Transient Heat Delivery and Storage Process in a Thermocline Heat Storage System

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon T. Van Lew ◽  
Peiwen Li ◽  
Cho Lik Chan ◽  
Wafaa Karaki ◽  
Jake Stephens
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Power Systems ◽  
Heat Storage ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Storage System ◽  
Filler Material ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Efficient Computation ◽  
Concentrated Solar Energy ◽  
Feasible Option

Parabolic trough power systems utilizing concentrated solar energy have proven their worth as a means for generating electricity. However, one major aspect preventing the technologies widespread acceptance is the deliverability of energy beyond a narrow window during peak hours of the sun. Thermal storage is a viable option to enhance the dispatchability of the solar energy and an economically feasible option is a thermocline storage system with a low-cost filler material. Utilization of thermocline storage facilities have been studied in the past and this paper hopes to expand upon that knowledge. The current study aimed to effectively model the heat transfer of a working fluid interacting with filler material. An effective numerical method and efficient computation schemes were developed and verified. A thermocline storage system was modeled under specific conditions and results of great significance to heat storage design and operation were obtained.

Heat Transfer in Thermocline Storage System With Filler Materials: Analytical Model

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wafaa Karaki ◽  
Jon T. Van Lew ◽  
Peiwen Li ◽  
Cho Lik Chan ◽  
Jake Stephens
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Power Systems ◽  
Analytical Model ◽  
Storage System ◽  
Heat Transfer Fluid ◽  
Filler Materials ◽  
Initial Temperature Distribution ◽  
Conservation Of Energy ◽  
Concentrated Solar Energy

Parabolic trough power systems utilizing concentrated solar energy have proven their worth as a means for generating electricity. However, one major aspect preventing the technologies widespread acceptance is the deliverability of energy beyond a narrow window during peak hours of the sun. Thermal storage is a viable option to enhance the dispatchability of the solar energy and an economically feasible option is a thermocline storage system with a low-cost filler material. Utilization of thermocline storage facilities have been studied in the past and this paper hopes to expand upon that knowledge. The heat transfer between the heat transfer fluid and filler materials are governed by two conservation of energy equations, often referred as Schumann [1] equations. We solve these two coupled partial differential equations using Laplace transformation. The initial temperature distribution can be constant, linear or exponential. This flexibility allows us to apply the model to simulate unlimited charging and discharging cycles, similar to a day-to-day operation. The analytical model is used to investigate charging and discharging processes, and energy storage capacity. In an earlier paper [2], the authors presented numerical solution of the Schumann equations using method of characteristics. Comparison between analytical and numerical results shows that they are in very good agreement.

Experimental Investigation on a Latent Heat Thermal Storage Unit for Solar Cooling Application

Green ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Chidambaram ◽  
A. S. Ramana ◽  
G. Kamaraj ◽  
R. Velraj
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
Solar Collector ◽  
Heat Storage ◽  
Storage System ◽  
Thermal Storage ◽  
Environmental Crisis ◽  
Storage Unit ◽  
Latent Heat Storage ◽  
Solar Cooling

AbstractConventional cooling technologies that utilize harmful refrigerants consume more energy and cause peak loads leading to negative environmental impacts. As the world grapples with the energy and environmental crisis, there is an urgent need to develop and promote environmentally benign sustainable cooling technologies. Solar cooling is one such promising technology, given the fact that solar energy is the cheapest and most widely available renewable energy that matches the cooling load requirements. However thermal storage systems are essential to overcome the disadvantage of the intermittent nature of solar energy and variations in the cooling demand. The enhanced utilization of solar energy and other consequences of thermal storage integrated systems have gained the attention of researchers in recent years. The concept of combined sensible and latent heat storage system is successfully introduced in several applications and it has many advantages. This paper presents the performance of the solar collector system and the charging characteristics of a PCM based latent heat thermal storage unit, which is designed to provide continuous supply of heat for the operation of 1 kW vapor absorption refrigeration unit. Investigations on PCM integrated thermal storage system have revealed improvement in heat storage capacity, lower heat loss and an increased solar collector efficiency due to better thermal stratification.

Numerical and Experimental Analysis of a PCM Thermal Storage System

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriano Sciacovelli ◽  
Vittorio Verda
Keyword(s):  
Latent Heat ◽  
Phase Change Materials ◽  
Heat Storage ◽  
Storage System ◽  
District Heating ◽  
Thermal Storage ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Latent Heat Storage ◽  
Thermal Enhancement ◽  
Charging And Discharging Processes

Phase-change materials (PCM) are particularly promising for thermal storage in energy systems where the working fluid is either characterized by small specific heat or small temperature difference. In these cases, sensible heat storage would involve small energy densities (i.e. energy per unit volume). Latent heat storage would allow one to reduce the volume of storage tanks, but also reduce problems related with thermal stratification. On the other hand, heat transfer in PCMs needs to be enhanced in order to complete the charging and discharging processes in reasonable time. This paper reports the numerical and experimental activity performed by the authors related with the design of latent heat storage systems for district heating applications. Among the various enhancement methods, fins present some technical advantages related with manufacturing and management, which make them suitable for the application in district heating systems. The following aspects are considered in this paper: 1) melting and solidification; 2) modeling approaches and validation; 3) thermal enhancement with circular, radial or Y-shaped fins.

A low cost seasonal solar soil heat storage system for greenhouse heating: Design and pilot study

2015 ◽  
Vol 156 ◽  
pp. 213-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang Zhang ◽  
Peng Xu ◽  
Jiachen Mao ◽  
Xu Tang ◽  
Zhengwei Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Heat Storage ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Storage System

The Possibility of Using the Ground as a Seasonal Heat Storage: The Numerical Study

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pawel Olszewski
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Heat Storage ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Storage System ◽  
Heating System ◽  
Numerical Code ◽  
Space Heating ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
Seasonal Heat ◽  
The One

Humankind can effectively utilize only part of the solar energy reaching a surface of the Earth. It is due to the low density of the solar radiation and its unfavorable distribution. The majority of solar energy falls to the low latitude countries, where space-heating requirements are marginal. In these countries the solar heat is used for preparing water for washing or cleaning purposes, and this process works in one, or — maximum — a few daily cycles. In countries located at higher latitudes, where space heating is necessary in cold months, the current solar energy is insufficient to meet the space heating demand. The heat storage in deep layer of the ground is the one of possible way for solution of this problem. During the heating season, energy storage is discharged supplying the heat pomp cooperating with domestic heating system and during the summer months the storage can be charged by fluid heated in solar collectors. The main aim of presented research was analysis of using the ground layer as a heat storage system in the countries located in higher latitudes. The first variable taken into consideration was the output temperature of water leaving the solar collectors. The temperature distribution in the ground depends on the inlet water temperature, primary heated in the solar collectors, and forced into vertical boreholes. The temperature field in the ground was calculated using the duFort-Frankel finite-difference numerical method. A numerical code for 3D time dependent storage simulation has been created. The next step of analysis was calculation of waters’ temperature at the borehole output during cold months when the ground storage is discharged. This water works as a low-temperature reservoir of the heat pomp supplying the dwelling heating system. The solution of the problem is focused on an optimization of all parameters for the most efficient utilization of energy stored in the ground. The numerical genetic algorithms are scheduled to use to achieve this target.

scholarly journals Development and Characterization of Concrete/PCM/Diatomite Composites for Thermal Energy Storage in CSP/CST Applications

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (15) ◽  
pp. 4410
Author(s):  
Adio Miliozzi ◽  
Franco Dominici ◽  
Mauro Candelori ◽  
Elisabetta Veca ◽  
Raffaele Liberatore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Storage ◽  
Energy Density ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy Storage ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Heat Storage ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Storage System

Thermal energy storage (TES) systems for concentrated solar power plants are essential for the convenience of renewable energy sources in terms of energy dispatchability, economical aspects and their larger use. TES systems based on the use of concrete have been demonstrated to possess good heat exchange characteristics, wide availability of the heat storage medium and low cost. Therefore, the purpose of this work was the development and characterization of a new concrete-based heat storage material containing a concrete mix capable of operating at medium–high temperatures with improved performance. In this work, a small amount of shape-stabilized phase change material (PCM) was included, thus developing a new material capable of storing energy both as sensible and latent heat. This material was therefore characterized thermally and mechanically and showed increased thermal properties such as stored energy density (up to +7%, with a temperature difference of 100 °C at an average operating temperature of 250 °C) when 5 wt% of PCM was added. By taking advantage of these characteristics, particularly the higher energy density, thermal energy storage systems that are more compact and economically feasible can be built to operate within a temperature range of approximately 150–350 °C with a reduction, compared to a concrete-only based thermal energy storage system, of approximately 7% for the required volume and cost.

Design and Construction of a Solar-Powered Fluidyne Test Bed

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jackson W. Mason ◽  
James W. Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Fresnel Lens ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Distinct Advantage ◽  
Test Bed ◽  
Capital Costs ◽  
Concentrated Solar Energy ◽  
Low Efficiency ◽  
Solar Powered

Liquid piston Stirling engines (sometimes termed “fluidynes”) have been studied extensively and applied in a variety of energy conversion applications. They are attractive for low capital costs and simplicity of construction. In addition, their operation as external combustion engines allows for flexibility in primary energy sources which is a distinct advantage when a low-cost or free source of heat can be paired with their minimal construction costs. Disadvantages of these devices include relatively low efficiency and low power density. A solar-powered fluidyne test bed was constructed and operated at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. This test bed was composed of a fluidyne engine which was constructed from copper pipe and plastic tubing along with temperature and pressure instrumentation. The system was designed to be powered by a Fresnel lens concentrating solar energy. The concentrated solar energy from the Fresnel lens provided ample power to operate the test bed, and tests were run in a wide variety of conditions. Indicated work of this unloaded engine was shown to agree well with a simple theoretical model of a Stirling cycle.

Test Results From a Concentrated Solar Microturbine Brayton Cycle Integration

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Dickey
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Open Loop ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Brayton Cycle ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Market Place ◽  
Initial Development ◽  
Electrical Efficiency ◽  
Concentrated Solar Energy

Capstone Microturbine and Heliofocus Solar Thermal Solutions in a partnership built an open loop Brayton cycle system using a 65 kW Capstone Microturbine and a concentrated solar energy receiver. This system was built for initial development testing to validate the ability to generate electricity on a small scale at high efficiencies using only solar energy as the input. A secondary goal was to demonstrate the ability of the receiver to transfer sun energy into the working fluid of air at efficiencies that would support the target overall system electrical efficiency of 21%. Concentrating Solar Power systems in the 20 kW to 100 kW electrical output power range currently do not exist in the market place today. Demand for this type of power generation is high due to its small footprint per kW of energy produced, its ability to be distributed in small kW increments to meet site demand and space, its relatively high electrical efficiency and its projected low cost per kilowatt of generated electricity. This initial testing was done without the production configuration dish concentrator component and instead a solar tower with a field of Heliostats provided the sunlight to the solar generation system. Test results showed that the receiver met the efficiency goal set forth and that the overall system was capable of producing 25kW of electricity to the electric grid. The receiver efficiency measured was 89% at or near the needed airflow and air temperature levels required by the Microturbine to support an overall system efficiency of 21%. The next step in the development process would be to integrate the development system onto a concentrating solar dish and demonstrate the total conversion efficiency at the target 21% prior to commercialization.

Design Considerations for Heat-Pipe Solar Receivers

1990 ◽  
Vol 112 (3) ◽  
pp. 169-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas R. Adkins
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Heat Pipe ◽  
Focal Point ◽  
Liquid Sodium ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Concentrated Solar Energy ◽  
Stirling Engines ◽  
Parabolic Dish ◽  
Parabolic Dish Concentrator ◽  
Solar Receiver

Heat pipes are being developed to transfer solar energy from the focal point of a parabolic dish concentrator to the working fluid of Stirling engines. With these receivers, concentrated solar energy that is absorbed on the concave surface of a dome is removed by the evaporation of liquid sodium on the convex side of the dome. Vaporized sodium then condenses on an engine’s heater tubes and transfers energy to the working fluid of the engine. The condensed sodium returns to the absorber surface where it is redistributed across the dome by the capillary action of a wick. Issues concerning the flow of sodium in a heat-pipe solar receiver are investigated in this paper. A comparison is made between various wick options, and general issues concerning the design of heat-pipe receivers are also discussed.

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