The applicability of the effectiveness–NTU method for characterising a PCM thermal energy storage system was experimentally investigated. The system consisted of PCM encapsulated in spheres with a liquid heat transfer fluid. Freezing and melting tests have been carried out for a variety of...

This paper presents a mathematical model of a thermal energy storage (TES) system filled with phase change material (PCM) encapsulated in spheres. Using the ε-NTU method, a suitable two dimensional representation was developed capable of predicting the heat transfer during phase change....

Numerical modelling is commonly used to design, analyse and optimise tube-in-tank phase change thermal energy storage systems with fins. A new simplified two dimensional mathematical model, based on the effectiveness-number of transfer units technique, has been developed to characterise...

Considerable research has been conducted on heat transfer enhancement of phase change materials (PCMs) in thermal energy storage systems. Heat transfer enhancement techniques such as the use of conductors like graphite, carbon fibre and carbon brushes have been proven to be effective. Shell and...

An experimental validation for a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model for tubes coiled in a phase change thermal energy storage system has been conducted. Using the validated CFD model, three CFD models have been developed. The first model was developed having pins embedded on a tube with...

Phase change materials (PCMs) can store large amounts of heat or cooling in a small amount of material, they potentially have less weight and volume compared with other thermal energy storage materials. Thermal energy storage applications such as solar hot water systems and off peak...

Thermal storage systems with phase change materials are predominantly designed, analysed and optimised through numerical modelling. An alternative simplified method is being proposed for the characterisation of these phase change thermal storage systems. The method is based on the...

Considerable research has been conducted on heat transfer enhancement of phase change materials (PCMs) in thermal energy storage systems. A new concept of a heat transfer enhancement technique for a tube-in-tank phase change thermal energy storage system, dynamic melting has been investigated...