Abstract:
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This paper deals with the numerical simulation of thermal energy storage systems with PCM. Numerical
simulations are a powerful tool for predicting the thermal behaviour of thermal systems, as well as for
optimizing their design.
The system under study is a cylindrical container, filled with spheres containing paraffin wax (PCM) and
water occupying the space left between the spheres. Two different processes are studied: charging and
discharging. In charging mode, hot water coming from the solar field passes through the container, delivering
energy to the PCM spheres. In the discharging mode, cold water from supply comes through, extracting the
energy previously stored in the PCM and leaving the tank at a higher temperature. |