Increasing the Efficacy of an Air Conditioning Unit by Utilizing Phase Change Material With Cylindrical Configuration

Abstract

The goal of the current study is to determine how the SST $k-\omega$ and the standard $k-\varepsilon$ turbulence models prediction on PCM with cylindrical configuration affect AC performance and PCM discharging when coupled with an AC unit. For simulation, 308.15 K and 318.15 K, the inflow air temperature has been considered with a fixed 33.6 L/s intake air flow rate. The low outside temperature charges the PCMs during the night. During the daytime, heated ambient air is cooled by the PCM heat exchanger before passing over the unit condenser. The present outcomes show that using the standard $k-\epsilon$ model, the cylindrical PCM has the lowest time of complete melting. The temperature contours demonstrate that turbulence occurs, particularly at higher temperatures, in the PCM melting zone within the solid region. This implies that there is increased convection in this area. The maximum improved percentage in COP increases as the rising input air temperature for both turbulence models increases. The average power saving of AC at 308.15 K of an input air temperature for 83.33 min is predicted by both the standard $k-\varepsilon$ and the SST $k-\omega$ to be 14.0905 W and 14.1089 W, respectively.