Novel cooling unit using PCM for residential application

Thermal Energy Storage (TES) technology based on the use of Phase Change Materials (PCM) has recently raised an important practical interest. This is mainly due to the high-energy storage density during phase change within a very narrow temperature range. To give an illustrative example, eighty times more heat is required to melt certain amount of ice at 0 °C than to heat up 1 °C the same amount of water. In this paper, novel cooling unit using PCM called Indirect Evaporative and Storage Unit (IESU) has been designed, modeled and simulated through over the year. Moreover IESU has been optimized from technical and economic point of view for residential application in Mediterranean climate. Cooling systems with heat storage have attracted an increasing attention over the past decades. However, studies of IESU haven't been found in open literature.

► Novel cooling unit using PCM called IESU has been designed, modeled and simulated.
► IESU has been optimized for residential application in Mediterranean climate.
► The payback period of IESU's optimum size from annual energy saving is 7.8 years.