Research Article

Analysis of energy and exergy of a thermal storage system using multiple phase change material

Volume: 11 Number: 4 July 31, 2025
  • Jayaprakash V *
  • Ganesan S
  • Beemkumar N
  • Sunil Kumar M

Analysis of energy and exergy of a thermal storage system using multiple phase change material

Abstract

A practical method for balancing supply and demand in renewable energy is cascade latent thermal storage. Thermal energy storage (TES) systems with phase change material (PCM) store energy at different temperature levels. This study aims to present the comparative energy and exergy efficiency analysis of single PCM and multipletemperature PCM TES using different PCM in a temperature range of 100-200°C. The analysis is carried out in three configurations: 1) single PCM with Hydroquinone, 2) single PCM with Catechol, and 3) Multipletemperature PCMs with Hydroquinone and Catechol. In the first and second configurations, heat transfer fluid, i.e. therminol 66, flows in their respective individual PCM tanks and analysis is carried out. In the third configuration, i.e. multitemperature PCMs, heat transfer fluid (HTF) flows in descending order of respective melting point. Energy and exergy efficiency were analysed regarding temperature and time during the charging and discharging cycles. From the analysis, the overall exergy efficiency using Hydroquinone and Catechol as PCM in the TES system in cascading is 38.57%, which is relatively higher than the exergy values of the single PCM, which indicates that by providing multigrade thermal energies, multiple PCMs can increase thermal performance while also expanding the thermal energy’s application scope.

Keywords

References

  1. [1] Thomas DG, Babu SC, Gopi S. Performance analysis of a latent heat thermal energy storage system for solar energy applications. Procedia Technol 2016;24:469–476. [CrossRef]
  2. [2] Hobold GM, da Silva AK. Critical phenomena and their effect on thermal energy storage in supercritical fluids. Appl Energy 2017;205:1447–1458. [CrossRef]
  3. [3] Caron SA, Fourmigué JF, Marty P, Couturier R. Performance analysis of thermal energy storage systems using phase change material. Appl Therm Eng 2016;98:1286–1296. [CrossRef]
  4. [4] Mosaffa AH, Farshi GL, Ferreira ICA, Rosen MA. Energy and exergy evaluation of a multiple-PCM thermal storage unit for free cooling applications. Renew Energy 2014;68:452–458. [CrossRef]
  5. [5] Shamsi H, Boroushaki M, Geraei H. Performance evaluation and optimization of encapsulated cascade PCM thermal storage. J Energy Storage 2017;11:64–75. [CrossRef]
  6. [6] Gong ZX, Mujumdar AS. Thermodynamic optimization of the thermal process in energy storage using multiple phase change materials. Appl Therm Eng 1997;17:1067–1083. [CrossRef]
  7. [7] Raja AG, Natarajan R, Gaikwad PR, Basil E, Borse SD, Sundararaj M. Heat enhancement in solar flat plate collectors – A review. J Therm Eng 2024;10:773–789. [CrossRef]
  8. [8] Nwosu EC, Nsofor K, Nwaji GN, Ononogbo C, Ofong I, Ogueke NV, et al. Extended experimental investigation of a double-effect active solar still with a paraffin wax, in Owerri, Nigeria. J Therm Eng 2023;9:1189–1207. [CrossRef]

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Aerodynamics (Excl. Hypersonic Aerodynamics)

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

July 31, 2025

Submission Date

May 7, 204

Acceptance Date

July 7, 2024

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 11 Number: 4

APA
V, J., S, G., N, B., & M, S. K. (2025). Analysis of energy and exergy of a thermal storage system using multiple phase change material. Journal of Thermal Engineering, 11(4), 1160-1175. https://doi.org/10.14744/thermal.0000958
AMA
1.V J, S G, N B, M SK. Analysis of energy and exergy of a thermal storage system using multiple phase change material. Journal of Thermal Engineering. 2025;11(4):1160-1175. doi:10.14744/thermal.0000958
Chicago
V, Jayaprakash, Ganesan S, Beemkumar N, and Sunil Kumar M. 2025. “Analysis of Energy and Exergy of a Thermal Storage System Using Multiple Phase Change Material”. Journal of Thermal Engineering 11 (4): 1160-75. https://doi.org/10.14744/thermal.0000958.
EndNote
V J, S G, N B, M SK (July 1, 2025) Analysis of energy and exergy of a thermal storage system using multiple phase change material. Journal of Thermal Engineering 11 4 1160–1175.
IEEE
[1]J. V, G. S, B. N, and S. K. M, “Analysis of energy and exergy of a thermal storage system using multiple phase change material”, Journal of Thermal Engineering, vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 1160–1175, July 2025, doi: 10.14744/thermal.0000958.
ISNAD
V, Jayaprakash - S, Ganesan - N, Beemkumar - M, Sunil Kumar. “Analysis of Energy and Exergy of a Thermal Storage System Using Multiple Phase Change Material”. Journal of Thermal Engineering 11/4 (July 1, 2025): 1160-1175. https://doi.org/10.14744/thermal.0000958.
JAMA
1.V J, S G, N B, M SK. Analysis of energy and exergy of a thermal storage system using multiple phase change material. Journal of Thermal Engineering. 2025;11:1160–1175.
MLA
V, Jayaprakash, et al. “Analysis of Energy and Exergy of a Thermal Storage System Using Multiple Phase Change Material”. Journal of Thermal Engineering, vol. 11, no. 4, July 2025, pp. 1160-75, doi:10.14744/thermal.0000958.
Vancouver
1.Jayaprakash V, Ganesan S, Beemkumar N, Sunil Kumar M. Analysis of energy and exergy of a thermal storage system using multiple phase change material. Journal of Thermal Engineering. 2025 Jul. 1;11(4):1160-75. doi:10.14744/thermal.0000958

IMPORTANT NOTE: JOURNAL SUBMISSION LINK http://eds.yildiz.edu.tr/journal-of-thermal-engineering