HITEC Salt Research Articles

Thermodynamic analysis of an advanced adiabatic compressed air energy storage system integrated with a high-temperature thermal energy storage and an Organic Rankine Cycle

Advanced adiabatic compressed air energy storage (AA-CAES) system has drawn great attention owing to its large-scale energy storage capacity, long lifespan, and environmental friendliness. However, the performance of the air turbine during the discharging process is limited by the low temperature of the compression heat. Thus, this study proposes an integrated AA-CAES system incorporating high-temperature thermal energy storage and an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC). The high-temperature thermal energy storage is introduced to heat the discharging compressed air to enhance the air turbine performance, and the Organic Rankine Cycle is integrated to utilize the waste heat. Notably, two preheaters are deployed in a special tandem to recover the heat from the air exiting the turbine and the water exiting the hot water tank, respectively. This paper develops a thermodynamic model to simulate the proposed system, assessing the effects of heat storage temperature, ambient temperature, and inlet conditions of the air turbine on performance metrics, including exergy efficiency and exergy destruction. The simulation results indicate that, compared to thermal oil and Hitec salt, employing solar salt as the heat storage medium for the solar thermal collection and storage unit yields the best performance. The energy storage efficiency, roundtrip efficiency, exergy efficiency, exergy conversion coefficient, and energy storage density of this system are 115.6 %, 65.7 %, 78 %, 79.4 %, and 5.51 kWh/m3, respectively. Exergy analysis reveals that the exergy efficiency of interheaters (IH) is the lowest at 76.7 %, while air turbines (ATBs) exhibit the highest exergy efficiency at 91.2 %. Moreover, due to the irreversible processes of compression, expansion, and throttling, ATBS, compressors, and throttle valves collectively contribute to an exergy destruction rate as high as 79.2 %. The parameter analysis demonstrates that low ambient temperature, high inlet temperature, and high inlet pressure of the air turbine enhance energy storage performance.

Technical-economic analysis and optimization of multiple effect distillation system by solar energy conversion as the heat source

The utilization of multi-effect distillation (MED) in thermal desalination processes is more widespread owing to lower energy consumption. The focus of this paper is to optimize the performance of MED through process optimization. It aims to identify the optimal operating conditions that result in maximum water and power production. Additionally, it investigates the potential of using solar renewable energy as a substitute for the current fossil energy source. Subsequently, a switch to solar energy was made with a focus on an economically viable approach. The research explored the best-suited collector and fluid for heat transfer among the 8 types of molten salt for use in the collector. Subsequently, an economic and sensitivity analysis was conducted using this procedure. The outcomes indicated that by enhancing the stated procedure, it was found that 27.93 Megawatt (MW) of heat would be required when 6938 ton/h of natural gas are burned. Additionally, the 4-effect MED process produced 6.123 MW of electricity and 116.5 cubic meters per hour (m3/h) of freshwater. The gain output ratio (GOR) of the process saw an uptick from 2.75 to 3.328, whereas MED efficiency showed progress from 13.76 to 49.218 %. The parabolic trough collector (PTC) collector outperforms the linear Fresnel collector (LFC) and solar dish (SD) collector in terms of efficiency among other results. To store heat for the rest of the day and night and supply thermal energy for the entire process, 155,542 square meters (m2) of this collector are necessary. Additionally, in regards to the thermal fluid of the PTC collector, coastal chemical registered heat transfer salt (HITEC salt), a commercial mixture of solar salt, has exhibited superior performance over other molten salts (for a total expenditure of 50 million dollars over two decades). In addition, the economic analysis has indicated a return rate of 32.46 % for the investment and a capital recovery period of 3.08 years for the process. The implementation of the mentioned process in renewable mode results in the avoidance of 18.5 tons per hour (ton/h) of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Design update of DEMO BOP for HCPB BB concept with an energy storage system

An option for the Intermediate Coupling Design (ICD) of the European Demonstration Fusion Reactor (DEMO) Balance of Plant (BOP) configuration for Helium-Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB) Breeding Blanket (BB) concept consists of the Primary Heat Transport System (PHTS), the Intermediate Heat Transfer System (IHTS), using HITEC salt as coolant, equipped with a thermal Energy Storage System (ESS), and the Power Conversion System (PCS). The aforementioned BOP configuration is capable of producing electricity continuously during the pulse time (2 h) and dwell time (10 min) of DEMO plant operation.The present study reports on the current (2023) thermal system design of DEMO HCPB ICD BOP for 12 operational states defined by the DEMO Design Central Team (DCT) in 2021. It was shown that the PCS is able to accommodate all of the 12 operational points defined based on the uncertainties of the energy map, provided that an additional bypass line at the outlet of the Divertor Cassettes (DIV-CAS) Heat Exchanger (HX) towards the low-pressure part of the feedwater line (to the condenser in this investigation) is installed in the system. This line is activated only in the cases, where the feedwater flow to the low temperature DEMO heat sources HXs is needed to be higher than that necessary to remove BB power at the Steam Generators (SGs). In all the other cases, the bypass line remains unused. Additionally, perspective improvements of DEMO HCPB BOP regarding thermal ESS, as well as PCS are discussed.

Study on the flow and heat transfer characteristics of hitec salt in solar vacuum collector tube

ABSTRACT With the continuous development of parabolic trough collectors technology, molten salt has gradually become a popular heat transfer fluid used in solar vacuum collector tubes. An experimental platform with Hitec salt (7% NaNO3, 53% KNO3, and 40% NaNO2) circulation loop was established to study the convective heat transfer characteristics of the molten salt side in the solar vacuum collector tube, and the convective heat transfer experiments were carried out under different irradiation intensities. The results show that increased irradiation intensity can effectively enhance the convection heat transfer. The experimental data under 0W/m2 have a significant deviation from the Nusselt number junction calculated by the classical heat transfer equations, and the deviation ranges from −7.9% to + 15.2%. The heat transfer equations under 0W/m2 and 850W/m2 were fitted, and the deviations between the experimental data and the calculated results of the fitted equations were −8% to + 8% and −9.9% to + 9.5%, respectively. A high-precision fitting strategy based on a neural network algorithm was introduced, the maximum deviation was −3.18% to + 3.35% and −3.9% to + 3.8%, which shows better fitting effect. This study can provide fundamental heat transfer data for the flow heat transfer of ternary molten salt in solar vacuum collector tubes, and provide theoretical guidance for the distribution of heat collection field in trough solar photovoltaic power station.

Thermal properties analysis and thermal cycling of HITEC molten salt with h-BN nanoparticles for CSP thermal energy storage applications.

Molten salts are the operational fluid for most concentrated solar power (CSP) systems, which has attracted more attention among the scientific community due to the augmentation of their properties with the doping of nanoparticles. Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanoparticles were dispersed in HITEC molten salt to create a novel nanofluid and evaluate the h-BN nanoparticles' influence on HITEC thermophysical properties. The influence of nanoparticle concentration (0.1, 0.5, and 1wt.%) of h-BN and HITEC was studied in this research. HITEC and nano-enhanced HITEC molten salt (NEHMS) were characterized using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Specific heat capacity, latent heat, and melting temperature were assessed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The maximum working temperature was evaluated with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The ideal nanoparticle concentration is 0.1 wt.% h-BN, which results in a 27% increase in heat capacity, a 72% increase in latent heat, and a 7% enhancement in thermal stability. The thermal cycling stability test proved the stability of the enhanced thermophysical properties. The material characterization revealed that the samples with improved thermophysical properties have a homogeneous dispersion of nanoparticles with minor nanoparticle agglomeration. The system advisor model (SAM) simulation comparison of the optimum sample with solar salt and HITEC salt revealed that using the optimum sample increases CSP plant efficiency by 0.4% and reduces power costs by 0.13¢/kWh.

An improved laser flash method for thermal conductivity measurement of molten salts

Thermal conductivity measurement of high-temperature heat transfer fluids provides a crucial basis for designing utility-scale thermal systems. Molten salts are promising heat transfer and thermal storage fluids in high-temperature thermal energy storage systems, while the molten salt thermal conductivity obtained in existing studies exhibits large deviations due to the high experimental complexity and unstandardized test procedures. In this work, we improve the conventional laser flash analysis method by proposing a theoretical heat transfer model for multi-layer heat conduction and providing a near-optimal molten salt container design. With water as a test sample, the relative error of thermal conductivity measurement using the improved method is 6.3%. The thermal conductivity of Solar Salt from 250 to 400 ​°C, and of Hitec Salt from 160 to 250 ​°C are measured and compared with the previous work. Both results show that the thermal conductivity increases with the temperature rising. This work will promote the technology standardization for accurately acquiring the thermal conductivity of molten salts or other similar high-temperature heat transfer fluids.

Effect of TiO2 nanoparticles on the thermal energy storage of HITEC salt for concentrated solar power applications

Thermal energy storage materials are substantial in concentrated solar power (CSP) plants as they absorb solar thermal energy and store it to be used for electricity production. Enhancing the thermophysical properties of these materials will positively affect the efficiency of the CSP plant system and lower electricity price. This research synthesized a novel composite of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles and the ternary nitrate molten salt (HITEC) at different nanoparticle concentrations. The nano-enhanced molten salt (NEMS) samples were characterized for compatibility and nanostructure analysis. Also, the thermophysical properties and thermal cycling behaviour of the NEMS samples were evaluated. The results indicate that 0.1 wt% can enhance the specific heat capacity of HITEC by 5.5 %, latent heat by 78 %, and upper working temperature by 5 %. The morphological analysis of the 0.1 wt% NEMS sample revealed a good dispersion of nanoparticles in HITEC and the formation of nanostructures. The FT-IR analysis showed the chemical stability of the nanofluid with no presence of chemical reaction between its components. The thermal cycling test of the optimum sample showed the chemical stability of the nanocomposite and the thermal cycling stability of the enhanced thermophysical properties.

Heat transfer analysis of turbulent forced-convection flow in a wavy absorber tube containing a molten salt-based hybrid nanofluid filled with a porous material

The thermal performance of turbulent forced-convection flow was investigated in a wavy absorber tube containing a hybrid nanofluid consisting of salt molten filled with a porous material. The nanoparticles dispersed in the working molten salts are Al2O3 and graphene, which have a spherical shape and a diameter of less than 100 nm. The assessments were performed under turbulent forced convection flow conditions using k--ε model with enhanced wall treatment. The effects of porous media features, nanoparticle concentrations, and molten salt type on flow, thermal exchange, drop pressure, pumping power, skin friction factor, and efficiency are discussed. Outcomes indicated that boosting the values of increases friction coefficient, drop pressure, pumping power, and and system efficiency. Molten Hitec salt has a lower friction coefficient and pressure loss than Hitec XL and solar salt. The use of solar salt improved the heat transfer rate by and compared to Hitec and Hitec XL, respectively.

MgO/Molten salt interfacial thermal transport and its consequences on thermophysical property enhancement: A molecular dynamics study

The solid-liquid interface between molten salt and solid oxides is ubiquitous in the molten salt nanocomposite with enhanced heat storage and transfer properties for concentrating solar power (CSP) systems. Understanding the microscopic mechanisms of interfacial thermal transport on this solid-liquid interface have great significance for evaluating the effective thermal properties of nanocomposites. This study combines equilibrium and non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations to explore the thermal transport and its connection with interfacial microstructure at the solid MgO-molten Hitec salt interface. Simulation results indicate that the enhancement of thermal transport can be ascribed primarily to the highly ordered adsorption structure of molten salt ions formed at the MgO surface, and the effect medium model incorporated with the simulated interfacial thermal resistance can reproduce the thermal conductivity of nanocomposite accurately. Further investigation indicates that the stronger adsorption at the MgO (110) surface leads to smaller interfacial thermal resistance than the MgO (100) surface, while the heat transfer parallel to the slab does not show much difference in both surfaces. These findings have illustrated the enrichment of molten salt ions at the solid surface does have a strong enhancement effect on their heat transfer properties and it is also necessary to incorporate the contribution from this interfacial thermal transport enhancement when predicting the thermophysical properties of molten salt nanocomposite materials.

Thermal performance analysis of thermal energy storage tank using solid rocks with HITEC salt

Thermal performance analysis of thermal energy storage tank using solid rocks with HITEC salt

Thermal performance analysis of thermal energy storage tank using solid rocks with HITEC salt

Thermal performance analysis of thermal energy storage tank using solid rocks with HITEC salt

Molten salts: Potential candidates for thermal energy storage applications

Molten salts as thermal energy storage (TES) materials are gaining the attention of researchers worldwide due to their attributes like low vapor pressure, non-toxic nature, low cost and flexibility, high thermal stability, wide range of applications etc. This review presents potential applications of molten salts in solar and nuclear TES and the factors influencing their performance. Ternary salts (Hitec salt, Hitec XL) are found to be best suited for concentrated solar plants due to their lower melting point and higher efficiency. Two-tank direct energy storage system is found to be more economical due to the inexpensive salts (KCl-MgCl2), while thermoclines are found to be more thermally efficient due to the power cycles involved and the high volumetric heat capacity of the salts involved (LiF-NaF-KF). Heat storage density has been given special focus in this review and methods to increase the same in terms of salt composition changes are discussed in the paper. Methods of concatenating energy storage systems with nuclear power plants are also discussed with different types of nuclear reactors like MHTGR, PAHTR, VHTR, etc. Nanomodifications of molten salts are done to improve heat transfer properties and efficiency of the transfer. The best dopants for such modifications were found to be TiO2, SiO2, MWCNTs, etc. Future challenges for large scale deployment of molten salts viz., high volume expansion ratio, low thermal conductivity, incongruent melting, corrosion, etc., are listed and discussed. Corrosion of molten salts and its mitigation has been discussed in detail for developing next-generation storage systems and its remedies are also discussed.

Fabrication of portable solar thermal bank for indoor cooking

AbstractThe aim of this report is to build a portable solar thermal bank based on a Scheffler reflector that is capable of boiling‐type cooking using HITEC as a thermal storage material. This report reviews the problems related to solar cooking and evaluates the novel layout of a portable solar thermal bank which includes a daily thermal storage vessel. This stove is in the shape of a cylindrical container filled with phase‐changing latent heat storage material. Inside the container, we provide a small gap taking into account the volumetric expansion of the phase change material (PCM) during the melting process. The solar thermal bank is charged in the sun. It is placed directly for a few hours under the focus of a Scheffler reflector, which charges the solar thermal bank with enough thermal energy stored. After a while, the cooking process can be completed by users using that stored heat. The top cavity is used as a cooking pot in a solar thermal bank. Cooking meals do not require direct sunlight, which is typical for most solar cookers. The portable solar thermal bank is an alternative for low‐income households and adapts to local traditions of indoor cooking. It is portable and can be used safely to cook indoors or outdoors. In this study, a solar cooker with a thermal storage device was developed using a PCM. The size of the stove has been calculated by calculating the energy consumption for two to three people. HITEC salt has been chosen as a phase change material for thermal storage, which will be used for cooking when there is no sunlight. It enhances the applicability of solar cooking and preserves cooking possibilities using energy stored throughout the day at low production costs.

Flow and mixed convection heat transfer of Hitec salt in multi-sided heating pipes

Molten salt is one of the most commonly used heat storage working fluids in solar thermal power. However, its heat transfer coefficient is low. Optimizing the heat transfer condition could improve the heat transfer performance of molten salts, thereby facilitating convection that enhances heat transfer. In trough and tower solar thermal power generation systems, the heating surface of the molten salt collector tube differs with the different angles of sunlight heating. Numerical simulations on the characteristics of the flow and mixed convection heat transfer of Hitec salt in one-, two-, and three-sided heating conditions in pipes were carried out in this study. The results of mixed convection and heat transfer of molten salt on different multisided heating surfaces showed that the heat accumulated at the heating surfaces and then transferred to the mainstream core region. Under nonuniform heating conditions, the buoyancy effect generated a vortex, which changed the shape of the core area of the mainstream and resulted in the enhancement of the heat transfer ability. Double side heating showed the strongest buoyancy effect. The degree of heat accumulation under three-sided heating was the lowest, and the nonuniformity of the heat transfer process in one-sided heating was the highest.

Finite-size effects on thermal property predictions of molten salts

It is of great importance to obtain the accurate thermal properties of molten salts over the entire operating temperature for system design in concentrated solar power or other thermal storage systems. In this work, we explore size effects on density, viscosity and thermal conductivity predictions of molten nitrate and chloride salts by molecular dynamics. Equilibrium molecular dynamics and reverse nonequilibrium molecular dynamics methods are applied to calculate thermal conductivities of NaNO3 and NaCl regarding different simulation cell sizes at the specific temperatures to study size effects on thermal conductivity predictions of melts. The results show that the size effects are neglected on density and viscosity predictions while a linear positive relationship between 1/λ and 1/Lz is found in the reverse nonequilibrium molecular dynamics method. Through analyzing the phenomenon from a view of microstructure, phonon-phonon-scattering rates are found to be the key factors. The influences of temperature and particle species on size effects are further discussed. Subsequently, appropriate simulation cell sizes are selected for NaNO3, KNO3 and Hitec salt, and the calculated thermal properties are in good agreement with the experimental values. The mean relative errors and fitting formula for density, thermal conductivity, and viscosity for the three salts are also obtained.

Nuclear renewable hybrid energy system assessment through the thermal storage system

In support of the use of more efficient and low-carbon nuclear energy along with solar energy in power generation systems, the present paper presents a technical-economic analysis of a nuclear renewable hybrid energy system (NR-HES) case study for a given electricity and residential heat demand profiles of a typical remote community in Canada. The studied hybrid energy system is composed of a small modular nuclear reactor (SMR), a concentrated solar tower (CST), and a thermal energy storage (TES) unit. A fossil fuel backup energy source is also considered to generate excess electricity as needed. The CST and nuclear reactor both share the same TES system. Five different thermal storage fluids are examined: Therminol, Dowtherm, solar salt, Hitec salt, and Hitec XL salt. A transient thermodynamic mathematical model is developed in order to determine the overall configuration, performance, and operation strategy for the NR-HES. The operational strategy of the NR-HES is based on the steady-state full-power operation of the SMR, storing the excess energy in the TES system when the combined nuclear and solar power generation exceeds the power demand of the electrical grid and using the stored thermal energy during the periods of peak demand A detailed economic analysis of the NR-HES is conducted for each operational scenario, including the annualized cost of the TES system and the NR-HES plant, as well as annual revenue and profit generated by the TES system. The developed model is used to obtain the most economical thermal storage fluid and to optimize the size of TES system in order to minimize the use of fossil fuels and maximize profit. Parametric studies of reactor thermal power and CST's field area are conducted to determine their effect on the performance and configuration of the NR-HES. Based on the current case study in terms of demand profiles, the results revealed that Therminol is the most economical thermal storage fluid for the present NR-HES with a charging capacity and round-trip storage efficiency of 237 268 MWh/year and 96%, respectively. The optimum Therminol storage tank size is evaluated to be 14 m in height and 10 m in diameter with a yearly average power cycle efficiency of ~36% and economic profit of 1 158 30 CAD/year. The parametric studies indicated that a larger TES size may decrease the usage of fossil fuel energy sources; however, it increases system total capital cost and decreases the power cycle efficiency and TES profit at given load. The results of this study indicate that an NR-HES is a promising low-carbon power generation system with the potential to meet the electricity and residential heat demand of remote communities.

Analysis of thermal storage performances of solar thermal power generation unit using computer numerical simulation analysis

Objective: In this study, the single tank inclined layer heat storage system is simulated and analyzed by computer, so as to explore the performance of the heat storage device of the solar thermal generator system. Method: First of all, for the phase change thermal storage unit, its physical model of is established. Heat transfer fluid is Hitec salt, and phase change material is potassium nitrate. Then, as for the phase change thermal storage unit, its numerical model of is established. The simulation results of the numerical model are verified. Finally, through numerical simulation, how do the inlet velocity of the heat exchange fluid and the ambient temperature influence the heat storage performance is analyzed. Results: The heat storage period of the regenerator will decrease when the inlet velocity of the heat exchange fluid increases, but the heat storage efficiency of the regenerator will decrease. Therefore, in this study, under the premise of ensuring a higher heat storage efficiency and a shorter heat storage cycle, it is more reasonable to choose 0.25 m/s as the inlet velocity. In winter and summer, it is necessary to insulate the tank. On the one hand, the heat loss can be reduced. On the other hand, the heat storage efficiency of single tank can be improved. Conclusion: Analysing the efficiency of the single tank thermal storage device can provide a reference for the optimal design of the solar heat plant thermal storage tank, and lay a certain foundation for its theoretical and experimental research.

An experimental investigation of composite phase change materials of ternary nitrate and expanded graphite for medium-temperature thermal energy storage

Utilization of KNO3-LiNO3-Ca(NO3)2/expanded graphite (EG) as composite phase change materials (PCMs) for medium-temperature thermal energy storage was investigated in this paper. The thermo-physical properties of KNO3-LiNO3-Ca(NO3)2 with different proportions were investigated. EG was employed as an additive to enhance thermal conductivity of PCMs as it has high thermal conductivity and excellent thermo-chemical stability. Thermo-physical parameters such as phase transition temperature, latent heat of fusion, thermal conductivity and decomposition temperature were measured experimentally. The results showed that the phase transition temperature of this ternary nitrate (60.2 wt% KNO3-29.9 wt% LiNO3-9.9 wt% Ca(NO3)2) is lower than that of Solar Salt and Hitec Salt. The composites with more EG have higher thermal conductivity. However, the addition of EG reduces their decomposition temperature. Furthermore, the corrosion experiments with six types of metal samples embedded in liquid ternary nitrate at 480 °C for 1500 h were delivered to investigate their chemical stability. Moreover, the PCMs have good long-term high temperature stability during the process. The results of this work confirmed the great potentials of KNO3-LiNO3-Ca(NO3)2/EG as composite PCMs that can be applied for industrial waste heat energy recovery applications, the solar power generation system and medium-temperature thermal energy storage.

Thermal performance analysis of a solar energy storage unit encapsulated with HITEC salt/copper foam/nanoparticles composite

HITEC salt (40 wt. % NaNO2, 7 wt. % NaNO3, 53 wt. % KNO3) with a melting temperature of about 142 °C is a typical phase change material (PCM) for solar energy storage. Both aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanopowder and metal foam were used to enhance pure HITEC salt, so as to retrieve the limitation of composite PCMs with single enhancement. The morphologies and thermo-physical properties of the composites were firstly characterized with Scanning Electron Microscope, Fourier-transform Infrared spectroscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimeter, respectively. A pilot test rig with a heater of 380 W located in the inner pipe was built, which was encapsulated with HITEC salt, nano-salt (HITEC salt seeded with 2 wt. % Al2O3 nanopowder) and salt/copper foam composite seeded with 2 wt. % Al2O3 nanopowder as storage media. Then heat storage and retrieval tests of the energy storage system were conducted both for pure HITEC salt and composite PCMs at various heating temperatures. The temperature evolutions and distributions of the PCMs at different locations were measured, including radial, angular, and axial locations, and the energy and volumetric mean powers during heat storage/retrieval processes were calculated subsequently. The results show that metal foam is generally compatible with the nano-salt. The maximum deviation of the melting/freezing phase change temperatures of the nano-salt/copper foam composite is 3.54 °C, whereas that of the nano-salt/nickel foam composite is 3.80 °C. The specific heats of the nano-salt are apparently enhanced with the addition of Al2O3 nanopowder both in solid and liquid states. The system encapsulated with the nano-salt/copper foam composite can be considerably enhanced, e.g. the time-duration of heat storage process at the heating temperature of 160 °C can be reduced by about 58.5%, compared to that of pure salt. The volumetric mean power of heat storage for the nano-salt/copper foam composite at the heating temperature of 180 °C increases to 109.32 kW/m3, compared with 53.01 kW/m3 of pure HITEC salt. The information will be helpful for solar system design, construction and application using molten salt for solar energy storage.

Integration of solar charged PCM storage with VAR system for low capacity vegetable cold storage

In this work a solar-assisted vapour absorption refrigeration (VAR) system, suitable for 10 MT vegetable cold storage for a small village, has been modelled and analysed for day-night operation. Solar parabolic trough collector (PTC) has been considered for integration with a LiBr-H2O based VAR system. Thermal energy from solar thermal system is stored in a phase change material (PCM) energy storage, which is integrated with the VAR system. Apart from system integration, operational strategy of the storage based system has been evolved and performance of the system on hourly basis for representative days has been reported. The PCM quantity and the number of PTC modules have been decided based on the cooling demand. Hitec salt has been considered as PCM material. The study reveals that 5 PTC modules, each of 30 m2aperture area, and a PCM mass of 12.5 ton can effectively cater the energy demand of the VAR system to successfully maintain the 10 MT cold room at 6 °C.