Research on the performance of double-layer tube phase change units based on thermal storage tanks

In this study, a new phase change unit was designed using a bilayer tube and two paraffin phase change materials with different melting points. The heat storage and exothermic properties of the phase change unit are optimized from both structural and material aspects. In contrast to the previous optimization of phase change units from a single perspective, the optimization method in this study is a comprehensive optimization from multiple perspectives. Through experiments and numerical simulations, the same structure/material optimization method is first analyzed and selected from the best, and then the same material/structure optimization is investigated to analyze the difference in thermal performance compared to a single phase change unit. The results show that PCM-1/2 Model D has good overall performance, with a 13.4 % increase in total heat storage, a 3.4 % increase in heat storage efficiency, and a 14.1 % increase in total heat release compared to PCM-2 Model A. It is clear that the design of a phase change unit must be considered from various aspects and that structural optimization plays a crucial role in improving the overall performance of a phase change unit.

Automated summary

In this study, a new phase change unit was designed using a bilayer tube and two paraffin phase change materials with different melting points. The heat storage and exothermic properties of the phase change unit are optimized from both structural and material aspects. Through experiments and numerical simulations, the same structure/material optimization method is first analyzed and selected from the best, and then the same material/structure optimization is investigated to analyze the difference in thermal performance compared to a single phase change unit. The results show that PCM-1/2 Model D has good overall performance, with a 13.4 % increase in total heat storage, a 3.4 % increase in heat storage efficiency, and a 14.1 % increase in total heat release compared to PCM-2 Model A. It is clear that the design of a phase change unit must be considered from various aspects and that structural optimization plays a crucial role in improving the overall performance of a phase change unit.