Thermal Design and Performance Analysis of Combined Sensible and Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage Systems

Abstract

The present thesis work focuses on the development of high-temperature latent heat storage (LHS) and hybrid thermal storage (HTS) systems. Two-dimensional (2D) and Three-dimensional (3D) numerical models were developed using COMSOL Multiphysics software to optimize the design of these systems. Sodium nitrate, with a melting temperature of 309 ℃, was used as the phase change material (PCM), while sand served as the sensible heat storage (SHS) medium. The experimental setup utilized atmospheric air as the heat transfer fluid (HTF), providing heated air at temperatures as high as 400 ℃ at a flow rate of 120 m3/h.