The energy consumption is in the form of heat for heating systems and hot water in domestic and
commercial buildings represent more than the 40% of the global energy consumption. Thermal
Energy Storage (TES) is a key aspect in efficient use of thermal renewable energy sources or
waste heat. The TES with Phase Change Materials (PCM) can serve the above purpose because
offer higher thermal energy storage capacity and compact design, compared to the conventional
systems. The main limitations of many PCMs are their low thermal conductivity and the cost and
these constitute one of the major challenges for their potential applications. Therefore, it is
necessary to considerate cost-effective methods which would enhance heat transfer in TES with
PCM.
The aim of this project is to investigate and seek the most "cost-effective" materials and methods
to enhance the thermal conductivity of the low and medium temperature PCM in order to control
the charging and discharging rates.
The project will involve the research on materials and configurations to optimize the heat transfer
between PCM in TES and heat transfer fluid, the study of the heat transfer during melting and
solidification processes with enhanced PCM in low-medium TES applications, the thermophysical
characterization of PCMs, the numerical and experimental investigations, the derivation
of numerical dimensionless heat transfer correlations and guidelines on the design of compact
TES. The creation of cost-effective new conceptual design of high-performance TES will promote
the wider utilisation of renewable energy resources for heating systems and hot water in
domestic and commercial buildings.