Research on thermal storage effect of Floor Heating System with Phase Change Energy Storage

The floor heating system of phase change energy storage (FHSPC), performing well in storing and releasing thermal energy, plays a significant role in using solar energy and low-priced nocturnal electrical power for heating. However, due to such problems as ineffective package and insufficient overall integration of phase change material, research of FHSPC has not made progress in practical application. This paper researches thermal storage effect of a new floor heating system of phase change energy storage using solar hot water as the heat source and double layers of capillary network as the heat dissipation end. Differential scanning calorimeter was used to choose capric acid as the main energy storage material. For a steady heating cycle of heating for 8 hours and releasing for 16 hours, acceptable thermal condition is observed in the test room. The new FHSPC could provide long span intermittent heating with little heat loss, therefore the intermittent energy source can be well utilized.