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

Pablo Dolado, Ana Lazaro, Monica Delgado, Conchita Peñalosa, Javier Mazo, Jose M. Marin and Belen Zalba
Additional contact information
Pablo Dolado: Thermal Engineering and Energy Systems Group, Aragón Institute for Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50018, Spain
Ana Lazaro: Thermal Engineering and Energy Systems Group, Aragón Institute for Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50018, Spain
Monica Delgado: Thermal Engineering and Energy Systems Group, Aragón Institute for Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50018, Spain
Conchita Peñalosa: Thermal Engineering and Energy Systems Group, Aragón Institute for Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50018, Spain
Javier Mazo: Thermal Engineering and Energy Systems Group, Aragón Institute for Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50018, Spain
Jose M. Marin: Thermal Engineering and Energy Systems Group, Aragón Institute for Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50018, Spain
Belen Zalba: Thermal Engineering and Energy Systems Group, Aragón Institute for Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50018, Spain

Resources, 2015, vol. 4, issue 4, 1-23

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: phase change material; PCM (phase change material); thermal energy storage; TES; design of experiments; numerical simulation; optimization; solar cooling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/4/4/796/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/4/4/796/ (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:jresou:v:4:y:2015:i:4:p:796-818:d:58007

Access Statistics for this article

Resources is currently edited by Ms. Donchian Ma

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