Accumulative knowledge on Thermal Energy Storage (TES) is imperative in society today because technology is ever expanding, opening doors for improved innovation that is more sustainable to our environment. TES has a multitude of uses; from simply boiling a kettle of water on a stove to more complex applications such as solar power generation. This research focuses on the application of a thermal energy storage unit introduced to a selected Phase Change Material (PCM) to undergo controlled experimentation. It helpful to gain understanding of how the TES unit will perform in a typical laboratory environment. A PCM is any substance capable of absorbing or releasing sufficient energy to undergo a phase transition. For specified purposes of this work was, the relevant states of matter liquid and solid; hence the use of a paraffin wax was the ideal for the experimental work model where the phase transition from solid to liquid occurs in a relatively low temperature. The objective of this work was determining the amount of energy that can be stored, and the power that can be generated by using paraffin wax. The setup of the experimental work for this project was consisting of a wax chamber, corrugated steel plates, and gaskets compressed within two plexiglass frames with an inlet and outlet. Tap water was used the medium of transferring thermal energy, and a JULABO heating unit was used to generate enough thermal energy for the steel plates. PCM was used to absorb the energy and transfer it to the cold water during the PCM transformation. A normal faucet was to provide cool enough water to lower the temperature within the system initiating the liquid to solid phase transition. Hoses was used to connect the main TES unit, JULABO unit, and faucet, as well as allowing flow throughout the system. Experiential work and calculation model results shows that the energy recovery was effected by flow rates, melting temperatures, and PCM. Other factors were considered in this work including mass, volume, density, specific heat, latency, turbulence flow, Reynolds number, limitations, and factor of safety. The results of this work can be used to get useful energy especially in isolated location such as desert, ships in occasion, and military locations.
The importance of this article is to study of Phase Change Materials (PCM) in thermal energy storage systems using simulation Software, ANSYS, to conduct Thermal Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) studies. Because of the versatile nature of latent heat thermal energy storage systems, it is pertinent to conduct further studies. SolidWorks is used to create precise 3D models of Tranter Heat Exchanger Components. This purpose is to extract the volume between plates of an actual Tranter Heat Exchanger System. Also, in this model, located in a custom-made chamber of Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) or plexiglass, contacting the heat exchanger plate is the volume in which the phase change material (PCM) is stored to be melted and retrieved to obtain stored energy. A PCM is a medium that is capable of absorbing and releasing energy as the phase changes occur in low temperature, in our case from solid to liquid and conversely. Due to this process, it is necessary to study the various types of latent heat storage materials. Transient heat transfer analysis is conducted to investigate low temperature energy storage using corrugated thermal flow channel for lower temperature applications. The enthalpy porosity method is applied to simulate model in pure conduction. The PCM used in the study is the Paraffin C22−C45 packed in the chamber and contacted to corrugated stainless steel plate. Energy storage into PCM and energy retrieval from PCM is simulated in turbulent flow of the heat transfer fluid. Other key variables consist of time temperature, pressure, turbulent type flow, and properties of H2O and Paraffin C22−C45. The use of ANSYS Software can determine distribution of heat throughout the unit, and witness the melting process simultaneously unlike in physical testing. Due to the simulation’s quick nature, relative to physical testing, in future, multiple experiments can be performed with various phase change materials, calculations on the total energy stored can be performed quickly, and power recovery can be estimated based on the simulation results. The novelty of the work is demonstrated in simulation of PCM that is stored above a volume generated from combined complex ‘chevron’ shaped plates. The goal is to compare the results of the simulation to corresponding simulations. Due to the nature of the plate and its arrangement, it is correctly observed from the simulation that the melting of the PCM begins at the center of the plate where maximum heat transfer takes place.
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