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Thermal Stratification in Solar Storage Tanks: Long-Term Modelling and Efficiency Analysis.

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Title: Thermal Stratification in Solar Storage Tanks: Long-Term Modelling and Efficiency Analysis.
Authors: Król, Barbara1 (AUTHOR) barbara.krol@pk.edu.pl, Kupiec, Krzysztof1 (AUTHOR)
Source: Energies (19961073). Feb2026, Vol. 19 Issue 3, p627. 20p.
Subject Terms: *Storage tanks, *Temperature distribution, *Heat flux, *Hot water, *Conservation of energy, *Thermal gradient measurment, *Solar thermal energy, *Seasonal temperature variations
Geographic Terms: Poland
Abstract: The storage tank plays a key role in solar thermal installations, as thermal stratification allows high temperatures to be maintained in the upper region while keeping the return temperature to the collectors low. This study analyses the influence of thermal stratification on short- and long-term performance of solar domestic hot water systems using a multi-node storage tank model. An algorithm was developed to compute temperature profiles along the height of a storage tank operating under time-varying temperature and flow-rate conditions. Time courses of temperatures and heat fluxes in a solar domestic hot water system were determined. In addition, the seasonal variation in the optimal locations for supplying the tank with water from the solar collector was identified. Annual simulations were performed for the climate of Kraków (Poland) and the domestic hot water demand of a single-family household. The results show that the effect of the degree of stratification on solar fraction and solar efficiency is small. It was also demonstrated that the effect of thermal stratification within the tank on stabilizing the temperature of the produced water is more significant than the effect associated with increasing the tank volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Database: Energy & Power Source
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Header DbId: enr
DbLabel: Energy & Power Source
An: 191587106
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
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Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Thermal Stratification in Solar Storage Tanks: Long-Term Modelling and Efficiency Analysis.
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  Label: Authors
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Król%2C+Barbara%22">Król, Barbara</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> barbara.krol@pk.edu.pl</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kupiec%2C+Krzysztof%22">Kupiec, Krzysztof</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Energies+%2819961073%29%22">Energies (19961073)</searchLink>. Feb2026, Vol. 19 Issue 3, p627. 20p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Storage+tanks%22">Storage tanks</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Temperature+distribution%22">Temperature distribution</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Heat+flux%22">Heat flux</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hot+water%22">Hot water</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Conservation+of+energy%22">Conservation of energy</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thermal+gradient+measurment%22">Thermal gradient measurment</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Solar+thermal+energy%22">Solar thermal energy</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Seasonal+temperature+variations%22">Seasonal temperature variations</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectGeographic
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Poland%22">Poland</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The storage tank plays a key role in solar thermal installations, as thermal stratification allows high temperatures to be maintained in the upper region while keeping the return temperature to the collectors low. This study analyses the influence of thermal stratification on short- and long-term performance of solar domestic hot water systems using a multi-node storage tank model. An algorithm was developed to compute temperature profiles along the height of a storage tank operating under time-varying temperature and flow-rate conditions. Time courses of temperatures and heat fluxes in a solar domestic hot water system were determined. In addition, the seasonal variation in the optimal locations for supplying the tank with water from the solar collector was identified. Annual simulations were performed for the climate of Kraków (Poland) and the domestic hot water demand of a single-family household. The results show that the effect of the degree of stratification on solar fraction and solar efficiency is small. It was also demonstrated that the effect of thermal stratification within the tank on stabilizing the temperature of the produced water is more significant than the effect associated with increasing the tank volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=enr&AN=191587106
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.3390/en19030627
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 20
        StartPage: 627
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Storage tanks
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Temperature distribution
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Heat flux
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Hot water
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Conservation of energy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Thermal gradient measurment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Solar thermal energy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Seasonal temperature variations
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Poland
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Thermal Stratification in Solar Storage Tanks: Long-Term Modelling and Efficiency Analysis.
        Type: main
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          Name:
            NameFull: Król, Barbara
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          Name:
            NameFull: Kupiec, Krzysztof
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 02
              Text: Feb2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 19961073
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              Value: 19
            – Type: issue
              Value: 3
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Energies (19961073)
              Type: main
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