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The experimental investigation of the thermal stratification in a solar hot water tank

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  • Wang, Zilong
  • Zhang, Hua
  • Huang, Huajie
  • Dou, Binlin
  • Huang, Xiuhui
  • Goula, Maria A.

Abstract

Thermal storage technology is an important approach to improve the efficiency of solar energy utilisation. To analyse the thermal stratification in a hot water storage tank at an initial temperature of 80 °C and at an inlet temperature of 5 °C, this study thoroughly analysed the impact of the position of PCM balls on the thermal stratification for various flow rates (1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 L/min) under different position. Performance parameters, including the Richardson number, MIX number, and exergy efficiency, were involved in the evaluation. The study was further extended to explore the applicability of Fill Efficiency (FE) as a performance parameter of thermal stratification within a storage tank. The experimental results indicated that, for the same inlet flow rate, an improved thermal stratification of the tank was achieved as the positions of the balls became closer are to the inlet, and the balls with a small diameter also showed remarkable potential for improving the thermal stratification of the water tank. When the flow rate increased, the cold and hot water mixing intensified, and the thermocline thickness in the tank increased. Thus, the thermal stratification weakened. Furthermore, when the water-release process progressed, the mixing of the hot and cold water in the water tank tended to be stable, and formed a stable thermocline. Finally, when the inlet flow rate was less than 7 L/min, the thermal stratification of the water tank exceeded that of the PCM water tank, while for an inlet flow rate in excess of 7 L/min, the thermal stratification of the PCM water tanks was superior to that of the water tank in the case when the balls was on the fourth layer.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Zilong & Zhang, Hua & Huang, Huajie & Dou, Binlin & Huang, Xiuhui & Goula, Maria A., 2019. "The experimental investigation of the thermal stratification in a solar hot water tank," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 862-874.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:134:y:2019:i:c:p:862-874
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2018.11.088
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Agnieszka Malec & Tomasz Cholewa & Alicja Siuta-Olcha, 2021. "Influence of Cold Water Inlets and Obstacles on the Energy Efficiency of the Hot Water Production Process in a Hot Water Storage Tank," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-26, October.
    6. Kutlu, Cagri & Zhang, Yanan & Elmer, Theo & Su, Yuehong & Riffat, Saffa, 2020. "A simulation study on performance improvement of solar assisted heat pump hot water system by novel controllable crystallization of supercooled PCMs," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 601-612.
    7. Joseph Rendall & Fernando Karg Bulnes & Kyle Gluesenkamp & Ahmad Abu-Heiba & William Worek & Kashif Nawaz, 2021. "A Flow Rate Dependent 1D Model for Thermally Stratified Hot-Water Energy Storage," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-17, May.

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