The Effect of Using a Paraffin Wax-Aluminum Chip Compound As Thermal Storage Materials in a Solar Air Heater

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental investigation of a designed and fabricated air heater consisting of three cases. The first case used concrete as the main part of the air heater. The second case used paraffin wax as phase change material (PCM) accompanied with concrete as the main part of the air heater. In the third case aluminum chip was added to PCM and concrete. It was used as a thermal storage compound in a solar air heater. Results show that the exit air temperature was increased highly for the third case compared with the other cases and the efficiency of system was improved and the maximum storage efficiency achieved was 100% higher than the concrete case. The air heating gained was in its maximum value with the third case and the maximum increment achieved was 147.52% at Feb. also.