Phase Change Materials For Storage Research Articles

Thermal performance enhancement with solidification effect of nickel foam and MXene nanoenhanced PCM composite based thermal energy storages

This paper presents a numerical investigation into the solidification behavior of phase change material (PCM) in duplex and triplex-tube latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems enhanced with nickel foam and MXene nanoparticles. The study aims to investigate how nickel foam integration enhances heat transfer during PCM solidification, aiming for faster, more uniform solidification, and to analyse energy and exergy efficiency for optimizing thermal energy storage systems. The study also assesses the impact of nickel foam on enhancing PCM thermal conductivity, improving solidification rates, and overall thermal management. Focusing on a nickel foam/PCM/MXene (5 % v/v.) composite, the study explores the effects of solidification characteristics, as well as the Stefan and Fourier numbers, in both duplex tube thermal energy storage (DuT-TES) and triplex tube thermal energy storage (TrT-TES) systems. It provides detailed insights into the thermal performance of these systems by evaluating key factors such as liquid fraction, solidification temperature profiles, exergy destruction, exergetic efficiency, system efficiency, and discharged energy.The findings reveal that systems incorporating nickel foam/PCM-MXene composites significantly outperformed those using nickel foam/PCM and pure PCM alone, achieving notably faster solidification. Specifically, the nickel foam/PCM composite demonstrated higher discharge exergy than pure cetyl alcohol PCM. The TrT-TES system with the nickel foam/PCM composite solidified 48.40% faster than the DuT-TES system. Additionally, the discharge energy of the TrT-TES system with nickel foam/PCM and nickel foam/PCM/MXene composites was 2.26 % and 3.65 % greater, respectively, than that of the DuT-TES system. At 90 s, the DuT-TES with nickel foam/PCM/MXene showed a 2.91 % improvement in system efficiency. Overall, the TrT-TES system using the nickel foam/PCM/MXene composite exhibited a 48.39 % faster solidification rate than the DuT-TES system. Thus, this study highlights the superior potential of the TrT-TES system with nickel foam/PCM/MXene composite for enhancing latent heat thermal energy storage, outperforming the DuT-TES system in terms of solidification speed, discharge energy, and efficiency.

One-dimensional model of heat exchanging throughout a three-dimensional building room integrated by phase change material

This paper presents a numerical investigation aimed at analyzing heat exchange and thermal comfort conditions within a building room during the hot season. In this setup, one wall, the roof, and the floor are thermally insulated, while the remaining three walls are constructed with brick embedded with phase change material (PCM). These non-insulated walls are subjected to a constant external surface temperature. Additionally, a latent heat storage unit comprising a set of tubes is installed in the room's ceiling region.The mathematical model employed in this study is based on pure conduction in the brick and in the walls containing PCM, as well as natural convection in the room air. Natural convection within the liquid phase of the PCM storage unit is accounted for by considering the effective thermal conductivity's dependence on the liquid fraction. The enthalpy method is utilized to solve energy equations in both the solid and liquid phases of the PCM, whether in walls or tubes. Heat transfer within the room is assumed to be unidirectional through the walls and tubes, with zero-dimensional considerations in the air region. The developed model is thoroughly analyzed and compared with existing literature, showing good agreement. Subsequently, a parametric study investigating various geometrical and thermo-physical parameters of the building room is conducted. The results indicate that the PCM within the walls contributes to maintaining indoor temperatures within the comfort range. Furthermore, the heat storage unit helps sustain indoor temperatures at the comfort level as long as the PCM within the tubes is undergoing melting processes.

AN ASSESSMENT OF PHASE CHANGE MATERIAL, PREPARATION TECHNIQUES AND CONTAINMENT MATERIAL WITH DIFFERENT MOLTEN SALTS FOR THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM

Molten salts are extensively used as high-temperature heat transfer media and thermal energy storage (TES) materials in concentrating solar power (CSP) plants. Molten salt corrosion is a critical factor influencing the safe operation of the system. This work comparatively summarizes various factors influencing molten salt corrosion, including temperature, impurities, alloy composition and gas atmosphere. Additionally, the corrosion mechanisms of nitrate, carbonate, chloride, and fluoride-based mixture salts are meticulously reviewed. The demand for high-temperature storage is indeed increasing, driven by the need for more efficient and sustainable energy solutions. High-temperature storage systems, particularly those utilizing phase change materials (PCMs) and molten salts, play a key role in enhancing energy efficiency and reducing carbon footprint. By improving the efficiency of energy storage and reducing the need for fossil fuels, high-temperature storage systems help decrease greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to the fight against global warming. The paper focused on enhancing the corrosion resistance of container materials in terms of improving PCM thermal conductivity and stability.

Azopyridine Polymers in Organic Phase Change Materials for High Energy Density Photothermal Storage and Controlled Release.

Azo-compounds molecules and phase change materials offer potential applications for sustainable energy systems through the storage and controllable release photochemical and phase change energy. Developing novel and highly efficient Azo-based solar thermal fuels (STFs) for photothermal energy storage and synergistic cooperation with organic phase change materials present significant challenges. Herein, three types of (ortho-, meta-, and para-) azopyridine polymers hinged with flexible alkyl chain are synthesized, in which meta-azopyridine polymer exhibits striking photothermal storage capacity of 430 J/g, providing a feasibility solution for developing high energy density Azo-based STFs. Furthermore, a stable two-phase hybrid system was innovatively constructed by combining the meta-azopyridine polymer with organic phase change materials leveraging hydrogen bonds and van der Waals interactions to collectively harness phase change energy and photothermal energy. The organic phase change material not only supplies additional phase change latent heat but also serves as a solvent, offering abundant free volume for the photo-induced isomerization of the azopyridine chromophores, which successfully circumvents the low charging efficiency in the condensed state and reliance on solvent-assisted charging in traditional Azo-based STFs. This study demonstrates the energy distribution and utilization for household consumers and the photothermal-assisted insulation strategy, achieving more extensive potential implementation for STFs.

Dulcitol/Starch Systems as Shape-Stabilized Phase Change Materials for Long-Term Thermal Energy Storage.

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in phase change materials (PCM) based on dulcitol and other sugar alcohols. These materials have almost twice as large latent heat of fusion as other organic materials. Sugar alcohols are relatively cheap, and they can undergo cold crystallization, which is crucial for long-term thermal energy storage. The disadvantage of dulcitol and other sugar alcohols is the solid-liquid phase transition. As a result, the state of matter of the material and its volume change, and in the case of materials modified with microparticles or nanoparticles, sedimentation of additives in liquid PCM can occur. In this study, we obtained shape-stable phase change materials (SSPCM) by co-gelation of starch and dulcitol. To characterize the samples obtained, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), step-mode DSC, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used, and they were also used to test for shape stabilization. The results show that the obtained systems have great potential as shape-stabilized phase change materials. The sample dulcitol/starch with a 50:50 ratio exhibited the highest heat of cold crystallization, up to 52.90 J/g, while the heat of melting was 126.16 J/g under typical DSC measuring conditions. However, depending on the applied heating program, the heat of cold crystallization can even reach 125 J/g. The thermal stability of all compositions was higher than the phase change temperature, with only 1% mass loss occurring at temperatures above 200 °C, while the phase change occurred at a maximum of 190 °C.

Nickel-Induced Dual Carbon Networks Encapsulating Phase Change Materials for Photothermal Conversion and Storage.

Bifunctional phase change materials (PCMs) with efficient energy storage and photothermal conversion capabilities have tremendous potential to be applied in advanced thermal management. However, classical organic PCMs with high latent heat are challenged by poor light harvesting, low thermal conductivity, and leakage risks. Here, we design a unique dual-carbon network with Ni nanoparticles (NPs), confined carbon nanotubes (CNTs) shuttling in carbon honeycombs (CH), namely, CH@Ni-CNTs, to encapsulate paraffin wax (PW) that can facilitate the light capture and photothermal conversion dynamics. Benefiting from the physical adsorption of the hierarchical porous structure, the obtained PW/CH@Ni-CNTs composite PCMs show a high phase change enthalpy of 131.0 J g-1 and long-lasting thermal stability of up to 300 heating-cooling cycles. Moreover, an outstanding photothermal energy conversion efficiency of 96.9% is achieved due to the synergistic effect of the dual carbon network and confined Ni NPs. The CNTs shuttled CH network affords multiple reflection chambers and a thermal conductive pathway, while the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effects of Ni NPs concentrate the incident light energy to generate and accelerate the transport of active "hot electron", thus collectively contributing to the excellent photothermal properties of the composite PCMs. This study presents a bifunctional Ni-induced dual-carbon network system for the controllable preparation of composite PCMs, and it sheds light on the photothermal conversion mechanisms.

Azopyridine Polymers in Organic Phase Change Materials for High Energy Density Photothermal Storage and Controlled Release

Azo‐compounds molecules and phase change materials offer potential applications for sustainable energy systems through the storage and controllable release photochemical and phase change energy. Developing novel and highly efficient Azo‐based solar thermal fuels (STFs) for photothermal energy storage and synergistic cooperation with organic phase change materials present significant challenges. Herein, three types of (ortho‐, meta‐, and para‐) azopyridine polymers hinged with flexible alkyl chain are synthesized, in which meta‐azopyridine polymer exhibits striking photothermal storage capacity of 430 J/g, providing a feasibility solution for developing high energy density Azo‐based STFs. Furthermore, a stable two‐phase hybrid system was innovatively constructed by combining the meta‐azopyridine polymer with organic phase change materials leveraging hydrogen bonds and van der Waals interactions to collectively harness phase change energy and photothermal energy. The organic phase change material not only supplies additional phase change latent heat but also serves as a solvent, offering abundant free volume for the photo‐induced isomerization of the azopyridine chromophores, which successfully circumvents the low charging efficiency in the condensed state and reliance on solvent‐assisted charging in traditional Azo‐based STFs. This study demonstrates the energy distribution and utilization for household consumers and the photothermal‐assisted insulation strategy, achieving more extensive potential implementation for STFs.

Effect of graphite powder on thermal behavior of phase change material

The effect of graphite powder on the thermal behavior of phase change material (PCM) was investigated experimentally. It is well known that the graphite is contributed to enhance the thermal response. However, the effect of graphite on the supercooling of the PCM is not clear when a highly heat conductive material is added. In this study, the specific heat of the PCM based on sugar alcohol such as D-mannitol and inositol was measured with an adiabatic scanning calorimeter. The enthalpy and entropy during the phase-change process were obtained by the measured specific heat of the PCM. Additionally, the exergy analysis was conducted to evaluate the thermal energy storage of PCM. As the experimental results, the specific heat of D-mannitol during the phase change process was higher than that of inositol. Moreover, it was found that the addition of graphite powder at the mass fraction of 9% improves the thermal behavior of D-mannitol with lower supercooling while maintaining latent heat. The suppression of supercooling by the addition of 9% graphite powder was 37.5%.

Porous diamond Co-MOF and polyethylene glycol composites as form-stable phase change materials for thermal energy storage

Porous diamond Co-MOF and polyethylene glycol composites as form-stable phase change materials for thermal energy storage

Performance evaluation of nano-enhanced phase change materials for thermal energy storage: An experimental study

In rapidly developing economies, the increasing energy demand and fossil fuel consumption have made the need for renewable energy sources and efficient thermal energy storage (TES) solutions more urgent than ever. This study focuses on enhancing the thermal energy storage capabilities of paraffin-based phase change materials (PCMs) by incorporating Al2O3, MgO, and CuO nanoparticles. The evaluation of nano-enhanced PCMs focused on their melting temperatures, thermal storage capacities, thermal conductivities, and charge/discharge times. The experimental results revealed significant changes in the thermal properties of the nano-enhanced PCMs compared to pure paraffin. The melting temperature was raised by 2 °C due to Al2O3 nanoparticles, whereas CuO and MgO nanoparticles decreased it by 1.7 °C and 1.8 °C, respectively. Compared to pure paraffin, Al2O3-PW, MgO-PW, and CuO-PW exhibited improvements of 13 %, 39 %, and 48 % in thermal conductivities, respectively. CuO-doped paraffin showed an 11.8 % decrease in discharge time, suggesting its suitability for rapid heat transfer applications like defrosting systems or thermal management in electronics. On the other hand, paraffin doped with MgO showed a minimal 2.24 % reduction in discharge time, indicating its effectiveness in applications requiring heat retention, particularly for improved thermal insulation in building materials. The results highlighted the potential of nano-enhanced PCMs in energy storage and construction is underlined, offering a sustainable approach to improving energy efficiency in various sectors.

1,12-dodecanediol among similar fatty alcohols as a phase change material for thermal energy storage

The majority of research conducted on phase change materials (PCMs) is focused on applicable temperature-based materials. In general, the market offers a limited range of viable alternatives for a number of specific applications. In this study, the 1,12-dodecanediol compound was evaluated as a PCM in its original ambient storage atmosphere. The physicochemical properties of a PCM ultimately determine the conditions under which it can be employed in a given application. Many of these properties, including phase change temperatures, enthalpies, specific heat, and temperature-time relationships, are determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) instruments. In summary, the phase change temperature and enthalpies of 1,12-dodecanediol were found to be 80–76 °C and 238–237 J g⁻¹, respectively, for heating/cooling. Moreover, TGA is used to ascertain the maximum temperature that a common PCM is capable of withstanding. The first degradation temperature of 1,12-dodecanediol (220 °C) was considerable as compared to other organic PCMs. Further thermal analysis of a new PCM may involve thermal conductivity and its potential to increase using conventional additives. The investigation was conducted on 1,12-dodecanediol across the aforementioned aspects. The surface morphology of both the 1,12-dodecanediol and 1,12-dodecanediol/expanded graphite (EG) composites was examined below the phase change temperature using a polarized optical microscope (POM) to reveal surface morphology of 1,12-dodecanediol as the crystalline organic material.

Experimental assessment of using phase change materials in vapor compression refrigeration systems for condenser pre-cooling

The primary objective of this investigation is to empirically assess a new vapor compression cycle while employing phase change material (PCM) energy storage. During off-peak periods, the PCM undergoes charging, and during on-peak hours, it is discharged to cool the refrigerant entering the condenser, thereby enhancing the condenser's overall performance. In contrast to previous studies that exclusively examined the charging or discharging processes of air conditioning (AC) units, this research delves into the entire 24-h charge and discharge cycle. The proposed system is subjected to testing under identical conditions, both without PCM (conventional mode) and with a PCM storage tank, throughout a 24-h period. The PCM storage tank, which utilizes water as its phase change medium, possesses a volume of approximately 300 L and starts at an initial temperature of 25 °C. The outcomes of the study demonstrate notable improvements when incorporating the PCM storage tank. Specifically, the daily coefficient of performance (COP) increases by approximately 7 %, rising from 2.17 to 2.33. Additionally, it leads to a reduction in both the daily available cooling load and daily compressor energy consumption, with decreases of approximately 3.7 % (from 58.4 to 56.2 kWh) and 10.3 % (from 26.9 to 24.1 kWh), respectively.

Enhancing Solar Water Heater Performance Using Phase Change Materials and Modified Encapsulation Geometry

ABSTRACTSolar energy's abundant availability in India makes it a potential solution to meet increasing energy needs without harming environment. Solar water heating (SWH) systems are effective in converting solar radiation into heat for domestic and industrial applications. However, their inability to provide hot water during nighttime or off‐sunshine hours due to the intermittent nature of solar energy presents a challenge. Thermal energy storage, particularly using phase change materials (PCMs), has emerged as a solution. In this study, spherical ball‐type encapsulated PCM, specifically RT60, was incorporated into a solar water heater tank under variable atmospheric conditions. The PCM stores excess energy during daylight and releases it when the water temperature drops below the PCM's melting point. The results reveal a significant reduction in the temperature drop of water from 4.5°C to 1.4°C when utilizing PCM compared to conventional storage water tanks without PCM. Additionally, energy storage capacity is enhanced by 5.13% with PCM incorporation. Furthermore, modifying the encapsulation geometry to a rectangular shape enhances heat transfer and reduces temperature drop even further to 0.9°C, making it a promising approach to improving SWH system performance. This study highlights the possibility of enhancing encapsulation shape and applying PCM to enhance SWH system performance. The results highlight the possibility of increasing solar thermal systems' energy efficiency and usefulness, which will support sustainable energy sources.

Integration of renewable energy-powered cold storage solutions for reducing post-harvest food waste in rural agricultural areas

Post-harvest food loss remains a critical challenge in rural agricultural areas, exacerbated by inadequate storage facilities and unreliable energy access. This study develops and optimizes an advanced renewable energy-powered cold storage system tailored for rural settings, integrating solar and wind energy with phase change materials (PCMs) for efficient energy storage. The system incorporates Internet of Things (IoT)-based sensors and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven energy management to maintain optimal storage conditions and enhance energy efficiency. Field trials conducted in Lincolnshire, UK, and Appalachian regions of the US demonstrated significant reductions in post-harvest food loss by an average of 43.5%, extensions in produce shelf-life by up to 300%, and increased income for smallholder farmers by approximately 43%. The system also achieved an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional diesel-powered systems. Economic analyses revealed a shorter payback period and higher return on investment, confirming the system's viability. High user satisfaction and adoption rates indicate the system's practicality and potential for widespread implementation. The findings suggest that integrating renewable energy with smart technologies in cold storage solutions offers a scalable and sustainable approach to enhancing food security, promoting economic growth in rural areas, and supporting environmental objectives globally.

Investigation of Engine Exhaust Heat Recovery Systems Utilizing Thermal Battery Technology

Over 50% of an engine’s energy dissipates via the exhaust and cooling systems, leading to considerable energy loss. Effectively harnessing the waste heat generated by the engine is a critical avenue for enhancing energy efficiency. Traditional exhaust heat recovery systems are limited to real-time recovery of exhaust heat primarily for engine warm-up and fail to fully optimize exhaust heat utilization. This paper introduces a novel exhaust heat recovery system leveraging thermal battery technology, which utilizes phase change materials for both heat storage and reutilization. This innovation significantly minimizes the engine’s cold start duration and provides necessary heating for the cabin during start-up. Dynamic models and thermal management system models were constructed. Parameter optimization and calculations for essential components were conducted, and the fidelity of the simulation model was confirmed through experiments conducted under idle warm-up conditions. Four distinct operational modes for engine warm-up are proposed, and strategies for transitioning between these heating modes are established. A simulation analysis was performed across four varying operational scenarios: WLTC, NEDC, 40 km/h, and 80 km/h. The results indicated that the thermal battery-based exhaust heat recovery system notably reduces warm-up time and fuel consumption. In comparison to the cold start mode, the constant speed condition at 40 km/h showcased the most significant reduction in warm-up time, achieving an impressive 22.52% saving; the highest cumulative fuel consumption reduction was observed at a constant speed of 80 km/h, totaling 24.7%. This study offers theoretical foundations for further exploration of thermal management systems in new energy vehicles that incorporate heat storage and reutilization strategies utilizing thermal batteries.

Optimizing of partial porous structure for efficient heat transfer and thermal energy storage of phase change material in a rectangular cavity

Optimizing of partial porous structure for efficient heat transfer and thermal energy storage of phase change material in a rectangular cavity

Characteristics, Encapsulation Strategies, and Applications of Al and Its Alloy Phase Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage: A Comprehensive Review

AbstractAmong metal‐based phase change materials (PCMs), Al and its alloys have garnered significant attention due to their high latent heat and high thermal conductivity. However, challenges such as leakage, corrosion, and oxidation have limited their widespread application. Numerous researches have demonstrated that encapsulating Al and its alloy PCMs is one effective way to address these problems. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the characteristics, encapsulation strategies, and applications of Al and its alloy PCMs. First, the advantages and thermal properties of Al and its alloy PCMs are introduced, and their problems are then discussed. Subsequently, various encapsulation strategies that are expected to solve the above problems are summarized and compared. Additionally, the applications of Al and its alloy PCMs in solar thermal energy storage, catalysis, and electric vehicles are reviewed. Finally, current challenges, potential solutions, and the key direct of future study are presented.

Thermal performance of a novel composite phase change material for solar-assisted air source heat pump packed bed thermal energy storage application

The thermal properties of the heat storage medium in the solar-assisted air source heat pump (SAASHP) systems must be aligned with the system’s heat generation temperature while satisfying the heat demand. In this study, a novel composite phase change material (CPCM) for efficient heat storage in SAASHP systems was developed. Our investigation revealed that the incorporation of 8 wt% KNO3, 1.5 wt% thickener, and 1.0 wt% Al2O3 nanoparticles into sodium acetate trihydrate resulted in the manifestation of desirable properties suitable for SAASHP systems. The compound exhibited a suitable melting point of 48.66 °C, high latent heat of 235.97 kJ/kg, low supercooling degree of 2.25 °C, and good thermal conductivity of 0.905 W/(m·K). Furthermore, the novel CPCM demonstrated exceptional thermal stability, with only an 8.64 % loss of latent heat after undergoing 200 cycles, while maintaining a supercooling degree within a range of 6 °C for each cycle. Moreover, molecular dynamics simulation results further indicated that the presence of KNO3 weakened the interaction between CH3COONa molecules and water molecules, leading to a reduction of the melting point. Additionally, numerical analysis revealed that the total heat storage capacity and exergy storage capacity of the packed bed thermal energy storage (PBTES) system filled with the novel CPCM are 358.8 MJ and 25.1 MJ, respectively. With an increase in the heating power of the SAASHP system from 10 kW to 30 kW, the cycle heat storage time of the PBTES system can decrease by 38.8 %, while an increase in the flow rate from 2 m3/h to 6 m3/h can reduce the time by 26.3 %. These findings have significant implications for the selection and composition design of thermal storage materials in SAASHP systems.

A theoretical study of thermal properties and structural evolution in binary carbonates phase change material: Machine learning-enhanced sampling strategy.

Thermal energy storage and utilization has been widely concerned due to the intermittency, renewability, and economy of renewable energy. In this paper, the potential energy function of binary Na2CO3-K2CO3 salt was first constructed using the Deep Potential GENerator (DPGEN) enhanced sampling method. Deep potential molecular dynamics simulations were performed to calculate the thermal properties and structural evolution of binary carbonates. The results show that as the temperature increases from 1073 to 1273K, the viscosity and thermal conductivity decrease from 5.011 mPa s and 0.502 W/(m K) to 2.526 mPa s and 0.481 W/(m K), respectively. The decrease in viscosity is related to the distance and interaction between the molten salt ions. In addition, the diffusion coefficients, energy barriers, ionic radius, angular distribution function, and coordination number of molten salt were calculated and analyzed. The CO32- exhibits a stable planar triangular structure. The ionic radius of Na+ is smaller than that of K+, which makes Na+ suffer less spatial hindrance during motion and has a higher diffusion coefficient. The energy barriers that Na+ needs to overcome to escape the Coulomb force is greater than that of K+ ions, so molten salt containing Na+ may possess greater heat storage potential. We believe that the potential function constructed with DPGEN enhanced sampling strategy can provide more convincing results for predicting the thermal properties of molten salts. This paper aims to provide a technical route to develop the novel complex molten salt phase change material for thermal energy storage.

Optimizing and investigating the charging time of phase change materials in a compact-latent heat storage using pareto front analysis, artificial neural networks, and numerical simulations

There's a growing emphasis on adopting eco-friendly energy sources to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and foster sustainability. While renewable energy sources like solar power offer numerous benefits, they have some limitations. Additionally, storing electricity generated from solar panels can be costly and challenging due to limitations in battery technology and storage capacity. Therefore, phase change material-based thermal energy storage systems offer a promising solution to these challenges. These systems also play a crucial role in enhancing buildings' energy efficiency and sustainability. The dimensionality of these systems affects their performance. Traditional systems often rely on fixed dimensions, leading to non-uniform thermal conditions within the storage medium. To address these challenges, adopting a compact-latent heat storage (C-LHS) mechanism was recommended herein. Besides, some fins were inserted into the C-LHS system to alter the heat transfer dynamics within the device. Three of the critical parameters of the fins were changed to examine their impact on the charging time. Artificial neural networks and genetic algorithms were employed to determine the optimal positioning of fins to minimize the duration of material to get both part (melt fraction of 0.8) and full (melt fraction of 1) melting capacities. Here, the primary aim was to present a predictive model capable of accurately forecasting the charging time of the material. In all the presented finned samples, the entire PCM melted in less than 15,110 s (4 h and 12 min) and was able to fully utilize the energy absorption capacity in latent form, whereas in the non-finned system, only 68.6 % of the material managed to melt within the entire duration of the investigation (5 h). After analyzing the data, two optimal configurations of OS1 and OS2 with the minimum time for melt fractions of 0.8 and 1 were introduced. In the OS2 configuration, it took 16,200 s (4 h and 30 min) to absorb 4929 kJ of energy. The non-finned sample absorbed only 3250 kJ of energy during the same period. In General, OS2 achieved total energy absorption 51.6 % faster than the non-finned sample. Therefore, the introduced system has the potential to increase absorbed energy in the rest of the daylight hours to further amounts by increasing the number of units and employing a larger volume of material.