Solid/Liquid Phase Change Heat Transfer in Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Zhou ◽  
C. Y. Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Phase Change ◽  
Calcium Chloride ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy Storage ◽  
Phase Change Materials ◽  
Metal Foams ◽  
Chloride Hexahydrate

Phase change materials (PCMs) have been widely used for thermal energy storage systems due to their capability of storing and releasing large amounts of energy with a small volume and a moderate temperature variation. Most PCMs suffer the common problem of low thermal conductivity, being around 0.2 and 0.5 for paraffin and inorganic salts, respectively, which prolongs the charging and discharging period. In an attempt to improve the thermal conductivity of phase change materials, the graphite or metallic matrix is often embedded within PCMs to enhance the heat transfer. This paper presents an experimental study on heat transfer characteristics of PCMs embedded with open-celled metal foams. In this study both paraffin wax and calcium chloride hexahydrate are employed as the heat storage media. The transient heat transfer behavior is measured. Compared to the results of pure PCMs samples, the investigation shows that the additions of metal foams can double the overall heat transfer rate during the melting process. The results of calcium chloride hexahydrate are also compared with those of paraffin wax.

scholarly journals High Temperature Thermal Energy Storage Utilizing Metallic Phase Change Materials and Metallic Heat Transfer Fluids

2013 ◽  
Vol 135 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes P. Kotzé ◽  
Theodor W. von Backström ◽  
Paul J. Erens
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Phase Change ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy Storage ◽  
Phase Change Materials ◽  
Metallic Phase ◽  
High Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Heat Transfer Fluids

Cost and volume savings are some of the advantages offered by the use of latent heat thermal energy storage (TES). Metallic phase change materials (PCMs) have high thermal conductivity, which relate to high charging and discharging rates in TES system, and can operate at temperatures exceeding 560 °C. In the study, a eutectic aluminium–silicon alloy, AlSi12, is identified as a good potential PCM. AlSi12 has a melting temperature of 577 °C, which is above the working temperature of regular heat transfer fluids (HTFs). The eutectic sodium–potassium alloy (NaK) is identified as an ideal HTF in a storage system that uses metallic PCMs. A concept is presented that integrates the TES-unit and steam generator into one unit. As NaK is highly reactive with water, the inherently high thermal conductivity of AlSi12 is utilized in order to create a safe concept. As a proof of concept, a steam power-generating cycle was considered that is especially suited for a TES using AlSi12 as PCM. The plant was designed to deliver 100 MW with 15 h of storage. Thermodynamic and heat transfer analysis showed that the concept is viable. The analysis indicated that the cost of the AlSi12 storage material is 14.7 US$per kWh of thermal energy storage.

Latent Heat Storage: Container Geometry, Enhancement Techniques, and Applications—A Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Arunachalam
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Phase Change ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Heat Exchangers ◽  
Phase Change Materials ◽  
Heat Storage ◽  
Low Thermal Conductivity

Energy storage helps in waste management, environmental protection, saving of fossil fuels, cost effectiveness, and sustainable growth. Phase change material (PCM) is a substance which undergoes simultaneous melting and solidification at certain temperature and pressure and can thereby absorb and release thermal energy. Phase change materials are also called thermal batteries which have the ability to store large amount of heat at fixed temperature. Effective integration of the latent heat thermal energy storage system with solar thermal collectors depends on heat storage materials and heat exchangers. The practical limitation of the latent heat thermal energy system for successful implementation in various applications is mainly from its low thermal conductivity. Low thermal conductivity leads to low heat transfer coefficient, and thereby, the phase change process is prolonged which signifies the requirement of heat transfer enhancement techniques. Typically, for salt hydrates and organic PCMs, the thermal conductivity range varies between 0.4–0.7 W/m K and 0.15–0.3 W/m K which increases the thermal resistance within phase change materials during operation, seriously affecting efficiency and thermal response. This paper reviews the different geometry of commercial heat exchangers that can be used to address the problem of low thermal conductivity, like use of fins, additives with high thermal conductivity materials like metal strips, microencapsulated PCM, composite PCM, porous metals, porous metal foam matrix, carbon nanofibers and nanotubes, etc. Finally, different solar thermal applications and potential PCMs for low-temperature thermal energy storage were also discussed.

Enhanced thermal conductivity of PEG/diatomite shape-stabilized phase change materials with Ag nanoparticles for thermal energy storage

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (16) ◽  
pp. 8526-8536 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tingting Qian ◽  
Jinhong Li ◽  
Xin Min ◽  
Weimin Guan ◽  
Yong Deng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Phase Change ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy Storage ◽  
Ag Nanoparticles ◽  
Phase Change Materials ◽  
Enhanced Thermal Conductivity

The thermal conductivity was 0.82 W m−1 K−1 for 7.2% AgNPs in PEG/diatomite, which was enhanced by 127% compared to PEG/diatomite.

Analysis of Flow Through Packed Bed of Spheres Containing Phase Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage Applications

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinit V. Prabhu ◽  
Ethan Languri ◽  
Kashif Nawaz
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Response Time ◽  
Phase Change ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy Storage ◽  
Phase Change Materials ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Packed Bed ◽  
Hot Water

Abstract The research on thermal energy storage (TES) systems have received a lot of attention in recent decades for sustainable use of thermal energy in various industrial and residential applications. The existing challenge in designing the TES is the response time of charging and discharging cycles that keeps these systems away from wide utilization in industries. Literature data show that beside the low thermal conductivity of most phase change materials (PCMs) as active media in TES systems, the poor flow distribution may be another factor affecting the response rate. This study aims to considerably reduce the response time by packing the PCMs in a bed of spheres made of high thermal conductivity material. The response rate during the charging cycle is studied numerically by passing hot water at 70 °C over the packed bed of spheres. The numerical analysis is performed using ANSYS Fluent 19. The PCM used in this study is a paraffin and has a melting point of 48 °C. The response rate of the system is studied and it is compared to other similar systems mentioned in literature. The amount of energy storage is also studied by changing the flow rate of water.

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