Comparison of Stratication in a Water Tank and a PCM-Water Tank

A. Castell C. Sol M. Medrano M. Nogus L. F. Cabeza

e-mail: lcabeza@diei.udl.es Departament dInformtica i Enginyeria Industrial, Universitat de Lleida, Pere de Cabrera s/n, 25001 Lleida, Spain

The PCM is believed to have a positive effect on the stratication while the tank is discharged and a negative effect during charging of the tank. This study aims to quantify both aspects of the added PCM comparing the stratication in a PCM-water tank and a conventional water tank.

Analytical Study

Several dimensionless numbers found in literature can be used to characterize stratication in a water tank. In a previous work Castell et al. 6 compared these numbers to determine the most suitable one to describe stratication. In this paper only MIX and Richardson numbers are used. 2.1 MIX Number. MIX number was dened by Davidson and Adams 7. This number is based on the energy and temperature distribution level in the tank and is determined by the rst moment of energy. For its calculation the energy momentum of the experimental tank is determined M exp and related to the energy momentum of two theoretical cases both of them storing the same amount of energy as the experimental tank: The rst case considers a perfectly stratied tank M stratified, while the second case considers a fully mixed tank M fully mixed. The equations used are MIX = M stratified M exp M stratified M fully mixed 1 2 3

Most of the thermal energy storage systems available on the market use water as a storage medium. The improvement of the storage efciency results in a higher performance of the whole system, and thermal stratication is commonly used for this purpose. On the other hand, in applications with small temperature changes, phase change materials (PCMs) provide high energy density since the latent heat is much larger than the sensible heat. This is the case of stratied hot water tanks, where the temperature change in the top layer is small as it is held close to the usage temperature. The benets of using PCMs in a water tank, in terms of energy storage density, have been demonstrated before. The time with available hot water is increased because of the energy stored in the PCMs. The aim of this work is to demonstrate that the use of PCMs in the upper part of a water tank holds or improves the benet of the stratication phenomenon. Two tanks with the same dimensions were compared during charging and discharging processes. One of them is a traditional water tank and the other is a PCM-water tank (a water tank with a phase change material placed at the top). DOI: 10.1115/1.3097277 Keywords: stratication, PCM-tank, water tank, dimensionless numbers

Ei = Vi C p Ti M exp =

y E
i i=1

Eexp =

E
i=1

For the stratied case the total energy stored in the tank is considered to be the same as that obtained from the experiments Eq. 5. Considering Thot and Tcold as experimental data, the number of hot volumes is determined. The equations used are Estratified = Eexp Estratified = Vhot c p Thot + Vcold c p Tcold VT = Vhot + Vcold 5 6 7

Introduction

Once the volumes at hot and cold temperatures are determined using Eqs. 57 the position of the thermocline is dened by Vhot = D2 H y stratified 4 Vhot V 8 9 10

In solar systems heat storage is necessary in order to match the availability and the demand of energy. Enhancing the storage performance is necessary to increase the performance of most systems. The efciency of thermal energy storage TES using hot water tanks HWTs and solar collector systems is improved if the tank is stratied. Brumleve 1 demonstrated the possibility of separating hot and cold water inside a water tank using a natural thermocline. Phase change materials PCMs have a high thermal energy density with a small temperature difference because of the latent heat. When used in a water tank, PCMs can provide hot water for a longer time or reduce the volume of the tank to store the same energy 25.
Contributed by the Solar Energy Engineering Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF SOLAR ENERGY ENGINEERING. Manuscript received July 6, 2007; nal manuscript received December 9, 2008; published online March 25, 2009. Review conducted by Andreas Luzzi. Paper presented at the 2007 ASME Solar Energy Division and Advanced Energy Systems Division Conference ES2007, Long Beach, CA, June 2729, 2007.

Nhot,V =

Vhot,% = Nhot,V TruncNhot,V

With the position of the thermocline and the number of hot and cold volumes, the energy momentum of the tank can be calculated with M stratified =

E
i=1

stratified,i

yi

11

For the fully mixed case the energy considered is also that obtained from the experiments Eq. 12. The equations used are Efully Efully
mixed,i mixed =

Eexp
mixed

12 13

= Vi C p Tfully

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Fig. 2 Temperature probes device and stratier

Fig. 1 PCM location and geometry, and position of Pt-100 inside the tank

M fully

mixed =

E
i=1

fully mixed,i

yi

14

The MIX number ranges from 0 perfectly stratied to 1 fully mixed. 2.2 Richardson Number. The Richardson number is a measure of the ratio of buoyancy forces to mixing forces. Ri = g L T
vi2

3.2 PCM Properties. The selection of the PCM to be used was a crucial point 3. A granular PCM-graphite compound of 90 vol % of sodium acetate and 10 vol % graphite was chosen because of its melting point around 60 C and its high thermal conductivity due to the graphite 9,10 The data of the PCM-graphite compound given by the manufacturers are shown in Table 1. The density calculated as the PCM amount introduced into the coil heat exchanger and its volume resulted in 0.5 kg/l. 3.3 Charging and Discharging Processes. For the charging test, initially, the tank was at 25 C and perfectly mixed. Hot water at 65 C was introduced at the top part of the tank, extracting cold water from the bottom. For the discharging tests, initially, the tank was at 65 C and perfectly mixed. Cold water at 25 C was introduced at the bottom part of the tank, extracting hot water from the top. A total of 28 experiments were performed. For charging process four ow rates were studied 2 l/min, 3 l/min, 4 l/min, and 5 l/min, while for discharging process three ow rates were studied 2 l/min, 3 l/min, and 4 l/min for both tanks. 3.4 Experimental Evaluation. Thermal properties of the water used to evaluate the dimensionless number are temperature dependent. Each property was evaluated for each discrete volume of the tank at the pertinent temperature. The length scale used for Richardsons number calculation is L = dtank = 0.5 m, and the velocity scale corresponded to the inlet velocity to the tank
vi =

15 16

T = Ttop Tbottom

A small Richardson number means a mixed tank, while larger Richardson numbers indicate a stratied tank.

Experimental Work

3.1 Description of the Experimental Setup. The tanks studied were 1685 mm high and 620 mm of diameter with a capacity of 287 l. The PCM-water tank had a coil heat exchanger in the upper part of the tank normally used to connect the external auxiliary heater where the PCM was placed, resulting in a total amount of 4.9 kg Fig. 1. With this conguration a high ratio heat transfer surface 1.1 m2 / PCM volume 9.62 l, 0.00962 m3 was achieved. The tanks were charged and discharged with an auxiliary system designed to test domestic water tanks following the DIN V ENV 129773 8, ensuring a good temperature control of the inlet water for both charging and discharging processes. To study thermal stratication inside the tank and the effect of the PCM, the temperature in six different layers 26 cm, 51 cm, 76 cm, 101 cm, 126 cm, and 151 cm from the top of the tank was registered, as well as the ambient and PCM temperature within PCM, and the inlet and outlet water temperatures Fig. 1. To register the temperatures Pt-100 DIN-B with a maximum error of 0.3 C were used. A special Pt-100 sensor device was used to measure the water temperature inside the tank at the right height and the same radial position Fig. 2. One sensor for each layer was used, located at the center. The inlet port situated at the bottom of the tank had a stratier device Fig. 2, while the port situated at the top did not. 024501-2 / Vol. 131, MAY 2009

Qi 2 rstratifier

17

Table 1 Thermal properties of the selected PCM Property Granular compound Melting point Heat capacity Enthalpy of fusion Thermal conductivity Value 90% sodium acetate +10% graphite 58 C 1.851.92 kJ/kg K 2.442.57 kJ/kg K 180200 kJ/kg 25 W/m K

Solid Liquid

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Fig. 3 Temperature prole for charging and discharging processes

Fig. 4 MIX number for charging and discharging processes

Results and Discussion

The stratication in a water tank and a PCM-tank was compared for both charging and discharging processes. When using 2 l/min, for charging process, there is a signicant difference on the water temperature at the top layers Fig. 3, resulting in a delay approximately 1000 s of the temperature increase and the stratication of the PCM-water tank. For the discharging process, the tank is discharged about 500 s earlier in the PCM-water tank. The energy supplied by the PCM does not balance the energy of the water replaced. MIX number shows stratication in both tanks during experiments Fig. 4. For charging process, MIX number represents a better stratication for the water tank at the beginning of the experiments. In these experiments, hot water enters at the top of the tank. The temperature difference with the PCM results in convection forces and mixing in the top layers. As a consequence, for the rst 1000 s, MIX number Fig. 4 is larger for the PCM-water tank. Since MIX number integrates over all layers, its value does not differ signicantly between both tanks Table 2, but a delay of the stratication on the tank caused by the inclusion of PCM in the top layers can be observed for the charging process. When using a low ow rate 2 l/min, this tendency is not observed due to the effect of the low ow rate, magnifying the convection and mixing effects in the PCM-tank. For the discharging process, the MIX number shows a short extension of the stratication at the end of the experiment when PCM is used Table 2. The top layer remains hot due to the energy supplied by the PCM. Richardson number tendency is very similar for both tanks during charging and discharging processes Fig. 5. When using a Journal of Solar Energy Engineering

water tank Richardson number describes a little better stratication during almost all the experiment than with the PCM-water tank Table 2. When the water of the tank is all at high temperature at the end of the experiment for a charging process and at the beginning for a discharging one Richardson presents a better or equal stratication in the PCM-tank. This difference should be because the amount of energy stored in the PCM-tank when it is at high temperature is bigger than in the water tank the PCM is melted. Upon charging process, Richardson number shows slower stratication of the PCM-water tank at the beginning of the experiment due to the melting of the PCM. On the other side, for discharging process, the stratication is not extended by using PCM Table 2.

Table 2 Differences in the MIX and Richardson numbers for the experiments with 2 l/min Time h 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0
a b

MIX differencea Charging 0.0278 0.0255 0.0559 0.0988 0.2237 0.2620 0.3477 0.2277 Discharging 0.0096 0.0251 0.0792 0.1546 0.0626 0.1960 -

Richardson differenceb Charging 0.0413 0.0351 0.0404 0.0305 0.0437 0.0377 0.0074 0.0093 Discharging 0.0154 0.0386 0.0344 0.0777 0.0328 0.0224 -

MIXwater MIXPCM-water. RichardsonPCM-water Richardsonwater.

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Fig. 5 Richardson number for charging and discharging processes

mixing in the top layers, reducing the stratication during a short period of time. For the discharging process, this effect is reduced. MIX number does not show this effect clearly because it integrates over all layers and the effect is hidden. Moreover, its high sensitivity to very small differences in the tank temperature prole and the inlet and outlet temperatures, as well as the limited sensors inside the tank, does not permit a better denition of the stratication using MIX number. On the other hand, the effect is visible in Richardson number, which has no limitation of the sensors inside the tank and is not as sensitive to small variations in the working conditions. The stratication is degraded at the beginning of the charging process and during the entire discharging in the PCM-water tank. When the tank is hot, the degradation is reduced even reversed in the charging process because of the higher energy stored in the PCMwater tank. However, during the experiment, while the tank is not completely hot, the stratication is a little bit better in the water tank. These results demonstrate that the use of PCM in the upper part of a water tank does not destroy stratication signicantly, just presenting a small penalty at the beginning of the charging process and during the discharging one. This degradation is very small and does not affect signicantly the performance of the storage system. On the other hand, if PCM is added in the lower part of the tank, different results will be expected. The phase change temperature should be adapted to the location of the PCM to avoid mixing problems. Although the PCM does not enhance the stratication, its use is still interesting due to the higher energy density at high temperature and the benets it can contribute to, as demonstrated in previous works 2. Additional experiments and research on partial load behavior are necessary to determine the advantages of using PCM. Depending on the use of the storage in the complete system some adjustments in the location of the PCM should be done. Moreover, further experiments will be done including more PCM in the tank with different congurations.

There is also a different behavior during one single experiment, depending on the process. For charging process the Richardson number increases while for discharging process it decreases. These differences on the tendencies were observed in previous works 6 and are caused by the thermal expansion coefcient, which is temperature dependent and changes during the experiment because of the heating/cooling of the water. A contradiction in the predicted benets in stratication is observed between MIX and Richardson numbers. The extremely high sensitivity of MIX number to very small differences in the tank temperature prole and the inlet and outlet temperatures, as well as the limited sensors inside the tank, results in important deviations from the behavior observed in the temperature prole. On the other hand, the Richardson number tendencies are more consistent with this prole. The comparison of Richardson number shows a slight degradation of the stratication inside the PCM-water tank at the beginning of the charging process and during the entire discharging one. However, this effect is very low and the benets of adding PCM in the tank in terms of higher storage density and long hot water availability can still improve the storage system.

Nomenclature
Symbols

T Cp

dtank Eexp Efully

mixed

Ei Estratified g L M exp M fully

mixed

Conclusions

M stratified N Qi rstratifier Tbottom

A comparison of the stratication between a water tank and a PCM-water tank is done. Both tanks present a very similar stratication for both charging and discharging processes. A delay on the temperature increase in the top layers at the beginning of the charging processes is observed. In those experiments, hot water is introduced at the top of the tank. The temperature difference with the PCM results in convection forces and 024501-4 / Vol. 131, MAY 2009

thermal expansion coefcient, 1 / C temperature difference, C density of the water, kg / m3 specic heat of the water, kJ / kg K diameter of the tank, m total energy stored in the experimental tank, kJ total energy stored in a hypothetical fully mixed tank, kJ energy stored in the ith layer of the tank, kJ total energy stored in a hypothetical stratied tank, kJ acceleration of gravity, m2 / s length scale, m moment of energy for the experimental tank, kJ m moment of energy for a hypothetical fully mixed tank with the same stored energy as the experimental tank, kJ m moment of energy for a hypothetical stratied tank with the same stored energy as the experimental tank, kJ m number of uniform-temperature segments the tank is divided into inlet ow rate, m3 / s radius of the stratier, m water temperature at the bottom layer of the tank, C Transactions of the ASME

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Tfully

Tcold coldest water temperature during the experiment, C mixed temperature in a hypothetical tank with the same amount of energy and with fully mixed condition, C Thot warmest water temperature during the experiment, C Ti temperature of the water at each layer, C Ttop water temperature at the top layer of the tank, C vi velocity scale, m/s Vi control volume, m3 y i distance from the center of the ith segment of volume to the bottom of the tank, m

References
1 Brumleve, T. D., 1974, Sensible Heat Storage in Liquids, Sandia Laboratories, Report No. SLL-730263. 2 Cabeza, L. F., Ibez, M., Sol, C., Roca, J., and Nogus, M., 2006, Experimentation With a Water Tank Including a PCM Module, Sol. Energy Mater.

Sol. Cells, 90, pp. 12731282. 3 Zalba, B., Marn, J. M., Cabeza, L. F., and Mehling, H., 2003, Review on Thermal Energy Storage With Phase Change: Materials, Heat Transfer Analysis and Applications, Appl. Therm. Eng., 23, pp. 251283. 4 Sharma, S. D., and Sagara, K., 2005, Latent Heat Storage Materials and Systems: A Review, International Journal of Green Energy, 2, pp. 156. 5 Ibez, M., Cabeza, L. F., Sol, C., Roca, J., and Nogus, M., 2006, Modelization of a Water Tank Including a PCM Module, Appl. Therm. Eng., 26, pp. 13281333. 6 Castell, A., Medrano, M., Sol, C., and Cabeza, L. F., Dimensionless Numbers Used to Characterize Stratication in Water Tanks During Discharging, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells, in press. 7 Davidson, J. H., and Adams, D. A., 1994, Fabric Stratication Manifolds for Solar Water Heating, ASME J. Sol. Energy Eng., 116, pp. 130136. 8 2001, Thermal Solar Systems and ComponentsCustom Built Systems Part 3: Performance Characterisation of Stores for Solar Heating Systems, DIN V ENV 129773, German version ENV 129773:2001. 9 Mehling, H., Hiebler, S., and Ziegler, F., 1999, Latent Heat Storage Using a PCM-Graphite Composite Material: Advantages and Potential Applications, Proceedings of the Fourth Workshop of IEA ECES IA Annex 10, Bendiktbeuern, Germany. 10 Cabeza, L. F., Mehling, H., Hiebler, S., and Ziegler, F., 2002, Heat Transfer Enhancement in Water When Used as PCM in Thermal Energy Storage, Appl. Therm. Eng., 22, pp. 11411151.

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