Abstract
A B ST R A CT This study aimed to develop a phase change material (PCM) based energy recycling device that serves a dual function of storing and reusing thermal energy, with which the effects of latent heat storage systems and heat exchangers are combined. The medium-grade thermal energy waste from an industrial furnace exhaust of 423–463 K served as the source for energy recycling. Adipic acid (AA) was selected as the PCM based on its compatibility with the facilities, while the phase change temperature of AA was experimentally verified priorly. A numerical model of the device was developed to evaluate the temperature and phase change ratio distributions of the PCM during the heat storage stage. Good agreement between the numerical model and experiments was verified, and about 15% of AA undergoes phase transition during operation. Finally, by installing the energy-saving device on an industrial oven under standard operation, heating time and power consumption were, respectively, reduced by 5 min and 2.4 kWh when the furnace is heated to 520 K.