scholarly journals Melting Enhancement in a Triple-Tube Latent Heat Storage System with Sloped Fins

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 3153
Author(s):  
Mustafa Z. Mahmoud ◽  
Hayder I. Mohammed ◽  
Jasim M. Mahdi ◽  
Dmitry Olegovich Bokov ◽  
Nidhal Ben Khedher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Vertical Direction ◽  
Heat Transfer Fluid ◽  
Melting Time ◽  
Base Case ◽  
Potential Cost ◽  
Latent Heat Storage ◽  
Tube Heat Exchanger ◽  
Charging Rate

Due to the potential cost saving and minimal temperature stratification, the energy storage based on phase-change materials (PCMs) can be a reliable approach for decoupling energy demand from immediate supply availability. However, due to their high heat resistance, these materials necessitate the introduction of enhancing additives, such as expanded surfaces and fins, to enable their deployment in more widespread thermal and energy storage applications. This study reports on how circular fins with staggered distribution and variable orientations can be employed for addressing the low thermal response rates in a PCM (Paraffin RT-35) triple-tube heat exchanger consisting of two heat-transfer fluids flow in opposites directions through the inner and the outer tubes. Various configurations, dimensions, and orientations of the circular fins at different flow conditions of the heat-transfer fluid were numerically examined and optimized using an experimentally validated computational fluid-dynamic model. The results show that the melting rate, compared with the base case of finless, can be improved by 88% and the heat charging rate by 34%, when the fin orientation is downward–upward along the left side and the right side of the PCM shell. The results also show that there is a benefit if longer fins with smaller thicknesses are adopted in the vertical direction of the storage unit. This benefit helps natural convection to play a greater role, resulting in higher melting rates. Changing the fins’ dimensions from (thickness × length) 2 × 7.071 mm2 to 0.55 × 25.76 mm2 decreases the melting time by 22% and increases the heat charging rate by 9.6%. This study has also confirmed the importance of selecting the suitable values of Reynolds numbers and the inlet temperatures of the heat-transfer fluid for optimizing the melting enhancement potential of circular fins with downward–upward fin orientations.

scholarly journals Investigation of Heat Transfer Enhancement in a Triple TUBE Latent Heat Storage System Using Circular Fins with Inline and Staggered Arrangements

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2647
Author(s):  
Xinguo Sun ◽  
Hayder I. Mohammed ◽  
Mohammadreza Ebrahimnataj Tiji ◽  
Jasim M. Mahdi ◽  
Hasan Sh. Majdi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Vertical Direction ◽  
Melting Rate ◽  
Heat Diffusion ◽  
Heat Transfer Fluid ◽  
Melting Time ◽  
Base Case ◽  
Latent Heat Storage ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Tube Heat Exchanger

Inherent fluctuations in the availability of energy from renewables, particularly solar, remain a substantial impediment to their widespread deployment worldwide. Employing phase-change materials (PCMs) as media, saving energy for later consumption, offers a promising solution for overcoming the problem. However, the heat conductivities of most PCMs are limited, which severely limits the energy storage potential of these materials. This study suggests employing circular fins with staggered distribution to achieve improved thermal response rates of PCM in a vertical triple-tube heat exchanger involving two opposite flow streams of the heat-transfer fluid (HTF). Since heat diffusion is not the same at various portions of the PCM unit, different fin configurations, fin dimensions and HTF flow boundary conditions were explored using computational studies of melting in the PCM triple-tube system. Staggered configuration of fin distribution resulted in significant increases in the rates of PCM melting. The results indicate that the melting rate and heat charging rate could be increased by 37.2 and 59.1%, respectively, in the case of staggered distribution. Furthermore, the use of lengthy fins with smaller thickness in the vertical direction of the storage unit resulted in a better positive role of natural convection; thus, faster melting rates were achieved. With fin dimensions of 0.666 mm × 15 mm, the melting rate was found to be increased by 23.6%, when compared to the base case of 2 mm × 5 mm. Finally, it was confirmed that the values of the Reynolds number and inlet temperatures of the HTF had a significant impact on melting time savings when circular fins of staggered distribution were included.

scholarly journals Effect of Twisted Fin Array in a Triple-Tube Latent Heat Storage System during the Charging Mode

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2685
Author(s):  
Mohammad Ghalambaz ◽  
Jasim M. Mahdi ◽  
Amirhossein Shafaghat ◽  
Amir Hossein Eisapour ◽  
Obai Younis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Storage ◽  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Heat Storage ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Melting Time ◽  
Latent Heat Storage ◽  
Tube Heat Exchanger ◽  
Storage Rate

This study aims to assess the effect of adding twisted fins in a triple-tube heat exchanger used for latent heat storage compared with using straight fins and no fins. In the proposed heat exchanger, phase change material (PCM) is placed between the middle annulus while hot water is passed in the inner tube and outer annulus in a counter-current direction, as a superior method to melt the PCM and store the thermal energy. The behavior of the system was assessed regarding the liquid fraction and temperature distributions as well as charging time and energy storage rate. The results indicate the advantages of adding twisted fins compared with those of using straight fins. The effect of several twisted fins was also studied to discover its effectiveness on the melting rate. The results demonstrate that deployment of four twisted fins reduced the melting time by 18% compared with using the same number of straight fins, and 25% compared with the no-fins case considering a similar PCM mass. Moreover, the melting time for the case of using four straight fins was 8.3% lower than that compared with the no-fins case. By raising the fins’ number from two to four and six, the heat storage rate rose 14.2% and 25.4%, respectively. This study presents the effects of novel configurations of fins in PCM-based thermal energy storage to deliver innovative products toward commercialization, which can be manufactured with additive manufacturing.

scholarly journals Towards development of a prototype high-temperature latent heat storage unit as an element of a RES-based energy system (part 2)

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 401-408
Author(s):  
J. Karwacki ◽  
K. Bogucka-Bykuć ◽  
W. Włosiński ◽  
S. Bykuć
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Experimental Study ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy Storage ◽  
Heat Storage ◽  
Heat Transfer Fluid ◽  
Storage Unit ◽  
Latent Heat Storage ◽  
Shell And Tube

Abstract This paper presents an experimental study performed with the general aim of defining procedures for calculation and optimization of shell-and-tube latent thermal energy storage unit with metals or metal alloys as PCMs. The experimental study is focused on receiving the exact information about heat transfer between heat transfer fluid (HTF) and phase change material (PCM) during energy accumulation process. Therefore, simple geometry of heat transfer area was selected. Two configurations of shell-and-tube thermal energy storage (TES) units were investigated. The paper also highlights the emerging trend (reflected in the literature) with respect to the investigation of metal PCM-based heat storage units in recent years and shortly presents unique properties and application features of this relatively new class of PCMs.

scholarly journals PENGGUNAAN PARAFFIN WAX SEBAGAI PENYIMPAN KALOR PADA PEMANAS AIR TENAGA MATAHARI THERMOSYPHON

ROTASI ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Nadjib
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy Storage ◽  
Heat Storage ◽  
Paraffin Wax ◽  
Heat Transfer Fluid ◽  
Sensible Heat ◽  
Latent Heat Storage ◽  
Change Material

Pemanas Air Tenaga Matahari (PATM) konvensional umumnya menggunakan air sebagai penyimpan energi termal. Pemakaian sensible heat storage (SHS) ini memiliki kekurangan, diantaranya adalah densitas energinya rendah. Di sisi lain, latent heat storage (LHS) mempunyai sifat khas yaitu densitas energinya tinggi karena melibatkan perubahan fasa dalam penyerapan atau pelepasan kalor. Material LHS sering disebut phase change material (PCM). Penggunaan PCM pada PATM menarik dilakukan untuk meningkatkan densitas energi sistem. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menyelidiki perilaku termal penggunaan paraffin wax di dalam tangki PATM jenis thermosyphon. Penelitian menggunakan kolektor matahari pelat datar dan tangki thermal energy storage (TES) yang dipasang secara horisontal di sisi atas kolektor. Di dalam tangki terdapat alat penukar kalor yang terdiri dari sekumpulan pipa kapsul dimana di dalamnya berisi paraffin wax. Air digunakan sebagai SHS dan heat transfer fluid (HTF). Termokopel dipasang di sisi HTF dan sisi PCM. Piranometer dan sensor temperatur udara luar diletakkan di dekat kolektor matahari. Pengambilan data dilakukan selama proses charging. Temperatur HTF, PCM dan intensitas radiasi matahari direkam setiap 30 detik. Data ini digunakan untuk mengetahui evolusi temperatur HTF dan PCM. Berdasarkan evolusi temperatur ini kemudian dianalisis perilaku termal PATM. Hasil dari penelitian ini adalah bahwa paraffin wax telah berfungsi sebagai penyimpan energi termal bersama air di dalam tangki PATM jenis thermosyphon. PCM memberi kontribusi yang cukup signifikan terhadap kapasitas penyimpanan energi sistem. Efisiensi kolektor lebih optimal karena PCM dapat mempertahankan stratifikasi termal sampai akhir charging. Adanya PCM mampu mengendalikan penurunan efisiensi pengumpulan energi saat intensitas radiasi matahari menurun. Alat penukar kalor yang digunakan cukup efektif yang ditandai dengan kecepatan pemanasan rata-rata antara HTF dan PCM yang tidak berbeda jauh.

High Temperature Thermochemical Energy Storage Using Packed Beds

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qasim A. Ranjha ◽  
Nasser Vahedi ◽  
Alparslan Oztekin
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
High Temperatures ◽  
Heat Storage ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Heat Transfer Fluid ◽  
Latent Heat Storage

Thermal energy storage units are vital for development of the efficient solar power generation systems due to fluctuating nature of daily and seasonal solar radiations. Two available efficient and practical options to store and release solar energy at high temperatures are latent heat storage and thermochemical storage. Latent heat storage can operate only at single phase change temperature. This problem can be avoided by some of the thermochemical storage systems in which solar energy can be stored and released over a range of high temperature by endothermic and exothermic reactions. One such reaction system is reversible reaction involving dehydration of Ca(OH)2 and hydration of CaO. This system is considered in the present study to model a circular fixed bed reactor for storage and release of heat at high temperatures. Air is used as heat transfer fluid (HTF) flowing in an annular shell outside the bed for charging and discharging the bed. The bed is filled with CaO/Ca(OH)2 powders with particles diameter of the order 5μm. Three dimensional transient model has been developed and simulations are performed using finite elements based COMSOL Multiphysics. Conservation of mass and energy equations, coupled with reaction kinetics equations, are solved in the three dimensional porous bed and the heat transfer fluid channel. Parametric study is performed by varying HTF parameters, bed dimensions and process conditions. The results are verified through a qualitative comparison with experimental and simulation results in the literature for similar geometric configurations.

Experimental Study on Thermal Characteristics of Finned Coil LHSU Using Paraffin as Phase Change Material

2017 ◽  
Vol 139 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guansheng Chen ◽  
Nanshuo Li ◽  
Huanhuan Xiang ◽  
Fan Li
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Experimental Study ◽  
Phase Change ◽  
Phase Change Material ◽  
Water Flow ◽  
Water Flow Rate ◽  
Thermal Characteristics ◽  
Heat Transfer Fluid ◽  
Latent Heat Storage ◽  
Change Material

It is well known that attaching fins on the tubes surfaces can enhance the heat transfer into and out from the phase change materials (PCMs). This paper presents the results of an experimental study on the thermal characteristics of finned coil latent heat storage unit (LHSU) using paraffin as the phase change material (PCM). The paraffin LHSU is a rectangular cube consists of continuous horizontal multibended tubes attached vertical fins at the pitches of 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 mm that creates the heat transfer surface. The shell side along with the space around the tubes and fins is filled with the material RT54 allocated to store energy of water, which flows inside the tubes as heat transfer fluid (HTF). The measurement is carried out under four different water flow rates: 1.01, 1.30, 1.50, and 1.70 L/min in the charging and discharging process, respectively. The temperature of paraffin and water, charging and discharging wattage, and heat transfer coefficient are plotted in relation to the working time and water flow rate.

scholarly journals Experimental and Computational Investigations of Phase Change Thermal Energy Storage Canisters

2000 ◽  
Vol 122 (4) ◽  
pp. 176-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mounir Ibrahim ◽  
Pavel Sokolov ◽  
Thomas Kerslake ◽  
Carol Tolbert
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Phase Change ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy Storage ◽  
Radiation Heat Transfer ◽  
Convection Heat Transfer ◽  
Melting Time ◽  
Radiation Heat ◽  
Space Experiments

Two sets of experimental data for cylindrical canisters with thermal energy storage applications were examined in this paper: 1) Ground Experiments and 2) Space Experiments. A 2-D computational model was developed for unsteady heat transfer (conduction and radiation) with phase-change. The radiation heat transfer employed a finite volume method. The following was found in this study: 1) Ground Experiments, the convection heat transfer is equally important to that of the radiation heat transfer; Radiation heat transfer in the liquid is found to be more significant than that in the void; Including the radiation heat transfer in the liquid resulted in lower temperatures (about 15 K) and increased the melting time (about 10 min.); Generally, most of the heat flow takes place in the radial direction. 2) Space Experiments, Radiation heat transfer in the void is found to be more significant than that in the liquid (exactly the opposite to the Ground Experiments); Accordingly, the location and size of the void affects the performance considerably; Including the radiation heat transfer in the void resulted in lower temperatures (about 40 K). [S0199-6231(00)00304-X]

Effect of High Temperatures and Heating Rates on High Strength Concrete for Use as Thermal Energy Storage

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emerson E. John ◽  
W. Micah Hale ◽  
R. Panneer Selvam
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Molten Salt ◽  
High Temperatures ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy Storage ◽  
Heat Transfer Fluid ◽  
Heating Rates ◽  
Storage Media ◽  
Concrete Mixtures

In recent years due to rising energy costs as well as an increased interest in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, there is great interest in developing alternative sources of energy. One of the most viable alternative energy resources is solar energy. Concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies have been identified as an option for meeting utility needs in the U.S. Southwest. Areas where CSP technologies can be improved are improved heat transfer fluid (HTF) and improved methods of thermal energy storage (TES). One viable option for TES storage media is concrete. The material costs of concrete can be very inexpensive and the costs/ kWhthermal, which is based on the operating temperature, are reported to be approximately $1. Researchers using concrete as a TES storage media have achieved maximum operating temperatures of 400°C. However, there are concerns for using concrete as the TES medium, and these concerns center on the effects and the limitations that the high temperatures may have on the concrete. As the concrete temperature increases, decomposition of the calcium hydroxide (CH) occurs at 500°C, and there is significant strength loss due to degeneration of the calcium silicate hydrates (C-S-H). Additionally concrete exposed to high temperatures has a propensity to spall explosively. This proposed paper examines the effect of heating rates on high performance concrete mixtures. Concrete mixtures with water to cementitious material ratios (w/cm) of 0.15 to 0.30 and compressive strengths of up to 180 MPa (26 ksi) were cast and subjected to heating rates of 3, 5, 7, and 9° C/min. These concrete mixtures are to be used in tests modules where molten salt is used as the heat transfer fluid. Molten salt becomes liquid at temperatures exceeding 220°C and therefore the concrete will be exposed to high initial temperatures and subsequently at controlled heating rates up to desired operating temperatures. Preliminary results consistently show that concrete mixtures without polypropylene fibres (PP) cannot resist temperatures beyond 500° C, regardless of the heating rate employed. These mixtures spall at higher temperatures when heated at a faster rate (7° C/min). Additionally, mixtures which incorporate PP fibres can withstand temperatures up to 600° C without spalling irrespective of the heating rate.

scholarly journals Effective Separation of a Water in Oil Emulsion from a Direct Contact Latent Heat Storage System

Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Ammann ◽  
Andreas Ammann ◽  
Rebecca Ravotti ◽  
Ludger Fischer ◽  
Anastasia Stamatiou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
Direct Contact ◽  
Heat Storage ◽  
Storage System ◽  
Heat Transfer Fluid ◽  
Storage Unit ◽  
Latent Heat Storage ◽  
Oil Emulsion ◽  
Water In Oil Emulsion

The problem of emulsification between Phase Change Material (PCM) and Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) in direct contact latent heat storage systems has been reported in various studies. This issue causes the PCM to flow out of the storage tank and crystallize at unwanted locations and thus presents a major limitation for the proper operation of such systems. These anomalies become more pronounced when high HTF flow rates are employed with the aim to achieve fast heat transfer rates. The goal of this paper is to find a method which will enable the fast separation of the formed emulsion and thus the uninterrupted operation of the storage unit. In this study, three separation methods were examined and the use of superhydrophobic filters was chosen as the best candidate for the demulsification of the PCM and HTF mixtures. The filter was produced by processing of a melamine sponge with different superhydrophobic adhesives and was tested with emulsions closely resembling the ones formed in a real direct contact setup. The superhydrophobic filter obtained, was able to separate the emulsions effectively while presenting a very high permeability (up to 1,194,980 kg h−1 m−2 bar−1). This is the first time the use of a superhydrophobic sponge has been investigated in the context of demulsification in direct contact latent heat storage.

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