Experimental Studies of the Influence of Microencapsulated Phase Change Material on Thermal Parameters of a Flat Liquid Solar Collector

Krzysztof Dutkowski, Marcin Kruzel and Tadeusz Bohdal
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Krzysztof Dutkowski: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Koszalin University of Technology, Raclawicka 15-17 Street, 75-620 Koszalin, Poland
Marcin Kruzel: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Koszalin University of Technology, Raclawicka 15-17 Street, 75-620 Koszalin, Poland
Tadeusz Bohdal: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Koszalin University of Technology, Raclawicka 15-17 Street, 75-620 Koszalin, Poland

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 16, 1-15

Abstract: The article presents the results of preliminary research aimed at determining the possibility of using microencapsulated phase change material (mPCM) slurries as a working fluid in installations with a flat liquid solar collector. In the tests, the following were used as the working fluid: water (reference liquid) and 10% wt. and 20% wt. of an aqueous solution of the product under the trade name MICRONAL ® 5428 X. As the product contained 43% mPCM, the mass fraction of mPCM in the working liquid was 4.3% and 8.6%, respectively. The research was carried out in laboratory conditions in the range of irradiance I = 250–950 W/m 2 . Each of the three working fluids flowed through the collector in the amount of 20 kg/h, 40 kg/h, and 80 kg/h. The working fluid was supplied to the collector with a constant temperature T in = 20 ± 0.5 °C. It was found that the temperature of the working fluid at the collector outlet increases with the increase in the radiation intensity, but the temperature achieved depended on the type of working fluid. The greater the share of mPCM in the working liquid, the lower the temperature of the liquid leaving the solar collector. It was found that the type of working fluid does not influence the achieved thermal power of the collector. The negative influence of mPCM on the operation of the solar collector was not noticed; the positive aspect of using mPCM in the solar installation should be emphasized—the reduced temperature of the medium allows the reduction in heat losses to the environment from the installation, especially in a low-temperature environment.

Keywords: flat solar collector; microencapsulated PCM slurry; experimental investigation; thermal operation parameters (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: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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