The efficiency and ability to control the energy exchanges in thermal energy storage systems using the sensible and latent heat thermodynamic processes depends on the best configuration in the heat exchanger’s design. In 1996, Adrian Bejan introduced the Constructal Theory, which design tools have since been explored to predict the evolution of the architecture in flow systems. This chapter reviews the fundamental knowledge developed by the application of the constructal principle to the energy flows in the design of heat exchangers of thermal energy storage systems. It introduces the Svelteness and scale analysis, as two constructal tools in the evolutionary design of engineering flow systems. It also includes the analysis on essential scales of several configurations, or energy flow architectures, toward establishing the main guidelines in the design of heat exchangers for storing thermal energy.
Part of the book: Heat Transfer