Analysis of the storage and recovery of thermal solar energy for the production of domestic hot water using encapsulated PCM in hybrid accumulators

Resumen

In recent years, the need for energy storage has become more noteworthy, leading to the development ofthermal energy storage (TES) systems. In this study, the phase change processes of encapsulated PCM used in hybridaccumulators in domestic hot water systems are analyzed. The PCM used is RT35HC paraffin from the manufacturerRubitherm, and a study of its properties is conducted. The encapsulation is cylindrical and made of stainless steel, witheither a temperature probe inserted into the encapsulation to measure the temperature field, a transparent cover to visualizethe interior, or both. This allows for an assessment of the measurement methods used and a preliminary understanding ofthe behavior of the encapsulated PCM. Subsequently, melting and solidification tests are conducted, simulating thecharging and discharging processes of the accumulator, respectively. The encapsulation is placed in both vertical andhorizontal positions. Based on these tests, the heat flux exchanged and the energy accumulated in the stainless-steelencapsulation are obtained.