Machines. Technologies. Materials.
Vol. 19 (2025), Issue 9, pg(s) 346-349

TECHNOLOGIES

Analysis of shell-and-tube latent thermal energy storage tube diameter on charging and discharging performance

  • 1 University of Rijeka, Faculty of Engineering, Croatia
  • 2 University of Rijeka, Faculty of Maritime Studies, Croatia

Abstract

The study reports on a series of numerical simulations conducted to assess how tube diameter affects charging (melting) and discharging (solidification) performance in a shell-and-tube latent thermal energy storage (LTES) with longitudinal fins. In the investigated LTES, water flows through the tubes and serves as the heat transfer fluid (HTF), while paraffin is used as the phase change material (PCM) and fills the shell side. Employing an experimentally validated mathematical model and numerical procedure, LTES charging and discharging performances were investigated for three tube diameters: 28/24, 38/34 and 48/44 mm. LTES performance for different tube diameters was assessed by comparing melting and solidification times, as well as stored and released thermal energies in 8, 9 and 10 h of charging and 12, 13 and 14 h of discharging for each configuration. Results show that larger tube diameters accelerate melting and solidification processes due to increased conductive surface area, but also decrease LTES energy storing capacity as the amount of the PCM reduces as a result of increased tube diameter. The results indicate that tube diameter greatly influences LTES thermal performance and must be chosen carefully for the LTES to be effective.

Keywords

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