Abstract
The current study investigates a new model of spherical heat storage tank. A passively moving plate is fixed at the tank axis to increase the discharge flow rate without affecting the tank stratification. The dynamic mesh Layring technique is used to update the computational domain during the plate movement. The passive pitching of the submerged plate is due to the fluid-dynamic loads that acting on the plate during the discharging process. This mechanism makes it possible to prevent the mixture between hot and cold water regardless to the inlet flow rate. The present model is a single spherical tank used to achieve both energy storage and delivery. Firstly, a comparative study between tanks with typical diffusers and the new moving plate model is provided. Secondly, the effect of the hinged baffle material on the tank thermal behavior is investigated. The comparison of the computational results with the available experimental data showed a good agreement. The examination of the vortices interaction and the accompanying temperature contours indicate that the suggested tank model has a height stratification efficiency while the other models are affected by thermal gradient and the operating mode.
Published Version
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 call