Experimental Investigate for Optimization of Heat Pipe Performance in Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage

The work has been undertaken to investigate optimum performance of latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) with embedded heat pipe. Classical plan of experimentation was used to optimize the parameters of heat pipe. Smaller diameter and more number of Heat transferring pipes effectively enhance the heat from the heat transferring fluid (HTF) to the phase changing material (PCM) as well as from the PCM to the HTF during charging and discharging processes. When the volume flow rate is higher the heat storage capacity is increased for charging process and early heat extraction is possible during discharging. Experiment with flow rate of 10lit/min showed good results for charging and discharging for LHTES with embedded heat pipe. The efficiency, effectiveness of LHTES with embedded heat pipe is high and constant for system in comparisons with system with copper pipe. The experimental results also indicate that the total melting time of phase changing material decreases as the volume flow decrease. Optimized heat pipe embedded in LHTES for effective heat transfer in low thermal conducting material is better option for thermal energy storages (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.