Thermal Storage Unit Research Articles

Multi-objective optimization of metal foam parameters for enhanced performance of LHTES unit in shell-and-tube configurations

Latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) units utilize phase change materials (PCMs) to effectively store thermal energy and address the challenges of solar energy intermittency and instability. Heat transfer characteristics largely influence the thermofluidic efficiency of the LHTES unit during phase transitions. To improve the typically low heat transfer capabilities of PCMs, high-conductivity metal foams are introduced to enhance bulk heat conduction. This study focuses on optimizing the parameters of composite PCM (CPCM) embedded in the LHTES unit, specifically examining metal foam height (H), angle (θ), and porosity (ϵ), primarily affecting the performance of the CPCM. A series of Taguchi-based orthogonal experiments were conducted to analyze the effects of these variables. The results indicate that metal foam height has a notable influence on the CPCM performance, significantly reducing melt fraction variations caused by changes in cross-sectional geometry. ANOVA analysis shows that the metal foam height contributes 49.02% to improve operational time and 73.62% to enhance melt fraction. The study also identifies the optimal values for the metal foam parameters (H, θ, ϵ) that most effectively improve the LHTES unit thermal performance. Based on various indices, an economic assessment of the optimal configuration further supports the proposed design. Overall, the findings provide a recommended configuration to enhance the LHTES unit performance, contributing valuable insights for developing efficient TES systems and supporting sustainable energy management.

Optimisation of Integrated Heat Pump and Thermal Energy Storage Systems in Active Buildings for Community Heat Decarbonisation

The electrification of residential heating systems, crucial for achieving net-zero emissions, poses significant challenges for low-voltage distribution networks. This study develops a simulation model to explore the integration of heat pumps within active building systems for community heating decarbonisation. The model optimises heat pump operations in conjunction with thermal energy storage units to reduce peak demand on low-voltage networks by using real-time measured electricity demand data and modelled heat demand data for 76 houses. The study employs an algorithm that adjusts thermal storage charging and discharging cycles to align with off-peak periods. Three scenarios were simulated: a baseline with unoptimised heat pumps, a fixed threshold model, and an active building model with daily optimised thresholds. The results demonstrate that the active building model achieves a 21% reduction in peak demand on the low-voltage substation compared to the baseline scenario; it also reduces the total electrical energy consumption by 12% and carbon emissions by 17%. The fixed threshold scenario shows a 16% improvement in peak demand reduction, but it also shows an increase in energy consumption and emissions. These findings highlight the potential of active buildings to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of residential energy systems, marking a significant step toward decarbonising residential heating while maintaining grid stability.

Heat transfer enhancement of PCM in the triple-pipe helical-coiled latent heat thermal energy storage unit and complete melting time correlation

Secondary flows induced in helical-coiled pipes significantly enhance the thermal storage performance of latent heat thermal energy storage units. This paper presents a three-dimensional model of a triple-pipe helical-coiled system to investigate the melting characteristics of phase change material within it. A correlation for the complete melting time was developed based on the simulation results. The findings indicate that the thermal-hydraulic fields of the heat transfer fluids and phase change material deflect from the vertical central axis at cross-sections. The secondary flows within the inner pipe are more effective in enhancing melting than those in the outer pipe. Melting performance improves with increasing inner pipe diameter, coil diameter (from 100 mm to 160 mm), inclination angle, or heat transfer fluid temperature, or decreasing helical pitch. The inner pipe diameter, helical pitch and heat transfer fluid temperature exhibit more pronounced influences. An inner pipe diameter of 30 mm, a coil diameter of 160 mm, a helical pitch of 80 mm, an inclination angle of 90°, a heat transfer fluid temperature of 360 K, and a heat transfer fluid Reynolds number of 2000, respectively produce a faster melting process. The developed correlation for the triple-pipe helical-coiled pipe thermal storage unit accurately predicts 96 % of the 45 data within ±11 %.

Improving a shell-tube latent heat thermal energy storage unit for building hot water demand using metal foam inserts at a constant pumping power

The phase transition heat transfer during the melting and solidification processes of phase change materials (PCMs) was modeled in a shell-tube thermal energy storage unit. For the first time, special attention was dedicated to the heat transfer enhancement on the heat transfer fluid (HTF) side by placing metal foam (MF) inserts in the HTF tube. The MF inserts on the HTF side were placed next to the fin bases to produce the maximum heat transfer enhancement. A two-temperature local thermal non-equilibrium model was applied to accurately model the transient heat transfer in the MF domains. To perform a fair heat transfer analysis and consider the hydrodynamic aspects of heat transfer, the pumping power for driving the HTF fluid was kept fixed. The finite element method with automatic time-step control was used to integrate the model equations. Results show that the insertion of the MF in the HTF tube enhances conduction heat transfer but reduces flow for a constant pump power. Using a small amount of MF provides a good flow rate and a convective heat transfer while using a large amount of MF provides good conduction heat transfer but a poor flow rate and convection. A moderate amount of MF inserts results in poor conduction and a poor flow rate, notably increasing the phase transition time. A 5 % MF insert could provide about a 13 % shorter solidification time compared to a 25 % MF insert. Thus, a well-designed and engineered MF insert configuration on the HTF side can reduce the phase transition time and improve the energy storage power.

A quasi-two-stage trans-critical CO2 heat pump with in-cycle thermal storage for performance enhancement

To decarbonise the heating sector, there is a strong demand for environmentally friendly and cost-effective heating technologies. Trans-critical CO2 heat pumps offer a sustainable alternative to traditional vapor compression cycles that rely on environmentally harmful synthetic refrigerants. However, a significant challenge within trans-critical CO2 heat pumps is their high throttling loss during expansion, leading to substantial flash gas production and subsequently higher recompression power consumption. In this paper, we apply our Flexible Heat Pump cycle concept to trans-critical CO2 heat pumps to address this issue. A thermal storage unit is introduced into a traditional trans-critical CO2 heat pump cycle to recover heat from the hot super-critical CO2 leaving the gas cooler during charging mode. Once it is fully charged, the stored heat is then used as a temporary heat source for the heat pump’s operation during the discharging mode. Since the recovered heat has a higher temperature than ambient. The resultant flexible trans-critical CO2 heat pump (FlexiCO2-HP) reduces throttling losses and the compressor’s power consumption, leading to a higher average COP (Coefficient of Performance). The obtained results of the FlexiCO2-HP are compared against a single-stage trans-critical CO2 heat pump. For gas cooler temperatures ranging from 35 °C to 60 °C and across various discharge pressures, its COP is potentially 10 % to 40 % higher than the standard cycle under ideal conditions. In addition, the proposed system demonstrates a lower optimal gas cooler pressure across different gas cooler temperatures. Furthermore, this study compares the FlexiCO2-HP with other trans-critical CO2 systems, including those with expansion work recovery and two-stage configurations. The results demonstrate that the FlexiCO2-HP offers improvements in COP for most conditions, though not all. It has the potential to achieve a comparable COP when compared with ejector-based and expander-based heat pumps or two-stage systems, but it is much simpler in design without introducing an extra expander or compressor.

Enhancing the melting rate of RT42 paraffin wax in a square cell with varied copper fin lengths and orientations: A numerical simulation

Latent thermal energy storage units are especially preferred in renewable thermal energy systems for their significant capacity to store heat. Nevertheless, the phase change materials in these units have low thermal conductivity, prompting researchers to tackle this problem using several methods, such as incorporating fins. This numerical study contributes to improving the charging rate of a square cell (50 × 50 mm) used paraffin wax RT42 as phase change material by adding 4 copper fins inside, 1 mm thick and of different lengths. The fins were positioned on the left wall, where a constant-temperature heat flux was applied, while the other walls were thermally insulated. Four configurations of the cell were examined: without fins, with 10 mm length fins, with 20 mm length fins, and with 30 mm length fins, respectively. The results demonstrated that the presence of fins significantly improved the charging rate of the square cell. Compared to the baseline configuration without fins, the time required for the paraffin wax RT42 to completely melt was reduced by 22.22 %, 33.33 %, and 55.56 % with fins of 10 mm, 20 mm, and 30 mm lengths, respectively. Configuration four was also compared with a setup where similar fins were positioned on the bottom wall while maintaining the heat flux on the left wall. It was observed that the total melting time doubled compared to configuration four, suggesting that the optimal placement for the heat flux is on the wall where the fins are located. The study contributes to enhancing and developing the charge rates of square and rectangular PCM cells such as these used for cooling PV panels.

Partitions influence on rectangular latent heat thermal energy storage unit performance during melting and solidification

The growing use of renewable energy sources demands efficient storage solutions due to their variability. Thermal energy storage systems utilising phase change materials are emerging as viable options to address this challenge. This study evaluates the impact of various partition types on phase change duration in thermal energy storage systems. The well-known and validated enthalpy-porosity algorithm implemented in the Fluent 2021R2 software was used. The shortest melting time was observed in the case with four vertical tubes and three horizontal partitions, which was 82 % shorter than in the reference case. The highest change in specific enthalpy of phase change material (252.5 kJ/kg) during melting was also noted for this system. The shortest solidification time was observed for the case with four tubes and two diagonal partitions, which was 72 % shorter than in the reference case. The greatest increase in the specific enthalpy of phase change material (240.4 kJ/kg) during the solidification process was also observed in this system. In conclusion, due to the thermal conductivity of the partitions, the temperature distribution throughout the domain becomes more homogeonous, thus contributing to more uniform heat flux extraction and supply throughout the process.

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.

High performance flexible phase change hydrogel applied to thermal management of new cigarette device

To address the thermal management challenges of new heat-not-burn (HNB) cigarette devices, this study aims to enhance overall energy conversion efficiency while maintaining unchanged battery capacity. The goal is to minimize heat dissipation and reduce the temperature of the device's housing that contacts the user. In this research, CaCl2·6H2O (CCH) was selected as the phase change material (PCM), and a polyacrylamide (PAM) phase change hydrogel encapsulating CCH was prepared via in-situ polymerization. Additionally, konjac glucomannan (KGM) was incorporated into the three-dimensional network structure of PAM through hydrogen bonding to promote the formation of a porous gel structure. CNTs-CuO composites, featuring in-situ generated CuO nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes (CNTs), were synthesized using a microwave hydrothermal method and employed to enhance the thermal conductivity of the phase change hydrogel.This study demonstrates that the three-dimensional porous network structure of the hydrogel not only provides effective encapsulation protection for CCH and maintains high latent heat (144.9 J/g), but also imparts excellent flexibility and stability to the composites. The incorporation of CNTs-CuO composites introduces efficient heat transfer channels, significantly increasing the thermal conductivity of the hydrogels by approximately 37 % (0.687 W·m−1·K−1). Moreover, the hydrogel composites exhibit exceptional temperature regulation properties.The innovative design and preparation of these hydrated salt-based flexible hydrogel composites offer a novel approach in the fields of thermal management and energy storage. This material demonstrates practical applications not only in HNB devices but also in various thermal management systems, such as wearable electronics, battery thermal management, and electronic device cooling. Furthermore, its application in energy storage systems, including thermal energy storage units and smart textiles, underscores its broad applicability and significance.

Heat Supply to Industrial Processes via Molten Salt Solar Concentrators

About one-third of world energy production is destined to the industrial sector, with process heat accounting for about 70% of this demand; almost half of this quota is required by endothermic processes operating at temperatures above 400 °C. Concentrated solar thermal technology, thanks to cost-effective high-temperature thermal energy storage solutions, can respond to the renewable thermal energy needs of the industrial sector, thus supporting the decarbonization of hard-to-abate processes. Particularly, parabolic trough technology using binary molten salts as heat transfer fluid and storage medium, operating up to 550 °C, could potentially supply a large part of the high-temperature process heat required by the industry. In this work, four industrial processes, representative of the Italian industrial context, that are well suited for integration with molten salt concentrators are presented and discussed, conceiving for each considered process a specific coupling solution with the solar plant, sizing the solar field and the thermal storage unit, and computing the cost of the process heat and its variation with the storage capacity. Considering cost data from the literature associated with the pre-COVID-19 era, an LCOH comprising the range 5–10 c€/kWhth was obtained for all the cases studied, while taking into account more updated cost data, the calculated LCOH varies from 7 to 13 c€/kWhth.

Dynamic model of integrated electricity and district heating for remote communities

District heating networks offer promising solutions for remote communities, providing centralized heat supply, improved efficiency, and diverse energy sources, especially with existing diesel generation. Hence, this paper bridges gaps in the existing literature by developing comprehensive dynamic models of combined district heating networks within existing electric power networks in remote communities, which allows identifying challenges and benefits of district heating networks for these communities. It is shown that district heating networks allow utilizing waste energy to enable energy exchanges between the electricity and heating systems, enabling the provision of necessary ancillary services for remote microgrids with renewable energy sources. The presented dynamic district heating network model incorporates particular considerations in remote, northern communities such as soil limitations, extreme cold conditions, and piping insulation to minimize heat loss. It also addresses accurate sizing of heat pumps based on realistic thermal load requirements, weather conditions, and consumer profiles, proposing demand management controls to enhance frequency regulation for the integration of variable renewable energy sources. The main contributions of the paper include detailed dynamic modeling for district heating network operation, heat pump demand response control system design, and a comparative analysis between centralized district heating networks and decentralized electric thermal storage units that have been deployed for thermal supply in remote areas. The presented dynamic models are applied, tested, and validated in an existing electric microgrid at Kasabonika Lake First Nation in Northern Ontario, showcasing the role of a potential district heating network in facilitating renewable energy sources integration in isolated microgrids.

Numerical investigation of performance enhancement in a PCM-based thermal energy storage system using stair-shaped fins and nanoparticles

This study numerically investigates the melting performance enhancement of phase change material (PCM) in a latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) unit using a novel stair-shaped fin and nano-enhanced PCM. Different fin configurations are designed and their thermal performance is compared to traditional straight fins, while the total mass of fins is kept constant. Nano-enhanced PCM is prepared by the inclusion of CuO nanoparticles into RT82 as PCM. The simulation results reveal that the stair-shaped fins can notably enhance the efficiency of phase change compared to the traditional straight fins. The configuration with more extended fin close to the lower zone of the latent heat thermal energy storage unit had the best thermal performance. The full PCM melting time for the most efficient stair-shaped fin configuration is reduced by 52% compared to the straight fins. The combined impacts of the most effective stair-shaped fin design and nanoparticles on the phase change melting performance are evaluated. The inclusion of nanoparticles with volume concentrations of 2% and 5% into the pure PCM leads to 61% and 65% reduction in charge rate, respectively, as compared to the straight fin with pure PCM.

A Study of Asymmetric Hyperbolic Heat Storage Unit

ABSTRACTDue to the advantages of high energy density and constant temperature, phase change energy storage technology has attracted much attention in energy saving and efficient utilization of energy. In this paper, Fluent software is used to simulate and analyze the heat storage characteristics of six new thermal storage units: corrugated tube, hyperbolic‐shape, non‐hyperbolic‐shape, symmetric frustum‐shape, non‐frustum‐shape, and bow‐shape. The results show that the melting rate of the non‐hyperbolic‐shape phase change unit is significantly higher than that of the circular tube, the heat storage time is shortened by 22.52%, and Ra* reaches 0.0086. Second, the effects of the radius difference (δ) between the inlet and outlet of the non‐hyperbolic‐shape phase change unit and the asymmetric position (s) on the heat storage process are studied. The results show that when δ increases from 2 to 10 mm, the melting time of phase change material (PCM) is shortened by 22.89%, that is, the average heat transfer rate between PCM and heat transfer fluid increases with the increase of δ. On the other hand, the average heat storage rate of the heat storage unit decreases first and then increases with the increase of s. When δ = 10 mm, s = 35 mm is the best working condition, the average heat storage rate of the non‐hyperbolic‐shape thermal storage unit reaches 34.3 J/s. This study can provide new ideas and references for the optimization design of latent heat storage units and the progress of experiments.

Thermal energy storage, heat transfer, and thermodynamic behaviors of nano phase change material in a concentric double tube unit with triple tree fins

The contribution of this study is the proposal of a synergistic composite enhancement strategy involving tree fins and nanomaterials to improve the low thermal performance of phase change material (lauric acid) in a typical double tube latent heat thermal energy storage unit. The effects of nanoparticle concentrations and tree fin branching angles on the fluid dynamics, melting time, heat transfer, energy storage, and entropy generation characteristics were investigated. By employing tree fins, the melting time was respectively reduced by up to 60.20% and 36.05% compared to the finless case and the rectangular fins, while the energy storage power was respectively boosted by up to 143.36% and 37.45%. The increase of nanoparticle concentration was beneficial for melting heat transfer, and the dendritic fins with a bottom angle of 90° and a top angle of 30° yielded the highest energy storage performance. The total entropy generation of the melting process was mainly governed by the thermal entropy generation, and it showed a decreasing trend with the increase of time. In contrast to the finless configuration, the incorporation of fins diminished the integrated entropy generation value. Similarly, an elevation in nanoparticle concentration also led to a reduction of the integrated entropy generation value.

An assessment methodology for the flexibility capacity of new power system based on two-stage robust optimization

The inherent variability in wind and solar power output presents a significant challenge to the flexibility balance of power systems. This paper introduces an innovative method for evaluating the flexibility capacity of a new power system, employing a two-stage robust optimization approach. Firstly, a power system flexibility supply and demand balance mechanism model is constructed and quantitatively characterized for the power system flexibility shortfalls set. Subsequently, taking into account timescale characteristics and directionality, the time series production simulation technique is applied to establish the effective ramping and flexibility supply distribution model of thermal power and energy storage units, enabling an analysis of the power system's supply regulation capabilities. On this basis, a power system flexibility capacity assessment method is proposed, which divides the system regulation resources into demand set and supply set, and constructs a power system flexibility capacity assessment model to ensure that the maximum system flexibility margin and the lowest operating cost are taken as the optimization objectives under the system security operation constraints. The column and constraint generation (C&CG) robust optimization algorithm is used to decompose the master problem and the max-min dual-layer subproblems for iterative solving, and the optimal capacity of each unit of the system in terms of output and flexibility is derived. Finally, the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method is verified through case analysis, which shows that the method can improve the flexibility capacity by 14.9% and reduce the operating cost by 15.83% compared with the traditional proportional allocation method.

Experimental investigation of thermal performance in a shell-and-tube phase change thermal energy storage unit with an inner square tube

Experimental investigations of phase change processes in a shell-and-tube latent heat thermal energy storage unit with an inner square tube were carried out. Paraffin OP44E was selected as a phase change material, and the water heated or cooled by constant temperature water tanks flowed into the inner square tube as the heat transfer fluid. Visualization experiments allow for the observation and analysis of the solid-liquid interface during the phase change process. Due to natural convection, the melting interface progresses from top to bottom, while the solidification interface advances from the center outward, as heat transfer is primarily governed by conduction. The experimental results demonstrated that the initial temperature of the PCM has a negligible impact on the thermal performance of the energy storage unit, particularly during the solidification process. The dimensionless analysis reveals the relationships of Nusselt numbers, Stefan numbers, and Reynolds numbers. Furthermore, four stages of conduction, mixed conduction-convection, convective enhancement, and convective attenuation were divided according to the effects of natural convection. Finally, empirical formulas for effectiveness were established to provide guidance for the heat exchanger design.

Thermal performance of cascaded latent heat thermal energy storage units constructed based on solid-liquid interface information

A novel approach to constructing cascaded latent heat thermal energy storage units is proposed to enhance the thermal performance of horizontally placed shell-and-tube phase change heat storage systems. This method is based on the solid-liquid interface variation patterns during the solidification and melting processes. It creates interfaces between different phase change materials within the cascaded latent heat thermal energy storage unit to shorten melting time and increase thermal performance by optimizing the unit's internal structure to balance heat transfer rates across all areas. The enthalpy-porosity method was used to numerically study the phase change phenomenon. The inner tube of the units was set as an isothermal boundary, and the outer shell was insulated. Findings from this cascaded latent heat thermal energy storage system demonstrate that, compared to single-latent heat thermal energy storage units, the average heat transfer rates during solidification and melting increased by 27.3% and 36.7%, respectively. The average heat transfer rate during solidification improved by 11.7% compared to traditional concentric circular cascaded latent heat thermal energy storage units. These results indicate that this method can significantly enhance the thermal performance of latent heat thermal energy storage units, providing valuable insights for future structural optimization.

High-power-density miniaturized packed-bed thermal energy storage unit via phase change material capsules

Miniaturized thermal energy storage (TES) units with phase change materials (PCMs) are promising for the production of portable thermal management devices. In this work, a 100 mm-scale miniaturized packed-bed thermal energy storage (PBTES) unit based on homemade PCM capsules fabricated via the microfluidic method is established. The thermohydrodynamic characteristics of this unit are experimentally studied and analyzed based on a comparison with a traditional shell-and-tube thermal energy storage (STTES) unit. A modified Ergun equation is obtained for predicting the pressure drop of the PBTES unit with good accuracy. The results indicate that with increasing heat transfer fluid (HTF) flow rate, the charging and discharging processes are shorter, and the charging and discharging rates are much higher. The increasing inlet temperature of the HTF produces a large temperature gradient along the axial direction of the PBTES unit and enhances the performance of the PBTES unit. Generally, the average charging rate and overall efficiency of the PBTES unit with an HTF flow rate of 0.5 L/min can reach 30.09 W and 76.99%, respectively. The average charging and discharging power densities of the PBTES unit at a flow rate of 0.5 L/min are 81.94 kW/m3 and 47.79 kW/m3, respectively, which are 39.8% and 242.8% higher than those of the STTES unit. This work demonstrates high-power-density PBTES technology for normal-temperature applications.

Utilizing neural networks and genetic algorithms in AI-assisted CFD for optimizing PCM-based thermal energy storage units with extended surfaces

Phase Change Materials (PCMs) offer significant benefits for applications such as electronic cooling and Thermal Energy Storage (TES) due to their high energy storage capacity and stability. However, their limited thermal conductivity restricts widespread utilization. To address this limitation, the use of fins has become a common technique to enhance heat transfer. Optimizing fin lengths and locations is challenging, as they affect natural convection. This study aims to develop a model using a feed-forward back-propagation network, trained on simulation data, for designing a TES unit. A design matrix, incorporating factors such as fin lengths and heights, is obtained through response surface methodology. Single- and multi-objective Genetic Algorithms (GAs) are employed to seek optimal solutions, considering Complete Melting Time (CMT) and total fin length. The results demonstrate the excellent performance of the network model, with an error of less than 2.98%. The single-objective GA yields a minimum CMT. In a finless enclosure, the CMT is 338.5% higher compared to the single-objective configuration. The multi-objective GA, using Euclidean distance specified from the Pareto front to balance weight and material costs, results in a CMT that is 192% higher compared to the single-objective optimization but with a total fin length that is 286% shorter. While these improvements are significant, it is important to note that fins can increase material and manufacturing costs, as well as the overall unit weight. This artificial intelligence-computational fluid dynamics method not only predicts TES unit performance but also reduces computational costs in designing an optimal TES unit.

Experimental investigation on dynamic thermal storage and extraction performance of seasonal thermal storage

The initial investment for a buried pipe system using soil as a seasonal thermal storage medium is costly and not suitable for small rural buildings. To promote the cost-effective heating in rural areas, this study proposes a novel seasonal thermal storage system utilizing water and soil as thermal storage medium with copper rods to enhance thermal transfer between water tank and the surrounding soil. An experimental platform was established to discuss the temperature variation characteristics and investigate the thermal performance under different operating modes and experimental parameters. The results show that the temperature of the soil without copper rods is linearly related to the depth, while the highest temperature at the end of the copper rods occurs at the middle depth. The soil with short copper rods exhibits the most rapid thermal storage response and a relatively shorter thermal extraction response time. Intermittent operation can significantly enhance the thermal extraction rate and outlet temperature of the thermal storage unit, whereas the energy storage efficiency decreases with the extension of the downtime. The soil contribution rate of the thermal storage unit is influenced by the operational duration, initial temperature of the water tank and outdoor ambient temperature.