Concentrating solar power plants (CSPs) are being explored as the leading source of renewable energy for future power generation. Storing sun's energy in the form of latent thermal energy of a phase change material (PCM) is desirable for use on demand including times when solar energy is unavailable. Considering a latent thermal energy storage (LTES) system incorporating heat pipes to enhance heat transfer between the heat transfer fluid (HTF) and the PCM, this paper explores the dynamic response of the LTES system subjected to repeated cycles of charging and discharging. A transient computational analysis of a shell-and-tube LTES embedded with two horizontal heat pipes is performed for repeated charging and discharging of the PCM to analyze the dynamic performance of the LTES, and the augmentation in the cyclic performance of the LTES embedded with heat pipes is investigated. A model low temperature phase change material system is considered in the present study, with the physical results being scalable to high temperature systems used in CSP plants.
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February 2014
Research-Article
Computational Modeling of Dynamic Response of a Latent Thermal Energy Storage System With Embedded Heat Pipes
R. Pitchumani
R. Pitchumani
1
Fellow ASME
e-mail: pitchu@vt.edu
Technologies Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Virginia Tech,
e-mail: pitchu@vt.edu
Advanced Materials and
Technologies Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, VA 24061-0238
1Corresponding author.
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R. Pitchumani
Fellow ASME
e-mail: pitchu@vt.edu
Technologies Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Virginia Tech,
e-mail: pitchu@vt.edu
Advanced Materials and
Technologies Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, VA 24061-0238
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Solar Energy Division of ASME for publication in the Journal of Solar Energy Engineering. Manuscript received March 29, 2013; final manuscript received May 28, 2013; published online July 18, 2013. Assoc. Editor: Nathan Siegel.
J. Sol. Energy Eng. Feb 2014, 136(1): 011010 (9 pages)
Published Online: July 18, 2013
Article history
Received:
March 29, 2013
Revision Received:
May 28, 2013
Citation
Nithyanandam, K., and Pitchumani, R. (July 18, 2013). "Computational Modeling of Dynamic Response of a Latent Thermal Energy Storage System With Embedded Heat Pipes." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. February 2014; 136(1): 011010. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4024745
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