Title: Selection of phase change materials for thermal energy storage integrated with a solar powered vapour absorption system

Authors: Dinesh Kumar Sharma; Dilip Sharma; Ahmed Hamza H. Ali

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur-302017, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur-302017, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Assiut University, Assiut-71516, Egypt

Abstract: In the present study, 13 phase change materials are first scrutinised from the commercially available PCMs for temperature operating range from 90°C to 120°C to be integrated into a solar-powered single effect LiBr-H₂O vapour absorption system. Thermo-physical properties have been taken as the criteria of the selection and relative weights have been finalised using an analytical hierarchy process. The ranking is done with the help of the TOPSIS tool. Multi-objective decision-making is also used to analyse the superiority of the PCMs by drawing variations between the two functions of thermal energy storage per unit volume and thermal diffusivity. PlusICE A118, PlusICE S117 and PlusICE H120 have been ranked 1, 2 and 3 respectively based on the obtained results from TOPSIS tool and further validated using multi-objective decision-making examination.

Keywords: phase change material; multi-attribute decision-making; solar vapour absorption system; analytical hierarchy process; multi-objective decision-making.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESD.2021.116863

International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development, 2021 Vol.20 No.3/4, pp.279 - 300

Received: 17 Feb 2020
Accepted: 14 Oct 2020
Published online: 05 Aug 2021 *

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