While solar thermal power plants are increasingly gaining attention and have demonstrated their applications, extending electricity generation after the sunset using phase change material (PCM) still remains a grand challenge. Most of the organic PCMs are known to possess high energy density per unit volume, but low thermal conductivity, that necessitates the use of thermal conductivity enhancers (TCEs) to augment heat transfer within PCM. In this paper, thermal performance and optimization of shell and tube heat exchanger-based latent heat thermal energy storage system (LHTES) using fins as TCE for medium temperature (<300 °C) organic Rankine cycle (ORC)-based solar thermal plant are presented. A commercial grade organic PCM, A164 with melting temperature of 168.7 °C is filled in the shell side and heat transfer fluid (HTF), Hytherm 600 flows through the tubes. A three-dimensional numerical model using enthalpy technique is developed to study the solidification of PCM, with and without fin. Further, the effect of geometrical parameters of fin, such as fin thickness, fin height, and number of fin on the thermal performance of LHTES, is studied. It is found that fin thickness and number of fin play significant role on the solidification process of PCM. Finally, the optimum design of the fin geometry is determined by maximizing the combined objective of HTF outlet temperature and solid fraction of PCM at the end of the discharging period. The latent heat thermal storage system with 24 fins, each of 1 mm thickness and 7 mm height, is found to be the optimum design for the given set of operating parameters.
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June 2017
Research-Article
Heat Transfer Characterization and Optimization of Latent Heat Thermal Storage System Using Fins for Medium Temperature Solar Applications
Asmita Shinde,
Asmita Shinde
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay,
Mumbai 400076, India
e-mail: asmitasshinde@gmail.com
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay,
Mumbai 400076, India
e-mail: asmitasshinde@gmail.com
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Sankalp Arpit,
Sankalp Arpit
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay,
Mumbai 400076, India
e-mail: sankalp.arpit815@gmail.com
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay,
Mumbai 400076, India
e-mail: sankalp.arpit815@gmail.com
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Pramod KM,
Pramod KM
HP Green R&D Centre,
Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd.,
Bangalore 560 067, India
e-mail: pramodcusat@gmail.com
Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd.,
Bangalore 560 067, India
e-mail: pramodcusat@gmail.com
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Sandip K. Saha
Sandip K. Saha
Mem. ASME
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay,
Mumbai 400076, India
e-mail: sandip.saha@iitb.ac.in
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay,
Mumbai 400076, India
e-mail: sandip.saha@iitb.ac.in
Search for other works by this author on:
Asmita Shinde
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay,
Mumbai 400076, India
e-mail: asmitasshinde@gmail.com
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay,
Mumbai 400076, India
e-mail: asmitasshinde@gmail.com
Sankalp Arpit
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay,
Mumbai 400076, India
e-mail: sankalp.arpit815@gmail.com
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay,
Mumbai 400076, India
e-mail: sankalp.arpit815@gmail.com
Pramod KM
HP Green R&D Centre,
Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd.,
Bangalore 560 067, India
e-mail: pramodcusat@gmail.com
Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd.,
Bangalore 560 067, India
e-mail: pramodcusat@gmail.com
Peddy V C. Rao
Sandip K. Saha
Mem. ASME
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay,
Mumbai 400076, India
e-mail: sandip.saha@iitb.ac.in
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay,
Mumbai 400076, India
e-mail: sandip.saha@iitb.ac.in
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Solar Energy Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF SOLAR ENERGY ENGINEERING: INCLUDING WIND ENERGY AND BUILDING ENERGY CONSERVATION. Manuscript received May 23, 2016; final manuscript received December 8, 2016; published online February 8, 2017. Editor: Robert F. Boehm.
J. Sol. Energy Eng. Jun 2017, 139(3): 031003 (10 pages)
Published Online: February 8, 2017
Article history
Received:
May 23, 2016
Revised:
December 8, 2016
Citation
Shinde, A., Arpit, S., KM, P., Rao, P. V. C., and Saha, S. K. (February 8, 2017). "Heat Transfer Characterization and Optimization of Latent Heat Thermal Storage System Using Fins for Medium Temperature Solar Applications." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. June 2017; 139(3): 031003. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4035517
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