Authors: Mr. Uddesh Dhanraj Dongre, Prof. Mithlesh Pandey
Abstract: Solar thermal collectors are widely used for converting solar energy into useful thermal energy for domestic and industrial applications. Conventional collectors suffer from energy loss during cloudy weather and nighttime due to the absence of efficient thermal storage systems. To overcome this limitation, Phase Change Materials (PCM) are integrated into solar thermal collectors. PCM absorbs excess heat during sunshine hours and releases stored thermal energy during low solar radiation conditions. This research focuses on the design and optimization of a solar thermal collector integrated with PCM. Paraffin wax is selected as PCM because of its high latent heat capacity, thermal stability, chemical inertness, non-corrosive nature, and suitable melting temperature range. The performance of the collector is evaluated based on thermal storage capability, charging and discharging characteristics, outlet water temperature, heat retention, and efficiency improvement. The study shows that PCM integration significantly improves thermal efficiency and maintains outlet temperature for longer duration compared to conventional collectors. The optimized collector demonstrates enhanced energy utilization, reduced temperature fluctuation, and better thermal stability. The proposed system is suitable for domestic water heating, industrial thermal applications, agricultural drying systems, and renewable energy storage applications.
