An Approach to the Integrated Design of PCM-Air Heat Exchangers Based on Numerical Simulation: A Solar Cooling Case Study

Resources

Pablo Dolado¹  Ana Lazaro²  Monica Delgado²  Conchita Pe༚losa²  Javier Mazo²  Jose M. Marin²  Belen Zalba² 

[1] Thermal Engineering and Energy Systems Group, Aragón Institute for Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50018, Spain;

关键词: phase change material;    PCM (phase change material);    thermal energy storage;    TES;    design of experiments;    numerical simulation;    optimization;    solar cooling;   

DOI  :  10.3390/resources4040796

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

A novel technique of design of experiments applied to numerical simulations is proposed in this paper as a methodology for the sizing and design of thermal storage equipment integrated in any specific application. The technique is carried out through the response surfaces in order to limit the number of simulation runs required to achieve an appropriate solution. Thus, there are significant savings on the time spent on the design as well as a potential cost saving on the experimentation if similarity relationships between the prototype and the model are met. The technique is applied here to a previously developed and validated numerical model that simulates the thermal behavior of a phase change material-air heat exchanger. The incorporation of the thermal energy storage unit is analyzed in the case of a solar cooling application, improving the system coefficient of performance. The economic viability is mainly conditioned by the price of the macroencapsulated phase change material.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.