Design, development and performance monitoring of a tank in tank solar water system with PCM storage

Abstract

Thermal storage has an important role in energy security and conservation. Latent heat thermal energy storage using Phase Change Material (PCM) in solar water heater is very much considered because of its high storage capacity with constant temperature. This paper describes the use of PCM in an existing commercial flat plate collector with slight modification and a water storage tank in a new way to store thermal energy for use during late hours or in mornings. This tank in tank solar water heater maximizes the solar contribution in storage with longer backup for stored thermal energy on a 24 hr time period. The solar water heater using paraffin wax as PCM gave an efficiency of 45 %.