Thermal Energy Transfer and Storage, 2nd Edition

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Topic is a continuation of the previous successful Topic “Thermal Energy Transfer and Storage”.

The energy crisis, environmental deterioration, and global greenhouse effect have become increasingly more serious in recent decades, leading to a rapid-growing demand for the utilization of renewable energy. Currently, their transience and intermittency have been concerns affecting further development and commercialization on device levels. Therefore, thermal energy storage has been widely used to provide a reliable thermal performance and stable power production. There are three kinds of TES technologies, including sensible heat storage (SHS), latent heat storage (LHS), and thermochemical heat storage (TCHS). In recent years, various scholars have placed emphasis on the improvement of energy-storage tanks, including novel structures and composite PCM by installing fins and adding high thermal conductivity materials. Thus, we are committed to providing a platform for high-quality papers in the field of thermal energy storage. This issue focuses on fundamental and applied research which could help to augment the charging/discharging performance of thermal energy storage.

Prof. Dr. Xiaohu Yang
Prof. Dr. Bengt Sunden
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Applied Sciences applsci	2.5	5.5	2011	16 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Clean Technologies cleantechnol	4.7	8.3	2019	20 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
Energies energies	3.2	7.3	2008	16.8 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Materials materials	3.2	6.4	2008	15.5 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Processes processes	2.8	5.5	2013	14.9 Days	CHF 2400	Submit

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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All Applied Sciences Clean Technol. Energies Materials Processes

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21 pages, 5710 KB  

Open AccessArticle

CFD Modeling of a Metal Phase Change Material Thermal Storage System for High-Temperature Heat Accumulation and Steam

by Bartlomiej Melka, Adam Klimanek, Marek Rojczyk, Grzegorz Nowak, Karolina Petela, Felix Kugler, Tomasz Swiatkowski, Magdalena Barnetche and Andrzej Szlek

Energies 2026, 19(10), 2360; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19102360 (registering DOI) - 14 May 2026

Abstract

This paper develops a novel coupled model to predict the thermal behavior of a high-temperature fast heat storage unit, integrating Power-to-Heat technology with steam generation. A phase change material (PCM) made of a ZnAl₆ metal alloy is used for heat storage. Electricity [...] Read more.

This paper develops a novel coupled model to predict the thermal behavior of a high-temperature fast heat storage unit, integrating Power-to-Heat technology with steam generation. A phase change material (PCM) made of a ZnAl₆ metal alloy is used for heat storage. Electricity is used to charge the battery, and the stored energy is used to produce superheated steam during discharge. The coupled model was based on a 3D multiphase CFD model of the heat storage unit and a 1D multiphase water boiling model implemented in Python language. The CFD model solves the transient conservation equations of mass, momentum, and energy using the enthalpy–porosity method to describe phase change, while heat transfer to water is represented by a coupled 1D boiling model. The paper also presents a preliminary design, a computational strategy, and boundary conditions for the operating modes, providing an analytical foundation for detailed engineering, production, and implementation in real-world industrial environments. The presented results confirmed the correct operation of the model and enabled the evaluation of system performance, discharge behavior, and validation of the geometric assumptions required to achieve the target steam parameters. The proposed modular design allows for system scalability, while the entire system is a response to the daily variability of electricity prices resulting from periodic reductions in demand and overproduction of electricity from renewable sources. Estimated thermal behavior of the thermal storage unit for the discharging scenario allows reaching constant output power at the level of 200 kW for 85 min. Integration with a cooling reduction station allows constant system power output to be maintained by increasing the mass flow rate as the steam parameters decrease from over 400 ${}^{\circ }$C to 200 ${}^{\circ }$C with a lowering state of charge. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Thermal Energy Transfer and Storage, 2nd Edition)

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27 pages, 4085 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Thermal Performance Improvement of Phase Change Plates in Underground Refuge Chambers Through Nano-Graphite Particles and Fins

by Gang Li, Yangjie Wang, Menghan Liu, Yuesong Zhu and Yijiang Wang

Energies 2025, 18(23), 6224; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18236224 - 27 Nov 2025

Viewed by 603

Abstract

As coal mining operations extend deeper underground, the importance of refuge chambers as temporary shelters for miners grows given the heightened risk of accidents. The severe geothermal conditions in deep mines present significant challenges to temperature regulation within these chambers, potentially subjecting miners [...] Read more.

As coal mining operations extend deeper underground, the importance of refuge chambers as temporary shelters for miners grows given the heightened risk of accidents. The severe geothermal conditions in deep mines present significant challenges to temperature regulation within these chambers, potentially subjecting miners to hazardous heat exposure. The utilization of phase change plates (PCPs) presents a promising approach to improving temperature regulation performance. To systematically investigate the enhancement effects of nano-graphite particles (NGPs) and fin structures on the thermal performance of phase change materials (PCMs), this study conducted thermophysical property tests and temperature-controlled melting experiments to analyze the influence of varying NGP concentrations on the thermal characteristics of PCMs, while observing their melting behavior. Four PCP models were designed: base PCM, PCM with NGPs, plate fin, and pin fin. Based on the enthalpy-porosity method, numerical simulations were performed to systematically evaluate the melting kinetics and temperature regulation performance of each design under extended operation conditions. The findings indicate that while NGP doping markedly increases the thermal conductivity and peak melting temperature of the PCM, it also results in a reduction in latent heat capacity. The NGP-enhanced No. 25 paraffin wax (RT25) PCP reduced the surface temperature by 1.02 °C compared to the base material. During extended operation, the NGP-based model outperformed others, maintaining effective temperature regulation for 149.8 h, 13 h longer than the base PCM and exceeding the standard requirement by 53.8 h. This underscores its notable advantages in thermal management. These advancements offer a valuable reference for the utilization of PCP in refuge chambers, thereby augmenting their temperature regulation capabilities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Thermal Energy Transfer and Storage, 2nd Edition)

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14 pages, 2465 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Performance and Techno-Economic Analysis of an Air Conditioning System with an Ice Storage System

by Enes Hüseyin Ergün and Salih Coşkun

Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(18), 10088; https://doi.org/10.3390/app151810088 - 15 Sep 2025

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2150

Abstract

High peak-hour energy consumption from air conditioning in commercial buildings creates significant operational costs and grid instability. This study experimentally investigates the thermo-economic performance of a vapor compression refrigeration system (VCR) ice storage system to address this challenge through load shifting. The methodology [...] Read more.

High peak-hour energy consumption from air conditioning in commercial buildings creates significant operational costs and grid instability. This study experimentally investigates the thermo-economic performance of a vapor compression refrigeration system (VCR) ice storage system to address this challenge through load shifting. The methodology involved operating a custom test rig, featuring an insulated test chamber and an ice tank with a novel spiral evaporator, under an improved 8 h night charging and 9 h day discharge strategy. Results show the system consumed 5.44 kWh of electricity to store 7.70 kWh of thermal energy, achieving a charging Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 1.42. A total of 5.195 kWh of cooling was delivered with a discharge efficiency of 67.5%. The experimental cost analysis confirmed an approximate 20% operating cost advantage over conventional direct cooling. A simple payback assessment indicates strong sensitivity to tariff structures and annual operating days. This study concludes that the optimized Ice Storage System (ISS) is a technically viable and economically advantageous solution for managing peak cooling loads, providing a validated reference model and dataset for future work. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Thermal Energy Transfer and Storage, 2nd Edition)

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18 pages, 4705 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Justification of Pore Configuration of Metal-Foam-Filled Thermal Energy Storage Tank: Optimization of Energy Performance

by Chuanqing Huang, Jiajie Liu, Jiajun Chen, Junwei Su and Chang Su

Energies 2025, 18(18), 4859; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18184859 - 12 Sep 2025

Viewed by 839

Abstract

Thermal energy storage (TES) is a crucial technology for mitigating energy supply–demand mismatches and facilitating the integration of renewable energy. This study proposes a novel horizontal phase change TES unit integrated with partially filled metal foam (MF) and fins, divided into six sub-regions [...] Read more.

Thermal energy storage (TES) is a crucial technology for mitigating energy supply–demand mismatches and facilitating the integration of renewable energy. This study proposes a novel horizontal phase change TES unit integrated with partially filled metal foam (MF) and fins, divided into six sub-regions (ε₁–ε₆) with graded pore parameters. A comprehensive numerical model is developed to investigate the synergistic heat exchange mechanism and energy storage performance. The results demonstrate that porosity in Porosity-1 (ε₁) and Porosity-2 (ε₂) regions dominates melting dynamics. Through multi-objective optimization, targeting both minimal energy storage time and maximal energy storage rate, an optimal configuration (Case TD) is derived after technical design. Case TD features porosity values ε₁ = ε₂ = ε₃ = ε₅ = ε₆ = 0.97 and ε₄ = 0.98, where the graded porosity distribution balances heat conduction efficiency and energy storage capacity. Compared to the uniform MF case (Case 1) and the fin-only case (Case 6), Case TD reduces TES time by 51.75% and 17.39%, respectively, while increasing the mean TES rate by 102.55% and 19.12%, respectively. This design minimizes the TES capacity loss (only decreasing by 2.14% compared to Case 1) while maximizing the energy storage density and improving the efficiency–cost trade-off of the phase-change material-based system. It provides a scalable solution for rapid-response TES applications in solar thermal power plants and industrial waste heat recovery. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Thermal Energy Transfer and Storage, 2nd Edition)

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