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Comparison of Sensible Water Cooling, Ice building, and Phase Change Material in Thermal Energy Storage Tank Charging: Analytical Models and Experimental Data

Caliguri, Ryan P
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5124-7121
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1627666292483648

Abstract Details

2021, MS, University of Cincinnati, Engineering and Applied Science: Mechanical Engineering.
In effort to both save operating expenses and be environmentally friendly, thermal energy storage provides a means for companies to handle daytime HVAC requirements while using off-peak (nighttime) electrical power. This paper sets out to compare three of the most common techniques used for thermal energy storage, by comparing both the analytical modeling of their energy storage and actual experimental data for their energy storage, using the same exact test apparatus for each of the techniques. The results of this experiment show that using normal HVAC temperatures, sensible water chilled to its maximum value after only about two hours, while PCM would take nearly six hours to achieve “linkage,” or solidified material merging between the helix coils. Ice building, done with -7° coolant, took 4.5 hours to achieve linkage. Initial heat transfer was proportional to the difference between initial tank temperature and the coolant temperature, and went asymptotically towards zero for sensible as the temperature of the tank and coolant reach equilibrium. For ice, the heat transfer rate was always more than twice that of PCM during latent storage, which is attributed to the difference between coolant temperatures and freezing points for the respective materials. Sensible water cooldown would require 232.8% of the tank volume to store the same energy relative to the environment compared to ice building, and 126.3% of the tank volume compared to phase change material. This is to be weighed with the benefit of using existing HVAC condensing units to chill the water, and the fact that water itself is inexpensive. The high latent heat of freezing for water meant it held more energy than both the water sensible cooldown and PCM freezing, but with the downside of requiring medium temperature condenser units in order to be efficient (instead of the high temperature units used in typical HVAC). After 4.5 hours, PCM would surpass the energy stored in the same volume as water sensibly, due to its latent energy storage, while also utilizing ordinary HVAC temperatures, but is relatively costly as a medium, especially when compared to water.
Michael Kazmierczak, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Ahmed Elgafy, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Sang Young Son, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
76 p.
Mechanical Engineering
Thermal Energy Storage; HVAC; Ice Storage; Chilled Water; Phase Change Materials; Cold Storage

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Caliguri, R. P. (2021). Comparison of Sensible Water Cooling, Ice building, and Phase Change Material in Thermal Energy Storage Tank Charging: Analytical Models and Experimental Data [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1627666292483648

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Caliguri, Ryan. Comparison of Sensible Water Cooling, Ice building, and Phase Change Material in Thermal Energy Storage Tank Charging: Analytical Models and Experimental Data. 2021. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1627666292483648.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Caliguri, Ryan. "Comparison of Sensible Water Cooling, Ice building, and Phase Change Material in Thermal Energy Storage Tank Charging: Analytical Models and Experimental Data." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1627666292483648

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.
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