Influence of accuracy of thermal property data of a phase change material on the result of a numerical model of a packed bed latent heat storage with spheres

With the integration of latent-heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) in building services, solar energy and the coldness of ambient air can be efficiently used to reduce the energy used for heating and cooling and to improve the level of living comfort. For this purpose, a cylindrical LHTES containing spheres filled with paraffin was developed. For the proper modelling of the LHTES thermal response the thermal properties of the phase change material (PCM) must be accurately known. This article presents the influence of the accuracy of thermal property data of the PCM on the result of the prediction of the LHTES's thermal response. A packed bed numerical model was adapted to take into account the non-uniformity of the PCM's porosity and the fluid's velocity. Both are the consequence of a small tube-to-sphere diameter ratio, which is characteristic of the developed LHTES. The numerical model can also take into account the PCM's temperature-dependent thermal properties. The temperature distribution of the latent heat of the paraffin (RT20) used in the experiment in the form of apparent heat capacity was determined using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) at different heating and cooling rates. A comparison of the numerical and experimental results confirmed our hypothesis relating to the important role that the PCM's thermal properties play, especially during slow running processes, which are characteristic for our application.