Volume 63

Influence of Heat Exchanger Tube Configuration on Simultaneous Charging and Discharging Performance of LHTES Ikhtedar Husain Rizvi, Dibakar Rakshit, B. Premachandran, K. Ravi Kumar, K. S. Reddy

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of heat transfer tube configurations on the thermal performance of latent heat thermal energy storage systems operating under simultaneous charging and discharging conditions. A two-dimensional numerical model was developed using the enthalpy–porosity method to simulate melting and solidification of phase change material. Four tube arrangements, comprising two charging and two discharging tubes, were analyzed to evaluate their impact on melting/solidification progression and heat flux variation. Results indicate that tube placement significantly influences natural convection within the PCM, thereby affecting energy transfer rates. Case 4 shows the highest initial charging heat flux due to enhanced early convection, but Case 2 sustains the highest long-term fluxes during both charging (1000 W/m²) and discharging (900 W/m²). Case 3 consistently demonstrates poor performance, highlighting unfavorable flow pathways. Overall, Case 2 emerges as the most effective configuration, offering an optimal balance between charging and discharging performance. These findings highlights the importance of tube geometry in designing high-efficiency LHTES units for continuous energy supply applications.

Keywords Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage, Simultaneous Charging and Discharging, Heat Transfer Tube Configuration, Phase Change Materials, Thermal Performance.