Analysis of flow through packed bed of spheres containing phase change materials for thermal energy storage applications

Vinit V. Prabhu; Ethan Languri; Kashif Nawaz

doi:10.1115/IMECE2019-12185

Analysis of flow through packed bed of spheres containing phase change materials for thermal energy storage applications

Vinit V. Prabhu
, Ethan Languri
, Kashif Nawaz

Buildings and Transportation Science Div

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

The research on thermal energy storage (TES) systems have received a lot of attention in recent decades for sustainable use of thermal energy in various industrial and residential applications. The existing challenge in designing the TES is the response time of charging and discharging cycles that keeps these systems away from wide utilization in industries. Literature data show that beside the low thermal conductivity of most phase change materials (PCMs) as active media in TES systems, the poor flow distribution may be another factor affecting the response rate. This study aims to considerably reduce the response time by packing the PCMs in a bed of spheres made of high thermal conductivity material. The response rate during the charging cycle is studied numerically by passing hot water at 70 °C over the packed bed of spheres. The numerical analysis is performed using ANSYS Fluent 19. The PCM used in this study is a paraffin and has a melting point of 48 °C. The response rate of the system is studied and it is compared to other similar systems mentioned in literature. The amount of energy storage is also studied by changing the flow rate of water.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Energy
Publisher	American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
ISBN (Electronic)	9780791859438
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1115/IMECE2019-12185
State	Published - 2019
Event	ASME 2019 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, IMECE 2019 - Salt Lake City, United States Duration: Nov 11 2019 → Nov 14 2019

Publication series

Name	ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Proceedings (IMECE)
Volume	6

Conference

Conference	ASME 2019 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, IMECE 2019
Country/Territory	United States
City	Salt Lake City
Period	11/11/19 → 11/14/19

Funding

The authors would like to thank the Center for Energy Systems Research (CESR), Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) and Department of Mechanical Engineering all at Tennessee Tech University for their support.

Keywords

Phase change material (PCM)
Response time
Thermal energy storage (TES)

Access to Document

10.1115/IMECE2019-12185

Cite this

@inproceedings{9ef340ba8bc04a7e80c41647ab5d8e0c,

title = "Analysis of flow through packed bed of spheres containing phase change materials for thermal energy storage applications",

abstract = "The research on thermal energy storage (TES) systems have received a lot of attention in recent decades for sustainable use of thermal energy in various industrial and residential applications. The existing challenge in designing the TES is the response time of charging and discharging cycles that keeps these systems away from wide utilization in industries. Literature data show that beside the low thermal conductivity of most phase change materials (PCMs) as active media in TES systems, the poor flow distribution may be another factor affecting the response rate. This study aims to considerably reduce the response time by packing the PCMs in a bed of spheres made of high thermal conductivity material. The response rate during the charging cycle is studied numerically by passing hot water at 70 °C over the packed bed of spheres. The numerical analysis is performed using ANSYS Fluent 19. The PCM used in this study is a paraffin and has a melting point of 48 °C. The response rate of the system is studied and it is compared to other similar systems mentioned in literature. The amount of energy storage is also studied by changing the flow rate of water.",

keywords = "Phase change material (PCM), Response time, Thermal energy storage (TES)",

author = "Prabhu, \{Vinit V.\} and Ethan Languri and Kashif Nawaz",

note = "Publisher Copyright: Copyright {\textcopyright} 2019 ASME.; ASME 2019 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, IMECE 2019 ; Conference date: 11-11-2019 Through 14-11-2019",

year = "2019",

doi = "10.1115/IMECE2019-12185",

language = "English",

series = "ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Proceedings (IMECE)",

publisher = "American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)",

booktitle = "Energy",

}

Prabhu, VV, Languri, E & Nawaz, K 2019, Analysis of flow through packed bed of spheres containing phase change materials for thermal energy storage applications. in Energy. ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Proceedings (IMECE), vol. 6, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), ASME 2019 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, IMECE 2019, Salt Lake City, United States, 11/11/19. https://doi.org/10.1115/IMECE2019-12185

Analysis of flow through packed bed of spheres containing phase change materials for thermal energy storage applications. / Prabhu, Vinit V.; Languri, Ethan; Nawaz, Kashif.
Energy. American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), 2019. (ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Proceedings (IMECE); Vol. 6).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Analysis of flow through packed bed of spheres containing phase change materials for thermal energy storage applications

AU - Prabhu, Vinit V.

AU - Languri, Ethan

AU - Nawaz, Kashif

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - The research on thermal energy storage (TES) systems have received a lot of attention in recent decades for sustainable use of thermal energy in various industrial and residential applications. The existing challenge in designing the TES is the response time of charging and discharging cycles that keeps these systems away from wide utilization in industries. Literature data show that beside the low thermal conductivity of most phase change materials (PCMs) as active media in TES systems, the poor flow distribution may be another factor affecting the response rate. This study aims to considerably reduce the response time by packing the PCMs in a bed of spheres made of high thermal conductivity material. The response rate during the charging cycle is studied numerically by passing hot water at 70 °C over the packed bed of spheres. The numerical analysis is performed using ANSYS Fluent 19. The PCM used in this study is a paraffin and has a melting point of 48 °C. The response rate of the system is studied and it is compared to other similar systems mentioned in literature. The amount of energy storage is also studied by changing the flow rate of water.

AB - The research on thermal energy storage (TES) systems have received a lot of attention in recent decades for sustainable use of thermal energy in various industrial and residential applications. The existing challenge in designing the TES is the response time of charging and discharging cycles that keeps these systems away from wide utilization in industries. Literature data show that beside the low thermal conductivity of most phase change materials (PCMs) as active media in TES systems, the poor flow distribution may be another factor affecting the response rate. This study aims to considerably reduce the response time by packing the PCMs in a bed of spheres made of high thermal conductivity material. The response rate during the charging cycle is studied numerically by passing hot water at 70 °C over the packed bed of spheres. The numerical analysis is performed using ANSYS Fluent 19. The PCM used in this study is a paraffin and has a melting point of 48 °C. The response rate of the system is studied and it is compared to other similar systems mentioned in literature. The amount of energy storage is also studied by changing the flow rate of water.

KW - Phase change material (PCM)

KW - Response time

KW - Thermal energy storage (TES)

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AN - SCOPUS:85078699276

T3 - ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Proceedings (IMECE)

BT - Energy

PB - American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

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ER -

Analysis of flow through packed bed of spheres containing phase change materials for thermal energy storage applications

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