Experimental study on an integrated collector storage solar air heater based on flat micro-heat pipe arrays

Z. Y. Wang, Y. H. Diao*, L. Liang, Y. H. Zhao, T. T. Zhu, F. W. Bai

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

39 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study investigated the performance of an integrated collector storage solar air heater based on latent heat storage and flat micro-heat pipe arrays. The structure and working principle of the device were explained in detail. The effective area of the collector is 0.93 m2, and the mass of the phase change material (PCM) is 45.8 kg. An integrated collector storage experimental system was set up, and outdoor experiments were conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of the device for energy storage and air heating. The temperature distribution of the PCM was recorded during charging and discharging to monitor the propagation of the melting and freezing front. Efficiency and power during charging and discharging were also calculated. The integrative device exhibited 59% and 91.6% efficiencies for solar air charging and discharging at 393 and 344 W power, respectively.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)615-628
Number of pages14
JournalEnergy and buildings
Volume152
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Flat micro-heat pipe
  • Integrated collector-storage
  • Latent heat storage
  • Solar air heater
  • n/a OA procedure

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Experimental study on an integrated collector storage solar air heater based on flat micro-heat pipe arrays'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this