A General Model for Analyzing the Thermal Characteristics of a Class of Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage Systems

1999 ◽  
Vol 121 (4) ◽  
pp. 185-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kang Yanbing ◽  
Zhang Yinping ◽  
Jiang Yi ◽  
Zhu Yingxin
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
Thermal Performance ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy Storage ◽  
General Model ◽  
Thermal Characteristics ◽  
System Structure ◽  
Heat Transfer Fluid

The present study describes and classifies latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems according to their structural characteristics. A general model is developed for analyzing the thermal characteristics of the various typical LHTES systems to simulate thermal characteristics such as instantaneous heat transfer rate, instantaneous thermal storage capacity, etc. of the various typical LHTES systems. The model can calculate some important but difficult to measure system parameters for monitoring the charging or discharging processes of the systems. The model is verified using experimental data in the literature. Results from the model can be used to discuss the influence of the characteristic geometric parameters of LHTES units, the physical properties of the phase change material (PCM), the flow type and the velocity of heat transfer fluid (HTF) on the system thermal performance and to identify the key factors influencing the system thermal performance. The general model can be used to select and optimize the system structure and to simulate the thermal behavior of various typical LHTES systems.

A General Model for Analyzing the Thermal Performance of the Heat Charging and Discharging Processes of Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage Systems*

2001 ◽  
Vol 123 (3) ◽  
pp. 232-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yinping Zhang ◽  
Yan Su ◽  
Yingxin Zhu ◽  
Xianxu Hu
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
Thermal Performance ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy Storage ◽  
General Model ◽  
Phase Change Materials ◽  
Melting Process ◽  
Specific System

During melting of phase change materials (PCM) encapsulated in a container, the solid PCM sinks to the bottom or floats to the top of the container according to the gravitational force and buoyancy resulting from the difference between solid and liquid densities. Compared with the solidification process, the melting process has a quite different behavior. Although the heat transfer characteristics of melting processes in various typical kinds of containers have been studied, the general model for analyzing the thermal performance of both melting and solidification processes of latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems composed of PCM capsules has not been presented in the literature. The present paper describes such a model which can be used to analyze the instantaneous temperature distribution, instantaneous heat transfer rate, and thermal storage capacity of a LHTES system. For solidification, the model is validated with the results in the literature. The thermal performance during melting of a LHTES system composed of PCM spheres is analyzed as an example. The model is not limited to a specific system or a specific PCM, so it can be used to select and optimize system design and to simulate the thermal behavior of various typical LHTES systems.

scholarly journals Performance Evaluation of a Small-Scale Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage Unit for Heating Applications Based on a Nanocomposite Organic PCM

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria K. Koukou ◽  
George Dogkas ◽  
Michail Gr. Vrachopoulos ◽  
John Konstantaras ◽  
Christos Pagkalos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Thermal Behavior ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy Storage ◽  
Heat Transfer Fluid ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Solidification Processes

A small-scale latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) unit for heating applications was studied experimentally using an organic phase change material (PCM). The unit comprised of a tank filled with the PCM, a staggered heat exchanger (HE) for transferring heat from and to the PCM, and a water pump to circulate water as a heat transfer fluid (HTF). The performance of the unit using the commercial organic paraffin A44 was studied in order to understand the thermal behavior of the system and the main parameters that influence heat transfer during the PCM melting and solidification processes. The latter will assist the design of a large-scale unit. The effect of flow rate was studied given that it significantly affects charging (melting) and discharging (solidification) processes. In addition, as organic PCMs have low thermal conductivity, the possible improvement of the PCM’s thermal behavior by means of nanoparticle addition was investigated. The obtained results were promising and showed that the use of graphite-based nanoplatelets improves the PCM thermal behavior. Charging was clearly faster and more efficient, while with the appropriate tuning of the HTF flow rate, an efficient discharging was accomplished.

scholarly journals Optimum Placement of Heating Tubes in a Multi-Tube Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 1232
Author(s):  
Mohammad Ghalambaz ◽  
Hayder I. Mohammed ◽  
Ali Naghizadeh ◽  
Mohammad S. Islam ◽  
Obai Younis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Taguchi Method ◽  
Phase Change ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy Storage ◽  
Storage Systems ◽  
Heat Transfer Fluid ◽  
Energy Storage Systems

Utilizing phase change materials in thermal energy storage systems is commonly considered as an alternative solution for the effective use of energy. This study presents numerical simulations of the charging process for a multitube latent heat thermal energy storage system. A thermal energy storage model, consisting of five tubes of heat transfer fluids, was investigated using Rubitherm phase change material (RT35) as the. The locations of the tubes were optimized by applying the Taguchi method. The thermal behavior of the unit was evaluated by considering the liquid fraction graphs, streamlines, and isotherm contours. The numerical model was first verified compared with existed experimental data from the literature. The outcomes revealed that based on the Taguchi method, the first row of the heat transfer fluid tubes should be located at the lowest possible area while the other tubes should be spread consistently in the enclosure. The charging rate changed by 76% when varying the locations of the tubes in the enclosure to the optimum point. The development of streamlines and free-convection flow circulation was found to impact the system design significantly. The Taguchi method could efficiently assign the optimum design of the system with few simulations. Accordingly, this approach gives the impression of the future design of energy storage systems.

Modeling and Simulation of Thermal Energy Storage for Solar Energy Utilization

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fadi Alnaimat ◽  
Bobby Mathew ◽  
Abdel-Hamid I. Mourad ◽  
S.-A. B. Al Omari
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy Storage ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Storage System ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Thermal Characteristics ◽  
Energy Utilization ◽  
Heat Transfer Fluid

Abstract A significant research has been done on the enhancement of thermal energy storage systems. This article details the numerical study conducted to understand the heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics of a concentric thermal energy storage subjected to different heat transfer fluid (HTF) velocities. Water is used as the working heat transfer fluid. The influence of flow parameter primarily the HTF velocity is studied in this article. Studies are conducted for concentric thermal energy storage diameter of 25 mm, and 10 mm inner diameter of concentric pipe, 200 mm length, and HTF velocity of 0.02, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5 m/s. It is found that the utilization of fins improves the heat transfer in tube in tank thermal storage system. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) enables a more detailed study of the phase change thermal characteristics.

scholarly journals Latent Heat Phase Change Heat Transfer of a Nanoliquid with Nano–Encapsulated Phase Change Materials in a Wavy-Wall Enclosure with an Active Rotating Cylinder

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2590
Author(s):  
S. A. M. Mehryan ◽  
Kaamran Raahemifar ◽  
Leila Sasani Gargari ◽  
Ahmad Hajjar ◽  
Mohamad El Kadri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Phase Change ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy Storage ◽  
Wavy Wall ◽  
Governing Equations ◽  
Stefan Number ◽  
Change Material

A Nano-Encapsulated Phase-Change Material (NEPCM) suspension is made of nanoparticles containing a Phase Change Material in their core and dispersed in a fluid. These particles can contribute to thermal energy storage and heat transfer by their latent heat of phase change as moving with the host fluid. Thus, such novel nanoliquids are promising for applications in waste heat recovery and thermal energy storage systems. In the present research, the mixed convection of NEPCM suspensions was addressed in a wavy wall cavity containing a rotating solid cylinder. As the nanoparticles move with the liquid, they undergo a phase change and transfer the latent heat. The phase change of nanoparticles was considered as temperature-dependent heat capacity. The governing equations of mass, momentum, and energy conservation were presented as partial differential equations. Then, the governing equations were converted to a non-dimensional form to generalize the solution, and solved by the finite element method. The influence of control parameters such as volume concentration of nanoparticles, fusion temperature of nanoparticles, Stefan number, wall undulations number, and as well as the cylinder size, angular rotation, and thermal conductivities was addressed on the heat transfer in the enclosure. The wall undulation number induces a remarkable change in the Nusselt number. There are optimum fusion temperatures for nanoparticles, which could maximize the heat transfer rate. The increase of the latent heat of nanoparticles (a decline of Stefan number) boosts the heat transfer advantage of employing the phase change particles.

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