Latent　heat　thermal　energy　storage　is　an　essential　technology　for　addressing　the　intermittent　nature　of　solar　energy,　owing　to　its　large　energy　storage　density.　However,　the　low　thermal　conductivity　of　phase　change　material　hinders　the　energy　storage　efficiency.　In　the　current　work,　high　thermal　conductive　woven　metal　fibers　are　inserted　into　phase　change　material　to　improve　its　heat　transfer　rate.　The　corresponding　energy　storage　process　in　a　latent　heat　storage　unit　is　investigated,　based　on　pore-scale　three-dimensional　lattice　Boltzmann　modeling　via　numerically　reconstructing　the　fiber　morphology.　The　results　indicate　that　woven　metal　fibers　with　optimum　porosity　should　be　used　to　balance　the　heat　transfer　capability　and　energy　storage　capacity　of　the　woven　metal　fiber-phase　change　material　composite.　In　addition,　curved　woven　metal　fibers　exhibit　better　thermal　performance　in　a　latent　heat　storage　unit　than　straight　woven　metal　fibers　at　a　high　porosity　of　0.95.　However,　straight　woven　metal　fibers　are　more　effective　than　curved　woven　metal　fibers　for　enhancing　the　heat　transfer　rate　of　phase　change　material　at　a　relatively　low　porosity　of　0.90.　Importantly,　the　energy　storage　rate　could　be　accelerated　by　40%　through　consolidating　the　anisotropic　degree　of　woven　metal　fibers　with　fully　unidirectional　configuration　owing　to　their　enhanced　heat　transfer　in　the　desired　direction.　Besides,　the　heat　conduction　inside　the　woven　metal　fiber-phase　change　material　composite　contributes　to　at　least　71.8%　of　total　energy　storage　amount　during　conjugate　heat　transfer,　demonstrating　its　dominant　behavior　rather　than　natural　convection.　Woven　metal　fibers　with　designable　anisotropic　characteristics　exhibit　evident　advantages　over　isotropic　porous　media　for　improving　the　thermal　performance　of　a　latent　heat　storage　unit.　©　2021　Elsevier　Ltd