Thermal Storage in Phase Change Materials. Application to a Solar Air Space Heating System

Author(s):  
P.-H Theunissen ◽  
J.-M Buchlin
2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-80
Author(s):  
V. Chauhan ◽  
Á. Ragnarsson

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> The present work discusses the utilization of phase change materials for energy storage in geothermal space heating systems. Thermodynamics and thermoeconomics of the combined heating and thermal storing system were studied to show the scope of energy storage and cost savings. A computational model of the combined space heating and thermal storage system was developed and used to perform thermodynamic studies of the heat storage process and heating system efficiency at different times and ambient temperatures. The basis for these studies is daily variations in heating demand that is higher during the night than during the day. The results show the scope of the utilization of phase change material for low ambient temperature conditions. Under proper conditions a sufficient amount of exergy is stored during the charging period at a low ambient temperature to fulfill the daytime heat load requirement. Under these conditions the cost flow rate of exergy storage is found to be lower than the radiator heating cost flow rate. Thus, the use of exergy storage at low ambient temperatures for heating at higher ambient temperatures makes a significant contribution to cost savings.</p>


Fluids ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (8) ◽  
pp. 275
Author(s):  
Ahmed J. Hamad

One essential utilization of phase change materials as energy storage materials is energy saving and temperature control in air conditioning and indirect solar air drying systems. This study presents an experimental investigation evaluating the characteristics and energy savings of multiple phase change materials subjected to internal flow in an air heating system during charging and discharging cycles. The experimental tests were conducted using a test rig consisting of two main parts, an air supply duct and a room model equipped with phase change materials (PCMs) placed in rectangular aluminum panels. Analysis of the results was based on three test cases: PCM1 (Paraffin wax) placed in the air duct was used alone in the first case; PCM2 (RT–42) placed in the room model was used alone in the second case; and in the third case, the two PCMs (PCM1 and PCM2) were used at the same time. The results revealed a significant improvement in the energy savings and room model temperature control for the air heating system incorporated with multiple PCMs compared with that of a single PCM. Complete melting during the charging cycle occurred at temperatures in the range of 57–60 °C for PCM1 and 38–43 °C for PCM2, respectively, thereby validating the reported PCMs’ melting–solidification results. Multiple PCMs maintained the room air temperature at the desired range of 35–45.2 °C in the air heating applications by minimizing the air temperature fluctuations. The augmentation in discharging time and improvement in the room model temperature using multiple PCMs were about 28.4% higher than those without the use of PCMs. The total energy saving using two PCMs was higher by about 29.5% and 46.7% compared with the use of PCM1 and PCM2, respectively. It can be concluded that multiple PCMs have revealed higher energy savings and thermal stability for the air heating system considered in the current study.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1390
Author(s):  
Rocío Bayón

Thermal energy storage using phase change materials (PCMs) is a research topic that has attracted much attention in recent decades [...]


2021 ◽  
pp. 131208
Author(s):  
Qinglin Li ◽  
Xiaodong Ma ◽  
Xiaoyu Zhang ◽  
Jiqiang Ma ◽  
Xiaowu Hu ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (6 Part A) ◽  
pp. 2525-2532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shailendra Kumar ◽  
Kishan Kumar

The present study explores suitability of two phase change materials (PCM) for development of an active thermal storage system for a solar drying kiln by studying their melting and solidification behaviors. A double glass glazing prototype solar kiln was used in the study. The storage system consisted of a water storage tank with PCM placed inside the water in high density polyethylene containers. The water in the tank was heated with help of solar energy using an evacuated tube collector array. The melting and solidification temperature curves of PCM were obtained by charging and discharging the water tank. The study illustrated the utility of the PCM in using the stored thermal energy during their discharge to enhance the temperature inside the kiln. The rate of temperature reduction was found to be higher for paraffin wax as compared to a fatty acid based PCM. The water temperature during the discharge of the PCM showed dependence on the discharge characteristics of each PCM suggesting their suitability in designing active thermal storage systems.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 032-041
Author(s):  
Pradeep N ◽  
Somesh Subramanian S

Thermal energy storage through phase change material has been used for wide applications in the field of air conditioning and refrigeration. The specific use of this thermal storage has been for energy storage during low demand and release of this energy during peak loads with potential to provide energy savings due to this. The principle of latent heat storage using phase change materials (PCMs) can be incorporated into a thermal storage system suitable for using deep freezers. The evaporator is covered with another box which has storage capacity or passage through phase change material. The results revealed that the performance is increased from 3.2 to 3.5 by using PCM.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (23) ◽  
pp. 7223
Author(s):  
Marco A. Orozco ◽  
Karen Acurio ◽  
Francis Vásquez-Aza ◽  
Javier Martínez-Gómez ◽  
Andres Chico-Proano

This study presents the energy storage potential of nitrate salts for specific applications in energy systems that use renewable resources. For this, the thermal, chemical, and morphological characterization of 11 samples of nitrate salts as phase change materials (PCM) was conducted. Specifically, sodium nitrate (NaNO3), sodium nitrite (NaNO2), and potassium nitrate (KNO3) were considered as base materials; and various binary and ternary mixtures were evaluated. For the evaluation of the materials, differential Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to identify the temperature and enthalpy of phase change, thermal stability, microstructure, and the identification of functional groups were applied. Among the relevant results, sodium nitrite presented the highest phase change enthalpy of 220.7 J/g, and the mixture of 50% NaNO3 and 50% NaNO2 presented an enthalpy of 185.6 J/g with a phase change start and end temperature of 228.4 and 238.6 °C, respectively. This result indicates that sodium nitrite mixtures allow the thermal storage capacity of PCMs to increase. In conclusion, these materials are suitable for medium and high-temperature thermal energy storage systems due to their thermal and chemical stability, and high thermal storage capacity.


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