Full Description

The temperature-stratified water thermal storage tank with simple structure and excellent performance can be realized if the input condition, system control, and temperature difference are carefully designed and maintained. Stratification is destroyed when a low temperature difference input returns the stratified layer. A self-balanced type of stratified tank maintains stable stratification regardless of the type of imposed inlet condition. The tank is composed of main tank and subheaders, that accept returned chilled/heated water. The tank is also suitable for a solar heating/cooling system, because the collector outlet temperature varies according to the magnitude of insolation, assuming constant flow rate. The performance was tested by experiment and compared with numerical simulation results. An estimation table consisting of two-level factors was prepared through system simulation with the help of design of experiment as introduced in the two preceding papers in this series.

The tank has actually been applied to a HVAC system in a hospital, proving its excellence in actual operation.

Units: SI

Citation: ASHRAE Transactions, 1988, vol. 94, pt. 2, Ottawa