Technology Outline (Process Description)

This project aimed to develop a PCM-based solar thermal energy storage system for combined heating and cooling applications. This project consisted of two phases. The first phase involves the development of a hot and cold thermal energy storage system for different applications. The second phase involves the development of an experimental system that involves heating and cooling application where the hot and cold thermal energy storage systems were to be integrated. In the process of developing hot and cold thermal energy storage systems, potential PCMs with required thermophysical properties are identified/ developed as first phase. For hot thermal energy storage, two PCMs namely PEG 4000 and stearyl alcohol are identified and their thermophysical properties were investigated. For cold thermal energy storage, three PCMs out of which two binary eutectic PCMs namely lauryl alcohol-cetyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol-stearyl alcohol and butyl stearate were developed and their thermophysical properties are investigated. In the second phase, a PCM-based solar thermal energy storage system for combined heating and cooling application is developed. It consists of a parabolic trough to harvest the solar energy and transfers it to heat transfer fluid, a shell and tube type hot PCM heat exchanger which stores heat energy transferred from heat transfer fluid, hot oil bath, vapour absorption system and cold PCM heat exchange system.