Energy storage investigation of solar pond integrated with PCM and nanoparticles during winter season in Chennai

Abstract

Solar energy is a highly regarded renewable energy sources that are attracting substantial attention owing to its potential to alleviate climate change and provide sustainable energy. Solar ponds are one approach to collect solar energy by capturing and storing thermal energy inside a pond. However, the effectiveness of solar ponds has been hampered by reasons such as heat loss, evaporation, and inadequate heat transmission. Researchers have investigated the use of phase change materials (PCMs) and nano-additives to improve the performance of solar ponds in order to overcome these issues.Large amounts of heat can be stored and released by substances known as phase change materials as they transition between two states. By adding PCMs into solar ponds, heat may be retained throughout the day and released at night when the sun is not shining. Alternatively, nano-additives have the potential to enhance the efficiency of a solar pond by improving the heat transfer properties of the fluid present in it.To measure the thermal efficiency of the solar pond, multiple phases of an experiment have been undertaken to establish the degree of thermal efficiency. During the experiment, various parameters were employed to measure and track the temperature variations in the lower convective zone (LCZ) of the solar pond. These measurements were recorded on a daily, weekly, and hourly basis, taking into account the depth of the solar pond as a determining factor. There was also an experiment carried out using micro PCMs and paraffin waxes (PCMs) that were combined into the matrix. In this study, nanoparticles with high thermal conductivity, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and hybrid nanoparticles, such as AgTiO2, were utilized.The solar pond without phase change material (PCM) had an average temperature of 45 °C in the lower convective zone (LCZ). When PCM was added to the solar pond, the maximum temperature in the LCZ increased by 2 °C compared to the previous 24 h. Furthermore, when carbon nanotube (CNT) nanoparticles were incorporated into the solar pond with PCM at the base, the temperature was observed to be 1.3 °C higher compared to a typical solar pond that only used PCM for heat storage. In another scenario, the solar pond with PCM and a combination of CNT and AgTiO2 nanoparticles had an average temperature of 52.5 °C in the LCZ during the first week of observation.