Impact of reduced graphene oxide on thermal charging, discharging, and efficiency of paraffin wax based thermal energy storage system

This study focuses on investigating a PCM based TES unit, which plays a crucial role in temporarily storing thermal energy to mitigate the mismatch between energy supply and demand. Visual inspection confirmed the addition of rGO, with significant increase in the thermal conductivity (∼62%) of PW. The study examined the effects of rGO concentration (0.25-1.00 vol%) and HTF flow rate on TC and TDC of TES. Higher rGO concentration reduced both TC and TDC time due to enhanced heat transfer. Increasing the flow rate from 0.375 to 1.5 L/min decreased overall thermal charging time, with improved efficiency (∼24). The results show a direct correlation between TC, TDC, efficiency, and process parameters (rGO concentration and flow rate), with experimental and predicted values demonstrating satisfactory agreement (±12%, ±12%, and ±2%, respectively). This study provides a practical application and a valuable predictive tool for estimating TC, TDC, and thermal efficiency based on known flow rates and concentrations of rGO in wax-based PCMs, suggesting rGO as an effective additive.