Design and Fabrication of Thermal Energy Storage System with solar thermal applications

Solar Energy is the cheapest and most abundant source of clean energy currently avalible to us. But this energy is not avalible throughout the day. The project aims to store the solar energy when it is in abundance so it may be used when solar energy is not avalible. The project is intended to devel

Project Title

Design and Fabrication of Thermal Energy Storage System with solar thermal applications

Project Area of Specialization

Mechanical Engineering

Project Summary

Solar Energy is the cheapest and most abundant source of clean energy currently avalible to us. But this energy is not avalible throughout the day. The project aims to store the solar energy when it is in abundance so it may be used when solar energy is not avalible. The project is intended to develop a Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage System (LHTES) to store the solar thermal energy. The thermal energy is stored in a Phase change material (PCM) and this stored energy can be used in space /water heating. 

Project Objectives

Following are the objectives of the project:-

• To study literature on LHTES systems
• To study different configrations of LHTES systems.
• To construct an analytical model governing the system.
• To simuate the system based on different parameters.
• To select the most efficent design based on simulation data
• Manufacturing and Fabrication of LHTES systems.
• Experimentation and performance evaluation of the LHTES systems.
• Validification of Experimental results and Simulation results

Project Implementation Method

The project is implemented in the following steps:-

• Literature study on different configrations of LHTES.
• Performing a comparitive study on various configrations.
• Different configrations of heat pipes, number of fins and types of fins were studied.
• The most efficient design was chosen after extensive literature and simulating various designs.
• Chosen design consist of a heat pipe with longitudnal fins. The heat pipe with fins are surrounded by PCM.
• After the finalization of storage system design two loops one for charging and other for discharging of the PCM were developed.
• In order to simulate the solar energy and to charge the PCM an electric heater is used.
• Electric heater is fitted to a water reservoir which supplies heated water at a constant temperature.
• A pump is used to circulate the water throughout the system
• This heated water is passes through the tank containing heat pipe and PCM.
• The heated water losses its heat to the PCM which causes the PCM to liquify.
• Once all of the PCM has liquified the supply of heated water is stopped.
• During the discharging process the electric heater is turned off and cold water is passed through the system
• The cold water gains the heat from the PCM.
• This solidifies the PCM thus the cycle can be repeated.

Benefits of the Project

Benefits of the project:-

• Natural gas is a depleting resource and its cost is rising constantly due to political unrest. As a replacement of expensive and unreliable source of heating ,this system can be used instead.
• This system can be used as a pre-heater in boiler in power generation plants which can reduce the dependency on non-renewable resources.
• This system with slight modification can be used in direct steam generation plants. In this system a PCM with high melting point is used .

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

Technical details of final deliverables:-

• Hot water temperature ranges from 35-45°C.
• Heat Energy stored of 250 W for 3 hours.

Final Deliverable of the Project

HW/SW integrated system

Core Industry

Energy

Other Industries

Others

Core Technology

Others

Other Technologies

Sustainable Development Goals

Affordable and Clean Energy

Required Resources

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