Numerical Investigation of PCM Thermal Storage in Water Solar Collector

Kadhim Hussein Suffer; Jalal M. Jalil; Hiba A. Hasan

Authors

Kadhim Hussein Suffer Mechanical Engineering Dept., Engineering College, Al-Nahrain University, P.O. Box 64040, Baghdad, Iraq
Jalal M. Jalil Electromechanical Engineering Dept., University of Technology, Baghdad, Iraq
Hiba A. Hasan ComputerTechniquesEngineering Dept., Al-Turath University College, Baghdad, Iraq

Keywords:

Renewable Energy, Thermal Energy Storage, PCM, Enthalpy Method

Abstract

Phase Change Materials (PCMs) mainly used for Thermal energy storage. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is used to investigate numerically the temperature distribution over the time for water flowing inside the pipes of solar collector and the PCM placed on the back layer of the collector as a storage media. Phase change problems were solved using the general governing equation for energy. The finite volume method and the proposed enthalpy conversion model were used for the mathematical model of PCM. The simulation results give that the maximum outlet water temperature is (58 °C) at (4:00 PM), while the maximum temperature of PCM is (54 °C) at (5:00 PM). The water temperature is higher than that PCM temperature at the day hours (PCM Charge). The PCM temperature close to the water temperature at the time (5:30 PM). The average temperature of PCM is always reached required temperature (34 °C) except time (8:00 AM), this means that the PCM is capable to charge the water with the required energy during the night. The predicted results from CFD gives a good agreement with the experimental results that which is studied and published previously.