Performance enhancement of latent heat thermal energy storage systems via dynamic melting process of PCM under different control strategies

Latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems merging high energy densities with near isotherm operations have made a reliable solution to ease the intermittence difficulties of renewable energy and manage periodic energy demands to ensure supply–demand balances on electricity grids. This study experimentally and numerically explores the liquefaction characteristics of phase change material (PCM) in the LHTES tank with the dynamic melting technique, involving the liquid PCM recirculation in the liquefying process to enhance the melting outcomes. Experimental measurements are conducted to investigate the dynamic melting progression for revealing the system effectiveness in terms of the complete melt time and mean power with different control strategies modifying the formations and inlet velocities of recirculating PCM flows. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are also conducted to resolve the liquid fraction, vorticity and temperature distributions for offering the insights of the transfiguration of heat transfer and liquefaction behaviors. The photos of ice-water interfaces and measured temperature data in the LHTES tank are thus acquired to verify the computational model generating the CFD predictions. The performance assessments signpost the optimization of dynamic melting arrangements adopting the top to bottom layout with a PCM inlet velocity of 0.22 m/s, achieving the reduction of full melting time by 48.1 % and the enhancement of estimated mean power by 132.6 %, respectively.