A Latent Heat Based Packed Bed Thermal Energy Storage System for a Solar Wood Drying Kiln

Shailendra Kumar; V. S. Kishan Kumar

doi:10.36808/if/2018/v144i1/121311

A Latent Heat Based Packed Bed Thermal Energy Storage System for a Solar Wood Drying Kiln

Authors

Shailendra Kumar Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, Uttarakhand
V. S. Kishan Kumar Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, Uttarakhand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36808/if/2018/v144i1/121311

Keywords:

Thermal Storage, Solar Wood Drying, Phase Change Materials, Packed Bed.

Abstract

The present study explores suitability of two phase change materials (PCM) based packed bed thermal energy storage system (TESS) for a solar timber dryer viz. paraffin wax (PW) and a mixture of fatty acids (OM). In both types of packed bed TESS, high density poly-ethylene (HDPE) panels were used for containment. Water was used as both heat transfer fluid (HTF) and sensible heat storage media in packed bed. Melting and solidification behaviour of PCMs in packed bed TESS suggested that they could maintain temperatures above 40Â°C in the night when ambient temperature was just above 18Â° C. Results were indicative of the fact that the packed bed TESS would be useful in drying wood in a solar kiln in night time. Melting curve of PW indicated that its melting occurs in a wide range of temperatures, while that of OM had a sharp melting point. The TESS with PCM beds performed better compared to that with water alone. The heat accumulated in 50 kg PCM based packed bed TESS was nearly 16% more than that without PCM.

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