Energy-Saving Analysis of Solar Heating System with PCM Storage Tank

Juan Zhao, Yasheng Ji, Yanping Yuan, Zhaoli Zhang and Jun Lu
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Juan Zhao: School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
Yasheng Ji: School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
Yanping Yuan: School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
Zhaoli Zhang: School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
Jun Lu: School of Urban Construction & Environment Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-18

Abstract: A solar heating system (SHS) with a phase change material (PCM) thermal storage tank is proposed with the view that traditional heat water storage tanks present several problems including large space requirements, significant heat loss and unstable system performance. An entire heating season (November–March) is selected as the research period on the basis of numerical models of the SHS-PCM. In addition, taking a public building in Lhasa as the object, the heating conditions, contribution rate of solar energy, and overall energy-saving capability provided by the heating system are analyzed under different PCM storage tanks and different terminal forms. The results show that an SHS with a PCM tank provides a 34% increase in energy saving capability compared to an ordinary water tank heating system. It is suggested that the design selection parameters of the PCM storage tank should specify a daily heat storage capacity that satisfies 70~80% of the entire heating season. A floor radiant system with supply/return water temperatures of 40/35 °C provides the optimal operation and the largest energy saving capability.

Keywords: flat-plate solar thermal collector; PCM storage tank; terminal forms; energy-saving analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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