The present paper describes a study of sensible storage in stratified storage tanks with water as storage medium. Thermal stratification is achieved due to density difference between hot or warm water and cold water. The thickness of this zone is a measure of thermal degradation. The expansion of this thermocline zone leads to increased thermal degradation. The water heated in the solar collector flows over the cold water in the storage tank.
Water is withdrawn for use from the top of the storage tank.
In both cases the thermal degradation of the hot water should be a minimum. The recycled water is admitted into the storage tank from the bottom of the storage tank. It should be supplied to the solar collector with the least rise in temperature to achieve high collector efficiency. Similarly the concept of energy storage is useful in the air conditioning of large commercial buildings to shift the electric demand from peak to off peak night periods. The cooling capacity produced during the off-peak hours and nights is stored and used for meeting the cooling load demands during the peak periods of electric utility or to meet cooling load demands of the additional spaces.