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Thermal Performance Analysis of a Phase-Change-Material Enhanced Flat-Plate Solar Collector

Author(s):Suresh K. Venkatesh, Ritu A. Sharma, Manoj P. Bhardwaj

Affiliation: School of Energy Studies, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi

Page No: 5-9

Volume issue & Publishing Year: Volume 3, Issue 5, May 2026

published on: 2026/05/01

Journal: International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Application.(IJAMA)

ISSN NO: 3048-9350

DOI:

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Abstract:
The intermittent nature of solar irradiance limits the temporal stability of useful heat output from conventional flat-plate collectors. This paper develops a one-dimensional transient analytical model for a flat-plate solar collector augmented with a paraffin-based phase-change-material (PCM, RT-44) layer beneath the absorber plate, and validates the model against an instrumented prototype tested at IIT Bombay. The governing energy balance is formulated through a coupled set of ordinary differential equations incorporating sensible and latent heat storage, with the enthalpy method used to capture the melting front. Outdoor experiments conducted over twelve clear-sky days demonstrate that the PCM-augmented collector sustains a useful outlet temperature above 50 °C for an additional 2.6 hours after sunset relative to the baseline, while raising the daily averaged thermal efficiency from 51.4 % to 62.8 %. Predicted outlet temperatures agree with measurements within ±5 % across the operating envelope, confirming the suitability of the analytical formulation for design optimisation

Keywords: Solar thermal collector; Phase-change material; Latent heat storage; Enthalpy method; Thermal efficiency; Renewable energy.

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