Analysis of solar heating system integrated with latent heat storage

This paper assesses the performance of a solar heating system integrated with Latent Heat Storage (LHS) using paraffin wax as the Phase Change Material (PCM) and evacuated tube solar collectors. The system is designed for agricultural drying applications, using air as the Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) and vertical fins to enhance heat transfer Use various items such as thermocouples, anemometers and Arduino-based monitoring systems that measure temperature variation throughout the setup. Results indicate that increasing the HTF flow rate enhances the thermal output and efficiency of the system, achieving up to 32% efficiency at 39.6 m/s. Comparing the system with PCM and without PCM, the LHS setup helps stabilize the outlet air temperature and reduces energy loss, thus making it better for continuous drying operations. Further, when the mass flow rate changed, the paraffin melting, and solidification properties determined paraffin's thermal effectiveness. The system provided stable outlet air temperatures for drying applications both during day and off-day operations. This study shows that evacuated tube collectors and LHS systems are very efficient for agricultural drying and any other thermal applications. With the optimization of component configurations and flow parameters, it is possible to enhance energy efficiency in the system. Thus, the system can be considered an alternative for renewable energy usage. From the study conclusion, it is postulated that integration of PCM with optimized configurations improve the system performance significantly, thus a sustainable cost-effective thermal energy storage solution.