Charging properties of a compact energy storage device for transport air conditioning applications

Abstract Air conditioning system in transport applications is a great challenge due to the frequently fluctuated load which causes comfort degradation and even healthy concern. In our previous study, a compact energy storage device filled with PCM was designed and experimentally tested which showed great potential for thermal comfort improvement and efficiency improvement. In this study, charging properties of the energy storage device for train air conditioning systems are experimentally investigated. Time evolutions of PCM temperature during the charging process are presented. The charging performances including charging time, transient charging rate, thermal efficiency and exergy efficiency are revealed. The results show that the designed device has excellent heat transfer behaviors with exergy efficiency up to 78%. The designed device is feasible to be used in transport air conditioning systems due to the quick charging.