Analysis of the Storage and Release of Thermal Solar Energy for the Production of Domestic Hot Water Using Encapsulated PCM

EasyChair Preprint 13974

Abstract

In recent years, the need for energy storage has become more noteworthy, leading to the development of thermal energy storage (TES) systems. In this study, the phase change processes of encapsulated PCM used in hybrid accumulators in domestic hot water systems are analyzed. The PCM used is RT35HC paraffin from the manufacturer Rubitherm, and a study of its properties is conducted. The encapsulation is cylindrical and made of stainless steel, with either a temperature probe inserted into the encapsulation to measure the temperature field, a transparent cover to visualize the interior, or both. This allows for an assessment of the measurement methods used and a preliminary understanding of the behavior of the encapsulated PCM. Subsequently, melting and solidification tests are conducted, simulating the charging and discharging processes of the accumulator, respectively. The encapsulation is placed in both vertical and horizontal positions. Based on these tests, the heat flux exchanged and the energy accumulated in the stainless-steel encapsulation are obtained.

Keyphrases: Domestic hot water, Encapsulated PCM, Thermal energy storage, solar energy, solar systems efficiency

@booklet{EasyChair:13974,
  author    = {Cristina Bianqui and Antonio Viedma and Alberto Egea and Alberto García},
  title     = {Analysis of the Storage and Release of Thermal Solar Energy for the Production of Domestic Hot Water Using Encapsulated PCM},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 13974},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2024}}