Performance and Analysis of Thermal Energy Storage System using PCM

Thermal energy storage systems are currently undergoing a revolution, vowing to their influential involvement in modern technology, and their extensive applications such as space heating, water heating, waste heat utilization, cooling and air conditioning. Energy storage is substantial, whenever there is a gap between the supply and consumption of energy. Multiplying energy demands, lack of fossil fuels and the continuing boom in the level of greenhouse gas emissions are the predominant driving forces to focus on various sources of renewable energy. Solar thermal energy storage devices need heavier research attention due to irregular and unpredictable nature of solar energy which is quite efficient, economical and reliable energy resource. Among the various types of possibilities to store energy systems using different materials, Phase Change Materials (PCM) can be preferred for their consistency in latent heat storage. The usage of PCM is an effective way of storing thermal energy and has the advantages of having high storage density and is isothermal in nature of the storage process. In the present experimental work, thermal energy storage system (TESS) is designed, fabricated and commissioned to collect thermal performance data on the thermal energy storage tank. This TES tank is having spherical capsules, embedded with phase change material as paraffin wax and stearic acid. The heat transfer fluid(HTF) is used as water. The present work aims to investigate the charging (melting of PCM) and discharging (solidification of PCM) characteristics of phase change material in TES tank.