Abstract
Melting combined with natural convection in a shell and Latent Thermal Energy Storage (LHTES) tube driven by a solar collector was analyzed numerically in the present work. This work's particularity lies in the fact that the HTF temperature varies at each moment following the solar irradiance curve. A program (UDF) has been developed and integrated into Ansys to meet this requirement. The use of this coupling strategy allows obtaining realistic unsteady LHTES results. Several numerical investigations were carried out to analyze the effect of the heat sources' power on the accumulator's performance. The obtained results show that natural convection considerably influences the heat transfer as well as the melting kinetics of the Phase Change Material (PCM). Besides, the results show that increasing the heat transfer fluid's thermal load can increase the melting rate of the PCM and the stored energy and reduce the entire melting time.
Highlights
Among the wide variety of renewable energy sources, solar energy is the largest one and simultaneously an example of a time-variable energy source that is mismatched with the needs of use
Improving heat transfer by developing a useful heat exchanger device in the Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage (LHTES) unit is a solution to the Phase Change Material (PCM)'s low thermal conductivity problem
This paper focuses on PCM's heat transfer mechanics during the charging processes in the horizontal cylindrical shell-and-tubes LHTES system driven by a solar collector in which the temperature of the HTF changes every moment during the day according to a journal solar irradiation curve
Summary
Among the wide variety of renewable energy sources, solar energy is the largest one and simultaneously an example of a time-variable energy source that is mismatched with the needs of use. There are several storage systems, latent heat storage using Phase Change Material (PCM) has clear advantages over others: a greater density of energy storage and a relatively constant storage temperature. These materials present many problems because of their low thermal conductivity. Improving heat transfer by developing a useful heat exchanger device in the Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage (LHTES) unit is a solution to the PCM's low thermal conductivity problem. This calls for a powerful knowledge of the heat transfer in the LHTES process. This paper focuses on PCM's heat transfer mechanics during the charging processes in the horizontal cylindrical shell-and-tubes LHTES system driven by a solar collector in which the temperature of the HTF changes every moment during the day according to a journal solar irradiation curve
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Engineering, Technology & Applied Science Research
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
