Experimental Investigation of Solar Air Heater with Energy Storage Unit

Oct 10, 2024

Journal NTU Journal for Renewable Energy

DOI 10.56286/mry7bb56

The present study investigates a single-pass solar air collector linked to a thermal energy storage unit. This system is designed to store energy using a cement mortar mold storage bed during daylight hours and reutilize it at night. A solar collector was usedin this research, which was consecutively connected to the cement mortar mold bed. High-density cement mortar mold (570 kg) was used as a storage medium. The experiments were conducted on clear days for two random days at a constant airflow rate (0.0217 kg/s) for the climate of Mosul City, Iraq. The study assessed the parameters influencing the thermal performance of the solar air collector integrated with the cement mortar mold storage bed. Measurements of solar radiation intensity and air temperatures atvarious locations were recorded. The data indicated that the cement mortar mold storage bed achieved a temperature difference of approximately 10°C post-sunset, with this difference sustained for 4-5 hours. The cement mortar mold bed demonstrated the capability to retain heat for an extended post-sunset, releasing it during nighttime.