US 12,140,341 B1
Solar photovoltaic system with water/ethylene glycol phase change material
Kashif Irshad, Dhahran (SA)
Assigned to KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Jul. 23, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/781,698.
Application 18/781,698 is a continuation of application No. 17/964,976, filed on Oct. 13, 2022, granted, now 12,092,360.
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F24F 5/00 (2006.01); F25B 27/00 (2006.01); F25B 40/00 (2006.01); H02S 10/00 (2014.01); H02S 20/20 (2014.01)
CPC F24F 5/0021 (2013.01) [F25B 27/005 (2013.01); F25B 40/00 (2013.01); H02S 10/00 (2013.01); H02S 20/20 (2014.12); F24F 2005/0025 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A solar photovoltaic powered phase change material thermal energy storage system, comprising:
a refrigerator unit;
an ethylene glycol (EG) flow unit;
an air handling unit; and
an air conditioning (AC) unit,
wherein the refrigerator unit comprises:
a photovoltaic (PV) panel, a phase change material (PCM) tank, a refrigeration pump, a cooling fan assembly, a first compressor, a first condenser, a first expansion valve, and an evaporator;
wherein the PV panel provides electrical energy to the first compressor to cool a PCM material housed within the PCM tank;
the PV panel is directly adjacent and covers a top side of the PCM tank;
the PCM tank is in thermal communication with the first condenser through a refrigeration coil and is configured to flow a refrigerant from the PCM tank to the first condenser via the refrigeration pump, wherein the refrigerant is an ethylene-glycol water solution containing an amount of water of from 52 weight percent (wt. %) to 68 wt. % of the ethylene-glycol water solution and an amount of ethylene glycol of from 32 wt. % to 48 wt. % of the ethylene-glycol water solution;
the PCM tank further comprises a door, at least 20 ventilation vents, and a drainage passage;
the refrigeration pump is housed inside a same compartment as the compressor; and
the refrigeration coil in the PCM tank is immersed in the PCM material and configured to circulate the refrigerant to the PCM tank and the first condenser; and
the cooling fan assembly is positioned proximal to the first condenser;
the EG flow unit comprises a heat exchanger, a pump, and a fan coil; and
the air handling unit comprises an AC evaporator and two three-way valves, wherein a first three-way valve directs heated air through the AC evaporator and a second three-way valve directs heated air through the fan coil; and
the AC unit comprises a second compressor, a second condenser, and a second expansion valve.