Development and Results from Application of PCM-Based Storage Tanks in a Solar Thermal Comfort System of an Institutional Building—A Case Study

F. Javier Batlles, Bartosz Gil, Svetlana Ushak, Jacek Kasperski, Marcos Luján, Diana Maldonado, Magdalena Nemś, Artur Nemś, Antonio M. Puertas, Manuel S. Romero-Cano, Sabina Rosiek and Mario Grageda
Additional contact information
F. Javier Batlles: Departamento de Química y Física, Universidad de Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain
Bartosz Gil: Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
Svetlana Ushak: Department of Chemical Engineering and Mineral Processing, and Center for Advanced Study of Lithium and Industrial Minerals (CELiMIN), Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta 02800, Chile
Jacek Kasperski: Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
Marcos Luján: Departamento de Ciencias Exactas e Ingeniería, Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo, Unidad Académica de Cochabamba, Cochabamba, Bolivia
Diana Maldonado: Departamento de Ciencias Exactas e Ingeniería, Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo, Unidad Académica de Cochabamba, Cochabamba, Bolivia
Magdalena Nemś: Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
Artur Nemś: Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
Antonio M. Puertas: Departamento de Química y Física, Universidad de Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain
Manuel S. Romero-Cano: Departamento de Química y Física, Universidad de Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain
Sabina Rosiek: Departamento de Química y Física, Universidad de Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain
Mario Grageda: Department of Chemical Engineering and Mineral Processing, and Center for Advanced Study of Lithium and Industrial Minerals (CELiMIN), Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta 02800, Chile

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 15, 1-24

Abstract: An important element of a solar installation is the storage tank. When properly selected and operated, it can bring numerous benefits. The presented research relates to a project that is implemented at the Solar Energy Research Center of the University of Almeria in Spain. In order to improve the operation of the solar cooling and heating system of the Center, it was upgraded with two newly designed storage tanks filled with phase change materials (PCM). As a result of design works, commercial material S10 was selected for the accumulation of cold, and S46 for the accumulation of heat, in an amount of 85% and 15%, respectively. The article presents in detail the process of selecting the PCM material, designing the installation, experimental research, and exergy analysis. Individual tasks were carried out by research groups cooperating under the PCMSOL EUROPEAN PROJECT. Results of tests conducted on the constructed installation indicate that daily energy saving when using a solar chiller with PCM tanks amounts to 40% during the cooling season.

Keywords: thermal storage; phase change materials; solar cooling (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: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/15/3877/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/15/3877/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:15:p:3877-:d:391740

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().