Development of phase changing material for increasing energy efficiency in telecommunication base stations

With this study, it is aimed to save electricity energy by decreasing the total working time of air conditioners used for cooling in telecommunication base stations. It is also aimed to reduce the fuel costs by reducing the generator usage period in case of power failure and to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas produced. A heat storage unit is designed and manufactured from aluminum material for the storage and removal of waste heat from the system by air flow. The Phase Change Material (PCM)s selected for the proper temperature range are Micronal 5001 (BASF), Capric Acid, Capric-Myristic acid mixture and Capric-Stearic acid mixture. For each PCM, heating tests were carried out in the open and closed position of the fan in single and multi-step heating. In a telecommunications base station, which belongs to a private firm, daily total electrical energy consumption of 75 kWh and 15 kWh of total consumed by a 12,000 BTU air conditioner used for station cooling were determined by electrical measurements. According to the test results and calculations made, in case of power failure in the telecommunication base station, it is determined that normal operation of the base station can continue for two hours by using 10 thermal storage unit sand 100 kg of capric acid as PCM.