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Structural optimization and comparative analysis of pillow plate thermal energy storage units using phase change materials

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  • Zhao, Chuang-Yao
  • Liu, Peng-Qiang
  • Li, Bing-Xu
  • Qi, Di
  • Jiang, Jun-Min

Abstract

The rapid development of renewable energy technologies has imposed increasingly stringent requirements on the compactness and efficiency of thermal energy storage (TES) systems. This study investigates a latent heat TES concept based on a pillow-plate heat exchanger configuration and evaluates its thermal performance using a high-fidelity three-dimensional numerical framework. The modeling approach integrates finite element-based pillow-plate geometry generation with transient numerical simulation of phase change heat transfer, enabling a systematic assessment of geometric influences on melting behavior and energy storage characteristics. Five key structural parameters, including maximum inflation height, welding-spot shape and diameter, welding-spot pattern, and pitch ratio, are systematically analyzed. The results demonstrate that geometric configuration exerts a pronounced and nonlinear influence on phase change dynamics, volumetric energy density, and heat transfer effectiveness. Among the investigated cases, a configuration with an inflation height of 11 mm, circular weld spots of 14 mm arranged in a triangular pattern, and a pitch ratio of 1.0 achieves the highest volumetric energy density of 206.65 MJ m−3 and superior thermal effectiveness. Compared with a conventional flat-plate configuration, the optimized pillow-plate design enhances TES effectiveness by up to 71%. The findings provide quantitative design guidance for the development of compact and high-performance latent heat TES units for renewable, industrial, and building energy systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhao, Chuang-Yao & Liu, Peng-Qiang & Li, Bing-Xu & Qi, Di & Jiang, Jun-Min, 2026. "Structural optimization and comparative analysis of pillow plate thermal energy storage units using phase change materials," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:263:y:2026:i:c:s0960148126003447
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2026.125519
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