Performance Enhancement of Solar Water Heater using Phase Change Materials (PCM): A Review

Abstract

Solar water heater (SWH), one of the most popular solar thermal systems, accounts for 80% of the solar thermal market worldwide. This review paper presents the previous work on solar water heater using phase change material. PCM had been used in different part of heating networks including shell and tube type collectors, flat pate collectors and evacuated tube collectors. Recent findings about the effects of phase change material on various solar collectors are discussed. This review highlights the need for further research in improving the solar water heater using materials for latent heat storage.