Second-law design of a latent heat thermal energy storage with branched fins

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate efficient designs of a shell-and-tube latent thermal energy storage system through an approach based on the analysis of entropy generation. It proposes innovative branched fins to maximize the performance of the system. Design/methodology/approach - A computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model is first used to detail the thermo-fluid dynamic transient behavior of the latent heat storage system. The model account for phase change, buoyancy driven fluid flow and heat transfer during the process of energy retrieval from the storage unit (solidification). The CFD model is then used to evaluate locally the entropy generation rate during the process. On the basis of the insight gathered through the analysis of the entropy generation, the design of the fins is gradually modified aiming at the maximization of the performance of the storage system. Findings - The best fins design leads to a twofold increase of the solidification rate in the latent heat storage unit. The corresponding second-law efficiency shows an increase of 13 percent compared with traditional fins. Research limitations/implications - The analysis is based on a single tube configuration of the storage system which implies that non-homogeneous effects due to multiple tubes are not considered. Nevertheless, the proposed design procedure is general and could be applied to different configurations of latent heat thermal storage systems. Practical implications - Entropy generation analysis provides a very useful design approach to develop configurations of latent heat storage systems that may overcome current performance limitations. Also, practitioners in the field may also benefit of the results for improving current installations of energy storage systems. Originality/value - Entropy generation is adapted and used to find an optimal design for a time dependent process. That is, a geometrical configuration is found for maximizing the performance over a span of time. This is a key aspect of the work because there is a strong trend toward energy systems operating under transient conditions.