A General Model for Analyzing the Thermal Performance of the Heat Charging and Discharging Processes of Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage Systems*
- 1 January 2001
- journal article
- Published by ASME International in Journal of Solar Energy Engineering
- Vol. 123 (3), 232-236
- https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1374206
Abstract
During melting of phase change materials (PCM) encapsulated in a container, the solid PCM sinks to the bottom or floats to the top of the container according to the gravitational force and buoyancy resulting from the difference between solid and liquid densities. Compared with the solidification process, the melting process has a quite different behavior. Although the heat transfer characteristics of melting processes in various typical kinds of containers have been studied, the general model for analyzing the thermal performance of both melting and solidification processes of latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems composed of PCM capsules has not been presented in the literature. The present paper describes such a model which can be used to analyze the instantaneous temperature distribution, instantaneous heat transfer rate, and thermal storage capacity of a LHTES system. For solidification, the model is validated with the results in the literature. The thermal performance during melting of a LHTES system composed of PCM spheres is analyzed as an example. The model is not limited to a specific system or a specific PCM, so it can be used to select and optimize system design and to simulate the thermal behavior of various typical LHTES systems.Keywords
This publication has 10 references indexed in Scilit:
- Dynamic Modeling of Encapsulated Ice Tank for HVAC System SimulationHVAC&R Research, 2000
- A General Model for Analyzing the Thermal Characteristics of a Class of Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage SystemsJournal of Solar Energy Engineering, 1999
- Thermal Storage and Heat Transfer in Phase Change Material Outside a Circular Tube with Axial Variation of the Heat Transfer Fluid TemperatureJournal of Solar Energy Engineering, 1999
- Review on sustainable thermal energy storage technologies, Part I: heat storage materials and techniquesEnergy Conversion and Management, 1998
- Review on sustainable thermal energy storage technologies, Part II: cool thermal storageEnergy Conversion and Management, 1998
- Close-contact melting in a spherical enclosureScience China Technological Sciences, 1998
- One-Dimensional Analysis of Energy Storage in Packed CapsulesJournal of Solar Energy Engineering, 1992
- A Simplified Analysis for Cold Storage in Porous Capsules With SolidificationJournal of Energy Resources Technology, 1991
- Analysis of Gravity and Conduction-Driven Melting in a SphereJournal of Heat Transfer, 1987
- Experiments on Melting of Unfixed Ice in a Horizontal Cylindrical CapsuleJournal of Heat Transfer, 1987