Simulation of a new phase change energy storage tank design with a vertical baffle

Abstract

In this study, a new phase change water tank (NPCWT) design with a vertical baffle was simulated. Unlike in traditional phase change water tank (TPCWT) designs, the phase change materials (PCMs) of the new design were concentrated on one side of the tank, and the baffle divides the tank into a phase-change zone and a non-phase change zone. The simulation results were first compared with experimental data to verify the accuracy of the simulation. Then, the FLUENT software package was used to compare the performance of the NPCWT with that of a common water tank (CWT) and a TPCWT of the same overall dimensions. The influence of the inlet flowrate on NPCWT performance was also studied. The heat storage and release performance of tanks were analyzed in terms of heat storage and release time, temperature distribution, and the utilization rate of the PCM. The simulation results show that the performance of the NPCWT is better than that of the other two designs. Compared with TPCWT, the heat storage time is reduced by 4.12%, while the heat release time is extended by 4.6%. It can also effectively solve the problem of the low utilization rate of PCM, and the heat storage capacity and other parameters are improved. The overall thermal performance of the NPCWT is at an optimum when the inlet flow rate is set to 0.2–0.3 m/s.