Analysis and optimization of triple tube phase change material based energy storage system

Abstract

Abstract We present an analysis and optimization of triple tube phase change material (PCM) based energy storage system. The study considers a triple tube energy storage system with PCM stored in the inner cylinder and outer annular region while heated water is passed through the inner annular region. Simulations are performed to analyze the effect of inner cylinder diameter on the total time required for complete melting of PCM while keeping the volume of PCM constant. Results show that the triple cylinder configuration leads to considerably faster melting as compared to the double cylinder system for the same mass flow rate of water and same quantity of PCM. It is found that the inner diameter, inlet temperature and mass flow rate of heat transfer fluid have considerable effect on the melting time while the effect of cylinder length is negligible. The main outcome of the study is that it shows that there exists an optimum diameter of the inner cylinder for which the melting rate is highest and considerably faster than that for the maximum and minimum diameter. Subsequent studies for different mass flow rates of water show that the optimum diameter does not vary significantly with change in mass flow rate.