Ecosense Installs Advanced Thermal Energy Storage System at IIT Delhi

Ecosense Sustainable Solutions has successfully deployed a cutting-edge Thermal Energy Storage (TES) Training System at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi. Designed to enhance academic research and hands-on learning in solar thermal energy and latent heat storage, this installation marks another milestone in Ecosense’s commitment to accelerating renewable energy education in India.

Empowering Renewable Energy Education through Thermal Energy Storage

The installation of the Ecosense Thermal Energy Storage System at IIT Delhi’s solar thermal lab opens new avenues for student-led research and experiential learning. By combining real-world PCM technology with academic rigor, the system provides a hands-on platform to explore the charging, storage, and discharging cycles of thermal energy, supporting India's broader mission of building capacity in sustainable energy technologies.

About the Thermal Energy Storage System

The TES system installed at IIT Delhi is part of Ecosense’s Solar Thermal Lab offerings. It is designed to simulate real-world thermal storage principles using Phase Change Materials (PCMs)—substances that absorb and release thermal energy during phase transitions. Unlike conventional systems, this setup supports both single and cascading PCM configurations, allowing researchers and students to study how thermal gradients can be better managed to increase energy efficiency.

The core structure of the system includes:

Stainless steel PCM containers with copper spiral heat exchangers for effective heat transfer.
A transparent acrylic/nylon demonstration unit to observe the phase change behavior.
A PUF-insulated enclosure to minimize heat loss.
Three separate water tanks: one for cold HTF (Heat Transfer Fluid), one for the hot HTF (after charging or discharging), and one source tank.
Digital instrumentation to monitor real-time data including temperature, flow rate, and pressure, enhancing the learning process through visualization and analytics.

Designed for academic use, the system is optimized for integration with various solar thermal collectors, including flat plate and parabolic trough collectors, making it a flexible tool for experimentation.

Advancing Learning Through Practical Application

At the heart of this installation is the goal to transform theoretical concepts into tangible understanding. The TES system allows learners to:

Examine thermal behavior of different PCMs under varied temperature and flow conditions.
Measure and analyze heat storage capacity, charging/discharging efficiency, and thermal resistance.
Explore cascading PCM setups, a configuration increasingly relevant in modern solar thermal plant design.
Conduct comparative studies on the use of water vs PCM in energy storage, highlighting latent vs sensible heat storage.

By providing students with a live laboratory environment, Ecosense enables IIT Delhi to bridge the gap between curriculum and industrial practice.

Key Features of the TES System Installed at IIT Delhi

Feature	Description
Modular PCM Configuration	Supports experimentation with 2 or more PCMs including cascading setups
Transparent Chamber	Enables visual observation of melting/freezing cycles
Data Acquisition	Measures temperature, pressure, and flow rates for real-time analysis
Collector Compatibility	Integrates with flat plate or parabolic trough solar collectors
Thermal Insulation	PUF insulation reduces external losses
Educational Focus	Designed for research, lab courses, and hands-on training modules

The Road Ahead

The successful commissioning of the TES system at IIT Delhi represents more than just an equipment installation—it reflects a vision for the future of sustainable energy education. As the global demand for clean energy engineers and researchers grows, universities must evolve into innovation hubs that combine theory with real-world experimentation.

Ecosense aims to:

Expand TES deployments to other IITs, NITs, and state technical universities.
Develop AI-enabled analytics modules to simulate PCM behavior under dynamic solar input conditions.
Collaborate with institutions to publish joint research papers on thermal energy storage modeling and optimization.
Introduce multi-collector integration capabilities (ETC, FPC, PT) for comparative studies.

In parallel, Ecosense is working on scaling these lab solutions internationally, beginning with the Middle East and Southeast Asia—regions investing heavily in solar thermal technologies.

By fostering these partnerships and innovations, Ecosense continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of energy professionals—equipped not just with knowledge, but with hands-on mastery of the systems powering our sustainable future.

Glimpses of Demonstration

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