Latent Thermal Energy Storage Research Articles

Selection of phase change material for latent heat thermal energy storage using a hair-pin heat exchanger: Numerical Study

Abstract Phase change materials (PCMs) are promising for storing thermal energy as latent heat, addressing power shortages. Growing demand for concentrated solar power systems has spurred the development of latent thermal energy storage, offering steady temperature release and compact heat exchanger designs. This study explores melting and solidification in a hairpin-type heat exchanger (HEX) using three PCMs (RT 50, RT 27, and RT 35). A 3D model of the hairpin type heat exchanger (HEX) is drawn using Ansys-workbench. High-temperature fluid/Low-temperature fluid (HTF/LTF) with Stefan numbers (0.44, 0.35, and 0.23) flows through the inner pipe to charge the outer pipe's PCM. The Enthalpy-porosity model is used to study the melting and solidification of various PCMs, and the results were compared. Also, individual thermophysical properties that affect the heat transfer during the melting and solidification process have been discussed. It is observed that low thermal conductivity material with high latent heat is preferred for cold climates. In this study, RT 27 excels in cold climates due to extended solidification time, while RT 50 is effective in tropical regions due to its high melting points and lower latent heat.

An improved dynamic analytical model and the parameter sensitivity analysis of spherical stacking latent thermal energy storage devices

Thermal energy storage technology plays an important role on improving energy usage flexibility for the end users. The spherical stacking latent thermal energy storage devices inherits the advantages of direct thermal energy usage efficiency and simplified practical applications that received widely attentions. However, due to dispersed and multi-layer structural arrangement, the non-ignorable dynamic heat transfer process poses difficulties in the device design and operation control. In this study, an improved analytical model for predicting the transient heat transfer process of spherical stacking devices is developed. After verification, the parameter sensitivity analysis of the device is conducted by using the model. The results show that the dynamic change trend of thermal resistance is distinct for the melting and the solidification process. The developed model can dynamically predict the outlet temperature of heat transfer fluid and the heat transfer efficiency in a good agreement, and the prediction error of outlet temperature during solidification can reach −2.49 %–4.70 %. The correlation between sphere radius and heat transfer rate is negative and reaches a kind of high correlation above 0.8 for solidification process. The inlet temperature and the mass flow rate of heat transfer fluid are the most influential parameters for melting process.

Numerical investigation of heat transfer improvement in a latent thermal energy storage system using a composite of phase change material and nanoparticles in a porous medium

In the present study, the flow field and heat transfer in an energy storage tank are simulated. The Phase Change Material (PCM) in the present study is paraffin, which is converted to a liquid phase by the introduction of a high-temperature fluid (80 °C) and then the cold fluid enters the flow-carrying tubes, causing the melt to freeze. In the freezing (discharge) phase, the heat released from it increases the temperature of the fluid. Tubes in tank configurations are also used in latent thermal energy storage, which also performs well in terms of heat transfer. In this research, the use of special geometry with special and practical boundary conditions in order to estimate the charging and discharging behavior of the process of melting and freezing nano-phase change materials in it, as well as the instantaneous examination of the temperature field, melting and freezing by using a computer code using the finite volume method, can distinguish the results of this research from other studies. The results of this research show that, the shape of the tube and storage tank is slightly different from the shell-tube type, in which the Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) flows through the tubes and these tubes also pass through a PCM tank. The study of the effect of porosity coefficient of porous medium shows that the rate of phase changes in porous medium with porosity coefficient of 0.95 is more than porosity coefficient of 0.97. In addition, by adding nanoparticles to paraffin the melting process takes place in a short time. According to the results, the nanoparticles added to the PCM accelerate heat transfer while maintaining energy storage capacity.

Utilizing Ragone framework for optimized phase change material-based heat sink design in electronic cooling applications

This study explores the latent thermal energy storage potential of an organic phase change material with porous copper foam and its applicability in electronic cooling under varying heat load conditions. The organic phase change material, n-eicosane, is known for its inherently low thermal conductivity of 0.15 W/mK, rendering it vulnerable during power spikes despite its abundant latent heat energy for phase transition from solid to liquid. Porous copper foams are often integrated into n-eicosane to enhance the composite's thermal conductivity. However, the volume fraction of the phase change material in the porous foam that optimally improves the thermal performance can be dependent on the boundary condition, the cut-off temperature, and the thickness. A finite difference numerical model was developed and utilized to ascertain the energy consumption for the composite of n-eicosane with two kinds of porous copper foam with varying porosity under different heat rates, cut-off temperatures, and thickness. In addition, the results are compared with a metallic phase change material (gallium), a material chosen with a similar melting point but significantly high thermal conductivity and volumetric latent heat. For validation of the numerical model and to experimentally verify the effect of boundary condition (heat rate), experimental investigation was performed for n-eicosane and high porosity copper foam composite at varying heat rates to observe its melting and solidification behaviors during continuous operation until a cut-off temperature of 70 °C is reached. Experiments reveal that heat rate influences the amount of latent energy storage capability until a cutoff temperature is reached. For broad comparison, the numerical model was used to obtain the accessed energy and power density and generate thermal Ragone plots to compare and characterize pure gallium and n-eicosane - porous foam composite with varying volume fractions, cutoff temperature, and thickness under volumetric and gravimetric constraints. Overall, the proposed framework in the form of thermal Ragone plots effectively delineates the optimal points for various combinations of heat rate, cut-off point, and aspect ratio, affirming its utility for comprehensive design guidelines for PCM-based composites for electronic cooling applications

Energy storage, thermal-hydraulic, and thermodynamic characteristics of a latent thermal energy storage system with 180-degree bifurcated fractal fins

The low thermal conductivity of organic phase change materials limits the performance of latent thermal energy storage (TES) systems. Inspired by fractal theory, this study proposes an innovative 180° fractal fin for enhancing the thermal performance of latent TES systems. The effects of length ratios (l) and fractal levels (N) are numerically investigated employing the enthalpy-porosity method. Compared with traditional rectangular fins, the results indicate that the 180° fractal fins reduce the integral average value of the maximum velocity by 2.24%–48.51%, which indicates the suppression of natural convection by the latter. Increasing l and N result in a general increase in melting time. Compared to the TES systems without fins and with rectangular fins, the 180° fractal fins can respectively reduce melting time by up to 88.79% and 28.00%, increase integral average Nusselt number by up to 7.30 times and 34.21%, and enhance energy storage power by a maximum of 8.55 times and 38.71%. Moreover, flow viscous entropy generation can be neglected compared to thermal entropy generation. In contrast to rectangular fins, the employment of fractal fins leads to a maximum reduction of 90.06% and 99.10% in total frictional entropy generation and thermal entropy generation, respectively.

Multiscale analysis of a seasonal latent thermal energy storage with solar collectors for a single-family building

This paper presents a comprehensive system-to-CFD multiscale analysis of a seasonal thermal energy storage (STES) system based on phase change materials (PCMs) for efficient energy storage and release for space heating. The study investigates the impact of various factors, including the geometry of the individual storage tank and the thermo-fluid dynamic parameters of the heat transfer fluid on the system performance. The work focuses on STES integration with space heating system to meet the thermal energy demands of a typical single-family building located in Naples – South Italy, typical coastline Mediterranean climate. The primary goal is to assess the behaviour of the system-integrated PCM tank and its characteristic parameters, leading to the proposal of sustainable approaches that include renewable energy sources and partially fulfil the building thermal loads. Among the Scenarios, one stands out as it achieves a better operation, allowing storage and solar collectors to cover around 69.2 % of the winter heating demand, i.e., 3.06 MWh. The study also discusses the benefits of modular system operation, as evidenced by Scenario 3, which allows for the parallel discharge of multiple LHTES tanks, leading to an enhancement in efficiency compared to other Scenarios. Results indicate that the total energy discharged by a single STES is 56.30 kWh, with a latent heat fraction released over a time of 111 h and an average temperature difference of 5.65 °C. The tank efficiency reaches a value of 90.4 %, demonstrating the effectiveness of the STES system in meeting heating demands.

Numerical investigation on flow characteristics and thermal performance of phase change material in spherical capsules with smooth or dimpled surfaces

The utilization of phase change spherical capsules with dimpled surfaces in a packed-bed latent thermal energy storage (PLTES) system provides a novel approach to addressing the intermittency and fluctuation in solar thermal utilization processes. In the context of accounting for wall effects, a comparative analysis of the flow characteristics and thermal performance of smooth and dimpled spherical phase-change capsules is conducted using the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) and an enthalpy-porosity method. Results show that the dimpled spherical capsule exhibits a substantial improvement in thermal performance compared to the smooth spherical capsule, with a maximum increase of 28.3 % in time-averaged Nusselt number when the difference in time-averaged drag coefficient is within 2 %. Compared to the smooth spherical capsules, the transient characteristics of dimpled spherical capsules exhibit significant changes, with the fluctuation amplitude of the drag coefficient and the fluctuation frequency of the lift coefficient both increasing by approximately twice. The local heat transfer performance also exhibits significant differences. The increase in surface temperature enhances the melting rate of PCM inside spherical capsules, but with the temperature rise, the enhancement efficiency decreases. The dimpled structure has a promoting effect on the melting process of PCM inside spherical capsules, and with the increase in surface temperature, this promoting effect becomes more pronounced. The time for PCM to achieve complete melting can be reduced by up to 19.07 %. The work contributes a novel idea for the application of non-smooth structures in PLTES systems.

An experimental method of determination and validation of latent thermal energy storage dynamic characteristic by effective enthalpy

The paper draws attention to the problems of evaluating stored heat capacity in a latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) that operates with unsteady inlet temperature conditions. These problems are studied for custom-built LHTES designed to be charged/discharged at varying heat transfer rates in a chilled water system. The LHTES incorporates a typical fin and tube heat exchanger and commercially available ATP 20 phase change material (PCM). For the designed storage construction, the ratio of heat transfer area to PCM volume is 354 m2/m3, and the ratio of PCM volume to the total volume (compactness factor) is 0.87. The LHTES thermal characteristics were investigated on a test stand using inlet temperature inputs changing linearly at 1, 2 or 3 K/h. During each test, a complete phase transition in the PCM was ensured. Based on LHTES inlet and outlet temperature profiles, enthalpy distributions versus outlet temperature were evaluated. The experiments proved that these distributions are not a material property as they depend on the geometric characteristics of the LHTES and charging/discharging rates. However, they can describe the thermal behaviour of the PCM filling the LHTES and include the influence of a non-uniform temperature distribution inside the LHTES on the PCM hysteresis and temperature range of the complete melting/solidification. These effects can be modelled by the proposed function of effective enthalpy. The effective enthalpy allows for relatively simple monitoring of phase transition progression in the LHTES based solely on the parameters measurable outside the storage.

Identifying driving factors in cascaded packed bed latent thermal energy storage: An experimental validation

The cascaded packed bed latent thermal energy storage (PBLTES) system, an innovative and efficient technique, remains unexplored experimentally in terms of driving factors and cyclic stability. To address this gap, this study designed a cascaded PBLTES system, employing three phase-change-materials with varied phase transition temperatures. Parametric experiments were conducted to measure phase transition in capsules and temperature changes in heat transfer fluid. Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to establish relationships between driving factors and thermal performance metrics. This study developed multiple linear regression models based on experimental correlations to evaluate and predict thermal performance under various conditions. These results indicated that the employed multiple regression models are capable of making reliable quantitative predictions regarding the thermal behavior of cascaded PBLTES systems. The models showed a good fit to the experiment data (lowest R2 value at 0.776). The results also showed that the flow rate significantly affected total and phase transition times of the cascaded PBLTES for charging/discharging, with substantial Standardized Linear Regression Coefficients of −0.79/-0.8 and −0.74/-0.72, respectively. In contrast, inlet temperature, with coefficients of −0.18/0.15 and −0.34/0.21, has about a quarter of the flow rate's impact. These findings provide compelling experimental substantiation for the design of cascaded PBLTES.

A Eulerian Numerical Model to Predict the Enhancement Effect of the Gravity-Driven Motion Melting Process for Latent Thermal Energy Storage.

Latent thermal energy storage (LTES) devices can efficiently store renewable energy in thermal form and guarantee a stable-temperature thermal energy supply. The gravity-driven motion melting (GDMM) process improves the overall melting rate for packaged phase-change material (PCM) by constructing an enhanced flow field in the liquid phase. However, due to the complex mechanisms involved in fluid-solid coupling and liquid-solid phase transition, numerical simulation studies that demonstrate physical details are necessary. In this study, a simplified numerical model based on the Eulerian method is proposed. We aimed to introduce a fluid deformation yield stress equation to the "solid phase" based on the Bingham fluid assumption. As a result, fluid-solid coupling and liquid-solid phase transition processes become continuously solvable. The proposed model is validated by the referenced experimental measurements. The enhanced performance of liquid-phase convection and the macroscopic settling of the "solid phase" are numerically analyzed. The results indicate that the enhanced liquid-phase fluidity allows for a stronger heat transfer process than natural convection for the pure liquid phase. The gravity-driven pressure difference is directly proportional to the vertical melting rate, which indicates the feasibility of controlling the pressure difference to improve the melting rate.

Experimental study on the performance of packed-bed latent thermal energy storage system employing spherical capsules with hollow channels

The applicability of packed bed latent thermal energy storage devices is restricted by the limited thermal conductivity of phase change materials (PCMs). As a cheap and simple heat transfer-enhanced construction, the hollow channel allows the heat transfer fluid to go through the capsule center directly where the melting rate of PCM would be enhanced. In this study, an experiment was conducted to explore the promotion effect of hollow channels. The influence of the hollow channels on the charging duration and outlet temperature characteristics at different inlet flow rates, inlet temperatures, and placement angles was investigated. The results showed that the charging rate was improved with a reduction in charging duration of about 16.6%. The improvement was consistent in scenarios with variable inlet temperatures and flow rates, with a difference of less than 1%. Furthermore, adding hollow channels resulted in a lower average outlet temperature. Finally, there is no significant influence of horizontal and vertical placements of the hollow channels on the performance of PBLTES. Therefore, random angle placement is advised to reduce costs in engineering. However, the addition of hollow channels drops the PCM filling rate by 3.7%, reducing latent thermal energy storage but increasing sensible thermal energy storage.

Latent Thermal Energy Storage System for Heat Recovery between 120 and 150 °C: Material Stability and Corrosion

Thermal energy represents more than half of the energy needs of European industry, but is still misspent in processes as waste heat, mostly between 100 and 200 °C. Waste heat recovery and reuse provide carbon-free heat and reduce production costs. The industrial sector is seeking affordable and rugged solutions that should adapt the heat recovery to heat demand. This study aims to identify suitable latent heat materials to reach that objective: the selected candidates should show good thermal performance that remains stable after aging and, in addition, be at a reasonable price. This paper details the selection process and aging results for two promising phase change materials (PCMs): adipic and sebacic acid. They showed, respectively, melting temperatures around 150 °C and 130 °C, degradation temperatures (mass lost higher than 1%) above 180 °C, and volumetric enthalpy of 95 and 75 kWh·m−3. They are both compatible with the stainless steel 316L while their operating temperature does not exceed 15 °C above the melting temperature, but they do not comply with the industrial recommendation for long-term use in contact with the steel P265GH (corrosion speed > 0.2 mm·year−1).

Market-orientated solutions to increase thermal conductivity in latent thermal energy storage systems

Among experts, it is well-known that the thermal conductivity of PCMs (phase change materials) is low hence a major limitation for their commercial application. This work proposes alternative, inexpensive, but nevertheless effective solutions to increase the average thermal conductivity of a PCM system (a commercial paraffin wax, having a phase change temperature of about 40 °C) used for thermal energy storage. 600 g of PCM fills an annulus wrapping an inner tube used to either charge or discharge heat to the PCM. The effect of the flow rate and temperature of the water used as heat transfer fluid was experimentally analysed. The flow rate was set to vary between 2 and 8 l min-1 and the temperature between 45 and 55 °C. We tested three different aluminum-based thermal enhancers: a commercially available metal foam sample, a wire mesh, and irregular flakes (chips) obtained as waste product of machining operations. The PCM-only sample exhibited the longest charging and discharging times, while the PCM + foam sample shortened them the most. The two cost-effective solutions (chip and wire mesh) resulted in intermediate phase change times. A performance indicator, in terms of cost per phase change rate, is proposed to compare different enhancers. It demonstrated that these two cost-effective thermal conductivity enhancing solutions can become a key enabling method to widely deploy latent thermal energy technology widely in many different applications.

Evaluation of PCM thermophysical properties on a compressed air energy storage system integrated with packed-bed latent thermal energy storage

Compressed air energy storage (CAES) is a promising large-scale energy storage technology to mitigate the fluctuations and intermittence of renewable energies. The application of latent thermal energy storage (LTES) using phase change materials (PCM) to recover compressed waste heat can further improve the energy storage density and round-trip efficiency of CAES. However, there are very few guidelines of PCM selection for a CAES system. In view of the challenge, this study first conducts orthogonal experiments to analyze the effects of the thermophysical properties of PCMs on the performance of the packed-bed LTES and CAES system. Then a PCM selection procedure for CAES is developed based on the orthogonal experiment design and TOPSIS method. The results of range analysis indicate that each thermophysical property of PCM has quite different relative importance to the performance indicators of the CAES system. From the aspect of packed-bed LTES, the density (40.8 %) and latent heat (32.8 %) of PCMs are the top two impact factors for the heat storage rate, while the melting temperature (45.7 %) and thermal conductivity (22.4 %) are the top two impact factors for the residual heat. From the aspect of the CAES system, the density (31.9 %) and melting temperature (24.4 %) are the top two impact factors for the round-trip efficiency, while the density (42.2 %) and latent heat (35.2 %) rank the top two impact factors for the air storage capacity.

Effect of partial cooling-heating configurations on the enhanced latent thermal energy storage performance

A low rate of ice melting can be addressed by adding nanoscale particles of high thermal conductivity; however, other simple and effective techniques are also possible for further enhancement of the thermal characteristics and melting process of ice as well as other phase storage materials for thermal energy storage. In the present numerical study, two techniques combining partial heating and inversion of the active cavity walls in addition to adding hybrid nanoparticles (Cu and Al2O3) are investigated for the sake of enhancing the phase change in the cavity. Modeling is based on Lattice-Boltzmann techniques; numerical predictions are successfully compared with experimental and theoretical published data. The thermal behavior of the enhanced phase change material is analyzed for various Rayleigh and Fourier numbers and nanoparticle concentrations. The isotherms, streamlines, interface position, liquid fraction evolution, and full melting duration are analyzed. The outcomes show that for each concentration investigated, there is a different best configuration for reducing the ice melting time. 76% reduction in the melting time was achieved with a nanoparticle concentration of 6% (hybrid copper and alumina) and proper simultaneous heating and cooling configuration. These findings can guide designing efficient ice-based systems.

Experimental and analytical study on continuous frozen/melting processes of latent thermal energy storage driven by bubble flow

It is emphasized direct contact method that introduced to the frozen/melting processes has a high value of development due to the role for mitigating thermal stratification, reducing phase separation and enhancing heat transfer efficiency. However, the absence of fixed solid heat transfer walls can lead to discontinuous switch and difficult-to-control problem during frozen/melting processes. In this paper, the latent thermal energy storage device driven by bubble flow is experimentally investigated. With the usage of low melting point paraffin and the pattern of free expansion in a cabinet, continuous switch between the frozen and the melting process can be realized. Phase change processes, temperatures, heat transfer efficiency, volume change and pressure drops are measured and analyzed. A dynamic analytical model to describe the processes is also developed based on the ε - NTU method. The results show that the heat transfer efficiency can reach to 0.8 at least in all the experimental cases. Moreover, this study records the pressure difference of the gas flow, predicts the required input mechanical work and analyses the volumetric heat transfer coefficient, which help to reveal feasibility of the device.

The development and performance evaluation of an alternative energy-based hybrid cold storage system

The development of cold storage systems with solar-integrated thermal energy storage (TES) could be an exciting alternative energy solution to fossil fuel-based cold storage. For this novel technology to be commercially applicable, significant scientific research is required. Although few attempts have been made in this area, the limitations of existing studies encourage further investigation to advance the field. This research aims to develop a solar-based hybrid cold storage (SHCS) system and perform the techno-economic analysis (TEA) of the system to address the existing research challenges and enhance the understanding of commercial applications. An SHCS of L 4.88 m × W 2.44 m × H 2.44 m has been developed by integrating 500 kg phase change materials (PCM) of ethylene glycol aquas solution, as latent thermal energy storage (LTES), to store energy and provide backup during off-solar time. Three different modes of the power system, Latent Thermal Energy Storage (LTES)-based, Electrochemical Energy Storage (EES)-based (Battery), and no storage; and three types of construction materials, sandwich polyurethane (PUR) panels, sandwich expanded polystyrene (EPS) panels, and concrete were considered in the TEA of the SHCS. The power mode with LTES showed a nearly 1.5 years shorter payback period and 130 % higher net present value (NPV) than the EES mode. The solidification and melting characteristics of the LTES system are uniform at different levels during charging and discharging, which may enhance the heat transfer rate. The PCM system is remarkable in that it maintains a storage temperature of 3 °C in the fresh food chamber for approximately 13 h without an external source of energy. Regarding the construction material of SHCS, sandwich PUR panels outperformed concrete owing to their lower density (40 kg/m3), improved thermal insulation, and modular nature, though the rate of return of PUR panels is slightly lower (0.26 % and 0.81 %) than its counterparts due to its higher initial cost. Overall, it was found that PUR panel-made SHCS integrated with an LTES system provides better techno-economic performance when energy storage is necessary and could be considered to scale up the system in the future for commercial application.

Optimal design and evaluation for sphere capsules in the packed bed latent thermal energy storage

The high-performance PLTES basically relies on the heat transfer inside the sphere capsule. To achieve a high cost-performance enhancement, the sphere capsule with the copper foam partially filled is proposed, depending on the full utilization of the foam enhancement and natural convection. The melting performance of the partly filled sphere capsule and the optimization, including the geometric shape and foam material usage, is numerically investigated. The economic assessment of these initial cases and the optimized cases is also conducted to evaluate the economic feasibility. The numerical results indicate the partially filled strategy is effective and the optimal design is the spherical capsule with a copper foam geometric shape that resembles a high cone with a prominent center. This is because the buoyancy-driven natural convection is fully used to enhance the heat transfer in the upper section and the foam is used to enhance the heat transfer in the bottom section. Based on this analysis, a better effect can be obtained by maintaining consistent angle size while changing the height of the vertex of the high cone. Through this optimization, the usage of copper foam is reduced by 24.48 % at the same melting rate.

Parameter analysis and rapid design of porosity gradient distribution for open-cell metal foam in the latent thermal energy storage unit

The positive gradient porosity design of metal foam is used to improve the thermal performance of the vertical shell-and-tube latent thermal energy storage (LTES) unit. To optimize the gradient design, quantitative analysis is of vital importance. Therefore, the relative offset number EX is proposed in this study, which indicates the porosity difference between upper/down porosity and the mean porosity. Based on the numerical model of a shell-and-tube LTES unit filled with composite phase change material (CPCM) on the shell side, the effects of parameters, including the inlet HTF temperature and velocity, LTES dimensions, porosity, and thermal conductivity of the metal foam on the optimal gradient design are discussed. The optimal EX exhibits little relation with the inlet temperature but increases with the LTES height and thermal conductivity, while decreases with inlet velocity, porosity, and LTES outer radius. With the correlation between the optimal EX and the relative dimensionless number, the effects of these parameters on the optimal EX are integrated and quantified as experience equations so that the optimal porosity gradient of metal foam and the relative reduction melting time can be rapidly obtained under a wide variety of practical applications.

Influence of movable inner tube on the charging performance for a horizontal latent thermal energy storage exchanger

The charging performance of horizontal shell-and-tube latent thermal storage exchangers is significantly influenced by the position of the inner tube. However, the underlying mechanisms of the effect of inner tube movement on the charging performance remain unclear. Based on this, this paper proposed a horizontal shell-and-tube latent thermal energy storage exchanger whose inner tube is movable or Heat Exchanger with Movable Tube (MTHX), the two-dimensional simulation model of the MTHX was established, and the influence of the inner tube movement direction, speed, and range on the charging performance was studied, and finally this study obtained an optimized inner tube movement scheme for the charging process. The results indicate that the exchanger exhibits improved charging performance when the inner tube lies in the lower hemisphere region and moves up and down along the radius direction. Furthermore, increasing the velocity of inner tube movement enhances the charging rate. Additionally, the impact of the inner tube movement range on the charging performance depends on the direction of the movement. Moreover, compared to traditional horizontal shell-and-tube latent thermal storage exchangers, the implementation of the optimized inner tube movement scheme results in a 78.88 % reduction in charging time and a remarkable 348.71 % increase in average charging rate. This research presents novel directions for optimizing the charging performance of horizontal shell-and-tube latent thermal storage exchangers, thereby laying the foundation for the engineering application. The findings hold significant theoretical implications and engineering value.