Design and operation of a 180 kWh PCM heat storage at the Flaubert substation of the Grenoble urban heating network

In the framework of building a new eco-neighborhood in Grenoble, France, an innovative urban heating network is under construction, which seeks to couple low temperature substation (47–72 °C), 200 m2 solar thermal field, 180 kWh Phase Change Material (PCM) heat storage unit (based on tube and shell assembly), smart management system. This paper focuses design preliminary operation PCM component network. The design, presented briefly, highlights instrumentation, characterization PCM, thermal-hydraulic properties exchanger. charge cycles, analyzed for varying powers (20 kW, 40 55 75 100 kW) inlet (80 °C, 85 °C) are also presented, along with discharge only (25 kW). results this analysis were used determine density system, was found be 45 kWh/m3 (69.7 single PCM) range 56−85 °C (without considering insulation).