Thermal Energy Storage Behavior of CaCl₂.6H₂O during Melting and Solidification

Abstract

In this study, experiments are conducted to investigate melting and solidification characteristics of calcium chloride hexahydrate (CaCl₂.6H₂O) as a phase change material (PCM). In the present study, some parameters that affect the melting and the solidification time of PCM used to store low temperature energy have been observed experimentally. These parameters are inlet temperature and mass flow rate of water used as a heat transfer fluid (m = 2.51, 3.75, and 4.95 kg min⁻¹), fin numbers inside the PCM. For this purpose, PCM has been stored constantly between the coaxial pipes and water adjusted to 45°C for the melting process and to 5°C for the solidification process, and was circulated by a pump through the inner pipe at the experimental setup. During the experiments, when the water mass flow rate is increased to 49 and 97% with respect to the starting mass flow rate (m = 2.51 kg min⁻¹), a rate of 5 and 15% decrease at the melting time is obtained, respectively. As a result, it has been observed that the effect of the fins placed inside the PCM to the melting and solidification time is much more than the effects obtained by the flow rate and the swirling generators.

Keywords:

• calcium chloride hexahydrate
• melting and solidification
• phase change material
• thermal energy storage

Acknowledgment

This study was supported by the Atatürk University Research Fund.