Abstract

Concentrated solar power plants, a well-established technology, employ efficient thermal energy storage systems, utilizing molten salts. The study endeavours to diminish energy consumption in conventional residential hot water systems through the utilization of solar energy and the molten salt's thermal storage capacity. To achieve this objective, a pioneering hybrid domestic hot water system is proposed, integrating solar power for application within smart building contexts. This hybrid configuration encompasses solar heliostats to amplify solar irradiance, a dedicated molten salt reservoir for efficient thermal energy storage, and a heat exchanger facilitating the heating of domestic hot water. A specific molten salt mixture, comprising 60% Sodium Nitrate (NaNO₃) and 40% Potassium Nitrate (KNO₃), is meticulously selected for its superior thermal capacity. Solar energy is effectively harnessed to leverage renewable and environmentally sustainable energy sources, focusing sunlight onto the molten salt reservoir within the smart building infrastructure. Subsequently, the stored thermal energy within the reservoir is efficiently utilized to heat water through the heat exchanger. The performance evaluation of this hybrid system is meticulously conducted through rigorous experimentation within a test building located in Ankara, Turkey.