Numerical simulation of thermal energy storage system using phase change material for free cooling of buildings

Abstract EN

A numerical investigation is adopted for a two dimensional thermal energy storage system (TES), employing finite element method to compute the time of charging or discharging energy from a phase change material (PCM) during day or night to utilize it in free cooling of space applying Baghdad Summer climate conditions (ambient temperature).

A computer program is developed to analyze the thermal energy unit for different tube diameters, air flow rates and inlet air temperature for both solidification and melting processes.

This study shows that utilizing small tube diameter, low flow rates or air inlet temperature near the fusion temperature lead to increase time of phase change process.

It was also shown that the time duration of melting is larger than solidification.