Study on heat storage performance of a novel vertical shell and multi-finned tube tank

High-efficient latent heat storage technology plays a crucial role in solar energy utilization. In this study, a shell-and-tube heat storage tank employing a novel fin structure has been proposed. A three-dimensional unsteady heat transfer model of the tank has been established. The effects of fin height, fin angle and fin number on liquid fraction, average temperature and heat storage rate have been investigated. The results show that the complete melting time of the phase change material in the novel finned tube is shortened by 66.4% compared with the finless structure. The melting time of the fins with heights of 34.20 mm, 42.75 mm, and 51.30 mm are shortened by 56.9%, 60.1% and 66.4%, respectively. When the fin height exceeds 51.30 mm, the melting rate remains almost unchanged. The fin angle is not the larger the better. Compared with the bending angles of 10 degrees, 20 degrees and 40 degrees, the complete melting time of 30 degrees is reduced by 14.0%, 11.6% and 6.4%, respectively. As the number of fins increases, the total heat storage time is shorter, but the total heat storage has also been reduced. The results can provide a good reference for design, operating, and energy-saving of latent heat storage systems. (C) 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

A novel fin structure has been proposed for a shell-and-tube heat storage tank, and a heat transfer model has been established to study its performance. The results show that the novel fin structure can reduce the melting time of the phase change material, and the fin height and angle have significant effects on the melting time.