A numerical study on a solar chimney integrated with latent heat thermal energy storage in various arrangements

This paper presents a two-dimensional numerical analysis of a solar chimney integrated with an absorbent wall on the south façade of a building. The investigation was carried out in July and December in Aversa, Italy, from sunrise to dusk. The solar chimney features a converging channel, a vertical absorbing wall, and a glass plate slanted at two degrees. A thermal energy storage system comprising phase change material and metal foam behind the absorbing wall was evaluated. Using Ansys-Fluent, four configurations were analyzed to identify the optimal layout for thermal performance. Key findings include liquid fraction, energy storage, mass flow rate, velocity profiles, and wall temperature distributions. Additionally, the study assesses collector efficiency and energy density, offering insights for system optimization. When the box is placed along the entire vertical wall (Configuration D), it demonstrates the highest efficiency, achieving 57 % in July for a volume of 0.06 m3. The box positioned at the bottom of the vertical wall (Configuration A) records the highest peak mass flow rates but exhibits less uniform behavior, similar to Configuration B, where the box is placed in the center of the vertical wall. Meanwhile, the box positioned at the top of the vertical wall (Configuration C) shows a 65 % increase in energy accumulation in July and 61 % in December when the volume is tripled.