Ice thermal storage air conditioning system for electric load leveling; Denryoku heijunka to hyochikunetsu system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shigenaga, Y. [Daikin Industries Ltd., Osaka (Japan)

1998-08-15

Thermal storage air conditioning system is the one to use energy stored into thermal storing materials by using night electric power and to operate effective air conditioning. Therefore, as load can be treated by the stored energy, volume of the apparatus can be reduced. And, by reduction of the consumed power at day time, it can contribute to leveling of electric power demand. In general, there are two types in the thermal storage method: one is a method to store as thermal energy, and the other is that to store as chemical energy. For conditions required for the storing materials, important elements on their actual uses are not only physical properties such as large thermal storage per unit and easy thermal in- and out-puts, but also safety, long-term reliability, and easy receiving and economics containing future. The ice thermal storage air conditioning system is classified at the viewpoint of type of ice, kind of thermal storing medium, melting method on using cooling and heating, kinds of thermal medium on cooling and heating. 3 refs., 5 figs., 2 tabs.

Thermal performance and heat transport in aquifer thermal energy storage

Science.gov (United States)

Sommer, W. T.; Doornenbal, P. J.; Drijver, B. C.; van Gaans, P. F. M.; Leusbrock, I.; Grotenhuis, J. T. C.; Rijnaarts, H. H. M.

2014-01-01

Aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) is used for seasonal storage of large quantities of thermal energy. Due to the increasing demand for sustainable energy, the number of ATES systems has increased rapidly, which has raised questions on the effect of ATES systems on their surroundings as well as their thermal performance. Furthermore, the increasing density of systems generates concern regarding thermal interference between the wells of one system and between neighboring systems. An assessment is made of (1) the thermal storage performance, and (2) the heat transport around the wells of an existing ATES system in the Netherlands. Reconstruction of flow rates and injection and extraction temperatures from hourly logs of operational data from 2005 to 2012 show that the average thermal recovery is 82 % for cold storage and 68 % for heat storage. Subsurface heat transport is monitored using distributed temperature sensing. Although the measurements reveal unequal distribution of flow rate over different parts of the well screen and preferential flow due to aquifer heterogeneity, sufficient well spacing has avoided thermal interference. However, oversizing of well spacing may limit the number of systems that can be realized in an area and lower the potential of ATES.

A hybrid solar and chemical looping combustion system for solar thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jafarian, Mehdi; Arjomandi, Maziar; Nathan, Graham J.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► A novel solar–CLC hybrid system is proposed which integrates a CLC with solar thermal energy. ► The oxygen carrier particles are used as storage medium for thermal energy storage. ► A solar cavity reactor is proposed for fuel reactor. ► The absorbed solar energy is stored in the particles to produce a base heat load. -- Abstract: A novel hybrid of a solar thermal energy and a chemical looping combustion (CLC) system is proposed here, which employs the oxygen carrier particles in a CLC system to provide diurnal thermal energy storage for concentrated solar thermal energy. In taking advantage of the chemical and sensible energy storage systems that are an inherent part of a CLC system, this hybrid offers potential to achieve cost effective, base load power generation for solar energy. In the proposed system, three reservoirs have been added to a conventional CLC system to allow storage of the oxygen carrier particles, while a cavity solar receiver has been chosen for the fuel reactor. The performance of the system is evaluated using ASPEN PLUS software, with the model being validated using independent simulation result reported previously. Operating temperature, solar efficiency, solar fraction, exergy efficiency and the fraction of the solar thermal energy stored for a based load power generation application are reported.

Phase change thermal storage for a solar total energy system

Science.gov (United States)

Rice, R. E.; Cohen, B. M.

1978-01-01

An analytical and experimental program is being conducted on a one-tenth scale model of a high-temperature (584 K) phase-change thermal energy storage system for installation in a solar total energy test facility at Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. The thermal storage medium is anhydrous sodium hydroxide with 8% sodium nitrate. The program will produce data on the dynamic response of the system to repeated cycles of charging and discharging simulating those of the test facility. Data will be correlated with a mathematical model which will then be used in the design of the full-scale system.

Optimal controls of building storage systems using both ice storage and thermal mass – Part II: Parametric analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hajiah, Ali; Krarti, Moncef

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► A detailed analysis is presented to assess the performance of thermal energy storage (TES) systems. ► Utility rates have been found to be significant in assessing the operation of TES systems. ► Optimal control strategies for TES systems can save up to 40% of total energy cost of office buildings. - Abstract: This paper presents the results of a series of parametric analysis to investigate the factors that affect the effectiveness of using simultaneously building thermal capacitance and ice storage system to reduce total operating costs (including energy and demand costs) while maintaining adequate occupant comfort conditions in buildings. The analysis is based on a validated model-based simulation environment and includes several parameters including the optimization cost function, base chiller size, and ice storage tank capacity, and weather conditions. It found that the combined use of building thermal mass and active thermal energy storage system can save up to 40% of the total energy costs when integrated optimal control are considered to operate commercial buildings.

Cost and performance analysis of concentrating solar power systems with integrated latent thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nithyanandam, K.; Pitchumani, R.

2014-01-01

Integrating TES (thermal energy storage) in a CSP (concentrating solar power) plant allows for continuous operation even during times when solar irradiation is not available, thus providing a reliable output to the grid. In the present study, the cost and performance models of an EPCM-TES (encapsulated phase change material thermal energy storage) system and HP-TES (latent thermal storage system with embedded heat pipes) are integrated with a CSP power tower system model utilizing Rankine and s-CO 2 (supercritical carbon-dioxide) power conversion cycles, to investigate the dynamic TES-integrated plant performance. The influence of design parameters of the storage system on the performance of a 200 MW e capacity power tower CSP plant is studied to establish design envelopes that satisfy the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative requirements, which include a round-trip annualized exergetic efficiency greater than 95%, storage cost less than $15/kWh t and LCE (levelized cost of electricity) less than 6 ¢/kWh. From the design windows, optimum designs of the storage system based on minimum LCE, maximum exergetic efficiency, and maximum capacity factor are reported and compared with the results of two-tank molten salt storage system. Overall, the study presents the first effort to construct and analyze LTES (latent thermal energy storage) integrated CSP plant performance that can help assess the impact, cost and performance of LTES systems on power generation from molten salt power tower CSP plant. - Highlights: • Presents technoeconomic analysis of thermal energy storage integrated concentrating solar power plants. • Presents a comparison of different storage options. • Presents optimum design of thermal energy storage system for steam Rankine and supercritical carbon dioxide cycles. • Presents designs for maximizing exergetic efficiency while minimizing storage cost and levelized cost of energy

Thermal energy storage technologies for sustainability systems design, assessment and applications

CERN Document Server

Kalaiselvam, S

2014-01-01

Thermal Energy Storage Technologies for Sustainability is a broad-based overview describing the state-of-the-art in latent, sensible, and thermo-chemical energy storage systems and their applications across industries. Beginning with a discussion of the efficiency and conservation advantages of balancing energy demand with production, the book goes on to describe current state-of-the art technologies. Not stopping with description, the authors also discuss design, modeling, and simulation of representative systems, and end with several case studies of systems in use.Describes how thermal energ

Experimental investigation on charging and discharging performance of absorption thermal energy storage system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Xiaoling; Li, Minzhi; Shi, Wenxing; Wang, Baolong; Li, Xianting

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A prototype of ATES using LiBr/H 2 O was designed and built. • Charging and discharging performances of ATES system were investigated. • ESE and ESD for cooling, domestic hot water and heating were obtained. - Abstract: Because of high thermal storage density and little heat loss, absorption thermal energy storage (ATES) is known as a potential thermal energy storage (TES) technology. To investigate the performance of the ATES system with LiBr–H 2 O, a prototype with 10 kW h cooling storage capacity was designed and built. The experiments demonstrated that charging and discharging processes are successful in producing 7 °C chilled water, 65 °C domestic hot water, or 43 °C heating water to meet the user’s requirements. Characteristics such as temperature, concentration and power variation of the ATES system during charging and discharging processes were investigated. The performance of the ATES system for supplying cooling, heating or domestic hot water was analyzed and compared. The results indicate that the energy storage efficiencies (ESE) for cooling, domestic hot water and heating are 0.51, 0.97, 1.03, respectively, and the energy storage densities (ESD) for cooling, domestic hot water and heating reach 42, 88, 110 kW h/m 3 , respectively. The performance is better than those of previous TES systems, which proves that the ATES system using LiBr–H 2 O may be a good option for thermal energy storage

Improved thermal storage material for portable life support systems

Science.gov (United States)

Kellner, J. D.

1975-01-01

The availability of thermal storage materials that have heat absorption capabilities substantially greater than water-ice in the same temperature range would permit significant improvements in performance of projected portable thermal storage cooling systems. A method for providing increased heat absorption by the combined use of the heat of solution of certain salts and the heat of fusion of water-ice was investigated. This work has indicated that a 30 percent solution of potassium bifluoride (KHF2) in water can absorb approximately 52 percent more heat than an equal weight of water-ice, and approximately 79 percent more heat than an equal volume of water-ice. The thermal storage material can be regenerated easily by freezing, however, a lower temperature must be used, 261 K as compared to 273 K for water-ice. This work was conducted by the United Aircraft Research Laboratories as part of a program at Hamilton Standard Division of United Aircraft Corporation under contract to NASA Ames Research Center.

Development of space heating and domestic hot water systems with compact thermal energy storage. Compact thermal energy storage: Material development for System Integration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Davidson, J.H.; Quinnell, J.; Burch, J.; Zondag, H.A.; Boer, R. de; Finck, C.J.; Cuypers, R.; Cabeza, L.F.; Heinz, A.; Jahnig, D.; Furbo, S.; Bertsch, F.

2013-01-01

Long-term, compact thermal energy storage (TES) is essential to the development of cost-effective solar and passive building-integrated space heating systems and may enhance the annual technical and economic performance of solar domestic hot water (DHW) systems. Systems should provide high energy

Numerical modeling of aquifer thermal energy storage system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jongchan [Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Geothermal Resources Department, 92 Gwahang-no, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of); Kongju National University, Department of Geoenvironmental Sciences, 182 Singwan-dong, Gongju-si, Chungnam 314-701 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Youngmin [Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Geothermal Resources Department, 92 Gwahang-no, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of); Yoon, Woon Sang; Jeon, Jae Soo [nexGeo Inc., 134-1 Garak 2-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-807 (Korea, Republic of); Koo, Min-Ho; Keehm, Youngseuk [Kongju National University, Department of Geoenvironmental Sciences, 182 Singwan-dong, Gongju-si, Chungnam 314-701 (Korea, Republic of)

2010-12-15

The performance of the ATES (aquifer thermal energy storage) system primarily depends on the thermal interference between warm and cold thermal energy stored in an aquifer. Additionally the thermal interference is mainly affected by the borehole distance, the hydraulic conductivity, and the pumping/injection rate. Thermo-hydraulic modeling was performed to identify the thermal interference by three parameters and to estimate the system performance change by the thermal interference. Modeling results indicate that the thermal interference grows as the borehole distance decreases, as the hydraulic conductivity increases, and as the pumping/injection rate increases. The system performance analysis indicates that if {eta} (the ratio of the length of the thermal front to the distance between two boreholes) is lower than unity, the system performance is not significantly affected, but if {eta} is equal to unity, the system performance falls up to {proportional_to}22%. Long term modeling for a factory in Anseong was conducted to test the applicability of the ATES system. When the pumping/injection rate is 100 m{sup 3}/day, system performances during the summer and winter after 3 years of operation are estimated to be {proportional_to}125 kW and {proportional_to}110 kW, respectively. Therefore, 100 m{sup 3}/day of the pumping/injection rate satisfies the energy requirements ({proportional_to}70 kW) for the factory. (author)

Experimental investigation into a packed bed thermal storage solution for solar gas turbine systems

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Klein, P

2013-09-01

Full Text Available High temperature thermal storage in randomly packed beds of ceramic particles is proposed as an effective storage solution for Solar Gas Turbine (SGT) cycles in the near term. Numerical modelling of these systems allows for optimised thermal storage...

Advanced latent heat of fusion thermal energy storage for solar power systems

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, W. M.; Stearns, J. W.

1985-01-01

The use of solar thermal power systems coupled with thermal energy storage (TES) is being studied for both terrestrial and space applications. In the case of terrestrial applications, it was found that one or two hours of TES could shift the insolation peak (solar noon) to coincide with user peak loads. The use of a phase change material (PCM) is attractive because of the higher energy storage density which can be achieved. However, the use of PCM has also certain disadvantages which must be addressed. Proof of concept testing was undertaken to evaluate corrosive effects and thermal ratcheting effects in a slurry system. It is concluded that the considered alkali metal/alkali salt slurry approach to TES appears to be very viable, taking into account an elimination of thermal ratcheting in storage systems and the reduction of corrosive effects. The approach appears to be useful for an employment involving temperatures applicable to Brayton or Stirling cycles.

Concrete thermal energy storage for steam generation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Singh, Shobhana; Sørensen, Kim

2017-01-01

Establishing enhancement methods to develop cost-effective thermal energy storage technology requires a detailed analysis. In this paper, a numerical investigation of the concrete based thermal energy storage system is carried out. The storage system consists of a heat transfer fluid flowing inside...

Study of Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage

Science.gov (United States)

Okuyama, Masaaki; Umemiya, Hiromichi; Shibuya, Ikuko; Haga, Eiji

Yamagata University 'Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES)' is the experimental system which has been running since 1982. From the results for along terms of experiments, we obtain many important knowledge. This paper presents the accomplishments for 16 years and the characteristics of thermal energy storage in thermal energy storage well. The conclusions show as follows. 1)In recent years, the thermal recovery factor of warm energy storage well becomes almost constant at about 60%. 2) The thermal recovery factor of cool energy storage well increases gradually and becomes at about 15%. 3) Since the ferric colloidal dam is formed in aquifer, thermal recovery factor increase year after year. 4) Back wash can remove clogging for ferric colloidal dam. 5) The apparent thermal diffusivity decrease gradually due to ferric colloidal dam.

Experimental investigation and exergy analysis on thermal storage integrated micro-cogeneration system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johar, Dheeraj Kishor; Sharma, Dilip; Soni, Shyam Lal; Gupta, Pradeep K.; Goyal, Rahul

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Energy Storage System is integrated with Micro cogeneration system. • Erythritol is used as Phase Change Material. • Maximum energy saved is 15.2%. • Maximum exergy saved is 4.22%. • Combined systems are feasible to increase energy and exergy efficiency. - Abstract: This paper describes the performance of thermal storage integrated micro-cogeneration system based on single cylinder diesel engine. In addition to electricity generated from genset, waste heat from hot exhaust of diesel engine was used to heat water in a double pipe heat exchanger of 67.70 cm length with inside tube diameter of 3.81 cm and outside tube diameter of 5.08 cm. Additionally, a latent heat thermal energy storage system was also integrated with this cogeneration system. A shell and tube type heat exchanger of 346 mm diameter and 420 mm height with 45 tubes of 18 mm diameter each was designed and fabricated, to store thermal energy, in which Erythritol (C_4H_1_0O_4) was used as phase changing material. The test results show that micro capacity (4.4 kW), stationary, single cylinder, diesel engine can be successfully utilized to simultaneously produce power as well as heating, and to also store thermal energy. Slight decrease in engine performance was observed when double pipe heat exchanger and latent heat thermal energy storage system was integrated with engine but the amount of energy which could be recovered was significant. Maximum percentage of energy saved was obtained at a load of 3.6 kW and was 15.2%.

Thermodynamic model of a thermal storage air conditioning system with dynamic behavior

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fleming, Evan; Wen, Shaoyi; Shi, Li; Silva, Alexandre K. da

2013-01-01

Highlights: • We developed an automotive thermal storage air conditioning system model. • The thermal storage unit utilizes phase change materials. • We use semi-analytic solution to the coupled phase change and forced convection. • We model the airside heat exchange using the NTU method. • The system model can incorporate dynamic inputs, e.g. variable inlet airflow. - Abstract: A thermodynamic model was developed to predict transient behavior of a thermal storage system, using phase change materials (PCMs), for a novel electric vehicle climate conditioning application. The main objectives of the paper are to consider the system’s dynamic behavior, such as a dynamic air flow rate into the vehicle’s cabin, and to characterize the transient heat transfer process between the thermal storage unit and the vehicle’s cabin, while still maintaining accurate solution to the complex phase change heat transfer. The system studied consists of a heat transfer fluid circulating between either of the on-board hot and cold thermal storage units, which we refer to as thermal batteries, and a liquid–air heat exchanger that provides heat exchange with the incoming air to the vehicle cabin. Each thermal battery is a shell-and-tube configuration where a heat transfer fluid flows through parallel tubes, which are surrounded by PCM within a larger shell. The system model incorporates computationally inexpensive semi-analytic solution to the conjugated laminar forced convection and phase change problem within the battery and accounts for airside heat exchange using the Number of Transfer Units (NTUs) method for the liquid–air heat exchanger. Using this approach, we are able to obtain an accurate solution to the complex heat transfer problem within the battery while also incorporating the impact of the airside heat transfer on the overall system performance. The implemented model was benchmarked against a numerical study for a melting process and against full system

Design aspects of integrated compact thermal storage system for solar dryer applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rajaraman, R.; Velraj, R.; Renganarayanan, S.

2000-01-01

Solar energy is an excellent source for drying of crops, fruits, vegetables and other agricultural and forest products. Though the availability of solar energy is plenty, it is time dependent in nature. The energy need for some applications is also time dependent, but in a different pattern and phase from the solar energy supply. This implies that the solar dryer should be integrated with an efficient thermal storage system to match the time-dependent supply and end-use requirements. Based on the studies carried out on Latent Heat Thermal Storage (LHTS) Systems, it is observed that when air is used as the heat transfer fluid in LHTS system, nearly uniform surface heat flux can be achieved. Hence the LHTS systems are most suitable for air based solar drying applications. In the present work some major conclusions arrived from the investigations on LHTS systems and the design considerations for the integrated latent heat thermal storage for the solar dryer are reported. (Author)

Phase Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage

OpenAIRE

Stiebra, L; Cabulis, U; Knite, M

2014-01-01

Phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal energy storage (TES) have become an important subject of research in recent years. Using PCMs for thermal energy storage provides a solution to increase the efficiency of the storage and use of energy in many domestic and industrial sectors. Phase change TES systems offer a number of advantages over other systems (e.g. chemical storage systems): particularly small temperature distance between the storage and retrieval cycles, small unit sizes and lo...

A Comprehensive Review of Thermal Energy Storage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ioan Sarbu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Thermal energy storage (TES is a technology that stocks thermal energy by heating or cooling a storage medium so that the stored energy can be used at a later time for heating and cooling applications and power generation. TES systems are used particularly in buildings and in industrial processes. This paper is focused on TES technologies that provide a way of valorizing solar heat and reducing the energy demand of buildings. The principles of several energy storage methods and calculation of storage capacities are described. Sensible heat storage technologies, including water tank, underground, and packed-bed storage methods, are briefly reviewed. Additionally, latent-heat storage systems associated with phase-change materials for use in solar heating/cooling of buildings, solar water heating, heat-pump systems, and concentrating solar power plants as well as thermo-chemical storage are discussed. Finally, cool thermal energy storage is also briefly reviewed and outstanding information on the performance and costs of TES systems are included.

Solar applications of thermal energy storage. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, C.; Taylor, L.; DeVries, J.; Heibein, S.

1979-01-01

A technology assessment is presented on solar energy systems which use thermal energy storage. The study includes characterization of the current state-of-the-art of thermal energy storage, an assessment of the energy storage needs of solar energy systems, and the synthesis of this information into preliminary design criteria which would form the basis for detailed designs of thermal energy storage. (MHR)

Thermal Storage Systems Assessment for Energy Sustainability in Housing Units

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tania I. Lagunes Vega

2016-04-01

Full Text Available In order to achieve greater enhancements in energy sustainability for housing, the function and efficiency of two different passive cooling systems were studied: encapsulated water in recycled bottles of Polyethylene terephthalate (PET and polystyrene plates, in comparison with standard concrete slab systems, which are customarily used in housing. Experiments were placed over a tile surface, in which temperature changes were monitored for a period of 20 days from 08:00 to 20:00. The efficiency of passive thermal storage systems was endorsed through statistical analysis using the “SPSS” software. This resulted in a 17% energy saving, thus promoting energy sustainability in housing units, which reduces the use of electrical appliances required to stabilize conditions to achieve optimum thermal comfort for the human body inside a house, therefore, reducing electrical power consumption, CO2 emissions to the atmosphere and generating savings. Due to the complexity of a system with temperature changes, a fractal analysis was performed for each experimental system, using the “Benoit” software (V.1.3 with self-compatible tools of rescaled range (R/S and a wavelets method, showing that the thermal fluctuations on the tiles with the thermal storage system adapt to the rescaled range analysis and the regular tiles adapt to the wavelets method.

Thermal performance and heat transport in aquifer thermal energy storage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sommer, W.T.; Doornenbal, P.J.; Drijver, B.C.; Gaans, van P.F.M.; Leusbrock, I.; Grotenhuis, J.T.C.; Rijnaarts, H.H.M.

2014-01-01

Aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) is used for seasonal storage of large quantities of thermal energy. Due to the increasing demand for sustainable energy, the number of ATES systems has increased rapidly, which has raised questions on the effect of ATES systems on their surroundings as well as

Influence of geologic layering on heat transport and storage in an aquifer thermal energy storage system

Science.gov (United States)

Bridger, D. W.; Allen, D. M.

2014-01-01

A modeling study was carried out to evaluate the influence of aquifer heterogeneity, as represented by geologic layering, on heat transport and storage in an aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) system in Agassiz, British Columbia, Canada. Two 3D heat transport models were developed and calibrated using the flow and heat transport code FEFLOW including: a "non-layered" model domain with homogeneous hydraulic and thermal properties; and, a "layered" model domain with variable hydraulic and thermal properties assigned to discrete geological units to represent aquifer heterogeneity. The base model (non-layered) shows limited sensitivity for the ranges of all thermal and hydraulic properties expected at the site; the model is most sensitive to vertical anisotropy and hydraulic gradient. Simulated and observed temperatures within the wells reflect a combination of screen placement and layering, with inconsistencies largely explained by the lateral continuity of high permeability layers represented in the model. Simulation of heat injection, storage and recovery show preferential transport along high permeability layers, resulting in longitudinal plume distortion, and overall higher short-term storage efficiencies.

Performance analysis of an integrated energy storage and energy upgrade thermochemical solid–gas sorption system for seasonal storage of solar thermal energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Tingxian; Wang, Ruzhu; Kiplagat, Jeremiah K.; Kang, YongTae

2013-01-01

An innovative dual-mode thermochemical sorption energy storage method is proposed for seasonal storage of solar thermal energy with little heat losses. During the charging phase in summer, solar thermal energy is stored in form of chemical bonds resulting from thermochemical decomposition process, which enables the stored energy to be kept several months at ambient temperature. During the discharging phase in winter, the stored thermal energy is released in the form of chemical reaction heat resulting from thermochemical synthesis process. Thermodynamic analysis showed that the advanced dual-mode thermochemical sorption energy storage is an effective method for the long-term seasonal storage of solar energy. A coefficient of performance (COP h ) of 0.6 and energy density higher than 1000 kJ/kg of salt can be attained from the proposed system. During the discharging phase at low ambient temperatures, the stored thermal energy can be upgraded by use of a solid–gas thermochemical sorption heat transformer cycle. The proposed thermochemical sorption energy storage has distinct advantages over the conventional sensible heat and latent heat storage, such as higher energy storage density, little heat losses, integrated energy storage and energy upgrade, and thus it can contribute to improve the seasonal utilization of solar thermal energy. - Highlights: ► A dual-mode solid thermochemical sorption is proposed for seasonal solar thermal energy storage. ► Energy upgrade techniques into the energy storage system are integrated. ► Performance of the proposed seasonal energy storage system is evaluated. ► Energy density and COP h from the proposed system are as high as 1043 kJ/kg of salt and 0.60, respectively

High Efficiency and Low Cost Thermal Energy Storage System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sienicki, James J. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Nuclear Engineering Division; Lv, Qiuping [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Nuclear Engineering Division; Moisseytsev, Anton [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Nuclear Engineering Division; Bucknor, Matthew [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Nuclear Engineering Division

2017-09-29

BgtL, LLC (BgtL) is focused on developing and commercializing its proprietary compact technology for processes in the energy sector. One such application is a compact high efficiency Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system that utilizes the heat of fusion through phase change between solid and liquid to store and release energy at high temperatures and incorporate state-of-the-art insulation to minimize heat dissipation. BgtL’s TES system would greatly improve the economics of existing nuclear and coal-fired power plants by allowing the power plant to store energy when power prices are low and sell power into the grid when prices are high. Compared to existing battery storage technology, BgtL’s novel thermal energy storage solution can be significantly less costly to acquire and maintain, does not have any waste or environmental emissions, and does not deteriorate over time; it can keep constant efficiency and operates cleanly and safely. BgtL’s engineers are experienced in this field and are able to design and engineer such a system to a specific power plant’s requirements. BgtL also has a strong manufacturing partner to fabricate the system such that it qualifies for an ASME code stamp. BgtL’s vision is to be the leading provider of compact systems for various applications including energy storage. BgtL requests that all technical information about the TES designs be protected as proprietary information. To honor that request, only non-proprietay summaries are included in this report.

Enhanced Thermal Management System for Spent Nuclear Fuel Dry Storage Canister with Hybrid Heat Pipes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Yeong Shin; Bang, In Cheol

2016-01-01

Dry storage uses the gas or air as coolant within sealed canister with neutron shielding materials. Dry storage system for spent fuel is regarded as relatively safe and emits little radioactive waste for the storage, but it showed that the storage capacity and overall safety of dry cask needs to be enhanced for the dry storage cask for LWR in Korea. For safety enhancement of dry cask, previous studies of our group firstly suggested the passive cooling system with heat pipes for LWR spent fuel dry storage metal cask. As an extension, enhanced thermal management systems for the spent fuel dry storage cask for LWR was suggested with hybrid heat pipe concept, and their performances were analyzed in thermal-hydraulic viewpoint in this paper. In this paper, hybrid heat pipe concept for dry storage cask is suggested for thermal management to enhance safety margin. Although current design of dry cask satisfies the design criteria, it cannot be assured to have long term storage period and designed lifetime. Introducing hybrid heat pipe concept to dry storage cask designed without disrupting structural integrity, it can enhance the overall safety characteristics with adequate thermal management to reduce overall temperature as well as criticality control. To evaluate thermal performance of hybrid heat pipe according to its design, CFD simulation was conducted and previous and revised design of hybrid heat pipe was compared in terms of temperature inside canister

Energy and exergy analyses of an ice-on-coil thermal energy storage system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ezan, Mehmet Akif; Erek, Aytunç; Dincer, Ibrahim

2011-01-01

In this study, energy and exergy analyses are carried out for the charging period of an ice-on-coil thermal energy storage system. The present model is developed using a thermal resistance network technique. First, the time-dependent variations of the predicted total stored energy, mass of ice, and outlet temperature of the heat transfer fluid from a storage tank are compared with the experimental data. Afterward, performance of an ice-on-coil type latent heat thermal energy storage system is investigated for several working and design parameters. The results of a comparative study are presented in terms of the variations of the heat transfer rate, total stored energy, dimensionless energetic/exergetic effectiveness and energy/exergy efficiency. The results indicate that working and design parameters of the ice-on-coil thermal storage tank should be determined by considering both energetic and exergetic behavior of the system. For the current parameters, storage capacity and energy efficiency of the system increases with decreasing the inlet temperature of the heat transfer fluid and increasing the length of the tube. Besides, the exergy efficiency increases with increasing the inlet temperature of the heat transfer fluid and increasing the length of the tube. -- Highlights: ► A comprehensive study on energy and exergy analyses of an ice-on-coil TES system. ► Determination of irreversibilities and their potential sources. ► Evaluation of both energy and exergy efficiencies and their comparisons.

Economic feasibility of thermal energy storage systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Habeebullah, B.A. [Faculty of Engineering, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah (Saudi Arabia)

2007-07-01

This paper investigates the economic feasibility of both building an ice thermal storage and structure a time of rate tariff for the unique air conditioning (A/C) plant of the Grand Holy Mosque of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The features of the building are unique where the air-conditioned 39,300 m{sup 2} zone is open to the atmosphere and the worshippers fully occupy the building five times a day, in addition hundreds of thousands of worshippers attend the blessed weekend's prayer at noontime, which escalates the peak electricity load. For economic analysis, the objective function is the daily electricity bill that includes the operation cost and the capital investment of the ice storage system. The operation cost is function of the energy imported for operating the plant in which the tariff structure, number of operating hours and the ambient temperature are parameters. The capital recovery factor is calculated for 10% interest rate and payback period of 10 years. Full and partial load storage scenarios are considered. The results showed that with the current fixed electricity rate (0.07 $/kWh), there is no gain in introducing ice storage systems for both storage schemes. Combining energy storage and an incentive time structured rate showed reasonable daily bill savings. For base tariff of 0.07 $/kWh during daytime operation and 0.016 $/kWh for off-peak period, savings were achieved for full load storage scenario. Different tariff structure is discussed and the break-even nighttime rate was determined (varies between 0.008 and 0.03 $/kWh). Partial load storage scenario showed to be unattractive where the savings for the base structured tariff was insignificant. (author)

Local Thermal Insulating Materials For Thermal Energy Storage ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Thermal insulation is one of the most important components of a thermal energy storage system. In this paper the thermal properties of selected potential local materials which can be used for high temperature insulation are presented. Thermal properties of seven different samples were measured. Samples consisted of: ...

Conceptual assessment and thermal hydraulic analysis of MVDS system for the dry storage of reduced metal fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, J. C.; Bang, K. S.; Shin, H. S.; Joo, J. S.; Su, K. S.; Kim, H. D.

2003-01-01

Conceptual assessment and thermal hydraulic analysis of MVDS storage system have been carried out for application of reduced metal fuel. The storage concept was established considering the optimum weight, storage volume and thermal efficiency. The capacity of MVDS system for loading the reduced metal fuel has four times as compared with existing PWR fuel storage system. In the results of thermal analysis, the maximum temperature of metal fuel was estimated to be 110 .deg. C which is lower than the allowable value under normal operation condition. Therefore, it is shown that the MVDS system can feasibly accomodate the reduced metal fuel in aspect of thermal safety

Thermal Feature of a Modified Solar Phase Change Material Storage Wall System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chenglong Luo

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This work is to study a novel solar PCM storage wall technology, that is, a dual-channel and thermal-insulation-in-the-middle type solar PCM storage wall (MSPCMW system. The system has the following four independent functions, passive solar heating, heat preservation, heat insulation, and passive cooling, and it can agilely cope with the requirements of climatization of buildings in different seasons throughout the year and is exactly suitable for building in regions characterized by hot summer and cold winter. The present work experimentally analyzes thermal feature of the system working in summer and winter modes, respectively.

Evaluation of in-situ thermal energy storage for lunar based solar dynamic systems

Science.gov (United States)

Crane, Roger A.

1991-01-01

A practical lunar based thermal energy storage system, based on locally available materials, could significantly reduce transportation requirements and associated costs of a continuous, solar derived power system. The concept reported here is based on a unique, in-situ approach to thermal energy storage. The proposed design is examined to assess the problems of start-up and the requirements for attainment of stable operation. The design remains, at this stage, partially conceptional in nature, but certain aspects of the design, bearing directly on feasibility, are examined in some detail. Specifically included is an engineering evaluation of the projected thermal performance of this system. Both steady state and start-up power requirements are evaluated and the associated thermal losses are evaluated as a basis for establishing potential system performance.

Selection of high temperature thermal energy storage materials for advanced solar dynamic space power systems

Science.gov (United States)

Lacy, Dovie E.; Coles-Hamilton, Carolyn; Juhasz, Albert

1987-01-01

Under the direction of NASA's Office of Aeronautics and Technology (OAST), the NASA Lewis Research Center has initiated an in-house thermal energy storage program to identify combinations of phase change thermal energy storage media for use with a Brayton and Stirling Advanced Solar Dynamic (ASD) space power system operating between 1070 and 1400 K. A study has been initiated to determine suitable combinations of thermal energy storage (TES) phase change materials (PCM) that result in the smallest and lightest weight ASD power system possible. To date the heats of fusion of several fluoride salt mixtures with melting points greater than 1025 K have been verified experimentally. The study has indicated that these salt systems produce large ASD systems because of their inherent low thermal conductivity and low density. It is desirable to have PCMs with high densities and high thermal conductivities. Therefore, alternate phase change materials based on metallic alloy systems are also being considered as possible TES candidates for future ASD space power systems.

Design optimization and sensitivity analysis of a biomass-fired combined cooling, heating and power system with thermal energy storage systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caliano, Martina; Bianco, Nicola; Graditi, Giorgio; Mongibello, Luigi

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A novel operation strategy for biomass-fired combined cooling, heating and power system is presented. • A design optimization of the system is conducted. • The effects of variation of the incentive for the electricity generation are evaluated. • The effects of the variation of the absorption chiller size and the thermal energy storage system one are evaluated. • The inclusion of a cold storage system into the combined cooling, heating and power system is also analyzed. - Abstract: In this work, an operation strategy for a biomass-fired combined cooling, heating and power system, composed of a cogeneration unit, an absorption chiller, and a thermal energy storage system, is formulated in order to satisfy time-varying energy demands of an Italian cluster of residential multi-apartment buildings. This operation strategy is adopted for performing the economical optimization of the design of two of the devices composing the combined cooling, heating and power system, namely the absorption chiller and the storage system. A sensitivity analysis is carried out in order to evaluate the impact of the incentive for the electricity generation on the optimized results, and also to evaluate, separately, the effects of the variation of the absorption chiller size, and the effects of the variation of the thermal energy storage system size on the system performance. In addition, the inclusion into the system of a cold thermal energy storage system is analyzed, as well, assuming different possible values for the cold storage system cost. The results of the sensitivity analysis indicate that the most influencing factors from the economical point of view are represented by the incentive for the electricity generation and the absorption chiller power. Results also show that the combined use of a thermal energy storage and of a cold thermal energy storage during the hot season could represent a viable solution from the economical point of view.

Thermal energy storages analysis for high temperature in air solar systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andreozzi, Assunta; Buonomo, Bernardo; Manca, Oronzio; Tamburrino, Salvatore

2014-01-01

In this paper a high temperature thermal storage in a honeycomb solid matrix is numerically investigated and a parametric analysis is accomplished. In the formulation of the model it is assumed that the system geometry is cylindrical, the fluid and the solid thermo physical properties are temperature independent and radiative heat transfer is taken into account whereas the effect of gravity is neglected. Air is employed as working fluid and the solid material is cordierite. The evaluation of the fluid dynamic and thermal behaviors is accomplished assuming the honeycomb as a porous medium. The Brinkman–Forchheimer–extended Darcy model is used in the governing equations and the local thermal non equilibrium is assumed. The commercial CFD Fluent code is used to solve the governing equations in transient regime. Numerical simulations are carried out with storage medium for different mass flow rates of the working fluid and different porosity values. Results in terms of temperature profiles, temperatures fields and stored thermal energy as function of time are presented. The effects of storage medium, different porosity values and mass flow rate on stored thermal energy and storage time are shown. - Highlights: • HTTES in a honeycomb solid matrix is numerically investigated. • The numerical analysis is carried out assuming the honeycomb as a porous medium. • The Brinkman–Forchheimer–extended Darcy model is used in the governing equations. • Results are carried out for different mass flow rates and porosity values. • The main effect is due to the porosity which set the thermal energy storage value

Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage for Seasonal Thermal Energy Balance

Science.gov (United States)

Rostampour, Vahab; Bloemendal, Martin; Keviczky, Tamas

2017-04-01

Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) systems allow storing large quantities of thermal energy in subsurface aquifers enabling significant energy savings and greenhouse gas reductions. This is achieved by injection and extraction of water into and from saturated underground aquifers, simultaneously. An ATES system consists of two wells and operates in a seasonal mode. One well is used for the storage of cold water, the other one for the storage of heat. In warm seasons, cold water is extracted from the cold well to provide cooling to a building. The temperature of the extracted cold water increases as it passes through the building climate control systems and then gets simultaneously, injected back into the warm well. This procedure is reversed during cold seasons where the flow direction is reversed such that the warmer water is extracted from the warm well to provide heating to a building. From the perspective of building climate comfort systems, an ATES system is considered as a seasonal storage system that can be a heat source or sink, or as a storage for thermal energy. This leads to an interesting and challenging optimal control problem of the building climate comfort system that can be used to develop a seasonal-based energy management strategy. In [1] we develop a control-oriented model to predict thermal energy balance in a building climate control system integrated with ATES. Such a model however cannot cope with off-nominal but realistic situations such as when the wells are completely depleted, or the start-up phase of newly installed wells, etc., leading to direct usage of aquifer ambient temperature. Building upon our previous work in [1], we here extend the mathematical model for ATES system to handle the above mentioned more realistic situations. Using our improved models, one can more precisely predict system behavior and apply optimal control strategies to manage the building climate comfort along with energy savings and greenhouse gas reductions

Cna 1 spent fuel element interim dry storage system thermal analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hilal, R. E; Garcia, J. C; Delmastro, D. F

2006-01-01

At the moment, the Atucha I Nuclear Power Plant (Cnea-I) located in the city of Lima, has enough room to store its spent fuel (Sf) in their two pools spent fuel until about 2015.In case of life extension a spend fuel element interim dry storage system is needed.Nucleolectrica Argentina S.A. (N A-S A) and the Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica (Cnea), have proposed different interim dry storage systems.These systems have to be evaluated in order to choose one of them.The present work's objective is the thermal analysis of one dry storage alternative for the Sf element of Cna 1.In this work a simple model was developed and used to perform the thermal calculations corresponding to the system proposed by Cnea.This system considers the store of sealed containers with 37 spent fuels in concrete modules.Each one of the containers is filled in the pool houses and transported to the module in a transference cask with lead walls.Fulfill the maximum cladding temperature requirement ( [es

Seasonal thermal energy storage in shallow geothermal systems: thermal equilibrium stage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nowamooz Hossein

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper is dedicated to the study of seasonal heat storage in shallow geothermal installations in unsaturated soils for which hydrothermal properties such as degree of saturation and thermal conductivity vary with time throughout the profile. In the model, a semi-analytical model which estimates time-spatial thermal conductivity is coupled with a 2D cylindrical heat transfer modeling using finite difference method. The variation of temperature was obtained after 3 heating and cooling cycles for the different types of loads with maximum thermal load of qmax = 15 W.m−1 with variable angular frequency (8 months of heating and 4 months of cooling.and constant angular frequency (6 months of heating and 6 months of cooling to estimate the necessary number of cycles to reach the thermal equilibrium stage. The results show that we approach a thermal equilibrium stage where the same variation of temperature can be observed in soils after several heating and cooling cycles. Based on these simulations, the necessary number of cycles can be related to the total applied energy on the system and the minimum number of cycles is for a system with the total applied energy of 1.9qmax.

A coupled nuclear reactor thermal energy storage system for enhanced load following operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alameri, Saeed A.; King, Jeffrey C.

2013-01-01

Nuclear power plants operate most economically at a constant power level, providing base load electric power. In an energy grid containing a high fraction of renewable power sources, nuclear reactors may be subject to significantly variable power demands. These variable power demands can negatively impact the effective capacity factor of the reactor and result in severe economic penalties. Coupling a nuclear reactor to a large thermal energy storage block will allow the reactor to better respond to variable power demands. In the system described in this paper, a Prismatic core Advanced High Temperature Reactor supplies constant power to a lithium chloride molten salt thermal energy storage block that provides thermal power as needed to a closed Brayton cycle energy conversion system. During normal operation, the thermal energy storage block stores thermal energy during the night for use in the times of peak demand during the day. In this case, the nuclear reactor stays at a constant thermal power level. After a loss of forced circulation, the reactor reaches a shut down state in less than half an hour and the average fuel, graphite and coolant temperatures remain well within the design limits over the duration of the transient, demonstrating the inherent safety of the coupled system. (author)

Flexibility of a combined heat and power system with thermal energy storage for district heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nuytten, Thomas; Claessens, Bert; Paredis, Kristof; Van Bael, Johan; Six, Daan

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► A generic model for flexibility assessment of thermal systems is proposed. ► The model is applied to a combined heat and power system with thermal energy storage. ► A centrally located storage offers more flexibility compared to individual units. ► Increasing the flexibility requires both a more powerful CHP and a larger buffer. - Abstract: The trend towards an increased importance of distributed (renewable) energy resources characterized by intermittent operation redefines the energy landscape. The stochastic nature of the energy systems on the supply side requires increased flexibility at the demand side. We present a model that determines the theoretical maximum of flexibility of a combined heat and power system coupled to a thermal energy storage solution that can be either centralized or decentralized. Conventional central heating, to meet the heat demand at peak moments, is also available. The implications of both storage concepts are evaluated in a reference district. The amount of flexibility created in the district heating system is determined by the approach of the system through delayed or forced operation mode. It is found that the distinction between the implementation of the thermal energy storage as a central unit or as a collection of local units, has a dramatic effect on the amount of available flexibility

Energy system investment model incorporating heat pumps with thermal storage in buildings and buffer tanks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hedegaard, Karsten; Balyk, Olexandr

2013-01-01

Individual compression heat pumps constitute a potentially valuable resource in supporting wind power integration due to their economic competitiveness and possibilities for flexible operation. When analysing the system benefits of flexible heat pump operation, effects on investments should be taken into account. In this study, we present a model that facilitates analysing individual heat pumps and complementing heat storages in integration with the energy system, while optimising both investments and operation. The model incorporates thermal building dynamics and covers various heat storage options: passive heat storage in the building structure via radiator heating, active heat storage in concrete floors via floor heating, and use of thermal storage tanks for space heating and hot water. It is shown that the model is well qualified for analysing possibilities and system benefits of operating heat pumps flexibly. This includes prioritising heat pump operation for hours with low marginal electricity production costs, and peak load shaving resulting in a reduced need for peak and reserve capacity investments. - Highlights: • Model optimising heat pumps and heat storages in integration with the energy system. • Optimisation of both energy system investments and operation. • Heat storage in building structure and thermal storage tanks included. • Model well qualified for analysing system benefits of flexible heat pump operation. • Covers peak load shaving and operation prioritised for low electricity prices

Energy managemant through PCM based thermal storage system for building air-conditioning: Tidel Park, Chennai

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nallusamy, N.; Sampath, S.; Velraj, R.

2006-01-01

Many modern building are designed for air-conditioning and the amount of electrical energy required for providing air-conditioning can be very significant especially in the tropics. Conservation of energy is major concern to improve the overall efficiency of the system. Integration is energy storage with the conventional system gives a lot of potential for energy saving and long-term economics. Thermal energy storage systems can improve energy management and help in matching supply and demand patterns. In the present work, a detailed study has been done on the existing thermal energy storage system used in the air-conditioning system in Tidel Park, Chennai. The present study focuses on the cool energy storage system. The modes of operation and advantages of such a system for energy management are highlighted. The reason for the adoption of combined storage system and the size of the storage medium in the air-conditioning plant are analyzed. The possibility of using this concept in other cooling and heating applications, such as storage type solar water heating system, has been explored

Thermodynamic model of a thermal storage air conditioning system with dynamic behavior

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fleming, E; Wen, SY; Shi, L; da Silva, AK

2013-12-01

A thermodynamic model was developed to predict transient behavior of a thermal storage system, using phase change materials (PCMs), for a novel electric vehicle climate conditioning application. The main objectives of the paper are to consider the system's dynamic behavior, such as a dynamic air flow rate into the vehicle's cabin, and to characterize the transient heat transfer process between the thermal storage unit and the vehicle's cabin, while still maintaining accurate solution to the complex phase change heat transfer. The system studied consists of a heat transfer fluid circulating between either of the on-board hot and cold thermal storage units, which we refer to as thermal batteries, and a liquid-air heat exchanger that provides heat exchange with the incoming air to the vehicle cabin. Each thermal battery is a shell-and-tube configuration where a heat transfer fluid flows through parallel tubes, which are surrounded by PCM within a larger shell. The system model incorporates computationally inexpensive semianalytic solution to the conjugated laminar forced convection and phase change problem within the battery and accounts for airside heat exchange using the Number of Transfer Units (NTUs) method for the liquid-air heat exchanger. Using this approach, we are able to obtain an accurate solution to the complex heat transfer problem within the battery while also incorporating the impact of the airside heat transfer on the overall system performance. The implemented model was benchmarked against a numerical study for a melting process and against full system experimental data for solidification using paraffin wax as the PCM. Through modeling, we demonstrate the importance of capturing the airside heat exchange impact on system performance, and we investigate system response to dynamic operating conditions, e.g., air recirculation. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of the charge boost technology for the efficiency increase of closed sorption thermal energy storage systems

Science.gov (United States)

Rohringer, C.; Engel, G.; Köll, R.; Wagner, W.; van Helden, W.

2017-10-01

The inclusion of solar thermal energy into energy systems requires storage possibilities to overcome the gap between supply and demand. Storage of thermal energy with closed sorption thermal energy systems has the advantage of low thermal losses and high energy density. However, the efficiency of these systems needs yet to be increased to become competitive on the market. In this paper, the so-called “charge boost technology” is developed and tested via experiments as a new concept for the efficiency increase of compact thermal energy storages. The main benefit of the charge boost technology is that it can reach a defined state of charge for sorption thermal energy storages at lower temperature levels than classic pure desorption processes. Experiments are conducted to provide a proof of principle for this concept. The results show that the charge boost technology does function as predicted and is a viable option for further improvement of sorption thermal energy storages. Subsequently, a new process application is developed by the author with strong focus on the utilization of the advantages of the charge boost technology over conventional desorption processes. After completion of the conceptual design, the theoretical calculations are validated via experiments.

Discharging process of a finned heat pipe–assisted thermal energy storage system with high temperature phase change material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tiari, Saeed; Qiu, Songgang; Mahdavi, Mahboobe

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The discharging process of a latent heat thermal energy storage system is studied. • The thermal energy storage system is assisted by finned heat pipes. • The influences of heat pipe spacing and fins geometrical features are studied. • Smaller heat pipe spacing enhances the solidification rate. • Better heat pipe and fin arrangements are determined. - Abstract: This paper presents the results of a numerical study conducted to investigate the discharging process of a latent heat thermal energy storage system assisted by finned heat pipes. A two-dimensional finite volume based numerical model along with enthalpy-porosity technique is employed to simulate the phase change of storage media during the discharging mode. The thermal energy storage system in this study consists of a square container, finned heat pipes, and potassium nitrate (KNO 3 ) as the phase change material. The charging process of the same thermal energy storage system was reported in an early paper by the authors. This paper reports the results of discharging process of the thermal energy storage system. The influences of heat pipe spacing, fin geometry and quantities as well as the effects of natural convection heat transfer on the thermal performance of the storage system were studied. The results indicate that the phase change material solidification process is hardly affected by the natural convection. Decreasing the heat pipe spacing results in faster discharging process and higher container base wall temperature. Increasing the fins length does not change the discharging time but yields higher base wall temperature. Using more fins also accelerates the discharging process and increases the container base wall temperature.

Evaluation of thermal energy storage materials for advanced compressed air energy storage systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zaloudek, F.R.; Wheeler, K.R.; Marksberry, L.

1983-03-01

Advanced Compressed-Air Energy Storage (ACAS) plants have the near-term potential to reduce the fuel consumption of compressed-air plants from 33 to 100%, depending upon their design. Fuel is saved by storing some or all of the heat of compression as sensible heat which is subsequently used to reheat the compressed air prior to expansion in the turbine generator. The thermal storage media required for this application must be low cost and durable. The objective of this project was to screen thermal store materials based on their thermal cycle durability, particulate formation and corrosion resistant characteristics. The materials investigated were iron oxide pellets, Denstone pebbles, cast-iron balls, and Dresser basalt rock. The study specifically addressed the problems of particle formation and thermal ratcheting of the materials during thermal cycling and the chemical attack on the materials by the high temperature and moist environment in an ACAS heat storage bed. The results indicate that from the durability standpoint Denstone, cast iron containing 27% or more chromium, and crushed Dresser basalt would possibly stand up to ACAS conditions. If costs are considered in addition to durability and performance, the crushed Dresser basalt would probably be the most desirable heat storage material for adiabatic and hybrid ACAS plants, and more in-depth longer term thermal cycling and materials testing of Dresser basalt is recommended. Also recommended is the redesign and costing analysis of both the hybrid and adiabatic ACAS facilities based upon the use of Dresser basalt as the thermal store material.

Electricity storage using a thermal storage scheme

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

White, Alexander, E-mail: ajw36@cam.ac.uk [Hopkinson Laboratory, Cambridge University Engineering Department, Trumpington Street, Cambridge. CB2 1PZ (United Kingdom)

2015-01-22

The increasing use of renewable energy technologies for electricity generation, many of which have an unpredictably intermittent nature, will inevitably lead to a greater demand for large-scale electricity storage schemes. For example, the expanding fraction of electricity produced by wind turbines will require either backup or storage capacity to cover extended periods of wind lull. This paper describes a recently proposed storage scheme, referred to here as Pumped Thermal Storage (PTS), and which is based on “sensible heat” storage in large thermal reservoirs. During the charging phase, the system effectively operates as a high temperature-ratio heat pump, extracting heat from a cold reservoir and delivering heat to a hot one. In the discharge phase the processes are reversed and it operates as a heat engine. The round-trip efficiency is limited only by process irreversibilities (as opposed to Second Law limitations on the coefficient of performance and the thermal efficiency of the heat pump and heat engine respectively). PTS is currently being developed in both France and England. In both cases, the schemes operate on the Joule-Brayton (gas turbine) cycle, using argon as the working fluid. However, the French scheme proposes the use of turbomachinery for compression and expansion, whereas for that being developed in England reciprocating devices are proposed. The current paper focuses on the impact of the various process irreversibilities on the thermodynamic round-trip efficiency of the scheme. Consideration is given to compression and expansion losses and pressure losses (in pipe-work, valves and thermal reservoirs); heat transfer related irreversibility in the thermal reservoirs is discussed but not included in the analysis. Results are presented demonstrating how the various loss parameters and operating conditions influence the overall performance.

Research opportunities in salt hydrates for thermal energy storage

Science.gov (United States)

Braunstein, J.

1983-11-01

The state of the art of salt hydrates as phase change materials for low temperature thermal energy storage is reviewed. Phase equilibria, nucleation behavior and melting kinetics of the commonly used hydrate are summarized. The development of efficient, reliable inexpensive systems based on phase change materials, especially salt hydrates for the storage (and retrieval) of thermal energy for residential heating is outlined. The use of phase change material thermal energy storage systems is not yet widespread. Additional basic research is needed in the areas of crystallization and melting kinetics, prediction of phase behavior in ternary systems, thermal diffusion in salt hydrate systems, and in the physical properties pertinent to nonequilibrium and equilibrium transformations in these systems.

Screening of metal hydride pairs for closed thermal energy storage systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aswin, N.; Dutta, Pradip; Murthy, S. Srinivasa

2016-01-01

Thermal energy storage systems based on metal/hydrides usually are closed systems composed of two beds of metal/alloy – one meant for energy storage and the other for hydrogen storage. It can be shown that a feasible operating cycle for such a system using a pair of metals/alloys operating between specified temperature values can be ensured if the equilibrium hydrogen intake characteristics satisfy certain criteria. In addition, application of first law of thermodynamics to an idealized operating cycle can provide the upper bounds of selected performance indices, namely volumetric energy storage density, energy storage efficiency and peak discharge temperature. This is demonstrated for a representative system composed of LaNi 4.7 Al 0.3 –LaNi 5 operating between 353 K and 303 K which gave values of about 56 kW h m −3 for volumetric storage density, about 85% for energy storage efficiency and 343 K for peak discharge temperature. A system level heat and mass transfer study considering the reaction kinetics, hydrogen flow between the beds and heat exchanger models is presented which gave second level estimates of about 40 kW h m −3 for volumetric energy storage density, 73% for energy storage efficiency and 334 K for peak temperature for the representative system. The results from such studies lead to identifying metal/alloy pairs which can be shortlisted for detailed studies.

Heat transfer efficient thermal energy storage for steam generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adinberg, R.; Zvegilsky, D.; Epstein, M.

2010-01-01

A novel reflux heat transfer storage (RHTS) concept for producing high-temperature superheated steam in the temperature range 350-400 deg. C was developed and tested. The thermal storage medium is a metallic substance, Zinc-Tin alloy, which serves as the phase change material (PCM). A high-temperature heat transfer fluid (HTF) is added to the storage medium in order to enhance heat exchange within the storage system, which comprises PCM units and the associated heat exchangers serving for charging and discharging the storage. The applied heat transfer mechanism is based on the HTF reflux created by a combined evaporation-condensation process. It was shown that a PCM with a fraction of 70 wt.% Zn in the alloy (Zn70Sn30) is optimal to attain a storage temperature of 370 deg. C, provided the heat source such as solar-produced steam or solar-heated synthetic oil has a temperature of about 400 deg. C (typical for the parabolic troughs technology). This PCM melts gradually between temperatures 200 and 370 deg. C preserving the latent heat of fusion, mainly of the Zn-component, that later, at the stage of heat discharge, will be available for producing steam. The thermal storage concept was experimentally studied using a lab scale apparatus that enabled investigating of storage materials (the PCM-HTF system) simultaneously with carrying out thermal performance measurements and observing heat transfer effects occurring in the system. The tests produced satisfactory results in terms of thermal stability and compatibility of the utilized storage materials, alloy Zn70Sn30 and the eutectic mixture of biphenyl and diphenyl oxide, up to a working temperature of 400 deg. C. Optional schemes for integrating the developed thermal storage into a solar thermal electric plant are discussed and evaluated considering a pilot scale solar plant with thermal power output of 12 MW. The storage should enable uninterrupted operation of solar thermal electric systems during additional hours

Hot Thermal Storage in a Variable Power, Renewable Energy System

Science.gov (United States)

2014-06-01

where cost effective, increase the utilization of distributed electric power generation through wind, solar, geothermal , and biomass renewable...characteristics and may not necessarily be available in all cases. Types of direct heat energy systems include solar thermal, waste heat, and geothermal ...of super capacitor energy storage system in microgrid,” in International Conference on Sustainable Power Generation and Supply, Janjing, China

Comparative analysis on operation strategies of CCHP system with cool thermal storage for a data center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Xu; Liu, Liuchen; Zhu, Tong; Zhang, Tao; Wu, Zhu

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Load characteristics of the data center make a good match with CCHP systems. • TRNSYS models was used to simulate the discussed CCHP system in a data center. • Comprehensive system performance under two operation strategies were evaluated. • Cool thermal storage was introduced to reuse the energy surplus by FEL system. • The suitable principle of equipment selection for a FEL system were proposed. - Abstract: Combined Cooling, Heating, and Power (CCHP) systems with cool thermal storage can provide an appropriate energy supply for data centers. In this work, we evaluate the CCHP system performance under two different operation strategies, i.e., following thermal load (FTL) and following electric load (FEL). The evaluation is performed through a case study by using TRNSYS software. In the FEL system, the amount of cool thermal energy generated by the absorption chillers is larger than the cooling load and it can be therefore stored and reused at the off-peak times. Results indicate that systems under both operation strategies have advantages in the fields of energy saving and environmental protection. The largest percentage of reduction of primary energy consumption, CO_2 emissions, and operation cost for the FEL system, are 18.5%, 37.4% and 46.5%, respectively. Besides, the system performance is closely dependent on the equipment selection. The relation between the amount of energy recovered through cool thermal storage and the primary energy consumption has also been taken into account. Moreover, the introduction of cool thermal storage can adjust the heat to power ratio on the energy supply side close to that on the consumer side and consequently promote system flexibility and energy efficiency.

Experimental analysis of a low cost phase change material emulsion for its use as thermal storage system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delgado, Mónica; Lázaro, Ana; Mazo, Javier; Peñalosa, Conchita; Dolado, Pablo; Zalba, Belén

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A low cost PCM emulsion has been analyzed as thermal energy storage system. • Its thermophysical and rheological properties have been determined. • The system shows advantages in terms of energy density and heat transfer rate. • The PCM emulsion system has been compared to other thermal energy storage systems. - Abstract: A 46 l commercial tank with a helical coil heat exchanger and containing a low cost phase change material emulsion has been experimentally analyzed as a thermal energy storage system in terms of volumetric energy density and heat transfer rate, for its subsequent comparison with other thermal energy storage systems. This phase change material emulsion shows a phase change temperature range between 30 and 50 °C, its solids content is about 60% with an average particle size of 1 μm. The low cost phase change material emulsion shows a thermal storage capacity by mass 50% higher than water and an increase in viscosity up to 2–5 orders of magnitude. The results have shown that the global heat transfer coefficient of the phase change material emulsion tank is around 2–6 times higher than for conventional latent systems previously analyzed in literature, although 5 times lower than if it contains water. The phase change material emulsion tank presents an energy density 34% higher than the water tank, which makes it a promising solution. Measures to improve its performance are also studied in this work.

Thermal Feature of a Modified Solar Phase Change Material Storage Wall System

OpenAIRE

Luo, Chenglong; Xu, Lijie; Ji, Jie; Liao, Mengyin; Sun, Dan

2018-01-01

This work is to study a novel solar PCM storage wall technology, that is, a dual-channel and thermal-insulation-in-the-middle type solar PCM storage wall (MSPCMW) system. The system has the following four independent functions, passive solar heating, heat preservation, heat insulation, and passive cooling, and it can agilely cope with the requirements of climatization of buildings in different seasons throughout the year and is exactly suitable for building in regions characterized by hot sum...

Thermal energy storage for smart grid applications

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Hallaj, Said; Khateeb, Siddique; Aljehani, Ahmed; Pintar, Mike

2018-01-01

Energy consumption for commercial building cooling accounts for 15% of all commercial building's electricity usage [1]. Electric utility companies charge their customers time of use consumption charges (/kWh) and additionally demand usage charges (/kW) to limit peak energy consumption and offset their high operating costs. Thus, there is an economic incentive to reduce both the electricity consumption charges and demand charges by developing new energy efficient technologies. Thermal energy storage (TES) systems using a phase change material (PCM) is one such technology that can reduce demand charges and shift the demand from on-peak to off-peak rates. Ice and chilled water have been used in thermal storage systems for many decades, but they have certain limitations, which include a phase change temperature of 0 degrees Celsius and relatively low thermal conductivity in comparison to other materials, which limit their applications as a storage medium. To overcome these limitations, a novel phase change composite (PCC) TES material was developed that has much higher thermal conductivity that significantly improves the charge / discharge rate and a customizable phase change temperature to allow for better integration with HVAC systems. Compared to ice storage, the PCC TES system is capable of very high heat transfer rate and has lower system and operational costs. Economic analysis was performed to compare the PCC TES system with ice system and favorable economics was proven. A 4.5 kWh PCC TES prototype system was also designed for testing and validation purpose.

Energy efficient hybrid nanocomposite-based cool thermal storage air conditioning system for sustainable buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parameshwaran, R.; Kalaiselvam, S.

2013-01-01

The quest towards energy conservative building design is increasingly popular in recent years, which has triggered greater interests in developing energy efficient systems for space cooling in buildings. In this work, energy efficient silver–titania HiTES (hybrid nanocomposites-based cool thermal energy storage) system combined with building A/C (air conditioning) system was experimentally investigated for summer and winter design conditions. HiNPCM (hybrid nanocomposite particles embedded PCM) used as the heat storage material has exhibited 7.3–58.4% of improved thermal conductivity than at its purest state. The complete freezing time for HiNPCM was reduced by 15% which was attributed to its improved thermophysical characteristics. Experimental results suggest that the effective energy redistribution capability of HiTES system has contributed for reduction in the chiller nominal cooling capacity by 46.3% and 39.6% respectively, under part load and on-peak load operating conditions. The HiTES A/C system achieved 27.3% and 32.5% of on-peak energy savings potential in summer and winter respectively compared to the conventional A/C system. For the same operating conditions, this system yield 8.3%, 12.2% and 7.2% and 10.2% of per day average and yearly energy conservation respectively. This system can be applied for year-round space conditioning application without sacrificing energy efficiency in buildings. - Highlights: • Energy storage is acquired by HiTES (hybrid nanocomposites-thermal storage) system. • Thermal conductivity of HiNPCM (hybrid nanocomposites-PCM) was improved by 58.4%. • Freezing time of HiNPCM was reduced by 15% that enabled improved energy efficiency. • Chiller nominal capacity was reduced by 46.3% and 39.6% in on-peak and part load respectively. • HiTES A/C system achieved appreciable energy savings in the range of 8.3–12.2%

Thermal energy storage for a space solar dynamic power system

Science.gov (United States)

Faget, N. M.; Fraser, W. M., Jr.; Simon, W. E.

1985-01-01

In the past, NASA has employed solar photovoltaic devices for long-duration missions. Thus, the Skylab system has operated with a silicon photovoltaic array and a nickel-cadmium electrochemical system energy storage system. Difficulties regarding the employment of such a system for the larger power requirements of the Space Station are related to a low orbit system efficiency and the large weight of the battery. For this reason the employment of a solar dynamic power system (SDPS) has been considered. The primary components of an SDPS include a concentrating mirror, a heat receiver, a thermal energy storage (TES) system, a thermodynamic heat engine, an alternator, and a heat rejection system. The heat-engine types under consideration are a Brayton cycle engine, an organic Rankine cycle engine, and a free-piston/linear-alternator Stirling cycle engine. Attention is given to a system description, TES integration concepts, and a TES technology assessment.

The thermal impact of aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) systems: a case study in the Netherlands, combining monitoring and modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Visser, Philip W.; Kooi, Henk; Stuyfzand, Pieter J.

2015-05-01

Results are presented of a comprehensive thermal impact study on an aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) system in Bilthoven, the Netherlands. The study involved monitoring of the thermal impact and modeling of the three-dimensional temperature evolution of the storage aquifer and over- and underlying units. Special attention was paid to non-uniformity of the background temperature, which varies laterally and vertically in the aquifer. Two models were applied with different levels of detail regarding initial conditions and heterogeneity of hydraulic and thermal properties: a fine-scale heterogeneity model which construed the lateral and vertical temperature distribution more realistically, and a simplified model which represented the aquifer system with only a limited number of homogeneous layers. Fine-scale heterogeneity was shown to be important to accurately model the ATES-impacted vertical temperature distribution and the maximum and minimum temperatures in the storage aquifer, and the spatial extent of the thermal plumes. The fine-scale heterogeneity model resulted in larger thermally impacted areas and larger temperature anomalies than the simplified model. The models showed that scattered and scarce monitoring data of ATES-induced temperatures can be interpreted in a useful way by groundwater and heat transport modeling, resulting in a realistic assessment of the thermal impact.

Experimental and numerical study of latent heat thermal energy storage systems assisted by heat pipes for concentrated solar power application

Science.gov (United States)

Tiari, Saeed

A desirable feature of concentrated solar power (CSP) with integrated thermal energy storage (TES) unit is to provide electricity in a dispatchable manner during cloud transient and non-daylight hours. Latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) offers many advantages such as higher energy storage density, wider range of operating temperature and nearly isothermal heat transfer relative to sensible heat thermal energy storage (SHTES), which is the current standard for trough and tower CSP systems. Despite the advantages mentioned above, LHTES systems performance is often limited by low thermal conductivity of commonly used, low cost phase change materials (PCMs). Research and development of passive heat transfer devices, such as heat pipes (HPs) to enhance the heat transfer in the PCM has received considerable attention. Due to its high effective thermal conductivity, heat pipe can transport large amounts of heat with relatively small temperature difference. The objective of this research is to study the charging and discharging processes of heat pipe-assisted LHTES systems using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and experimental testing to develop a method for more efficient energy storage system design. The results revealed that the heat pipe network configurations and the quantities of heat pipes integrated in a thermal energy storage system have a profound effect on the thermal response of the system. The optimal placement of heat pipes in the system can significantly enhance the thermal performance. It was also found that the inclusion of natural convection heat transfer in the CFD simulation of the system is necessary to have a realistic prediction of a latent heat thermal storage system performance. In addition, the effects of geometrical features and quantity of fins attached to the HPs have been studied.

Miscibility gap alloys with inverse microstructures and high thermal conductivity for high energy density thermal storage applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugo, Heber; Kisi, Erich; Cuskelly, Dylan

2013-01-01

New high energy-density thermal storage materials are proposed which use miscibility gap binary alloy systems to operate through the latent heat of fusion of one component dispersed in a thermodynamically stable matrix. Using trial systems Al–Sn and Fe–Cu, we demonstrate the development of the required inverse microstructure (low melting point phase embedded in high melting point matrix) and excellent thermal storage potential. Several other candidate systems are discussed. It is argued that such systems offer enhancement over conventional phase change thermal storage by using high thermal conductivity microstructures (50–400 W/m K); minimum volume of storage systems due to high energy density latent heat of fusion materials (0.2–2.2 MJ/L); and technical utility through adaptability to a great variety of end uses. Low (<300 °C), mid (300–400 °C) and high (600–1400 °C) temperature options exist for applications ranging from space heating and process drying to concentrated solar thermal energy conversion and waste heat recovery. -- Highlights: ► Alloys of immiscible metals are proposed as thermal storage systems. ► High latent heat of fusion per unit volume and tunable temperature are advantageous. ► Thermal storage systems with capacities of 0.2–2.2 MJ/L are identified. ► Heat delivery is via a rigid non-reactive high thermal conductivity matrix. ► The required inverse microstructures were developed for Sn–Al and Cu–Fe systems

Thermal Performance of the Storage Brick Containing Microencapsulated PCM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Dong Gyu

1998-02-01

The utilization of microencapsulated phase change materials(PCMs) provides several advantages over conventional PCM application. The heat storage system, as well as heat recovery system, can be built to a smaller size than the normal systems for a given thermal cycling capacity. This microencapsulated PCM technique has not yet been commercialized, however. In this work sodium acetate trihydrate(CH 3 COONa · 3H 2 O) was selected for the PCM and was encapsulated. This microencapsulated PCM was mixed with cement mortar for utilization as a floor heating system. In this experiment performed here the main purpose was to investigate the thermal performance of a storage brick with microencapsulated PCM concentration. The thermal performance of this storage brick is dependent on PCM concentration, flow rate and cooling temperature of the heat transfer fluid, etc. The results showed that cycle time was shortened as the PCM content was increased and as the mass flow rate was increased. The same effect was obtained when the cooling temperature was decreased. For each thermal storage brick the overall heat transfer coefficient(U-value) was constant for a 0% brick, but was increased with time for the bricks containing microencapsulated PCM. For the same mass flow rate, as the cooling temperature decreased, the amount of heat withdrawn increased, and in particular a critical cooling temperature was found for each thermal storage brick. The average effectiveness of each thermal storage brick was found to be approximately 48%, 51% and 58% respectively

Seasonal Thermal-Energy Storage: A Critical Review on BTES Systems, Modeling, and System Design for Higher System Efficiency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Lanahan

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Buildings consume approximately ¾ of the total electricity generated in the United States, contributing significantly to fossil fuel emissions. Sustainable and renewable energy production can reduce fossil fuel use, but necessitates storage for energy reliability in order to compensate for the intermittency of renewable energy generation. Energy storage is critical for success in developing a sustainable energy grid because it facilitates higher renewable energy penetration by mitigating the gap between energy generation and demand. This review analyzes recent case studies—numerical and field experiments—seen by borehole thermal energy storage (BTES in space heating and domestic hot water capacities, coupled with solar thermal energy. System design, model development, and working principle(s are the primary focus of this analysis. A synopsis of the current efforts to effectively model BTES is presented as well. The literature review reveals that: (1 energy storage is most effective when diurnal and seasonal storage are used in conjunction; (2 no established link exists between BTES computational fluid dynamics (CFD models integrated with whole building energy analysis tools, rather than parameter-fit component models; (3 BTES has less geographical limitations than Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES and lower installation cost scale than hot water tanks and (4 BTES is more often used for heating than for cooling applications.

Solidification of high temperature molten salts for thermal energy storage systems

Science.gov (United States)

Sheffield, J. W.

1981-01-01

The solidification of phase change materials for the high temperature thermal energy storage system of an advanced solar thermal power system has been examined theoretically. In light of the particular thermophysical properties of candidate phase change high temperature salts, such as the eutectic mixture of NaF - MgF2, the heat transfer characteristics of one-dimensional inward solidification for a cylindrical geometry have been studied. The Biot number for the solidified salt is shown to be the critical design parameter for constant extraction heat flux. A fin-on-fin design concept of heat transfer surface augmentation is proposed in an effort to minimize the effects of the salt's low thermal conductivity and large volume change upon fusing.

Integration of Decentralized Thermal Storages Within District Heating (DH Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schuchardt Georg K.

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Thermal Storages and Thermal Accumulators are an important component within District Heating (DH systems, adding flexibility and offering additional business opportunities for these systems. Furthermore, these components have a major impact on the energy and exergy efficiency as well as the heat losses of the heat distribution system. Especially the integration of Thermal Storages within ill-conditioned parts of the overall DH system enhances the efficiency of the heat distribution. Regarding an illustrative and simplified example for a DH system, the interactions of different heat storage concepts (centralized and decentralized and the heat losses, energy and exergy efficiencies will be examined by considering the thermal state of the heat distribution network.

Numerical Modeling of a Shallow Borehole Thermal Energy Storage System

Science.gov (United States)

Catolico, N.; Ge, S.; Lu, N.; McCartney, J. S.

2014-12-01

Borehole thermal energy storage (BTES) combined with solar thermal energy harvesting is an economic technological system to garner and store energy as well as an environmentally-sustainable alternative for the heating of buildings. The first community-scale BTES system in North America was installed in 2007 in the Drake Landing Solar Community (DLSC), about 35 miles south of Calgary, Canada. The BTES system involves direct circulation of water heated from solar thermal panels in the summer into a storage tank, after which it is circulate within an array of 144 closed-loop geothermal heat exchangers having a depth of 35 m and a spacing of 2.5 m. In the winter the circulation direction is reversed to supply heat to houses. Data collection over a six year period indicates that this system can supply more than 90% of the winter heating energy needs for 52 houses in the community. One major challenge facing the BTES system technology is the relatively low annual efficiency, i.e., the ratio of energy input and output is in the range of 15% to 40% for the system in Drake Landing. To better understand the working principles of BTES and to improve BTES performance for future applications at larger scales, a three-dimensional transient coupled fluid and heat transfer model is established using TOUGH2. The time-dependent injection temperatures and circulation rate measured over the six years of monitoring are used as model input. The simulations are calibrated using soil temperature data measured at different locations over time. The time-dependent temperature distributions within the borehole region agree well with the measured temperatures for soil with an intrinsic permeability of 10e-19 m2, an apparent thermal conductivity of 2.03 W/m°C, and a volumetric heat capacity of 2.31 MJ/m-3°C. The calibrated model serves as the basis for a sensitivity analysis of soil and operational parameters on BTES system efficiency preformed with TOUGH2. Preliminary results suggest 1) BTES

Molten Salt-Carbon Nanotube Thermal Energy Storage for Concentrating Solar Power Systems Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michael Schuller; Frank Little; Darren Malik; Matt Betts; Qian Shao; Jun Luo; Wan Zhong; Sandhya Shankar; Ashwin Padmanaban

2012-03-30

We demonstrated that adding nanoparticles to a molten salt would increase its utility as a thermal energy storage medium for a concentrating solar power system. Specifically, we demonstrated that we could increase the specific heat of nitrate and carbonate salts containing 1% or less of alumina nanoparticles. We fabricated the composite materials using both evaporative and air drying methods. We tested several thermophysical properties of the composite materials, including the specific heat, thermal conductivity, latent heat, and melting point. We also assessed the stability of the composite material with repeated thermal cycling and the effects of adding the nanoparticles on the corrosion of stainless steel by the composite salt. Our results indicate that stable, repeatable 25-50% improvements in specific heat are possible for these materials. We found that using these composite salts as the thermal energy storage material for a concentrating solar thermal power system can reduce the levelized cost of electricity by 10-20%. We conclude that these materials are worth further development and inclusion in future concentrating solar power systems.

Heat transfer enhancement in triplex-tube latent thermal energy storage system with selected arrangements of fins

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Liang; Xing, Yuming; Liu, Xin; Rui, Zhoufeng

2018-01-01

The use of thermal energy storage systems can effectively reduce energy consumption and improve the system performance. One of the promising ways for thermal energy storage system is application of phase change materials (PCMs). In this study, a two-dimensional numerical model is presented to investigate the heat transfer enhancement during the melting/solidification process in a triplex tube heat exchanger (TTHX) by using fluent software. The thermal conduction and natural convection are all taken into account in the simulation of the melting/solidification process. As the volume fraction of fin is kept to be a constant, the influence of proposed fin arrangement on temporal profile of liquid fraction over the melting process is studied and reported. By rotating the unit with different angle, the simulation shows that the melting time varies a little, which means that the installation error can be reduced by the selected fin arrangement. The proposed fin arrangement also can effectively reduce time of the solidification of the PCM by investigating the solidification process. To summarize, this work presents a shape optimization for the improvement of the thermal energy storage system by considering both thermal energy charging and discharging process.

Solar-thermal-energy collection/storage-pond system

Science.gov (United States)

Blahnik, D.E.

1982-03-25

A solar thermal energy collection and storage system is disclosed. Water is contained, and the water surface is exposed directly to the sun. The central part of an impermeable membrane is positioned below the water's surface and above its bottom with a first side of the membrane pointing generally upward in its central portion. The perimeter part of the membrane is placed to create a watertight boundary separating the water into a first volume which is directly exposable to the sun and which touches the membranes first side, and a second volumn which touches the membranes second side. A salt is dissolved in the first water volume.

Thermal System Analysis and Optimization of Large-Scale Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhongguang Fu

2015-08-01

Full Text Available As an important solution to issues regarding peak load and renewable energy resources on grids, large-scale compressed air energy storage (CAES power generation technology has recently become a popular research topic in the area of large-scale industrial energy storage. At present, the combination of high-expansion ratio turbines with advanced gas turbine technology is an important breakthrough in energy storage technology. In this study, a new gas turbine power generation system is coupled with current CAES technology. Moreover, a thermodynamic cycle system is optimized by calculating for the parameters of a thermodynamic system. Results show that the thermal efficiency of the new system increases by at least 5% over that of the existing system.

Thermal analysis of the failed equipment storage vault system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jerrell, J.; Lee, S.Y.; Shadday, A.

1995-07-01

A storage facility for failed glass melters is required for radioactive operation of the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). It is currently proposed that the failed melters be stored in the Failed Equipment Storage Vaults (FESV's) in S area. The FESV's are underground reinforced concrete structures constructed in pairs, with adjacent vaults sharing a common wall. A failed melter is to be placed in a steel Melter Storage Box (MSB), sealed, and lowered into the vault. A concrete lid is then placed over the top of the FESV. Two melters will be placed within the FESV/MSB system, separated by the common wall. There is no forced ventilation within the vault so that the melter is passively cooled. Temperature profiles in the Failed Equipment Storage Vault Structures have been generated using the FLOW3D software to model heat conduction and convection within the FESV/MSB system. Due to complexities in modeling radiation with FLOW3D, P/THERMAL software has been used to model radiation using the conduction/convection temperature results from FLOW3D. The final conjugate model includes heat transfer by conduction, convection, and radiation to predict steady-state temperatures. Also, the FLOW3D software has been validated as required by the technical task request

Radiation Heat Transfer Modeling Improved for Phase-Change, Thermal Energy Storage Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Kerslake, Thomas W.; Jacqmin, David A.

1998-01-01

Spacecraft solar dynamic power systems typically use high-temperature phase-change materials to efficiently store thermal energy for heat engine operation in orbital eclipse periods. Lithium fluoride salts are particularly well suited for this application because of their high heat of fusion, long-term stability, and appropriate melting point. Considerable attention has been focused on the development of thermal energy storage (TES) canisters that employ either pure lithium fluoride (LiF), with a melting point of 1121 K, or eutectic composition lithium-fluoride/calcium-difluoride (LiF-20CaF2), with a 1040 K melting point, as the phase-change material. Primary goals of TES canister development include maximizing the phase-change material melt fraction, minimizing the canister mass per unit of energy storage, and maximizing the phase-change material thermal charge/discharge rates within the limits posed by the container structure.

Development of a thermal storage system based on the heat of adsorption of water in hygroscopic materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wijsman, A.J.T.M.; Oosterhaven, R.; Ouden, C. den

1979-01-01

A thermal storage system based on the heat of adsorption of water in hygroscopic materials has been studied as a component of a solar space heating system. The aim of this project is to decrease the storage volume in comparison with a rock-bed storage system by increasing the stored energy density.

Heat transfer and thermal storage performance of an open thermosyphon type thermal storage unit with tubular phase change material canisters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Ping-Yang; Hu, Bo-Wen; Liu, Zhen-Hua

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A novel open heat pipe thermal storage unit is design to improve its performance. • Mechanism of its operation is phase-change heat transfer. • Tubular canisters with phase change material were placed in thermal storage unit. • Experiment and analysis are carried out to investigate its operation properties. - Abstract: A novel open thermosyphon-type thermal storage unit is presented to improve design and performance of heat pipe type thermal storage unit. In the present study, tubular canisters filled with a solid–liquid phase change material are vertically placed in the middle of the thermal storage unit. The phase change material melts at 100 °C. Water is presented as the phase-change heat transfer medium of the thermal storage unit. The tubular canister is wrapped tightly with a layer of stainless steel mesh to increase the surface wettability. The heat transfer mechanism of charging/discharging is similar to that of the thermosyphon. Heat transfer between the heat resource or cold resource and the phase change material in this device occurs in the form of a cyclic phase change of the heat-transfer medium, which occurs on the surface of the copper tubes and has an extremely high heat-transfer coefficient. A series of experiments and theoretical analyses are carried out to investigate the properties of the thermal storage unit, including power distribution, start-up performance, and temperature difference between the phase change material and the surrounding vapor. The results show that the whole system has excellent heat-storage/heat-release performance

Low temperature desalination using solar collectors augmented by thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gude, Veera Gnaneswar; Nirmalakhandan, Nagamany; Deng, Shuguang; Maganti, Anand

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► A new low temperature desalination process using solar collectors was investigated. ► A thermal energy storage tank (TES) was included for continuous process operation. ► Solar collector area and TES volumes were optimized by theoretical simulations. ► Economic analysis for the entire process was compared with and without TES tank. ► Energy and emission payback periods for the solar collector system were reported. -- Abstract: A low temperature desalination process capable of producing 100 L/d freshwater was designed to utilize solar energy harvested from flat plate solar collectors. Since solar insolation is intermittent, a thermal energy storage system was incorporated to run the desalination process round the clock. The requirements for solar collector area as well as thermal energy storage volume were estimated based on the variations in solar insolation. Results from this theoretical study confirm that thermal energy storage is a useful component of the system for conserving thermal energy to meet the energy demand when direct solar energy resource is not available. Thermodynamic advantages of the low temperature desalination using thermal energy storage, as well as energy and environmental emissions payback period of the system powered by flat plate solar collectors are presented. It has been determined that a solar collector area of 18 m 2 with a thermal energy storage volume of 3 m 3 is adequate to produce 100 L/d of freshwater round the clock considering fluctuations in the weather conditions. An economic analysis on the desalination system with thermal energy storage is also presented.

Development and prototype testing of MgCl 2 /graphite foam latent heat thermal energy storage system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Dileep; Yu, Wenhua; Zhao, Weihuan; Kim, Taeil; France, David M.; Smith, Roger K.

2018-01-01

Composites of graphite foam infiltrated with a magnesium chloride phase-change material have been developed as high-temperature thermal energy storage media for concentrated solar power applications. This storage medium provides a high thermal energy storage density, a narrow operating temperature range, and excellent heat transfer characteristics. In this study, experimental investigations were conducted on laboratory-scale prototypes with magnesium chloride/graphite foam composite as the latent heat thermal energy storage system. Prototypes were designed and built to monitor the melt front movement during the charging/discharging tests. A test loop was built to ensure the charging/discharging of the prototypes at temperatures > 700 degrees C. Repeated thermal cycling experiments were carried out on the fabricated prototypes, and the experimental temperature profiles were compared to the predicted results from numerical simulations using COMSOL Multiphysics software. Experimental results were found to be in good agreement with the simulations to validate the thermal models.

Modeling Pumped Thermal Energy Storage with Waste Heat Harvesting

Science.gov (United States)

Abarr, Miles L. Lindsey

This work introduces a new concept for a utility scale combined energy storage and generation system. The proposed design utilizes a pumped thermal energy storage (PTES) system, which also utilizes waste heat leaving a natural gas peaker plant. This system creates a low cost utility-scale energy storage system by leveraging this dual-functionality. This dissertation first presents a review of previous work in PTES as well as the details of the proposed integrated bottoming and energy storage system. A time-domain system model was developed in Mathworks R2016a Simscape and Simulink software to analyze this system. Validation of both the fluid state model and the thermal energy storage model are provided. The experimental results showed the average error in cumulative fluid energy between simulation and measurement was +/- 0.3% per hour. Comparison to a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) model showed heat transfer. The system model was used to conduct sensitivity analysis, baseline performance, and levelized cost of energy of a recently proposed Pumped Thermal Energy Storage and Bottoming System (Bot-PTES) that uses ammonia as the working fluid. This analysis focused on the effects of hot thermal storage utilization, system pressure, and evaporator/condenser size on the system performance. This work presents the estimated performance for a proposed baseline Bot-PTES. Results of this analysis showed that all selected parameters had significant effects on efficiency, with the evaporator/condenser size having the largest effect over the selected ranges. Results for the baseline case showed stand-alone energy storage efficiencies between 51 and 66% for varying power levels and charge states, and a stand-alone bottoming efficiency of 24%. The resulting efficiencies for this case were low compared to competing technologies; however, the dual-functionality of the Bot-PTES enables it to have higher capacity factor, leading to 91-197/MWh levelized cost of energy compared to 262

Investigation of diffusional transport of heat and its enhancement in phase-change thermal energy storage systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saraswat, Amit; Bhattacharjee, Rajdeep; Verma, Ankit; Das, Malay K.; Khandekar, Sameer

2017-01-01

Thermal energy storage in general, and phase-change materials (PCMs) in particular, have been a major topic of research for the last thirty years. Due to their favorable thermo-dynamical characteristics, such as high density, specific heat and latent heat of fusion, PCMs are usually employed as working fluids for thermal storage. However, low thermal conductivities of organic PCMs have posed a continuous challenge in its large scale deployment. This study focuses on experimental and numerical investigation of the melting process of industrial grade paraffin wax inside a semi-cylindrical enclosure with a heating strip attached axially along the center of semi-cylinder. During the first part of the study, the solid-liquid interface location, the liquid flow patterns in the melt pool, and the spatial and temporal variation of PCM temperature were recorded. For numerical simulation of the system, open source library OpenFOAM® was used in order to solve the coupled Navier-Stokes and energy equations in the considered system. It is seen that the enthalpy-porosity technique implemented on OpenFOAM® is reasonably well suited for handling melting/solidification problems and can be employed for system level design. Next, to overcome the inherent thermal limitations of PCM storage material, the study further explored the potential of coupling the existing heat source with copper-water heat pipes, so as to help augment the rate of heat dissipation within the medium by increasing the effective system-level thermal conductivity. Integration of heat pipes led to enhanced transport, and hence, a substantial decrease in the total required melting time. The study provides a framework for designing of large systems with integration of heat pipes with PCM based thermal storage systems.

Advanced Thermal Storage System with Novel Molten Salt: December 8, 2011 - April 30, 2013

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jonemann, M.

2013-05-01

Final technical progress report of Halotechnics Subcontract No. NEU-2-11979-01. Halotechnics has demonstrated an advanced thermal energy storage system with a novel molten salt operating at 700 degrees C. The molten salt and storage system will enable the use of advanced power cycles such as supercritical steam and supercritical carbon dioxide in next generation CSP plants. The salt consists of low cost, earth abundant materials.

Heat pipe solar receiver with thermal energy storage

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmerman, W. F.

1981-01-01

An HPSR Stirling engine generator system featuring latent heat thermal energy storge, excellent thermal stability and self regulating, effective thermal transport at low system delta T is described. The system was supported by component technology testing of heat pipes and of thermal storage and energy transport models which define the expected performance of the system. Preliminary and detailed design efforts were completed and manufacturing of HPSR components has begun.

Advanced storage concepts for solar thermal systems in low energy buildings. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Furbo, S.; Andersen, Elsa; Schultz, Joergen M.

2006-04-07

The aim of Task 32 is to develop new and advanced heat storage systems which are economic and technical suitable as long-term heat storage systems for solar heating plants with a high degree of coverage. The project is international and Denmark's participation has focused on Subtask A, C, and D. In Subtask A Denmark has contributed to a status report about heat storage systems. In Subtask C Denmark has focused on liquid thermal storage tanks based on NaCH{sub 3}COO?3H{sub 2}O with a melting point of 58 deg. C. Theoretical and experimental tests have been conducted in order to establish optimum conditions for storage design. In Subtask D theoretical and experimental tests of optimum designs for advanced water tanks for solar heating plants for combined space heating and domestic hot water have been conducted. (BA)

Energy Storage System by Means of Improved Thermal Performance of a 3 MW Grid Side Wind Power Converter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Qin, Zian; Liserre, Marco; Blaabjerg, Frede

2013-01-01

method of the energy storage system. Then the conventional thermal evaluation approach is simplified for evaluation with long term wind profile. The case studies are done to address the optimal power size and capacity of the energy storage system by comparing the improvement of the thermal performance....... Also, the two promising candidates, ultracapacitors and batteries, are compared....

Thermal energy storage system using phase change materials: Constant heat source

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reddy Meenakshi R.

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The usage of phase change materials (PCM to store the heat in the form of latent heat is increased, because large quantity of thermal energy is stored in smaller volumes. In the present experimental investigation paraffin and stearic acid are employed as PCMs in thermal energy storage (TES system to store the heat as sensible and latent heat also. A constant heat source is used to supply heat transfer fluid (HTF at constant temperature to the TES system. In the TES system PCMs are stored in the form of spherical capsules of 38 mm diameter made of high density poly ethylene (HDPE. The results of the investigation are related to the charging time and recovery of stored energy from the TES system.

Numerical study of finned heat pipe-assisted thermal energy storage system with high temperature phase change material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tiari, Saeed; Qiu, Songgang; Mahdavi, Mahboobe

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A finned heat pipe-assisted latent heat thermal energy storage system is studied. • The effects of heat pipes spacing and fins geometrical features are investigated. • Smaller heat pipes spacing and longer fins improve the melting rate. • The optimal heat pipe and fin arrangements are determined. - Abstract: In the present study, the thermal characteristics of a finned heat pipe-assisted latent heat thermal energy storage system are investigated numerically. A transient two-dimensional finite volume based model employing enthalpy-porosity technique is implemented to analyze the performance of a thermal energy storage unit with square container and high melting temperature phase change material. The effects of heat pipe spacing, fin length and numbers and the influence of natural convection on the thermal response of the thermal energy storage unit have been studied. The obtained results reveal that the natural convection has considerable effect on the melting process of the phase change material. Increasing the number of heat pipes (decreasing the heat pipe spacing) leads to the increase of melting rate and the decrease of base wall temperature. Also, the increase of fin length results in the decrease of temperature difference within the phase change material in the container, providing more uniform temperature distribution. It was also shown that number of the fins does not have a significant effect on the performance of the system

Thermal energy storage for cooling of commercial buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akbari, H. (Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)); Mertol, A. (Science Applications International Corp., Los Altos, CA (USA))

1988-07-01

The storage of coolness'' has been in use in limited applications for more than a half century. Recently, because of high electricity costs during utilities' peak power periods, thermal storage for cooling has become a prime target for load management strategies. Systems with cool storage shift all or part of the electricity requirement from peak to off-peak hours to take advantage of reduced demand charges and/or off-peak rates. Thermal storage technology applies equally to industrial, commercial, and residential sectors. In the industrial sector, because of the lack of economic incentives and the custom design required for each application, the penetration of this technology has been limited to a few industries. The penetration rate in the residential sector has been also very limited due to the absence of economic incentives, sizing problems, and the lack of compact packaged systems. To date, the most promising applications of these systems, therefore, appear to be for commercial cooling. In this report, the current and potential use of thermal energy storage systems for cooling commercial buildings is investigated. In addition, a general overview of the technology is presented and the applicability and cost-effectiveness of this technology for developed and developing countries are discussed. 28 refs., 12 figs., 1 tab.

Ice Thermal Storage Systems for LWR Supplemental Cooling and Peak Power Shifting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haihua Zhao; Hongbin Zhang; Phil Sharpe; Blaise Hamanaka; Wei Yan; WoonSeong Jeong

2010-06-01

Availability of enough cooling water has been one of the major issues for the nuclear power plant site selection. Cooling water issues have frequently disrupted the normal operation at some nuclear power plants during heat waves and long draught. The issues become more severe due to the new round of nuclear power expansion and global warming. During hot summer days, cooling water leaving a power plant may become too hot to threaten aquatic life so that environmental regulations may force the plant to reduce power output or even temporarily to be shutdown. For new nuclear power plants to be built at areas without enough cooling water, dry cooling can be used to remove waste heat directly into the atmosphere. However, dry cooling will result in much lower thermal efficiency when the weather is hot. One potential solution for the above mentioned issues is to use ice thermal storage systems (ITS) that reduce cooling water requirements and boost the plant’s thermal efficiency in hot hours. ITS uses cheap off-peak electricity to make ice and uses those ice for supplemental cooling during peak demand time. ITS is suitable for supplemental cooling storage due to its very high energy storage density. ITS also provides a way to shift large amount of electricity from off peak time to peak time. Some gas turbine plants already use ITS to increase thermal efficiency during peak hours in summer. ITSs have also been widely used for building cooling to save energy cost. Among three cooling methods for LWR applications: once-through, wet cooling tower, and dry cooling tower, once-through cooling plants near a large water body like an ocean or a large lake and wet cooling plants can maintain the designed turbine backpressure (or condensation temperature) during 99% of the time; therefore, adding ITS to those plants will not generate large benefits. For once-through cooling plants near a limited water body like a river or a small lake, adding ITS can bring significant economic

A central solar-industrial waste heat heating system with large scale borehole thermal storage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Guo, F.; Yang, X.; Xu, L.; Torrens, I.; Hensen, J.L.M.

2017-01-01

In this paper, a new research of seasonal thermal storage is introduced. This study aims to maximize the utilization of renewable energy source and industrial waste heat (IWH) for urban district heating systems in both heating and non-heating seasons through the use of large-scale seasonal thermal

Development of graphite foam infiltrated with MgCl 2 for a latent heat based thermal energy storage (LHTES) system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Dileep; Kim, Taeil; Zhao, Weihuan; Yu, Wenhua; France, David M.

2016-08-01

Thermal energy storage (TES) systems that are compatible with high temperature power cycles for concentrating solar power (CSP) require high temperature media for transporting and storing thermal energy. To that end, TES systems have been proposed based on the latent heat of fusion of the phase change materials (PCMs). However, PCMs have relatively low thermal conductivities. In this paper, use of high-thermal-conductivity graphite foam infiltrated with a PCM (MgCl2) has been investigated as a potential TES system. Graphite foams with two porosities were infiltrated with MgCl2. The infiltrated composites were evaluated for density, heat of fusion, melting/freezing temperatures, and thermal diffusivities. Estimated thermal conductivities of MgCl2/graphite foam composites were significantly higher than those of MgCl2 alone over the measured temperature range. Furthermore, heat of fusion, melting/freezing temperatures, and densities showed comparable values to those of pure MgCl2. Results of this study indicate that MgCl2/graphite foam composites show promise as storage media for a latent heat thermal energy storage system for CSP applications.

Load following generation in nuclear power plants by latent thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abe, Yoshiyuki; Takahashi, Yoshio; Kamimoto, Masayuki; Sakamoto, Ryuji; Kanari, Katsuhiko; Ozawa, Takeo

1985-01-01

The recent increase in nuclear power plants and the growing difference between peak and off-peak demands imperatively need load following generation in nuclear power plants to meet the time-variant demands. One possible way to resolve the problem is, obviously, a prompt reaction conrol in the reactors. Alternatively, energy storage gives another sophisticated path to make load following generation in more effective manner. Latent thermal energy storage enjoys high storage density and allows thermal extraction at nearly constant temperature, i.e. phase change temperature. The present report is an attempt to evaluate the feasibility of load following electric power generation in nuclear plants (actually Pressurized Water Reactors) by latent thermal energy storage. In this concept, the excess thermal energy in the off-peak period is stored in molten salt latent thermal energy storage unit, and additional power output is generated in auxiliary generator in the peak demand duration using the stored thermal energy. The present evaluation gives encouraging results and shows the primary subject to be taken up at first is the compatibility of candidate storage materials with inexpensive structural metal materials. Chapter 1 denotes the background of the present report, and Chapter 2 reviews the previous studies on the peak load coverage by thermal energy storage. To figure out the concept of the storage systems, present power plant systems and possible constitution of storage systems are briefly shown in Chapter 3. The details of the evaluation of the candidate storage media, and the compilation of the materials' properties are presented in Chapter 4. In Chapter 5, the concept of the storage systems is depicted, and the economical feasibility of the systems is evaluated. The concluding remarks are summarized in Chapter 6. (author)

Exact solution of thermal energy storage system using PCM flat slabs configuration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bechiri, Mohammed; Mansouri, Kacem

2013-01-01

Highlights: • An exact solution of a latent heat storage unit (LHSU) consisting of several flat slabs was obtained. • The working fluid (HTF) circulating by forced convection between the slabs charges and discharges the storage unit. • The charging/discharging process is investigated for various HTF working conditions and different design parameters. - Abstract: An analytical investigation of thermal energy storage system (TESS) consisting of several flat slabs of phase change material (PCM) is presented. The working fluid (HTF) circulating on laminar forced convection between the slabs charges and discharges the storage unit. The melting and solidification of the PCM was treated as a radial one dimensional conduction problem. The forced convective heat transfer inside the channels is analyzed by solving the energy equation, which is coupled with the heat conduction equation in the PCM container. The comparison between the present exact solution with the numerical predictions and experimental data available in literature shows good agreement. The charging/discharging process is investigated in terms of liquid–solid interface position, liquid fraction, total heat transmitted to the PCM and thermal storage efficiency for various HTF working conditions and different design parameters such as PCM slab length, fluid passage gap and thickness of PCM duct container

High efficiency thermal energy storage system for utility applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vrable, D.L.; Quade, R.N.

1979-01-01

A concept of coupling a high efficiency base loaded coal or nuclear power plant with a thermal energy storage scheme for efficient and low-cost intermediate and peaking power is presented. A portion of the power plant's thermal output is used directly to generate superheated steam for continuous operation of a conventional turbine-generator to product base-load power. The remaining thermal output is used on a continuous basis to heat a conventional heat transfer salt (such as the eutectic composition of KaNO 3 /NaNO 3 /NaNO 2 ), which is stored in a high-temperature reservoir [538 0 C (1000 0 F)]. During peak demand periods, the salt is circulated from the high-temperature reservoir to a low-temperature reservoir through steam generators in order to provide peaking power from a conventional steam cycle plant. The period of operation can vary, but may typically be the equivalent of about 4 to 8 full-power hours each day. The system can be tailored to meet the utilities' load demand by varying the base-load level and the period of operation of the peak-load system

Utilizing thermal building mass for storage in district heating systems: Combined building level simulations and system level optimization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dominkovic, D. F.; Gianniou, P.; Münster, M.

2018-01-01

on the energy supply of district heating. Results showed that longer preheating time increased the possible duration of cut-off events. System optimization showed that the thermal mass for storage was used as intra-day storage. Flexible load accounted for 5.5%–7.7% of the total district heating demand...

A work procedure of utilising PCMs as thermal storage systems based on air-TES systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iten, M.; Liu, S.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A procedure to design effective thermal energy storage (TES) system. • A guidance for the selection of the working material (PCM) and the heat exchanger development. • Suggestions for heat transfer enhancement techniques for the air-TES system. • Mathematical, computational and experimental methods optimising the air-TES system. - Abstract: The paper seeks to offer a procedure to design an effective short term thermal energy storage (TES) system using phase change materials. The methodology focus on two main aspects: the selection of the working material and the heat exchanger development. The selection of the appropriate PCMs is one of the main keys for any TES therefore their classifications, properties, advantages and disadvantages need to be investigated. Due to the intensive researches using this kind of materials in the recent years, there are a range of commercial PCMs available and supplied by different companies. However, all types of PCM present their specific problems and therefore requirements are defined in order to select the most suitable PCMs. The other main key when designing TES is related to the heat exchanger formed by the PCM and the cold/hot heat sources. For this step, the choice of the appropriate container to encapsulate the PCM and the heat transfer enhancement techniques are analysed. Distinct methodologies such as experimental and numerical study methods and modelling software tools are presented to analyse the thermal energy performance of the system and achieve the optimal design of the TES system

Thermal and Performance Analysis of a Photovoltaic Module with an Integrated Energy Storage System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manel Hammami

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This paper is proposing and analyzing an electric energy storage system fully integrated with a photovoltaic PV module, composed by a set of lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4 flat batteries, which constitutes a generation-storage PV unit. The batteries were surface-mounted on the back side of the PV module, distant from the PV backsheet, without exceeding the PV frame size. An additional low-emissivity sheet was introduced to shield the batteries from the backsheet thermal irradiance. The challenge addressed in this paper is to evaluate the PV cell temperature increase, due to the reduced thermal exchanges on the back of the module, and to estimate the temperature of the batteries, verifying their thermal constraints. Two one-dimensional (1D thermal models, numerically implemented by using the thermal library of Simulink-Matlab accounting for all the heat exchanges, are here proposed: one related to the original PV module, the other related to the portion of the area of the PV module in correspondence of the proposed energy-storage system. Convective and radiative coefficients were then calculated in relation to different configurations and ambient conditions. The model validation has been carried out considering the PV module to be at the nominal operating cell temperature (NOCT, and by specific experimental measurements with a thermographic camera. Finally, appropriate models were used to evaluate the increasing cell batteries temperature in different environmental conditions.

Temperature dependency of the thermal conductivity of porous heat storage media

Science.gov (United States)

Hailemariam, Henok; Wuttke, Frank

2018-04-01

Analyzing the variation of thermal conductivity with temperature is vital in the design and assessment of the efficiency of sensible heat storage systems. In this study, the temperature variation of the thermal conductivity of a commercial cement-based porous heat storage material named - Füllbinder L is analyzed in saturated condition in the temperature range between 20 to 70°C (water based storage) with a steady state thermal conductivity and diffusivity meter. A considerable decrease in the thermal conductivity of the saturated sensible heat storage material upon increase in temperature is obtained, resulting in a significant loss of system efficiency and slower loading/un-loading rates, which when unaccounted for can lead to the under-designing of such systems. Furthermore, a new empirical prediction model for the estimation of thermal conductivity of cement-based porous sensible heat storage materials and naturally occurring crystalline rock formations as a function of temperature is proposed. The results of the model prediction are compared with the experimental results with satisfactory results.

Effects of regional groundwater flow on the performance of an aquifer thermal energy storage system under continuous operation

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Kun Sang

2014-01-01

Numerical investigations and a thermohydraulic evaluation are presented for two-well models of an aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) system operating under a continuous flow regime. A three-dimensional numerical model for groundwater flow and heat transport is used to analyze the thermal energy storage in the aquifer. This study emphasizes the influence of regional groundwater flow on the heat transfer and storage of the system under various operation scenarios. For different parameters of the system, performances were compared in terms of the temperature of recovered water and the temperature field in the aquifer. The calculated temperature at the producing well varies within a certain range throughout the year, reflecting the seasonal (quarterly) temperature variation of the injected water. The pressure gradient across the system, which determines the direction and velocity of regional groundwater flow, has a substantial influence on the convective heat transport and performance of aquifer thermal storage. Injection/production rate and geometrical size of the aquifer used in the model also impact the predicted temperature distribution at each stage and the recovery water temperature. The hydrogeological-thermal simulation is shown to play an integral part in the prediction of performance of processes as complicated as those in ATES systems.

Comparative Study of Electric Energy Storages and Thermal Energy Auxiliaries for Improving Wind Power Integration in the Cogeneration System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanjuan Yu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In regards to the cogeneration system in Northern China, mainly supported by combined heat and power (CHP plants, it usually offers limited operation flexibility due to the joint production of electric and thermal power. For that large-scale wind farms included in the cogeneration system, a large amount of wind energy may have to be wasted. To solve this issue, the utilization of the electric energy storages and the thermal energy auxiliaries are recommended, including pumped hydro storage (PHS, compressed air energy storage (CAES, hydrogen-based energy storage (HES, heat storage (HS, electric boilers (EB, and heat pumps (HP. This paper proposes a general evaluation method to compare the performance of these six different approaches for promoting wind power integration. In consideration of saving coal consumption, reducing CO2 emissions, and increasing investment cost, the comprehensive benefit is defined as the evaluation index. Specifically, a wind-thermal conflicting expression (WTCE is put forward to simplify the formulation of the comprehensive benefit. Further, according to the cogeneration system of the West Inner Mongolia (WIM power grid, a test system is modelled to perform the comparison of the six different approaches. The results show that introducing the electric energy storages and the thermal energy auxiliaries can both contribute to facilitating wind power integration, and the HP can provide the best comprehensive benefit.

Thermal energy storage for solar power generation - State of the art

Science.gov (United States)

Shukla, K. N.

1981-12-01

High temperature storage for applications in solar-thermal electric systems is considered. Noting that thermal storage is in either the form of latent, sensible or chemically stored heat, sensible heat storage is stressed as the most developed of the thermal storage technologies, spanning direct heating of a storage medium from 120-1250 C. Current methods involve solids, packed beds, fluidized beds, liquids, hot water, organic liquids, and inorganic liquids and molten salts. Latent heat storage comprises phase-change materials that move from solid to liquid with addition of heat and liquid to solid with the removal of heat. Metals or inorganic salts are candidates, and the energy balances are outlined. Finally, chemical heat storage is examined, showing possible high energy densities through catalytic, thermal dissociation reactions.

Computational Analysis of Nanoparticles-Molten Salt Thermal Energy Storage for Concentrated Solar Power Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, Vinod [Univ. of Texas, El Paso, TX (United States)

2017-05-05

High fidelity computational models of thermocline-based thermal energy storage (TES) were developed. The research goal was to advance the understanding of a single tank nanofludized molten salt based thermocline TES system under various concentration and sizes of the particles suspension. Our objectives were to utilize sensible-heat that operates with least irreversibility by using nanoscale physics. This was achieved by performing computational analysis of several storage designs, analyzing storage efficiency and estimating cost effectiveness for the TES systems under a concentrating solar power (CSP) scheme using molten salt as the storage medium. Since TES is one of the most costly but important components of a CSP plant, an efficient TES system has potential to make the electricity generated from solar technologies cost competitive with conventional sources of electricity.

Simulating thermal behavior of AECL's spent fuel dry storage system with CATHENA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabourin, G.

1998-01-01

This paper documents the comparisons between CATHENA predictions and temperature measurements taken at the Gentilly-2 NPP spent fuel dry storage facility and in a mock--up of a storage basket placed inside a storage cylinder. It also presents CATHENA temperature predictions related to the storage of spent fuel in MACSTOR modules as planned for Ignalina NPP, Lithuania. CATHENA has been chosen because it can simulate many noncondensable gases including air and helium, and because of its great flexibility in the representation of the MACSTOR module geometry. The results of the simulations show good agreement with the experimental measurements. The two comparisons indicate that CATHENA can be used to simulate heat transfer from the fuel to the external air circuit of the spent fuel dry storage system. For the Ignalina MACSTOR module, containing RBMK fuel having higher heat release than typical CANDU fuel, CATHENA predicts that the maximum fuel temperature is expected to be around 240 deg C, giving an acceptable margin below the maximum allowed temperature of 300 deg C. In conclusion, this paper shows that the thermalhydraulic code CATHENA can accurately predict the thermal behavior AECL's air cooled spent fuel dry storage system. (author)

Mathematical modelling of thermal storage systems for the food industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez, A.; Lacarra, G. [Universidad Publica de Navarra Campus Arrosadia, Pamplona (Spain). Area de Tecnologia de Alimentos

1999-07-01

Dynamic mathematical models of two thermal storage systems used in the food industry to produce chilled water are presented; an ice-bank system and a holding tank system. The variability of the refrigeration demand with time was taken into account in the model. A zoned approach using mass and energy balances was applied. Heat transfer phenomena in the evaporator were modelled using empirical correlations. The experimental validation of the mathematical models on an ice-bank system at pilot plant scale, and a centralized refrigeration system with a holding tank in a winery, showed accurate prediction. Simple models are adequate to predict the dynamic behaviour of these refrigeration systems under variable heat loads. (Author)

Parametric performance analysis of a concentrated photovoltaic co-generation system equipped with a thermal storage tank

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imtiaz Hussain, M.; Lee, Gwi Hyun

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Both thermal and electrical powers varied by changing surface area of collector. • Thermal stratification and total system power were increased at critical flow rate. • Parametric analysis of the CPVC system offers to determine the desired outcome. • Thermal and electrical outputs varied by changing the focal length of Fresnel lens. - Abstract: This article presents a parametric study of a concentrated photovoltaic co-generation (CPVC) system with an attached thermal storage tank. The CPVC system utilized dual-axis tracker and multiple solar energy collector (SEC) modules and forced cooling system. Each SEC module comprised 16 triple-junction solar cells, copper tube absorbers, and 16 Fresnel lenses were aligned against each solar cell. This study investigated all possible parameters that can affect the CPVC system performance, including the collector area, solar irradiation, inlet temperature, and mass flow rate. The surface area of the collector and the thermal power were increased by increasing the number of SEC modules connected in series; however, the electrical power output decreased from the first to the fourth SEC module consecutively. At the measured optimal flow rate, mixing and thermal diffusion in the storage tank were decreased, and the total power generation from the CPVC system was increased. Variations in the thermal and electrical power outputs were also observed when the focal length of the Fresnel lens was changed. This parametric analysis enables the CPVC system to obtain the desired output by varying the combination of operational and geometrical parameters

Myo-inositol based nano-PCM for solar thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, D.K.; Suresh, S.; Singh, H.; Rose, B.A.J.; Tassou, S.; Anantharaman, N.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Properties of Myo-Inositol laden with Al_2O_3 and CuO nanoparticles was studied. • The melting point was found to increase for MI-A and decrease for MI-C. • MI interacted only physically on addition of NPs. • Mass changes were <3% after thermal cycling of MI-A and MI-C. • MI-A is more suited for thermal energy storage than MI-C. - Abstract: The thermo-physical behavior of Myo-Inositol (MI), (a sugar alcohol), was investigated as a potential material for developing more compact solar thermal energy storage systems than those currently available. This latent heat storage medium could be utilized for commercial and industrial applications using solar thermal energy storage in the temperature range of 160–260 °C, if its thermal performance was modified. The objective of this investigation was to determine via experimentation, if Al_2O_3 and CuO nanoparticles dispersed in pure MI for mixtures of 1, 2 and 3% (by weight) improved the thermal performance of MI for solar thermal energy systems. Nanoparticles only physically interacted with MI, and not chemically, even after 50 thermal cycles. The distribution of CuO nanoparticles in the nano-PCM was found to be more uniform than alumina nanoparticles. After cycling, nano-MIs studied here suffered a lower decrease in heat of fusion than pure MI, which makes nano-MIs more suitable for solar thermal storage applications at 160–260 °C. Between CuO and Al_2O_3 nanoparticles, latter was found to be more suitable for compact solar thermal energy storage owing to an increase in melting point observed.

High-temperature molten salt thermal energy storage systems for solar applications

Science.gov (United States)

Petri, R. J.; Claar, T. D.; Ong, E.

1983-01-01

Experimental results of compatibility screening studies of 100 salt/containment/thermal conductivity enhancement (TCE) combinations for the high temperature solar thermal application range of 704 deg to 871 C (1300 to 1600 F) are presented. Nine candidate containment/HX alloy materials and two TCE materials were tested with six candidate solar thermal alkali and alkaline earth carbonate storage salts (both reagent and technical grade of each). Compatibility tests were conducted with salt encapsulated in approx. 6.0 inch x 1 inch welded containers of test material from 300 to 3000 hours. Compatibility evaluations were end application oriented, considering the potential 30 year lifetime requirement of solar thermal power plant components. Analyses were based on depth and nature of salt side corrosion of materials, containment alloy thermal aging effects, weld integrity in salt environment, air side containment oxidation, and chemical and physical analyses of the salt. A need for more reliable, and in some cases first time determined thermophysical and transport property data was also identified for molten carbonates in the 704 to 871 C temperature range. In particular, accurate melting point (mp) measurements were performed for Li2CO3 and Na2CO3 while melting point, heat of fusion, and specific heat determinations were conducted on 81.3 weight percent Na2CO3-18.7 weight percent K2CO3 and 52.2 weight percent BaCO3-47.8 weight percent Na2CO3 to support future TES system design and ultimate scale up of solar thermal energy storage (TES) subsystems.

Solar energy thermalization and storage device

Science.gov (United States)

McClelland, J.F.

A passive solar thermalization and thermal energy storage assembly which is visually transparent is described. The assembly consists of two substantial parallel, transparent wall members mounted in a rectangular support frame to form a liquid-tight chamber. A semitransparent thermalization plate is located in the chamber, substantially paralled to and about equidistant from the transparent wall members to thermalize solar radiation which is stored in a transparent thermal energy storage liquid which fills the chamber. A number of the devices, as modules, can be stacked together to construct a visually transparent, thermal storage wall for passive solar-heated buildings.

Investigation of Heat Pump Operation Strategies with Thermal Storage in Heating Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wangsik Jung

2017-12-01

Full Text Available A heat pump with thermal storage system is a system that operates a heat pump during nighttime using inexpensive electricity; during this time, the generated thermal energy is stored in a thermal storage tank. The stored thermal energy is used by the heat pump during daytime. Based on a model of a dual latent thermal storage tank and a heat pump, this study conducts control simulations using both conventional and advanced methods for heating in a building. Conventional methods include the thermal storage priority method and the heat pump priority method, while advanced approaches include the region control method and the dynamic programming method. The heating load required for an office building is identified using TRNSYS (Transient system simulation, used for simulations of various control methods. The thermal storage priority method shows a low coefficient of performance (COP, while the heat pump priority method leads to high electricity costs due to the low use of thermal storage. In contrast, electricity costs are lower for the region control method, which operates using the optimal part load ratio of the heat pump, and for dynamic programming, which operates the system by following the minimum cost path. According to simulation results for the winter season, the electricity costs using the dynamic programming method are 17% and 9% lower than those of the heat pump priority and thermal storage priority methods, respectively. The region control method shows results similar to the dynamic programming method with respect to electricity costs. In conclusion, advanced control methods are proven to have advantages over conventional methods in terms of power consumption and electricity costs.

Quantifying demand flexibility of power-to-heat and thermal energy storage in the control of building heating systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Finck, Christian; Li, Rongling; Kramer, Rick

2018-01-01

restricted by power-to-heat conversion such as heat pumps and thermal energy storage possibilities of a building. To quantify building demand flexibility, it is essential to capture the dynamic response of the building energy system with thermal energy storage. To identify the maximum flexibility a building......’s energy system can provide, optimal control is required. In this paper, optimal control serves to determine in detail demand flexibility of an office building equipped with heat pump, electric heater, and thermal energy storage tanks. The demand flexibility is quantified using different performance...... of TES and power-to-heat in any case of charging, discharging or idle mode. A simulation case study is performed showing that a water tank, a phase change material tank, and a thermochemical material tank integrated with building heating system can be designed to provide flexibility with optimal control....

Technical and economic feasibility of thermal storage. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shelpuk, B.; Joy, P.; Crouthamel, M.

1977-06-01

The technical and economic feasibility of various thermal energy storage alternatives is determined by comparing the system performance and annualized cost which result from each storage alternative operating with the same solar collector model, the same building load model, and the same heating system and controls model. Performance and cost calculations are made on the basis of an hour-by-hour time step using actual weather bureau data for Albuquerque, N. M., and New York City for a single six-month heating season. The primary approach to comparing various storage alternatives is to allow the collector area and storage mass to vary until a minimum cost combination is achieved. In the Albuquerque location collector area of 325 ft/sup 2/, water storage mass of 12.5 lb/ft/sup 2/ of collector area, and phase change mass of 6.25 lb/ft/sup 2/ of collector area results in minimum cost systems, each of which delivers about 50% of the total building demand. The primary conclusion is that, using current costs for materials and containers, water is the cheapest storage alternative for heating applications in both Albuquerque and New York City. The cost of containing or encapsulating phase change materials, coupled with their small system performance advantage, is the main reason for this conclusion. The use of desiccant materials for thermal storage is considered to be impractical due to irreversibilities in thermal cycling.

The Evaluation of Feasibility of Thermal Energy Storage System at Riga TPP-2

Science.gov (United States)

Ivanova, P.; Linkevics, O.; Cers, A.

2015-12-01

The installation of thermal energy storage system (TES) provides the optimisation of energy source, energy security supply, power plant operation and energy production flexibility. The aim of the present research is to evaluate the feasibility of thermal energy system installation at Riga TPP-2. The six modes were investigated: four for non-heating periods and two for heating periods. Different research methods were used: data statistic processing, data analysis, analogy, forecasting, financial method and correlation and regression method. In the end, the best mode was chosen - the increase of cogeneration unit efficiency during the summer.

Hybrid model predictive control of a residential HVAC system with on-site thermal energy generation and storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fiorentini, Massimo; Wall, Josh; Ma, Zhenjun; Braslavsky, Julio H.; Cooper, Paul

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A comprehensive approach to managing thermal energy in residential buildings. • Solar-assisted HVAC system with on-site energy generation and storage. • Mixed logic-dynamical building model identified using experimental data. • Design and implementation of a logic-dynamical model predictive control strategy. • MPC applied to the Net-Zero Energy house winner of the Solar Decathlon China 2013. - Abstract: This paper describes the development, implementation and experimental investigation of a Hybrid Model Predictive Control (HMPC) strategy to control solar-assisted heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems with on-site thermal energy generation and storage. A comprehensive approach to the thermal energy management of a residential building is presented to optimise the scheduling of the available thermal energy resources to meet a comfort objective. The system has a hybrid nature with both continuous variables and discrete, logic-driven operating modes. The proposed control strategy is organized in two hierarchical levels. At the high-level, an HMPC controller with a 24-h prediction horizon and a 1-h control step is used to select the operating mode of the HVAC system. At the low-level, each operating mode is optimised using a 1-h rolling prediction horizon with a 5-min control step. The proposed control strategy has been practically implemented on the Building Management and Control System (BMCS) of a Net Zero-Energy Solar Decathlon house. This house features a sophisticated HVAC system comprising of an air-based photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collector and a phase change material (PCM) thermal storage integrated with the air-handling unit (AHU) of a ducted reverse-cycle heat pump system. The simulation and experimental results demonstrated the high performance achievable using an HMPC approach to optimising complex multimode HVAC systems in residential buildings, illustrating efficient selection of the appropriate operating modes

Analysis of an integrated packed bed thermal energy storage system for heat recovery in compressed air energy storage technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortega-Fernández, Iñigo; Zavattoni, Simone A.; Rodríguez-Aseguinolaza, Javier; D'Aguanno, Bruno; Barbato, Maurizio C.

2017-01-01

Highlights: •A packed bed TES system is proposed for heat recovery in CAES technology. •A CFD-based approach has been developed to evaluate the behaviour of the TES unit. •TES system enhancement and improvement alternatives are also demonstrated. •TES performance evaluated according to the first and second law of thermodynamics. -- Abstract: Compressed air energy storage (CAES) represents a very attracting option to grid electric energy storage. Although this technology is mature and well established, its overall electricity-to-electricity cycle efficiency is lower with respect to other alternatives such as pumped hydroelectric energy storage. A meager heat management strategy in the CAES technology is among the main reasons of this gap of efficiency. In current CAES plants, during the compression stage, a large amount of thermal energy is produced and wasted. On the other hand, during the electricity generation stage, an extensive heat supply is required, currently provided by burning natural gas. In this work, the coupling of both CAES stages through a thermal energy storage (TES) unit is introduced as an effective solution to achieve a noticeable increase of the overall CAES cycle efficiency. In this frame, the thermal energy produced in the compression stage is stored in a TES unit for its subsequent deployment during the expansion stage, realizing an Adiabatic-CAES plant. The present study addresses the conceptual design of a TES system based on a packed bed of gravel to be integrated in an Adiabatic-CAES plant. With this objective, a complete thermo-fluid dynamics model has been developed, including the implications derived from the TES operating under variable-pressure conditions. The formulation and treatment of the high pressure conditions were found being particularly relevant issues. Finally, the model provided a detailed performance and efficiency analysis of the TES system under charge/discharge cyclic conditions including a realistic operative

An Optimization Scheduling Model for Wind Power and Thermal Power with Energy Storage System considering Carbon Emission Trading

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huan-huan Li

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Wind power has the characteristics of randomness and intermittence, which influences power system safety and stable operation. To alleviate the effect of wind power grid connection and improve power system’s wind power consumptive capability, this paper took emission trading and energy storage system into consideration and built an optimization model for thermal-wind power system and energy storage systems collaborative scheduling. A simulation based on 10 thermal units and wind farms with 2800 MW installed capacity verified the correctness of the models put forward by this paper. According to the simulation results, the introduction of carbon emission trading can improve wind power consumptive capability and cut down the average coal consumption per unit of power. The introduction of energy storage system can smooth wind power output curve and suppress power fluctuations. The optimization effects achieve the best when both of carbon emission trading and energy storage system work at the same time.

A hybrid optimization model of biomass trigeneration system combined with pit thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dominković, D.F.; Ćosić, B.; Bačelić Medić, Z.; Duić, N.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Hybrid optimization model of biomass trigeneration system with PTES is developed. • Influence of premium feed-in tariffs on trigeneration systems is assessed. • Influence of total system efficiency on biomass trigeneration system with PTES is assessed. • Influence of energy savings on project economy is assessed. - Abstract: This paper provides a solution for managing excess heat production in trigeneration and thus, increases the power plant yearly efficiency. An optimization model for combining biomass trigeneration energy system and pit thermal energy storage has been developed. Furthermore, double piping district heating and cooling network in the residential area without industry consumers was assumed, thus allowing simultaneous flow of the heating and cooling energy. As a consequence, the model is easy to adopt in different regions. Degree-hour method was used for calculation of hourly heating and cooling energy demand. The system covers all the yearly heating and cooling energy needs, while it is assumed that all the electricity can be transferred to the grid due to its renewable origin. The system was modeled in Matlab© on hourly basis and hybrid optimization model was used to maximize the net present value (NPV), which was the objective function of the optimization. Economic figures become favorable if the economy-of-scale of both power plant and pit thermal energy storage can be utilized. The results show that the pit thermal energy storage was an excellent option for storing energy and shaving peaks in energy demand. Finally, possible switch from feed-in tariffs to feed-in premiums was assessed and possible subsidy savings have been calculated. The savings are potentially large and can be used for supporting other renewable energy projects

Performance evaluation and parametric choice criteria of a Brayton pumped thermal electricity storage system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Juncheng; Cai, Ling; Chen, Jincan; Zhou, Yinghui

2016-01-01

A more realistic thermodynamic model of the pumped thermal electricity storage (PTES) system consisting of a Brayton cycle and a reverse Brayton cycle is proposed, where the internal and external irreversible losses are took into account and several important controlling parameters, e.g., the pressure ratio and heat flows of the two isobaric processes in the Brayton cycle, are introduced. Analytic expressions for the round trip efficiency and power output of the PTES system are derived. The general performance characteristics of the PTES system are revealed. The optimal relationship between the round trip efficiency and the power output is obtained. The influences of some important controlling parameters on the performance characteristics of the PTES system are discussed and the optimally operating regions of these parameters are determined. - Highlights: • A cycle model of the Brayton pumped thermal electricity storage system is proposed. • Internal and external irreversible losses are considered. • Maximum power output and efficiency of the system are calculated. • Optimum performance characteristics of the system are revealed. • Rational ranges of key controlling parameters are determined.

Gas storage carbon with enhanced thermal conductivity

Science.gov (United States)

Burchell, Timothy D.; Rogers, Michael Ray; Judkins, Roddie R.

2000-01-01

A carbon fiber carbon matrix hybrid adsorbent monolith with enhanced thermal conductivity for storing and releasing gas through adsorption and desorption is disclosed. The heat of adsorption of the gas species being adsorbed is sufficiently large to cause hybrid monolith heating during adsorption and hybrid monolith cooling during desorption which significantly reduces the storage capacity of the hybrid monolith, or efficiency and economics of a gas separation process. The extent of this phenomenon depends, to a large extent, on the thermal conductivity of the adsorbent hybrid monolith. This invention is a hybrid version of a carbon fiber monolith, which offers significant enhancements to thermal conductivity and potential for improved gas separation and storage systems.

Methods of forming thermal management systems and thermal management methods

Science.gov (United States)

Gering, Kevin L.; Haefner, Daryl R.

2012-06-05

A thermal management system for a vehicle includes a heat exchanger having a thermal energy storage material provided therein, a first coolant loop thermally coupled to an electrochemical storage device located within the first coolant loop and to the heat exchanger, and a second coolant loop thermally coupled to the heat exchanger. The first and second coolant loops are configured to carry distinct thermal energy transfer media. The thermal management system also includes an interface configured to facilitate transfer of heat generated by an internal combustion engine to the heat exchanger via the second coolant loop in order to selectively deliver the heat to the electrochemical storage device. Thermal management methods are also provided.

Thermal analysis of dry concrete canister storage system for CANDU spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryu, Yong Ho

1992-02-01

This paper presents the results of a thermal analysis of the concrete canisters for interim dry storage of spent, irradiated Canadian Deuterium Uranium(CANDU) fuel. The canisters are designed to contain 6-year-old fuel safely for periods of 50 years in stainless steel baskets sealed inside a steel-lined concrete shield. In order to assure fuel integrity during the storage, fuel rod temperature shall not exceed the temperature limit. The contents of thermal analysis include the following : 1) Steady state temperature distributions under the conservative ambient temperature and insolation load. 2) Transient temperature distributions under the changes in ambient temperature and insolation load. Accounting for the coupled heat transfer modes of conduction, convection, and radiation, the computer code HEATING5 was used to predict the thermal response of the canister storage system. As HEATING5 does not have the modeling capability to compute radiation heat transfer on a rod-to-rod basis, a separate calculating routine was developed and applied to predict temperature distribution in a fuel bundle. Thermal behavior of the canister is characterized by the large thermal mass of the concrete and radiative heat transfer within the basket. The calculated results for the worst case (steady state with maximum ambient temperature and design insolation load) indicated that the maximum temperature of the 6 year cooled fuel reached to 182.4 .deg. C, slightly above the temperature limit of 180 .deg. C. However,the thermal inertia of the thick concrete wall moderates the internal changes and prevents a rise in fuel temperature in response to ambient changes. The maximum extent of the transient zone was less than 75% of the concrete wall thickness for cyclic insolation changes. When transient nature of ambient temperature and insolation load are considered, the fuel temperature will be a function of the long term ambient temperature as opposed to daily extremes. The worst design

Solar energy thermally powered electrical generating system

Science.gov (United States)

Owens, William R. (Inventor)

1989-01-01

A thermally powered electrical generating system for use in a space vehicle is disclosed. The rate of storage in a thermal energy storage medium is controlled by varying the rate of generation and dissipation of electrical energy in a thermally powered electrical generating system which is powered from heat stored in the thermal energy storage medium without exceeding a maximum quantity of heat. A control system (10) varies the rate at which electrical energy is generated by the electrical generating system and the rate at which electrical energy is consumed by a variable parasitic electrical load to cause storage of an amount of thermal energy in the thermal energy storage system at the end of a period of insolation which is sufficient to satisfy the scheduled demand for electrical power to be generated during the next period of eclipse. The control system is based upon Kalman filter theory.

Thermal performance of a PCM thermal storage unit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu Ming; Bruno, Frank; Saman, Wasim [Sustainable Energy Centre, Inst. for Sustainable Systems and Technologies, Univ. of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, Adelaide (Australia)

2008-07-01

The thermal performance of a PCM thermal storage unit (TSU) is studied numerically and experimentally. The TSU under analysis consists of several flat slabs of phase change material (PCM) with melting temperature of -26.7 C. Liquid heat transfer fluid (HTF) passes between the slabs to charge and discharge the storage unit. A one dimensional mathematical model was employed to analyze the transient thermal behavior of the storage unit during the melting and freezing processes. The model takes into consideration the temperature variations in the wall along the flow direction of the HTF. The paper compares the experimental and numerical simulation results in terms of HTF outlet temperatures during the melting period. (orig.)

Design and modelling of an innovative three-stage thermal storage system for direct steam generation CSP plants

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Pierre; Vuillerme, Valéry; Olcese, Marco; El Mourchid, Nadim

2016-05-01

Thermal Energy Storage systems (TES) for a Direct Steam Generation (DSG) solar plant feature preferably three stages in series including a latent heat storage module so that steam can be recovered with a limited temperature loss. The storage system designed within the Alsolen Sup project is characterized by an innovative combination of sensible and latent modules. A dynamic model of this three-stage storage has been developed and applied to size the storage system of the Alsolen Sup® plant demonstrator at CEA Cadarache. Results of this simulation show that this promising concept is an efficient way to store heat in DSG solar plants.

Collection and dissemination of thermal energy storage system information for the pulp and paper industry

Science.gov (United States)

Edde, H.

1981-01-01

The collection and dissemination of thermal energy storage (TES) system technology for the pulp and paper industry with the intent of reducing fossil fuel usage is discussed. The study plan is described and a description presented of example TES systems.

Modelling study, efficiency analysis and optimisation of large-scale Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage systems with low-temperature thermal storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo, Xing; Wang, Jihong; Krupke, Christopher; Wang, Yue; Sheng, Yong; Li, Jian; Xu, Yujie; Wang, Dan; Miao, Shihong; Chen, Haisheng

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The paper presents an A-CAES system thermodynamic model with low temperature thermal energy storage integration. • The initial parameter value ranges for A-CAES system simulation are identified from the study of a CAES plant in operation. • The strategies of system efficiency improvement are investigated via a parametric study with a sensitivity analysis. • Various system configurations are discussed for analysing the efficiency improvement potentials. - Abstract: The key feature of Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage (A-CAES) is the reuse of the heat generated from the air compression process at the stage of air expansion. This increases the complexity of the whole system since the heat exchange and thermal storage units must have the capacities and performance to match the air compression/expansion units. Thus it raises a strong demand in the whole system modelling and simulation tool for A-CAES system optimisation. The paper presents a new whole system mathematical model for A-CAES with simulation implementation and the model is developed with consideration of lowing capital cost of the system. The paper then focuses on the study of system efficiency improvement strategies via parametric analysis and system structure optimisation. The paper investigates how the system efficiency is affected by the system component performance and parameters. From the study, the key parameters are identified, which give dominant influences in improving the system efficiency. The study is extended onto optimal system configuration and the recommendations are made for achieving higher efficiency, which provides a useful guidance for A-CAES system design.

Adsorption thermal energy storage for cogeneration in industrial batch processes: Experiment, dynamic modeling and system analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schreiber, Heike; Graf, Stefan; Lanzerath, Franz; Bardow, André

2015-01-01

Adsorption thermal energy storage is investigated for heat supply with cogeneration in industrial batch processes. The feasibility of adsorption thermal energy storage is demonstrated with a lab-scale prototype. Based on these experiments, a dynamic model is developed and successfully calibrated to measurement data. Thereby, a reliable description of the dynamic behavior of the adsorption thermal energy storage unit is achieved. The model is used to study and benchmark the performance of adsorption thermal energy storage combined with cogeneration for batch process energy supply. As benchmark, we consider both a peak boiler and latent thermal energy storage based on a phase change material. Beer brewing is considered as an example of an industrial batch process. The study shows that adsorption thermal energy storage has the potential to increase energy efficiency significantly; primary energy consumption can be reduced by up to 25%. However, successful integration of adsorption thermal storage requires appropriate integration of low grade heat: Preferentially, low grade heat is available at times of discharging and in demand when charging the storage unit. Thus, adsorption thermal energy storage is most beneficial if applied to a batch process with heat demands on several temperature levels. - Highlights: • A highly efficient energy supply for industrial batch processes is presented. • Adsorption thermal energy storage (TES) is analyzed in experiment and simulation. • Adsorption TES can outperform both peak boilers and latent TES. • Performance of adsorption TES strongly depends on low grade heat temperature.

Thermal performance of a multiple PCM thermal storage unit for free cooling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mosaffa, A.H.; Infante Ferreira, C.A.; Talati, F.; Rosen, M.A.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Numerical analysis on the performance of a thermal storages as free cooling system. ► Employing multiple PCMs to enhance heat transfer rate in thermal storages. ► Using an effective heat capacity method, the phase change parameters are determined. ► The effect of the slabs size and air channel thickness on COP is investigated. - Abstract: As demand for refrigeration and air conditioning increased during the last decade, the opportunities have expanded for using thermal energy storage (TES) systems in an economically advantageous manner in place of conventional cooling plants. Many cool storage systems use phase change materials (PCMs) and achieve peak load shifting in buildings. This work presents numerical investigations of the performance enhancement of a free cooling system using a TES unit employing multiple PCMs. The TES unit is composed of a number of rectangular channels for the flowing heat transfer fluid, separated by PCM slabs. Using the effective heat capacity method, the melting and solidification of the PCM is solved. The forced convective heat transfer inside the channels is analyzed by solving the energy equation, which is coupled with the heat conduction equation in the container wall. The effect of design parameters such as PCM slab length, thickness and fluid passage gap on the storage performance is also investigated using an energy based optimization. The results show that a system which can guarantee comfort conditions for the climate of Tabriz, Iran has an optimum COP of 7.0. This could be achieved by a combination of CaCl 2 ·6H 2 O with RT25 with the optimum air channel thickness of 3.2 mm, length of 1.3 m and PCM slab thickness of 10 mm

More with thermal energy storage. Report 5. Modelling systems. Effects of thermal energy storage systems on the environment. Modelling individual projects. Final report; Meer met bodemenergie. Rapport 5. Modellering systemen. Effecten van bodemenergiesystemen op hun omgeving. Modellering individuele projecten. Eindrapport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Drijver, B.; De Jonge, H. [IF Technology, Arnhem (Netherlands)

2012-03-30

The project More With Thermal Energy Storage (MMB, abbreviated in Dutch) focuses on knowledge gaps and potential opportunities regarding open systems. The main questions to be answered are: (1) What effects (hydrological, thermal, microbiological and chemical) occur in the soil system by application of thermal energy storage; (2) Which technical options are available for a sustainable integration of thermal energy storage in the water and energy chain?; (3) Is it possible to achieve multiple objectives by using smart combinations? The project is organized in different work packages. In work package 2, the effects of individual and collective thermal energy storage storage systems on subsoils and the environment are determined. In work package 3 the opportunities for thermal energy storage and soil remediation are examined, while in work package 4 the focus is on new sustainable combinations of heat and cold storage. Work package 1 is the umbrella part where communication and policy of and participation in MMB are the main subjects. This report describes the results of the modeling of three existing thermal energy storage projects in the framework of the MMB project. The aim of the modeling of these projects is to gain insight in the reliability of the predicted hydrological and thermal effects, the causes of any deviations and improvements that are possible to improve the reliability of the predictions [Dutch] Het project Meer Met Bodemenergie (MMB) richt zich op het invullen van kennisleemtes en mogelijke kansen ten aanzien van open systemen. De belangrijkste vragen waarop het onderzoeksprogramma MMB antwoord geeft zijn: (1) Welke effecten (hydrologisch, thermisch, microbiologisch en chemisch) treden op in het bodemsysteem bij toepassing van bodemenergie?; (2) Welke technische mogelijkheden zijn er voor het duurzaam inpassen van bodem-energie in de water- en energieketen?; (3) Is het mogelijk om meerdere doelstellingen tegelijk te verwezenlijken door slimme

Thermal performance of solar air collection-storage system with phase change material based on flat micro-heat pipe arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Teng-yue; Diao, Yan-hua; Zhu, Ting-ting; Zhao, Yao-hua; Liu, Jing; Wei, Xiang-qian

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A new type of solar air collection-storage thermal system with PCM is proposed. • Flat micro-heat pipe array is used as the core heat transfer element. • Air volume flow rate influence charging and discharging time obviously. • Air-side thermal resistance dominates during charging and discharging. - Abstract: In this study, a new type of solar air collection-storage thermal system (ACSTS) with phase change material (PCM) is designed using flat micro-heat pipe arrays (FMHPA) as the heat transfer core element. The solar air collector comprises FMHPA and vacuum tubes. The latent thermal storage device (LTSD) utilizes lauric acid, which is a type of fatty acid, as PCM. The experiments test the performance of collector efficiency and charging and discharging time of thermal storage device through different air volume flow rates. After a range of tests, high air volume flow rate is concluded to contribute to high collector efficiency and short charging and discharging time and enhance instantaneous heat transfer, whereas an air volume flow rate of 60 m"3/h during discharging provides a steady outlet temperature. The cumulative heat transfer during discharging is between 4210 and 4300 kJ.

A control-oriented model for combined building climate comfort and aquifer thermal energy storage system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rostampour Samarin, Vahab; Bloemendal, J.M.; Jaxa-Rozen, M.; Keviczky, T.

2016-01-01

This paper presents a control-oriented model for combined building climate comfort and aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) system. In particular, we first provide a description of building operational systems together with control framework variables. We then focus on the derivation of an

Survey of solar thermal energy storage subsystems for thermal/electric applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Segaser, C. L.

1978-08-01

A survey of the current technology and estimated costs of subsystems for storing the thermal energy produced by solar collectors is presented. The systems considered were capable of producing both electricity and space conditioning for three types of loads: a single-family detached residence, an apartment complex of 100 units, and a city of 30,000 residents, containing both single-family residences and apartments. Collector temperatures will be in four ranges: (1) 100 to 250/sup 0/F (used for space heating and single-cycle air conditioners and organic Rankine low-temperature turbines); (2) 300 to 400/sup 0/F (used for dual-cycle air conditioners and low-temperature turbines); (3) 400 to 600/sup 0/F (using fluids from parabolic trough collectors to run Rankine turbines); (4) 800 to 1000/sup 0/F (using fluids from heliostats to run closed-cycle gas turbines and steam Rankine turbines). The solar thermal energy subsystems will require from 60 to 36 x 10/sup 5/ kWhr (2.05 x 10/sup 5/ to 1.23 x 10/sup 10/ Btu) of thermal storage capacity. In addition to sensible heat and latent heat storage materials, several other media were investigated as potential thermal energy storage materials, including the clathrate and semiclathrate hydrates, various metal hydrides, and heat storage based on inorganic chemical reactions.

A Review on Concepts, Applications, and Models of Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kun Sang Lee

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Being a heat source or sink, aquifers have been used to store large quantities of thermal energy to match cooling and heating supply and demand on both a short-term and long-term basis. The current technical, economic, and environmental status of aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES is promising. General information on the basic operation principles, design, and construction of ATES systems is discussed in this paper. Numerous projects in operation around the world are summarized to illustrate the present status of ATES. Hydrogeological-thermal simulation has become an integral part of predicting ATES system performance. Numerical models which are available to simulate an ATES system by modeling mass and heat transport in the aquifer have been summarized. This paper also presents an example of numerical simulation and thermohydraulic evaluation of a two-well, ATES system operating under a continuous flow regime.

An Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) System for Continuous and Sustainable Cold Supply in Oman

Science.gov (United States)

Winterleitner, G.; Schütz, F.; Huenges, E.

2016-12-01

The aim of the GeoSolCool research programme between the German Research Centre for Geoscience (GFZ) and The Research Council of Oman (TRC) is the development of an innovative and sustainable cooling system in combination with an aquifer thermal energy storage system in northern Oman. An integral part of this project is the design of a subsurface aquifer reservoir system for storage of thermal energy through hot water injection. An accurate characterisation of potential storage horizons is thus essential to ensure optimal efficiency of the cooling system. The study area, 40 km west of Muscat is characterised by a thick Cenozoic mixed carbonate-siliciclastic sedimentary succession, containing at least 3 aquifer horizons. We used a multidisciplinary approach for the initial ATES development phase, including geological fieldwork dovetailed with remote sensing analyses, thin-section analyses, geological modelling and reservoir fluid flow forecasting. First results indicate two potential storage horizons: (1) a Miocene-aged clastic-dominated alluvial fan system and (2) an Eocene carbonate sequence. The alluvial fan system is a more than 300 m thick, coarse clastic (mainly gravels and sandstones) succession of coalesced individual fans. Thin-section analyses showed that hydraulic parameters are favourable for the gravel and sandstone intervals but reservoir architecture is complex due to multiple generations of interconnecting fans with highly heterogeneous facies distributions. The Eocene carbonates were deposited in a carbonate ramp setting, strongly influenced by currents and storm events. Individual facies belts extend over kilometres and thus horizontal reservoir connectivity is expected to be good with minor facies variability. Thin-section analyses showed that especially the fossil-rich sections show good storage qualities. Fluid flow forecasting indicate that both potential horizons have good to very good storage characteristics. However, intense diagenetic

Detailed partial load investigation of a thermal energy storage concept for solar thermal power plants with direct steam generation

Science.gov (United States)

Seitz, M.; Hübner, S.; Johnson, M.

2016-05-01

Direct steam generation enables the implementation of a higher steam temperature for parabolic trough concentrated solar power plants. This leads to much better cycle efficiencies and lower electricity generating costs. For a flexible and more economic operation of such a power plant, it is necessary to develop thermal energy storage systems for the extension of the production time of the power plant. In the case of steam as the heat transfer fluid, it is important to use a storage material that uses latent heat for the storage process. This leads to a minimum of exergy losses during the storage process. In the case of a concentrating solar power plant, superheated steam is needed during the discharging process. This steam cannot be superheated by the latent heat storage system. Therefore, a sensible molten salt storage system is used for this task. In contrast to the state-of-the-art thermal energy storages within the concentrating solar power area of application, a storage system for a direct steam generation plant consists of a latent and a sensible storage part. Thus far, no partial load behaviors of sensible and latent heat storage systems have been analyzed in detail. In this work, an optimized fin structure was developed in order to minimize the costs of the latent heat storage. A complete system simulation of the power plant process, including the solar field, power block and sensible and latent heat energy storage calculates the interaction between the solar field, the power block and the thermal energy storage system.

Development of an integrated heat pipe-thermal storage system for a solar receiver

Science.gov (United States)

Keddy, E. S.; Sena, J. T.; Merrigan, M. A.; Heidenreich, G.; Johnson, S.

1987-01-01

The Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) Solar Dynamic Power System (SDPS) is one of the candidates for Space Station prime power application. In the low Earth orbit of the Space Station approximately 34 minutes of the 94-minute orbital period is spent in eclipse with no solar energy input to the power system. For this period the SDPS will use thermal energy storage (TES) material to provide a constant power output. An integrated heat-pipe thermal storage receiver system is being developed as part of the ORC-SDPS solar receiver. This system incorporates potassium heat pipe elements to absorb and transfer the solar energy within the receiver cavity. The heat pipes contain the TES canisters within the potassium vapor space with the toluene heater tube used as the condenser region of the heat pipe. During the insolation period of the Earth orbit, solar energy is delivered to the heat pipe in the ORC-SDPS receiver cavity. The heat pipe transforms the non-uniform solar flux incident in the heat pipe surface within the receiver cavity to an essentially uniform flux at the potassium vapor condensation interface in the heat pipe. During solar insolation, part of the thermal energy is delivered to the heater tube and the balance is stored in the TES units. During the eclipse period of the orbit, the balance stored in the TES units is transferred by the potassium vapor to the toluene heater tube.

Development of an integrated heat pipe-thermal storage system for a solar receiver

Science.gov (United States)

Keddy, E. S.; Sena, J. T.; Merrigan, M. A.; Heidenreich, G.; Johnson, S.

1987-07-01

The Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) Solar Dynamic Power System (SDPS) is one of the candidates for Space Station prime power application. In the low Earth orbit of the Space Station approximately 34 minutes of the 94-minute orbital period is spent in eclipse with no solar energy input to the power system. For this period the SDPS will use thermal energy storage (TES) material to provide a constant power output. An integrated heat-pipe thermal storage receiver system is being developed as part of the ORC-SDPS solar receiver. This system incorporates potassium heat pipe elements to absorb and transfer the solar energy within the receiver cavity. The heat pipes contain the TES canisters within the potassium vapor space with the toluene heater tube used as the condenser region of the heat pipe. During the insolation period of the Earth orbit, solar energy is delivered to the heat pipe in the ORC-SDPS receiver cavity. The heat pipe transforms the non-uniform solar flux incident in the heat pipe surface within the receiver cavity to an essentially uniform flux at the potassium vapor condensation interface in the heat pipe. During solar insolation, part of the thermal energy is delivered to the heater tube and the balance is stored in the TES units. During the eclipse period of the orbit, the balance stored in the TES units is transferred by the potassium vapor to the toluene heater tube.

Thermal energy storage based on cementitious materials: A review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khadim Ndiaye

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Renewable energy storage is now essential to enhance the energy performance of buildings and to reduce their environmental impact. Many heat storage materials can be used in the building sector in order to avoid the phase shift between solar radiation and thermal energy demand. However, the use of storage material in the building sector is hampered by problems of investment cost, space requirements, mechanical performance, material stability, and high storage temperature. Cementitious material is increasingly being used as a heat storage material thanks to its low price, mechanical performance and low storage temperature (generally lower than 100 °C. In addition, cementitious materials for heat storage have the prominent advantage of being easy to incorporate into the building landscape as self-supporting structures or even supporting structures (walls, floor, etc.. Concrete solutions for thermal energy storage are usually based on sensible heat transfer and thermal inertia. Phase Change Materials (PCM incorporated in concrete wall have been widely investigated in the aim of improving building energy performance. Cementitious material with high ettringite content stores heat by a combination of physical (adsorption and chemical (chemical reaction processes usable in both the short (daily, weekly and long (seasonal term. Ettringite materials have the advantage of high energy storage density at low temperature (around 60 °C. The encouraging experimental results in the literature on heat storage using cementitious materials suggest that they could be attractive in a number of applications. This paper summarizes the investigation and analysis of the available thermal energy storage systems using cementitious materials for use in various applications.

Analysis of the impact of storage conditions on the thermal recovery efficiency of low-temperature ATES systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bloemendal, Martin; Hartog, Niels

Aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) is a technology with worldwide potential to provide sustainable space heating and cooling using groundwater stored at different temperatures. The thermal recovery efficiency is one of the main parameters that determines the overall energy savings of ATES systems

Analysis of the impact of storage conditions on the thermal recovery efficiency of low-temperature ATES systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bloemendal, J.M.; Hartog, Niels

2018-01-01

Aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) is a technology with worldwide potential to provide sustainable space heating and cooling using groundwater stored at different temperatures. The thermal recovery efficiency is one of the main parameters that determines the overall energy savings of ATES systems

Environmental assessment of the potential effects of aquifer thermal energy storage systems on microorganisms in groundwater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hicks, R.J.; Stewart, D.L.

1988-03-01

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the potential environmental effects (both adverse and beneficials) of aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) technology pertaining to microbial communities indigenous to subsurface environments (i.e., aquifers) and the propagation, movement, and potential release of pathogenic microorganisms (specifically, Legionella) within ATES systems. Seasonal storage of thermal energy in aquifers shows great promise to reduce peak demand; reduce electric utility load problems; contribute to establishing favorable economics for district heating and cooling systems; and reduce pollution from extraction, refining, and combustion of fossil fuels. However, concerns that the widespread implementation of this technology may have adverse effects on biological systems indigeneous to aquifers, as well as help to propagate and release pathogenic organisms that enter thee environments need to be resolved. 101 refs., 2 tabs.

CALORSTOCK'94. Thermal energy storage. Better economy, environment, technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kangas, M.T.; Lund, P.D.

1994-01-01

This publication is the first volume of the proceedings of CALORSTOCK'94, the sixth international conference on thermal energy storage held in Espoo, Finland on August 22-25, 1994. This volume contains 58 presentations from the following six sessions: Aquifer storage, integration into energy systems, Simulation models and design tools, IEA energy conservation through energy storage programme workshop, Earth coupled storage, District heating and utilities

Domestic demand-side management (DSM): Role of heat pumps and thermal energy storage (TES) systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arteconi, A.; Hewitt, N.J.; Polonara, F.

2013-01-01

Heat pumps are seen as a promising technology for load management in the built environment, in combination with the smart grid concept. They can be coupled with thermal energy storage (TES) systems to shift electrical loads from high-peak to off-peak hours, thus serving as a powerful tool in demand-side management (DSM). This paper analyzes heat pumps with radiators or underfloor heating distribution systems coupled with TES with a view to showing how a heat pump system behaves and how it influences the building occupants' thermal comfort under a DSM strategy designed to flatten the shape of the electricity load curve by switching off the heat pump during peak hours (16:00–19:00). The reference scenario for the analysis was Northern Ireland (UK). The results showed that the heat pump is a good tool for the purposes of DSM, also thanks to the use of TES systems, in particular with heating distribution systems that have a low thermal inertia, e.g. radiators. It proved possible to achieve a good control of the indoor temperature, even if the heat pump was turned off for 3 h, and to reduce the electricity bill if a “time of use” tariff structure was adopted. -- Highlights: ► Heat pump heating systems with thermal energy storage are considered. ► System behavior is investigated during a DSM strategy for reducing peak energy demand. ► Heat pump heating systems demonstrate to be able to have an active role in DSM programs. ► A TES system must be coupled with the heat pump in presence of low thermal inertia heating distribution systems. ► Central role played by incentives schemes to promote this technology

Central receiver solar thermal power system, Phase 1. CDRL Item 2. Pilot plant preliminary design report. Volume V. Thermal storage subsystem. [Sensible heat storage using Caloria HT43 and mixture of gravel and sand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hallet, Jr., R. W.; Gervais, R. L.

1977-10-01

The proposed 100-MWe Commercial Plant Thermal Storage System (TSS) employs sensible heat storage using dual liquid and solid media for the heat storage in each of four tanks, with the thermocline principle applied to provide high-temperature, extractable energy independent of the total energy stored. The 10-MW Pilot Plant employs a similar system except uses only a single tank. The high-temperature organic fluid Caloria HT43 and a rock mixture of river gravel and No. 6 silica sand were selected for heat storage in both systems. The system design, installation, performance testing, safety characteristics, and specifications are described in detail. (WHK)

Experimental research on thermal characteristics of a hybrid thermocline heat storage system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yin, Huibin; Ding, Jing; Yang, Xiaoxi

2014-01-01

Considering the high-temperature thermal utilization of solar energy as the research background in this paper and focussing on the heat storage process, a kind of hybrid thermocline heat storage method in multi-scale structure and relevant experimental systems are designed by using the mixed molten nitrate salt as the heat storage medium and two representative porous materials, i.e. zirconium ball and silicon carbide (SiC) foam, as the heat storage fillers. The fluid flow and heat storage performance of molten salt in multi-scale structure are experimentally investigated. The results show that the theoretical heat storage efficiencies amongst the three experimental heat storage manners are less than 80% because of the existence of thermocline layers. Comparing to the single-phase molten salt heat storage, the two hybrid thermocline heat storage manners with porous fillers lead to a certain decrease in the effective heat storage capacity. The presence of porous fillers can also help to maintain the molten salt fluid as ideal gravity flow or piston flow and partially replace expensive molten salt. Therefore, it requires a combination of heat storage capacity and economical consideration for optimization design when similar spherical particles or foam ceramics are employed as the porous fillers. -- Highlights: • A hybrid thermocline heat storage method in multi-scale structure is developed. • The fluid flow and heat storage performance are experimentally investigated. • Stable thermocline can form in single tank for the experimental cases. • The hybrid thermocline heat storage with porous filler is promising

Thermal energy storage using chloride salts and their eutectics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myers, Philip D.; Goswami, D. Yogi

2016-01-01

Achieving the goals of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Sunshot initiative requires (1) higher operating temperatures for concentrating solar power (CSP) plants to increase theoretical efficiency, and (2) effective thermal energy storage (TES) strategies to ensure dispatchability. Current inorganic salt-based TES systems in large-scale CSP plants generally employ molten nitrate salts for energy storage, but nitrate salts are limited in application to lower temperatures—generally, below 600 °C. These materials are sufficient for parabolic trough power plants, but they are inadequate for use at higher temperatures. At the higher operating temperatures achievable in solar power tower-type CSP plants, chloride salts are promising candidates for application as TES materials, owing to their thermal stability and generally lower cost compared to nitrate salts. In light of this, a recent study was conducted, which included a preliminary survey of chloride salts and binary eutectic systems that show promise as high temperature TES media. This study provided some basic information about the salts, including phase equilibria data and estimates of latent heat of fusion for some of the eutectics. Cost estimates were obtained through a review of bulk pricing for the pure salts among various vendors. This review paper updates that prior study, adding data for additional salt eutectic systems obtained from the literature. Where possible, data are obtained from the thermodynamic database software, FactSage. Radiative properties are presented, as well, since at higher temperatures, thermal radiation becomes a significant mode of heat transfer. Material compatibility for inorganic salts is another important consideration (e.g., with regard to piping and/or containment), so a summary of corrosion studies with various materials is also presented. Lastly, cost data for these systems are presented, allowing for meaningful comparison among these systems and other materials for TES

Thermophysical parameters of coconut oil and its potential application as the thermal energy storage system in Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Putri, Widya A.; Fahmi, Zulfikar; Sutjahja, I. M.; Kurnia, D.; Wonorahardjo, S.

2016-08-01

The high consumption of electric energy for room air conditioning (AC) system in Indonesia has driven the research of potential thermal energy storage system as a passive temperature controller. The application of coconut oil (CO) as the potential candidate for this purpose has been motivated since its working temperature just around the human thermal comfort zone in the tropical area as Indonesia. In this research we report the time-dependent temperature data of CO, which is adopting the T-history method. The analysis of the data revealed a set of thermophysical parameters, consist of the mean specific heats of the solid and liquid, as well as the latent heat of fusion for the phase change transition. The performance of CO to decrease the air temperature was measured in the thermal chamber. From the results it is shown that the latent phase of CO related to the solid-liquid phase transition show the highest capability in heat absorption, directly showing the potential application of CO as thermal energy storage system in Indonesia.

Geological exploration for a high-temperature aquifer thermal energy storage (HT-ATES) system: a case study from Oman

Science.gov (United States)

Winterleitner, Gerd; Schütz, Felina; Huenges, Ernst

2017-04-01

A collaborative research programme between the German Research Centre for Geoscience, Potsdam (GFZ) and The Research Council of Oman (TRC) is underway, which aims to develop and implement an innovative concept of a sustainable thermally driven cooling system in combination with a HT-ATES in northern Oman. The system will use an absorption chiller for cold supply, which nominally requires water of around 100°C as energy source. Solar collectors will provide this thermal energy and energy surpluses during daytimes will be stored to ensure a continuous operation of the cooling system. An integral part of this project is, therefore, the development of an efficient HT-ATES (100°C), which is based on temporary storage and recovery of thermal energy through hot water injection in subsurface aquifer horizons. Thus, an accurate thermal and fluid flow characterisation of potential reservoir horizons is essential to ensure optimal efficiency of the cooling system. The study area is located in the Al Khwad area, approximately 40 km to the west of Muscat. The area is characterised by a thick Cenozoic mixed carbonate-siliciclastic sedimentary succession, containing at least 3 aquifer horizons. We use a multidisciplinary approach for the initial ATES exploration and development phase, including traditional geological fieldwork dovetailed with virtual outcrop geology, thin-section analyses, geological modelling and reservoir fluid flow forecasting analyses. Our first results indicate two potential storage horizons: (1) a Miocene-aged clastic-dominated alluvial fan system and (2) an Eocene carbonate-dominated sequence. The alluvial fan system is characterised by a more than 300 m thick, coarse-clastic succession of coalesced individual fans. Thermal and hydraulic parameters are favourable for gravel and sandstone intervals but reservoir architecture is complex due to multiple generations of interconnecting fans with highly heterogeneous facies distributions. The Eocene carbonates

Experimental and theoretic investigations of thermal behavior of a seasonal water pit heat storage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fan, Jianhua; Huang, Junpeng; Chatzidiakos, Angelos

Seasonal heat storages are considered essential for district heating systems because they offer flexibility for the system to integrate different fluctuating renewable energy sources. Water pit thermal storages (PTES) have been successfully implemented in solar district heating plants in Denmark....... Thermal behavior of a 75,000 m3 water pit heat storage in Marstal solar heating plant was investigated experimentally and numerically. Temperatures at different levels of the water pit storage and temperatures at different depths of the ground around the storage were monitored and analyzed. A simulation...... model of the water pit storage is built to investigate development of temperatures in and around the storage. The calculated temperatures are compared to the monitored temperatures with an aim to validate the simulation model. Thermal stratification in the water pit heat storage and its interaction...

Advanced high-temperature thermal energy storage media for industrial applications

Science.gov (United States)

Claar, T. D.; Waibel, R. T.

1982-02-01

An advanced thermal energy storage media concept based on use of carbonate salt/ceramic composite materials is being developed for industrial process and reject heat applications. The composite latent/sensible media concept and its potential advantages over state of the art latent heat systems is described. Media stability requirements, on-going materials development efforts, and planned thermal energy storage (TES) performance evaluation tests are discussed.

Experimental study on the thermal performance of a new type of thermal energy storage based on flat micro-heat pipe array

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Feng-fei; Diao, Yan-hua; Zhao, Yao-hua; Zhu, Ting-ting; Liu, Jing

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A novel thermal energy storage based on flat micro-heat pipe array is proposed. • The thermal storage shows excellent thermal performance in the working process. • The novel thermal storage has the advantage of low flow resistance. - Abstract: The thermal performance of an air-based phase change storage unit is analyzed and discussed in this study. The thermal energy storage uses flat micro-heat pipe array (FMHPA) as the core heat transfer component and lauric acid as phase change material (PCM). An experimental system is devised to test the heat storage–release property of the storage unit under different inlet temperatures and flow rates of the heat transfer medium. The performance of the storage unit and the melting/solidification curves of the phase change material are obtained based on extensive experimental data. Experimental results indicate that the flat micro-heat pipe array exhibits excellent temperature uniformity in the heat storage–release process, and the performance of the storage unit is efficient and steady.

Thermal Energy Storage with Phase Change Material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lavinia Gabriela SOCACIU

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Thermal energy storage (TES systems provide several alternatives for efficient energy use and conservation. Phase change materials (PCMs for TES are materials supplying thermal regulation at particular phase change temperatures by absorbing and emitting the heat of the medium. TES in general and PCMs in particular, have been a main topic in research for the last 30 years, but although the information is quantitatively enormous, it is also spread widely in the literature, and difficult to find. PCMs absorb energy during the heating process as phase change takes place and release energy to the environment in the phase change range during a reverse cooling process. PCMs possesses the ability of latent thermal energy change their state with a certain temperature. PCMs for TES are generally solid-liquid phase change materials and therefore they need encapsulation. TES systems using PCMs as a storage medium offers advantages such as high TES capacity, small unit size and isothermal behaviour during charging and discharging when compared to the sensible TES.

Thermal reservoir sizing for adiabatic compressed air energy storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kere, Amelie; Goetz, Vincent; Py, Xavier; Olives, Regis; Sadiki, Najim [Perpignan Univ. (France). PROMES CNRS UPR 8521; Mercier-Allart, Eric [EDF R et D, Chatou (France)

2012-07-01

Despite the operation of the two existing industrial facilities to McIntosh (Alabama), and for more than thirty years, Huntorf (Germany), electricity storage in the form of compressed air in underground cavern (CAES) has not seen the development that was expected in the 80s. The efficiency of this form of storage was with the first generation CAES, less than 50%. The evolving context technique can significantly alter this situation. The new generation so-called Adiabatic CAES (A-CAES) is to retrieve the heat produced by the compression via thermal storage, thus eliminating the necessity of gas to burn and would allow consideration efficiency overall energy of the order of 70%. To date, there is no existing installation of A-CAES. Many studies describe the principal and the general working mode of storage systems by adiabatic compression of air. So, efficiencies of different configurations of adiabatic compression process were analyzed. The aim of this paper is to simulate and analyze the performances of a thermal storage reservoir integrated in the system and adapted to the working conditions of a CAES.

Simulating thermal behavior of AECL's spent fuel dry storage system with CATHENA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sabourin, G. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Montreal, PQ (Canada)

1998-07-01

This paper documents the comparisons between CATHENA predictions and temperature measurements taken at the Gentilly-2 NPP spent fuel dry storage facility and in a mock--up of a storage basket placed inside a storage cylinder. It also presents CATHENA temperature predictions related to the storage of spent fuel in MACSTOR modules as planned for Ignalina NPP, Lithuania. CATHENA has been chosen because it can simulate many noncondensable gases including air and helium, and because of its great flexibility in the representation of the MACSTOR module geometry. The results of the simulations show good agreement with the experimental measurements. The two comparisons indicate that CATHENA can be used to simulate heat transfer from the fuel to the external air circuit of the spent fuel dry storage system. For the Ignalina MACSTOR module, containing RBMK fuel having higher heat release than typical CANDU fuel, CATHENA predicts that the maximum fuel temperature is expected to be around 240 deg C, giving an acceptable margin below the maximum allowed temperature of 300 deg C. In conclusion, this paper shows that the thermalhydraulic code CATHENA can accurately predict the thermal behavior AECL's air cooled spent fuel dry storage system. (author)

Design Considerations of a Solid State Thermal Energy Storage

Science.gov (United States)

Janbozorgi, Mohammad; Houssainy, Sammy; Thacker, Ariana; Ip, Peggy; Ismail, Walid; Kavehpour, Pirouz

2016-11-01

With the growing governmental restrictions on carbon emission, renewable energies are becoming more prevalent. A reliable use of a renewable source however requires a built-in storage to overcome the inherent intermittent nature of the available energy. Thermal design of a solid state energy storage has been investigated for optimal performance. The impact of flow regime, laminar vs. turbulent, on the design and sizing of the system is also studied. The implications of low thermal conductivity of the storage material are discussed and a design that maximizes the round trip efficiency is presented. This study was supported by Award No. EPC-14-027 Granted by California Energy Commission (CEC).

Biogeochemical aspects of aquifer thermal energy storage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brons, H.J.

1992-01-01

During the process of aquifer thermal energy storage the in situ temperature of the groundwater- sediment system may fluctuate significantly. As a result the groundwater characteristics can be considerably affected by a variety of chemical, biogeochemical and microbiological