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An Experimental Study of the Heat Storage and the Discharge Performance and an Economic Performance Analysis of a Flat Plate Phase Change Material (PCM) Storage Tank

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  • Juan Zhao

    (School of Urban Planning and Municipal Engineering, Xi’an Polytechnic University, Xi’an 710048, China)

  • Junmei Gao

    (School of Urban Planning and Municipal Engineering, Xi’an Polytechnic University, Xi’an 710048, China)

  • Junhui Liao

    (School of Urban Planning and Municipal Engineering, Xi’an Polytechnic University, Xi’an 710048, China)

  • Botao Zhou

    (School of Urban Planning and Municipal Engineering, Xi’an Polytechnic University, Xi’an 710048, China)

  • Yifei Bai

    (School of Urban Planning and Municipal Engineering, Xi’an Polytechnic University, Xi’an 710048, China)

  • Tianwei Qiang

    (School of Urban Planning and Municipal Engineering, Xi’an Polytechnic University, Xi’an 710048, China)

Abstract

Solar heating technology has the advantages of being high efficiency, energy-saving, and environment protecting; however, the instability of solar energy and its mismatch with the variation characteristics of building heat load have caused great difficulties in the design and the efficient operation strategy of a solar system. A heat storage tank is an important part of a solar hot water system. In order to improve system efficiency, this paper proposes a flat plate PCM storage tank, establishes a mathematical model, and conducts experimental verification under different working conditions. Experiments show that in the heat storage process, the phase change material (PCM) only accounts for less than 20% of the space of the PCM storage tank, and its heat storage can reach 50% of the total heat storage of the tank. In the discharge process, the water temperature of the ordinary tank decreases by 20 °C within 1.5 h, and the phase change process lasts approximately 3 h, with the water temperature remaining at 45~50 °C during this period. In the natural cooling process, the heat discharge of the two water tanks at night was similar, while the temperature of the ordinary water tank decreased by 12 °C and that of the phase change water tank decreased by 7 °C. By simulating the dynamic simulation model of the composite solar phase change thermal storage combined with an air-cooled heat pump system, the results show that the solar heating system with a PCM storage tank (SHS-PCM) saves 34% more energy than a solar heating system with a common tank (SHS-without PCM), and the volume of the PCM storage tank is reduced to 1/5 of the ordinary tank. The investment payback period method of energy saving reconstruction is used to analyze the economy of the SHS-PCM and the SHS-without PCM, the initial investment cost of the SHS-PCM is CNY 9858 higher than the SHS-without PCM, but the annual operation cost is saved by CNY 12,100, and the project investment payback period is 0.81 years, which has energy-saving potential and economic benefits.

Suggested Citation

  • Juan Zhao & Junmei Gao & Junhui Liao & Botao Zhou & Yifei Bai & Tianwei Qiang, 2022. "An Experimental Study of the Heat Storage and the Discharge Performance and an Economic Performance Analysis of a Flat Plate Phase Change Material (PCM) Storage Tank," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-17, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:11:p:4023-:d:827955
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Juan Zhao & Yasheng Ji & Yanping Yuan & Zhaoli Zhang & Jun Lu, 2018. "Energy-Saving Analysis of Solar Heating System with PCM Storage Tank," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-18, January.
    2. Juan Zhao & Yasheng Ji & Yanping Yuan & Zhaoli Zhang & Jun Lu, 2017. "Seven Operation Modes and Simulation Models of Solar Heating System with PCM Storage Tank," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-17, December.
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    1. Beata Pytlik & Daniel Smykowski & Piotr Szulc, 2022. "The Impact of Baffle Geometry in the PCM Heat Storage Unit on the Charging Process with High and Low Water Streams," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-17, December.
    2. Gang Liu & Yuanji Li & Pan Wei & Tian Xiao & Xiangzhao Meng & Xiaohu Yang, 2022. "Thermo-Economic Assessments on a Heat Storage Tank Filled with Graded Metal Foam," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-16, September.

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