Thermal performance of a heat receiver using multiple phase change materials

Aiming at the problems caused by employing the single melt point phase change material in heat receiver for the NASA 2 kW solar dynamic power system, this paper presents a practically easy to carry-out PCM receiver model composed of three different phase change temperature material together with a corresponding physical model and gives a method for numerical solution by which the maximal temperature for heat transfer, working fluid exit temperature, liquid PCM fraction of the total heat transfer tube in whole are calculated and compared with those gotten from the single PCM heat receiver. The results show it is possible to promote receiver performance, to reduce the fluctuation of working fluid temperature and the weight of heat receiver. All results of the calculation can be used to guide the heat receiver design.