Multi-parameter design investigation of a latent thermal energy storage system coupled to solar thermal collector: Gradient metal foam, fin geometry, and inclination angle effect
RENEWABLE ENERGY, cilt.280, ss.1-16, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 280
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.renene.2026.126731
- Dergi Adı: RENEWABLE ENERGY
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Scopus, Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Compendex, Environment Index, Geobase, Greenfile, Index Islamicus, INSPEC, Public Affairs Index
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1-16
- Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
The unstable and intermittent nature of solar radiation makes thermal energy storage essential in solar thermal systems. In this study, a shell-and-tube latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) unit is integrated directly into a solar thermal collector loop. The research investigates the effects of graded metal foam (MF) structure, fin topology, and inclination angle on the amount of energy stored by the system from a time-dependent solar energy input. Gradient MFs combined with two fin topologies, two-order dendritic fin and V-shape fin, were employed, and melting behaviour was investigated at three inclination angles (α = 0°, 45°, and 90°). Under constant wall temperature of 343.15 K, the results showed that quinary gradient provided more uniform melting and temperature distribution. Under equal material budget, dendritic fin achieved complete melting faster than V-shape fin at all inclinations, confirming that branching the conduction path is beneficial. With a dendritic fin structure, the TPCM > TL condition in liquid phase at α=0° is reached in approximately t=200 s, while a V-shape fin extends this time to t=300 s, and a finless structure extends it to t=500 s. Besides, the dendritic fin shortens the time to complete melting by 35-45% relative to finless case at all orientations. Dendritic fin application increases Storage Performance Parameter by 60%, while V-shape fin application increases it by 27%. The system was subsequently connected to a flat-plate collector loop modelled via a reduced-order model calibrated against CFD results and supplied with hourly solar irradiance data for Naples, Italy (PVGIS-SARAH3, 2023).