　of　fins　accelerated　the　melting　of　the　top　paraffin,　but　inhibited　the　melting　of　the　bottom　paraffin,　which　made　the　temperature　disparity　among　different　heights　expand　and　resulted　in　internal　temperature　nonuniformity.　For　foam　tube　and　foam/finned　tube,　increasing　the　flow　rate　can　significantly　enhance　the　thermal　storage　response　speed　of　the　unit,　and　the　final　stable　temperature　can　be　increased.　©　2019,　Editorial　Office　of　Journal　of　Xi＇an　Jiaotong　University.　All　right　reserved.