Unsteady Heat Transfer Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Wall of Cold Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomura, Tomohiro; Murakami, Yuji; Uchikawa, Motoyuki

The authors had already clarified that the heat transfer behaviors between internal and external insulated reinforced concrete wall of cold storage are different each others when inside and outside temperature of wall is flactuating. From that conclusion, we must consider the application method of wall insulation of cold storages in actual design. The theme of the paper is to get the analyzing method and unsteady heat transfer characteristics of concrete walls of cold storage during daily variation of outside temperature of walls, and to give the basis for efficient design and cost optimization of insulate wall of cold storage. The difference of unsteady heat transfer characteristics between internal and external insulate wall, when outside temperature of the wall follewed daily varation, was clarified in experiment and in situ measurement of practical cold storage. The analyzing method with two dimentional unsteady FEM was introduced. Using this method, it is possible to obtain the time variation of heat flux, which is important basic factor for practical design of cold storage, through the wall.

Alkali metal/halide thermal energy storage systems performance evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1986-01-01

A pseudoheat-pipe heat transfer mechanism has been demonstrated effective in terms of both total heat removal efficiency and rate, on the one hand, and system isothermal characteristics, on the other, for solar thermal energy storage systems of the kind being contemplated for spacecraft. The selection of appropriate salt and alkali metal substances for the system renders it applicable to a wide temperature range. The rapid heat transfer rate obtainable makes possible the placing of the thermal energy storage system around the solar receiver canister, and the immersing of heat transfer fluid tubes in the phase change salt to obtain an isothermal heat source.

Analysis of the efficiency of a hybrid foil tunnel heating system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurpaska, Sławomir; Pedryc, Norbert

2017-10-01

The paper analyzes the efficiency of the hybrid system used to heat the foil tunnel. The tested system was built on the basis of heat gain in a cascade manner. The first step is to heat the water in the storage tank using the solar collectors. The second stage is the use of a heat pump (HP) in order to heat the diaphragm exchangers. The lower HP heat source is a cascade first stage buffer. In the storage tank, diaphragm exchangers used for solar collectors and heat pumps are installed. The research was carried out at a research station located in the University of Agriculture in Cracow. The aim was to perform an analysis of the efficiency of a hybrid system for the heating of a foil tunnel in the months from May to September. The efficiency of the entire hybrid system was calculated as the relation of the effect obtained in reference to the electrical power used to drive the heat pump components (compressor drive, circulation pump), circulation pumps and fans installed in the diaphragm heaters. The resulting effect was the amount of heat supplied to the interior of the object as a result of the internal air being forced through the diaphragm exchangers.

Performance analysis of phase-change material storage unit for both heating and cooling of buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waqas, Adeel; Ali, Majid; Ud Din, Zia

2017-04-01

Utilisation of solar energy and the night ambient (cool) temperatures are the passive ways of heating and cooling of buildings. Intermittent and time-dependent nature of these sources makes thermal energy storage vital for efficient and continuous operation of these heating and cooling techniques. Latent heat thermal energy storage by phase-change materials (PCMs) is preferred over other storage techniques due to its high-energy storage density and isothermal storage process. The current study was aimed to evaluate the performance of the air-based PCM storage unit utilising solar energy and cool ambient night temperatures for comfort heating and cooling of a building in dry-cold and dry-hot climates. The performance of the studied PCM storage unit was maximised when the melting point of the PCM was ∼29°C in summer and 21°C during winter season. The appropriate melting point was ∼27.5°C for all-the-year-round performance. At lower melting points than 27.5°C, declination in the cooling capacity of the storage unit was more profound as compared to the improvement in the heating capacity. Also, it was concluded that the melting point of the PCM that provided maximum cooling during summer season could be used for winter heating also but not vice versa.

Solar heating and cooling diode module

DOEpatents

Maloney, Timothy J.

1986-01-01

A high efficiency solar heating system comprising a plurality of hollow modular units each for receiving a thermal storage mass, the units being arranged in stacked relation in the exterior frame of a building, each of the units including a port for filling the unit with the mass, a collector region and a storage region, each region having inner and outer walls, the outer wall of the collector region being oriented for exposure to sunlight for heating the thermal storage mass; the storage region having an opening therein and the collector region having a corresponding opening, the openings being joined for communicating the thermal storage mass between the storage and collector regions by thermosiphoning; the collector region being disposed substantially below and in parallel relation to the storage region in the modular unit; and the inner wall of the collector region of each successive modular unit in the stacked relation extending over the outer wall of the storage region of the next lower modular unit in the stacked relation for reducing heat loss from the system. Various modifications and alternatives are disclosed for both heating and cooling applications.

A 'two-tank' seasonal storage concept for solar space heating of buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cha, B. K.; Connor, D. W.; Mueller, R. O.

This paper presents an analysis of a novel 'two-tank' water storage system, consisting of a large primary water tank for seasonal storage of solar energy plus a much smaller secondary water tank for storage of solar energy collected during the heating season. The system offers the advantages of high collection efficiency during the early stages of the heating season, a period when the temperature of the primary tank is generally high. By preferentially drawing energy from the small secondary tank to meet load, its temperature can be kept well below that of the larger primary tank, thereby providing a lower-temperature source for collector inlet fluid. The resulting improvement in annual system efficiency through the addition of a small secondary tank is found to be substantial - for the site considered in the paper (Madison, Wisconsin), the relative percentage gain in annual performance is in the range of 10 to 20%. A simple computer model permits accurate hour-by-hour transient simulation of thermal performance over a yearly cycle. The paper presents results of detailed simulations of collectors and storage sizing and design trade-offs for solar energy systems supplying 90% to 100% of annual heating load requirements.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Experimental study on latent heat storage characteristics of W/O emulsion -Supercooling rate of dispersed water drops by direct contact heat exchange-

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morita, Shin-ichi; Hayamizu, Yasutaka; Horibe, Akihiko; Haruki, Naoto; Inaba, Hideo

2013-04-01

Recently, much attention has been paid to investigate the latent heat storage system. Using of ice heat storage system brings an equalization of electric power demand, because it will solved the electric -power-demand-concentration on day-time of summer by the air conditioning. The flowable latent heat storage material, Oil/Water type emulsion, microencapsulated latent heat material-water mixture or ice slurry, etc., is enable to transport the latent heat in a pipe. The flowable latent heat storage material can realize the pipe size reduction and system efficiency improvement. Supercooling phenomenon of the dispersed latent heat storage material in continuous phase brings the obstruction of latent heat storage. The latent heat storage rates of dispersed water drops in W/O (Water/Oil) emulsion are investigated experimentally in this study. The water drops in emulsion has the diameter within 3 ˜ 25μm, the averaged water drop diameter is 7.3μm and the standard deviation is 2.9μm. The direct contact heat exchange method is chosen as the phase change rate evaluation of water drops in W/O emulsion. The supercooled temperature and the cooling rate are set as parameters of this study. The evaluation is performed by comparison between the results of this study and the past research. The obtained experimental result is shown that the 35K or more degree from melting point brings 100% latent heat storage rate of W/O emulsion. It was clarified that the supercooling rate of dispersed water particles in emulsion shows the larger value than that of the bulk water.

Heat Sponge: A Concept for Mass-Efficient Heat Storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Splinter, Scott C.; Blosser, Max L.; Gifford, Andrew R.

2008-01-01

The heat sponge is a device for mass-efficient storage of heat. It was developed to be incorporated in the substructure of a re-entry vehicle to reduce thermal- protection-system requirements. The heat sponge consists of a liquid/vapor mixture contained within a number of miniature pressure vessels that can be embedded within a variety of different types of structures. As temperature is increased, pressure in the miniature pressure vessels also increases so that heat absorbed through vaporization of the liquid is spread over a relatively large temperature range. Using water as a working fluid, the heat-storage capacity of the liquid/vapor mixture is many times higher than that of typical structural materials and is well above that of common phase change materials over a temperature range of 200 F to 700 F. The use of pure ammonia as the working fluid provides a range of application between 432 deg R and 730 deg R, or the use of the more practical water-ammonia solution provides a range of application between 432 deg R and 1160 deg R or in between that of water and pure ammonia. Prototype heat sponges were fabricated and characterized. These heat sponges consisted of 1.0-inch-diameter, hollow, stainless-steel spheres with a wall thickness of 0.020 inches which had varying percentages of their interior volumes filled with water and a water-ammonia solution. An apparatus to measure the heat stored in these prototype heat sponges was designed, fabricated, and verified. The heat-storage capacity calculated from measured temperature histories is compared to numerical predictions.

Development and Validation of a Gas-Fired Residential Heat Pump Water Heater - Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Michael Garrabrant; Roger Stout; Paul Glanville

2013-01-21

For gas-fired residential water heating, the U.S. and Canada is predominantly supplied by minimum efficiency storage water heaters with Energy Factors (EF) in the range of 0.59 to 0.62. Higher efficiency and higher cost ($700 - $2,000) options serve about 15% of the market, but still have EFs below 1.0, ranging from 0.65 to 0.95. To develop a new class of water heating products that exceeds the traditional limit of thermal efficiency, the project team designed and demonstrated a packaged water heater driven by a gas-fired ammonia-water absorption heat pump. This gas-fired heat pump water heater can achieve EFs ofmore » 1.3 or higher, at a consumer cost of $2,000 or less. Led by Stone Mountain Technologies Inc. (SMTI), with support from A.O. Smith, the Gas Technology Institute (GTI), and Georgia Tech, the cross-functional team completed research and development tasks including cycle modeling, breadboard evaluation of two cycles and two heat exchanger classes, heat pump/storage tank integration, compact solution pump development, combustion system specification, and evaluation of packaged prototype GHPWHs. The heat pump system extracts low grade heat from the ambient air and produces high grade heat suitable for heating water in a storage tank for domestic use. Product features that include conventional installation practices, standard footprint and reasonable economic payback, position the technology to gain significant market penetration, resulting in a large reduction of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from domestic hot water production.« less

A Conceptual Design Study on the Application of Liquid Metal Heat Transfer Technology to the Solar Thermal Power Plant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zimmerman, W. F.; Robertson, C. S.; Ehde, C. L.; Divakaruni, S. M.; Stacy, L. E.

1979-01-01

Alkali metal heat transfer technology was used in the development of conceptual designs for the transport and storage of sensible and latent heat thermal energy in distributed concentrator, solar Stirling power conversion systems at a power level of 15 kWe per unit. Both liquid metal pumped loop and heat pipe thermal transport were considered; system configurations included: (1) an integrated, focal mounted sodium heat pipe solar receiver (HPSR) with latent heat thermal energy storage; (2) a liquid sodium pumped loop with the latent heat storage, Stirling engine-generator, pump and valves located on the back side of the concentrator; and (3) similar pumped loops serving several concentrators with more centralized power conversion and storage. The focus mounted HPSR was most efficient, lightest and lowest in estimated cost. Design confirmation testing indicated satisfactory performance at all angles of inclination of the primary heat pipes to be used in the solar receiver.

A New Heat Supply System of Cogeneration for the Local Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Hideki; Hisazumi, Yoshinori; Asano, Hitoshi; Morita, Hikaru; Hori, Toshihiro; Matsumoto, Toshiki; Abiko, Tetsuo

In order for economically viable distributed generation systems for local communities to be widely accepted, it is essential to develop an efficient and low-cost heat supply system. For this purpose, we propose a new heat supply system which we already presented at the ICOPE-05 Chicago. The key technology for the system is to connect compact heat supply units with a heat storage function installed in all the households of the local community, such as condominiums, by a single-loop of hot water pipe. A phase change material was used for the heat supply unit as the heat storage material. However, for easier handling and reducing the cost of the unit, we have developed a new heat supply unit whose heat storage tank is made of plastic. Hot water for space heating is used as the heat storage material. Further we constructed a heat supply system for 7 lived-in households with a 5 kW gas engine and a 42 kW boiler as the heat sources. Some experiments with a heat supply unit and a heat supply system, such as for heat storage and heat supply for peak demand were conducted. Additionally, dynamic simulations of heat demand by 50 households and a COP evaluation of a new CO2 heat pump system using low-temperature exhaust gas from the gas engine were also conducted.

Thermal energy storage. [by means of chemical reactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grodzka, P. G.

1975-01-01

The principles involved in thermal energy storage by sensible heat, chemical potential energy, and latent heat of fusion are examined for the purpose of evolving selection criteria for material candidates in the low ( 0 C) and high ( 100 C) temperature ranges. The examination identifies some unresolved theoretical considerations and permits a preliminary formulation of an energy storage theory. A number of candidates in the low and high temperature ranges are presented along with a rating of candidates or potential candidates. A few interesting candidates in the 0 to 100 C region are also included. It is concluded that storage by means of reactions whose reversibility can be controlled either by product removal or by catalytic means appear to offer appreciable advantages over storage with reactions whose reversability cannot be controlled. Among such advantages are listed higher heat storage capacities and more favorable options regarding temperatures of collection, storage, and delivery. Among the disadvantages are lower storage efficiencies.

Characterization of heat transfer in nutrient materials. [space flight feeding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Witte, L. C.

1985-01-01

The processing and storage of foodstuffs in zero-g environments such as in Skylab and the space shuttle were investigated. Particular attention was given to the efficient heating of foodstuffs. The thermophysical properties of various foods were cataloged and critiqued. The low temperature storage of biological samples as well as foodstuffs during shuttle flights was studied. Research and development requirements related to food preparation and storage on the space station are discussed.

Modeling Pumped Thermal Energy Storage with Waste Heat Harvesting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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 <1% error for bottoming mode 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 262-284/MWh for batteries and $172-254/MWh for Compressed Air Energy Storage.

Large temporal scale and capacity subsurface bulk energy storage with CO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saar, M. O.; Fleming, M. R.; Adams, B. M.; Ogland-Hand, J.; Nelson, E. S.; Randolph, J.; Sioshansi, R.; Kuehn, T. H.; Buscheck, T. A.; Bielicki, J. M.

2017-12-01

Decarbonizing energy systems by increasing the penetration of variable renewable energy (VRE) technologies requires efficient and short- to long-term energy storage. Very large amounts of energy can be stored in the subsurface as heat and/or pressure energy in order to provide both short- and long-term (seasonal) storage, depending on the implementation. This energy storage approach can be quite efficient, especially where geothermal energy is naturally added to the system. Here, we present subsurface heat and/or pressure energy storage with supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) and discuss the system's efficiency, deployment options, as well as its advantages and disadvantages, compared to several other energy storage options. CO2-based subsurface bulk energy storage has the potential to be particularly efficient and large-scale, both temporally (i.e., seasonal) and spatially. The latter refers to the amount of energy that can be stored underground, using CO2, at a geologically conducive location, potentially enabling storing excess power from a substantial portion of the power grid. The implication is that it would be possible to employ centralized energy storage for (a substantial part of) the power grid, where the geology enables CO2-based bulk subsurface energy storage, whereas the VRE technologies (solar, wind) are located on that same power grid, where (solar, wind) conditions are ideal. However, this may require reinforcing the power grid's transmission lines in certain parts of the grid to enable high-load power transmission from/to a few locations.

Technical challenges and future direction for high-efficiency metal hydride thermal energy storage systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, Patrick A.; Corgnale, Claudio; Teprovich, Joseph A.; Motyka, Theodore; Hardy, Bruce; Sheppard, Drew; Buckley, Craig; Zidan, Ragaiy

2016-04-01

Recently, there has been increasing interest in thermal energy storage (TES) systems for concentrated solar power (CSP) plants, which allow for continuous operation when sunlight is unavailable. Thermochemical energy storage materials have the advantage of much higher energy densities than latent or sensible heat materials. Furthermore, thermochemical energy storage systems based on metal hydrides have been gaining great interest for having the advantage of higher energy densities, better reversibility, and high enthalpies. However, in order to achieve higher efficiencies desired of a thermal storage system by the US Department of Energy, the system is required to operate at temperatures >600 °C. Operation at temperatures >600 °C presents challenges including material selection, hydrogen embrittlement and permeation of containment vessels, appropriate selection of heat transfer fluids, and cost. Herein, the technical difficulties and proposed solutions associated with the use of metal hydrides as TES materials in CSP applications are discussed and evaluated.

An effect of surface properties on detachment of adhered solid to cooling surface for formation of clathrate hydrate slurry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daitoku, Tadafumi; Utaka, Yoshio

In air-conditioning systems, it is desirable that the liquid-solid phase change temperature of a cool energy storage material is approximately 10 °C from the perspective of improving coefficient of performance (COP). Moreover, a thermal storage material that forms slurry can realize large heat capacity of working fluids. Since the solid that adheres to the heat transfer surface forms a thermal resistance layer and remarkably reduces the rate of cold storage, it is important to avoid the adhesion of a thick solid layer on the surface so as to realize efficient energy storage. Considering a harvest type cooling unit, the force required for removing the solid phase from the heat transfer surface was studied. Tetra-n-butylammonium Bromide (TBAB) clathrate hydrate was used as a cold storage material. The effect of the heat transfer surface properties on the scraping force for detachment of adhered solid of TBAB hydrate to the heat transfer surface was examined experimentally.

On the Method of Efficient Ice Cold Energy Storage Using a Heat Transfer of Direct Contact Phase Change and a Natural Circulation of a Working Medium in an Enclosure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Utaka, Yoshio; Saito, Akio; Nakata, Naoki

The objectives of this report are to propose a new method of the high performance cold energy storage using ice as a phase change material and to clarify the heat transfer characteristics of the apparatus of ice cold energy storage based on the proposed principle. A working medium vapor layer a water layer and a working medium liquid layer stratified in this order from the top were kept in an enclosure composed of a condenser, an evaporator and a condensate receiver-and-return tube. The direct contact heat transfers between water or ice and a working medium in an enclosure were applied for realizing the high performance cold energy storage and release. In the storage and release processes, water changes the phase between the liquid and the solid, and the working medium cnanges between the vapor and the liquid with a natural circulation. Experimental apparatus was manufactured and R12 and R114 were selected as working media in the thermal energy storage enclosure. It was confirmed by the measurements that the efficient formation and melting of ice were achieved. Then, th e heat transfer characteristics were clarified for the effects of the initial water height, the initial height of woking medium liquid layer and the inlet coolant temperature.

Mars Propellant Liquefaction Modeling in Thermal Desktop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Desai, Pooja; Hauser, Dan; Sutherlin, Steven

2017-01-01

NASAs current Mars architectures are assuming the production and storage of 23 tons of liquid oxygen on the surface of Mars over a duration of 500+ days. In order to do this in a mass efficient manner, an energy efficient refrigeration system will be required. Based on previous analysis NASA has decided to do all liquefaction in the propulsion vehicle storage tanks. In order to allow for transient Martian environmental effects, a propellant liquefaction and storage system for a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) was modeled using Thermal Desktop. The model consisted of a propellant tank containing a broad area cooling loop heat exchanger integrated with a reverse turbo Brayton cryocooler. Cryocooler sizing and performance modeling was conducted using MAV diurnal heat loads and radiator rejection temperatures predicted from a previous thermal model of the MAV. A system was also sized and modeled using an alternative heat rejection system that relies on a forced convection heat exchanger. Cryocooler mass, input power, and heat rejection for both systems were estimated and compared against sizing based on non-transient sizing estimates.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Collins Cryocooler Design for Zero-Boil Storage of Liquid Hydrogen and Oxygen in Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Segado, M. A.; Hannon, C. L.; Brisson, J. G.

2010-04-01

Several models of multi-stage cryocoolers are developed for zero-boil-off storage of liquid hydrogen and oxygen in space. The thermodynamic cycles are based on a modified Collins cycle being developed by MIT and AMTI, and each configuration is optimized for maximum efficiency by varying the mass flows, heat exchanger UA distribution, and other variables where applicable, subject to the required heat loads of 100 W at 100 K and 20 W at 25 K. By using double expanders connected in series with the heat loads in one or more stages of the cooler, we were able to achieve predicted efficiency gains of 10-24% over single expander designs.

Performance Analysis of a CO2 Heat Pump Water Heating System Under a Daily Change in a Simulated Demand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yokoyama, Ryohei; Kohno, Yasuhiro; Wakui, Tetsuya; Takemura, Kazuhisa

Air-to-water heat pumps using CO2 as a refrigerant have been developed. In addition, water heating systems each of which combines a CO2 heat pump with a hot water storage tank have been commercialized and widespread. They are expected to contribute to energy saving in residential hot water supply. It has become more and more important to enhance the system performance. In this paper, the performance of a CO2 heat pump water heating system is analyzed under a daily change in a simulated hot water demand by numerical simulation. A static model of a CO2 heat pump and a dynamic model of a storage tank result in a set of differential algebraic equations, and it is solved numerically by a hierarchical combination of Runge-Kutta and Newton-Raphson methods. Daily changes in the temperature distributions in the storage tank and the system performance criteria such as volumes of stored and unused hot water, coefficient of performance, and storage and system efficiencies are clarified under a series of daily hot water demands during a month.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

More Efficient Solar Thermal-Energy Receiver

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dustin, M. O.

1987-01-01

Thermal stresses and reradiation reduced. Improved design for solar thermal-energy receiver overcomes three major deficiencies of solar dynamic receivers described in literature. Concentrator and receiver part of solar-thermal-energy system. Receiver divided into radiation section and storage section. Concentrated solar radiation falls on boiling ends of heat pipes, which transmit heat to thermal-energy-storage medium. Receiver used in number of applications to produce thermal energy directly for use or to store thermal energy for subsequent use in heat engine.

GLIDES – Efficient Energy Storage from ORNL

ScienceCinema

Momen, Ayyoub M.; Abu-Heiba, Ahmad; Odukomaiya, Wale; Akinina, Alla

2018-06-25

The research shown in this video features the GLIDES (Ground-Level Integrated Diverse Energy Storage) project, which has been under development at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) since 2013. GLIDES can store energy via combined inputs of electricity and heat, and deliver dispatchable electricity. Supported by ORNL’s Laboratory Director’s Research and Development (LDRD) fund, this energy storage system is low-cost, and hybridizes compressed air and pumped-hydro approaches to allow for storage of intermittent renewable energy at high efficiency. A U.S. patent application for this novel energy storage concept has been submitted, and research findings suggest it has the potential to be a flexible, low-cost, scalable, high-efficiency option for energy storage, especially useful in residential and commercial buildings.

GLIDES – Efficient Energy Storage from ORNL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Momen, Ayyoub M.; Abu-Heiba, Ahmad; Odukomaiya, Wale

2016-03-01

The research shown in this video features the GLIDES (Ground-Level Integrated Diverse Energy Storage) project, which has been under development at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) since 2013. GLIDES can store energy via combined inputs of electricity and heat, and deliver dispatchable electricity. Supported by ORNL’s Laboratory Director’s Research and Development (LDRD) fund, this energy storage system is low-cost, and hybridizes compressed air and pumped-hydro approaches to allow for storage of intermittent renewable energy at high efficiency. A U.S. patent application for this novel energy storage concept has been submitted, and research findings suggest it has the potential to bemore » a flexible, low-cost, scalable, high-efficiency option for energy storage, especially useful in residential and commercial buildings.« less

General volume sizing strategy for thermal storage system using phase change material for concentrated solar thermal power plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, Ben; Li, Peiwen; Chan, Cholik

With an auxiliary large capacity thermal storage using phase change material (PCM), Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) is a promising technology for high efficiency solar energy utilization. In a thermal storage system, a dual-media thermal storage tank is typically adopted in industry for the purpose of reducing the use of the heat transfer fluid (HTF) which is usually expensive. While the sensible heat storage system (SHSS) has been well studied, a dual-media latent heat storage system (LHSS) still needs more attention and study. The volume sizing of the thermal storage tank, considering daily cyclic operations, is of particular significance. In thismore » paper, a general volume sizing strategy for LHSS is proposed, based on an enthalpy-based 1D transient model. One example was presented to demonstrate how to apply this strategy to obtain an actual storage tank volume. With this volume, a LHSS can supply heat to a thermal power plant with the HTF at temperatures above a cutoff point during a desired 6 hours of operation. This general volume sizing strategy is believed to be of particular interest for the solar thermal power industry.« less

General volume sizing strategy for thermal storage system using phase change material for concentrated solar thermal power plant

DOE PAGES

Xu, Ben; Li, Peiwen; Chan, Cholik; ...

2014-12-18

With an auxiliary large capacity thermal storage using phase change material (PCM), Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) is a promising technology for high efficiency solar energy utilization. In a thermal storage system, a dual-media thermal storage tank is typically adopted in industry for the purpose of reducing the use of the heat transfer fluid (HTF) which is usually expensive. While the sensible heat storage system (SHSS) has been well studied, a dual-media latent heat storage system (LHSS) still needs more attention and study. The volume sizing of the thermal storage tank, considering daily cyclic operations, is of particular significance. In thismore » paper, a general volume sizing strategy for LHSS is proposed, based on an enthalpy-based 1D transient model. One example was presented to demonstrate how to apply this strategy to obtain an actual storage tank volume. With this volume, a LHSS can supply heat to a thermal power plant with the HTF at temperatures above a cutoff point during a desired 6 hours of operation. This general volume sizing strategy is believed to be of particular interest for the solar thermal power industry.« less

Heat recovery, ice storage to cut user's energy costs 40%

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ponczak, G.

1985-12-02

A new recovery system which uses waste heat generated by an Illinois ice rink's compressors for space heating and domestic hot water will benefit from low off-peak electricity rates at a time when demand rates for the rink will be increasing 30%. The thermal storage system uses the same compressors to build ice. The Wilmette Centennial Park Recreation Complex expects to reduce gas and electricity costs by 40%, or about $100,000 per year. Part of the project involved installing new, high-efficiency compressor motors. A preliminary energy audit revealed that the old compressors were throwing off 2.25 million Btu of heatmore » per hour. An air-to-water heat exchanger now provides space heating as needed. Two double-vented heat exchangers generate hot water for swimming pools and the ice-making machine. The ice storage tank is used for cooling. An energy management system controls these and other building systems.« less

Quantification of the reactions in heat storage systems in the Malm aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ueckert, Martina; Baumann, Thomas

2017-04-01

Combined heat and power plants (CHP) are efficient and environmentally friendly because excess heat produced during power generation is used for heating purposes. While the power demand remains rather constant throughout the year, the heat demand shows seasonal variations. In a worst-case scenario, the heat production in winter is not sufficient, and the power production in summer has to be ramped down because the excess heat cannot be released to the environment. Therefore, storage of excess heat of CHP is highly beneficial from an economic and an ecological point of view. Aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) is considered as a promising technology for energy storage. In a typical setting, water from an aquifer is produced, heated up by excess heat from the CHP and injected through a second borehole back into the aquifer. The carbonate rocks of the upper Jurrasic in the Molasse Basin seem to be promising sites for aquifer heat storage because of their high transmissivity combined with a typical geological setting with tight caprock. However, reactions in the aquifer cannot be neglected and may become the limiting process of the whole operation. While there have been several studies performed in clastic aquifers and for temperatures below 100°C, the knowledge about high injection temperatures and storage into a carbonatic aquifer matrix is still limited. Within a research project funded by the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs and the BMW Group, the storage and recuperation of excess heat energy into the Bavarian Malm aquifer with flow rates of 15 L/s and temperatures of up to 110°C was investigated. The addition of {CO_2} was used to prevent precipitations. Data from the field site was backed up by autoclave experiments and used to verify a conceptional hydrogeochemical model with PhreeqC for the heat storage operation. The model allows to parametrize the operation and to predict possible reactions in the aquifer.

Sorbent Material Property Requirements for On-Board Hydrogen Storage for Automotive Fuel Cell Systems.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ahluwalia, R. K.; Peng, J-K; Hua, T. Q.

2015-05-25

Material properties required for on-board hydrogen storage in cryogenic sorbents for use with automotive polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems are discussed. Models are formulated for physical, thermodynamic and transport properties, and for the dynamics of H-2 refueling and discharge from a sorbent bed. A conceptual storage configuration with in-bed heat exchanger tubes, a Type-3 containment vessel, vacuum insulation and requisite balance-of-plant components is developed to determine the peak excess sorption capacity and differential enthalpy of adsorption for 5.5 wt% system gravimetric capacity and 55% well-to-tank (WTT) efficiency. The analysis also determines the bulk density to which the materialmore » must be compacted for the storage system to reach 40 g.L-1 volumetric capacity. Thermal transport properties and heat transfer enhancement methods are analyzed to estimate the material thermal conductivity needed to achieve 1.5 kg.min(-1) H-2 refueling rate. Operating temperatures and pressures are determined for 55% WTT efficiency and 95% usable H-2. Needs for further improvements in material properties are analyzed that would allow reduction of storage pressure to 50 bar from 100 bar, elevation of storage temperature to 175-200 K from 150 K, and increase of WTT efficiency to 57.5% or higher.« less

Combined heat and power (cogeneration) plant based on renewable energy sources and electrochemical hydrogen systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigor'ev, S. A.; Grigor'ev, A. S.; Kuleshov, N. V.; Fateev, V. N.; Kuleshov, V. N.

2015-02-01

The layout of a combined heat and power (cogeneration) plant based on renewable energy sources (RESs) and hydrogen electrochemical systems for the accumulation of energy via the direct and inverse conversion of the electrical energy from RESs into the chemical energy of hydrogen with the storage of the latter is described. Some efficient technical solutions on the use of electrochemical hydrogen systems in power engineering for the storage of energy with a cyclic energy conversion efficiency of more than 40% are proposed. It is shown that the storage of energy in the form of hydrogen is environmentally safe and considerably surpasses traditional accumulator batteries by its capacitance characteristics, being especially topical in the prolonged absence of energy supply from RESs, e.g., under the conditions of polar night and breathless weather. To provide the required heat consumption of an object during the peak period, it is proposed to burn some hydrogen in a boiler house.

Design of a high temperature subsurface thermal energy storage system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Qi

Solar thermal energy is taking up increasing proportions of future power generation worldwide. Thermal energy storage technology is a key method for compensating for the inherent intermittency of solar resources and solving the time mismatch between solar energy supply and electricity demand. However, there is currently no cost-effective high-capacity compact storage technology available (Bakker et al., 2008). The goal of this work is to propose a high temperature subsurface thermal energy storage (HSTES) technology and demonstrate its potential energy storage capability by developing a solar-HSTES-electricity generation system. In this work, main elements of the proposed system and their related state-of-art technologies are reviewed. A conceptual model is built to illustrate the concept, design, operating procedure and application of such a system. A numerical base model is built within the TOUGH2-EOS1 multiphase flow simulator for the evaluation of system performance. Additional models are constructed and simulations are done to identify the effect of different operational and geological influential factors on the system performance. Our work shows that when the base model is run with ten years operation of alternate injection and production processes - each for a month - with a thermal power input of 10.85 MW, about 83% of the injected thermal energy could be recovered within each working cycle from a stabilized HSTES system. After the final conversion into electrical energy, a relative (compared with the direct use of hot water) electricity generation efficiency of 73% is obtained. In a typical daily storage scenario, the simulated thermal storage efficiency could exceed 78% and the relative electricity generation efficiency is over 66% in the long run. In a seasonal storage scenario, these two efficiencies reach 69% and 53% respectively by the end of the simulation period of 10 years. Additional simulations reveal a thinner storage aquifer with a higher horizontal-to-vertical permeability ratio is favored by the storage system. A basin-shape reservoir is more favored than a flat reservoir, while a flat reservoir is better than a dome-shape reservoir. The effect of aquifer stratification is variable: it depends on the relative position of the well screen and the impermeable lenses within the reservoir. From the operational aspect, the well screen position is crucial and properly shortening the screen length can help heat recovery. The proportion of the injection/storage/recovery processes within a cycle, rather than their exact lengths, affects the storage efficiency. Reservoir preheating helps improve the energy storage efficiency for the first several cycles. However, it does not contribute much to the system performance in the long run. Simulations also indicate that buoyancy effect is of significant importance in heat distribution and the plume migration. Reducing the gravity override effect of the heat plume could be an important consideration in efficiency optimization.

Melting and solidification characteristics of a mixture of two types of latent heat storage material in a vessel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, JikSu; Horibe, Akihiko; Haruki, Naoto; Machida, Akito; Kato, Masashi

2016-11-01

In this study, we investigated the fundamental melting and solidification characteristics of mannitol, erythritol, and their mixture (70 % by mass mannitol: 30 % by mass erythritol) as potential phase-change materials (PCMs) for latent heat thermal energy storage systems, specifically those pertaining to industrial waste heat, having temperatures in the range of 100-250 °C. The melting point of erythritol and mannitol, the melting peak temperature of their mixture, and latent heat were measured using differential scanning calorimetry. The thermal performance of the mannitol mixture was determined during melting and solidification processes, using a heat storage vessel with a pipe heat exchanger. Our results indicated phase-change (fusion) temperatures of 160 °C for mannitol and 113 and 150 °C for the mannitol mixture. Nondimensional correlation equations of the average heat transfer during the solidification process, as well as the temperature and velocity efficiencies of flowing silicon oil in the pipe and the phase-change material (PCM), were derived using several nondimensional parameters.

Field evaluation and assessment of thermal energy storage for residential space heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hersh, H. N.

1982-02-01

A data base was developed based on two heating seasons and 45 test and 30 control homes in Maine and Vermont. Based on first analysis of monitored temperatures and electrical energy used for space heating, fuel bills and reports of users and utilities, the technical performance of TES ceramic and hydronic systems is deemed to be technically satisfactory and there is a high degree of customer acceptance and positive attitudes towards TES. Analysis of house data shows a high degree of variability in electric heat energy demand for a given degree-day. An analysis is underway to investigate relative differences in the efficiency of electricity utilization of storage and direct heating devices. The much higher price of storge systems relative to direct systems is an impediment to market penetration. A changing picture of rate structures may encourage direct systems at the expense of storage systems.

Experimental and numerical investigation of a scalable modular geothermal heat storage system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nordbeck, Johannes; Bauer, Sebastian; Beyer, Christof

2017-04-01

Storage of heat will play a significant role in the transition towards a reliable and renewable power supply, as it offers a way to store energy from fluctuating and weather dependent energy sources like solar or wind power and thus better meet consumer demands. The focus of this study is the simulation-based design of a heat storage system, featuring a scalable and modular setup that can be integrated with new as well as existing buildings. For this, the system can be either installed in a cellar or directly in the ground. Heat supply is by solar collectors, and heat storage is intended at temperatures up to about 90°C, which requires a verification of the methods used for numerical simulation of such systems. One module of the heat storage system consists of a helical heat exchanger in a fully water saturated, high porosity cement matrix, which represents the heat storage medium. A lab-scale storage prototype of 1 m3 volume was set up in a thermally insulated cylinder equipped with temperature and moisture sensors as well as flux meters and temperature sensors at the inlet and outlet pipes in order to experimentally analyze the performance of the storage system. Furthermore, the experimental data was used to validate an accurate and spatially detailed high-resolution 3D numerical model of heat and fluid flow, which was developed for system design optimization with respect to storage efficiency and environmental impacts. Three experiments conducted so far are reported and analyzed in this work. The first experiment, consisting of cooling of the fully loaded heat storage by heat loss across the insulation, is designed to determine the heat loss and the insulation parameters, i.e. heat conductivity and heat capacity of the insulation, via inverse modelling of the cooling period. The average cooling rate experimentally found is 1.2 °C per day. The second experiment consisted of six days of thermal loading up to a storage temperature of 60°C followed by four days of heat extraction. The experiment was performed for the determination of heat losses during a complete thermal loading and extraction cycle. The storage could be charged with 54 kWh of heat energy during thermal loading. 36 kWh could be regained during the extraction period, which translates to a heat loss of 33% during the 10 days of operation. Heat exchanger fluid flow rates and supply temperature were measured during the experiment and used as input for the 3D finite element model. Numerically simulated temperature distribution in the storage, return temperature and heat balances were compared to the measured data and showed that the 3D model accurately reflects the storage behavior. Also the third experiment, consisting of six days of cyclic operation after five days of continuous thermal loading, a good agreement between observed and modelled heat storage behavior is found. In addition to determining the storage performance during cyclic operation, the experiment will also be used to further validate the numerical model. This abstract will present the laboratory setup as well as the experimental data obtained from the experiment. It will also present the modelling approach chosen for the numerical representation of the experiment and give a comparison between measured and modelled temperatures and heat balances for the modular heat storage system.

Thermodynamic analysis of alternate energy carriers, hydrogen and chemical heat pipes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, K. E.; Carty, R. H.; Conger, W. L.; Soliman, M. A.; Funk, J. E.

1976-01-01

The paper discusses the production concept and efficiency of two new energy transmission and storage media intended to overcome the disadvantages of electricity as an overall energy carrier. These media are hydrogen produced by water-splitting and the chemical heat pipe. Hydrogen can be transported or stored, and burned as energy is needed, forming only water and thus obviating pollution problems. The chemical heat pipe envisions a system in which heat is stored as the heat of reaction in chemical species. The thermodynamic analysis of these two methods is discussed in terms of first-law and second-law efficiency. It is concluded that chemical heat pipes offer large advantages over thermochemical hydrogen generation schemes on a first-law efficiency basis except for the degradation of thermal energy in temperature thus providing a source of low-temperature (800 K) heat for process heat applications. On a second-law efficiency basis, hydrogen schemes are superior in that the amount of available work is greater as compared to chemical heat pipes.

Thermodynamic Performance and Cost Optimization of a Novel Hybrid Thermal-Compressed Air Energy Storage System Design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Houssainy, Sammy; Janbozorgi, Mohammad; Kavehpour, Pirouz

Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) can potentially allow renewable energy sources to meet electricity demands as reliably as coal-fired power plants. However, conventional CAES systems rely on the combustion of natural gas, require large storage volumes, and operate at high pressures, which possess inherent problems such as high costs, strict geological locations, and the production of greenhouse gas emissions. A novel and patented hybrid thermal-compressed air energy storage (HT-CAES) design is presented which allows a portion of the available energy, from the grid or renewable sources, to operate a compressor and the remainder to be converted and stored in themore » form of heat, through joule heating in a sensible thermal storage medium. The HT-CAES design incudes a turbocharger unit that provides supplementary mass flow rate alongside the air storage. The hybrid design and the addition of a turbocharger have the beneficial effect of mitigating the shortcomings of conventional CAES systems and its derivatives by eliminating combustion emissions and reducing storage volumes, operating pressures, and costs. Storage efficiency and cost are the two key factors, which upon integration with renewable energies would allow the sources to operate as independent forms of sustainable energy. The potential of the HT-CAES design is illustrated through a thermodynamic optimization study, which outlines key variables that have a major impact on the performance and economics of the storage system. The optimization analysis quantifies the required distribution of energy between thermal and compressed air energy storage, for maximum efficiency, and for minimum cost. This study provides a roundtrip energy and exergy efficiency map of the storage system and illustrates a trade off that exists between its capital cost and performance.« less

Uncertainty Quantification of Medium-Term Heat Storage From Short-Term Geophysical Experiments Using Bayesian Evidential Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hermans, Thomas; Nguyen, Frédéric; Klepikova, Maria; Dassargues, Alain; Caers, Jef

2018-04-01

In theory, aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) systems can recover in winter the heat stored in the aquifer during summer to increase the energy efficiency of the system. In practice, the energy efficiency is often lower than expected from simulations due to spatial heterogeneity of hydraulic properties or non-favorable hydrogeological conditions. A proper design of ATES systems should therefore consider the uncertainty of the prediction related to those parameters. We use a novel framework called Bayesian Evidential Learning (BEL) to estimate the heat storage capacity of an alluvial aquifer using a heat tracing experiment. BEL is based on two main stages: pre- and postfield data acquisition. Before data acquisition, Monte Carlo simulations and global sensitivity analysis are used to assess the information content of the data to reduce the uncertainty of the prediction. After data acquisition, prior falsification and machine learning based on the same Monte Carlo are used to directly assess uncertainty on key prediction variables from observations. The result is a full quantification of the posterior distribution of the prediction conditioned to observed data, without any explicit full model inversion. We demonstrate the methodology in field conditions and validate the framework using independent measurements.

Nuclear Hybrid Energy System: Molten Salt Energy Storage (Summer Report 2013)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sabharwall, Piyush; mckellar, Michael George; Yoon, Su-Jong

2013-11-01

Effective energy use is a main focus and concern in the world today because of the growing demand for energy. The nuclear hybrid energy system (NHES) is a valuable technical concept that can potentially diversify and leverage existing energy technologies. This report considers a particular NHES design that combines multiple energy systems including a nuclear reactor, energy storage system (ESS), variable renewable generator (VRG), and additional process heat applications. Energy storage is an essential component of this particular NHES because its design allows the system to produce peak power while the nuclear reactor operates at constant power output. Many energymore » storage options are available, but this study mainly focuses on a molten salt ESS. The primary purpose of the molten salt ESS is to enable the nuclear reactor to be a purely constant heat source by acting as a heat storage component for the reactor during times of low demand, and providing additional capacity for thermo-electric power generation during times of peak electricity demand. This report will describe the rationale behind using a molten salt ESS and identify an efficient molten salt ESS configuration that may be used in load following power applications. Several criteria are considered for effective energy storage and are used to identify the most effective ESS within the NHES. Different types of energy storage are briefly described with their advantages and disadvantages. The general analysis to determine the most efficient molten salt ESS involves two parts: thermodynamic, in which energetic and exergetic efficiencies are considered; and economic. Within the molten salt ESS, the two-part analysis covers three major system elements: molten salt ESS designs (two tank direct and thermocline), the molten salt choice, and the different power cycles coupled with the molten salt ESS. Analysis models are formulated and analyzed to determine the most effective ESS. The results show that the most efficient idealized energy storage system is the two tank direct molten salt ESS with an Air Brayton combined cycle using LiF-NaF-KF as the molten salt, and the most economical is the same design with KCl MgCl2 as the molten salt. With energy production being a major worldwide industry, understanding the most efficient molten salt ESS boosts development of an effective NHES with cheap, clean, and steady power.« less

Window-mounted auxiliary solar heater

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anthony, K. G.; Herndon, E. P.

1977-01-01

System uses hot-air collectors, no thermal storage, and fan with thermostat switches. At cost of heating efficiency, unit could be manufactured and sold at price allowing immediate entry to market as auxiliary heating system. Its simplicity allows homeowner installation, and maintenance is minimal.

Thermal energy storage for low grade heat in the organic Rankine cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soda, Michael John

Limits of efficiencies cause immense amounts of thermal energy in the form of waste heat to be vented to the atmosphere. Up to 60% of unrecovered waste heat is classified as low or ultra-low quality, making recovery difficult or inefficient. The organic Rankine cycle can be used to generate mechanical power and electricity from these low temperatures where other thermal cycles are impractical. A variety of organic working fluids are available to optimize the ORC for any target temperature range. San Diego State University has one such experimental ORC using R245fa, and has been experimenting with multiple expanders. One limitation of recovering waste heat is the sporadic or cyclical nature common to its production. This inconsistency makes sizing heat recovery ORC systems difficult for a variety of reasons including off-design-point efficiency loss, increased attrition from varying loads, unreliable outputs, and overall system costs. Thermal energy storage systems can address all of these issues by smoothing the thermal input to a constant and reliable level and providing back-up capacity for times when the thermal input is deactivated. Multiple types of thermal energy storage have been explored including sensible, latent, and thermochemical. Latent heat storage involves storing thermal energy in the reversible phase change of a phase change material, or PCM, and can have several advantages over other modalities including energy storage density, cost, simplicity, reliability, relatively constant temperature output, and temperature customizability. The largest obstacles to using latent heat storage include heat transfer rates, thermal cycling stability, and potentially corrosive PCMs. Targeting 86°C, the operating temperature of SDSU's experimental ORC, multiple potential materials were explored and tested as potential PCMs including Magnesium Chloride Hexahydrate (MgCl2˙6H2O), Magnesium Nitrate Hexahydrate (Mg(NO3)2˙6H 2O), montan wax, and carnauba wax. The addition of graphite to augment heat transfer rates was also tested. Melting and solidification temperatures largely matched predictions. The magnesium salts were found to be less stable under thermal cycling than the waxes. Graphite was only soluble in the waxes. Mixtures of magnesium salts and waxes yielded a layered composite with the less dense waxes creating a sealing layer over the salt layer that significantly increased the stability of the magnesium salts. Research into optimum heat exchangers and storage vessels for these applications indicates that horizontally oriented aluminum pipes with vertically oriented aluminum fins would be the best method of storing and retrieving energy. Fin spacing can be predicted by an equation based on target temperatures and PCM characteristics.

Design of Particle-Based Thermal Energy Storage for a Concentrating Solar Power System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ma, Zhiwen; Zhang, Ruichong; Sawaged, Fadi

Solid particles can operate at higher temperature than current molten salt or oil, and they can be a heat-transfer and storage medium in a concentrating solar power (CSP) system. By using inexpensive solid particles and containment material for thermal energy storage (TES), the particle-TES cost can be significantly lower than other TES methods such as a nitrate-salt system. The particle-TES system can hold hot particles at more than 800 degrees C with high thermal performance. The high particle temperatures increase the temperature difference between the hot and cold particles, and they improve the TES capacity. The particle-based CSP system ismore » able to support high-efficiency power generation, such as the supercritical carbon-dioxide Brayton power cycle, to achieve >50% thermal-electric conversion efficiency. This paper describes a solid particle-TES system that integrates into a CSP plant. The hot particles discharge to a heat exchanger to drive the power cycle. The returning cold particles circulate through a particle receiver to absorb solar heat and charge the TES. This paper shows the design of a particle-TES system including containment silos, foundation, silo insulation, and particle materials. The analysis provides results for four TES capacities and two silo configurations. The design analysis indicates that the system can achieve high thermal efficiency, storage effectiveness (i.e., percentage usage of the hot particles), and exergetic efficiency. An insulation method for the hot silo was considered. The particle-TES system can achieve high performance and low cost, and it holds potential for next-generation CSP technology.« less

A heat receiver design for solar dynamic space power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, Karl W.; Dustin, Miles O.; Crane, Roger

1990-01-01

An advanced heat pipe receiver designed for a solar dynamic space power system is described. The power system consists of a solar concentrator, solar heat receiver, Stirling heat engine, linear alternator and waste heat radiator. The solar concentrator focuses the sun's energy into a heat receiver. The engine and alternator convert a portion of this energy to electric power and the remaining heat is rejected by a waste heat radiator. Primary liquid metal heat pipes transport heat energy to the Stirling engine. Thermal energy storage allows this power system to operate during the shade portion of an orbit. Lithium fluoride/calcium fluoride eutectic is the thermal energy storage material. Thermal energy storage canisters are attached to the midsection of each heat pipe. The primary heat pipes pass through a secondary vapor cavity heat pipe near the engine and receiver interface. The secondary vapor cavity heat pipe serves three important functions. First, it smooths out hot spots in the solar cavity and provides even distribution of heat to the engine. Second, the event of a heat pipe failure, the secondary heat pipe cavity can efficiently transfer heat from other operating primary heat pipes to the engine heat exchanger of the defunct heat pipe. Third, the secondary heat pipe vapor cavity reduces temperature drops caused by heat flow into the engine. This unique design provides a high level of reliability and performance.

Pad B Liquid Hydrogen Storage Tank

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Felicia

2007-01-01

Kennedy Space Center is home to two liquid hydrogen storage tanks, one at each launch pad of Launch Complex 39. The liquid hydrogen storage tank at Launch Pad B has a significantly higher boil off rate that the liquid hydrogen storage tank at Launch Pad A. This research looks at various calculations concerning the at Launch Pad B in an attempt to develop a solution to the excess boil off rate. We will look at Perlite levels inside the tank, Boil off rates, conductive heat transfer, and radiant heat transfer through the tank. As a conclusion to the research, we will model the effects of placing an external insulation to the tank in order to reduce the boil off rate and increase the economic efficiency of the liquid hydrogen storage tanks.

Thermal energy storage for a space solar dynamic power system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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.

Multifamily Heat Pump Water Heater Evaluation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoeschele, M.; Weitzel, E.

2017-03-03

Although heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) have gained significant attention in recent years as a high efficiency electric water heating solution for single family homes, central HPWHs for commercial or multi-family applications are not as well documented in terms of measured performance and cost effectiveness. To evaluate this technology, the Alliance for Residential Building Innovation team monitored the performance of a 10.5 ton central HPWH installed on a student apartment building at the West Village Zero Net Energy Community in Davis, California. Monitoring data collected over a 16 month period were then used to validate a TRNSYS simulation model. Themore » TRNSYS model was then used to project performance in different climates using local electric rates. Results of the study indicate that after some initial commissioning issues, the HPWH operated reliably with an annual average efficiency of 2.12 (Coefficient of Performance). The observed efficiency was lower than the unit's rated efficiency, primarily due to the fact that the system rarely operated under steady-state conditions. Changes in the system configuration, storage tank sizing, and control settings would likely improve the observed field efficiency. Modeling results suggest significant energy savings relative to electric storage water heating systems (typical annual efficiencies around 0.90) providing for typical simple paybacks of six to ten years without any incentives. The economics versus gas water heating are currently much more challenging given the current low natural gas prices in much of the country. Increased market size for this technology would benefit cost effectiveness and spur greater technology innovation.« less

Multifamily Heat Pump Water Heater Evaluation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoeschele, M.; Weitzel, E.

2017-03-01

Although heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) have gained significant attention in recent years as a high efficiency electric water heating solution for single family homes, central HPWHs for commercial or multi-family applications are not as well documented in terms of measured performance and cost effectiveness. To evaluate this technology, the Alliance for Residential Building Innovation team monitored the performance of a 10.5 ton central HPWH installed on a student apartment building at the West Village Zero Net Energy Community in Davis, California. Monitoring data collected over a 16 month period were then used to validate a TRNSYS simulation model. Themore » TRNSYS model was then used to project performance in different climates using local electric rates. Results of the study indicate that after some initial commissioning issues, the HPWH operated reliably with an annual average efficiency of 2.12 (Coefficient of Performance). The observed efficiency was lower than the unit's rated efficiency, primarily due to the fact that the system rarely operated under steady-state conditions. Changes in the system configuration, storage tank sizing, and control settings would likely improve the observed field efficiency. Modeling results suggest significant energy savings relative to electric storage water heating systems (typical annual efficiencies around 0.90) providing for typical simple paybacks of six to ten years without any incentives. The economics versus gas water heating are currently much more challenging given the current low natural gas prices in much of the country. Increased market size for this technology would benefit cost effectiveness and spur greater technology innovation.« less

Building America Case Study: Multifamily Central Heat Pump Water Heaters, Davis, California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Although heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) have gained significant attention in recent years as a high efficiency electric water heating solution for single family homes, central HPWHs for commercial or multi-family applications are not as well documented in terms of measured performance and cost effectiveness. To evaluate this technology, the Alliance for Residential Building Innovation team monitored the performance of a 10.5 ton central HPWH installed on a student apartment building at the West Village Zero Net Energy Community in Davis, California. Monitoring data collected over a 16-month period were then used to validate a TRNSYS simulation model. The TRNSYSmore » model was then used to project performance in different climates using local electric rates. Results of the study indicate that after some initial commissioning issues, the HPWH operated reliably with an annual average efficiency of 2.12 (Coefficient of Performance). The observed efficiency was lower than the unit's rated efficiency, primarily due to the fact that the system rarely operated under steady-state conditions. Changes in the system configuration, storage tank sizing, and control settings would likely improve the observed field efficiency. Modeling results suggest significant energy savings relative to electric storage water heating systems (typical annual efficiencies around 0.90) providing for typical simple paybacks of six to ten years without any incentives. The economics versus gas water heating are currently much more challenging given the current low natural gas prices in much of the country. Increased market size for this technology would benefit cost effectiveness and spur greater technology innovation.« less

Pumping liquid metal at high temperatures up to 1,673 kelvin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amy, C.; Budenstein, D.; Bagepalli, M.; England, D.; Deangelis, F.; Wilk, G.; Jarrett, C.; Kelsall, C.; Hirschey, J.; Wen, H.; Chavan, A.; Gilleland, B.; Yuan, C.; Chueh, W. C.; Sandhage, K. H.; Kawajiri, Y.; Henry, A.

2017-10-01

Heat is fundamental to power generation and many industrial processes, and is most useful at high temperatures because it can be converted more efficiently to other types of energy. However, efficient transportation, storage and conversion of heat at extreme temperatures (more than about 1,300 kelvin) is impractical for many applications. Liquid metals can be very effective media for transferring heat at high temperatures, but liquid-metal pumping has been limited by the corrosion of metal infrastructures. Here we demonstrate a ceramic, mechanical pump that can be used to continuously circulate liquid tin at temperatures of around 1,473-1,673 kelvin. Our approach to liquid-metal pumping is enabled by the use of ceramics for the mechanical and sealing components, but owing to the brittle nature of ceramics their use requires careful engineering. Our set-up enables effective heat transfer using a liquid at previously unattainable temperatures, and could be used for thermal storage and transport, electric power production, and chemical or materials processing.

A study on cooling characteristics of clathrate compound as low temperature latent heat storage material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Chang Oh; Kim, Jin Heung; Chung, Nak Kyu

2007-07-01

Materials that can store low temperature latent heat are organic/inorganic chemicals, eutectic salt system and clathrate compound. Clathrate compound is the material that host compound in hydrogen bond forms cage and guest compound is included into it and combined. Crystallization of hydrate is generated at higher temperature than that of ice from pure water. And physical properties according to temperature are stable and congruent melting phenomenon is occurred without phase separation and it has relatively high latent heat. But clathrate compound still has supercooling problem occurred in the course of phase change and supercooling should be minimized because it affects efficiency of equipment very much. Therefore, various studies on additives to restrain this or heat storage methods are needed. Supercooling is the phenomenon that low temperature thermal storage material is not crystallized and existed as liquid for some time under phase change temperature. Because phase change into solid is delayed and it is existed as liquid due to this, heat transfer from low temperature thermal storage material is lowered. Therefore it is not crystallized at original phase change temperature and crystallized after cooled as much as supercooling degree and operation time of refrigerator is increased. In this study was investigated the cooling characteristics of the clathrate compound as a low temperature latent heat storage material. And additive was added to clathrate compound and its supercooling restrain effect was studied experimentally.

Numerical simulations of the impact of seasonal heat storage on source zone emission in a TCE contaminated aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popp, Steffi; Beyer, Christof; Dahmke, Andreas; Bauer, Sebastian

2016-04-01

In urban regions, with high population densities and heat demand, seasonal high temperature heat storage in the shallow subsurface represents an attractive and efficient option for a sustainable heat supply. In fact, the major fraction of energy consumed in German households is used for room heating and hot water production. Especially in urbanized areas, however, the installation of high temperature heat storage systems is currently restricted due to concerns on negative influences on groundwater quality caused e.g. by possible interactions between heat storages and subsurface contaminants, which are a common problem in the urban subsurface. Detailed studies on the overall impact of the operation of high temperature heat storages on groundwater quality are scarce. Therefore, this work investigates possible interactions between groundwater temperature changes induced by heat storage via borehole heat exchangers and subsurface contaminations by numerical scenario analysis. For the simulation of non-isothermal groundwater flow, and reactive transport processes the OpenGeoSys code is used. A 2D horizontal cross section of a shallow groundwater aquifer is assumed in the simulated scenario, consisting of a sandy sediment typical for Northern Germany. Within the aquifer a residual trichloroethene (TCE) contaminant source zone is present. Temperature changes are induced by a seasonal heat storage placed within the aquifer with scenarios of maximum temperatures of 20°C, 40°C and 60°C, respectively, during heat injection and minimum temperatures of 2°C during heat extraction. In the scenario analysis also the location of the heat storage relative to the TCE source zone and plume was modified. Simulations were performed in a homogeneous aquifer as well as in a set of heterogeneous aquifers with hydraulic conductivity as spatially correlated random fields. In both cases, results show that the temperature increase in the heat plume and the consequential reduction of water viscosity lead to locally increased groundwater flow. Depending on the positioning of the heat storage relative to the TCE contamination, groundwater fluxes hence may be induced to increase within or partially bypass the TCE source zone. At the same time, TCE solubility decreases between 10 and 40 °C, which reduces TCE emission and almost compensates for the effects of a temperature induced increase of groundwater flow through the source zone. In total, the numerical simulations thus show only minor influences of the heat plume on the TCE emission compared to a thermally undisturbed aquifer. Acknowledgments: This work is part of the ANGUS+ project (www.angusplus.de) and funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of the energy storage initiative "Energiespeicher".

Numerical Modeling of a Shallow Borehole Thermal Energy Storage System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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 efficiency increases with increased in-pipe circulation rates; 2) BTES efficiency increases with decreasing soil thermal conductivity due to lateral heat loss from the system; and 3) BTES efficiency increases only slightly with decreasing soil permeability.

Smart Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) Nanofibers with Thermal Energy Storage and Retrieval Functionality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherry, De'Andre James

Phase change materials (PCMs) are generally substances with a high heat of fusion in the process of solid to liquid phase change. The nature of PCMs make them efficient materials to store and retrieve large amounts of thermal energy. Presently, high efficiency thermal energy storage/retrieval in applications where flexibility and space saving are required, such as smart textiles, still remains as a challenge. In this study, lauric acid (LA) and myristic acid (MA) were combined to prepare a specific binary fatty acid eutectic (LA-MA) with a melting point near the operating body temperature of a human being and then encapsulated in polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers through the electrospinning technique. Functionalized PCM-enhanced PAN nanofibers containing LA-MA at 30%, 50%, 70% and 100% of the weight of the PAN were successfully synthesized. The morphological structures and thermal energy storage capacity of the PCM-enhanced PAN nanofibers were characterized by electron microscopy (EM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The novel PCM-enhanced PAN nanofibers maintained their cylindrical fiber morphology after multiple heating-cooling cycles and retained their latent heat storage functionality. Thus, it is envisioned that the prepared PCM-enhanced PAN nanofibers will find use in applications such as smart textiles where temperature regulation functionality is required.

Thermal Analysis of of Near-Isothermal Compressed Gas Energy Storage System

DOE PAGES

Odukomaiya, Adewale; Abu-Heiba, Ahmad; Gluesenkamp, Kyle R.; ...

2016-01-01

In this paper, alternative system configurations for a novel Ground-Level Integrated Diverse Energy Storage (GLIDES) system, which can store energy via input of electricity and heat and deliver dispatchable electricity, is presented. The proposed system is low-cost and hybridizes compressed air and pumped hydro storage approaches that will allow for the off-peak storage of intermittent renewable energy for use during peak times. This study reveals that implementing direct-contact low grade heat exchange via sprayed falling droplets to cool the gas during charging (compression) and warm the gas during discharging (expansion) can be achieved through a secondary recirculating loop of liquid.more » This study shows that if the recirculating liquid loop is pre-conditioned with waste-heat prior to spraying during gas expansion and considering all the round trip conversion losses from standard 120 V 60 HZ electricity input and output with utilization of low grade heat at 90 C the alternative system design leads to a 16% boost in round trip efficiency of the electricity storage to elec = 82% with an energy density of ED = 3.59 MJ/m3.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

M. Hoeschele, E. Weitzel

Although heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) have gained significant attention in recent years as a high efficiency electric water heating solution for single family homes, central HPWHs for commercial or multi-family applications are not as well documented in terms of measured performance and cost effectiveness. To evaluate this technology, the Alliance for Residential Building Innovation team monitored the performance of a 10.5 ton central HPWH installed on a student apartment building at the West Village Zero Net Energy Community in Davis, California. Monitoring data collected over a 16-month period were then used to validate a TRNSYS simulation model. The TRNSYSmore » model was then used to project performance in different climates using local electric rates. Results of the study indicate that after some initial commissioning issues, the HPWH operated reliably with an annual average efficiency of 2.12 (Coefficient of Performance). The observed efficiency was lower than the unit's rated efficiency, primarily due to the fact that the system rarely operated under steady-state conditions. Changes in the system configuration, storage tank sizing, and control settings would likely improve the observed field efficiency. Modeling results suggest significant energy savings relative to electric storage water heating systems (typical annual efficiencies around 0.90) providing for typical simple paybacks of six to ten years without any incentives. The economics versus gas water heating are currently much more challenging given the current low natural gas prices in much of the country. Increased market size for this technology would benefit cost effectiveness and spur greater technology innovation.« less

Heat Transfer Phenomena in Concentrating Solar Power Systems.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Armijo, Kenneth Miguel; Shinde, Subhash L.

Concentrating solar power (CSP) utilizes solar thermal energy to drive a thermal power cycle for the generation of electricity. CSP systems are facilitated as large, centralized power plants , such as power towers and trough systems, to take advantage of ec onomies of scale through dispatchable thermal energy storage, which is a principle advantage over other energy generation systems . Additionally, the combination of large solar concentration ratios with high solar conversion efficiencies provides a strong o pportunity of employment of specific power cycles such as the Brayton gas cycle that utilizes super critical fluids such as supercritical carbon dioxidemore » (s CO 2 ) , compared to other sola r - fossil hybrid power plants. A comprehensive thermal - fluids examination is provided by this work of various heat transfer phenomena evident in CSP technologies. These include sub - systems and heat transfer fundamental phenomena evident within CSP systems , which include s receivers, heat transfer fluids (HTFs), thermal storage me dia and system designs , thermodynamic power block systems/components, as well as high - temperature materials. This work provides literature reviews, trade studies, and phenomenological comparisons of heat transfer media (HTM) and components and systems, all for promotion of high performance and efficient CSP systems. In addition, f urther investigations are also conducted that provide advanced heat transfer modeling approaches for gas - particle receiver systems , as well as performance/efficiency enhancement re commendations, particularly for solarized supercritical power systems .« less

Improved Heat-of-Fusion Energy Storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, K. H.; Manvi, R.

1982-01-01

Alkali metal/alkali-halide mixtures proposed for preventing solid buildup during energy recovery. When mixture melts (by absorption of heat of fusion), it forms two immiscible liquids. Salt-rich phase is heavier and has higher melting/recrysallization temperature; so during energy recovery salt crystallizes in this phase first. Since heat exchanger for energy recovery is in lighter metal-rich phase, solids do not form and there is no reduction of heat-recovery efficiency.

Performance of evacuated tubular solar collectors in a residential heating and cooling system. Final report, 1 October 1978-30 September 1979

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duff, W.S.; Loef, G.O.G.

1981-03-01

Operation of CSU Solar House I during the heating season of 1978-1979 and during the 1979 cooling season was based on the use of systems comprising an experimental evacuated tubular solar collector, a non-freezing aqueous collection medium, heat exchange to an insulated conventional vertical cylindrical storage tank and to a built-up rectangular insulated storage tank, heating of circulating air by solar heated water and by electric auxiliary in an off-peak heat storage unit, space cooling by lithium bromide absorption chiller, and service water heating by solar exchange and electric auxiliary. Automatic system control and automatic data acquisition and computation aremore » provided. This system is compared with others evaluated in CSU Solar Houses I, II and III, and with computer predictions based on mathematical models. Of the 69,513 MJ total energy requirement for space heating and hot water during a record cold winter, solar provided 33,281 MJ equivalent to 48 percent. Thirty percent of the incident solar energy was collected and 29 percent was delivered and used for heating and hot water. Of 33,320 MJ required for cooling and hot water during the summer, 79 percent or 26,202 MJ were supplied by solar. Thirty-five percent of the incident solar energy was collected and 26 percent was used for hot water and cooling in the summer. Although not as efficient as the Corning evacuated tube collector previously used, the Philips experimental collector provides solar heating and cooling with minimum operational problems. Improved performance, particularly for cooling, resulted from the use of a very well-insulated heat storage tank. Day time (on-peak) electric auxiliary heating was completely avoided by use of off-peak electric heat storage. A well-designed and operated solar heating and cooling system provided 56 percent of the total energy requirements for heating, cooling, and hot water.« less

Megawatt solar power systems for lunar surface operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Brian; Alhadeff, Sam; Beard, Shawn; Carlile, David; Cook, David; Douglas, Craig; Garcia, Don; Gillespie, David; Golingo, Raymond; Gonzalez, Drew

1990-01-01

Lunar surface operations require habitation, transportation, life support, scientific, and manufacturing systems, all of which require some form of power. As an alternative to nuclear power, the development of a modular one megawatt solar power system is studied, examining both photovoltaic and dynamic cycle conversion methods, along with energy storage, heat rejection, and power backup subsystems. For photovoltaic power conversion, two systems are examined. First, a substantial increase in photovoltaic conversion efficiency is realized with the use of new GaAs/GaSb tandem photovoltaic cells, offering an impressive overall array efficiency of 23.5 percent. Since these new cells are still in the experimental phase of development, a currently available GaAs cell providing 18 percent efficiency is examined as an alternate to the experimental cells. Both Brayton and Stirling cycles, powered by linear parabolic solar concentrators, are examined for dynamic cycle power conversion. The Brayton cycle is studied in depth since it is already well developed and can provide high power levels fairly efficiently in a compact, low mass system. The dynamic conversion system requires large scale waste heat rejection capability. To provide this heat rejection, a comparison is made between a heat pipe/radiative fin system using advanced composites, and a potentially less massive liquid droplet radiator system. To supply power through the lunar night, both a low temperature alkaline fuel cell system and an experimental high temperature monolithic solid-oxide fuel cell system are considered. The reactants for the fuel cells are stored cryogenically in order to avoid the high tankage mass required by conventional gaseous storage. In addition, it is proposed that the propellant tanks from a spent, prototype lunar excursion vehicle be used for this purpose, therefore resulting in a significant overall reduction in effective storage system mass.

Novel Molten Salts Thermal Energy Storage for Concentrating Solar Power Generation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reddy, Ramana G.

2013-10-23

The explicit UA program objective is to develop low melting point (LMP) molten salt thermal energy storage media with high thermal energy storage density for sensible heat storage systems. The novel Low Melting Point (LMP) molten salts are targeted to have the following characteristics: 1. Lower melting point (MP) compared to current salts (<222ºC) 2. Higher energy density compared to current salts (>300 MJ/m3) 3. Lower power generation cost compared to current salt In terms of lower power costs, the program target the DOE's Solar Energy Technologies Program year 2020 goal to create systems that have the potential to reducemore » the cost of Thermal Energy Storage (TES) to less than $15/kWh-th and achieve round trip efficiencies greater than 93%. The project has completed the experimental investigations to determine the thermo-physical, long term thermal stability properties of the LMP molten salts and also corrosion studies of stainless steel in the candidate LMP molten salts. Heat transfer and fluid dynamics modeling have been conducted to identify heat transfer geometry and relative costs for TES systems that would utilize the primary LMP molten salt candidates. The project also proposes heat transfer geometry with relevant modifications to suit the usage of our molten salts as thermal energy storage and heat transfer fluids. The essential properties of the down-selected novel LMP molten salts to be considered for thermal storage in solar energy applications were experimentally determined, including melting point, heat capacity, thermal stability, density, viscosity, thermal conductivity, vapor pressure, and corrosion resistance of SS 316. The thermodynamic modeling was conducted to determine potential high temperature stable molten salt mixtures that have thermal stability up to 1000 °C. The thermo-physical properties of select potential high temperature stable (HMP) molten salt mixtures were also experimentally determined. All the salt mixtures align with the go/no-go goals stipulated by the DOE for this project. Energy densities of all salt mixtures were higher than that of the current solar salt. The salt mixtures costs have been estimated and TES system costs for a 2 tank, direct approach have been estimated for each of these materials. All estimated costs are significantly below the baseline system that used solar salt. These lower melt point salts offer significantly higher energy density per volume than solar salt – and therefore attractively smaller inventory and equipment costs. Moreover, a new TES system geometry has been recommended A variety of approaches were evaluated to use the low melting point molten salt. Two novel changes are recommended that 1) use the salt as a HTF through the solar trough field, and 2) use the salt to not only create steam but also to preheat the condensed feedwater for Rankine cycle. The two changes enable the powerblock to operate at 500°C, rather than the current 400°C obtainable using oil as the HTF. Secondly, the use of salt to preheat the feedwater eliminates the need to extract steam from the low pressure turbine for that purpose. Together, these changes result in a dramatic 63% reduction required for 6 hour salt inventory, a 72% reduction in storage volume, and a 24% reduction in steam flow rate in the power block. Round trip efficiency for the Case 5 - 2 tank “direct” system is estimated at >97%, with only small losses from time under storage and heat exchange, and meeting RFP goals. This attractive efficiency is available because the major heat loss experienced in a 2 tank “indirect” system - losses by transferring the thermal energy from oil HTF to the salt storage material and back to oil to run the steam generator at night - is not present for the 2 tank direct system. The higher heat capacity values for both LMP and HMP systems enable larger storage capacities for concentrating solar power.« less

A new method of efficient heat transfer and storage at very high temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaw, D.; Bruckner, A. P.; Hertzberg, A.

1980-01-01

A unique, high temperature (1000-2000 K) continuously operating capacitive heat exchanger system is described. The system transfers heat from a combustion or solar furnace to a working gas by means of a circulating high temperature molten refractory. A uniform aggregate of beads of a glass-like refractory is injected into the furnace volume. The aggregate is melted and piped to a heat exchanger where it is sprayed through a counter-flowing, high pressure working gas. The refractory droplets transfer their heat to the gas, undergoing a phase change into the solid bead state. The resulting high temperature gas is used to drive a suitable high efficiency heat engine. The solidified refractory beads are delivered back to the furnace and melted to continue the cycle. This approach avoids the important temperature limitations of conventional tube-type heat exchangers, giving rise to the potential of converting heat energy into useful work at considerably higher efficiencies than currently attainable and of storing energy at high thermodynamic potential.

Gas storage carbon with enhanced thermal conductivity

DOEpatents

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.

Systems analysis techniques for annual cycle thermal energy storage solar systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baylin, F.

1980-07-01

Community-scale annual cycle thermal energy storage solar systems are options for building heat and cooling. A variety of approaches are feasible in modeling ACTES solar systems. The key parameter in such efforts, average collector efficiency, is examined, followed by several approaches for simple and effective modeling. Methods are also examined for modeling building loads for structures based on both conventional and passive architectural designs. Two simulation models for sizing solar heating systems with annual storage are presented. Validation is presented by comparison with the results of a study of seasonal storage systems based on SOLANSIM, an hour-by-hour simulation. These models are presently used to examine the economic trade-off between collector field area and storage capacity. Programs directed toward developing other system components such as improved tanks and solar ponds or design tools for ACTES solar systems are examined.

Fluidized-Bed Heat Transfer Modeling for the Development of Particle/Supercritical-CO2 Heat Exchanger

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ma, Zhiwen; Martinek, Janna G

Concentrating solar power (CSP) technology is moving toward high-temperature and high-performance design. One technology approach is to explore high-temperature heat-transfer fluids and storage, integrated with a high-efficiency power cycle such as the supercritical carbon dioxide (s-CO2) Brayton power cycle. The s-CO2 Brayton power system has great potential to enable the future CSP system to achieve high solar-to-electricity conversion efficiency and to reduce the cost of power generation. Solid particles have been proposed as a possible high-temperature heat-transfer medium that is inexpensive and stable at high temperatures above 1,000 degrees C. The particle/heat exchanger provides a connection between the particles andmore » s-CO2 fluid in the emerging s-CO2 power cycles in order to meet CSP power-cycle performance targets of 50% thermal-to-electric efficiency, and dry cooling at an ambient temperature of 40 degrees C. The development goals for a particle/s-CO2 heat exchanger are to heat s-CO2 to =720 degrees C and to use direct thermal storage with low-cost, stable solid particles. This paper presents heat-transfer modeling to inform the particle/s-CO2 heat-exchanger design and assess design tradeoffs. The heat-transfer process was modeled based on a particle/s-CO2 counterflow configuration. Empirical heat-transfer correlations for the fluidized bed and s-CO2 were used in calculating the heat-transfer area and optimizing the tube layout. A 2-D computational fluid-dynamics simulation was applied for particle distribution and fluidization characterization. The operating conditions were studied from the heat-transfer analysis, and cost was estimated from the sizing of the heat exchanger. The paper shows the path in achieving the cost and performance objectives for a heat-exchanger design.« less

Retrofitting a Geothermal Plant with Solar and Storage to Increase Power Generation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhu, Guangdong; McTigue, Joshua Dominic P; Turchi, Craig S

Solar hybridization using concentrating solar power (CSP) can be an effective approach to augment the power generation and power cycle efficiency of a geothermal power plant with a declining resource. Thermal storage can further increase the dispatchability of a geothermal/solar hybrid system, which is particularly valued for a national grid with high renewable penetration. In this paper, a hybrid plant design with thermal storage is proposed based on the requirements of the Coso geothermal field in China Lake, California. The objective is to increase the power production by 4 MWe. In this system, a portion of the injection brine ismore » recirculated through a heat exchanger with the solar heat transfer fluid, before being mixed with the production well brine. In the solar heating loop the brine should be heated to at least 155 degrees C to increase the net power. The solar field and storage were sized based on solar data for China Lake. Thermal storage is used to store excess power at the high-solar-irradiation hours and generate additional power during the evenings. The solar field size, the type and capacity of thermal storage and the operating temperatures are critical factors in determining the most economic hybrid system. Further investigations are required to optimize the hybrid system and evaluate its economic feasibility.« less

Eddy Current Analysis and Optimization for Superconducting Magnetic Bearing of Flywheel Energy Storage System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arai, Yuuki; Yamashita, Tomohisa; Hasegawa, Hitoshi; Matsuoka, Taro; Kaimori, Hiroyuki; Ishihara, Terumasa

Levitation and guidance force is electromagnetic generated between a superconducting coil and zero field cooled bulk superconductors used in our flywheel energy storage system (FESS). Because the magnetic field depends on the configuration of the coil and the bulks, the eccentricity and the vibration of a rotor cause fluctuation in the magnetic field which induces eddy current and consequent Joule heat on electric conductors such as cooling plates. Heat generation in the cryogenic region critically reduces the efficiency of the FESS. In this paper, we will report the result of the electromagnetic analysis of the SMB and propose an optimal divided cooling plate for reducing the eddy current and Joule heat.

European Regional Climate Zone Modeling of a Commercial Absorption Heat Pump Hot Water Heater

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sharma, Vishaldeep; Shen, Bo; Keinath, Chris

2017-01-01

High efficiency gas-burning hot water heating takes advantage of a condensing heat exchanger to deliver improved combustion efficiency over a standard non-condensing configuration. The water heating is always lower than the gas heating value. In contrast, Gas Absorption Heat Pump (GAHP) hot water heating combines the efficiency of gas burning with the performance increase from a heat pump to offer significant gas energy savings. An ammonia-water system also has the advantage of zero Ozone Depletion Potential and low Global Warming Potential. In comparison with air source electric heat pumps, the absorption system can maintain higher coefficients of performance in coldermore » climates. In this work, a GAHP commercial water heating system was compared to a condensing gas storage system for a range of locations and climate zones across Europe. The thermodynamic performance map of a single effect ammonia-water absorption system was used in a building energy modeling software that could also incorporate the changing ambient air temperature and water mains temperature for a specific location, as well as a full-service restaurant water draw pattern.« less

Modeling and optimization of a concentrated solar supercritical CO2 power plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osorio, Julian D.

Renewable energy sources are fundamental alternatives to supply the rising energy demand in the world and to reduce or replace fossil fuel technologies. In order to make renewable-based technologies suitable for commercial and industrial applications, two main challenges need to be solved: the design and manufacture of highly efficient devices and reliable systems to operate under intermittent energy supply conditions. In particular, power generation technologies based on solar energy are one of the most promising alternatives to supply the world energy demand and reduce the dependence on fossil fuel technologies. In this dissertation, the dynamic behavior of a Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) supercritical CO2 cycle is studied under different seasonal conditions. The system analyzed is composed of a central receiver, hot and cold thermal energy storage units, a heat exchanger, a recuperator, and multi-stage compression-expansion subsystems with intercoolers and reheaters between compressors and turbines respectively. The effects of operating and design parameters on the system performance are analyzed. Some of these parameters are the mass flow rate, intermediate pressures, number of compression-expansion stages, heat exchangers' effectiveness, multi-tank thermal energy storage, overall heat transfer coefficient between the solar receiver and the environment and the effective area of the recuperator. Energy and exergy models for each component of the system are developed to optimize operating parameters in order to lead to maximum efficiency. From the exergy analysis, the components with high contribution to exergy destruction were identified. These components, which represent an important potential of improvement, are the recuperator, the hot thermal energy storage tank and the solar receiver. Two complementary alternatives to improve the efficiency of concentrated solar thermal systems are proposed in this dissertation: the optimization of the system's operating parameters and optimization of less efficient components. The parametric optimization is developed for a 1MW reference CSP system with CO2 as the working fluid. The component optimization, focused on the less efficient components, comprises some design modifications to the traditional component configuration for the recuperator, the hot thermal energy storage tank and the solar receiver. The proposed optimization alternatives include the heat exchanger's effectiveness enhancement by optimizing fins shapes, multi-tank thermal energy storage configurations for the hot thermal energy storage tank and the incorporation of a transparent insulation material into the solar receiver. Some of the optimizations are conducted in a generalized way, using dimensionless models to be applicable no only to the CSP but also to other thermal systems. This project is therefore an effort to improve the efficiency of power generation systems based on solar energy in order to make them competitive with conventional fossil fuel power generation devices. The results show that the parametric optimization leads the system to an efficiency of about 21% and a maximum power output close to 1.5 MW. The process efficiencies obtained in this work, of more than 21%, are relatively good for a solar-thermal conversion system and are also comparable with efficiencies of conversion of high performance PV panels. The thermal energy storage allows the system to operate for several hours after sunset. This operating time is approximately increased from 220 to 480 minutes after optimization. The hot and cold thermal energy storage also lessens the temperature fluctuations by providing smooth changes of temperatures at the turbines' and compressors' inlets. Additional improvements in the overall system efficiency are possible by optimizing the less efficient components. In particular, the fin's effectiveness can be improved in more than 5% after its shape is optimized, increments in the efficiency of the thermal energy storage of about 5.7% are possible when the mass is divided into four tanks, and solar receiver efficiencies up to 70% can be maintained for high operating temperatures (~ 1200°C) when a transparent insulation material is incorporated to the receiver. The results obtained in this dissertation indicate that concentrated solar systems using supercritical CO2 could be a viable alternative to satisfying energy needs in desert areas with scarce water and fossil fuel resources.

The development of a solar residential heating and cooling system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The MSFC solar heating and cooling facility was assembled to demonstrate the engineering feasibility of utilizing solar energy for heating and cooling buildings, to provide an engineering evaluation of the total system and the key subsystems, and to investigate areas of possible improvement in design and efficiency. The basic solar heating and cooling system utilizes a flat plate solar energy collector, a large water tank for thermal energy storage, heat exchangers for space heating, and an absorption cycle air conditioner for space cooling. A complete description of all systems is given. Development activities for this test system included assembly, checkout, operation, modification, and data analysis, all of which are discussed. Selected data analyses for the first 15 weeks of testing are included, findings associated with energy storage and the energy storage system are outlined, and conclusions resulting from test findings are provided. An evaluation of the data for summer operation indicates that the current system is capable of supplying an average of 50 percent of the thermal energy required to drive the air conditioner. Preliminary evaluation of data collected for operation in the heating mode during the winter indicates that nearly 100 percent of the thermal energy required for heating can be supplied by the system.

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kumar, Vinod

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 butmore » 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.« less

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

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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.

High Efficiency and Low Cost Thermal Energy Storage System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sienicki, James J.; Lv, Qiuping; Moisseytsev, Anton

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. Comparedmore » 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.« less

Development and Performance Evaluation of High Temperature Concrete for Thermal Energy Storage for Solar Power Generation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

R. Panneer Selvam; Hale, Micah; Strasser, Matt

Thermal energy can be stored by the mechanism of sensible or latent heat or heat from chemical reactions. Sensible heat is the means of storing energy by increasing the temperature of the solid or liquid. Since the concrete as media cost per kWh thermal is $1, this seems to be a very economical material to be used as a TES. This research is focused on extending the concrete TES system for higher temperatures (500 °C to 600 °C) and increasing the heat transfer performance using novel construction techniques. To store heat at high temperature special concretes are developed and testedmore » for its performance. The storage capacity costs of the developed concrete is in the range of $0.91-$3.02/kWh thermal. Two different storage methods are investigated. In the first one heat is transported using molten slat through a stainless steel tube and heat is transported into concrete block through diffusion. The cost of the system is higher than the targeted DOE goal of $15/kWht hermal. The increase in cost of the system is due to stainless steel tube to transfer the heat from molten salt to the concrete blocks.The other method is a one-tank thermocline system in which both the hot and cold fluid occupy the same tank resulting in reduced storage tank volume. In this model, heated molten salt enters the top of the tank which contains a packed bed of quartzite rock and silica sand as the thermal energy storage (TES) medium. The single-tank storage system uses about half the salt that is required by the two-tank system for a required storage capacity. This amounts to a significant reduction in the cost of the storage system. The single tank alternative has also been proven to be cheaper than the option which uses large concrete modules with embedded heat exchangers. Using computer models optimum dimensions are determined to have an round trip efficiency of 84%. Additionally, the cost of the structured concrete thermocline configuration provides the TES capacity cost of $33.80$/kWh thermal compared with $30.04/kWhthermal for a packed-bed thermocline (PBTC) configuration and $46.11/kWh thermal for a two-tank liquid configuration.« less

Brayton advanced heat receiver development program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heidenreich, G. R.; Downing, R. S.; Lacey, Dovie E.

1989-01-01

NASA Lewis Research Center is managing an advanced solar dynamic (ASD) space power program. The objective of the ASD program is to develop small and lightweight solar dynamic systems which show significant improvement in efficiency and specific mass over the baseline design derived from the Space Station Freedom technology. The advanced heat receiver development program is a phased program to design, fabricate and test elements of a 7-kWe heat-receiver/thermal-energy-storage subsystem. Receivers for both Brayton and Stirling heat engines are being developed under separate contracts. Phase I, described here, is the current eighteen month effort to design and perform critical technology experiments on innovative concepts designed to reduce mass without compromising thermal efficiency and reliability.

Techno-economic assessment of the need for bulk energy storage in low-carbon electricity systems with a focus on compressed air storage (CAES)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safaei Mohamadabadi, Hossein

Increasing electrification of the economy while decarbonizing the electricity supply is among the most effective strategies for cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in order to abate climate change. This thesis offers insights into the role of bulk energy storage (BES) systems to cut GHG emissions from the electricity sector. Wind and solar energies can supply large volumes of low-carbon electricity. Nevertheless, large penetration of these resources poses serious reliability concerns to the grid, mainly because of their intermittency. This thesis evaluates the performance of BES systems - especially compressed air energy storage (CAES) technology - for integration of wind energy from engineering and economic aspects. Analytical thermodynamic analysis of Distributed CAES (D-CAES) and Adiabatic CAES (A-CAES) suggest high roundtrip storage efficiencies ( 80% and 70%) compared to conventional CAES ( 50%). Using hydrogen to fuel CAES plants - instead of natural gas - yields a low overall efficiency ( 35%), despite its negligible GHG emissions. The techno-economic study of D-CAES shows that exporting compression heat to low-temperature loads (e.g. space heating) can enhance both the economic and emissions performance of compressed air storage plants. A case study for Alberta, Canada reveals that the abatement cost of replacing a conventional CAES with D-CAES plant practicing electricity arbitrage can be negative (-$40 per tCO2e, when the heat load is 50 km away from the air storage site). A green-field simulation finds that reducing the capital cost of BES - even drastically below current levels - does not substantially impact the cost of low-carbon electricity. At a 70% reduction in the GHG emissions intensity of the grid, gas turbines remain three times more cost-efficient in managing the wind variability compared to BES (in the best case and with a 15-minute resolution). Wind and solar thus, do not need to wait for availability of cheap BES systems to cost-effectively decarbonize the grid. The prospects of A-CAES seem to be stronger compared to other BES systems due to its low energy-specific capital cost.

Efficiently modelling urban heat storage: an interface conduction scheme in an urban land surface model (aTEB v2.0)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lipson, Mathew J.; Hart, Melissa A.; Thatcher, Marcus

2017-03-01

Intercomparison studies of models simulating the partitioning of energy over urban land surfaces have shown that the heat storage term is often poorly represented. In this study, two implicit discrete schemes representing heat conduction through urban materials are compared. We show that a well-established method of representing conduction systematically underestimates the magnitude of heat storage compared with exact solutions of one-dimensional heat transfer. We propose an alternative method of similar complexity that is better able to match exact solutions at typically employed resolutions. The proposed interface conduction scheme is implemented in an urban land surface model and its impact assessed over a 15-month observation period for a site in Melbourne, Australia, resulting in improved overall model performance for a variety of common material parameter choices and aerodynamic heat transfer parameterisations. The proposed scheme has the potential to benefit land surface models where computational constraints require a high level of discretisation in time and space, for example at neighbourhood/city scales, and where realistic material properties are preferred, for example in studies investigating impacts of urban planning changes.

Small scale changes of geochemistry and flow field due to transient heat storage in aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, S.; Boockmeyer, A.; Li, D.; Beyer, C.

2013-12-01

Heat exchangers in the subsurface are increasingly installed for transient heat storage due to the need of heating or cooling of buildings as well as the interim storage of heat to compensate for the temporally fluctuating energy production by wind or solar energy. For heat storage to be efficient, high temperatures must be achieved in the subsurface. Significant temporal changes of the soil and groundwater temperatures however effect both the local flow field by temperature dependent fluid parameters as well as reactive mass transport through temperature dependent diffusion coefficients, geochemical reaction rates and mineral equilibria. As the use of heat storage will be concentrated in urban areas, the use of the subsurface for (drinking) water supply and heat storage will typically coincide and a reliable prognosis of the processes occurring is needed. In the present work, the effects of a temporal variation of the groundwater temperature, as induced by a local heat exchanger introduced into a groundwater aquifer, are studied. For this purpose, the coupled non-isothermal groundwater flow, heat transport and reactive mass transport is simulated in the near filed of such a heat exchanger. By explicitly discretizing and incorporating the borehole, the borehole cementation and the heat exchanger tubes, a realistic geometrical and process representation is obtained. The numerical simulation code OpenGeoSys is used in this work, which incorporates the required processes of coupled groundwater flow, heat and mass transport as well as temperature dependent geochemistry. Due to the use of a Finite Element Method, a close representation of the geometric effects can be achieved. Synthetic scenario simulations for typical settings of salt water formations in northern Germany are used to investigate the geochemical effects arising from a high temperature heat storage by quantifying changes in groundwater chemistry and overall reaction rates. This work presents the simulation approach used and results obtained for the synthetic scenarios. The model simulations show that locally in the direct vicinity of the borehole heat exchanger the flow field is changed, causing a ground water convergence and thus a mixing of water in the case of high temperatures. Also, geochemical reactions are induced due to shifting of temperature dependent mineral equilibria. Due to the moving groundwater, the changes are not reversible, and small impacts remain downstream of the borehole heat exchanger. However, the changes depend strongly on the mineral composition of the formation and the formation water present.

Optimal Operation System of the Integrated District Heating System with Multiple Regional Branches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Ui Sik; Park, Tae Chang; Kim, Lae-Hyun; Yeo, Yeong Koo

This paper presents an optimal production and distribution management for structural and operational optimization of the integrated district heating system (DHS) with multiple regional branches. A DHS consists of energy suppliers and consumers, district heating pipelines network and heat storage facilities in the covered region. In the optimal management system, production of heat and electric power, regional heat demand, electric power bidding and sales, transport and storage of heat at each regional DHS are taken into account. The optimal management system is formulated as a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) where the objectives is to minimize the overall cost of the integrated DHS while satisfying the operation constraints of heat units and networks as well as fulfilling heating demands from consumers. Piecewise linear formulation of the production cost function and stairwise formulation of the start-up cost function are used to compute nonlinear cost function approximately. Evaluation of the total overall cost is based on weekly operations at each district heat branches. Numerical simulations show the increase of energy efficiency due to the introduction of the present optimal management system.

Thermal Assessment of a Latent-Heat Energy Storage Module During Melting and Freezing for Solar Energy Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramos Archibold, Antonio

Capital investment reduction, exergetic efficiency improvement and material compatibility issues have been identified as the primary techno-economic challenges associated, with the near-term development and deployment of thermal energy storage (TES) in commercial-scale concentrating solar power plants. Three TES techniques have gained attention in the solar energy research community as possible candidates to reduce the cost of solar-generated electricity, namely (1) sensible heat storage, (2) latent heat (tank filled with phase change materials (PCMs) or encapsulated PCMs packed in a vessel) and (3) thermochemical storage. Among these the PCM macro-encapsulation approach seems to be one of the most-promising methods because of its potential to develop more effective energy exchange, reduce the cost associated with the tank and increase the exergetic efficiency. However, the technological barriers to this approach arise from the encapsulation techniques used to create a durable capsule, as well as an assessment of the fundamental thermal energy transport mechanisms during the phase change. A comprehensive study of the energy exchange interactions and induced fluid flow during melting and solidification of a confined storage medium is reported in this investigation from a theoretical perspective. Emphasis has been placed on the thermal characterization of a single constituent storage module rather than an entire storage system, in order to, precisely capture the energy exchange contributions of all the fundamental heat transfer mechanisms during the phase change processes. Two-dimensional, axisymmetric, transient equations for mass, momentum and energy conservation have been solved numerically by the finite volume scheme. Initially, the interaction between conduction and natural convection energy transport modes, in the absence of thermal radiation, is investigated for solar power applications at temperatures (300--400°C). Later, participating thermal radiation within the storage medium has been included in order to extend the conventional natural convection-dominated model and to analyze its influence on the melting and freezing dynamics at elevated temperatures (800-850°C). A parametric analysis has been performed in order to ascertain the effects of the controlling parameters on the melting/freezing rates and the total and radiative heat transfer rates at the inner surface of the shell. The results show that the presence of thermal radiation enhances the melting and solidification processes. Finally, a simplified model of the packed bed heat exchanger with multiple spherical capsules filled with the storage medium and positioned in a vertical array inside a cylindrical container is analyzed and numerically solved. The influence of the inlet mass flow rate, inner shell surface emissivity and PCM attenuation coefficient on the melting dynamics of the PCM has been analyzed and quantified.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Design of stationary PEFC system configurations to meet heat and power demands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallmark, Cecilia; Alvfors, Per

This paper presents heat and power efficiencies of a modeled PEFC system and the methods used to create the system configuration. The paper also includes an example of a simulated fuel cell system supplying a building in Sweden with heat and power. The main method used to create an applicable fuel cell system configuration is pinch technology. This technology is used to evaluate and design a heat exchanger network for a PEFC system working under stationary conditions, in order to find a solution with high heat utilization. The heat exchanger network in the system connecting the reformer, the burner, gas cleaning, hot-water storage and the PEFC stack will affect the heat transferred to the hot-water storage and thereby the heating of the building. The fuel, natural gas, is reformed to a hydrogen-rich gas within a slightly pressurized system. The fuel processor investigated is steam reforming, followed by high- and low-temperature shift reactors and preferential oxidation. The system is connected to the electrical grid for backup and peak demands and to a hot-water storage to meet the varying heat demand for the building. The procedure for designing the fuel cell system installation as co-generation system is described, and the system is simulated for a specific building in Sweden during 1 year. The results show that the fuel cell system in combination with a burner and hot-water storage could supply the building with the required heat without exceeding any of the given limitations. The designed co-generation system will provide the building with most of its power requirements and would further generate income by sale of electricity to the power grid.

Comparison of two temperature control techniques in a forced water heater solar system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernández, E.; E Guzmán, R.; Santos, A.; Cordoba, E.

2017-12-01

a study on the performance of a forced solar heating system in which a comparative analysis of two control strategies, including the classic on-off control and PID control is presented. From the experimental results it was found that the two control strategies show a similar behaviour in the solar heating system forced an approximate settling time of 60 min and over-elongation 2°C for the two control strategies. Furthermore, the maximum temperature in the storage tank was 46°C and the maximum efficiency of flat plate collector was 76.7% given that this efficiency is the ratio of the energy of the radiation on the collector and the energy used to heat water. The efficiency obtained is a fact well accepted because the business efficiencies of flat plate collectors are approximately 70%.

24 CFR 3280.707 - Heat producing appliances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... have a flue loss of not more than 25 percent, and a thermal efficiency of not less than that specified... efficiency. (1) All automatic electric storage water heaters installed in manufactured homes shall have a standby loss not exceeding 43 watts/meter2 (4 watts/ft2) of tank surface area. The method of test for...

Nano-based PCMs for building energy efficiency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biswas, Kaushik

Thermal storage using phase change materials (PCMs) is seen as a viable method for improving the energy efficiency of buildings. PCMs have been used in building applications in various forms PCM slurries in heat exchangers, macro- or microencapsulated PCMs in building envelopes, bulk PCM for modulating photovoltaic temperatures, etc. In the last decade a new class of PCMs, called nano-enhanced PCM (or nanoPCM), has been extensively investigated with the goal of improving the heat transfer and thermal storage properties of PCMs. NanoPCMs can primarily be categorized as nano-encapsulated PCMs and nanoparticle-PCM composites. The former are nano-sized capsules in which themore » PCM forms the core and is surrounded by a high-conductivity membrane or shell. The latter consist of PCM supported within nanostructures or nanoparticles dispersed in PCMs. This article reviews the current state of nanoPCM synthesis and characterization of their heat transfer and thermal storage properties. Further, a critical review of nanoPCM applications and their potential energy benefits is performed. Nano-enhanced PCMs exhibit higher thermal conductivities than regular PCM. However, whether the higher conductivity is desirable in all applications and if the property enhancements are worth the cost and effort needed to create nanoPCMs are questions that still need to be answered.« less

Natural convection during heat energy accumulation by substances that change their state of aggregation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chukaev, A. G.; Kuks, A. M.

Heat transfer calculations are presented for a heat accumulator using the melting heat of a substance which changes its state of aggregation. It is shown that the approach adopted here makes it possible to evaluate the efficiency of using heat-storage materials in the pipe-tank system. The calculations, which allow for the effect of free convection in the liquid phase, have been made using the Boussinesq approximation. Results of a numerical experiment for NaNO3 salt show that the effect of natural convection on heat transfer is significant and that the heat flux to the material decreases as heat accumulates.

Natural convection during heat accumulation by substances with change of aggregate state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chukayev, A. G.; Kuks, A. M.

1985-03-01

Heat transfer calculations are presented for a heat accumulator using the melting heat of a substance which changes its state of aggregation. It is shown that the approach adopted here makes it possible to evaluate the efficiency of using heat-storage materials in the pipe-tank system. The calculations, which allow for the effect of free convection in the liquid phase, have been made using the Boussinesq approximation. Results of a numerical experiment for NaNO3 salt show that the effect of natural convection on heat transfer is significant and that the heat flux to the material decreases as heat accumulates.

Thermo-Hydraulic Analysis of Heat Storage Filled with the Ceramic Bricks Dedicated to the Solar Air Heating System

PubMed Central

Nemś, Magdalena; Nemś, Artur; Kasperski, Jacek; Pomorski, Michał

2017-01-01

This article presents the results of a study into a packed bed filled with ceramic bricks. The designed storage installation is supposed to become part of a heating system installed in a single-family house and eventually to be integrated with a concentrated solar collector adapted to climate conditions in Poland. The system’s working medium is air. The investigated temperature ranges and air volume flow rates in the ceramic bed were dictated by the planned integration with a solar air heater. Designing a packed bed of sufficient parameters first required a mathematical model to be constructed and heat exchange to be analyzed, since heat accumulation is a complex process influenced by a number of material properties. The cases discussed in the literature are based on differing assumptions and different formulas are used in calculations. This article offers a comparison of various mathematical models and of system operating parameters obtained from these models. The primary focus is on the Nusselt number. Furthermore, in the article, the thermo-hydraulic efficiency of the investigated packed bed is presented. This part is based on a relationship used in solar air collectors with internal storage. PMID:28805703

Thermo-Hydraulic Analysis of Heat Storage Filled with the Ceramic Bricks Dedicated to the Solar Air Heating System.

PubMed

Nemś, Magdalena; Nemś, Artur; Kasperski, Jacek; Pomorski, Michał

2017-08-12

This article presents the results of a study into a packed bed filled with ceramic bricks. The designed storage installation is supposed to become part of a heating system installed in a single-family house and eventually to be integrated with a concentrated solar collector adapted to climate conditions in Poland. The system's working medium is air. The investigated temperature ranges and air volume flow rates in the ceramic bed were dictated by the planned integration with a solar air heater. Designing a packed bed of sufficient parameters first required a mathematical model to be constructed and heat exchange to be analyzed, since heat accumulation is a complex process influenced by a number of material properties. The cases discussed in the literature are based on differing assumptions and different formulas are used in calculations. This article offers a comparison of various mathematical models and of system operating parameters obtained from these models. The primary focus is on the Nusselt number. Furthermore, in the article, the thermo-hydraulic efficiency of the investigated packed bed is presented. This part is based on a relationship used in solar air collectors with internal storage.

Design and experimental study of an integrated vapor chamber-thermal energy storage system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kota, Krishna M.

Future defense, aerospace and automotive technologies involve electronic systems that release high pulsed waste heat like during high power microwave and laser diode applications in tactical and combat aircraft, and electrical and electronic systems in hybrid electric vehicles, which will require the development of an efficient thermal management system. A key design issue is the need for fast charging so as not to overheat the key components. The goal of this work is to study the fabrication and technology implementation feasibility of a novel high energy storage, high heat flux passive heat sink. Key focus is to verify by theory and experiments, the practicability of using phase change materials as a temporary storage of waste heat for heat sink applications. The reason for storing the high heat fluxes temporarily is to be able to reject the heat at the average level when the heat source is off. Accordingly, a concept of a dual latent heat sink intended for moderate to low thermal duty cycle electronic heat sink applications is presented. This heat sink design combines the features of a vapor chamber with rapid thermal energy storage employing graphite foam inside the heat storage facility along with phase change materials and is attractive owing to its passive operation unlike some of the current thermal management techniques for cooling of electronics employing forced air circulation or external heat exchangers. In addition to the concept, end-application dependent criteria to select an optimized design for this dual latent heat sink are presented. A thermal resistance concept based design tool/model has been developed to analyze and optimize the design for experiments. The model showed that it is possible to have a dual latent heat sink design capable of handling 7 MJ of thermal load at a heat flux of 500 W/cm2 (over an area of 100 cm 2) with a volume of 0.072 m3 and weighing about 57.5 kg. It was also found that with such high heat flux absorption capability, the proposed conceptual design could have a vapor-to-condenser temperature difference of less than 10°C with a volume storage density of 97 MJ/m 3 and a mass storage density of 0.122 MJ/kg. The effectiveness of this heat sink depends on the rapidness of the heat storage facility in the design during the pulse heat generation period of the duty cycle. Heat storage in this heat sink involves transient simultaneous laminar film condensation of vapor and melting of an encapsulated phase change material in graphite foam. Therefore, this conjugate heat transfer problem including the wall inertia effect is numerically analyzed and the effectiveness of the heat storage mechanism of the heat sink is verified. An effective heat capacity formulation is employed for modeling the phase change problem and is solved using finite element method. The results of the developed model showed that the concept is effective in preventing undue temperature rise of the heat source. Experiments are performed to investigate the fabrication and implementation feasibility and heat transfer performance for validating the objectives of the design, i.e., to show that the VCTES heat sink is practicable and using PCM helps in arresting the vapor temperature rise in the heat sink. For this purpose, a prototype version of the VCTES heat sink is fabricated and tested for thermal performance. The volume foot-print of the vapor chamber is about 6"X5"X2.5". A custom fabricated thermal energy storage setup is incorporated inside this vapor chamber. A heat flux of 40 W/cm2 is applied at the source as a pulse and convection cooling is used on the condenser surface. Experiments are done with and without using PCM in the thermal energy storage setup. It is found that using PCM as a second latent system in the setup helps in lowering the undue temperature rise of the heat sink system. It is also found that the thermal resistance between the vapor chamber and the thermal energy storage setup, the pool boiling resistance at the heat source in the vapor chamber, the condenser resistance during heat discharging were key parameters that affect the thermal performance. Some suggestions for future improvements in the design to ease its implementation and enhance the heat transfer of this novel heat sink are also presented.

A Comparison of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Power Cycle Configurations with an Emphasis on CSP Applications (Presentation)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neises, T.; Turchi, C.

2013-09-01

Recent research suggests that an emerging power cycle technology using supercritical carbon dioxide (s-CO2) operated in a closed-loop Brayton cycle offers the potential of equivalent or higher cycle efficiency versus supercritical or superheated steam cycles at temperatures relevant for CSP applications. Preliminary design-point modeling suggests that s-CO2 cycle configurations can be devised that have similar overall efficiency but different temperature and/or pressure characteristics. This paper employs a more detailed heat exchanger model than previous work to compare the recompression and partial cooling cycles, two cycles with high design-point efficiencies, and illustrates the potential advantages of the latter. Integration of themore » cycles into CSP systems is studied, with a focus on sensible heat thermal storage and direct s-CO2 receivers. Results show the partial cooling cycle may offer a larger temperature difference across the primary heat exchanger, thereby potentially reducing heat exchanger cost and improving CSP receiver efficiency.« less

Experimental investigation on AC unit integrated with sensible heat storage (SHS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aziz, N. A.; Amin, N. A. M.; Majid, M. S. A.; Hussin, A.; Zhubir, S.

2017-10-01

The growth in population and economy has increases the energy demand and raises the concerns over the sustainable energy source. Towards the sustainable development, energy efficiency in buildings has become a prime objective. In this paper, the integration of thermal energy storage was studied. This paper presents an experimental investigation on the performance of an air conditioning unit integrated with sensible heat storage (SHS) system. The results were compared to the conventional AC systems in the terms of average electricity usage, indoor temperature and the relative humidity inside the experimented room (cabin container). Results show that the integration of water tank as an SHS reduces the electricity usage by 5%, while the integration of well-insulated water tank saves up to 8% of the electricity consumption.

Solid-solid phase change thermal storage application to space-suit battery pack

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Son, Chang H.; Morehouse, Jeffrey H.

1989-01-01

High cell temperatures are seen as the primary safety problem in the Li-BCX space battery. The exothermic heat from the chemical reactions could raise the temperature of the lithium electrode above the melting temperature. Also, high temperature causes the cell efficiency to decrease. Solid-solid phase-change materials were used as a thermal storage medium to lower this battery cell temperature by utilizing their phase-change (latent heat storage) characteristics. Solid-solid phase-change materials focused on in this study are neopentyl glycol and pentaglycerine. Because of their favorable phase-change characteristics, these materials appear appropriate for space-suit battery pack use. The results of testing various materials are reported as thermophysical property values, and the space-suit battery operating temperature is discussed in terms of these property results.

Near-Blackbody Enclosed Particle-Receiver Development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ma, Zhiwen; Sakadjian, Bartev

2015-12-01

This 3-year project develops a technology using gas/solid, two-phase flow as a heat-transfer fluid and separated, stable, solid particles as a thermal energy storage (TES) medium for a concentrating solar power (CSP) plant, to address the temperature, efficiency, and cost barriers associated with current molten-salt CSP systems. This project focused on developing a near-blackbody particle receiver and an integrated fluidized-bed heat exchanger with auxiliary components to achieve greater than 20% cost reduction over current CSP plants, and to provide the ability to drive high-efficiency power cycles.

New latent heat storage system with nanoparticles for thermal management of electric vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Javani, N.; Dincer, I.; Naterer, G. F.

2014-12-01

In this paper, a new passive thermal management system for electric vehicles is developed. A latent heat thermal energy storage with nanoparticles is designed and optimized. A genetic algorithm method is employed to minimize the length of the heat exchanger tubes. The results show that even the optimum length of a shell and tube heat exchanger becomes too large to be employed in a vehicle. This is mainly due to the very low thermal conductivity of phase change material (PCM) which fills the shell side of the heat exchanger. A carbon nanotube (CNT) and PCM mixture is then studied where the probability of nanotubes in a series configuration is defined as a deterministic design parameter. Various heat transfer rates, ranging from 300 W to 600 W, are utilized to optimize battery cooling options in the heat exchanger. The optimization results show that smaller tube diameters minimize the heat exchanger length. Furthermore, finned tubes lead to a higher heat exchanger length due to more heat transfer resistance. By increasing the CNT concentration, the optimum length of the heat exchanger decreases and makes the improved thermal management system a more efficient and competitive with air and liquid thermal management systems.

Programming MOFs for water sorption: amino-functionalized MIL-125 and UiO-66 for heat transformation and heat storage applications.

PubMed

Jeremias, Felix; Lozan, Vasile; Henninger, Stefan K; Janiak, Christoph

2013-12-07

Sorption-based heat transformation and storage appliances are very promising for utilizing solar heat and waste heat in cooling or heating applications. The economic and ecological efficiency of sorption-based heat transformation depends on the availability of suitable hydrophilic and hydrothermally stable sorption materials. We investigated the feasibility of using the metal-organic frameworks UiO-66(Zr), UiO-67(Zr), H2N-UiO-66(Zr) and H2N-MIL-125(Ti) as sorption materials in heat transformations by means of volumetric water adsorption measurements, determination of the heat of adsorption and a 40-cycle ad/desorption stress test. The amino-modified compounds H2N-UiO-66 and H2N-MIL-125 feature high heat of adsorption (89.5 and 56.0 kJ mol(-1), respectively) and a very promising H2O adsorption isotherm due to their enhanced hydrophilicity. For H2N-MIL-125 the very steep rise of the H2O adsorption isotherm in the 0.1 < p/p0 < 0.2 region is especially beneficial for the intended heat pump application.

Leveraging gigawatt potentials by smart heat-pump technologies using ionic liquids.

PubMed

Wasserscheid, Peter; Seiler, Matthias

2011-04-18

One of the greatest challenges to science in the 21 st century is the development of efficient energy production, storage, and transformation systems with minimal ecological footprints. Due to the lack of efficient heat-transformation technologies, industries around the world currently waste energy in the gigawatt range at low temperatures (40-80 °C). These energy potentials can be unlocked or used more efficiently through a new generation of smart heat pumps operating with novel ionic liquid (IL)-based working pairs. The new technology is expected to allow revolutionary technical progress in heat-transformation devices, for example, significantly higher potential efficiencies, lower specific investments, and broader possibilities to incorporate waste energy from renewable sources. Furthermore, due to drastically reduced corrosion rates and excellent thermal stabilities of the new, IL-based working pairs, the high driving temperatures necessary for multi-effect cycles such as double- or triple-effect absorption chillers, can also be realized. The details of this novel and innovative heat-transformation technology are described. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Improving Geothermal Heat Pump Air Conditioning Efficiency with Wintertime Cooling using Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage (STES). Application Manual

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-01

Defense. Reference herein to any specific commercial product , process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not...1 1.3 Cooling-Dominated Buildings and MCAS Beaufort Case Study 4 1.4 Potential Approach for Mitigating Heat Buildup -- Hybrid Geothermal Heat...the ground through another well. This type of system can be very effective, but it requires access to a productive aquifer with associated

High-Temperature Phase Change Materials (PCM) Candidates for Thermal Energy Storage (TES) Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gomez, J. C.

2011-09-01

It is clearly understood that lower overall costs are a key factor to make renewable energy technologies competitive with traditional energy sources. Energy storage technology is one path to increase the value and reduce the cost of all renewable energy supplies. Concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies have the ability to dispatch electrical output to match peak demand periods by employing thermal energy storage (TES). Energy storage technologies require efficient materials with high energy density. Latent heat TES systems using phase change material (PCM) are useful because of their ability to charge and discharge a large amount of heat from amore » small mass at constant temperature during a phase transformation like melting-solidification. PCM technology relies on the energy absorption/liberation of the latent heat during a physical transformation. The main objective of this report is to provide an assessment of molten salts and metallic alloys proposed as candidate PCMs for TES applications, particularly in solar parabolic trough electrical power plants at a temperature range from 300..deg..C to 500..deg.. C. The physical properties most relevant for PCMs service were reviewed from the candidate selection list. Some of the PCM candidates were characterized for: chemical stability with some container materials; phase change transformation temperatures; and latent heats.« less

Chemical hydrogen storage material property guidelines for automotive applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semelsberger, Troy A.; Brooks, Kriston P.

2015-04-01

Chemical hydrogen storage is the sought after hydrogen storage media for automotive applications because of the expected low pressure operation (<20 atm), moderate temperature operation (<200 °C), system gravimetric capacities (>0.05 kg H2/kgsystem), and system volumetric capacities (>0.05 kg H2/Lsystem). Currently, the primary shortcomings of chemical hydrogen storage are regeneration efficiency, fuel cost and fuel phase (i.e., solid or slurry phase). Understanding the required material properties to meet the DOE Technical Targets for Onboard Hydrogen Storage Systems is a critical knowledge gap in the hydrogen storage research community. This study presents a set of fluid-phase chemical hydrogen storage material property guidelines for automotive applications meeting the 2017 DOE technical targets. Viable material properties were determined using a boiler-plate automotive system design. The fluid-phase chemical hydrogen storage media considered in this study were neat liquids, solutions, and non-settling homogeneous slurries. Material properties examined include kinetics, heats of reaction, fuel-cell impurities, gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen storage capacities, and regeneration efficiency. The material properties, although not exhaustive, are an essential first step in identifying viable chemical hydrogen storage material properties-and most important, their implications on system mass, system volume and system performance.

Thermo-Magneto-Electric Generator Arrays for Active Heat Recovery System

PubMed Central

Chun, Jinsung; Song, Hyun-Cheol; Kang, Min-Gyu; Kang, Han Byul; Kishore, Ravi Anant; Priya, Shashank

2017-01-01

Continued emphasis on development of thermal cooling systems is being placed that can cycle low grade heat. Examples include solar powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and data storage servers. The power efficiency of solar module degrades at elevated temperature, thereby, necessitating the need for heat extraction system. Similarly, data centres in wireless computing system are facing increasing efficiency challenges due to high power consumption associated with managing the waste heat. We provide breakthrough in addressing these problems by developing thermo-magneto-electric generator (TMEG) arrays, composed of soft magnet and piezoelectric polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) cantilever. TMEG can serve dual role of extracting the waste heat and converting it into useable electricity. Near room temperature second-order magnetic phase transition in soft magnetic material, gadolinium, was employed to obtain mechanical vibrations on the PVDF cantilever under small thermal gradient. TMEGs were shown to achieve high vibration frequency at small temperature gradients, thereby, demonstrating effective heat transfer. PMID:28145516

Thermo-Magneto-Electric Generator Arrays for Active Heat Recovery System.

PubMed

Chun, Jinsung; Song, Hyun-Cheol; Kang, Min-Gyu; Kang, Han Byul; Kishore, Ravi Anant; Priya, Shashank

2017-02-01

Continued emphasis on development of thermal cooling systems is being placed that can cycle low grade heat. Examples include solar powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and data storage servers. The power efficiency of solar module degrades at elevated temperature, thereby, necessitating the need for heat extraction system. Similarly, data centres in wireless computing system are facing increasing efficiency challenges due to high power consumption associated with managing the waste heat. We provide breakthrough in addressing these problems by developing thermo-magneto-electric generator (TMEG) arrays, composed of soft magnet and piezoelectric polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) cantilever. TMEG can serve dual role of extracting the waste heat and converting it into useable electricity. Near room temperature second-order magnetic phase transition in soft magnetic material, gadolinium, was employed to obtain mechanical vibrations on the PVDF cantilever under small thermal gradient. TMEGs were shown to achieve high vibration frequency at small temperature gradients, thereby, demonstrating effective heat transfer.

Hybrid chromophore/template nanostructures: a customizable platform material for solar energy storage and conversion.

PubMed

Kolpak, Alexie M; Grossman, Jeffrey C

2013-01-21

Challenges with cost, cyclability, and/or low energy density have largely prevented the development of solar thermal fuels, a potentially attractive alternative energy technology based on molecules that can capture and store solar energy as latent heat in a closed cycle. In this paper, we present a set of novel hybrid photoisomer/template solar thermal fuels that can potentially circumvent these challenges. Using first-principles computations, we demonstrate that these fuels, composed of organic photoisomers bound to inexpensive carbon-based templates, can reversibly store solar energy at densities comparable to Li-ion batteries. Furthermore, we show that variation of the template material in combination with the photoisomer can be used to optimize many of the key performance metrics of the fuel-i.e., the energy density, the storage lifetime, the temperature of the output heat, and the efficiency of the solar-to-heat conversion. Our work suggests that the solar thermal fuels concept can be translated into a practical and highly customizable energy storage and conversion technology.

Performance Improvement of Energy Storage System with nano-additivesin HTF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beemkumar, N.; Karthikeyan, A.; Saravanakumar, B.; Jayaprabakar, J.

2017-05-01

This paper is intended to improve the heat transfer rate of thermal energy storage system with copper oxide (CuO) as nano-additivesin heat transfer fluid (HTF) by varying encapsulation materials. The experimentation is done with different encapsulating materials like copper, brass and aluminium. The results are analysed for their thermal performance characteristics during charging and discharging processes. D-Sorbitol and therminol-66 with CuO is used as PCM and HTF respectively. A comparison was made between the different encapsulations and it was found that copper encapsulation has higher efficient, storing and recovering energy. However, its high thermal conductivity promotes larger heat losses and its cost is also high on other side. So the economical use of encapsulation material is aluminium compared to other two materials.

Practical and efficient magnetic heat pump

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, G. V.

1978-01-01

Method for pumping heat magnetically at room temperature is more economical than existing refrigeration systems. Method uses natural magneto-thermal effect of gadolinium metal to establish temperature gradient across length of tube. Regenerative cyclic process in which gadolinium sample is magnetized and gives off heat at one end of tube, and then is demagnetized at other end to absorb heat has established temperature gradients of 144 degrees F in experiments near room temperature. Other materials with large magnetothermal effects can be used below room temperature. Possible commercial applications include freeze-drying and food processing, cold storage, and heating and cooling of buildings, plants, and ships.

Process configuration of Liquid-nitrogen Energy Storage System (LESS) for maximum turnaround efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Rohan; Ghosh, Parthasarathi; Chowdhury, Kanchan

2017-12-01

Diverse power generation sector requires energy storage due to penetration of variable renewable energy sources and use of CO2 capture plants with fossil fuel based power plants. Cryogenic energy storage being large-scale, decoupled system with capability of producing large power in the range of MWs is one of the options. The drawback of these systems is low turnaround efficiencies due to liquefaction processes being highly energy intensive. In this paper, the scopes of improving the turnaround efficiency of such a plant based on liquid Nitrogen were identified and some of them were addressed. A method using multiple stages of reheat and expansion was proposed for improved turnaround efficiency from 22% to 47% using four such stages in the cycle. The novelty here is the application of reheating in a cryogenic system and utilization of waste heat for that purpose. Based on the study, process conditions for a laboratory-scale setup were determined and presented here.

High temperature latent heat thermal energy storage to augment solar thermal propulsion for microsatellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilpin, Matthew R.

Solar thermal propulsion (STP) offers an unique combination of thrust and efficiency, providing greater total DeltaV capability than chemical propulsion systems without the order of magnitude increase in total mission duration associated with electric propulsion. Despite an over 50 year development history, no STP spacecraft has flown to-date as both perceived and actual complexity have overshadowed the potential performance benefit in relation to conventional technologies. The trend in solar thermal research over the past two decades has been towards simplification and miniaturization to overcome this complexity barrier in an effort finally mount an in-flight test. A review of micro-propulsion technologies recently conducted by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has identified solar thermal propulsion as a promising configuration for microsatellite missions requiring a substantial Delta V and recommended further study. A STP system provides performance which cannot be matched by conventional propulsion technologies in the context of the proposed microsatellite ''inspector" requiring rapid delivery of greater than 1500 m/s DeltaV. With this mission profile as the target, the development of an effective STP architecture goes beyond incremental improvements and enables a new class of microsatellite missions. Here, it is proposed that a bi-modal solar thermal propulsion system on a microsatellite platform can provide a greater than 50% increase in Delta V vs. chemical systems while maintaining delivery times measured in days. The realization of a microsatellite scale bi-modal STP system requires the integration of multiple new technologies, and with the exception of high performance thermal energy storage, the long history of STP development has provided "ready" solutions. For the target bi-modal STP microsatellite, sensible heat thermal energy storage is insufficient and the development of high temperature latent heat thermal energy storage is an enabling technology for the platform. The use of silicon and boron as high temperature latent heat thermal energy storage materials has been in the background of solar thermal research for decades without a substantial investigation. This is despite a broad agreement in the literature about the performance benefits obtainable from a latent heat mechanisms which provides a high energy storage density and quasi-isothermal heat release at high temperature. In this work, an experimental approach was taken to uncover the practical concerns associated specifically with applying silicon as an energy storage material. A new solar furnace was built and characterized enabling the creation of molten silicon in the laboratory. These tests have demonstrated the basic feasibility of a molten silicon based thermal energy storage system and have highlighted asymmetric heat transfer as well as silicon expansion damage to be the primary engineering concerns for the technology. For cylindrical geometries, it has been shown that reduced fill factors can prevent damage to graphite walled silicon containers at the expense of decreased energy storage density. Concurrent with experimental testing, a cooling model was written using the "enthalpy method" to calculate the phase change process and predict test section performance. Despite a simplistic phase change model, and experimentally demonstrated complexities of the freezing process, results coincided with experimental data. It is thus possible to capture essential system behaviors of a latent heat thermal energy storage system even with low fidelity freezing kinetics modeling allowing the use of standard tools to obtain reasonable results. Finally, a technological road map is provided listing extant technological concerns and potential solutions. Improvements in container design and an increased understanding of convective coupling efficiency will ultimately enable both high temperature latent heat thermal energy storage and a new class of high performance bi-modal solar thermal spacecraft.

A simplified fracture network model for studying the efficiency of a single well semi open loop heat exchanger in fractured crystalline rock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de La Bernardie, Jérôme; de Dreuzy, Jean-Raynald; Bour, Olivier; Thierion, Charlotte; Ausseur, Jean-Yves; Lesuer, Hervé; Le Borgne, Tanguy

2016-04-01

Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source particularly attractive due to associated low greenhouse gas emission rates. Crystalline rocks are in general considered of poor interest for geothermal applications at shallow depths (< 100m), because of the low permeability of the medium. In some cases, fractures may enhance permeability, but thermal energy storage at these shallow depths is still remaining very challenging because of the complexity of fractured media. The purpose of this study is to test the possibility of efficient thermal energy storage in shallow fractured rocks with a single well semi open loop heat exchanger (standing column well). For doing so, a simplified numerical model of fractured media is considered with few fractures. Here we present the different steps for building the model and for achieving the sensitivity analysis. First, an analytical and dimensional study on the equations has been achieved to highlight the main parameters that control the optimization of the system. In a second step, multiphysics software COMSOL was used to achieve numerical simulations in a very simplified model of fractured media. The objective was to test the efficiency of such a system to store and recover thermal energy depending on i) the few parameters controlling fracture network geometry (size and number of fractures) and ii) the frequency of cycles used to store and recover thermal energy. The results have then been compared to reference shallow geothermal systems already set up for porous media. Through this study, relationships between structure, heat exchanges and storage may be highlighted.

Hybrid Geo-Energy Systems for Energy Storage and Dispatchable Renewable and Low-Carbon Electricity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buscheck, Thomas; Bielicki, Jeffrey; Ogland-Hand, Jonathan; Hao, Yue; Sun, Yunwei; Randolph, Jimmy; Saar, Martin

2015-04-01

Three primary challenges for energy systems are to (1) reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) being emitted to the atmosphere, (2) increase the penetration of renewable energy technologies, and (3) reduce the water intensity of energy production. Integrating variable renewable energy sources (wind, sunlight) into electric grids requires advances in energy storage approaches, which are currently expensive, and tend to have limited capacity and/or geographic deployment potential. Our approach uses CO2, that would otherwise be emitted to the atmosphere, to generate electricity from geothermal resources, to store excess energy from variable (wind, solar photovoltaic) and thermal (nuclear, fossil, concentrated solar power) sources, and to thus enable increased penetration of renewable energy technologies. We take advantage of the enormous fluid and thermal storage capacity of the subsurface to harvest, store, and dispatch energy. Our approach uses permeable geologic formations that are vertically bounded by impermeable layers to constrain pressure and the migration of buoyant CO2 and heated brine. Supercritical CO2 captured from fossil power plants is injected into these formations as a cushion gas to store pressure (bulk energy), provide an heat efficient extraction fluid for efficient power conversion in Brayton Cycle turbines, and generate artesian flow of brine -- which can be used to cool power plants and/or pre-heated (thermal storage) prior to re-injection. Concentric rings of injection and production wells create a hydraulic divide to store pressure, CO2, and thermal energy. The system is pressurized and/or heated when power supply exceeds demand and depressurized when demand exceeds supply. Time-shifting the parasitic loads from pressurizing and injecting brine and CO2 provides bulk energy storage over days to months, whereas time-shifting thermal-energy supply provides dispatchable power and addresses seasonal mismatches between supply and demand. These conditions enable efficient fluid recirculation, heat extraction, power conversion, and add operational flexibility to dispatch electricity. Overall, the system can (a) levelize concentrating solar power, (b) mitigate variability of wind and solar power, (c) reduce water and carbon intensity of energy systems, (d) avoid wasting or curtailing high-capital cost, low-carbon energy resources and (e) allow low-carbon, base-load power to operate at full capacity. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. DOE by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344, and has been funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation Sustainable Energy Pathways Program (1230691) and the U.S. Department of Energy Geothermal Technologies Office (DE-FOA-0000336).

Reliability and Heat Transfer Performance of a Miniature High-Temperature Thermosyphon-Based Thermal Valve

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alleman, Jeffrey L; Olsen, Michele L; Glatzmaier, Gregory C

Latent heat thermal energy storage systems have the advantages of near isothermal heat release and high energy density compared to sensible heat, generally resulting in higher power block efficiencies. Until now, there has been no highly effective and reliable method to passively extract that stored latent energy. Most modern attempts rely on external power supplied to a pump to move viscous heat transfer fluids from the phase change material (PCM) to the power block. In this work, the problem of latent heat dispatchability has been addressed with a redesigned thermosyphon geometry that can act as a 'thermal valve' capable ofmore » passively and efficiently controlling the release of heat from a thermal reservoir. A bench-scale prototype with a stainless steel casing and sodium working fluid was designed and tested to be reliable for more than fifty 'on/off' cycles at an operating temperature of 600 degrees C. The measured thermal resistances in the 'on' and 'off' states were 0.0395 K/W and 11.0 K/W respectively. This device demonstrated efficient, fast, reliable, and passive heat extraction from a PCM and may have application to other fields and industries using thermal processing.« less

Solar energy system performance evaluation. Seasonal report for SEECO Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The Solar Engineering and Equipment Company (SEECO) Lincoln solar energy system, designed for space heating only, is described and its operational performance for a 12 month period from April 1979 through March 1980 is evaluated. The system met 27 percent of the space heating load; however, system losses into the heated space from the storage bin and ductwork were significant. Reducing these losses would add appreciably to the system's efficiency. Net fossil energy savings were 11.31 million BTUs.

The Effects of Crushed Ice Ingestion Prior to Steady State Exercise in the Heat.

PubMed

Zimmermann, Matthew; Landers, Grant; Wallman, Karen E; Saldaris, Jacinta

2017-06-01

This study examined the physiological effects of crushed ice ingestion before steady state exercise in the heat. Ten healthy males with age (23 ± 3 y), height (176.9 ± 8.7 cm), body-mass (73.5 ± 8.0 kg), VO 2peak (48.5 ± 3.6 mL∙kg∙min -1 ) participated in the study. Participants completed 60 min of cycling at 55% of their VO 2peak preceded by 30 min of precooling whereby 7 g∙kg -1 of thermoneutral water (CON) or crushed ice (ICE) was ingested. The reduction in T c at the conclusion of precooling was greater in ICE (-0.9 ± 0.3 °C) compared with CON (-0.2 ± 0.2 °C) (p ≤ .05). Heat storage capacity was greater in ICE compared with CON after precooling (ICE -29.3 ± 4.8 W∙m -2 ; CON -11.1 ± 7.3 W∙m -2 , p < .05). Total heat storage was greater in ICE compared with CON at the end of the steady state cycle (ICE 62.0 ± 12.5 W∙m-2; CON 49.9 ± 13.4 W∙m -2 , p < .05). Gross efficiency was higher in ICE compared with CON throughout the steady state cycle (ICE 21.4 ± 1.8%; CON 20.4 ± 1.9%, p < .05). Ice ingestion resulted in a lower thermal sensation at the end of precooling and a lower sweat rate during the initial stages of cycling (p < .05). Sweat loss, respiratory exchange ratio, heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion and thirst were similar between conditions (p > .05). Precooling with crushed ice led to improved gross efficiency while cycling due to an increased heat storage capacity, which was the result of a lower core temperature.

An assessment of efficient water heating options for an all-electric single family residence in a mixed-humid climate.

PubMed

Balke, Elizabeth C; Healy, William M; Ullah, Tania

2016-12-01

An evaluation of a variety of efficient water heating strategies for an all-electric single family home located in a mixed-humid climate is conducted using numerical modeling. The strategies considered include various combinations of solar thermal, heat pump, and electric resistance water heaters. The numerical model used in the study is first validated against a year of field data obtained on a dual-tank system with a solar thermal preheat tank feeding a heat pump water heater that serves as a backup. Modeling results show that this configuration is the most efficient of the systems studied over the course of a year, with a system coefficient of performance (COP sys ) of 2.87. The heat pump water heater alone results in a COP sys of 1.9, while the baseline resistance water heater has a COP sys of 0.95. Impacts on space conditioning are also investigated by considering the extra energy consumption required of the air source heat pump to remove or add heat from the conditioned space by the water heating system. A modified COP sys that incorporates the heat pump energy consumption shows a significant drop in efficiency for the dual tank configuration since the heat pump water heater draws the most heat from the space in the heating season while the high temperatures in the solar storage tank during the cooling season result in an added heat load to the space. Despite this degradation in the COP sys , the combination of the solar thermal preheat tank and the heat pump water heater is the most efficient option even when considering the impacts on space conditioning.

An assessment of efficient water heating options for an all-electric single family residence in a mixed-humid climate

PubMed Central

Balke, Elizabeth C.; Healy, William M.; Ullah, Tania

2016-01-01

An evaluation of a variety of efficient water heating strategies for an all-electric single family home located in a mixed-humid climate is conducted using numerical modeling. The strategies considered include various combinations of solar thermal, heat pump, and electric resistance water heaters. The numerical model used in the study is first validated against a year of field data obtained on a dual-tank system with a solar thermal preheat tank feeding a heat pump water heater that serves as a backup. Modeling results show that this configuration is the most efficient of the systems studied over the course of a year, with a system coefficient of performance (COPsys) of 2.87. The heat pump water heater alone results in a COPsys of 1.9, while the baseline resistance water heater has a COPsys of 0.95. Impacts on space conditioning are also investigated by considering the extra energy consumption required of the air source heat pump to remove or add heat from the conditioned space by the water heating system. A modified COPsys that incorporates the heat pump energy consumption shows a significant drop in efficiency for the dual tank configuration since the heat pump water heater draws the most heat from the space in the heating season while the high temperatures in the solar storage tank during the cooling season result in an added heat load to the space. Despite this degradation in the COPsys, the combination of the solar thermal preheat tank and the heat pump water heater is the most efficient option even when considering the impacts on space conditioning. PMID:27990058

Procedure de caracterisation thermophysique d'un materiau a changement de phase composite pour le stockage thermique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Du, Mathieu

The use of phase change materials (PCMs) allows to store and release large amounts of energy in reduced volumes by using latent heat storage through melting and solidifying at specific temperatures. Phase change materials received a great interest for reducing energy consumption by easing the implementation of passive solar heating and cooling. They can be integrated to buildings as wallboards to improve the heat storage capacity. In this study, an original experimental device has allowed to characterize the thermophysical proprieties of a composite wallboard constituted of PCMs. Generally, PCMs are characterized by calorimetric methods which use very small quantities of material. The device used can characterize large sample's dimensions, as they could be used in real condition. Apparent thermal conductivity and specific heat have been measured for various temperatures. During phase change process, total and latent heat storage capacities have been evaluated with the peak melting and freezing temperatures. Results are compared to the manufacturer's data and data from literature. Incoherencies have been found between sources. Despite several differences with published data, overall results are similar to the latest information, which allow validate the original experimental device. Thermal disturbances due to hysteresis have been noticed and discussed. Results allow suggesting recommendations on thermal procedure and experimental device to characterize efficiently this kind of materials. Temperature's ranges and heating and freezing rates affect results and it must be considered in the characterization. Moreover, experimental devices have to be designed to allow similar heating and freezing rates in order to compare results during melting and freezing. Key words: Phase change material, latent thermal storage, thermophysical characterization.

Technology Application of Environmental Friendly Refrigeration (Green Refrigeration) on Cold Storage for Fishery Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasta, IM; Susila, IDM; Subagia, IWA

2018-01-01

The application of refrigeration technology to postharvest fishery products is an very important. Moreover, Indonesia is a tropical region with relatively high temperatures. Fish storage age can be prolonged with a decrease in temperature. Frozen fish can even be stored for several months. Fish freezing means preparing fish for storage in low-temperature cold storage. The working fluid used in cold storage to cool low-temperature chambers and throw heat into high-temperature environments is refrigerant. So far refrigerant used in cold storage is Hydrochloroflourocarbons (HCFC) that is R-22. Chlor is a gas that causes ODP (Ozone Depleting Potential), while Flour is a gas that causes GWP (Global Warming Potential). Government policy began in 2015 to implement Hydrochloroflourocarbons Phase-Out Management Plan. Hydrocarbon (HC) is an alternative substitute for R-22. HC-22 (propane ≥ 99.5%) has several advantages, among others: environmentally friendly, indicated by a zero ODP value, and GWP = 3 (negligible), thermophysical property and good heat transfer characteristics, vapor phase density Which is low, and good solubility with mineral lubricants. The use of HC-22 in cold storage is less than R-22. From the analysis results obtained, cold storage system using HC-22 has better performance and energy consumption is more efficient than the R-22.

Temperature distribution by the effect of groundwater flow in an aquifer thermal energy storage system model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shim, B.

2005-12-01

Aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) can be a cost-effective and renewable energy source, depending on site-specific thermohydraulic conditions. To design an effective ATES system, the understanding of thermohydraulic processes is necessary. The heat transfer phenomena of an aquifer heat storage system are simulated with the scenario of heat pump operation of pumping and waste water reinjection in a two layered confined aquifer model having the effect of groundwater movement. Temperature distribution of the aquifer model is generated, and hydraulic heads and temperature variations are monitored at both wells during simulation days. The average groundwater velocities are determined with two assumed hydraulic gradients set by boundary conditions, and the effect of groundwater flow are shown at the generated thermal distributions at three different depth slices. The generated temperature contour lines at the hydraulic gradient of 0.001 are shaped circular, and the center is moved less than 5 m to the east in 365 days. However at the hydraulic gradient of 0.01, the contour centers of the east well at each depth slice are moved near the east boundary and the movement of temperature distribution is increased at the lower aquifer. By the analysis of thermal interference data between two wells the efficiency of a heat pump operation model is validated, and the variation of heads is monitored at injection, pumping and stabilized state. The thermal efficiency of the ATES system model is represented as highly depended on groundwater flow velocity and direction. Therefore the hydrogeologic condition for the system site should be carefully surveyed.

Nanoencapsulation of phase change materials for advanced thermal energy storage systems

PubMed Central

Shchukina, E. M.; Graham, M.; Zheng, Z.

2018-01-01

Phase change materials (PCMs) allow the storage of large amounts of latent heat during phase transition. They have the potential to both increase the efficiency of renewable energies such as solar power through storage of excess energy, which can be used at times of peak demand; and to reduce overall energy demand through passive thermal regulation. 198.3 million tons of oil equivalent were used in the EU in 2013 for heating. However, bulk PCMs are not suitable for use without prior encapsulation. Encapsulation in a shell material provides benefits such as protection of the PCM from the external environment and increased specific surface area to improve heat transfer. This review highlights techniques for the encapsulation of both organic and inorganic PCMs, paying particular attention to nanoencapsulation (capsules with sizes <1 μm). We also provide insight on future research, which should focus on (i) the development of multifunctional shell materials to improve lifespan and thermal properties and (ii) advanced mass manufacturing techniques for the economically viable production of PCM capsules, making it possible to utilize waste heat in intelligent passive thermal regulation systems, employing controlled, “on demand” energy release/uptake. PMID:29658558

Nanoencapsulation of phase change materials for advanced thermal energy storage systems.

PubMed

Shchukina, E M; Graham, M; Zheng, Z; Shchukin, D G

2018-06-05

Phase change materials (PCMs) allow the storage of large amounts of latent heat during phase transition. They have the potential to both increase the efficiency of renewable energies such as solar power through storage of excess energy, which can be used at times of peak demand; and to reduce overall energy demand through passive thermal regulation. 198.3 million tons of oil equivalent were used in the EU in 2013 for heating. However, bulk PCMs are not suitable for use without prior encapsulation. Encapsulation in a shell material provides benefits such as protection of the PCM from the external environment and increased specific surface area to improve heat transfer. This review highlights techniques for the encapsulation of both organic and inorganic PCMs, paying particular attention to nanoencapsulation (capsules with sizes <1 μm). We also provide insight on future research, which should focus on (i) the development of multifunctional shell materials to improve lifespan and thermal properties and (ii) advanced mass manufacturing techniques for the economically viable production of PCM capsules, making it possible to utilize waste heat in intelligent passive thermal regulation systems, employing controlled, "on demand" energy release/uptake.

Impact of thermal energy storage properties on solar dynamic space power conversion system mass

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1987-01-01

A 16 parameter solar concentrator/heat receiver mass model is used in conjunction with Stirling and Brayton Power Conversion System (PCS) performance and mass computer codes to determine the effect of thermal energy storage (TES) material property changes on overall PCS mass as a function of steady state electrical power output. Included in the PCS mass model are component masses as a function of thermal power for: concentrator, heat receiver, heat exchangers (source unless integral with heat receiver, heat sink, regenerator), heat engine units with optional parallel redundancy, power conditioning and control (PC and C), PC and C radiator, main radiator, and structure. Critical TES properties are: melting temperature, heat of fusion, density of the liquid phase, and the ratio of solid-to-liquid density. Preliminary results indicate that even though overalll system efficiency increases with TES melting temperature up to 1400 K for concentrator surface accuracies of 1 mrad or better, reductions in the overall system mass beyond that achievable with lithium fluoride (LiF) can be accomplished only if the heat of fusion is at least 800 kJ/kg and the liquid density is comparable to that of LiF (1880 kg/cu m.

Impact of thermal energy storage properties on solar dynamic space power conversion system mass

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1987-01-01

A 16 parameter solar concentrator/heat receiver mass model is used in conjunction with Stirling and Brayton Power Conversion System (PCS) performance and mass computer codes to determine the effect of thermal energy storage (TES) material property changes on overall PCS mass as a function of steady state electrical power output. Included in the PCS mass model are component masses as a function of thermal power for: concentrator, heat receiver, heat exchangers (source unless integral with heat receiver, heat sink, regenerator), heat engine units with optional parallel redundancy, power conditioning and control (PC and C), PC and C radiator, main radiator, and structure. Critical TES properties are: melting temperature, heat of fusion, density of the liquid phase, and the ratio of solid-to-liquid density. Preliminary results indicate that even though overall system efficiency increases with TES melting temperature up to 1400 K for concentrator surface accuracies of 1 mrad or better, reductions in the overall system mass beyond that achievable with lithium fluoride (LiF) can be accomplished only if the heat of fusion is at least 800 kJ/kg and the liquid density is comparable to that of LiF (1800 kg/cu m).

Experimental investigation of a packed bed thermal energy storage system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cascetta, Mario; Cau, Giorgio; Puddu, Pierpaolo; Serra, Fabio

2015-11-01

In this work experimental investigations on a thermal energy storage system with a solid material as storage media and air as heat transfer fluid will be presented. The experimental test rig, installed at the DIMCM of the University of Cagliari, consists of a carbon steel tank filled with freely poured alumina beads that allows investigations of heat transfer phenomena in packed beds. The aim of this work is to show the influence of the operating conditions and physical parameters on thermocline formation and, in particular, the thermal behaviour of the thermal energy storage for repeated charging and discharging cycles. Better charging efficiency is obtained for lower values of mass flow rate and maximum air temperature and for increasing aspect ratio. A decreasing influence of the metal wall with continuous operation is also highlighted. In conclusion, the analysis focuses on the thermal hysteresis phenomenon, which causes degradation of the thermocline and the reduction of the energy that can be stored by the accumulator as the repeated number of cycles increases.

Method and apparatus for operating an improved thermocline storage unit

DOEpatents

Copeland, R.J.

1982-09-30

A method and apparatus for operating a thermocline storage unit in which an insulated barrier member is provided substantially at the interface region between the hot and cold liquids in the storage tank. The barrier member physically and thermally separates the hot and cold liquids substantially preventing any diffusing or mixing between them and substantially preventing any heat transfer there between. The barrier member follows the rise and fall of the interface region between the liquids as the tank is charged and discharged. Two methods of maintaining it in the interface region are disclosed. With the structure and operation of the present invention and in particular the significant reduction in diffusing or mixing between the hot and cold liquids as well as the significant reduction in the thermal heat transfer between them, the performance of the storage tank is improved. More specifically, the stability of the interface region or thermocline is enhanced and the thickness of the thermocline is reduced producing a corresponding increase in the steepness of the temperature gradient across the thermocline and a more efficiently operating thermocline storage unit.

Method and apparatus for operating an improved thermocline storage unit

DOEpatents

Copeland, Robert J.

1985-01-01

A method and apparatus for operating a thermocline storage unit in which an insulated barrier member is provided substantially at the interface region between the hot and cold liquids in the storage tank. The barrier member physically and thermally separates the hot and cold liquids substantially preventing any diffusing or mixing between them and substantially preventing any heat transfer therebetween. The barrier member follows the rise and fall of the interface region between the liquids as the tank is charged and discharged. Two methods of maintaining it in the interface region are disclosed. With the structure and operation of the present invention and in particular the significant reduction in diffusing or mixing between the hot and cold liquids as well as the significant reduction in the thermal heat transfer between them, the performance of the storage tank is improved. More specifically, the stability of the interface region or thermocline is enhanced and the thickness of the thermocline is reduced producing a corresponding increase in the steepness of the temperature gradient across the thermocline and a more efficiently operating thermocline storage unit.

Solar energy plant as a complement to a conventional heating system: Measurement of the storage and consumption of solar energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doering, E.; Lippe, W.

1982-08-01

The technical and economic performances of a complementary solar heating installation for a new swimming pool added to a two-floor dwelling were examined after measurements were taken over a period of 12 months and analyzed. In particular, the heat absorption and utilization were measured and modifications were carried out to improve pipe insulation and regulation of mixer valve motor running and volume flow. The collector system efficiency was evaluated at 15.4%, the proportion of solar energy of the total consumption being 6.1%. The solar plant and the measuring instruments are described and recommendations are made for improved design and performance, including enlargement of the collector surface area, further modification of the regulation system, utilization of temperature stratification in the storage tanks and avoiding mutual overshadowing of the collectors.

500 Watt Solar AMTEC Power System for Small Spacecraft.

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-03-01

Thermal Modeling of High Efficiency AMTEC Cells ," Proceedings of the 24th National Heat Transfer Conference. Journal Article 12. SPACE...power flow calculation is the power required by the AMTEC cells which is the cell output power over the cell efficiency . The system model also...Converter ( AMTEC ) cell , called the multi-tube cell , integrated with an individual Thermal Energy Storage (TES) unit. The

Encapsulation of High Temperature Phase Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nath, Rupa

Thermal energy storage is a major contributor to bridge the gap between energy demand (consumption) and energy production (supply) by concentrating solar power. The utilization of high latent heat storage capability of phase change materials is one of the keys to an efficient way to store thermal energy. However, some of the limitations of the existing technology are the high volumetric expansion and low thermal conductivity of phase change materials (PCMs), low energy density, low operation temperatures and high cost. The present work deals with encapsulated PCM system, which operates at temperatures above 500°C and takes advantage of the heat transfer modes at such high temperatures to overcome the aforementioned limitations of PCMs. Encapsulation with sodium silicate coating on preformed PCM pellets were investigated. A low cost, high temperature metal, carbon steel has been used as a capsule for PCMs with a melting point above 500° C. Sodium silicate and high temperature paints were used for oxidation protection of steel at high temperatures. The emissivity of the coatings to enhance heat transfer was investigated.

Thermofluid effect on energy storage in fluidized bed reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahfoudi, Nadjiba; El Ganaoui, Mohammed; Moummi, Abdelhafid

2016-05-01

The development of innovative systems of heat storage is imperative to improve the efficiency of the existing systems used in the thermal solar energy applications. Several techniques were developed and realized in this context. The technology of the sand fluidized bed (sandTES) offers a promising alternative to the current state-of-the-art of the heat storage systems, such as fixed bed using a storage materials, as sand, ceramic, and stones, etc. Indeed, the use of the fluidization technique allows an effective heat transfer to the solid particles. With the sand, an important capacity of storage is obtained by an economic and ecological material [N. Mahfoudi, A. Moummi, M. El Ganaoui, Appl. Mech. Mater. 621, 214 (2014); N. Mahfoudi, A. Khachkouch, A. Moummi B. Benhaoua, M. El Ganaoui, Mech. Ind. 16, 411 (2015); N. Mahfoudi, A. Moummi, M. El Ganaoui, F. Mnasri, K.M. Aboudou, 3e Colloque internationale Francophone d"énergétique et mécanique, Comores, 2014, p. 91]. This paper presents a CFD simulation of the hydrodynamics and the thermal transient behavior of a fluidized bed reactor of sand, to determine the characteristics of storage. The simulation shows a symmetry breaking that occurs and gave way to chaotic transient generation of bubble formation after 3 s. Furthermore, the predicted average temperature of the solid phase (sand) increases gradually versus the time with a gain of 1 °C in an interval of 10 s. Contribution to the topical issue "Materials for Energy Harvesting, Conversion and Storage (ICOME 2015) - Elected submissions", edited by Jean-Michel Nunzi, Rachid Bennacer and Mohammed El Ganaoui

Chemical hydrogen storage material property guidelines for automotive applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Semelsberger, Troy; Brooks, Kriston P.

2015-04-01

Chemical hydrogen storage is the sought after hydrogen storage media for automotive applications because of the expected low pressure operation (<20 atm), moderate temperature operation (<200 C), system gravimetric capacities (>0.05 kg H2/kg system), and system volumetric capacities (>0.05 kg H2/L system). Currently, the primary shortcomings of chemical hydrogen storage are regeneration efficiency, fuel cost and fuel phase (i.e., solid or slurry phase). Understanding the required material properties to meet the DOE Technical Targets for Onboard Hydrogen Storage Systems is a critical knowledge gap in the hydrogen storage research community. This study presents a set of fluid-phase chemical hydrogen storagemore » material property guidelines for automotive applications meeting the 2017 DOE technical targets. Viable material properties were determined using a boiler-plate automotive system design. The fluid phase chemical hydrogen storage media considered in this study were neat liquids, solutions, and non-settling homogeneous slurries. Material properties examined include kinetics, heats of reaction, fuel-cell impurities, gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen storage capacities, and regeneration efficiency. The material properties, although not exhaustive, are an essential first step in identifying viable chemical hydrogen storage material propertiesdand most important, their implications on system mass, system volume and system performance.« less

Waste heat recovery system including a mechanism for collection, detection and removal of non-condensable gas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ernst, Timothy C.; Zigan, James A.

2017-06-20

The disclosure describes a non-condensable gas collection, detection, and removal system for a WHR system that helps to maintain cycle efficiency of the WHR system across the life of an engine system associated with the WHR system. A storage volume is configured to collect non-condensable gas received from the working fluid circuit, and a release valve is configured to selectively release non-condensable gas contained within the storage volume.

Issues of Long-Term Cryogenic Propellant Storage in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muratov, C. B.; Osipov, Viatcheslav V.; Smelyanskiy, Vadim N.

2011-01-01

Modern multi-layer insulation (MLI) allows to sharply reduce the heat leak into cryogenic propellant storage tanks through the tank surface and, as a consequence, significantly extend the storage duration. In this situation the MLI penetrations, such as support struts, feed lines, etc., become one of the most significant challenges of the tanks heat management. This problem is especially acute for liquid hydrogen (LH2) storage, since currently no efficient cryocoolers exist that operate at very low LH2 temperatures (20K). Even small heat leaks under microgravity conditions and over the period of many months give rise to a complex slowly-developing, large-scale spatiotemporal physical phenomena in a multi-phase liquid-vapor mixture. These phenomena are not well-understood nor can be easily controlled. They can be of a potentially hazardous nature for long-term on-orbital cryogenic torage, propellant loading, tank chilldown, engine restart, and other in-space cryogenic fluid management operations. To support the engineering design solutions that would mitigate these effects a detailed physics-based analysis of heat transfer, vapor bubble formation, growth, motion, coalescence and collapse is required in the presence of stirring jets of different configurations and passive cooling devices such as MLI, thermodynamic vent system, and vapor-cooled shield. To develop physics-based models and correlations reliable for microgravity conditions and long-time scales there is a need for new fundamental data to be collected from on-orbit cryogenic storage experiments. Our report discusses some of these physical phenomena and the design requirements and future studies necessary for their mitigation. Special attention is payed to the phenomena occurring near MLI penetrations.

Integral Radiator and Storage Tank

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burke, Kenneth A.; Miller, John R.; Jakupca, Ian; Sargi,Scott

2007-01-01

A simplified, lightweight system for dissipating heat of a regenerative fuel- cell system would include a heat pipe with its evaporator end placed at the heat source and its condenser end integrated into the wall of the regenerative fuel cell system gas-storage tanks. The tank walls act as heat-radiating surfaces for cooling the regenerative fuel cell system. The system was conceived for use in outer space, where radiation is the only physical mechanism available for transferring heat to the environment. The system could also be adapted for use on propellant tanks or other large-surface-area structures to convert them to space heat-radiating structures. Typically for a regenerative fuel cell system, the radiator is separate from the gas-storage tanks. By using each tank s surface as a heat-radiating surface, the need for a separate, potentially massive radiator structure is eliminated. In addition to the mass savings, overall volume is reduced because a more compact packaging scheme is possible. The underlying tank wall structure provides ample support for heat pipes that help to distribute the heat over the entire tank surface. The heat pipes are attached to the outer surface of each gas-storage tank by use of a high-thermal conductance, carbon-fiber composite-material wrap. Through proper choice of the composite layup, it is possible to exploit the high longitudinal conductivity of the carbon fibers (greater than the thermal conductivity of copper) to minimize the unevenness of the temperature distribution over the tank surface, thereby helping to maximize the overall heat-transfer efficiency. In a prototype of the system, the heat pipe and the composite wrap contribute an average mass of 340 g/sq m of radiator area. Lightweight space radiator panels have a mass of about 3,000 g/sq m of radiator area, so this technique saves almost 90 percent of the mass of separate radiator panels. In tests, the modified surface of the tank was found to have an emissivity of 0.85. The composite wrap remained tightly bound to the surface of the tank throughout the testing in thermal vacuum conditions.

Design, construction and evaluation of a system of forced solar water heating.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernández, E.; Bautista, G. A.; Ortiz, I. L.

2016-07-01

The main purpose of this project was to design, construct and evaluate a system of forced solar water heating for domestic consumption, at the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana-Bucaramanga, Colombia; using solar energy. This is a totally system independent of the electrical grid and an important characteristic is the heating water doesn't mix with the consumption water. The system receives the solar radiation through a flat-plate collector, which it transmits the heat to the water that it flow with impulse from the centrifugal pump of 12VDC, the water circulates toward helical serpentine it is inside of the tank of the storage whose capacity is 100 liters of water. The temperature of the tank is regulated with a controller in such a way that de-energized the pump when it gets the temperature required. The performance thermal or efficiency of the system was evaluated like a relationship between the delivered energy to the water in storage tank and the incident energy in the flat-plate collector.

Computational modeling of latent-heat-storage in PCM modified interior plaster

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fořt, Jan; Maděra, Jiří; Trník, Anton

2016-06-08

The latent heat storage systems represent a promising way for decrease of buildings energy consumption with respect to the sustainable development principles of building industry. The presented paper is focused on the evaluation of the effect of PCM incorporation on thermal performance of cement-lime plasters. For basic characterization of the developed materials, matrix density, bulk density, and total open porosity are measured. Thermal conductivity is accessed by transient impulse method. DSC analysis is used for the identification of phase change temperature during the heating and cooling process. Using DSC data, the temperature dependent specific heat capacity is calculated. On themore » basis of the experiments performed, the supposed improvement of the energy efficiency of characteristic building envelope system where the designed plasters are likely to be used is evaluated by a computational analysis. Obtained experimental and computational results show a potential of PCM modified plasters for improvement of thermal stability of buildings and moderation of interior climate.« less

Cold Heat Storage Characteristics of O/W-type Latent Heat Emulsion Including Continuum Phase of Water Treated with a Freezing Point Depression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inaba, Hideo; Morita, Shin-Ichi

This paper deals with flow and cold heat storage characteristics of the oil (tetradecane, C14H30, freezing point 278.9 K, Latent heat 229 kJ/kg)/water emulsion as a latent heat storage material having a low melting point. The test emulsion includes a water-urea solution as a continuum phase. The freezing point depression of the continuum phase permits enhancement of the heat transfer rate of the emulison, due to the large temperature difference between the latent heat storage material and water-urea solution. The velocity of emulsion flow and the inlet temperature of coolant in a coiled double tube heat exchanger are chosen as the experimental parameters. The pressure drop, the heat transfer coefficient of the emulsion in the coiled tube are measured in the temperture region over solid and liquid phase of the latent heat storage material. The finishing time of the cold heat storage is defined experimentally in the range of sensible and latent heat storage. It is clarified that the flow behavior of the emulsion as a non-Newtonian fluid has an important role in cold heat storage. The useful nondimentional correlation equations for the additional pressure loss coefficient, the heat transfer coefficient and the finishing time of the cold heat storage are derived in terms of Dean number and heat capacity ratio.

Energy Analysis of a Complementary Heating System Combining Solar Energy and Coal for a Rural Residential Building in Northwest China.

PubMed

Zhen, Xiaofei; Li, Jinping; Abdalla Osman, Yassir Idris; Feng, Rong; Zhang, Xuemin; Kang, Jian

2018-01-01

In order to utilize solar energy to meet the heating demands of a rural residential building during the winter in the northwestern region of China, a hybrid heating system combining solar energy and coal was built. Multiple experiments to monitor its performance were conducted during the winter in 2014 and 2015. In this paper, we analyze the efficiency of the energy utilization of the system and describe a prototype model to determine the thermal efficiency of the coal stove in use. Multiple linear regression was adopted to present the dual function of multiple factors on the daily heat-collecting capacity of the solar water heater; the heat-loss coefficient of the storage tank was detected as well. The prototype model shows that the average thermal efficiency of the stove is 38%, which means that the energy input for the building is divided between the coal and solar energy, 39.5% and 60.5% energy, respectively. Additionally, the allocation of the radiation of solar energy projecting into the collecting area of the solar water heater was obtained which showed 49% loss with optics and 23% with the dissipation of heat, with only 28% being utilized effectively.

Development of a concentrating solar power system using fluidized-bed technology for thermal energy conversion and solid particles for thermal energy storage

DOE PAGES

Ma, Z.; Mehos, M.; Glatzmaier, G.; ...

2015-05-01

Concentrating solar power (CSP) is an effective way to convert solar energy into electricity with an economic energy-storage capability for grid-scale, dispatchable renewable power generation. However, CSP plants need to reduce costs to be competitive with other power generation methods. Two ways to reduce CSP cost are to increase solar-to-electric efficiency by supporting a high-efficiency power conversion system, and to use low-cost materials in the system. The current nitrate-based molten-salt systems have limited potential for cost reduction and improved power-conversion efficiency with high operating temperatures. Even with significant improvements in operating performance, these systems face challenges in satisfying the costmore » and performance targets. This paper introduces a novel CSP system with high-temperature capability that can be integrated into a high-efficiency CSP plant and that meets the low-cost, high-performance CSP targets. Unlike a conventional salt-based CSP plant, this design uses gas/solid, two-phase flow as the heat-transfer fluid (HTF); separated solid particles as storage media; and stable, inexpensive materials for the high-temperature receiver and energy storage containment. We highlight the economic and performance benefits of this innovative CSP system design, which has thermal energy storage capability for base-load power generation.« less

Research opportunities in salt hydrates for thermal energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Karasek Home, Blackstone, Massachusetts solar-energy-system performance evaluation, Nov. 1981 - Mar. 1982

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raymond, M.

1982-06-01

The Karasek Home is a single family Massachusetts residence whose active-solar-energy system is equipped with 640 square feet of trickle-down liquid flat-plate collectors, storage in a 300-gallon tank and a 2000-gallon tank embedded in a rock bin in the basement, and an oil-fired glass-lined 40-gallon domestic hot water tank for auxiliary water and space heating. Monthly performance data are tabulated for the overall system and for the collector, storage, space heating, and domestic hot water subsystems. For each month a graph is presented of collector array efficiency versus the difference between the inlet water temperature and ambient temperature divided by insolation. Typical system operation is illustrated by graphs of insolation and temperatures at different parts of the system versus time for a typical day. The typical system operating sequence for a day is also graphed as well as solar energy utilization and heat losses.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Thermal storage for electric utilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swet, C. J.; Masica, W. J.

1977-01-01

Applications of the thermal energy storage (TES) principle (storage of sensible heat or latent heat, or heat storage in reversible chemical reactions) in power systems are evaluated. Load leveling behind the meter, load following at conventional thermal power plants, solar thermal power generation, and waste heat utilization are the principal TES applications considered. Specific TES examples discussed include: storage heaters for electric-resistance space heating, air conditioning TES in the form of chilled water or eutectic salt baths, hot water TES, and trans-seasonal storage in heated water in confined aquifers.

Evaluation of thermal energy storage for the proposed Twin Cities District Heating system. [using cogeneration heat production and aquifiers for heat storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, C. F.

1980-01-01

The technical and economic feasibility of incorporating thermal energy storage components into the proposed Twin Cities District heating project was evaluated. The technical status of the project is reviewed and conceptual designs of district heating systems with and without thermal energy storage were compared in terms of estimated capital requirements, fuel consumption, delivered energy cost, and environmental aspects. The thermal energy storage system is based on cogeneration and the storage of heat in aquifers.

Optimization and Performance Study of Select Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technologies for Commercial Buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamal, Rajeev

Buildings contribute a significant part to the electricity demand profile and peak demand for the electrical utilities. The addition of renewable energy generation adds additional variability and uncertainty to the power system. Demand side management in the buildings can help improve the demand profile for the utilities by shifting some of the demand from peak to off-peak times. Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning contribute around 45% to the overall demand of a building. This research studies two strategies for reducing the peak as well as shifting some demand from peak to off-peak periods in commercial buildings: 1. Use of gas heat pumps in place of electric heat pumps, and 2. Shifting demand for air conditioning from peak to off-peak by thermal energy storage in chilled water and ice. The first part of this study evaluates the field performance of gas engine-driven heat pumps (GEHP) tested in a commercial building in Florida. Four GEHP units of 8 Tons of Refrigeration (TR) capacity each providing air-conditioning to seven thermal zones in a commercial building, were instrumented for measuring their performance. The operation of these GEHPs was recorded for ten months, analyzed and compared with prior results reported in the literature. The instantaneous COPunit of these systems varied from 0.1 to 1.4 during typical summer week operation. The COP was low because the gas engines for the heat pumps were being used for loads that were much lower than design capacity which resulted in much lower efficiencies than expected. The performance of equivalent electric heat pump was simulated from a building energy model developed to mimic the measured building loads. An economic comparison of GEHPs and conventional electrical heat pumps was done based on the measured and simulated results. The average performance of the GEHP units was estimated to lie between those of EER-9.2 and EER-11.8 systems. The performance of GEHP systems suffers due to lower efficiency at part load operation. The study highlighted the need for optimum system sizing for GEHP/HVAC systems to meet the building load to obtain better performance in buildings. The second part of this study focusses on using chilled water or ice as thermal energy storage for shifting the air conditioning load from peak to off-peak in a commercial building. Thermal energy storage can play a very important role in providing demand-side management for diversifying the utility demand from buildings. Model of a large commercial office building is developed with thermal storage for cooling for peak power shifting. Three variations of the model were developed and analyzed for their performance with 1) ice storage, 2) chilled water storage with mixed storage tank and 3) chilled water storage with stratified tank, using EnergyPlus 8.5 software developed by the US Department of Energy. Operation strategy with tactical control to incorporate peak power schedule was developed using energy management system (EMS). The modeled HVAC system was optimized for minimum cost with the optimal storage capacity and chiller size using JEPlus. Based on the simulation, an optimal storage capacity of 40-45 GJ was estimated for the large office building model along with 40% smaller chiller capacity resulting in higher chiller part-load performance. Additionally, the auxiliary system like pump and condenser were also optimized to smaller capacities and thus resulting in less power demand during operation. The overall annual saving potential was found in the range of 7-10% for cooling electricity use resulting in 10-17% reduction in costs to the consumer. A possible annual peak shifting of 25-78% was found from the simulation results after comparing with the reference models. Adopting TES in commercial buildings and achieving 25% peak shifting could result in a reduction in peak summer demand of 1398 MW in Tampa.

Experimental and numerical investigation of a packed-bed thermal energy storage device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Bei; Wang, Yan; Bai, Fengwu; Wang, Zhifeng

2017-06-01

This paper presents a pilot-scale setup built to study a packed bed thermal energy storage device based on ceramic balls randomly poured into a cylindrical tank while using air as heat transfer fluid. Temperature distribution of ceramic balls throughout the packed bed is investigated both experimentally and numerically. Method of characteristic is adopted to improve the numerical computing efficiency, and mesh independence is verified to guarantee the accuracy of numerical solutions and the economy of computing time cost at the same time. Temperature in tests is as high as over 600 °C, and modeling prediction shows good agreements with experimental results under various testing conditions when heat loss is included and thermal properties of air are considered as temperature dependent.

Heat storage with an incongruently melting salt hydrate as storage medium based on the extra water principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furbo, S.

1980-12-01

The extra water principle, a heat of fusion storage method, is described. The extra water principle uses an inorganic, incongruently melting salt hydrate as a reliable and stable storage medium in an inexpensive way. Different heat storages using the extra water principle are described. The advantages of using a heat fusion storage unit based on Na2S2O(3).5H2O and the extra water principle instead of a traditional hot water tank in small solar heating systems for domestic hot water supply are shown. In small solar heating systems the heat fusion storage supplies all the wanted hot water in the summer during longer periods than an ordinary hot water storage. It is concluded that the heat of fusion storage is favourable in domestic hot water supply systems with an auxiliary energy source which during the summer have a large energy consumption compared with the energy demands for the hot water supply.

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program. Bibliography, 1993 edition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vaughan, K.H.

1993-06-01

The Bibliography contains listings of publicly available reports, journal articles, and published conference papers sponsored by the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and published between 1987 and mid-1993. The topics of Bibliography include: analysis and evaluation; building equipment research; building thermal envelope systems and materials; district heating; residential and commercial conservation program; weatherization assistance program; existing buildings research program; ceramic technology project; alternative fuels and propulsion technology; microemulsion fuels; industrial chemical heat pumps; materials for advanced industrial heat exchangers; advanced industrial materials; tribology; energy-related inventions program; electric energy systems; superconducting technology program for electric energy systems; thermalmore » energy storage; biofuels feedstock development; biotechnology; continuous chromatography in multicomponent separations; sensors for electrolytic cells; hydropower environmental mitigation; environmental control technology; continuous fiber ceramic composite technology.« less

Phase-Change Heat-Storage Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mulligan, James C.

1989-01-01

Heat-storage module accommodates momentary heating or cooling overload in pumped-liquid heat-transfer system. Large heat-storage capacity of module provided by heat of fusion of material that freezes at or near temperature desired to maintain object to be heated or cooled. Module involves relatively small penalties in weight, cost, and size and more than compensates by enabling design of rest of system to handle only average load. Latent heat of fusion of phase-change material provides large heat-storage capacity in small volume.

Energy storage as heat-of-fusion in containerized salts. Report on energy storage boiler tank

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chubb, T. A.; Nemecek, J. J.; Simmons, D. E.

1980-06-01

This report is concerned with energy storage based on heat-of-fusion in containerized salt. The 'energy storage boiler tank' uses evaporation and condensation of a heat transfer fluid to provide heat transfer into and out of stacked cans of salt. The 'energy storage superheater tank' uses a network of alkali metal heat pipes to distribute heat throughout a building filled with salt cans. It uses a radiation to transfer energy to and from stacked cans of salt. The paper summarizes the rationale for energy storage in containerized salt, it discusses salt availability, salt processing, container requirements, can technology and heat transfer fluid degradation problems. These discussions lead to estimates of energy storage system costs. The Naval Research Laboratory is building a 2 MWht proof-of-concept energy storage boiler tank. Laboratory investigations studying the compatibility of the heat transfer fluid with the molten storage salt are described, along with measurements of temperature drops associated with the energy input process. An assessment of the current status of the energy storage boiler tank is presented.

Storage systems for solar thermal power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calogeras, J. E.; Gordon, L. H.

1978-01-01

The development status is reviewed of some thermal energy storage technologies specifically oriented towards providing diurnal heat storage for solar central power systems and solar total energy systems. These technologies include sensible heat storage in caverns and latent heat storage using both active and passive heat exchange processes. In addition, selected thermal storage concepts which appear promising to a variety of advanced solar thermal system applications are discussed.

Optimal design variable considerations in the use of phase change materials in indirect evaporative cooling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chilakapaty, Ankit Paul

The demand for sustainable, energy efficient and cost effective heating and cooling solutions is exponentially increasing with the rapid advancement of computation and information technology. Use of latent heat storage materials also known as phase change materials (PCMs) for load leveling is an innovative solution to the data center cooling demands. These materials are commercially available in the form of microcapsules dispersed in water, referred to as the microencapsulated phase change slurries and have higher heat capacity than water. The composition and physical properties of phase change slurries play significant role in energy efficiency of the cooling systems designed implementing these PCM slurries. Objective of this project is to study the effect of PCM particle size, shape and volumetric concentration on overall heat transfer potential of the cooling systems designed with PCM slurries as the heat transfer fluid (HTF). In this study uniform volume heat source model is developed for the simulation of heat transfer potential using phase change materials in the form of bulk temperature difference in a fully developed flow through a circular duct. Results indicate the heat transfer potential increases with PCM volumetric concentration with gradually diminishing returns. Also, spherical PCM particles offer greater heat transfer potential when compared to cylindrical particles. Results of this project will aid in efficient design of cooling systems based on PCM slurries.

Advanced phase change composite by thermally annealed defect-free graphene for thermal energy storage.

PubMed

Xin, Guoqing; Sun, Hongtao; Scott, Spencer Michael; Yao, Tiankai; Lu, Fengyuan; Shao, Dali; Hu, Tao; Wang, Gongkai; Ran, Guang; Lian, Jie

2014-09-10

Organic phase change materials (PCMs) have been utilized as latent heat energy storage and release media for effective thermal management. A major challenge exists for organic PCMs in which their low thermal conductivity leads to a slow transient temperature response and reduced heat transfer efficiency. In this work, 2D thermally annealed defect-free graphene sheets (GSs) can be obtained upon high temperature annealing in removing defects and oxygen functional groups. As a result of greatly reduced phonon scattering centers for thermal transport, the incorporation of ultralight weight and defect free graphene applied as nanoscale additives into a phase change composite (PCC) drastically improve thermal conductivity and meanwhile minimize the reduction of heat of fusion. A high thermal conductivity of the defect-free graphene-PCC can be achieved up to 3.55 W/(m K) at a 10 wt % graphene loading. This represents an enhancement of over 600% as compared to pristine graphene-PCC without annealing at a comparable loading, and a 16-fold enhancement than the pure PCM (1-octadecanol). The defect-free graphene-PCC displays rapid temperature response and superior heat transfer capability as compared to the pristine graphene-PCC or pure PCM, enabling transformational thermal energy storage and management.

Subcontracted activities related to TES for building heating and cooling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, J.

1980-01-01

The subcontract program elements related to thermal energy storage for building heating and cooling systems are outlined. The following factors are included: subcontracts in the utility load management application area; life and stability testing of packaged low cost energy storage materials; and development of thermal energy storage systems for residential space cooling. Resistance storage heater component development, demonstration of storage heater systems for residential applications, and simulation and evaluation of latent heat thermal energy storage (heat pump systems) are also discussed. Application of thermal energy storage for solar application and twin cities district heating are covered including an application analysis and technology assessment of thermal energy storage.

Use of Encapsulated Zinc Particles in a Eutectic Chloride Salt to Enhance Thermal Energy Storage Capacity for Concentrated Solar Power

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cingarapu, Sreeram; Singh, Dileep; Timofeeva, Elena V.

2015-08-01

Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) is considered as a viable large-scale renewable energy source to produce electricity. However, current costs to produce electricity from CSP are not cost competitive as compared to the traditional energy generation technologies based on fossil fuels and nuclear. It is envisioned that development of high efficiency and high heat capacity thermal storage fluids will increase system efficiency, reduce structural storage volume, and hence, contribute to reducing costs. Particularly, with respect to CSP, current high temperature energy storage fluids, such as molten salts, are relatively limited in terms of their thermal energy storage capacity and thermal conductivity.more » The current work explores possibility of boosting the thermal storage capacity of molten salts through latent heat of added phase change materials. We studied the advantage Of adding coated Zn micron-sized particles to alkali chloride salt eutectic for enhanced thermal energy storage. Zinc particles (0.6 mu m and 5 mu m) obtained from commercial source were coated with an organo-phosphorus shell to improve chemical stability and to prevent individual particles from coalescing with one another during melt/freeze cycles. Thermal cycling tests (200 melt/freeze cycles) showed that coated Zn particles have good thermal stability and are chemically inert to alkali chloride salt eutectic in both N-2 and in air atmospheres. Elemental mapping of the cross-sectional view of coated Zn particles from the composite after thermal cycles showed no signs of oxidation, agglomeration or other type of particle degradation. The measured enhancement in volumetric thermal storage capacity of the composite with just similar to 10 vol% of coated Zn particles over the base chloride salt eutectic varies from 15% to 34% depending on cycling temperature range (Delta T = 50 degrees C -100 degrees C. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.« less

Performance Analysis and Parametric Study of a Natural Convection Solar Air Heater With In-built Oil Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhote, Yogesh; Thombre, Shashikant

2016-10-01

This paper presents the thermal performance of the proposed double flow natural convection solar air heater with in-built liquid (oil) sensible heat storage. Unused engine oil was used as thermal energy storage medium due to its good heat retaining capacity even at high temperatures without evaporation. The performance evaluation was carried out for a day of the month March for the climatic conditions of Nagpur (India). A self reliant computational model was developed using computational tool as C++. The program developed was self reliant and compute the performance parameters for any day of the year and would be used for major cities in India. The effect of change in storage oil quantity and the inclination (tilt angle) on the overall efficiency of the solar air heater was studied. The performance was tested initially at different storage oil quantities as 25, 50, 75 and 100 l for a plate spacing of 0.04 m with an inclination of 36o. It has been found that the solar air heater gives the best performance at a storage oil quantity of 50 l. The performance of the proposed solar air heater is further tested for various combinations of storage oil quantity (50, 75 and 100 l) and the inclination (0o, 15o, 30o, 45o, 60o, 75o, 90o). It has been found that the proposed solar air heater with in-built oil storage shows its best performance for the combination of 50 l storage oil quantity and 60o inclination. Finally the results of the parametric study was also presented in the form of graphs carried out for a fixed storage oil quantity of 25 l, plate spacing of 0.03 m and at an inclination of 36o to study the behaviour of various heat transfer and fluid flow parameters of the solar air heater.

Selection Criteria for Sustainable Fuels for High-Efficiency Spark-Ignition Engines with Examination of their Storage Stability, Impact on Engine Knock, and Fine Particle Emissions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCormick, Robert L

It is possible to significantly improve the efficiency of spark-ignition engines given fuels with improved autoignition, evaporative cooling, and particle emission properties. At the same time, a vast range of different fuel chemistries are accessible from biomass - leading to questions about how fuel chemistries outside the range available from petroleum and ethanol can impact engine operation. This presentation will briefly describe the factors leading to poor efficiency in current SI engines, and the technologies available for improving efficiency. Improved fuel properties that enable high efficiency engine designs to be pursued aggressively will be reviewed, including octane index and sensitivity.more » A screening process based on fuel properties was applied to a large set of proposed biomass-derived gasoline blendstocks, and the properties of the best blendstocks were evaluated. Some of these fuels exhibit poor stability towards oxidation in the liquid phase, and storage stability studies for alkyl furans and cyclopentanone will be presented in brief. The importance of fuel heat of vaporization for direct injection engines, along with new research on measurement of this parameter, will be presented including an SI engine study of the impact of heat of vaporization on octane index and engine knock. Fuel effects on fine particle emissions and how our understanding breaks down for oxygenates will be discussed. Engine combustion experiments, droplet evaporation simulations, and heat of vaporization measurements conducted to better understand how oxygenates affect particle emissions will be described. This research defines a process that can be used to evaluate fuels for other types of combustion such as diesel, gasoline compression ignition, or strategies with mixed modes.« less

Integrated application of combined cooling, heating and power poly-generation PV radiant panel system of zero energy buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Baoquan

2018-02-01

A new type of combined cooling, heating and power of photovoltaic radiant panel (PV/R) module was proposed, and applied in the zero energy buildings in this paper. The energy system of this building is composed of PV/R module, low temperature difference terminal, energy storage, multi-source heat pump, energy balance control system. Radiant panel is attached on the backside of the PV module for cooling the PV, which is called PV/R module. During the daytime, the PV module was cooled down with the radiant panel, as the temperature coefficient influence, the power efficiency was increased by 8% to 14%, the radiant panel solar heat collecting efficiency was about 45%. Through the nocturnal radiant cooling, the PV/R cooling capacity could be 50 W/m2. For the multifunction energy device, the system shows the versatility during the heating, cooling and power used of building utilization all year round.

Modeling of Single and Dual Reservoir Porous Media Compressed Gas (Air and CO2) Storage Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oldenburg, C. M.; Liu, H.; Borgia, A.; Pan, L.

2017-12-01

Intermittent renewable energy sources are causing increasing demand for energy storage. The deep subsurface offers promising opportunities for energy storage because it can safely contain high-pressure gases. Porous media compressed air energy storage (PM-CAES) is one approach, although the only facilities in operation are in caverns (C-CAES) rather than porous media. Just like in C-CAES, PM-CAES operates generally by injecting working gas (air) through well(s) into the reservoir compressing the cushion gas (existing air in the reservoir). During energy recovery, high-pressure air from the reservoir is mixed with fuel in a combustion turbine to produce electricity, thereby reducing compression costs. Unlike in C-CAES, the storage of energy in PM-CAES occurs variably across pressure gradients in the formation, while the solid grains of the matrix can release/store heat. Because air is the working gas, PM-CAES has fairly low thermal efficiency and low energy storage density. To improve the energy storage density, we have conceived and modeled a closed-loop two-reservoir compressed CO2 energy storage system. One reservoir is the low-pressure reservoir, and the other is the high-pressure reservoir. CO2 is cycled back and forth between reservoirs depending on whether energy needs to be stored or recovered. We have carried out thermodynamic and parametric analyses of the performance of an idealized two-reservoir CO2 energy storage system under supercritical and transcritical conditions for CO2 using a steady-state model. Results show that the transcritical compressed CO2 energy storage system has higher round-trip efficiency and exergy efficiency, and larger energy storage density than the supercritical compressed CO2 energy storage. However, the configuration of supercritical compressed CO2 energy storage is simpler, and the energy storage densities of the two systems are both higher than that of PM-CAES, which is advantageous in terms of storage volume for a given power rating.

Energy Conscious Design: Educational Facilities. [Brief No.] 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Inst. of Architects, Washington, DC.

An energy task group of the American Institute of Architects discusses design features and options that educational facility designers can use to create an energy efficient school building. Design elements cover the building envelope, energy storage system, hydronic heating/cooling systems, solar energy collection, building orientation and shape,…

Analysis of Thermal Energy Storage Tank by ANSYS and Comparison with Experimental Results to Improve its Thermal Efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beemkumar, N.; Karthikeyan, A.; Shiva Keshava Reddy, Kota; Rajesh, Kona; Anderson, A.

2017-05-01

The discontinuous temperament of the solar power forces to consider about the energy storage. This work is to analyze the tank, amount of energy stored and its storage time. The thermal and flow analysis has been done by ANSYS with different set temperature values. The experimentation is done for various encapsulating materials with different phase change material (PCM). Findings: The results obtained from experimental work are compared with ANSYS output. The competence of the TES is calculated and further improvements are made to enhance its performance. During charging process the temperature distribution from heat transfer fluid (HTF) to PCM is maximum in copper encapsulations followed by aluminium encapsulations and brass encapsulations. The comparison shows only when the electrical power as an input source. The efficient way of captivating solar energy could be a better replacement for electrical input.

Studies of Phase Change Materials and a Latent Heat Storage Unit Used for a Natural Circulation Cooling/Latent Heat Storage System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakitani, Katsumi; Honda, Hiroshi

Experiments were performed to investigate feasibility of using organic materials as a PCM for a latent heat storage unit of a natural circulation cooling/latent heat storage system. This system was designed to cool a shelter accommodating telecommunication equipment located in subtropical deserts or similar regions without using a power source. Taking into account practical considerations and the results of various experiments regarding the thermodynamic properties, thermal degradation, and corrosiveness to metals, lauric acid and iron was selected for the PCM and the latent heat storage unit material, respectively. Cyclic heating and cooling of the latent heat storage unit undergoing solid-liquid phase change was repeated for more than 430 days. The results showed that the heating-cooling curve was almost unchanged between the early stage and the 1,870th cycle. It was concluded that the latent heat storage unit could be used safely for more than ten years as a component of the cooling system.

Solar heating system installed at Troy, Ohio

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The completed system was composed of three basic subsystems: the collector system consisting of 3,264 square feet of Owens Illinois evacuated glass tube collectors; the storage system which included a 5,000 gallon insulated steel tank; and the distribution and control system which included piping, pumping and heat transfer components as well as the solemoid activated valves and control logic for the efficient and safe operation of the entire system. This solar heating system was installed in an existing facility and was, therefore, a retrofit system. Extracts from the site files, specifications, drawings, installation, operation and maintenance instructions are included.

Energy Analysis of a Complementary Heating System Combining Solar Energy and Coal for a Rural Residential Building in Northwest China

PubMed Central

Zhen, Xiaofei; Abdalla Osman, Yassir Idris; Feng, Rong; Zhang, Xuemin

2018-01-01

In order to utilize solar energy to meet the heating demands of a rural residential building during the winter in the northwestern region of China, a hybrid heating system combining solar energy and coal was built. Multiple experiments to monitor its performance were conducted during the winter in 2014 and 2015. In this paper, we analyze the efficiency of the energy utilization of the system and describe a prototype model to determine the thermal efficiency of the coal stove in use. Multiple linear regression was adopted to present the dual function of multiple factors on the daily heat-collecting capacity of the solar water heater; the heat-loss coefficient of the storage tank was detected as well. The prototype model shows that the average thermal efficiency of the stove is 38%, which means that the energy input for the building is divided between the coal and solar energy, 39.5% and 60.5% energy, respectively. Additionally, the allocation of the radiation of solar energy projecting into the collecting area of the solar water heater was obtained which showed 49% loss with optics and 23% with the dissipation of heat, with only 28% being utilized effectively. PMID:29651424

Design data brochure for CSI series V solar heating system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

Generalized information on system configuration, system sizing, and mechanical layout is presented to assist the architect or designer in preparing construction drawings and specifications for the installation of the CSI integrated solar heating systems. Efficiency in space utilization of a full length collector and the importance of proper sizing of the collector array are among the topics discussed. Details of storage and transport subsystems are provided along with drawings and specifications of all components of the CSI system.

Advanced solar receivers for space power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strumpf, H. J.; Coombs, M. G.; Lacy, D. E.

1988-01-01

A study has been conducted to generate and evaluate advanced solar heat receiver concepts suitable for orbital application with Brayton and Stirling engine cycles in the 7-kW size range. The generated receiver designs have thermal storage capability and, when implemented, will be lighter, smaller, and/or more efficient than baseline systems such as the configuration used for the Brayton solar receiver under development by Garrett AiResearch for the NASA Space Station. In addition to the baseline designs, four other receiver concepts were designed and evaluated with respect to Brayton and Stirling engines. These concepts include a higher temperature version of the baseline receiver, a packed bed receiver, a plate-fin receiver, and a heat pipe receiver. The thermal storage for all designs is provided by the melting and freezing of a salt.

Nanomodified polymer materials for regenerative heat exchangers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shchegolkov, Alexander; Shchegolkov, Alexey; Dyachkova, Tatyana

2017-11-01

The paper presents thermophysical properties of nanomodified paraffin mixed with polymers as polyethylene or fluoroplastic, which may be effectively used for the development of heat exchange elements of personal protective equipment. It has been experimentally shown that the heat exchangers based on the nanomodified polymer composites have twofold mass compared to the standard regenerative heat exchanger with comparable dimensions. The best result has been obtained on the basis of composite containing polyethylene and paraffin modified with CNTs, which thermal conductivity is 1.6 times higher than forconventional paraffin. The application of carbon nanostructures as the modifiers of heat storage materials improves cooling efficiency by 14.9-17.9 °C by creating more comfortable conditions for breathing via personal protective equipment.

Initial study of thermal energy storage in unconfined aquifers. [UCATES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haitjema, H.M.; Strack, O.D.L.

1986-04-01

Convective heat transport in unconfined aquifers is modeled in a semi-analytic way. The transient groundwater flow is modeled by superposition of analytic functions, whereby changes in the aquifer storage are represented by a network of triangles, each with a linearly varying sink distribution. This analytic formulation incorporates the nonlinearity of the differential equation for unconfined flow and eliminates numerical dispersion in modeling heat convection. The thermal losses through the aquifer base and vadose zone are modeled rather crudely. Only vertical heat conduction is considered in these boundaries, whereby a linearly varying temperature is assumed at all times. The latter assumptionmore » appears reasonable for thin aquifer boundaries. However, assuming such thin aquifer boundaries may lead to an overestimation of the thermal losses when the aquifer base is regarded as infinitely thick in reality. The approach is implemented in the computer program UCATES, which serves as a first step toward the development of a comprehensive screening tool for ATES systems in unconfined aquifers. In its present form, the program is capable of predicting the relative effects of regional flow on the efficiency of ATES systems. However, only after a more realistic heatloss mechanism is incorporated in UCATES will reliable predictions of absolute ATES efficiencies be possible.« less

Determination of thermal physical properties of alkali fluoride/carbonate eutectic molten salt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

An, Xue-Hui; Cheng, Jin-Hui; Su, Tao; Zhang, Peng

2017-06-01

Molten salts used in high temperatures are more and more interested in the CSP for higher energy conversion efficiency. Thermal physical properties are the basic engineering data of thermal hydraulic calculation and safety analysis. Therefore, the thermophysical performances involving density, specific heat capacity, viscosity and thermal conductivity of FLiNaK, (LiNaK)2CO3 and LiF(NaK)2CO3 molten salts are experimentally determined and through comparison the general rules can be summarized. Density measurement was performed on the basis of Archimedes theory; specific heat capacity was measured using the DSC technique; viscosity was tested based on the rotating method; and the thermal conductivity was gained by laser flash method with combination of the density, specific heat capacity and thermal diffusivity through a formula. Finally, the energy storage capacity and figures of merit are calculated to evaluate their feasibility as TES and HFT media. The results show that FLiNaK has the largest energy storage capacity and best heat transfer performance, LiF(NaK)2CO3 is secondary, and (LiNaK)2CO3 has the smallest.

Characteristics of large thermal energy storage systems in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zwierzchowski, Ryszard

2017-11-01

In District Heating Systems (DHS) there are significant fluctuations in demand for heat by consumers during both the heating and the summer seasons. These variations are considered primarily in the 24-hour time horizon. These problems are aggravated further if the DHS is supplied by a CHP plant, because fluctuations in heat demand adversely affect to a significant degree the stable production of electricity at high overall efficiency. Therefore, introducing Thermal Energy Storage (TES) would be highly recommended on these grounds alone. The characteristics of Large (i.e. over 10 000 m3) TES in operation in Poland are presented. Information is given regarding new projects (currently in design or construction) that apply TES technology in DHS in Poland. The paper looks at the methodology used in Poland to select the TES system for a particular DHS, i.e., procedure for calculating capacity of the TES tank and the system to prevent water stored in the tank from absorbing oxygen from atmospheric air. Implementation of TES in DHS is treated as a recommended technology in the Polish District Heating sector. This technology offers great opportunities to improve the operating conditions of DHS, cutting energy production costs and emissions of pollutants to the atmosphere.

Experimental and numerical study of two dimensional heat and mass transfer in unsaturated soil with and application to soil thermal energy storage (SBTES) systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moradi, A.; Smits, K. M.

2014-12-01

A promising energy storage option to compensate for daily and seasonal energy offsets is to inject and store heat generated from renewable energy sources (e.g. solar energy) in the ground, oftentimes referred to as soil borehole thermal energy storage (SBTES). Nonetheless in SBTES modeling efforts, it is widely recognized that the movement of water vapor is closely coupled to thermal processes. However, their mutual interactions are rarely considered in most soil water modeling efforts or in practical applications. The validation of numerical models that are designed to capture these processes is difficult due to the scarcity of experimental data, limiting the testing and refinement of heat and water transfer theories. A common assumption in most SBTES modeling approaches is to consider the soil as a purely conductive medium with constant hydraulic and thermal properties. However, this simplified approach can be improved upon by better understanding the coupled processes at play. Consequently, developing new modeling techniques along with suitable experimental tools to add more complexity in coupled processes has critical importance in obtaining necessary knowledge in efficient design and implementation of SBTES systems. The goal of this work is to better understand heat and mass transfer processes for SBTES. In this study, we implemented a fully coupled numerical model that solves for heat, liquid water and water vapor flux and allows for non-equilibrium liquid/gas phase change. This model was then used to investigate the influence of different hydraulic and thermal parameterizations on SBTES system efficiency. A two dimensional tank apparatus was used with a series of soil moisture, temperature and soil thermal properties sensors. Four experiments were performed with different test soils. Experimental results provide evidences of thermally induced moisture flow that was also confirmed by numerical results. Numerical results showed that for the test conditions applied here, moisture flow is more influenced by thermal gradients rather than hydraulic gradients. The results also demonstrate that convective fluxes are higher compared to conductive fluxes indicating that moisture flow has more contribution to the overall heat flux than conductive fluxes.

Experimental simulation of latent heat thermal energy storage and heat pipe thermal transport for dish concentrator solar receiver

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Narayanan, R.; Zimmerman, W. F.; Poon, P. T. Y.

1981-01-01

Test results on a modular simulation of the thermal transport and heat storage characteristics of a heat pipe solar receiver (HPSR) with thermal energy storage (TES) are presented. The HPSR features a 15-25 kWe Stirling engine power conversion system at the focal point of a parabolic dish concentrator operating at 827 C. The system collects and retrieves solar heat with sodium pipes and stores the heat in NaF-MgF2 latent heat storage material. The trials were run with a single full scale heat pipe, three full scale TES containers, and an air-cooled heat extraction coil to replace the Stirling engine heat exchanger. Charging and discharging, constant temperature operation, mixed mode operation, thermal inertial, etc. were studied. The heat pipe performance was verified, as were the thermal energy storage and discharge rates and isothermal discharges.

Simulation and evaluation of latent heat thermal energy storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sigmon, T. W.

1980-01-01

The relative value of thermal energy storage (TES) for heat pump storage (heating and cooling) as a function of storage temperature, mode of storage (hotside or coldside), geographic locations, and utility time of use rate structures were derived. Computer models used to simulate the performance of a number of TES/heat pump configurations are described. The models are based on existing performance data of heat pump components, available building thermal load computational procedures, and generalized TES subsystem design. Life cycle costs computed for each site, configuration, and rate structure are discussed.

Micro-scale thermal imaging of CO2 absorption in the thermochemical energy storage of Li metal oxides at high temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morikawa, Junko; Takasu, Hiroki; Zamengo, Massimiliano; Kato, Yukitaka

2017-05-01

Li-Metal oxides (typical example: lithium ortho-silicate Li4SiO4) are regarded as a novel solid carbon dioxide CO2 absorbent accompanied by an exothermic reaction. At temperatures above 700°C the sorbent is regenerated with the release of the captured CO2 in an endothermic reaction. As the reaction equilibrium of this reversible chemical reaction is controllable only by the partial pressure of CO2, the system is regarded as a potential candidate for chemical heat storage at high temperatures. In this study, we applied our recent developed mobile type instrumentation of micro-scale infrared thermal imaging system to observe the heat of chemical reaction of Li4SiO4 and CO2 at temperature higher than 600°C or higher. In order to quantify the micro-scale heat transfer and heat exchange in the chemical reaction, the superimpose signal processing system is setup to determine the precise temperature. Under an ambient flow of carbon dioxide, a powder of Li4SiO4 with a diameter 50 micron started to shine caused by an exothermic chemical reaction heat above 600°C. The phenomena was accelerated with increasing temperature up to 700°C. At the same time, the reaction product lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) started to melt with endothermic phase change above 700°C, and these thermal behaviors were captured by the method of thermal imaging. The direct measurement of multiple thermal phenomena at high temperatures is significant to promote an efficient design of chemical heat storage materials. This is the first observation of the exothermic heat of the reaction of Li4SiO4 and CO2 at around 700°C by the thermal imaging method.

Development of a prototype thermoelectric space cooling system using phase change material to improve the performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Dongliang

The thermoelectric cooling system has advantages over conventional vapor compression cooling devices, including compact in size, light in weight, high reliability, no mechanical moving parts, no refrigerant, being powered by direct current, and easily switching between cooling and heating modes. However, it has been long suffering from its relatively high cost and low energy efficiency, which has restricted its usage to niche applications, such as space missions, portable cooling devices, scientific and medical equipment, where coefficient of performance (COP) is not as important as reliability, energy availability, and quiet operation environment. Enhancement of thermoelectric cooling system performance generally relies on two methods: improving thermoelectric material efficiency and through thermoelectric cooling system thermal design. This research has been focused on the latter one. A prototype thermoelectric cooling system integrated with phase change material (PCM) thermal energy storage unit for space cooling has been developed. The PCM thermal storage unit used for cold storage at night, functions as the thermoelectric cooling system's heat sink during daytime's cooling period and provides relatively lower hot side temperature for the thermoelectric cooling system. The experimental test of the prototype system in a reduced-scale chamber has realized an average cooling COP of 0.87, with the maximum value of 1.22. Another comparison test for efficacy of PCM thermal storage unit shows that 35.3% electrical energy has been saved from using PCM for the thermoelectric cooling system. In general, PCM faces difficulty of poor thermal conductivity at both solid and liquid phases. This system implemented a finned inner tube to increase heat transfer during PCM charging (melting) process that directly impacts thermoelectric system's performance. A simulation tool for the entire system has been developed including mathematical models for a single thermoelectric module, for the thermoelectric cooling unit, for the PCM thermal storage unit, and for the outdoor air-water heat exchanger. When modeling PCM thermal storage unit, the enthalpy method has been adopted. Since natural convection has been observed in experiments playing a key effect on heat transfer in PCM, a staged effective thermal conductivity (ke) concept and modified Rayleigh (Ra) number formula have been developed to better capture natural convection's variable effects during the PCM charging process. Therefore, a modeling-based design procedure for thermoelectric cooling system integrating with PCM has been proposed. A case study has been completed for a model office room to demonstrate the qualitative and quantitative evaluations to the major system components. Results of this research can be extended to other applications in relevant areas. For instance, the proposed PCM thermal storage unit can be applied to integration with water-cooled conventional air-conditioning devices. Instead of using water cooling, a case study of using the proposed PCM unit for a water-cooled air-conditioner shows a COP increase of more than 25.6%.

High temperature thermal energy storage, including a discussion of TES integrated into power plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, R. H.

1978-01-01

Storage temperatures of 260 C and above are considered. Basic considerations concerning energy thermal storage are discussed, taking into account general aspects of thermal energy storage, thermal energy storage integrated into power plants, thermal storage techniques and technical considerations, and economic considerations. A description of system concepts is provided, giving attention to a survey of proposed concepts, storage in unpressurized fluids, water storage in pressurized containers, the use of an underground lined cavern for water storage, a submerged thin insulated steel shell under the ocean containing pressurized water, gas passage through solid blocks, a rock bed with liquid heat transport fluid, hollow steel ingots, heat storage in concrete or sand, sand in a fluidized bed, sand poured over pipes, a thermal energy storage heat exchanger, pipes or spheres filled with phase change materials (PCM), macroencapsulated PCM with heat pipe concept for transport fluid, solid PCM removed from heat transfer pipes by moving scrapers, and the direct contact between PCM and transport fluid.

Microreactor System Design for a NASA In Situ Propellant Production Plant on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

TeGrotenhuis, W. E.; Wegeng, R. S.; Vanderwiel, D. P.; Whyatt, G. A.; Viswanathan, V. V.; Schielke, K. P.; Sanders, G. B.; Peters, T. A.; Nicholson, Leonard S. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The NASA In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) program is planning near-term missions to Mars that will include chemical processes for converting the carbon dioxide (CO2) and possibly water from the Martian environment to propellants, oxygen, and other useful chemicals. The use of indigenous resources reduces the size and weight of the payloads from Earth significantly, representing enormous cost savings that make human exploration of Mars affordable. Extraterrestrial chemical processing plants will need to be compact, lightweight, highly efficient under reduced gravity, and extraordinarily reliable for long periods. Microchemical and thermal systems represent capability for dramatic reduction in size and weight, while offering high reliability through massive parallelization. In situ propellant production (ISPP), one aspect of the ISRU program, involves collecting and pressurizing atmospheric CO2, conversion reactions, chemical separations, heat exchangers, and cryogenic storage. A preliminary system design of an ISPP plant based on microtechnology has demonstrated significant size, weight, and energy efficiency gains over the current NASA baseline. Energy management is a strong driver for Mars-based processes, not only because energy is a scarce resource, but because heat rejection is problematic; the low pressure environment makes convective heat transfer ineffective. Energy efficiency gains are largely achieved in the microchemical plant through extensive heat recuperation and energy cascading, which has a small size and weight penalty because the added micro heat exchangers are small. This leads to additional size and weight gains by reducing the required area of waste heat radiators. The microtechnology-based ISPP plant is described in detail, including aspects of pinch analysis for optimizing the heat exchanger network. Three options for thermochemical compression Of CO2 from the Martian atmosphere, adsorption, absorption, and cryogenic freezing, are presented, as well as three options for water decomposition, low temperature electrolysis, high temperature electrolysis, and thermochemical decomposition. Other elements of the plant include Sabatier and reverse water gas shift reactors, water recovery, chemical separations, and cryogenic storage. Data are presented supporting preliminary sizing of components, and results of the system design are compared to the existing NASA baseline that is based on conventional technologies.

High temperature metal hydrides as heat storage materials for solar and related applications.

PubMed

Felderhoff, Michael; Bogdanović, Borislav

2009-01-01

For the continuous production of electricity with solar heat power plants the storage of heat at a temperature level around 400 degrees C is essential. High temperature metal hydrides offer high heat storage capacities around this temperature. Based on Mg-compounds, these hydrides are in principle low-cost materials with excellent cycling stability. Relevant properties of these hydrides and their possible applications as heat storage materials are described.

High Temperature Metal Hydrides as Heat Storage Materials for Solar and Related Applications

PubMed Central

Felderhoff, Michael; Bogdanović, Borislav

2009-01-01

For the continuous production of electricity with solar heat power plants the storage of heat at a temperature level around 400 °C is essential. High temperature metal hydrides offer high heat storage capacities around this temperature. Based on Mg-compounds, these hydrides are in principle low-cost materials with excellent cycling stability. Relevant properties of these hydrides and their possible applications as heat storage materials are described. PMID:19333448

Effect of Thermal Storage on the Performance of a Wood Pellet-fired Residential Boiler

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thomas, Butcher

Interest in the direct use of biomass for thermal applications as a renewable technology is increasing as is also focus on air pollutant emissions from these sources and methods to minimize the impact. This work has focused on wood pellet-fired residential boilers, which are the cleanest fuel in this category. In the residential application the load varies strongly over the course of a year and a high fraction of the load is typically under 15% of the maximum boiler capacity. Thermal storage can be used even with boilers which have modulation capacity typically to 30% of the boiler maximum. Onemore » common pellet boiler was tested at full load and also at the minimum load used in the U.S. certification testing (15%). In these tests the load was steady over the test period. Testing was also done with an emulated load profile for a home in Albany, N.Y. on a typical January, March, and April day. In this case the load imposed on the boiler varied hourly under computer control, based on the modeled load for the example case used. The boiler used has a nominal output of 25 kW and a common mixed hardwood/softwood commercial pellet was used. Moisture content was 3.77%. A dilution tunnel approach was used for the measurement of particulate emissions, in accordance with U.S. certification testing requirements. The test results showed that the use of storage strongly reduces cycling rates under part load conditions. The transients which occur as these boilers cycle contribute to increased particulate emissions and reduced efficiency. The time period of a full cycle at a given load condition can be increased by increasing the storage tank volume and/or increasing the control differential range. It was shown that increasing the period strongly increased the measured efficiency and reduced the particulate emission (relative to the no storage case). The impact was most significant at the low load levels. Storage tank heat loss is shown to be a significant factor in thermal efficiency, particularly at low load. Different methods to measure this heat loss were explored. For one of the tanks evaluated the efficiency loss at the 15% load point was found to be as high as 7.9%. Where storage is used good insulation on the tank, insulation on the piping, and attention to fittings are recommended.« less

High Temperature Aquifer Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ueckert, Martina; Niessner, Reinhard; Baumann, Thomas

2015-04-01

Combined heat and power generation (CHP) is highly efficient because excess heat is used for heating and/or process energy. However, the demand of heat energy varies considerably throughout the year while the demand for electrical energy is rather constant. It seems economically and ecologically highly beneficial for municipalities and large power consumers such as manufacturing plants to store excess heat in groundwater aquifers and to recuperate this energy at times of higher demand. Apart from the hydrogeological conditions, high transmissivity and favorable pressure gradients, the hydrochemical conditions are crucial for long-term operation. Within the project High Temperature Aquifer Storage, scientists investigate storage and recuperation of excess heat energy into the bavarian Malm aquifer. After one year of planning, construction, and the successful drilling of a research well to 495 m b.s.l. the first large scale heat storage test in the Malm aquifer was finished just before Christmas 2014. An enormous technical challenge was the disruption of the carbonate equilibrium - modeling results indicated a carbonate precipitation of 10-50 kg/d in the heat exchangers. The test included five injection pulses of hot water (60 °C up to 110 °C) and four tracer pulses, each consisting of a reactive and a conservative fluorescent dye. Injection and production rates were 15 L/s. About 4 TJ of heat energy were necessary to achieve the desired water temperatures. Electrical conductivity, pH and temperature were recorded at a bypass where also samples were taken. A laboratory container at the drilling site was equipped for the analysis of the concentration of the tracers and the cation concentrations at sampling intervals of down to 15 minutes. Additional water samples were taken and analyzed for major ions and trace elements in the laboratory. The disassembled heat exchanger proved that precipitation was successfully prevented by adding CO2 to the water before heating. Energy recovery during the first pulses was above 35 % and rising. As a side effect of the extremely good hydraulic conditions, the research well was flowing freely with 20 L/s which resulted in a significant mixing of the injected water with formation waters during production. The recovery rates for the tracers were above 60 % depending on the type of tracer.

Thermal Modeling of a Hybrid Thermoelectric Solar Collector with a Compound Parabolic Concentrator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lertsatitthanakorn, C.; Jamradloedluk, J.; Rungsiyopas, M.

2013-07-01

In this study radiant light from the sun is used by a hybrid thermoelectric (TE) solar collector and a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) to generate electricity and thermal energy. The hybrid TE solar collector system described in this report is composed of transparent glass, an air gap, an absorber plate, TE modules, a heat sink to cool the water, and a storage tank. Incident solar radiation falls on the CPC, which directs and reflects the radiation to heat up the absorber plate, creating a temperature difference across the TE modules. The water, which absorbs heat from the hot TE modules, flows through the heat sink to release its heat. The results show that the electrical power output and the conversion efficiency depend on the temperature difference between the hot and cold sides of the TE modules. A maximum power output of 1.03 W and a conversion efficiency of 0.6% were obtained when the temperature difference was 12°C. The thermal efficiency increased as the water flow rate increased. The maximum thermal efficiency achieved was 43.3%, corresponding to a water flow rate of 0.24 kg/s. These experimental results verify that using a TE solar collector with a CPC to produce both electrical power and thermal energy seems to be feasible. The thermal model and calculation method can be applied for performance prediction.

Experiences in solar cooling systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, D. S.

The results of performance evaluations for nine solar cooling systems are presented, and reasons fow low or high net energy balances are discussed. Six of the nine systems are noted to have performed unfavorably compared to standard cooling systems due to thermal storage losses, excessive system electrical demands, inappropriate control strategies, poor system-to-load matching, and poor chiller performance. A reduction in heat losses in one residential unit increased the total system efficiency by 2.5%, while eliminating heat losses to the building interior increased the efficiency by 3.3%. The best system incorporated a lithium bromide absorption chiller and a Rankine cycle compression unit for a commercial application. Improvements in the cooling tower and fan configurations to increase the solar cooling system efficiency are indicated. Best performances are expected to occur in climates inducing high annual cooling loads.

Thermal performance analysis of a thermocline thermal energy storage system with FLiNaK molten salt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, C.; Cheng, M. S.; Zhao, B. C.; Dai, Z. M.

2017-01-01

A thermocline thermal storage unit with a heat transfer fluid (HTF) of high-temperature molten salt is considered as one of the most promising methods of thermal storage due to its lower cost and smaller size. The main objective of this work is to analyze the transient behavior of the available molten salt FLiNaK used as the HTF in heat transfer and heat storage in a thermocline thermal energy storage (TES) system. Thermal characteristics including temperature profiles influenced by different inlet velocities of HTF and different void fractions of porous heat storage medium are analyzed. The numerical investigation on the heat storage and heat transfer characteristics of FLiINaK has been carried out. A comparison between two different molten salts, FLiNaK and Hitec, has been explored in this paper with regards to their charging and discharging operations. The results indicate the system with FLiNaK has a greater energy storage capability, a shorter charging time and a higher output power. The numerical investigation reveals heat storage and heat transfer characteristics of the thermocline TES system with FLiNaK, and provide important references for molten salt selection of the TES system in the future.

Innovative food processing technology using ohmic heating and aseptic packaging for meat.

PubMed

Ito, Ruri; Fukuoka, Mika; Hamada-Sato, Naoko

2014-02-01

Since the Tohoku earthquake, there is much interest in processed foods, which can be stored for long periods at room temperature. Retort heating is one of the main technologies employed for producing it. We developed the innovative food processing technology, which supersede retort, using ohmic heating and aseptic packaging. Electrical heating involves the application of alternating voltage to food. Compared with retort heating, which uses a heat transfer medium, ohmic heating allows for high heating efficiency and rapid heating. In this paper we ohmically heated chicken breast samples and conducted various tests on the heated samples. The measurement results of water content, IMP, and glutamic acid suggest that the quality of the ohmically heated samples was similar or superior to that of the retort-heated samples. Furthermore, based on the monitoring of these samples, it was observed that sample quality did not deteriorate during storage. © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The American Meat Science Association. All rights reserved.

Simulation of high temperature thermal energy storage system based on coupled metal hydrides for solar driven steam power plants

DOE PAGES

d'Entremont, Anna; Corgnale, Claudio; Hardy, Bruce; ...

2018-01-11

Concentrating solar power plants can achieve low cost and efficient renewable electricity production if equipped with adequate thermal energy storage systems. Metal hydride based thermal energy storage systems are appealing candidates due to their demonstrated potential for very high volumetric energy densities, high exergetic efficiencies, and low costs. The feasibility and performance of a thermal energy storage system based on NaMgH 2F hydride paired with TiCr 1.6Mn 0.2 is examined, discussing its integration with a solar-driven ultra-supercritical steam power plant. The simulated storage system is based on a laboratory-scale experimental apparatus. It is analyzed using a detailed transport model accountingmore » for the thermochemical hydrogen absorption and desorption reactions, including kinetics expressions adequate for the current metal hydride system. The results show that the proposed metal hydride pair can suitably be integrated with a high temperature steam power plant. The thermal energy storage system achieves output energy densities of 226 kWh/m 3, 9 times the DOE SunShot target, with moderate temperature and pressure swings. Also, simulations indicate that there is significant scope for performance improvement via heat-transfer enhancement strategies.« less

Simulation of high temperature thermal energy storage system based on coupled metal hydrides for solar driven steam power plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

d'Entremont, Anna; Corgnale, Claudio; Hardy, Bruce

Concentrating solar power plants can achieve low cost and efficient renewable electricity production if equipped with adequate thermal energy storage systems. Metal hydride based thermal energy storage systems are appealing candidates due to their demonstrated potential for very high volumetric energy densities, high exergetic efficiencies, and low costs. The feasibility and performance of a thermal energy storage system based on NaMgH 2F hydride paired with TiCr 1.6Mn 0.2 is examined, discussing its integration with a solar-driven ultra-supercritical steam power plant. The simulated storage system is based on a laboratory-scale experimental apparatus. It is analyzed using a detailed transport model accountingmore » for the thermochemical hydrogen absorption and desorption reactions, including kinetics expressions adequate for the current metal hydride system. The results show that the proposed metal hydride pair can suitably be integrated with a high temperature steam power plant. The thermal energy storage system achieves output energy densities of 226 kWh/m 3, 9 times the DOE SunShot target, with moderate temperature and pressure swings. Also, simulations indicate that there is significant scope for performance improvement via heat-transfer enhancement strategies.« less

Charging and Discharging Processes of Thermal Energy Storage System Using Phase change materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanimozhi, B., Dr.; Harish, Kasilanka; Sai Tarun, Bellamkonda; Saty Sainath Reddy, Pogaku; Sai Sujeeth, Padakandla

2017-05-01

The objective of the study is to investigate the thermal characteristics of charging and discharge processes of fabricated thermal energy storage system using Phase change materials. Experiments were performed with phase change materials in which a storage tank have designed and developed to enhance the heat transfer rate from the solar tank to the PCM storage tank. The enhancement of heat transfer can be done by using a number of copper tubes in the fabricated storage tank. This storage tank can hold or conserve heat energy for a much longer time than the conventional water storage system. Performance evaluations of experimental results during charging and discharging processes of paraffin wax have discussed. In which heat absorption and heat rejection have been calculated with various flow rate.

Chemical heat pump and chemical energy storage system

DOEpatents

Clark, Edward C.; Huxtable, Douglas D.

1985-08-06

A chemical heat pump and storage system employs sulfuric acid and water. In one form, the system includes a generator and condenser, an evaporator and absorber, aqueous acid solution storage and water storage. During a charging cycle, heat is provided to the generator from a heat source to concentrate the acid solution while heat is removed from the condenser to condense the water vapor produced in the generator. Water is then stored in the storage tank. Heat is thus stored in the form of chemical energy in the concentrated acid. The heat removed from the water vapor can be supplied to a heat load of proper temperature or can be rejected. During a discharge cycle, water in the evaporator is supplied with heat to generate water vapor, which is transmitted to the absorber where it is condensed and absorbed into the concentrated acid. Both heats of dilution and condensation of water are removed from the thus diluted acid. During the discharge cycle the system functions as a heat pump in which heat is added to the system at a low temperature and removed from the system at a high temperature. The diluted acid is stored in an acid storage tank or is routed directly to the generator for reconcentration. The generator, condenser, evaporator, and absorber all are operated under pressure conditions specified by the desired temperature levels for a given application. The storage tanks, however, can be maintained at or near ambient pressure conditions. In another form, the heat pump system is employed to provide usable heat from waste process heat by upgrading the temperature of the waste heat.

Is This the Only Hope for Reversing Global Warming? Transitioning Each Country's All-Purpose Energy to 100% Electricity Powered by Wind, Water, and Solar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobson, M. Z.

2016-12-01

Global warming, air pollution, and energy insecurity are three of the most significant problems facing the world today. Can these problems be solved with existing technologies implemented on a large scale or do we need to wait for a miracle technology? This talk discusses the development of technical and economic plans to convert the energy infrastructure of each of 139 countries of the world to those powered by 100% wind, water, and sunlight (WWS) for all purposes using existing technology along with efficiency measures. All purposes includes electricity, transportation, heating/cooling, industry, and agriculture/forestry/fishing. The roadmaps propose using existing WWS generator technologies along with existing electrical transportation, heating/cooling, and industrial devices and appliances, plus existing electricity storage technologies, (CSP with storage, pumped hydroelectric storage, and existing hydroelectric power) and existing heat/cold storage technologies (water, ice, and rocks) for the transitions. They envision 80% conversion to WWS by 2030 and 100% by 2050. WWS not only replaces business-as-usual (BAU) power, but also reduces 2050 BAU demand due to the higher work to energy ratio of WWS electricity over combustion, the elimination of energy for mining, transporting, and processing fuels, and improvements in end-use efficiency beyond BAU. The study examines job creation versus loss, land use requirements, air pollution mortality and morbidity cost differences, and global warming cost differences due to the conversion in each country. Results suggest that implementing these roadmaps will stabilize energy prices because fuel costs are zero; reduce international conflict by creating energy-independent countries; reduce energy poverty; reduce power disruption by decentralizing power; and avoid exploding CO2 levels. Thus, the study concludes that a 100% WWS transition provides at least one solution to global warming Please see http://web.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/Articles/I/WWS-50-USState-plans.html for more information.

Themis - A solar power station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hillairet, J.

The organization, goals, equipment, costs, and performance of the French Themis (Thermo-helio-electric-MW) project are outlined. The program was begun for both the domestic energy market and for export. The installation comprises a molten eutectic salt loop which receives heat from radiators situated in a central tower. The salt transfers the heat to water for steam generation of electricity. A storage tank holds enough molten salt to supply one day's reserve of power, 40 MWh. A field of heliostats directs the suns rays for an estimated 2400 hr/yr onto the central receiver aperture, while 11 additional parabolic concentrators provide sufficient heat to keep the salt reservoir at temperatures exceeding 200 C. In a test run of several months during the spring of 1982 the heliostats directed the sun's rays with an average efficiency of 75 percent, yielding 2.3 MW of power at a system efficiency of 20.5 percent in completely automatic operation.

Industrial waste materials and by-products as thermal energy storage (TES) materials: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gutierrez, Andrea; Miró, Laia; Gil, Antoni; Rodríguez-Aseguinolaza, Javier; Barreneche, Camila; Calvet, Nicolas; Py, Xavier; Fernández, A. Inés; Grágeda, Mario; Ushak, Svetlana; Cabeza, Luisa F.

2016-05-01

A wide variety of potential materials for thermal energy storage (TES) have been identify depending on the implemented TES method, Sensible, latent or thermochemical. In order to improve the efficiency of TES systems more alternatives are continuously being sought. In this regard, this paper presents the review of low cost heat storage materials focused mainly in two objectives: on the one hand, the implementation of improved heat storage devices based on new appropriate materials and, on the other hand, the valorisation of waste industrial materials will have strong environmental, economic and societal benefits such as reducing the landfilled waste amounts, reducing the greenhouse emissions and others. Different industrial and municipal waste materials and by products have been considered as potential TES materials and have been characterized as such. Asbestos containing wastes, fly ashes, by-products from the salt industry and from the metal industry, wastes from recycling steel process and from copper refining process and dross from the aluminium industry, and municipal wastes (glass and nylon) have been considered. This work shows a great revalorization of wastes and by-product opportunity as TES materials, although more studies are needed to achieve industrial deployment of the idea.

Numerical study on the thermal management system of a liquid metal battery module

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Zhenlin; Xu, Cheng; Li, Wei; Zhu, Fangfang; Li, Haomiao; Wang, Kangli; Cheng, Shijie; Jiang, Kai

2018-07-01

Liquid metal battery (LMB), with three-liquid-layer structure and high operating temperature (300-700 °C), is a newly emerging technology for large scale energy storage applications. A thermal management system is critical to achieve satisfied LMB performance and extend the life of batteries. In this work, an improved coupling model composing of a 3D heat-transfer model and a 1D electrochemical model is developed for the thermal analysis of a Li||Sb-Sn LMBs module (5.5 kWh). Key results including transient values, the contribution ratio of heat sources, temperature homogeneity and distribution, as well as the energy efficiency of the battery module, are presented. Based on the coupling model, the changeable-power-heating mode, sand filling material and vacuum insulation are further proposed to achieve the high energy efficiency and optimal performance of the LMBs module. Moreover, the LMBs module can achieve "self-heating" when operated at 0.2 C charge/discharge, under the vacuum insulation (0.01 W m-1 K-1 thermal conductivity, 100 mm thickness), requiring no external heating to keep the batteries at operating temperature.

Heat-Storage Modules Containing LiNO3-3H2O and Graphite Foam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bootle, John

2008-01-01

A heat-storage module based on a commercial open-cell graphite foam (Poco-Foam or equivalent) imbued with lithium nitrate trihydrate (LiNO3-3H2O) has been developed as a prototype of other such modules for use as short-term heat sources or heat sinks in the temperature range of approximately 28 to 30 C. In this module, the LiNO3-3H2O serves as a phase-change heat-storage material and the graphite foam as thermally conductive filler for transferring heat to or from the phase-change material. In comparison with typical prior heat-storage modules in which paraffins are the phase-change materials and aluminum fins are the thermally conductive fillers, this module has more than twice the heat-storage capacity per unit volume.

Metal Hydride Heat Storage Technology for Directed Energy Weapon Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-11-16

high thermal conductivity materials for heat transfer enhancement. In addition, the PCMs ’ low heat storage density requires excessively large system...capacity as compared to the PCMs . For example, Ca0.2M0.8Ni5, a commercial hydride, has a heat storage density of 853.3MJ/m³ in raw material condition...Huston and Sandrock, 1980], while paraffin (Calwax 130), a common organic PCM has a heat storage capacity of 177.5MJ/m³ [Al-Hallaj and Selman, 2000]. The

Dynamic modeling and evaluation of solid oxide fuel cell - combined heat and power system operating strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nanaeda, Kimihiro; Mueller, Fabian; Brouwer, Jacob; Samuelsen, Scott

Operating strategies of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) combined heat and power (CHP) systems are developed and evaluated from a utility, and end-user perspective using a fully integrated SOFC-CHP system dynamic model that resolves the physical states, thermal integration and overall efficiency of the system. The model can be modified for any SOFC-CHP system, but the present analysis is applied to a hotel in southern California based on measured electric and heating loads. Analysis indicates that combined heat and power systems can be operated to benefit both the end-users and the utility, providing more efficient electric generation as well as grid ancillary services, namely dispatchable urban power. Design and operating strategies considered in the paper include optimal sizing of the fuel cell, thermal energy storage to dispatch heat, and operating the fuel cell to provide flexible grid power. Analysis results indicate that with a 13.1% average increase in price-of-electricity (POE), the system can provide the grid with a 50% operating range of dispatchable urban power at an overall thermal efficiency of 80%. This grid-support operating mode increases the operational flexibility of the SOFC-CHP system, which may make the technology an important utility asset for accommodating the increased penetration of intermittent renewable power.

Cooperative heat transfer and ground coupled storage system

DOEpatents

Metz, Philip D.

1982-01-01

A cooperative heat transfer and ground coupled storage system wherein collected solar heat energy is ground stored and permitted to radiate into the adjacent ground for storage therein over an extended period of time when such heat energy is seasonally maximally available. Thereafter, when said heat energy is seasonally minimally available and has propagated through the adjacent ground a substantial distance, the stored heat energy may be retrieved by a circumferentially arranged heat transfer means having a high rate of heat transfer.

Cooperative heat transfer and ground coupled storage system

DOEpatents

Metz, P.D.

A cooperative heat transfer and ground coupled storage system wherein collected solar heat energy is ground stored and permitted to radiate into the adjacent ground for storage therein over an extended period of time when such heat energy is seasonally maximally available. Thereafter, when said heat energy is seasonally minimally available and has propagated through the adjacent ground a substantial distance, the stored heat energy may be retrieved by a circumferentially arranged heat transfer means having a high rate of heat transfer.

Heat production and storage are positively correlated with measures of body size/composition and heart rate drift during vigorous running.

PubMed

Buresh, Robert; Berg, Kris; Noble, John

2005-09-01

The purposes of this study were to determine the relationships between: (a) measures of body size/composition and heat production/storage, and (b) heat production/storage and heart rate (HR) drift during running at 95% of the velocity that elicited lactate threshold, which was determined for 20 healthy recreational male runners. Subsequently, changes in skin and tympanic temperatures associated with a vigorous 20-min run, HR, and VO2 data were recorded. It was found that heat production was significantly correlated with body mass (r = .687), lean mass (r = .749), and body surface area (BSA, r = .699). Heat storage was significantly correlated with body mass (r = .519), fat mass (r = .464), and BSA (r = .498). The percentage of produced heat stored was significantly correlated with body mass (r = .427), fat mass (r = .455), and BSA (r = .414). Regression analysis showed that the sum of body mass, percentage of body fat, BSA, lean mass, and fat mass accounted for 30% of the variability in heat storage. It was also found that HR drift was significantly correlated with heat storage (r = .383), percentage of produced heat stored (r = .433), and core temperature change (r = .450). It was concluded that heavier runners experienced greater heat production, heat storage, and core temperature increases than lighter runners during vigorous running.

Temperature-gated thermal rectifier for active heat flow control.

PubMed

Zhu, Jia; Hippalgaonkar, Kedar; Shen, Sheng; Wang, Kevin; Abate, Yohannes; Lee, Sangwook; Wu, Junqiao; Yin, Xiaobo; Majumdar, Arun; Zhang, Xiang

2014-08-13

Active heat flow control is essential for broad applications of heating, cooling, and energy conversion. Like electronic devices developed for the control of electric power, it is very desirable to develop advanced all-thermal solid-state devices that actively control heat flow without consuming other forms of energy. Here we demonstrate temperature-gated thermal rectification using vanadium dioxide beams in which the environmental temperature actively modulates asymmetric heat flow. In this three terminal device, there are two switchable states, which can be regulated by global heating. In the "Rectifier" state, we observe up to 28% thermal rectification. In the "Resistor" state, the thermal rectification is significantly suppressed (<1%). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of solid-state active-thermal devices with a large rectification in the Rectifier state. This temperature-gated rectifier can have substantial implications ranging from autonomous thermal management of heating and cooling systems to efficient thermal energy conversion and storage.

CSP ELEMENTS: High-Temperature Thermochemical Storage with Redox-Stable Perovskites for Concentrating Solar Power

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jackson, Gregory S; Braun, Robert J; Ma, Zhiwen

This project was motivated by the potential of reducible perovskite oxides for high-temperature, thermochemical energy storage (TCES) to provide dispatchable renewable heat for concentrating solar power (CSP) plants. This project sought to identify and characterize perovskites from earth-abundant cations with high reducibility below 1000 °C for coupling TCES of solar energy to super-critical CO2 (s-CO2) plants that operate above temperature limits (< 600 °C) of current molten-salt storage. Specific TCES > 750 kJ/kg for storage cycles between 500 and 900 °C was targeted with a system cost goal of $15/kWhth. To realize feasibility of TCES systems based on reducible perovskites,more » our team focused on designing and testing a lab-scale concentrating solar receiver, wherein perovskite particles capture solar energy by fast O2 release and sensible heating at a thermal efficiency of 90% and wall temperatures below 1100 °C. System-level models of the receiver and reoxidation reactor coupled to validated thermochemical materials models can assess approaches to scale-up a full TCES system based on reduction/oxidation cycles of perovskite oxides at large scales. After characterizing many Ca-based perovskites for TCES, our team identified strontium-doped calcium manganite Ca1-xSrxMnO3-δ (with x ≤ 0.1) as a composition with adequate stability and specific TCES capacity (> 750 kJ/kg for Ca0.95Sr0.05MnO3-δ) for cycling between air at 500 °C and low-PO2 (10-4 bar) N2 at 900 °C. Substantial kinetic tests demonstrated that resident times of several minutes in low-PO2 gas were needed for these materials to reach the specific TCES goals with particles of reasonable size for large-scale transport (diameter dp > 200 μm). On the other hand, fast reoxidation kinetics in air enables subsequent rapid heat release in a fluidized reoxidation reactor/ heat recovery unit for driving s-CO2 power plants. Validated material thermochemistry coupled to radiation and convective particle-gas transport models facilitated full TCES system analysis for CSP and results showed that receiver efficiencies approaching 85% were feasible with wall-to-particle heat transfer coefficients observed in laboratory experiments. Coupling these reactive particle-gas transport models to external SolTrace and CFD models drove design of a reactive-particle receiver with indirect heating through flux spreading. A lab-scale receiver using Ca0.9Sr0.1MnO3-δ was demonstrated at NREL’s High Flux Solar Furnace with particle temperatures reaching 900 °C while wall temperatures remained below 1100 °C and approximately 200 kJ/kg of chemical energy storage. These first demonstrations of on-sun perovskite reduction and the robust modeling tools from this program provide a basis for going forward with improved receiver designs to increase heat fluxes and solar-energy capture efficiencies. Measurements and modeling tools from this project provide the foundations for advancing TCES for CSP and other applications using reducible perovskite oxides from low-cost, earth-abundant elements. A perovskite composition has been identified that has the thermodynamic potential to meet the targeted TCES capacity of 750 kJ/kg over a range of temperatures amenable for integration with s-CO2 cycles. Further research needs to explore ways of accelerating effective particle kinetics through variations in composition and/or reactor/receiver design. Initial demonstrations of on-sun particle reduction for TCES show a need for testing at larger scales with reduced heat losses and improved particle-wall heat transfer. The gained insight into particle-gas transport and reactor design can launch future development of cost-effective, large-scale particle-based TCES as a technology for enabling increased renewable energy penetration.« less

Reduced Boil-Off System Sizing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guzik, Monica C.; Plachta, David W.; Feller, Jeffrey R.

2015-01-01

NASA is currently developing cryogenic propellant storage and transfer systems for future space exploration and scientific discovery missions by addressing the need to raise the technology readiness level of cryogenic fluid management technologies. Cryogenic propellants are baselined in many propulsion systems due to their inherently high specific impulse; however, their low boiling points can cause substantial boil-off losses over time. Recent efforts such as the Reduced Boil-off Testing and the Active Thermal Control Scaling Study provide important information on the benefit of an active cooling system applied to LH2 propellant storage. Findings show that zero-boil off technologies can reduce overall mass in LH2 storage systems when low Earth orbit loiter periods extend beyond two months. A significant part of this mass reduction is realized by integrating two stages of cooling: a 20 K stage to intercept heat at the tank surface, and a 90 K stage to reduce the heat entering the less efficient 20 K stage. A missing element in previous studies, which is addressed in this paper, is the development of a direct method for sizing the 90 K cooling stage. Such a method requires calculation of the heat entering both the 90 K and 20 K stages as compared to the overall system masses, and is reliant upon the temperature distribution, performance, and unique design characteristics of the system in question. By utilizing the known conductance of a system without active thermal control, the heat being intercepted by a 90 K stage can be calculated to find the resultant lift and mass of each active thermal control stage. Integral to this is the thermal conductance of the cooling straps and the broad area cooling shield, key parts of the 90 K stage. Additionally, a trade study is performed to show the ability of the 90 K cooling stage to reduce the lift on the 20 K cryocooler stage, which is considerably less developed and efficient than 90 K cryocoolers.

Performance analysis of solar-assisted chemical heat-pump dryer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fadhel, M.I.; Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Multimedia University, Jalan Ayer Keroh Lama, 75450, Melaka; Sopian, K.

2010-11-15

A solar-assisted chemical heat-pump dryer has been designed, fabricated and tested. The performance of the system has been studied under the meteorological conditions of Malaysia. The system consists of four main components: solar collector (evacuated tubes type), storage tank, solid-gas chemical heat pump unit and dryer chamber. A solid-gas chemical heat pump unit consists of reactor, condenser and evaporator. The reaction used in this study (CaCl2-NH{sub 3}). A simulation has been developed, and the predicted results are compared with those obtained from experiments. The maximum efficiency for evacuated tubes solar collector of 80% has been predicted against the maximum experimentmore » of 74%. The maximum values of solar fraction from the simulation and experiment are 0.795 and 0.713, respectively, whereas the coefficient of performance of chemical heat pump (COP{sup h}) maximum values 2.2 and 2 are obtained from simulation and experiments, respectively. The results show that any reduction of energy at condenser as a result of the decrease in solar radiation will decrease the coefficient of performance of chemical heat pump as well as decrease the efficiency of drying. (author)« less

Comparison of advanced thermal and electrical storage for parabolic dish solar thermal power systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujita, T.; Birur, G. C.; Schredder, J. M.; Bowyer, J. M.; Awaya, H. I.

Parabolic dish solar concentrator cluster concepts are explored, with attention given to thermal storage systems coupled to Stirling and Brayton cycle power conversion devices. Sensible heat storage involving molten salt (NaOH), liquid sodium, and solid cordierite bricks are considered for 1500 F thermal storage systems. Latent heat storage with NaF-MgF2 phase change materials are explored in terms of passive, active, and direct contact designs. Comparisons are made of the effectiveness of thermal storage relative to redox, Na-S, Zn-Cl, and Zn-Br battery storage systems. Molten lead trickling down through a phase change eutectic, the NaF-MgF2, formed the direct contact system. Heat transport in all systems is effected through Inconel pipes. Using a cost goal of 120-150 mills/kWh as the controlling parameter, sensible heat systems with molten salts transport with either Stirling or Brayton engines, or latent heat systems with Stirling engines, and latent heat-Brayton engine with direct contact were favored in the analyses. Battery storage systems, however, offered the most flexibility of applications.

Comparison of advanced thermal and electrical storage for parabolic dish solar thermal power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fujita, T.; Birur, G. C.; Schredder, J. M.; Bowyer, J. M.; Awaya, H. I.

1982-01-01

Parabolic dish solar concentrator cluster concepts are explored, with attention given to thermal storage systems coupled to Stirling and Brayton cycle power conversion devices. Sensible heat storage involving molten salt (NaOH), liquid sodium, and solid cordierite bricks are considered for 1500 F thermal storage systems. Latent heat storage with NaF-MgF2 phase change materials are explored in terms of passive, active, and direct contact designs. Comparisons are made of the effectiveness of thermal storage relative to redox, Na-S, Zn-Cl, and Zn-Br battery storage systems. Molten lead trickling down through a phase change eutectic, the NaF-MgF2, formed the direct contact system. Heat transport in all systems is effected through Inconel pipes. Using a cost goal of 120-150 mills/kWh as the controlling parameter, sensible heat systems with molten salts transport with either Stirling or Brayton engines, or latent heat systems with Stirling engines, and latent heat-Brayton engine with direct contact were favored in the analyses. Battery storage systems, however, offered the most flexibility of applications.

A Preliminary Study on Rock Bed Heat Storage from Biomass Combustion for Rice Drying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelwan, L. O.; Wulandani, D.; Subrata, I. D. M.

2018-05-01

One of the main constraints of biomass fuel utilization in a small scale rice drying system is the operating difficulties related to the adjustment of combustion/feeding rate. Use of thermal storage may reduce the problem since combustion operation can be accomplished in a much shorter time and then the use of heat can be regulated by simply adjusting the air flow. An integrated biomass furnace-rock bed thermal storage with a storage volume of 540 L was designed and tested. There were four experiments conducted in this study. Charging was performed within 1-2 hours with a combustion rate of 11.5-15.5 kg/h. In discharging process, the mixing of air passing through the rock bed and ambient air were regulated by valves. Without adjusting the valve during the discharging process, air temperature increased up to 80°C, which is not suitable for rice batch drying process. Charging with sufficiently high combustion rate (14 kg/h) within 1 hour continued by adjusting the valve during discharging process below 60°C increased the discharge-charge time ratio (DCTR) up to 5.33 at average air temperature of 49°C and ambient temperature of 33°C.The efficiency of heat discharging was ranged from 34.5 to 45.8%. From the simulation, as much as 156.8-268.8 kg of rice was able to be dried by the discharging conditions.

Thermal energy storage heat exchanger: Molten salt heat exchanger design for utility power plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferarra, A.; Yenetchi, G.; Haslett, R.; Kosson, R.

1977-01-01

Sizing procedures are presented for latent heat thermal energy storage systems that can be used for electric utility off-peak energy storage, solar power plants and other preliminary design applications.

A solar air collector with integrated latent heat thermal storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charvat, Pavel; Ostry, Milan; Mauder, Tomas; Klimes, Lubomir

2012-04-01

Simulations of the behaviour of a solar air collector with integrated latent heat thermal storage were performed. The model of the collector was created with the use of coupling between TRNSYS 17 and MATLAB. Latent heat storage (Phase Change Material - PCM) was integrated with the solar absorber. The model of the latent heat storage absorber was created in MATLAB and the model of the solar air collector itself was created in TRNSYS with the use of TYPE 56. The model of the latent heat storage absorber allows specification of the PCM properties as well as other parameters. The simulated air collector was the front and back pass collector with the absorber in the middle of the air cavity. Two variants were considered for comparison; the light-weight absorber made of sheet metal and the heat-storage absorber with the PCM. Simulations were performed for the climatic conditions of the Czech Republic (using TMY weather data).

A solar receiver-storage modular cascade based on porous ceramic structures for hybrid sensible/thermochemical solar energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agrafiotis, Christos; de Oliveira, Lamark; Roeb, Martin; Sattler, Christian

2016-05-01

The current state-of-the-art solar heat storage concept in air-operated Solar Tower Power Plants is to store the solar energy provided during on-sun operation as sensible heat in porous solid materials that operate as recuperators during off-sun operation. The technology is operationally simple; however its storage capacity is limited to 1.5 hours. An idea for extending this capacity is to render this storage concept from "purely" sensible to "hybrid" sensible/ thermochemical one, via coating the porous heat exchange modules with oxides of multivalent metals for which their reduction/oxidation reactions are accompanied by significant heat effects, or by manufacturing them entirely of such oxides. In this way solar heat produced during on-sun operation can be used (in addition to sensibly heating the porous solid) to power the endothermic reduction of the oxide from its state with the higher metal valence to that of the lower; the thermal energy can be entirely recovered by the reverse exothermic oxidation reaction (in addition to sensible heat) during off-sun operation. Such sensible and thermochemical storage concepts were tested on a solar-irradiated receiver- heat storage module cascade for the first time. Parametric studies performed so far involved the comparison of three different SiC-based receivers with respect to their capability of supplying solar-heated air at temperatures sufficient for the reduction of the oxides, the effect of air flow rate on the temperatures achieved within the storage module, as well as the comparison of different porous storage media made of cordierite with respect to their sensible storage capacity.

Advanced Coupled Simulation of Borehole Thermal Energy Storage Systems and Above Ground Installations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welsch, Bastian; Rühaak, Wolfram; Schulte, Daniel O.; Bär, Kristian; Sass, Ingo

2016-04-01

Seasonal thermal energy storage in borehole heat exchanger arrays is a promising technology to reduce primary energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. These systems usually consist of several subsystems like the heat source (e.g. solarthermics or a combined heat and power plant), the heat consumer (e.g. a heating system), diurnal storages (i.e. water tanks), the borehole thermal energy storage, additional heat sources for peak load coverage (e.g. a heat pump or a gas boiler) and the distribution network. For the design of an integrated system, numerical simulations of all subsystems are imperative. A separate simulation of the borehole energy storage is well-established but represents a simplification. In reality, the subsystems interact with each other. The fluid temperatures of the heat generation system, the heating system and the underground storage are interdependent and affect the performance of each subsystem. To take into account these interdependencies, we coupled a software for the simulation of the above ground facilities with a finite element software for the modeling of the heat flow in the subsurface and the borehole heat exchangers. This allows for a more realistic view on the entire system. Consequently, a finer adjustment of the system components and a more precise prognosis of the system's performance can be ensured.

Solar energy system performance evaluation report for Solaron-Duffield, Duffield, Virginia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The Solaron Duffield Solar Energy System was designed to provide 51 percent of the space heating, and 49 percent of the domestic hot water (DHW) to a two story 1940 square foot area residence using air as the transport medium. The system consists of a 429 square foot collector array, a 265 cubic foot rock thermal storage bin, heat exchangers, an 80 gallon DHW preheat tank, pumps, blowers, controls, air ducting and associated plumbing. A air-to-liquid heat pump coupled with a 1,000gallon water storage tank provides for auxiliary space heating and can also be used for space cooling. A 52 gallon electric DHW tank using the solar preheated water provides domestic hot water to the residence. The solar system, which became operational July 1979, has the following modes of operation: First Stage: (1) collector to storage and DHW; (2)collector to space heating; (3) storage to load. Second Stage: (4) heat pump auxiliary direct; (5) auxiliary heat from heat pump storage. Third Stage: (6) electrical resistance (strip) heat.

Solar energy system performance evaluation report for Solaron-Duffield, Duffield, Virginia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1980-07-01

The Solaron Duffield Solar Energy System was designed to provide 51 percent of the space heating, and 49 percent of the domestic hot water (DHW) to a two story 1940 square foot area residence using air as the transport medium. The system consists of a 429 square foot collector array, a 265 cubic foot rock thermal storage bin, heat exchangers, an 80 gallon DHW preheat tank, pumps, blowers, controls, air ducting and associated plumbing. A air-to-liquid heat pump coupled with a 1,000gallon water storage tank provides for auxiliary space heating and can also be used for space cooling. A 52 gallon electric DHW tank using the solar preheated water provides domestic hot water to the residence. The solar system, which became operational July 1979, has the following modes of operation: First Stage: (1) collector to storage and DHW; (2)collector to space heating; (3) storage to load. Second Stage: (4) heat pump auxiliary direct; (5) auxiliary heat from heat pump storage. Third Stage: (6) electrical resistance (strip) heat.

Alternative energy sources IV; Proceedings of the Fourth Miami International Conference, Miami Beach, FL, December 14-16, 1981. Volume 1 - Solar Collectors Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veziroglu, T. N.

1982-10-01

Aspects of solar measurements, solar collectors, selective coatings, thermal storage, phase change storage, and heat exchangers are discussed. The analysis and testing of flat-plate solar collectors are addressed. The development and uses of plastic collectors, a solar water heating system, solar energy collecting oil barrels, a glass collector panel, and a two-phase thermosyphon system are considered. Studies of stratification in thermal storage, of packed bed and fluidized bed systems, and of thermal storage in solar towers, in wall passive systems, and in reversible chemical reactions are reported. Phase change storage by direct contact processes and in residential solar space heating and cooling is examined, as are new materials and surface characteristics for solar heat storage. The use of R-11 and Freon-113 in heat exchange is discussed. No individual items are abstracted in this volume

Candidate thermal energy storage technologies for solar industrial process heat applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Furman, E. R.

1979-01-01

A number of candidate thermal energy storage system elements were identified as having the potential for the successful application of solar industrial process heat. These elements which include storage media, containment and heat exchange are shown.

Impacts of Various Characteristics of Electricity and Heat Demand on the Optimal Configuration of a Microgrid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bando, Shigeru; Watanabe, Hiroki; Asano, Hiroshi; Tsujita, Shinsuke

A methodology was developed to design the number and capacity for each piece of equipment (e.g. gas engines, batteries, thermal storage tanks) in microgrids with combined heat and power systems. We analyzed three types of microgrids; the first one consists of an office building and an apartment, the second one consists of a hospital and an apartment, the third one consists of a hotel, office and retails. In the methodology, annual cost is minimized by considering the partial load efficiency of a gas engine and its scale economy, and the optimal number and capacity of each piece of equipment and the annual operational schedule are determined by using the optimal planning method. Based on calculations using this design methodology, it is found that the optimal number of gas engines is determined by the ratio of bottom to peak of the electricity demand and the ratio of heat to electricity demand. The optimal capacity of a battery required to supply electricity for a limited time during a peak demand period is auxiliary. The thermal storage tank for space cooling and space heating is selected to minimize the use of auxiliary equipment such as a gas absorption chiller.

Core-Sheath Paraffin-Wax-Loaded Nanofibers by Electrospinning for Heat Storage.

PubMed

Lu, Yuan; Xiao, Xiudi; Zhan, Yongjun; Huan, Changmeng; Qi, Shuai; Cheng, Haoliang; Xu, Gang

2018-04-18

Paraffin wax (PW) is widely used for smart thermoregulation materials due to its good thermal performance. However, the leakage and low thermal conductivity of PW hinder its application in the heat storage field. Accordingly, developing effective methods to address these issues is of great importance. In this study, we explored a facile approach to obtain PW-loaded core-sheath structured flexible nanofibers films via coaxial electrospinning technique. The PW as the core layer was successfully encapsulated by the sheath-layer poly(methyl methacrylate). The diameter of the fiber core increased from 395 to 848 nm as the core solution speed rate increased from 0.1 to 0.5 mL/h. In addition, it can be seen that higher core solution speed rate could lead to higher PW encapsulation efficiency according to the transmission electron microscopy results. The core-sheath nanofiber films, moreover, possessed the highest latent heat of 58.25 J/g and solidifying enthalpy of -56.49 J/g. In addition, we found that after 200 thermal cycles, there was little change in latent heat, which demonstrated that it is beneficial for the PW-loaded core-sheath structure to overcome the leakage issue and enhance thermal stability properties for the thermoregulation film.

Performance Analysis of a Thermoelectric Solar Collector Integrated with a Heat Pump

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lertsatitthanakorn, C.; Jamradloedluk, J.; Rungsiyopas, M.; Therdyothin, A.; Soponronnarit, S.

2013-07-01

A novel heat pump system is proposed. A thermoelectric solar collector was coupled to a solar-assisted heat pump (TESC-HP) to work as an evaporator. The cooling effect of the system's refrigerant allowed the cold side of the system's thermoelectric modules to work at lower temperature, improving the conversion efficiency. The TESC-HP system mainly consisted of transparent glass, an air gap, an absorber plate that acted as a direct expansion-type collector/evaporator, an R-134a piston-type hermetic compressor, a water-cooled plate-type condenser, thermoelectric modules, and a water storage tank. Test results indicated that the TESC-HP has better coefficient of performance (COP) and conversion efficiency than the separate units. For the meteorological conditions in Mahasarakham, the COP of the TESC-HP system can reach 5.48 when the average temperature of 100 L of water is increased from 28°C to 40°C in 60 min with average ambient temperature of 32.5°C and average solar intensity of 815 W/m2, whereas the conversion efficiency of the TE power generator was around 2.03%.

Seasonal thermal storage: Swedish practice, developments and cost projections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margen, P.

1981-06-01

The types of heat store being developed in Sweden for seasonal storage of heat are discussed. This type of storage allows summer excess heat from industrial waste heat plants, garbage burning plants and future central solar heat stations to be stored for winter use on district heating networks. Whereas above ground steel or concrete tanks are usually too expensive insulated earth pits, uninsulated rock caverns and deep ground schemes using rock or clay promise to achieve sufficiently low costs to justify storage when supplied with free or cheap summer treat. For all these concepts demonstration plants were or are being built in Sweden.

Heat storage in forest biomass improves energy balance closure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindroth, A.; Mölder, M.; Lagergren, F.

2010-01-01

Temperature measurements in trunks and branches in a mature ca. 100 years-old mixed pine and spruce forest in central Sweden were used to estimate the heat storage in the tree biomass. The estimated heat flux in the sample trees and data on biomass distributions were used to scale up to stand level biomass heat fluxes. The rate of change of sensible and latent heat storage in the air layer below the level of the flux measurements was estimated from air temperature and humidity profile measurements and soil heat flux was estimated from heat flux plates and soil temperature measurements. The fluxes of sensible and latent heat from the forest were measured with an eddy covariance system in a tower. The analysis was made for a two-month period in summer of 1995. The tree biomass heat flux was the largest of the estimated storage components and varied between 40 and -35 W m-2 on summer days with nice weather. Averaged over two months the diurnal maximum of total heat storage was 45 W m-2 and the minimum was -35 W m-2. The soil heat flux and the sensible heat storage in air were out of phase with the biomass flux and they reached maximum values that were about 75% of the maximum of the tree biomass heat storage. The energy balance closure improved significantly when the total heat storage was added to the turbulent fluxes. The slope of a regression line with sum of fluxes and storage as independent and net radiation as dependent variable, increased from 0.86 to 0.95 for half-hourly data and the scatter was also reduced. The most significant finding was, however, that during nights with strongly stable conditions when the sensible heat flux dropped to nearly zero, the total storage matched the net radiation very well. Another interesting result was that the mean energy imbalance started to increase when the Richardson number became more negative than ca. -0.1. In fact, the largest energy deficit occurred at maximum instability. Our conclusion is that eddy covariance measurements can function well during stable conditions but that the functioning under strong instabilities might be a so far unforeseen problem.

Heat storage in forest biomass significantly improves energy balance closure particularly during stable conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindroth, A.; Mölder, M.; Lagergren, F.

2009-08-01

Temperature measurements in trunks and branches in a mature ca. 100 years-old mixed pine and spruce forest in central Sweden were used to estimate the heat storage in the tree biomass. The estimated heat flux in the sample trees and data on biomass distributions were used to scale up to stand level biomass heat fluxes. The rate of change of sensible and latent heat storage in the air layer below the level of the flux measurements was estimated from air temperature and humidity profile measurements and soil heat flux was estimated from heat flux plates and soil temperature measurements. The fluxes of sensible and latent heat from the forest were measured with an eddy covariance system in a tower. The analysis was made for a two-month period in summer of 1995. The tree biomass heat flux was the largest of the estimated storage components and varied between 40 and -35 W m-2 on summer days with nice weather. Averaged over two months the diurnal maximum of total heat storage was 45 W m-2 and the minimum was -35 W m-2. The soil heat flux and the sensible heat storage in air were out of phase with the biomass flux and they reached maximum values that were about 75% of the maximum of the tree biomass heat storage. The energy balance closure improved significantly when the total heat storage was added to the turbulent fluxes. The slope of a regression line with sum of fluxes and storage as independent and net radiation as dependent variable, increased from 0.86 to 0.95 for half-hourly data and the scatter was also reduced. The most significant finding was, however, that during nights with strongly stable conditions when the sensible heat flux dropped to nearly zero, the total storage matched the net radiation nearly perfectly. Another interesting result was that the mean energy imbalance started to increase when the Richardson number became more negative than ca. -0.1. In fact, the largest energy deficit occurred at maximum instability. Our conclusion is that eddy covariance measurements can function well during stable conditions but that the functioning under strong instabilities might be a so far unforeseen problem.

Development of Hollow Steel Ball Macro-Encapsulated PCM for Thermal Energy Storage Concrete

PubMed Central

Dong, Zhijun; Cui, Hongzhi; Tang, Waiching; Chen, Dazhu; Wen, Haibo

2016-01-01

The application of thermal energy storage with phase change materials (PCMs) for energy efficiency of buildings grew rapidly in the last few years. In this research, octadecane paraffin was served as a PCM, and a structural concrete with the function of indoor temperature control was developed by using a macro-encapsulated PCM hollow steel ball (HSB). The macro-encapsulated PCM-HSB was prepared by incorporation of octadecane into HSBs through vacuum impregnation. Test results showed that the maximum percentage of octadecane carried by HSBs was 80.3% by mass. The macro-encapsulated PCM-HSB has a latent heat storage capacity as high as 200.5 J/g. The compressive strength of concrete with macro-encapsulated PCM-HSB at 28 days ranged from 22 to 40 MPa. The indoor thermal performance test revealed that concrete with macro-encapsulated octadecane-HSB was capable of reducing the peak indoor air temperature and the fluctuation of indoor temperature. It can be very effective in transferring the heating and cooling loads away from the peak demand times. PMID:28787859

Development of Hollow Steel Ball Macro-Encapsulated PCM for Thermal Energy Storage Concrete.

PubMed

Dong, Zhijun; Cui, Hongzhi; Tang, Waiching; Chen, Dazhu; Wen, Haibo

2016-01-19

The application of thermal energy storage with phase change materials (PCMs) for energy efficiency of buildings grew rapidly in the last few years. In this research, octadecane paraffin was served as a PCM, and a structural concrete with the function of indoor temperature control was developed by using a macro-encapsulated PCM hollow steel ball (HSB). The macro-encapsulated PCM-HSB was prepared by incorporation of octadecane into HSBs through vacuum impregnation. Test results showed that the maximum percentage of octadecane carried by HSBs was 80.3% by mass. The macro-encapsulated PCM-HSB has a latent heat storage capacity as high as 200.5 J/g. The compressive strength of concrete with macro-encapsulated PCM-HSB at 28 days ranged from 22 to 40 MPa. The indoor thermal performance test revealed that concrete with macro-encapsulated octadecane-HSB was capable of reducing the peak indoor air temperature and the fluctuation of indoor temperature. It can be very effective in transferring the heating and cooling loads away from the peak demand times.

Applications of graphite-enabled phase change material composites to improve thermal performance of cementitious materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Mingli; Lin, Zhibin; Wu, Lili; Wang, Jinhui; Gong, Na

2017-11-01

Enhancing the thermal efficiency to decrease the energy consumption of structures has been the topic of much research. In this study, a graphite-enabled microencapsulated phase change material (GE-MEPCM) was used in the production of a novel thermal energy storage engineered cementitious composite feathering high heat storage capacity and enhanced thermal conductivity. The surface morphology and particle size of the microencapsulated phase change material (MEPCM) were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thermal properties of MEPCM was determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). In addition, thermal and mechanical properties of the cementitious mortar with different admixtures were explored and compared with those of a cementitious composite. It was shown that the latent heat of MEPCM was 162 J/g, offering much better thermal energy storage capacity to the cementitious composite. However, MEPCM was found to decrease the thermal conductivity of the composite, which can be effectively solved by adding natural graphite (NG). Moreover, the incorporation of MEPCM has a certain decrease in the compressive strength, mainly due to the weak interfaces between MEPCM and cement matrix.

A numerical investigation of a thermodielectric power generation system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sklar, Akiva A.

The performance of a novel micro-thermodielectric power generation system was investigated in order to determine if thermodielectric power generation can be practically employed and if its performance can compete with current portable power generation technologies. Thermodielectric power generation is a direct energy conversion technology that converts heat directly into high voltage direct current. It requires dielectric (i.e., capacitive) materials whose charge storing capabilities are a function of temperature. This property can be exploited by heating these materials after they are charged; as their temperature increases, their charge storage capability decreases, forcing them to eject a portion of their surface charge. This ejected charge can then be supplied to an appropriate electronic storage device. There are several advantages associated with thermodielectric energy conversion; first, it requires heat addition at relatively low conventional power generation temperatures, i.e., less than 600 °K, and second, devices that utilize it have the potential for excellent power density and device reliability. The predominant disadvantage of using this power generation technique is that the device must operate in an unsteady manner; this can lead to substantial heat transfer losses that limit the device's thermal efficiency. The studied power generation system was designed so that the power generating components of the system (i.e., the thermodielectric materials) are integrated within a micro-scale heat exchange apparatus designed specifically to provide the thermodielectric materials with the unsteady heating and cooling necessary for efficient power generation. This apparatus is designed to utilize a liquid as a working fluid in order to maximize its heat transfer capabilities, minimize the size of the heat exchanger, and maximize the power density of the power generation system. The thermodielectric materials are operated through a power generation cycle that consists of four processes; the first process is a charging process, during which an electric field is applied to a thermodielectric material, causing it to acquire electrical charge on its surface (this process is analogous to the isentropic compression process of a Brayton cycle). The second process is a heating process in which the temperature of the dielectric material is increased via heat transfer from an external source. During this process, the thermodielectric material is forced to eject a portion of its surface charge because its charge storing capability decreases as the temperature increases; the ejected charge is intended for capture by external circuitry connected to the thermodielectric material, where it can be routed to an electrochemical storage device or an electromechanical device requiring high voltage direct current. The third process is a discharging process, during which the applied electric field is reduced to its initial strength (analogous to the isentropic expansion process of a Brayton cycle). The final process is a cooling process in which the temperature of the dielectric material is decreased via heat transfer from an external source, returning it to its initial temperature. Previously, predicting the performance of a thermodielectric power generator was hindered by a poor understanding of the material's thermodynamic properties and the effect unsteady heat transfer losses have on system performance. In order to improve predictive capabilities in this study, a thermodielectric equation of state was developed that relates the strength of the applied electric field, the amount of surface charge stored by the thermodielectric material, and its temperature. This state equation was then used to derive expressions for the material's thermodynamic states (internal energy, entropy), which were subsequently used to determine the optimum material properties for power generation. Next, a numerical simulation code was developed to determine the heat transfer capabilities of a micro-scale parallel plate heat recuperator (MPPHR), a device designed specifically to (a) provide the unsteady heating and cooling necessary for thermodielectric power generation and (b) minimize the unsteady heat transfer losses of the system. The simulation code was used to find the optimum heat transfer and heat recuperation regimes of the MPPHR. The previously derived thermodynamic equations that describe the behavior of the thermodielectric materials were then incorporated into the model for the walls of the parallel plate channel in the numerical simulation code, creating a tool capable of determining the thermodynamic performance of an MTDPG, in terms of the thermal efficiency, percent Carnot efficiency, and energy/power density. A detailed parameterization of the MTDPG with the simulation code yielded the critical non-dimensional numbers that determine the relationship between the heat exchange/recuperation abilities of the flow and the power generation capabilities of the thermodielectric materials. These relationships were subsequently used to optimize the performance of an MTDPG with an operating temperature range of 300--500 °K. The optimization predicted that the MTDPG could provide a thermal efficiency of 29.7 percent with the potential to reach 34 percent. These thermal efficiencies correspond to 74.2 and 85 percent of the Carnot efficiency, respectively. The power density of this MTDPG depends on the operating frequency and can exceed 1,000,000 W/m3.

Cold Heat Release Characteristics of Solidified Oil Droplet-Water Solution Latent Heat Emulsion by Air Bubbles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inaba, Hideo; Morita, Shin-Ichi

The present work investigates the cold heat-release characteristics of the solidified oil droplets (tetradecane, C14H30, freezing point 278.9 K)/water solution emulsion as a latent heat-storage material having a low melting point. An air bubbles-emulsion direct-contact heat exchange method is selected for the cold heat-results from the solidified oil droplet-emulsion layer. This type of direct-contact method results in the high thermal efficiency. The diameter of air bubbles in the emulsion increases as compared with that in the pure water. The air bubbles blown from a nozzle show a strong mixing behavior during rising in the emulsion. The temperature effectiveness, the sensible heat release time and the latent heat release time have been measured as experimental parameters. The useful nondimensional emulsion level equations for these parameters have been derived in terms of the nondimensional emalsion level expressed the emulsion layer dimensions, Reynolds number for air flow, Stefan number and heat capacity ratio.

Chemical heat pump

DOEpatents

Greiner, Leonard

1984-01-01

A chemical heat pump system is disclosed for use in heating and cooling structures such as residences or commercial buildings. The system is particularly adapted to utilizing solar energy, but also increases the efficiency of other forms of thermal energy when solar energy is not available. When solar energy is not available for relatively short periods of time, the heat storage capacity of the chemical heat pump is utilized to heat the structure, as during nighttime hours. The design also permits home heating from solar energy when the sun is shining. The entire system may be conveniently rooftop located. In order to facilitate installation on existing structures, the absorber and vaporizer portions of the system may each be designed as flat, thin wall, thin pan vessels which materially increase the surface area available for heat transfer. In addition, this thin, flat configuration of the absorber and its thin walled (and therefore relatively flexible) construction permits substantial expansion and contraction of the absorber material during vaporization and absorption without generating voids which would interfere with heat transfer.

Chemical heat pump

DOEpatents

Greiner, Leonard

1981-01-01

A chemical heat pump system is disclosed for use in heating and cooling structures such as residences or commercial buildings. The system is particularly adapted to utilizing solar energy, but also increases the efficiency of other forms of thermal energy when solar energy is not available. When solar energy is not available for relatively short periods of time, the heat storage capacity of the chemical heat pump is utilized to heat the structure, as during nighttime hours. The design also permits home heating from solar energy when the sun is shining. The entire system may be conveniently rooftop located. In order to facilitate installation on existing structures, the absorber and vaporizer portions of the system may each be designed as flat, thin wall, thin pan vessels which materially increase the surface area available for heat transfer. In addition, this thin, flat configuration of the absorber and its thin walled (and therefore relatively flexible) construction permits substantial expansion and contraction of the absorber material during vaporization and absorption without generating voids which would interfere with heat transfer.

Chemical heat pump

DOEpatents

Greiner, Leonard

1984-01-01

A chemical heat pump system is disclosed for use in heating and cooling structures such as residences or commercial buildings. The system is particularly adapted to utilizing solar energy, but also increases the efficiency of other forms of thermal energy when solar energy is not available. When solar energy is not available for relatively short periods of time, the heat storage capacity of the chemical heat pump is utilized to heat the structure, as during nighttime hours. The design also permits home heating from solar energy when the sun is shining. The entire system may be conveniently rooftop located. In order to facilitate intallation on existing structures, the absorber and vaporizer portions of the system may each be designed as flat, thin wall, thin pan vessels which materially increase the surface area available for heat transfer. In addition, this thin, flat configuration of the absorber and its thin walled (and therefore relatively flexible) construction permits substantial expansion and contraction of the absorber material during vaporization and absorption without generating voids which would interfere with heat transfer.

Chemical heat pump

DOEpatents

Greiner, Leonard

1984-01-01

A chemical heat pump system is disclosed for use in heating and cooling structures such as residences or commercial buildings. The system is particularly adapted to utilizing solar energy, but also increases the efficiency of other forms of thermal energy when solar energy is not available. When solar energy is not available for relatively short periods of time, the heat storage capacity of the chemical heat pump is utilized to heat the structure, as during nighttime hours. The design also permits home heating from solar energy when the sun is shining. The entire system may be conveniently rooftop located. In order to faciliate installation on existing structures, the absorber and vaporizer portions of the system may each be designed as flat, thin wall, thin pan vessels which materially increase the surface area available for heat transfer. In addition, this thin, flat configuration of the absorber and its thin walled (and therefore relatively flexible) construction permits substantial expansion and contraction of the absorber material during vaporization and absorption without generating voids which would interfere with heat transfer.

Heat transfer and flow in solar energy and bioenergy systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Ben

The demand for clean and environmentally benign energy resources has been a great concern in the last two decades. To alleviate the associated environmental problems, reduction of the use of fossil fuels by developing more cost-effective renewable energy technologies becomes more and more significant. Among various types of renewable energy sources, solar energy and bioenergy take a great proportion. This dissertation focuses on the heat transfer and flow in solar energy and bioenergy systems, specifically for Thermal Energy Storage (TES) systems in Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants and open-channel algal culture raceways for biofuel production. The first part of this dissertation is the discussion about mathematical modeling, numerical simulation and experimental investigation of solar TES system. First of all, in order to accurately and efficiently simulate the conjugate heat transfer between Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) and filler material in four different solid-fluid TES configurations, formulas of an e?ective heat transfer coe?cient were theoretically developed and presented by extending the validity of Lumped Capacitance Method (LCM) to large Biot number, as well as verifications/validations to this simplified model. Secondly, to provide design guidelines for TES system in CSP plant using Phase Change Materials (PCM), a general storage tank volume sizing strategy and an energy storage startup strategy were proposed using the enthalpy-based 1D transient model. Then experimental investigations were conducted to explore a novel thermal storage material. The thermal storage performances were also compared between this novel storage material and concrete at a temperature range from 400 °C to 500 °C. It is recommended to apply this novel thermal storage material to replace concrete at high operating temperatures in sensible heat TES systems. The second part of this dissertation mainly focuses on the numerical and experimental study of an open-channel algae culture raceway for biofuel production. According to the proposed flow field design of ARID-HV algal raceway, experiments and numerical simulation have been conducted to understand the enhancement of flow mixing in the flow field of ARID-HV raceway by cutting slots on top of the dam near the dead zones. A new method was proposed to quantitatively evaluate the flow mixing by using the statistics of temporal and spatial distribution of the massless fluid particles (centered in each cell at the inlet surface) in the raceway collecting the data of path-lines of fluid particles from CFD results. It is hoped that this method can be applied to assist the algal raceway flow field design as well as other engineering applications. The third part introduces the details about the construction work of a high temperature molten salt test loop. Because of the limited operating temperature of conventional synthetic oils, in order to obtain higher energy conversion efficiency, higher operating temperature is always desirable in a CSP plant which leads to the requirement of new generation of HTF. Currently, a halide salt eutectic mixture (NaCl-KCl-ZnCl2) as a potential HTF for future CSP applications has been proposed by a multi-institute research team, led by University of Arizona. The thermophysical properties of the halide eutectic salt have been measured. However, this new developed halide eutectic salt has not been tested in a circulating loop at a high operating temperature for the measurement of heat transfer coefficient. It is a significant effort to build such a test system due to extremely high operating temperature. As a consequence, in the third part of this dissertation, details about the design of the lab-scale test system and all the equipment items will be introduced. The investigations included in this dissertation for the heat transfer and flow in solar energy and bioenergy systems are of particular interest to the renewable energy engineering community. It is expected that the proposed methods can provide useful information for engineers and researchers.

Thermal energy storage heat exchanger: Molten salt heat exchanger design for utility power plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferarra, A.; Yenetchi, G.; Haslett, R.; Kosson, R.

1977-01-01

The use of thermal energy storage (TES) in the latent heat of molten salts as a means of conserving fossil fuels and lowering the cost of electric power was evaluated. Public utility systems provided electric power on demand. This demand is generally maximum during late weekday afternoons, with considerably lower overnight and weekend loads. Typically, the average demand is only 60% to 80% of peak load. As peak load increases, the present practice is to purchase power from other grid facilities or to bring older less efficient fossil-fuel plants on line which increase the cost of electric power. The widespread use of oil-fired boilers, gas turbine and diesel equipment to meet peaking loads depletes our oil-based energy resources. Heat exchangers utilizing molten salts can be used to level the energy consumption curve. The study begins with a demand analysis and the consideration of several existing modern fossil-fuel and nuclear power plants for use as models. Salts are evaluated for thermodynamic, economic, corrosive, and safety characteristics. Heat exchanger concepts are explored and heat exchanger designs are conceived. Finally, the economics of TES conversions in existing plants and new construction is analyzed. The study concluded that TES is feasible in electric power generation. Substantial data are presented for TES design, and reference material for further investigation of techniques is included.

Molten salt parabolic trough system with synthetic oil preheating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuasa, Minoru; Hino, Koichi

2017-06-01

Molten salt parabolic trough system (MSPT), which can heat the heat transfer fluid (HTF) to 550 °C has a better performance than a synthetic oil parabolic trough system (SOPT), which can heat the HTF to 400 °C or less. The utilization of HTF at higher temperature in the parabolic trough system is able to realize the design of a smaller size of storage tank and higher heat to electricity conversion efficiency. However, with MSPT there is a great amount of heat loss at night so it is necessary to circulate the HTF at a high temperature of about 290 °C in order to prevent solidification. A new MSPT concept with SOPT preheating (MSSOPT) has been developed to reduce the heat loss at night. In this paper, the MSSOPT system, its performance by steady state analysis and annual performance analysis are introduced.

Enhancement of the CAVE computer code. [aerodynamic heating package for nose cones and scramjet engine sidewalls

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rathjen, K. A.; Burk, H. O.

1983-01-01

The computer code CAVE (Conduction Analysis via Eigenvalues) is a convenient and efficient computer code for predicting two dimensional temperature histories within thermal protection systems for hypersonic vehicles. The capabilities of CAVE were enhanced by incorporation of the following features into the code: real gas effects in the aerodynamic heating predictions, geometry and aerodynamic heating package for analyses of cone shaped bodies, input option to change from laminar to turbulent heating predictions on leading edges, modification to account for reduction in adiabatic wall temperature with increase in leading sweep, geometry package for two dimensional scramjet engine sidewall, with an option for heat transfer to external and internal surfaces, print out modification to provide tables of select temperatures for plotting and storage, and modifications to the radiation calculation procedure to eliminate temperature oscillations induced by high heating rates. These new features are described.

A basic study on Thermosyphon-type thermal storage unit (TSU) using Nanofluid as the heat transfer medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shuang-Fei; Wang, Ping-Yang; Liu, Zhen-hua

2018-05-01

This study proposed a novel thermosyphon-type thermal storage unit using water-based CuO nanofluid as the phase-change heat transfer medium. Seven tubular canisters containing solid-liquid phase-change material (PCM) with peak melting temperature of 100 °C were placed vertically into the center of the TSU which is a vertical cylindrical vessel made of stainless steel. Coat formed by depositing nanoparticles during the phase-change process was adopted to increase the wettability of the heat transfer surfaces of the canisters. We investigated the phase-change heat transfer, as well as the heat-storage and heat-release properties, of the TSU through experimental and computational analysis. Our results demonstrate that this thermal storage unit construction can propose good heat transfer and heat-storage/heat-release performance. The coating of nanoparticles onto the heat transfer surfaces increases the surface wettability and improves both the evaporation and condensation heat transfer. The main thermal resistance in the TSU results from the conductive heat transfer inside of the PCM. All phase-change thermal resistance of liquid film in charging and discharging processes can be ignored in this TSU.

Enhancement of the CAVE computer code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rathjen, K. A.; Burk, H. O.

1983-12-01

The computer code CAVE (Conduction Analysis via Eigenvalues) is a convenient and efficient computer code for predicting two dimensional temperature histories within thermal protection systems for hypersonic vehicles. The capabilities of CAVE were enhanced by incorporation of the following features into the code: real gas effects in the aerodynamic heating predictions, geometry and aerodynamic heating package for analyses of cone shaped bodies, input option to change from laminar to turbulent heating predictions on leading edges, modification to account for reduction in adiabatic wall temperature with increase in leading sweep, geometry package for two dimensional scramjet engine sidewall, with an option for heat transfer to external and internal surfaces, print out modification to provide tables of select temperatures for plotting and storage, and modifications to the radiation calculation procedure to eliminate temperature oscillations induced by high heating rates. These new features are described.

A GUIDE TO FUEL PERFORMANCE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

LITZKE,W.

2004-08-01

Heating oil, as its name implies, is intended for end use heating consumption as its primary application. But its identity in reference name and actual chemical properties may vary based on a number of factors. By name, heating oil is sometimes referred to as gas oil, diesel, No. 2 distillate (middle distillate), or light heating oil. Kerosene, also used as a burner fuel, is a No. 1 distillate. Due to the higher heat content and competitive price in most markets, No. 2 heating oil is primarily used in modern, pressure-atomized burners. Using No. 1 oil for heating has the advantagesmore » of better cold-flow properties, lower emissions, and better storage properties. Because it is not nearly as abundant in supply, it is often markedly more expensive than No. 2 heating oil. Given the advanced, low-firing rate burners in use today, the objective is for the fuel to be compatible and achieve combustion performance at the highest achievable efficiency of the heating systems--with minimal service requirements. Among the Oil heat industry's top priorities are improving reliability and reducing service costs associated with fuel performance. Poor fuel quality, fuel degradation, and contamination can cause burner shut-downs resulting in ''no-heat'' calls. Many of these unscheduled service calls are preventable with routine inspection of the fuel and the tank. This manual focuses on No. 2 heating oil--its performance, properties, sampling and testing. Its purpose is to provide the marketer, service manager and technician with the proper guidelines for inspecting the product, maintaining good fuel quality, and the best practices for proper storage. Up-to-date information is also provided on commercially available fuel additives, their appropriate use and limitations.« less

Modeling of subcooling and solidification of phase change materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Günther, Eva; Mehling, Harald; Hiebler, Stefan

2007-12-01

Phase change materials (PCM) are able to store thermal energy in small temperature intervals very efficiently due to their high latent heat. Particularly high storage capacity is found in salt hydrates. Salt hydrates however often show subcooling, thus inhibiting the release of the stored heat. In the state of the art simulations of PCM, the effect of subcooling is almost always neglected. This is a practicable approach for small subcooling, but it is problematic for subcooling in the order of the driving temperature gradient on unloading the storage. In this paper, we first present a new algorithm to simulate subcooling in a physically proper way. Then, we present a parametric study to demonstrate the main features of the algorithm and a comparison of computed and experimentally obtained data. The new algorithm should be particularly useful in simulating applications with low cooling rates, for example building applications.

Retrofitting Forced Air Combi Systems: A Cold Climate Field Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schoenbauer, Ben; Bohac, Dave; McAlpine, Jack

This project analyzed combined condensing water heaters or boilers and hydronic air coils to provide high efficiency domestic hot water (DHW) and forced air space heating. Called "combi" systems, they provided similar space and water heating performance less expensively than installing two condensing appliances. The system's installed costs were cheaper than installing a condensing furnace and either a condensing tankless or condensing storage water heater. However, combi costs must mature and be reduced before they are competitive with a condensing furnace and power vented water heater (energy factor of 0.60). Better insulation and tighter envelopes are reducing space heating loadsmore » for new and existing homes. For many homes, decreased space heating loads make it possible for both space and domestic water heating loads to be provided with a single heating plant. These systems can also eliminate safety issues associated with natural draft appliances through the use of one common sealed combustion vent. The combined space and water heating approach was not a new idea. Past systems have used non-condensing heating plants, which limited their usefulness in climates with high heating loads. Previous laboratory work (Schoenbauer et al. 2012a) showed that proper installation was necessary to achieve condensing with high efficiency appliances. Careful consideration was paid to proper system sizing and minimizing the water temperature returning from the air handling unit to facilitate condensing operation.« less

Retrofitting Forced Air Combi Systems: A Cold Climate Field Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schoenbauer, Ben; Bohac, Dave; McAlpine, Jake

This project analyzed combined condensing water heaters or boilers and hydronic air coils to provide high efficiency domestic hot water (DHW) and forced air space heating. Called 'combi' systems, they provided similar space and water heating performance less expensively than installing two condensing appliances. The system's installed costs were cheaper than installing a condensing furnace and either a condensing tankless or condensing storage water heater. However, combi costs must mature and be reduced before they are competitive with a condensing furnace and power vented water heater (energy factor of 0.60). Better insulation and tighter envelopes are reducing space heating loadsmore » for new and existing homes. For many homes, decreased space heating loads make it possible for both space and domestic water heating loads to be provided with a single heating plant. These systems can also eliminate safety issues associated with natural draft appliances through the use of one common sealed combustion vent. The combined space and water heating approach was not a new idea. Past systems have used non-condensing heating plants, which limited their usefulness in climates with high heating loads. Previous laboratory work (Schoenbauer et al. 2012a) showed that proper installation was necessary to achieve condensing with high efficiency appliances. Careful consideration was paid to proper system sizing and minimizing the water temperature returning from the air handling unit to facilitate condensing operation.« less

76 FR 63211 - Energy Efficiency Program: Test Procedures for Residential Water Heaters, Direct Heating...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-12

..., sections 1.7 and 1.12. The definition for ``Storage-type Water Heater of More than 2 Gallons (7.6 Liters) and Less than 20 Gallons (76 Liters)'' is currently reserved. Id. at section 1.12.5. DOE is... another. In addition, these studies suggest that the existing draw pattern in the simulated use test may...

Design and development of integral heat pipe/thermal energy storage devices. [used with spacecraft cryocoolers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahefkey, E. T.; Richter, R.

1981-01-01

The major design and performance test subtasks in the development of small (200 to 1,000 whr) integral heat pipe/thermal energy storage devices for use with thermally driven spacecraft cryo-coolers are described. The design of the integral heat pipe/thermal energy storage device was based on a quasi steady resistance heat transfer, lumped capacitance model. Design considerations for the heat pipe and thermal storage annuli are presented. The thermomechanical stress and insulation system design for the device are reviewed. Experimental correlations are described, as are the plans for the further development of the concept.

Design and development of integral heat pipe/thermal energy storage devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahefkey, E. T.; Richter, R.

1981-06-01

The major design and performance test subtasks in the development of small (200 to 1,000 whr) integral heat pipe/thermal energy storage devices for use with thermally driven spacecraft cryo-coolers are described. The design of the integral heat pipe/thermal energy storage device was based on a quasi steady resistance heat transfer, lumped capacitance model. Design considerations for the heat pipe and thermal storage annuli are presented. The thermomechanical stress and insulation system design for the device are reviewed. Experimental correlations are described, as are the plans for the further development of the concept.

Thermal storage technologies for solar industrial process heat applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gordon, L. H.

1979-01-01

The state-of-the-art of thermal storage subsystems for the intermediate and high temperature (100 C to 600 C) solar industrial process heat generation is presented. Primary emphasis is focused on buffering and diurnal storage as well as total energy transport. In addition, advanced thermal storage concepts which appear promising for future solar industrial process heat applications are discussed.

Development of approximate method to analyze the characteristics of latent heat thermal energy storage system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saitoh, T.S.; Hoshi, Akira

1999-07-01

Third Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP3) held in last December in Kyoto urged the industrialized nation to reduce carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) emissions by 5.2 percent (on the average) below 1990 level until the period between 2008 and 2012 (Kyoto protocol). This implies that even for the most advanced countries like the US, Japan, and EU implementation of drastic policies and overcoming many barriers in market should be necessary. One idea which leads to a path of low carbon intensity is to adopt an energy storage concept. One of the reasons thatmore » the efficiency of the conventional energy systems has been relatively low is ascribed to lacking of energy storage subsystem. Most of the past energy systems, for example, air-conditioning system, do not have energy storage part and the system usually operates with low energy efficiency. Firstly, the effect of reducing CO{sub 2} emissions was also examined if the LHTES subsystems were incorporated in all the residential and building air-conditioning systems. Another field of application of the LHTES is of course transportation. Future vehicle will be electric or hybrid vehicle. However, these vehicles will need considerable energy for air-conditioning. The LHTES system will provide enough energy for this purpose by storing nighttime electricity or rejected heat from the radiator or motor. Melting and solidification of phase change material (PCM) in a capsule is of practical importance in latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems which are considered to be very promising to reduce a peak demand of electricity in the summer season and also reduce carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) emissions. Two melting modes are involved in melting in capsules. One is close-contact melting between the solid bulk and the capsule wall, and another is natural convection melting in the liquid (melt) region. Close-contact melting processes for a single enclosure have been solved using several numerical methods (e.g. Saitoh and Kato, 1994). In addition, close-contact melting heat transfer characteristics including melt flow in the liquid film under inner wall temperature distribution were analyzed and simple approximate equations were already presented by Saitoh and Hoshi (1997). In this paper, the authors will propose an analytical solution on combined close-contact and natural convection melting in horizontal cylindrical and spherical capsules, which is useful for the practical capsule bed LHTES system.« less

Earth Battery: An Approach for Reducing the Carbon and Water Intensity of Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buscheck, T. A.; Bielicki, J. M.; Randolph, J.

2016-12-01

Mitigating climate change requires a range of measures, including increased use of renewable and low-carbon energy and reducing the CO2 intensity of fossil energy use. Our approach, called the Earth Battery, uses the storage of supercritical CO2, N2, or pressurized air to enable utility-scale energy storage needed for increased use of variable renewable energy and low-carbon baseload power. When deployed with CO2, the Earth Battery is designed to address the major deployment barriers to CO2 capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) by managing overpressure and creating a business case for CO2 storage. We use the huge fluid and thermal storage capacity of the earth, together with overpressure driven by CO2, N2, or pressurized air storage, to harvest, store, and dispatch energy from subsurface (geothermal) and surface (solar, fossil) thermal resources, as well as excess energy from electric grids. The storage of CO2, N2, or air enables the earth to function as a low-carbon energy-system hub. Stored CO2, N2, or air plays three key roles: (1) as a supplemental fluid that creates pressure to efficiently recirculate working fluids that store and recover energy, (2) as a working fluid for efficient, low-water-intensity electricity conversion, and (3) as a shock absorber to allow diurnal and seasonal recharge/discharge cycles with minimal pressure oscillations, providing large pressure-storage capacity, with reduced risk of induced seismicity or leakage of stored CO2. To keep reservoir pressures in a safe range, a portion of the produced brine is diverted to generate water. Concentric rings of injection and production wells create a hydraulic divide to store pressure, CO2, N2/air, and thermal energy. Such storage can take excess power from the grid and excess thermal energy, and dispatch that energy when it is demanded. The system is pressurized and heated when power supply exceeds demand and depressurized when demand exceeds supply. The Earth Battery is designed for locations where a permeable geologic formation is overlain by an impermeable formation that constrains migration of buoyant CO2, N2/air, and heated brine. Such geologic conditions exist over half of the contiguous United States. This work was performed under the auspices of the USDOE by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Eddy Covariance Measurements Over a Maize Field: The Contribution of Minor Flux Terms to the Energy Balance Gap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smidt, J.; Ingwersen, J.; Streck, T.

2015-12-01

The lack of energy balance closure is a long-standing problem in eddy covariance (EC) measurements. The energy balance equation is defined as Rn - G = H + λE, where Rn is net radiation, G is the ground heat flux, H is the sensible heat flux and λE is the latent heat flux. In most cases of energy imbalance, either Rn is overestimated or the ground heat and turbulent fluxes are underestimated. Multiple studies have shown that calculations, incorrect instrument installation/calibration and measurement errors alone do not entirely account for this imbalance. Rather, research is now focused on previously neglected sources of heat storage in the soil, biomass and air beneath the EC station. This project examined the potential of five "minor flux terms" - soil heat storage, biomass heat storage, energy consumption by photosynthesis, air heat storage and atmospheric moisture change, to further close the energy balance gap. Eddy covariance measurements were conducted at a maize (Zea mays) field in southwest Germany during summer 2014. Soil heat storage was measured for six weeks at 11 sites around the field footprint. Biomass and air heat storage were measured for six subsequent weeks at seven sites around the field footprint. Energy consumption by photosynthesis was calculated using the CO2 flux data. Evapotranspiration was calculated using the water balance method and then compared to the flux data processed with three post-closure methods: the sensible heat flux, the latent heat flux and the Bowen ratio post-closure methods. An energy balance closure of 66% was achieved by the EC station measurements over the entire investigation period. During the soil heat flux campaign, EC station closure was 74.1%, and the field footprint soil heat storage contributed 3.3% additional closure. During the second minor flux term measurement period, closure with the EC station data was 91%. Biomass heat storage resulted in 1.1% additional closure, the photosynthesis flux closed the gap by an additional 7.8%, air heat storage closure was -0.3% and atmospheric moisture change was negligible with an additional closure of <0.01%. These four terms resulted in a total additional closure of 8.6% over the EC station measurements. The Bowen Ratio post-closure method yielded values most similar to the water balance method over the entire season.

Energy storage using phase-change materials for active solar heating and cooling: An evaluation of future research and development direction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borkowski, R. J.; Stovall, T. K.; Kedl, R. J.; Tomlinson, J. J.

1982-04-01

The current state of the art and commercial potential of active solar heating and cooling systems for buildings, and the use of thermal energy storage with these systems are assessed. The need for advanced latent heat storage subsystems in these applications and priorities for their development are determined. Latent storage subsystems are advantageous in applications where their compactness may be exploited. It is suggested that subsystems could facilitate storage in retrofit applications in which storage would be physically impossible otherwise.

Prototype solar heating and hot water systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Alternative approaches to solar heating and hot water system configurations were studied, parametrizing the number and location of the dampers, the number and location of the fans, the interface locations with the furnace, the size and type of subsystems, and operating modes. A two-pass air-heating collector was selected based on efficiency and ease of installation. Also, an energy transport module was designed to compactly contain all the mechanical and electrical control components. System performance calculations were carried out over a heating season for the tentative site location at Tunkhnana, Pa. Results illustrate the effect of collector size, storage capacity, and use of a reflector. Factors which affected system performance include site location, insulative quality of the house, and of the system components. A preliminary system performance specification is given.

Thermal-Responsive Polymers for Enhancing Safety of Electrochemical Storage Devices.

PubMed

Yang, Hui; Leow, Wan Ru; Chen, Xiaodong

2018-03-01

Thermal runway constitutes the most pressing safety issue in lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors of large-scale and high-power density due to risks of fire or explosion. However, traditional strategies for averting thermal runaway do not enable the charging-discharging rate to change according to temperature or the original performance to resume when the device is cooled to room temperature. To efficiently control thermal runaway, thermal-responsive polymers provide a feasible and reversible strategy due to their ability to sense and subsequently act according to a predetermined sequence when triggered by heat. Herein, recent research progress on the use of thermal-responsive polymers to enhance the thermal safety of electrochemical storage devices is reviewed. First, a brief discussion is provided on the methods of preventing thermal runaway in electrochemical storage devices. Subsequently, a short review is provided on the different types of thermal-responsive polymers that can efficiently avoid thermal runaway, such as phase change polymers, polymers with sol-gel transitions, and polymers with positive temperature coefficients. The results represent the important development of thermal-responsive polymers toward the prevention of thermal runaway in next-generation smart electrochemical storage devices. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Performance analysis on a large scale borehole ground source heat pump in Tianjin cultural centre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Baoquan; Wu, Xiaoting

2018-02-01

In this paper, the temperature distribution of the geothermal field for the vertical borehole ground-coupled heat pump was tested and analysed. Besides the borehole ground-coupled heat pump, the system composed of the ice storage, heat supply network and cooling tower. According to the operation data for nearly three years, the temperature constant zone is in the ground depth of 40m -120m with a temperature gradient of about 3.0°C/100m. The temperature of the soil dropped significantly in the heating season, increased significantly in the cooling season, and reinstated in the transitional season. With the energy balance design of the heating and cooling and the existence of the soil thermal inertia, the soil temperature stayed in a relative stable range and the ground source heat pump system was operated with a relative high efficiency. The geothermal source heat pump was shown to be applicable for large scale utilization.

Potential low cost, safe, high efficiency propellant for future space program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, D.

2005-03-01

Mixtures of nanometer or micrometer sized carbon powder suspended in hydrogen and methane/hydrogen mixtures are proposed as candidates for low cost, high efficiency propellants for future space programs. While liquid hydrogen has low weight and high heat of combustion per unit mass, because of the low mass density the heat of combustion per unit volume is low, and the liquid hydrogen storage container must be large. The proposed propellants can produce higher gross heat combustion with small volume with trade off of some weight increase. Liquid hydrogen can serve as the fluid component of the propellant in the mixtures and thus used by current rocket engine designs. For example, for the same volume a mixture of 5% methane and 95% hydrogen, can lead to an increase in the gross heat of combustion by about 10% and an increase in the Isp (specific impulse) by 21% compared to a pure liquid hydrogen propellant. At liquid hydrogen temperatures of 20.3 K, methane will be in solid state, and must be formed as fine granules (or slush) to satisfy the requirement of liquid propellant engines.

Die another day: Fate of heat-treated Geobacillus stearothermophilus ATCC 12980 spores during storage under growth-preventing conditions.

PubMed

Mtimet, Narjes; Trunet, Clément; Mathot, Anne-Gabrielle; Venaille, Laurent; Leguérinel, Ivan; Coroller, Louis; Couvert, Olivier

2016-06-01

Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores are recognized as one of the most wet-heat resistant among aerobic spore-forming bacteria and are responsible for 35% of canned food spoilage after incubation at 55 °C. The purpose of this study was to investigate and model the fate of heat-treated survivor spores of G. stearothermophilus ATCC 12980 in growth-preventing environment. G. stearothermophilus spores were heat-treated at four different conditions to reach one or two decimal reductions. Heat-treated spores were stored in nutrient broth at different temperatures and pH under growth-preventing conditions. Spore survival during storage was evaluated by count plating over a period of months. Results reveal that G. stearothermophilus spores surviving heat treatment lose their viability during storage under growth-preventing conditions. Two different subpopulations were observed during non-thermal inactivation. They differed according to the level of their resistance to storage stress, and the proportion of each subpopulation can be modulated by heat treatment conditions. Finally, tolerance to storage stress under growth-preventing conditions increases at refrigerated temperature and neutral pH regardless of heat treatment conditions. Such results suggest that spore inactivation due to heat treatment could be completed by storage under growth-preventing conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermal energy storage to minimize cost and improve efficiency of a polygeneration district energy system in a real-time electricity market

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Powell, Kody M.; Kim, Jong Suk; Cole, Wesley J.

2016-10-01

District energy systems can produce low-cost utilities for large energy networks, but can also be a resource for the electric grid by their ability to ramp production or to store thermal energy by responding to real-time market signals. In this work, dynamic optimization exploits the flexibility of thermal energy storage by determining optimal times to store and extract excess energy. This concept is applied to a polygeneration distributed energy system with combined heat and power, district heating, district cooling, and chilled water thermal energy storage. The system is a university campus responsible for meeting the energy needs of tens ofmore » thousands of people. The objective for the dynamic optimization problem is to minimize cost over a 24-h period while meeting multiple loads in real time. The paper presents a novel algorithm to solve this dynamic optimization problem with energy storage by decomposing the problem into multiple static mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problems. Another innovative feature of this work is the study of a large, complex energy network which includes the interrelations of a wide variety of energy technologies. Results indicate that a cost savings of 16.5% is realized when the system can participate in the wholesale electricity market.« less

University of South Florida- Phase Change Materials (PCM)

ScienceCinema

Goswami, Yogi; Stefanakos, Lee

2018-05-30

USF is developing low-cost, high-temperature phase-change materials (PCMs) for use in thermal energy storage systems. Heat storage materials are critical to the energy storage process. In solar thermal storage systems, heat can be stored in these materials during the day and released at night--when the sun is not out--to drive a turbine and produce electricity. In nuclear storage systems, heat can be stored in these materials at night and released to produce electricity during daytime peak-demand hours. Most PCMs do not conduct heat very well. Using an innovative, electroless encapsulation technique, USF is enhancing the heat transfer capability of its PCMs. The inner walls of the capsules will be lined with a corrosion-resistant, high-infrared emissivity coating, and the absorptivity of the PCM will be controlled with the addition of nano-sized particles. USF's PCMs remain stable at temperatures from 600 to 1,000°C and can be used for solar thermal power storage, nuclear thermal power storage, and other applications.

Numerical analysis of single tank thermocline thermal storage system for concentrated solar power plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afrin, Samia

The overall efficiency of a Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plant depends on the effectiveness of Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system. A Single tank TES system has potential to provide effective solution. In a single tank TES system, a thermocline region, which produces the temperature gradient between hot and cold storage fluid by density difference, is used. Preservation of this thermocline region in the tank during charging and discharging cycles depends on the uniformity of the velocity profile at any horizontal plane. One of the major challenges for the single tank thermocline is actually maintaining the thermocline region in the tank, so that it does not spread out to occupy the entire tank. Since the thermocline is a horizontal surface, the hot and cold fluid must be introduce in such a way that it does not disturb the thermocline. If the fluid is introduced in a jet stream, it will disturb the thermocline and mix the hot and cold fluids into a homogeneous medium. So the objective of this thesis is to preserve the thermocline region by maximizing the uniformity of the velocity distribution. An ideal distributor will minimize the thermocline spreading and hence maximize the useable form of thermal energy storage in a single tank system. The performance of two different types of distributors: pipe flow distributor and honeycomb distributor, were checked. The effectiveness of the pipe flow distributor was checked by varying the dimension of the geometry i.e. number of holes, distance between the holes, position of the holes and number of distributor pipes. Thermal energy storage system from solar power relies on high temperature thermal storage units for continuous operation. The storage units should have facilitated with high thermal conductivity and heat capacity storage fluid. Hence it is necessary to find a better performing heat transfer fluid at higher operating temperature. Novel materials such as nanomaterial additives can become cost effective and can increase the operating range of the storage facilities to higher range of temperatures. In this work HitecRTM molten salt is considered as the heat transfer fluid (HTF). The operating temperature of this HTF is 300-500°C. So to increase the thermal properties of this HTF nanomaterial has been added. The effective thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity of the nanofluid were calculated and the thermal effect of this nanofluid was observed from the simulation result.

The use of salinity contrast for density difference compensation to improve the thermal recovery efficiency in high-temperature aquifer thermal energy storage systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Lopik, Jan H.; Hartog, Niels; Zaadnoordijk, Willem Jan

2016-08-01

The efficiency of heat recovery in high-temperature (>60 °C) aquifer thermal energy storage (HT-ATES) systems is limited due to the buoyancy of the injected hot water. This study investigates the potential to improve the efficiency through compensation of the density difference by increased salinity of the injected hot water for a single injection-recovery well scheme. The proposed method was tested through numerical modeling with SEAWATv4, considering seasonal HT-ATES with four consecutive injection-storage-recovery cycles. Recovery efficiencies for the consecutive cycles were investigated for six cases with three simulated scenarios: (a) regular HT-ATES, (b) HT-ATES with density difference compensation using saline water, and (c) theoretical regular HT-ATES without free thermal convection. For the reference case, in which 80 °C water was injected into a high-permeability aquifer, regular HT-ATES had an efficiency of 0.40 after four consecutive recovery cycles. The density difference compensation method resulted in an efficiency of 0.69, approximating the theoretical case (0.76). Sensitivity analysis showed that the net efficiency increase by using the density difference compensation method instead of regular HT-ATES is greater for higher aquifer hydraulic conductivity, larger temperature difference between injection water and ambient groundwater, smaller injection volume, and larger aquifer thickness. This means that density difference compensation allows the application of HT-ATES in thicker, more permeable aquifers and with larger temperatures than would be considered for regular HT-ATES systems.

Mechanical degradation temperature of waste storage materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fink, M.C.; Meyer, M.L.

1993-05-13

Heat loading analysis of the Solid Waste Disposal Facility (SWDF) waste storage configurations show the containers may exceed 90{degrees}C without any radioactive decay heat contribution. Contamination containment is primarily controlled in TRU waste packaging by using multiple bag layers of polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene. Since literature values indicate that these thermoplastic materials can begin mechanical degradation at 66{degrees}C, there was concern that the containment layers could be breached by heating. To better define the mechanical degradation temperature limits for the materials, a series of heating tests were conducted over a fifteen and thirty minute time interval. Samples of a low-densitymore » polyethylene (LDPE) bag, a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) high efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA) container, PVC bag and sealing tape were heated in a convection oven to temperatures ranging from 90 to 185{degrees}C. The following temperature limits are recommended for each of the tested materials: (1) low-density polyethylene -- 110{degrees}C; (2) polyvinyl chloride -- 130{degrees}C; (3) high-density polyethylene -- 140{degrees}C; (4) sealing tape -- 140{degrees}C. Testing with LDPE and PVC at temperatures ranging from 110 to 130{degrees}C for 60 and 120 minutes also showed no observable differences between the samples exposed at 15 and 30 minute intervals. Although these observed temperature limits differ from the literature values, the trend of HDPE having a higher temperature than LDPE is consistent with the reference literature. Experimental observations indicate that the HDPE softens at elevated temperatures, but will retain its shape upon cooling. In SWDF storage practices, this might indicate some distortion of the waste container, but catastrophic failure of the liner due to elevated temperatures (<185{degrees}C) is not anticipated.« less

Flexible operation of thermal plants with integrated energy storage technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koytsoumpa, Efthymia Ioanna; Bergins, Christian; Kakaras, Emmanouil

2017-08-01

The energy system in the EU requires today as well as towards 2030 to 2050 significant amounts of thermal power plants in combination with the continuously increasing share of Renewables Energy Sources (RES) to assure the grid stability and to secure electricity supply as well as to provide heat. The operation of the conventional fleet should be harmonised with the fluctuating renewable energy sources and their intermittent electricity production. Flexible thermal plants should be able to reach their lowest minimum load capabilities while keeping the efficiency drop moderate as well as to increase their ramp up and down rates. A novel approach for integrating energy storage as an evolutionary measure to overcome many of the challenges, which arise from increasing RES and balancing with thermal power is presented. Energy storage technologies such as Power to Fuel, Liquid Air Energy Storage and Batteries are investigated in conjunction with flexible power plants.

Dynamic tuning of optical absorbers for accelerated solar-thermal energy storage.

PubMed

Wang, Zhongyong; Tong, Zhen; Ye, Qinxian; Hu, Hang; Nie, Xiao; Yan, Chen; Shang, Wen; Song, Chengyi; Wu, Jianbo; Wang, Jun; Bao, Hua; Tao, Peng; Deng, Tao

2017-11-14

Currently, solar-thermal energy storage within phase-change materials relies on adding high thermal-conductivity fillers to improve the thermal-diffusion-based charging rate, which often leads to limited enhancement of charging speed and sacrificed energy storage capacity. Here we report the exploration of a magnetically enhanced photon-transport-based charging approach, which enables the dynamic tuning of the distribution of optical absorbers dispersed within phase-change materials, to simultaneously achieve fast charging rates, large phase-change enthalpy, and high solar-thermal energy conversion efficiency. Compared with conventional thermal charging, the optical charging strategy improves the charging rate by more than 270% and triples the amount of overall stored thermal energy. This superior performance results from the distinct step-by-step photon-transport charging mechanism and the increased latent heat storage through magnetic manipulation of the dynamic distribution of optical absorbers.

Theoretical performance of plasma driven railguns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thio, Y. C.; McNab, I. R.; Condit, W. C.

1983-07-01

The overall efficiency of a railgun launch system is the product of efficiencies of its subsystems: prime mover, energy storage, pulse forming network, and accelerator. In this paper, the efficiency of the accelerator is examined in terms of the processes occurring in the accelerator. The principal loss mechanisms include Joule heating in the plasma, in the rails, kinetic energy of the driving plasma and magnetic energy remaining in the accelerator after projectile exit. The mass of the plasma and the atomic weight of the ionic species are important parameters in determining the energy loss in the plasma. Techniques are developed for selecting these parameters of minimize this loss.

Parametric study of rock pile thermal storage for solar heating and cooling phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saha, H.

1977-01-01

The test data and an analysis were presented, of heat transfer characteristics of a solar thermal energy storage bed utilizing water filled cans as the energy storage medium. An attempt was made to optimize can size, can arrangement, and bed flow rates by experimental and analytical means. Liquid filled cans, as storage media, utilize benefits of both solids like rocks, and liquids like water. It was found that this combination of solid and liquid media shows unique heat transfer and heat content characteristics and is well suited for use with solar air systems for space and hot water heating. An extensive parametric study was made of heat transfer characteristics of rocks, of other solids, and of solid containers filled with liquids.

Generation system impacts of storage heating and storage water heating

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gellings, C.W.; Quade, A.W.; Stovall, J.P.

Thermal energy storage systems offer the electric utility a means to change customer energy use patterns. At present, however, the costs and benefit to both the customers and utility are uncertain. As part of a nationwide demonstration program Public Service Electric and Gas Company installed storage space heating and water heating appliances in residential homes. Both the test homes and similiar homes using conventional space and water heating appliances were monitored, allowing for detailed comparisons between the two systems. The purpose of this paper is to detail the methodology used and the results of studies completed on the generation systemmore » impacts of storage space and water heating systems. Other electric system impacts involving service entrance size, metering, secondary distribution and primary distribution were detailed in two previous IEEE Papers. This paper is organized into three main sections. The first gives background data on PSEandG and their experience in a nationwide thermal storage demonstration project. The second section details results of the demonstration project and studies that have been performed on the impacts of thermal storage equipment. The last section reports on the conclusions arrived at concerning the impacts of thermal storage on generation. The study was conducted in early 1982 using available data at that time, while PSEandG system plans have changed since then, the conclusions are pertinent and valuable to those contemplating inpacts of thermal energy storage.« less

Experimental investigation on the thermal performance of heat storage walls coupled with active solar systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Chunyu; You, Shijun; Zhu, Chunying; Yu, Wei

2016-12-01

This paper presents an experimental investigation of the performance of a system combining a low-temperature water wall radiant heating system and phase change energy storage technology with an active solar system. This system uses a thermal storage wall that is designed with multilayer thermal storage plates. The heat storage material is expanded graphite that absorbs a mixture of capric acid and lauric acid. An experiment is performed to study the actual effect. The following are studied under winter conditions: (1) the temperature of the radiation wall surface, (2) the melting status of the thermal storage material in the internal plate, (3) the density of the heat flux, and (4) the temperature distribution of the indoor space. The results reveal that the room temperature is controlled between 16 and 20 °C, and the thermal storage wall meets the heating and temperature requirements. The following are also studied under summer conditions: (1) the internal relationship between the indoor temperature distribution and the heat transfer within the regenerative plates during the day and (2) the relationship between the outlet air temperature and inlet air temperature in the thermal storage wall in cooling mode at night. The results indicate that the indoor temperature is approximately 27 °C, which satisfies the summer air-conditioning requirements.

Thermochemical energy storage: Proceedings from the International Seminar on hermochemical Energy Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wettermark, G.

1980-10-01

Energy storage problems are explored. Tomorrow's energy sources will provide a continuous flow of energy. Matching supply and demand will necessitate a wide range of storage capabilities. For storing heat thermochemical and economic solutions may take advantage of the various options inherent in this kind of storage, namely heat pumping, transport of heat and direct conversion to other desired forms of energy such as electricity and mechanical work. There is a need to regularly summarize the knowledge and research in the field of thermochemical energy storage in different parts of the world.

Integrating CO₂ storage with geothermal resources for dispatchable renewable electricity

DOE PAGES

Buscheck, Thomas A.; Bielicki, Jeffrey M.; Chen, Mingjie; ...

2014-12-31

We present an approach that uses the huge fluid and thermal storage capacity of the subsurface, together with geologic CO₂ storage, to harvest, store, and dispatch energy from subsurface (geothermal) and surface (solar, nuclear, fossil) thermal resources, as well as energy from electrical grids. Captured CO₂ is injected into saline aquifers to store pressure, generate artesian flow of brine, and provide an additional working fluid for efficient heat extraction and power conversion. Concentric rings of injection and production wells are used to create a hydraulic divide to store pressure, CO₂, and thermal energy. Such storage can take excess power frommore » the grid and excess/waste thermal energy, and dispatch that energy when it is demanded, enabling increased penetration of variable renewables. Stored CO₂ functions as a cushion gas to provide enormous pressure-storage capacity and displaces large quantities of brine, which can be desalinated and/or treated for a variety of beneficial uses.« less

Sulfuric acid-sulfur heat storage cycle

DOEpatents

Norman, John H.

1983-12-20

A method of storing heat is provided utilizing a chemical cycle which interconverts sulfuric acid and sulfur. The method can be used to levelize the energy obtained from intermittent heat sources, such as solar collectors. Dilute sulfuric acid is concentrated by evaporation of water, and the concentrated sulfuric acid is boiled and decomposed using intense heat from the heat source, forming sulfur dioxide and oxygen. The sulfur dioxide is reacted with water in a disproportionation reaction yielding dilute sulfuric acid, which is recycled, and elemental sulfur. The sulfur has substantial potential chemical energy and represents the storage of a significant portion of the energy obtained from the heat source. The sulfur is burned whenever required to release the stored energy. A particularly advantageous use of the heat storage method is in conjunction with a solar-powered facility which uses the Bunsen reaction in a water-splitting process. The energy storage method is used to levelize the availability of solar energy while some of the sulfur dioxide produced in the heat storage reactions is converted to sulfuric acid in the Bunsen reaction.

Integration of dye-sensitized solar cells, thermoelectric modules and electrical storage loop system to constitute a novel photothermoelectric generator.

PubMed

Chang, Ho; Yu, Zhi-Rong

2012-08-01

This study self-develops a novel type of photothermoelectric power generation modules. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) serve as the photoelectric conversion system and a copper (Cu) heat-transfer nanofilm coating on both sides of the thermoelectric generator (TEG) acts as a thermoelectric conversion system. Thus module assembly absorbs light and generates electricity by DSSCs, and also recycles waste heat and generates power by the TEG. In addition, a set of pulsating heat pipes (PHP) filled with Cu nanofluid is placed on the cooling side to increase cooling effects and enhance the power generation efficiency. Results show that when the heat source of thermoelectric modules reaches 90 degrees C, TEG power output is increased by 85.7%. Besides, after thermoelectric modules are heated by additional heat source at 80 degrees C, the electrical energy generated by them can let a NiMH cell (1.25 V) be sufficiently charged in about 30 minutes. When photothermoelectric modules is illumined by simulated light, the temperature difference of two sides of TEG can reach 7 degrees C and the thermoelectric conversion efficiency is 2.17%. Furthermore, the power output of the thermoelectric modules is 11.48 mW/cm2, enhancing 1.4 % compared to merely using DSSCs module.

Extended development of a sodium hydroxide thermal energy storage module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1980-01-01

The post-test evaluation of a single heat exchanger sodium hydroxide thermal energy storage module for use in solar electric generation is reported. Chemical analyses of the storage medium used in the experimental model are presented. The experimental verification of the module performance using an alternate heat transfer fluid, Caloria HT-43, is described. Based on these results, a design analysis of a dual heat exchanger concept within the storage module is presented. A computer model and a reference design for the dual system (storage working fluid/power cycle working fluid) were completed. The dual system is estimated to have a capital cost of approximately one half that of the single heat exchanger concept.

Radiotoxicity and decay heat power of spent nuclear fuel of VVER type reactors at long-term storage.

PubMed

Bergelson, B R; Gerasimov, A S; Tikhomirov, G V

2005-01-01

Radiotoxicity and decay heat power of the spent nuclear fuel of VVER-1000 type reactors are calculated during storage time up to 300,000 y. Decay heat power of radioactive waste (radwaste) determines parameters of the heat removal system for the safe storage of spent nuclear fuel. Radiotoxicity determines the radiological hazard of radwaste after its leakage and penetration into the environment.

Venting and High Vacuum Performance of Low Density Multilayer Insulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riesco, M. E.; McLean, C. H.; Mills, G. L.; Buerger, S.; Meyer, M. L.

2010-04-01

The NASA Exploration Program is currently studying the use liquid oxygen, liquid methane and liquid hydrogen for propulsion in future spacecraft for Exploration of the Moon and Mars. This will require the efficient long term, on-orbit storage of these cryogenic propellants. Multilayer Insulation (MLI) will be critical to achieving the required thermal performance since it has much lower heat transfer than any other insulation when used in a vacuum. MLI with a low density (⩽10 layers/cm) has been shown in previous work to be the most mass efficient. The size and mass constraints of these propulsion systems will not allow a structural shell to be used to provide vacuum for the MLI during ground hold and launch. The baseline approach is to purge the MLI during ground hold with an inert gas which is then vented during launch ascent and on-orbit. This paper presents the results on experimental tests and modeling performed by Ball Aerospace on low density, non-perforated MLI used to insulate a cryogenic tank simulating an Exploration cryogenic propellant storage vessel. These include measurements of the rate of venting and of the heat transfer of gas filled insulation, fully evacuated insulation and during the transition in between. Results of transient computer modeling of the MLI venting and heat transfer process are also presented. Previous work by some of the authors performed vent testing using MLI with perforations and slits and a slow pump down rate.

Dampers for Natural Draft Heaters: Technical Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lutz, James D.; Biermayer, Peter; King, Derek

2008-10-27

Energy required for water heating accounts for approximately 40percent of national residential natural gas consumption in California. With water heating contributing such a substantial portion of natural gas consumption, it is important to pay attention to water heater efficiencies. This paper reports on an investigation of a patented, buoyancy-operated flue damper. It is an add-on design to a standard atmospherically vented natural-draft gas-fired storage water heater. The flue damper was expected to reduce off-cycle standby losses, which would lead to improvements in the efficiency of the water heater. The test results showed that the Energy Factor of the baseline watermore » heater was 0.576. The recovery efficiency was 0.768. The standby heat loss coefficient was 10.619 (BTU/hr-oF). After the damper was installed, the test results show an Energy Factor for the baseline water heater of 0.605. The recovery efficiency was 0.786. The standby heat loss coefficient was 9.135 (BTU/hr-oF). The recovery efficiency increased 2.3percent and the standby heat loss coefficient decreased 14percent. When the burner was on, the baseline water heater caused 28.0 CFM of air to flow from the room. During standby, the flow was 12.4 CFM. The addition of the damper reduced the flow when the burner was on to 23.5 CFM. During standby, flow with the damper was reduced to 11.1 CFM. The flue damper reduced off-cycle standby losses, and improved the efficiency of the water heater. The flue damper also improved the recovery efficiency of the water heater by restricting on-cycle air flows through the flue.With or without the flue damper, off-cycle air flow upthe stack is nearly half the air flow rate as when the burner is firing.« less

Thermal energy storage for industrial waste heat recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, H. W.; Kedl, R. J.; Duscha, R. A.

1978-01-01

Thermal energy storage systems designed for energy conservation through the recovery, storage, and reuse of industrial process waste heat are reviewed. Consideration is given to systems developed for primary aluminum, cement, the food processing industry, paper and pulp, and primary iron and steel. Projected waste-heat recovery and energy savings are listed for each category.

Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage: Effect of Metallic Mesh Size on Storage Time and Capacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shuja, S. Z.; Yilbas, B. S.

2015-11-01

Use of metallic meshes in latent heat thermal storage system shortens the charging time (total melting of the phase change material), which is favorable in practical applications. In the present study, effect of metallic mesh size on the thermal characteristics of latent heat thermal storage system is investigated. Charging time is predicted for various mesh sizes, and the influence of the amount of mesh material on the charging capacity is examined. An experiment is carried out to validate the numerical predictions. It is found that predictions of the thermal characteristics of phase change material with presence of metallic meshes agree well with the experimental data. High conductivity of the metal meshes enables to transfer heat from the edges of the thermal system towards the phase change material while forming a conduction tree in the system. Increasing number of meshes in the thermal system reduces the charging time significantly due to increased rate of conduction heat transfer in the thermal storage system; however, increasing number of meshes lowers the latent heat storage capacity of the system.

Medium Deep High Temperature Heat Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bär, Kristian; Rühaak, Wolfram; Schulte, Daniel; Welsch, Bastian; Chauhan, Swarup; Homuth, Sebastian; Sass, Ingo

2015-04-01

Heating of buildings requires more than 25 % of the total end energy consumption in Germany. Shallow geothermal systems for indirect use as well as shallow geothermal heat storage systems like aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) or borehole thermal energy storage (BTES) typically provide low exergy heat. The temperature levels and ranges typically require a coupling with heat pumps. By storing hot water from solar panels or thermal power stations with temperatures of up to 110 °C a medium deep high temperature heat storage (MDHTS) can be operated on relatively high temperature levels of more than 45 °C. Storage depths of 500 m to 1,500 m below surface avoid conflicts with groundwater use for drinking water or other purposes. Permeability is typically also decreasing with greater depth; especially in the crystalline basement therefore conduction becomes the dominant heat transport process. Solar-thermal charging of a MDHTS is a very beneficial option for supplying heat in urban and rural systems. Feasibility and design criteria of different system configurations (depth, distance and number of BHE) are discussed. One system is designed to store and supply heat (300 kW) for an office building. The required boreholes are located in granodioritic bedrock. Resulting from this setup several challenges have to be addressed. The drilling and completion has to be planned carefully under consideration of the geological and tectonical situation at the specific site.

Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell System Gas Storage-Radiator Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burke, Kenneth A.; Jakupta, Ian

2005-01-01

High-energy-density regenerative fuel cell systems that are used for energy storage require novel approaches to integrating components in order to preserve mass and volume. A lightweight unitized regenerative fuel cell (URFC) energy storage system concept is being developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center. This URFC system minimizes mass by using the surface area of the hydrogen and oxygen storage tanks as radiating heat surfaces for overall thermal control of the system. The waste heat generated by the URFC stack during charging and discharging is transferred from the cell stack to the surface of each tank by loop heat pipes, which are coiled around each tank and covered with a thin layer of thermally conductive carbon composite. The thin layer of carbon composite acts as a fin structure that spreads the heat away from the heat pipe and across the entire tank surface. Two different-sized commercial-grade composite tanks were constructed with integral heat pipes and tested in a thermal vacuum chamber to examine the feasibility of using the storage tanks as system radiators. The storage tank-radiators were subjected to different steady-state heat loads and varying heat load profiles. The surface emissivity and specific heat capacity of each tank were calculated. In the future, the results will be incorporated into a model that simulates the performance of similar radiators using lightweight, spacerated carbon composite tanks.

Operation and maintenance of the SOL-DANCE building solar system. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1980-07-29

The Sol-Dance building solar heating system consists of 136 flat plate solar collectors divided evenly into two separate building systems, each providing its total output to a common thermal storage tank. An aromatic base transformer oil is circulated through a closed loop consisting of the collectors and a heat exchanger. Water from the thermal storage tank is passed through the same heat exchanger where heat from the oil is given up to the thermal storage. Back-up heat is provided by air source heat pumps. Heat is transferred from the thermal storage to the living space by liquid-to-air coils in themore » distribution ducts. Separate domestic hot water systems are provided for each building. The system consists of 2 flat plate collectors with a single 66 gallon storage tank with oil circulated in a closed loop through an external tube and shell heat exchanger. Some problems encountered and lessons learned during the project construction are listed as well as beneficial aspects and a project description. As-built drawings are provided as well as system photographs. An acceptance test plan is provided that checks the collection, thermal storage, and space and water heating subsystems and the total system installation. Predicted performance data are tabulated. Details are discussed regarding operation, maintenance, and repair, and manufacturers data are provided. (LEW)« less

Seasonal energy storage system based on hydrogen for self sufficient living

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bielmann, M.; Vogt, U. F.; Zimmermann, M.; Züttel, A.

SELF is a resource independent living and working environment. By on-board renewable electricity generation and storage, it accounts for all aspects of living, such as space heating and cooking as well as providing a purified rainwater supply and wastewater treatment, excluding food supply. Uninterrupted, on-demand energy and water supply are the key challenges. Off-grid renewable power supply fluctuations on daily and seasonal time scales impose production gaps that have to be served by local storage, a function normally fulfilled by the grid. While daily variations only obligate a small storage capacity, requirements for seasonal storage are substantial. The energy supply for SELF is reviewed based on real meteorological data and demand patterns for Zurich, Switzerland. A battery system with propane for cooking serves as a reference for battery-only and hybrid battery/hydrogen systems. In the latter, hydrogen is used for cooking and electricity generation. The analysis shows that hydrogen is ideal for long term bulk energy storage on a seasonal timescale, while batteries are best suited for short term energy storage. Although the efficiency penalty from hydrogen generation is substantial, in off-grid systems, this parameter is tolerable since the harvesting ratio of photovoltaic energy is limited by storage capacity.

Advanced Thermo-Adsorptive Battery: Advanced Thermo-Adsorptive Battery Climate Control System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

HEATS Project: MIT is developing a low-cost, compact, high-capacity, advanced thermoadsorptive battery (ATB) for effective climate control of EVs. The ATB provides both heating and cooling by taking advantage of the materials’ ability to adsorb a significant amount of water. This efficient battery system design could offer up as much as a 30% increase in driving range compared to current EV climate control technology. The ATB provides high-capacity thermal storage with little-to-no electrical power consumption. The ATB is also looking to explore the possibility of shifting peak electricity loads for cooling and heating in a variety of other applications, includingmore » commercial and residential buildings, data centers, and telecom facilities.« less

Modular thermal analyzer routine, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oren, J. A.; Phillips, M. A.; Williams, D. R.

1972-01-01

The Modular Thermal Analyzer Routine (MOTAR) is a general thermal analysis routine with strong capabilities for performing thermal analysis of systems containing flowing fluids, fluid system controls (valves, heat exchangers, etc.), life support systems, and thermal radiation situations. Its modular organization permits the analysis of a very wide range of thermal problems for simple problems containing a few conduction nodes to those containing complicated flow and radiation analysis with each problem type being analyzed with peak computational efficiency and maximum ease of use. The organization and programming methods applied to MOTAR achieved a high degree of computer utilization efficiency in terms of computer execution time and storage space required for a given problem. The computer time required to perform a given problem on MOTAR is approximately 40 to 50 percent that required for the currently existing widely used routines. The computer storage requirement for MOTAR is approximately 25 percent more than the most commonly used routines for the most simple problems but the data storage techniques for the more complicated options should save a considerable amount of space.

An investigation of the Performance of a Conical Solar Water Heater in the Kingdom of Bahrain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaaliche, Nessreen; Ayhan, Teoman; Fathallah, Raouf

2017-11-01

Domestic water heater corresponds to 25% of the house energy consumption and can play an important role to reduce energy house expenses. Solar energy offers a preferred renewable energy resource because of its economic and environmental advantages. It is considered the best alternative to reduce domestic water heater energy consumption cost. Converting solar energy into heat can be considered among the simplest used systems. Solar thermal conversion is more efficient than solar electrical direct conversion method. Solar water heater systems are particularly easy to use and to repair. The integrated conical solar collector water heater (ICSCWH) is so far the easiest among water heating systems. The ICSCWH converts directly and efficiently the solar flux into heat. In order to expand the utilization of ICSCWH systems, many design modifications have been examined and analyzed. This study provides an experimental investigation and mathematical simulation of an ICSCWH system equipped with a glass cover resulting in the increase of the maximum absorption. Integrating the cone-shaped heat collector with an aluminum spiral pipe flow system may enhance the efficiency of the proposed system. In order to maximize the solar radiation of the system, the solar water heater has been designed in a conical shape, which removes the need to change its orientation toward the sun to receive the maximum sun radiation during the day. In this system, the heating of water has been obtained using the spiral pipe flow without the use of the solar cells and mirrors in order to reduce the total cost. The storage water tank of this system is coupled with a conical solar collector. Based on the above design, the solar water heater has been fabricated and tested. In addition, an analytical modeling approach aiming to predict the flow rate within the conical integrated collector storage solar water heater (ICSSWH) and its efficiency, was developed. Modeling through a numerical simulation approach based on energy equations was performed. Considering the entire water amount and the total area of the cone, the amount of water (facing the sun per unit absorbing area in the two symmetrical parts of the system) is found to increase, which is expected to reach a maximum water temperature at a high performance. Our experimental findings show that the daily performance is around 32% and the highest water temperature of about 45°C is obtained in the system at 4 pm, according to seasons and weather conditions. An efficient and simple mathematical simulation approach for the new conical solar water heater is described then validates using experimental data.

Application of multiple-point geostatistics to simulate the effect of small-scale aquifer heterogeneity on the efficiency of aquifer thermal energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Possemiers, Mathias; Huysmans, Marijke; Batelaan, Okke

2015-08-01

Adequate aquifer characterization and simulation using heat transport models are indispensible for determining the optimal design for aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) systems and wells. Recent model studies indicate that meter-scale heterogeneities in the hydraulic conductivity field introduce a considerable uncertainty in the distribution of thermal energy around an ATES system and can lead to a reduction in the thermal recoverability. In a study site in Bierbeek, Belgium, the influence of centimeter-scale clay drapes on the efficiency of a doublet ATES system and the distribution of the thermal energy around the ATES wells are quantified. Multiple-point geostatistical simulation of edge properties is used to incorporate the clay drapes in the models. The results show that clay drapes have an influence both on the distribution of thermal energy in the subsurface and on the efficiency of the ATES system. The distribution of the thermal energy is determined by the strike of the clay drapes, with the major axis of anisotropy parallel to the clay drape strike. The clay drapes have a negative impact (3.3-3.6 %) on the energy output in the models without a hydraulic gradient. In the models with a hydraulic gradient, however, the presence of clay drapes has a positive influence (1.6-10.2 %) on the energy output of the ATES system. It is concluded that it is important to incorporate small-scale heterogeneities in heat transport models to get a better estimate on ATES efficiency and distribution of thermal energy.

Application of multiple-point geostatistics to simulate the effect of small scale aquifer heterogeneity on the efficiency of Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Possemiers, Mathias; Huysmans, Marijke; Batelaan, Okke

2015-04-01

Adequate aquifer characterization and simulation using heat transport models are indispensible for determining the optimal design for Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) systems and wells. Recent model studies indicate that meter scale heterogeneities in the hydraulic conductivity field introduce a considerable uncertainty in the distribution of thermal energy around an ATES system and can lead to a reduction in the thermal recoverability. In this paper, the influence of centimeter scale clay drapes on the efficiency of a doublet ATES system and the distribution of the thermal energy around the ATES wells are quantified. Multiple-point geostatistical simulation of edge properties is used to incorporate the clay drapes in the models. The results show that clay drapes have an influence both on the distribution of thermal energy in the subsurface and on the efficiency of the ATES system. The distribution of the thermal energy is determined by the strike of the clay drapes, with the major axis of anisotropy parallel to the clay drape strike. The clay drapes have a negative impact (3.3 - 3.6%) on the energy output in the models without a hydraulic gradient. In the models with a hydraulic gradient, however, the presence of clay drapes has a positive influence (1.6 - 10.2%) on the energy output of the ATES system. It is concluded that it is important to incorporate small scale heterogeneities in heat transport models to get a better estimate on ATES efficiency and distribution of thermal energy.

Aquifer thermal energy storage. International symposium: Proceedings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-05-01

Aquifers have been used to store large quantities of thermal energy to supply process cooling, space cooling, space heating, and ventilation air preheating, and can be used with or without heat pumps. Aquifers are used as energy sinks and sources when supply and demand for energy do not coincide. Aquifer thermal energy storage may be used on a short-term or long-term basis; as the sole source of energy or as a partial storage; at a temperature useful for direct application or needing upgrade. The sources of energy used for aquifer storage are ambient air, usually cold winter air; waste ormore » by-product energy; and renewable energy such as solar. The present technical, financial and environmental status of ATES is promising. Numerous projects are operating and under development in several countries. These projects are listed and results from Canada and elsewhere are used to illustrate the present status of ATES. Technical obstacles have been addressed and have largely been overcome. Cold storage in aquifers can be seen as a standard design option in the near future as it presently is in some countries. The cost-effectiveness of aquifer thermal energy storage is based on the capital cost avoidance of conventional chilling equipment and energy savings. ATES is one of many developments in energy efficient building technology and its success depends on relating it to important building market and environmental trends. This paper attempts to provide guidance for the future implementation of ATES. Individual projects have been processed separately for entry onto the Department of Energy databases.« less

Evaluation of Losses Of Cold Energy of Cryogen Products in The Transport Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uglanov, Dmitry; Sarmin, Dmitry; Tsapkova, Alexandra; Burdina, Yana

2017-12-01

At present, there are problems of energy saving in various areas of human life and in power complexes of industrial plants. One possible solution to the problem of increasing energy efficiency is the use of liquefied natural gas and its cold energy. Pipelines for fuel or gas supply in cryogen supply systems have different length depending on the mutual position of storage and cryogen consumption devices relatively to a start construction. Cryogen supply and transport systems include a lot of fittings of different assortment. Reservoirs can be installed on different elevation points. To reduce heat inleak and decrease cold energy of cryogen product different kinds of thermal insulation are used. Cryogen pipelines provide required operation conditions of storage and gasifying systems. The aim of the thermal calculation of cryogen transport and supply systems is to define the value of cryogen heat. In this paper it is shown values of cryogen temperature rise due to heat inleaks at cryogen’s transfer along transport systems for ethane, methane, oxygen and nitrogen were calculated. Heat inleaks also due to hydraulic losses were calculated. Specific losses of cold energy of cryogen product for laminar and turbulent flow were calculated. Correspondences of temperature rise, critical pipeline’s length and Reynolds number were defined for nitrogen, argon, methane and oxygen.

Advanced control for ground source heat pump systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hughes, Patrick; Gehl, Anthony C.; Liu, Xiaobing

Ground source heat pumps (GSHP), also known as geothermal heat pumps (GHP), are proven advanced HVAC systems that utilize clean and renewable geothermal energy, as well as the massive thermal storage capacity of the ground, to provide space conditioning and water heating for both residential and commercial buildings. GSHPs have higher energy efficiencies than conventional HVAC systems. It is estimated, if GSHPs achieve a 10% market share in the US, in each year, 0.6 Quad Btu primary energy consumption can be saved and 36 million tons carbon emissions can be avoided (Liu et al. 2017). However, the current market sharemore » of GSHPs is less than 1%. The foremost barrier preventing wider adoption of GSHPs is their high installation costs. To enable wider adoption of GSHPs, the costeffectiveness of GSHP applications must be improved.« less

Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell System Gas Storage/Radiator Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jakupca, Ian; Burke, Kenneth A.

2003-01-01

The ancillary components for Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell (URFC) Energy Storage System are being developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center. This URFC system is unique in that it uses the surface area of the hydrogen and oxygen storage tanks as radiating heat surfaces for overall thermal control of the system. The waste heat generated by the URFC stack during charging and discharging is transferred from the cell stack to the surface of each tank by loop heat pipes. The heat pipes are coiled around each tank and covered with a thin layer of thermally conductive layer of carbon composite. The thin layer of carbon composite acts as a fin structure that spreads the heat away from the heat pipe and across the entire tank surface. Two different sized commercial grade composite tanks were constructed with integral heat pipes and tested in a thermal vacuum chamber to examine the feasibility of using the storage tanks as system radiators. The storage radiators were subjected to different steady-state heat loads and varying heat load profiles. The surface emissivity and specific heat capacity of each tank were calculated. The results were incorporated into a model that simulates the performance of similar radiators using lightweight, space rated carbon composite tanks.

Applications and challenges for thermal energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kannberg, L. D.; Tomlinson, J. T.

1991-04-01

New thermal energy storage (TES) technologies are being developed and applied as society strives to relieve increasing energy and environmental stresses. Applications for these new technologies range from residential and district heating and cooling using waste and solar energy, to high-temperature energy storage for power production and industrial processes. In the last two decades there has been great interest and development of heat storage systems, primarily for residential and commercial buildings. While development has continued, the rate of advancement has slowed with current technology considered adequate for electrically charged heat storage furnaces. Use of chill storage for building diurnal cooling has received substantial development.

The influence of the ocean circulation state on ocean carbon storage and CO2 drawdown potential in an Earth system model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ödalen, Malin; Nycander, Jonas; Oliver, Kevin I. C.; Brodeau, Laurent; Ridgwell, Andy

2018-03-01

During the four most recent glacial cycles, atmospheric CO2 during glacial maxima has been lowered by about 90-100 ppm with respect to interglacials. There is widespread consensus that most of this carbon was partitioned in the ocean. It is, however, still debated which processes were dominant in achieving this increased carbon storage. In this paper, we use an Earth system model of intermediate complexity to explore the sensitivity of ocean carbon storage to ocean circulation state. We carry out a set of simulations in which we run the model to pre-industrial equilibrium, but in which we achieve different states of ocean circulation by changing forcing parameters such as wind stress, ocean diffusivity and atmospheric heat diffusivity. As a consequence, the ensemble members also have different ocean carbon reservoirs, global ocean average temperatures, biological pump efficiencies and conditions for air-sea CO2 disequilibrium. We analyse changes in total ocean carbon storage and separate it into contributions by the solubility pump, the biological pump and the CO2 disequilibrium component. We also relate these contributions to differences in the strength of the ocean overturning circulation. Depending on which ocean forcing parameter is tuned, the origin of the change in carbon storage is different. When wind stress or ocean diapycnal diffusivity is changed, the response of the biological pump gives the most important effect on ocean carbon storage, whereas when atmospheric heat diffusivity or ocean isopycnal diffusivity is changed, the solubility pump and the disequilibrium component are also important and sometimes dominant. Despite this complexity, we obtain a negative linear relationship between total ocean carbon and the combined strength of the northern and southern overturning cells. This relationship is robust to different reservoirs dominating the response to different forcing mechanisms. Finally, we conduct a drawdown experiment in which we investigate the capacity for increased carbon storage by artificially maximising the efficiency of the biological pump in our ensemble members. We conclude that different initial states for an ocean model result in different capacities for ocean carbon storage due to differences in the ocean circulation state and the origin of the carbon in the initial ocean carbon reservoir. This could explain why it is difficult to achieve comparable responses of the ocean carbon pumps in model inter-comparison studies in which the initial states vary between models. We show that this effect of the initial state is quantifiable. The drawdown experiment highlights the importance of the strength of the biological pump in the control state for model studies of increased biological efficiency.

Regenerative Carbonate-Based Thermochemical Energy Storage System for Concentrating Solar Power

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gangwal, Santosh; Muto, Andrew

Southern Research has developed a thermochemical energy storage (TCES) technology that utilizes the endothermic-exothermic reversible carbonation of calcium oxide (lime) to store thermal energy at high-temperatures, such as those achieved by next generation concentrating solar power (CSP) facilities. The major challenges addressed in the development of this system include refining a high capacity, yet durable sorbent material and designing a low thermal resistance low-cost heat exchanger reactor system to move heat between the sorbent and a heat transfer fluid under conditions relevant for CSP operation (e.g., energy density, reaction kinetics, heat flow). The proprietary stabilized sorbent was developed by Precisionmore » Combustion, Inc. (PCI). A factorial matrix of sorbent compositions covering the design space was tested using accelerated high throughput screening in a thermo-gravimetric analyzer. Several promising formulations were selected for more thorough evaluation and one formulation with high capacity (0.38 g CO 2/g sorbent) and durability (>99.7% capacity retention over 100 cycles) was chosen as a basis for further development of the energy storage reactor system. In parallel with this effort, a full range of currently available commercial and developmental heat exchange reactor systems and sorbent loading methods were examined through literature research and contacts with commercial vendors. Process models were developed to examine if a heat exchange reactor system and balance of plant can meet required TCES performance and cost targets, optimizing tradeoffs between thermal performance, exergetic efficiency, and cost. Reactor types evaluated included many forms, from microchannel reactor, to diffusion bonded heat exchanger, to shell and tube heat exchangers. The most viable design for application to a supercritical CO 2 power cycle operating at 200-300 bar pressure and >700°C was determined to be a combination of a diffusion bonded heat exchanger with a shell and tube reactor. A bench scale reactor system was then designed and constructed to test sorbent performance under more commercially relevant conditions. This system utilizes a tube-in tube reactor design containing approximately 250 grams sorbent and is able to operate under a wide range of temperature, pressure and flow conditions as needed to explore system performance under a variety of operating conditions. A variety of sorbent loading methods may be tested using the reactor design. Initial bench test results over 25 cycles showed very high sorbent stability (>99%) and sufficient capacity (>0.28 g CO 2/g sorbent) for an economical commercial-scale system. Initial technoeconomic evaluation of the proposed storage system show that the sorbent cost should not have a significant impact on overall system cost, and that the largest cost impacts come from the heat exchanger reactor and balance of plant equipment, including compressors and gas storage, due to the high temperatures for sCO 2 cycles. Current estimated system costs are $47/kWhth based on current material and equipment cost estimates.« less

Electron-beam-induced information storage in hydrogenated amorphous silicon device

DOEpatents

Yacobi, Ben G.

1986-01-01

A method for recording and storing information in a hydrogenated amorphous silicon device, comprising: depositing hydrogenated amorphous silicon on a substrate to form a charge-collection device; and generating defects in the hydrogenated amorphous silicon device, wherein the defects act as recombination centers that reduce the lifetime of carriers, thereby reducing charge-collection efficiency; and thus in the charge-collection mode of scanning probe instruments, regions of the hydrogenated amorphous silicon device that contain the defects appear darker in comparison to regions of the device that do not contain the defects, leading to a contrast formation for pattern recognition and information storage, in the device, which darkened areas can be restored to their original charge-collection efficiency by heating the hydrogenated amorphous silicon to a temperature of about 100.degree. C. to 250.degree. C. for a sufficient period of time to provide for such restoration.

Parabolic solar cooker: Cooking with heat pipe vs direct spiral copper tubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craig, Omotoyosi O.; Dobson, Robert T.

2016-05-01

Cooking with solar energy has been seen by many researchers as a solution to the challenges of poverty and hunger in the world. This is no exception in Africa, as solar coking is viewed as an avenue to eliminate the problem of food insecurity, insufficient energy supply for household and industrial cooking. There are several types of solar cookers that have been manufactured and highlighted in literature. The parabolic types of solar cookers are known to reach higher temperatures and therefore cook faster. These cookers are currently being developed for indoor cooking. This technology has however suffered low cooking efficiency and thus leads to underutilization of the high heat energy captured from the sun in the cooking. This has made parabolic solar cookers unable to compete with other conventional types of cookers. Several methods to maximize heat from the sun for indirect cooking has been developed, and the need to improve on them of utmost urgency. This paper investigates how to optimize the heat collected from the concentrating types of cookers by proposing and comparing two types of cooking sections: the spiral hot plate copper tube and the heat pipe plate. The system uses the concentrating solar parabolic dish technology to focus the sun on a conical cavity of copper tubes and the heat is stored inside an insulated tank which acts both as storage and cooking plate. The use of heat pipes to transfer heat between the oil storage and the cooking pot was compared to the use of a direct natural syphon principle which is achieved using copper tubes in spiral form like electric stove. An accurate theoretical analysis for the heat pipe cooker was achieved by solving the boiling and vaporization in the evaporator side and then balancing it with the condensation and liquid-vapour interaction in the condenser part while correct heat transfer, pressure and height balancing was calculated in the second experiment. The results show and compare the cooking time, boiling characteristics, overall utilisation efficiencies and necessary comparison between the two system and other existing systems. AIP Proceedings article template has many predefined paragraph styles for you to use/apply as you write your paper. To format your abstract, use the Microsoft Word template style.

Fusion: ultra-high-speed and IR image sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Etoh, T. Goji; Dao, V. T. S.; Nguyen, Quang A.; Kimata, M.

2015-08-01

Most targets of ultra-high-speed video cameras operating at more than 1 Mfps, such as combustion, crack propagation, collision, plasma, spark discharge, an air bag at a car accident and a tire under a sudden brake, generate sudden heat. Researchers in these fields require tools to measure the high-speed motion and heat simultaneously. Ultra-high frame rate imaging is achieved by an in-situ storage image sensor. Each pixel of the sensor is equipped with multiple memory elements to record a series of image signals simultaneously at all pixels. Image signals stored in each pixel are read out after an image capturing operation. In 2002, we developed an in-situ storage image sensor operating at 1 Mfps 1). However, the fill factor of the sensor was only 15% due to a light shield covering the wide in-situ storage area. Therefore, in 2011, we developed a backside illuminated (BSI) in-situ storage image sensor to increase the sensitivity with 100% fill factor and a very high quantum efficiency 2). The sensor also achieved a much higher frame rate,16.7 Mfps, thanks to the wiring on the front side with more freedom 3). The BSI structure has another advantage that it has less difficulties in attaching an additional layer on the backside, such as scintillators. This paper proposes development of an ultra-high-speed IR image sensor in combination of advanced nano-technologies for IR imaging and the in-situ storage technology for ultra-highspeed imaging with discussion on issues in the integration.

Simulation and optimization study of a solar seasonal storage district heating system: the Fox River Valley case study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Michaels, A.I.; Sillman, S.; Baylin, F.

1983-05-01

A central solar-heating plant with seasonal heat storage in a deep underground aquifer is designed by means of a solar-seasonal-storage-system simulation code based on the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) code for Solar Annual Storage Simulation (SASS). This Solar Seasonal Storage Plant is designed to supply close to 100% of the annual heating and domestic-hot-water (DHW) load of a hypothetical new community, the Fox River Valley Project, for a location in Madison, Wisconsin. Some analyses are also carried out for Boston, Massachusetts and Copenhagen, Denmark, as an indication of weather and insolation effects. Analyses are conducted for five different typesmore » of solar collectors, and for an alternate system utilizing seasonal storage in a large water tank. Predicted seasonal performance and system and storage costs are calculated. To provide some validation of the SASS results, a simulation of the solar system with seasonal storage in a large water tank is also carried out with a modified version of the Swedish Solar Seasonal Storage Code MINSUN.« less

Unitized regenerative fuel cell system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burke, Kenneth A. (Inventor)

2008-01-01

A Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell system uses heat pipes to convey waste heat from the fuel cell stack to the reactant storage tanks. The storage tanks act as heat sinks/sources and as passive radiators of the waste heat from the fuel cell stack. During charge up, i.e., the electrolytic process, gases are conveyed to the reactant storage tanks by way of tubes that include dryers. Reactant gases moving through the dryers give up energy to the cold tanks, causing water vapor in with the gases to condense and freeze on the internal surfaces of the dryer. During operation in its fuel cell mode, the heat pipes convey waste heat from the fuel cell stack to the respective reactant storage tanks, thereby heating them such that the reactant gases, as they pass though the respective dryers on their way to the fuel cell stacks retrieve the water previously removed.

Experimental investigations of the performance of a solar air collector with latent heat thermal storage integrated with the solar absorber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charvat, P.; Pech, O.; Hejcik, J.

2013-04-01

The paper deals with experimental investigations of the performance of a solar air collector with latent heat thermal storage integrated with the solarabsorber. The main purpose of heat storage in solar thermal systems is to store heat when the supply of solar heat exceeds demand and release it when otherwise. A number of heat storage materials can be used for this purpose; the phase change materials among them. Short-term latent heat thermal storage integrated with the solar absorber can stabilize the air temperature at the outlet of the collector on cloudy days when solar radiation intensity incident on a solar collector fluctuates significantly. Two experimental front-and-back pass solar air collectors of the same dimensions have been built for the experimental investigations. One collector had a "conventional" solar absorber made of a metal sheet while the solar absorber of the other collector consisted of containers filled with organic phase change material. The experimental collectors were positioned side by side during the investigations to ensure the same operating conditions (incident solar radiation, outdoor temperature).

Nuuanu YMCA Honolulu, Hawaii solar-water-heating project. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1981-10-14

The Nuuanu YMCA is a combination athletic facility and men's dormitory. The building is of masonry construction, and includes a four-story dormitory on which the solar water heating system was mounted. The water storage tank was placed at a higher elevation than the collectors so that the majority of the system would operate in thermosyphon. A small system with a pump is included on another roof of the building and is circulated into the same storage tank. A pump was later added to the thermosyphon system. The system has 182 collector panels, each consisting of a polycarbonate box, low ironmore » tempered glazing, copper waterways and painted aluminum absorber. The water is stored in a 4000-gallon storage tank on the roof. The system provides domestic hot water and serves as a preheat system for the existing building water heaters. The system was installed and met performance criteria. An acceptance test plan is described and data are given. The thermosyphon system was found not to be efficient compared to the pumped system. System operation, maintenance and controls are described, and YMCA energy consumption data are given. Blueprints are included. (LEW)« less

Nuuanu YMCA solar water-heating project (Engineering Materials)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1978-08-13

The Nuuanu YMCA is a combination athletic facility and men's dormitory. The building is of masonry construction, and includes a four-story dormitory on which the solar water heating system was mounted. The water storage tank was placed at a higher elevation than the collectors so that the majority of the system would operate in thermosyphon. A small system with a pump is included on another roof of the building and is circulated into the same storage tank. A pump was later added to the thermosyphon system. The system has 182 collector panels, each consisting of a polycarbonate box, low ironmore » tempered glazing, copper waterways and painted aluminum absorber. The water is stored in a 4000-gallon storage tank on the roof. The system provides domestic hot water and serves as a preheat system for the existing building water heaters. The system was installed and met performance criteria. An acceptance test plan is described and data are given. The thermosyphon system was found not to be efficient compared to the pumped system. System operation, maintenance and controls are described, and YMCA energy consumption data are given. Blueprints are included. These Drawings accompany report No. DOE/CS/31640-T1. (LEW)« less

Development of a Lunar Consumables Storage and Distribution Depot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mueller, Robert P.; Notardonato, William

2004-01-01

NASA is in the preliminary planning stages for a future lunar base as a response to President George W. Bush's recent announcement of a new sustained exploration program beyond low earth orbit. Kennedy Space Center engineers are supporting this program by utilizing experience in Spaceport system design and operations to help develop a Lunar Consumables Depot. This depot will store propellants, life support fluids, and other consumables either transported from Earth or manufactured from In Situ resources. The depot will distribute these consumables in an energy efficient manner to end users including spacecraft, habitation modules, and rovers. This paper addresses some of the changes to lunar base architecture design as a result of advances in knowledge of lunar resources over the past 35 years, as well as technology advances in the area of In Situ Resource Utilization and consumable storage and distribution. A general system level description of the depot will be presented, including overall design philosophy and high level requirements. Finally, specific subsystem technologies that have been or will be developed by KSC will be addressed. Examples of these technologies are automated umbilicals, cryogenic refrigerators, novel storage vessels, advanced heat switches and heat exchangers, and self healing gaskets and wires.

Applications of thermal energy storage to waste heat recovery in the food processing industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wojnar, F.; Lunberg, W. L.

1980-03-01

A study to assess the potential for waste heat recovery in the food industry and to evaluate prospective waste heat recovery system concepts employing thermal energy storage was conducted. The study found that the recovery of waste heat in canning facilities can be performed in significant quantities using systems involving thermal energy storage that are both practical and economical. A demonstration project is proposed to determine actual waste heat recovery costs and benefits and to encourage system implementation by the food industry.

Applications of thermal energy storage to waste heat recovery in the food processing industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wojnar, F.; Lunberg, W. L.

1980-01-01

A study to assess the potential for waste heat recovery in the food industry and to evaluate prospective waste heat recovery system concepts employing thermal energy storage was conducted. The study found that the recovery of waste heat in canning facilities can be performed in significant quantities using systems involving thermal energy storage that are both practical and economical. A demonstration project is proposed to determine actual waste heat recovery costs and benefits and to encourage system implementation by the food industry.

An Investigation on the Thermophysical Properties of a Binary Molten Salt System Containing Both Aluminum Oxide and Titanium Oxide Nanoparticle Suspensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giridhar, Kunal

Molten salts are showing great potential to replace current heat transfer and thermal energy storage fluids in concentrated solar plants because of their capability to maximize thermal energy storage, greater stability, cost effectiveness and significant thermal properties. However one of the major drawbacks of using molten salt as heat transfer fluid is that they are in solid state at room temperature and they have a high freezing point. Hence, significant resources would be required to maintain it in liquid form. If molten salt freezes while in operation, it would eventually damage piping network due to its volume shrinkage along with rendering the entire plant inoperable. It is long known that addition of nanoparticle suspensions has led to significant changes in thermal properties of fluids. In this investigation, aluminum oxide and titanium oxide nanoparticles of varying concentrations are added to molten salt/solar salt system consisting of 60% sodium nitrate and 40% potassium nitrate. Using differential scanning calorimeter, an attempt will be made to investigate changes in heat capacity of system, depression in freezing point and changes in latent heat of fusion. Scanning electron microscope will be used to take images of samples to study changes in micro-structure of mixture, ensure uniform distribution of nanoparticle in system and verify authenticity of materials used for experimentation. Due to enormous magnitude of CSP plant, actual implementation of molten salt system is on a large scale. With this investigation, even microscopic enhancement in heat capacity and slight lowering of freezing point will lead to greater benefits in terms of efficiency and cost of operation of plant. These results will further the argument for viability of molten salt as a heat transfer fluid and thermal storage system in CSP. One of the objective of this experimentation is to also collect experimental data which can be used for establishing relation between concentration of nanoparticles and change in thermophysical properties of molten salt for various types of nanoparticles.

Estimation of efficiency of the heat supply system based on a boiler house and a wind turbine in the northern environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bezhan, A. V.; Minin, V. A.

2017-03-01

This article describes a methodological approach to defining indoor air temperature in buildings heated by a power supply unit consisting of a boiler house and a wind-driven power plant (WDPP). We discuss a heating option for a residential building in the windy conditions of Murmansk city. We proved that, during the periods of strong wind, a WDPP can partially or fully satisfy the heat demand and sometimes even create a surplus of energy. During low wind weather, almost all loads are handled by the boiler house. We considered a possibility to accumulate the surplus energy obtained from a WDPP during strong wind by increasing the temperature in the whole building up to 25°C and further using the accumulated heat during the lowwind period when indoor air temperature may fall below 20°C. This allows saving organic fuel in the boiler house. We demonstrated how indoor air temperature in the building may change throughout the year when using the surplus energy from the WDPP due to thermal storage capacitance of the building. We also provided the results of study, showing favorable energy-related effects of using a WDPP along with the boiler house. It was determined that engaging a WDPP in fulfilling the diagram of heating loads promotes the decrease in the boiler house's contribution to heat supply by 30 to 50%, and using the surplus energy from the WDPP and thermal storage capacitance of the building allows reducing the contribution of the boiler house by 5-15% more in certain months.

Heating and cooling system for an on-board gas adsorbent storage vessel

DOEpatents

Tamburello, David A.; Anton, Donald L.; Hardy, Bruce J.; Corgnale, Claudio

2017-06-20

In one aspect, a system for controlling the temperature within a gas adsorbent storage vessel of a vehicle may include an air conditioning system forming a continuous flow loop of heat exchange fluid that is cycled between a heated flow and a cooled flow. The system may also include at least one fluid by-pass line extending at least partially within the gas adsorbent storage vessel. The fluid by-pass line(s) may be configured to receive a by-pass flow including at least a portion of the heated flow or the cooled flow of the heat exchange fluid at one or more input locations and expel the by-pass flow back into the continuous flow loop at one or more output locations, wherein the by-pass flow is directed through the gas adsorbent storage vessel via the by-pass line(s) so as to adjust an internal temperature within the gas adsorbent storage vessel.

The relevance of rooftops: Analyzing the microscale surface energy balance in the Chicago region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khosla, Radhika

Spatial structure in climate variables often exist over very short length scales within an urban area, and this structure is a result of various site-specific features. In order to analyze the seasonal and diurnal energy flows that take place at a microclimatic surface, this work develops a semi-empirical energy balance model. For this, radiation fluxes and meteorological measurements are determined by direct observation; sensible heat and latent heat fluxes by parameterizations; and the heat storage flux by a 1-D mechanistic model that allows analysis of the temperature profile and heat storage within an underlying slab. Two sites receive detailed study: an anthropogenic site, being a University of Chicago building rooftop, and a natural site, outside Chicago in the open country. Two identical sets of instruments record measurements contemporaneously from these locations during June-November 2007, the entire period for which analyses are carried out. The study yields seasonal trends in surface temperature, surface-to-air temperature contrast and net radiation. At both sites, a temporal hysteresis between net radiation and heat storage flux indicates that surplus energy absorbed during daylight is released to the atmosphere later in the evening. The surface energy balance model responds well to site specific features for both locations. An analysis of the surface energy balance shows that the flux of sensible heat is the largest non-radiative contributor to the roof's surface cooling, while the flux of latent heat (also referred to as evaporative cooling) is the largest heat sink for the soil layer. In the latter part of the study, the surface energy balance model is upgraded by adding the capability to compute changes in surface temperature and non-radiative fluxes for any specified set of thermal and reflective roof properties. The results of this analysis allow an examination of the relationship between the roof temperature, the heat flux entering the building interior through the roof, and the physical properties of the surface. These results hold particular relevance for urban heat island mitigation strategies. Based on the results of this work, recommendations are proposed for widespread adoption of various techniques that enhance building energy efficiency (particularly targeting rooftops), mitigate the negative impacts of the urban heat island, and overcome the current barriers to transforming the market.

Active heat exchange system development for latent heat thermal energy storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lefrois, R. T.; Knowles, G. R.; Mathur, A. K.; Budimir, J.

1979-01-01

Active heat exchange concepts for use with thermal energy storage systems in the temperature range of 250 C to 350 C, using the heat of fusion of molten salts for storing thermal energy are described. Salt mixtures that freeze and melt in appropriate ranges are identified and are evaluated for physico-chemical, economic, corrosive and safety characteristics. Eight active heat exchange concepts for heat transfer during solidification are conceived and conceptually designed for use with selected storage media. The concepts are analyzed for their scalability, maintenance, safety, technological development and costs. A model for estimating and scaling storage system costs is developed and is used for economic evaluation of salt mixtures and heat exchange concepts for a large scale application. The importance of comparing salts and heat exchange concepts on a total system cost basis, rather than the component cost basis alone, is pointed out. The heat exchange concepts were sized and compared for 6.5 MPa/281 C steam conditions and a 1000 MW(t) heat rate for six hours. A cost sensitivity analysis for other design conditions is also carried out.

Integrating Geohydrological Models In ATES-Systems Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloemendal, Martin

2015-04-01

1) Purpose. Accomplish optimal and sustainable use of subsurface for Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES). 2) Scope. A heat pump in combination with an ATES system can efficiently and sustainably provide heating and cooling for user comfort within buildings. ATES systems are popular in moderate climate in which ATES systems are exploited as they are able to save primary energy. While storing warm and cold groundwater, ATES systems occupy a significant amount of the subsurface space, making that the space in the aquifers below cities is becoming scarce [1]. With the rapid growth of the number of ATES systems, the use of the subsurface intensifies, which raises additional questions regarding its sustainability and the long term profitability of the individual systems. In practice considerable difficulties regarding A) the performance of these installations and B) optimal and sustainable use of the subsurface are met. 3) Approach. Recently it was confirmed [2] that ATES systems can be placed closer to each other with limited effect on their energy efficiency. By placing them closer together we introduce the risk of a tragedy of the commons [3]. Therefore it is of importance to know where the warm and cold zones are over time and enable ATES-controllers to use the subsurface optimal and sustainably. From the field of multi agent systems and complex adaptive systems we use approaches and techniques to make an operation and control system that enables to adapt their control not only based on current demand, but also on current aquifer status and expected future demand. We are developing a numerical groundwater model structure which is fed with operational data of different ATES-systems. While doing this we run into challenges and opportunities like; spatial and temporal scale issues, sustaining the storage with balancing thermal storage and extraction at area level, dynamics and relation between hydrological and thermal influence and consequences for spreading of contaminants, using thermal energy storage for "peak-shaving" of wind/solar power production etc.. I will address the following two topics; - Balancing of stored heating and cooling capacity. To sustain an ATES-system heating and cooling capacity storage must more or less balance. Buildings often do not have a similar heating and cooling demand. Placing ATES-well closer to each other offers the opportunity to exchange energy between different buildings in the subsurface to balance heating and cooling capacity. To be able to do so, thorough understanding of the interaction between thermal influence area resulting from highly dynamic and uncertain energy demand from buildings is required. - The hydrological influence area of ATES wells is much bigger than the thermal influence area. Placing wells closer to each other therefor has a significant effect on the mixing of water and spreading of contaminants (which are often present in shallow aquifers under (old) city centers). We use both analytical and numerical approaches to gain insight in patterns of thermal and contaminant spreading and to find solutions in managing these effects. 4) Results and conclusions The subsurface is of crucial importance for intended energy savings. A control system working towards a global optimum for both the subsurface and buildings, instead of a local optimum for an individual building and local ATES will increase the overall efficiency. What is needed for that is insight in the spatial temperature distribution in the subsurface, in combination with adaptive and robust operational rules. We want to prove that a groundwater model simulating active ATES-systems can provide insight in the subsurface temperature distribution to adjust their control strategy in accordance with up-to-date information. Step by step we are solving the problems on this path, I would like to share and discuss my results, solutions and challenges. References [1] Bloemendal, M., Olsthoorn, T., Boons, F., How to achieve optimal and sustainable use of the subsurface for Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage, Energy Policy 66(2014) 104-114 [2] Sommer, W., Valstar, J., Leusbrock, I., Grotenhuis, T., Rijnaarts, H., Optimization and spatial pattern of large-scale aquifer thermal energy storage, Applied Energy 137 (2015) 322-337 [3] Hardin, G., The tragedy of the commons, Science162 (168) 12-13.

High Temperature Aquifer Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ueckert, Martina; Niessner, Reinhard; Baumann, Thomas

2016-04-01

Combined heat and power generation (CHP) is highly efficient because excess heat is used for heating and/or process energy. However, the demand of heat energy varies considerably throughout the year while the demand for electrical energy is rather constant. It seems economically and ecologically highly beneficial for municipalities and large power consumers such as manufacturing plants to store excess heat in groundwater aquifers and to recuperate this energy at times of higher demand. Within the project High Temperature Aquifer Storage, scientists investigate storage and recuperation of excess heat energy into the bavarian Malm aquifer. Apart from high transmissivity and favorable pressure gradients, the hydrochemical conditions are crucial for long-term operation. An enormous technical challenge is the disruption of the carbonate equilibrium - modeling results indicated a carbonate precipitation of 10 - 50 kg/d in the heat exchangers. The test included five injection pulses of hot water (60 °C up to 110 °C) and four tracer pulses, each consisting of a reactive and a conservative fluorescent dye, into a depth of about 300 m b.s.l. resp. 470 m b.s.l. Injection and production rates were 15 L/s. To achieve the desired water temperatures, about 4 TJ of heat energy were necessary. Electrical conductivity, pH and temperature were recorded at a bypass where also samples were taken. A laboratory container at the drilling site was equipped for analysing the concentration of the dyes and the major cations at sampling intervals of down to 15 minutes. Additional water samples were taken and analysed in the laboratory. The disassembled heat exchanger prooved that precipitation was successfully prevented by adding CO2 to the water before heating. Nevertheless, hydrochemical data proved both, dissolution and precipitation processes in the aquifer. This was also suggested by the hydrochemical modelling with PhreeqC and is traced back to mixture dissolution and changing temperatures. Optimising the addition of CO2 might help to reduce hydrochemical processes in the aquifer. As a side effect of the extremely good hydraulic conditions, the research well was flowing freely with up to 19.4 L/s which resulted in a significant mixing of the injected water with formation waters during production. Due to the hydrochemical contrast of the sodium concentration, quantification of inflowing reservoir water was possible. Therefore, prognosis of the temperature development during the operation with flow rates of up to 60 L/s can be stated. Energy recovery consituted at the end of the heat storage test almost 50 % - without considering the influx of the cold reservoir water. Recovery rates of the fluorescent dyes are linked to their different sorption behaviour and variied between 23 % up to 79 %. The tracers are an additional tool for interpreting the groundwater flows and matrix interaction in the aquifer.

Microgravity fluid management requirements of advanced solar dynamic power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Migra, Robert P.

1987-01-01

The advanced solar dynamic system (ASDS) program is aimed at developing the technology for highly efficient, lightweight space power systems. The approach is to evaluate Stirling, Brayton and liquid metal Rankine power conversion systems (PCS) over the temperature range of 1025 to 1400K, identify the critical technologies and develop these technologies. Microgravity fluid management technology is required in several areas of this program, namely, thermal energy storage (TES), heat pipe applications and liquid metal, two phase flow Rankine systems. Utilization of the heat of fusion of phase change materials offers potential for smaller, lighter TES systems. The candidate TES materials exhibit large volume change with the phase change. The heat pipe is an energy dense heat transfer device. A high temperature application may transfer heat from the solar receiver to the PCS working fluid and/or TES. A low temperature application may transfer waste heat from the PCS to the radiator. The liquid metal Rankine PCS requires management of the boiling/condensing process typical of two phase flow systems.

Methods for Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage planning; The hidden side of cities.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaxa-Rozen, M.; Bloemendal, M.; Theo, O.

2017-12-01

Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) systems reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in urban areas, by supplying heating and cooling to buildings with a heat pump combined with seasonal heat storage in aquifers. The climactic and geohydrological conditions required for this technology can be found in many temperate regions around the world; In The Netherlands there are currently approximately 2,200 active systems. Despite this modest adoption level, many urban areas in the Netherlands already struggle to accommodate the subsurface claims needed to further develop ATES under current planning regulations. To identify best practices for ATES planning and maximize the technology's future potential, this work first reviews a set of 24 ATES-plans which were used for the spatial layout of ATES in various urban areas in The Netherlands and the method used to make those plans. This analysis revealed that three crucial elements are found to be missing in current ATES planning: i) a consistent assessment framework which can be used to compare the performance of different planning strategies; ii) a systematic adjustment of ATES design parameters to suit local conditions; iii) the identification and use of aquifer allocation thresholds to guide the choice of a planning strategy. All three steps are elaborated and added to the method. For the latter, these thresholds are identified by exploratory numerical modelling, using a coupled agent-based/geohydrological (MODFLOW) simulation to explore a broad range of scenarios for ATES design and layout parameters. The results give insight in how technical ATES-well design choices affect optimal use of subsurface space and in the trade-of between individual efficiency and overall emission reductions. The improved ATES-planning method now fosters planning and design rules ensuring optimal and sustainable use of subsurface space, i.e. maximizing energy saving by accommodating as much ATES systems as possible while maintaining individual well efficiency.

Thermal management systems and methods

DOEpatents

Gering, Kevin L.; Haefner, Daryl R.

2006-12-12

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.

Work Rate during Self-paced Exercise is not Mediated by the Rate of Heat Storage.

PubMed

Friesen, Brian J; Périard, Julien D; Poirier, Martin P; Lauzon, Martin; Blondin, Denis P; Haman, Francois; Kenny, Glen P

2018-01-01

To date, there have been mixed findings on whether greater anticipatory reductions in self-paced exercise intensity in the heat are mediated by early differences in rate of body heat storage. The disparity may be due to an inability to accurately measure minute-to-minute changes in whole-body heat loss. Thus, we evaluated whether early differences in rate of heat storage can mediate exercise intensity during self-paced cycling at a fixed rate of perceived exertion (RPE of 16; hard-to-very-hard work effort) in COOL (15°C), NORMAL (25°C), and HOT (35°C) ambient conditions. On separate days, nine endurance-trained cyclists exercised in COOL, NORMAL, and HOT conditions at a fixed RPE until work rate (measured after first 5 min of exercise) decreased to 70% of starting values. Whole-body heat loss and metabolic heat production were measured by direct and indirect calorimetry, respectively. Total exercise time was shorter in HOT (57 ± 20 min) relative to both NORMAL (72 ± 23 min, P = 0.004) and COOL (70 ± 26 min, P = 0.045). Starting work rate was lower in HOT (153 ± 31 W) compared with NORMAL (166 ± 27 W, P = 0.024) and COOL (170 ± 33 W, P = 0.037). Rate of heat storage was similar between conditions during the first 4 min of exercise (all P > 0.05). Thereafter, rate of heat storage was lower in HOT relative to NORMAL and COOL until 30 min of exercise (last common time-point between conditions; all P < 0.05). Further, rate of heat storage was significantly higher in COOL compared with NORMAL at 15 min (P = 0.026) and 20 min (P = 0.020) of exercise. No differences were measured at end exercise. We show that rate of heat storage does not mediate exercise intensity during self-paced exercise at a fixed RPE in cool to hot ambient conditions.

Integrated Refrigeration and Storage for Advanced Liquid Hydrogen Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swanger, A. M.; Notardonato, W. U.; Johnson, W. L.; Tomsik, T. M.

2016-01-01

NASA has used liquefied hydrogen (LH2) on a large scale since the beginning of the space program as fuel for the Centaur and Apollo upper stages, and more recently to feed the three space shuttle main engines. The LH2 systems currently in place at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) launch pads are aging and inefficient compared to the state-of-the-art. Therefore, the need exists to explore advanced technologies and operations that can drive commodity costs down, and provide increased capabilities. The Ground Operations Demonstration Unit for Liquid Hydrogen (GODU-LH2) was developed at KSC to pursue these goals by demonstrating active thermal control of the propellant state by direct removal of heat using a cryocooler. The project has multiple objectives including zero loss storage and transfer, liquefaction of gaseous hydrogen, and densification of liquid hydrogen. The key technology challenge was efficiently integrating the cryogenic refrigerator into the LH2 storage tank. A Linde LR1620 Brayton cycle refrigerator is used to produce up to 900W cooling at 20K, circulating approximately 22 g/s gaseous helium through the hydrogen via approximately 300 m of heat exchanger tubing. The GODU-LH2 system is fully operational, and is currently under test. This paper will discuss the design features of the refrigerator and storage system, as well as the current test results.

Solar energy storage via liquid filled cans - Test data and analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saha, H.

1978-01-01

This paper describes the design of a solar thermal storage test facility with water-filled metal cans as heat storage medium and also presents some preliminary tests results and analysis. This combination of solid and liquid mediums shows unique heat transfer and heat contents characteristics and will be well suited for use with solar air systems for space and hot water heating. The trends of the test results acquired thus far are representative of the test bed characteristics while operating in the various modes.

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Combined Sensible/Latent Thermal Energy Storage for High-Temperature Applications.

PubMed

Geissbühler, Lukas; Zavattoni, Simone; Barbato, Maurizio; Zanganeh, Giw; Haselbacher, Andreas; Steinfeld, Aldo

2015-01-01

Combined sensible/latent heat storage allows the heat-transfer fluid outflow temperature during discharging to be stabilized. A lab-scale combined storage consisting of a packed bed of rocks and steel-encapsulated AlSi(12) was investigated experimentally and numerically. Due to the small tank-to-particle diameter ratio of the lab-scale storage, void-fraction variations were not negligible, leading to channeling effects that cannot be resolved in 1D heat-transfer models. The void-fraction variations and channeling effects can be resolved in 2D models of the flow and heat transfer in the storage. The resulting so-called bypass fraction extracted from the 2D model was used in the 1D model and led to good agreement with experimental measurements.

Advanced heat receiver conceptual design study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kesseli, James; Saunders, Roger; Batchelder, Gary

1988-01-01

Solar Dynamic space power systems are candidate electrical power generating systems for future NASA missions. One of the key components of the solar dynamic power system is the solar receiver/thermal energy storage (TES) subsystem. Receiver development was conducted by NASA in the late 1960's and since then a very limited amount of work has been done in this area. Consequently the state of the art (SOA) receivers designed for the IOC space station are large and massive. The objective of the Advanced Heat Receiver Conceptual Design Study is to conceive and analyze advanced high temperature solar dynamic Brayton and Stirling receivers. The goal is to generate innovative receiver concepts that are half of the mass, smaller, and more efficient than the SOA. It is also necessary that these innovative receivers offer ease of manufacturing, less structural complexity and fewer thermal stress problems. Advanced Brayton and Stirling receiver storage units are proposed and analyzed in this study which can potentially meet these goals.

Yearly simulation of a solar-aided R22-DEGDME absorption heat pump system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ileri, A.

1995-12-31

The performance of a solar-aided R22-DEGDME absorption heat pump system designed for 100 kW cooling capacity is investigated by a computer simulation using hourly data for Ankara. In summer the generator, and in winter the evaporator, receives solar energy while the remaining demands are met by auxiliary heaters. When needed, these boost the temperature of the water from the storage tank to the minimum allowable levels which are determined as 20{degree}C in winter and over 80{degree}C in summer. The system performance, judged by the fraction of the load supplied from solar energy, is affected mostly from the climate, source temperaturemore » limit, collector type and area but little from storage tank size, for the sizes and configuration under investigation. With 400 m{sup 2} of high efficiency collectors, the solar energy supplied 38% of the demand in winter and 91% of the demand in summer. 22 refs., 2 figs., 6 tabs.« less

White Pine Co. Public School System Biomass Conversion Heating Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paul Johnson

The White Pine County School District and the Nevada Division of Forestry agreed to develop a pilot project for Nevada using wood chips to heat the David E. Norman Elementary School in Ely, Nevada. Consideration of the project was triggered by a ''Fuels for Schools'' grant that was brought to the attention of the School District. The biomass project that was part of a district-wide energy retrofit, called for the installation of a biomass heating system for the school, while the current fuel oil system remained as back-up. Woody biomass from forest fuel reduction programs will be the main sourcemore » of fuel. The heating system as planned and completed consists of a biomass steam boiler, storage facility, and an area for unloading and handling equipment necessary to deliver and load fuel. This was the first project of it's kind in Nevada. The purpose of the DOE funded project was to accomplish the following goals: (1) Fuel Efficiency: Purchase and install a fuel efficient biomass heating system. (2) Demonstration Project: Demonstrate the project and gather data to assist with further research and development of biomass technology; and (3) Education: Educate the White Pine community and others about biomass and other non-fossil fuels.« less

Investigation of Sensible and Latent Heat Storage System using various HTF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beemkumar, N.; Karthikeyan, A.; Manoj, A.; Keerthan, J. S.; Stallan, Joseph Paul; Amithkishore, P.

2017-05-01

The objective of the work is investigating the latent heat storage system by varying heat transfer fluid (HTF). In this experiment, the effect of using different heat transfer fluids on the combined system is studied while using a low melting phase change material (PCM) i.e., paraffin wax. The heat transfer fluids chosen are water (low boiling fluid) and Therminol-66 (High boiling fluid). A comparison is made between the heat transfers by employing both the Heat transfer fluids. In the beginning, water is made to flow as the HTF and the charging process is undertaken followed by the discharging process by utilizing the different encapsulation materials namely, copper, aluminium and brass. These processes are then repeated for therminol-66 as HTF. At the end of the experiment it was concluded that even though therminol-66 enhances the latent heat storage capacity, water offers a higher sensible heat storage capacity, making it a better HTF for low melting PCM. Similar to above said process the experiments can be conducted for high and medium range melting point PCM with variation of HTF.

Heat Loss is Impaired in Older Men on the Day following Prolonged Work in the Heat.

PubMed

Notley, Sean R; Meade, Robert D; DʼSouza, Andrew W; Friesen, Brian J; Kenny, Glen P

2018-04-21

Prolonged work in the heat may exacerbate the rise in core temperature on the next work day, especially in older workers who display impairments in whole-body heat loss that increase body heat storage and core temperature relative to young adults during heat stress. We therefore evaluated whether whole-body heat loss in older adults was impaired on the day following prolonged work in the heat. Whole-body heat exchange and heat storage were assessed in nine older (53-64 years) males during three, 30-min bouts of semi-recumbent cycling at fixed rates of metabolic heat production (150 (Ex1), 200 (Ex2), 250 Wm (Ex3)), each separated by 15-min recovery, in hot-dry conditions (40°C, 20% relative humidity), immediately prior to (Day 1), and on the day following (Day 2), a prolonged, work simulation (~7.5 h) involving moderate-intensity intermittent exercise in hot-dry conditions (38°C, 34% relative humidity). Total heat loss (evaporative ± dry heat exchange) and metabolic heat production were measured using direct and indirect calorimetry, respectively. Body heat storage was quantified as the temporal summation of heat production and loss. Total heat loss (mean±SD) during Ex1 did not differ between Day 1 and 2 (151±15 and 147±14 Wm, respectively; P=0.27), but was attenuated on Day 2 during Ex2 (181±15 Wm) and Ex3 (218±16 Wm) relative to Day 1 (192±14 and 230±19 Wm, respectively; both P<0.01). Consequently, body heat storage throughout the protocol on Day 2 (276±114 kJ) was 31% greater than on Day 1 (191±87 kJ; P<0.01). Prolonged work in the heat causes next-day impairments in whole-body heat loss, which exacerbate heat storage and may elevate the risk of heat-injury on the following day in older workers.

Dish-mounted latent heat buffer storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manvi, R.

1981-01-01

Dish-mounted latent heat storage subsystems for Rankine, Brayton, and Stirling engines operating at 427 C, 816 C, and 816 C respectively are discussed. Storage requirements definition, conceptual design, media stability and compatibility tests, and thermal performance analyses are considered.

The SERI solar energy storage program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Copeland, R. J.; Wright, J. D.; Wyman, C. E.

1980-01-01

In support of the DOE thermal and chemical energy storage program, the solar energy storage program (SERI) provides research on advanced technologies, systems analyses, and assessments of thermal energy storage for solar applications in support of the Thermal and Chemical Energy Storage Program of the DOE Division of Energy Storage Systems. Currently, research is in progress on direct contact latent heat storage and thermochemical energy storage and transport. Systems analyses are being performed of thermal energy storage for solar thermal applications, and surveys and assessments are being prepared of thermal energy storage in solar applications. A ranking methodology for comparing thermal storage systems (performance and cost) is presented. Research in latent heat storage and thermochemical storage and transport is reported.

Metal-halide mixtures for latent heat energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, K.; Manvi, R.

Some candidates for alkali metal and alkali halide mixtures suitable for thermal energy storage at temperatures 600 C are identified. A solar thermal system application which offer advantages such as precipitation of salt crystals away from heat transfer surfaces, increased thermal conductivity of phase change materials, corrosion inhibition, and a constant monotectic temperature, independent of mixture concentrations. By using the lighters, metal rich phase as a heat transfer medium and the denser, salt rich phase as a phase change material for latent heat storage, undesirable solidification on the heat transfer surface may be prevented, is presented.

Metal-halide mixtures for latent heat energy storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, K.; Manvi, R.

1981-01-01

Some candidates for alkali metal and alkali halide mixtures suitable for thermal energy storage at temperatures 600 C are identified. A solar thermal system application which offer advantages such as precipitation of salt crystals away from heat transfer surfaces, increased thermal conductivity of phase change materials, corrosion inhibition, and a constant monotectic temperature, independent of mixture concentrations. By using the lighters, metal rich phase as a heat transfer medium and the denser, salt rich phase as a phase change material for latent heat storage, undesirable solidification on the heat transfer surface may be prevented, is presented.

NaOH-based high temperature heat-of-fusion thermal energy storage device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1978-01-01

A material called Thermkeep, developed as a low-cost method for the storage of thermal energy for solar electric power generating systems is discussed. The storage device consists of an insulated cylinder containing Thermkeep in which coiled tubular heat exchangers are immersed. A one-tenth scale model of the design contains 25 heat-exchanger tubes and 1500 kg of Thermkeep. Its instrumentation includes thermocouples to measure internal Thermkeep temperatures, vessel surface, heated shroud surface, and pressure gauges to indicate heat-exchanger pressure drops. The test-circuit design is presented and experimental results are discussed.

Thermal storage/discharge performances of Cu-Si alloy for solar thermochemical process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gokon, Nobuyuki; Yamaguchi, Tomoya; Cho, Hyun-seok; Bellan, Selvan; Hatamachi, Tsuyoshi; Kodama, Tatsuya

2017-06-01

The present authors (Niigata University, Japan) have developed a tubular reactor system using novel "double-walled" reactor/receiver tubes with carbonate molten-salt thermal storage as a phase change material (PCM) for solar reforming of natural gas and with Al-Si alloy thermal storage as a PCM for solar air receiver to produce high-temperature air. For both of the cases, the high heat capacity and large latent heat (heat of solidification) of the PCM phase circumvents the rapid temperature change of the reactor/receiver tubes at high temperatures under variable and uncontinuous characteristics of solar radiation. In this study, we examined cyclic properties of thermal storage/discharge for Cu-Si alloy in air stream in order to evaluate a potentiality of Cu-Si alloy as a PCM thermal storage material. Temperature-increasing performances of Cu-Si alloy are measured during thermal storage (or heat-charge) mode and during cooling (or heat-discharge) mode. A oxidation state of the Cu-Si alloy after the cyclic reaction was evaluated by using electron probe micro analyzer (EPMA).

SERI Solar Energy Storage Program: FY 1984

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luft, W.; Bohn, M.; Copeland, R. J.; Kreith, F.; Nix, R. G.

1985-02-01

The activities of the Solar Energy Research Institute's Solar Energy Research Institute's Solar Energy Storage Program during its sixth year are summarized. During FY 1984 a study was conducted to identify the most promising high-temperature containment concepts considering corrosion resistance, material strength at high temperature, reliability of performance, and cost. Of the two generic types of high-temperature thermal storage concepts, the single-tank system was selected using a two-medium approach to the thermocline maintenance. This concept promises low costs, but further research is required. A conceptual design for a sand-to-air direct-contact heat exchanger was developed using dual-lock hoppers to introduce the sand into the fluidized-bed exchanger, and using cyclones to remove sand particles from the output air stream. Preliminary cost estimates indicate heat exchanger subsystem annual levelized costs of about $4/GJ with compressor costs of an additional $0.75/GJ. An economic analysis comparing sensible and latent heat storage for nitrate and carbonate salts with solely sensible heat storage showed 3%-21% cost savings with combined sensible and latent heat storage.

Modeling of hybrid vehicle fuel economy and fuel engine efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Wei

"Near-CV" (i.e., near-conventional vehicle) hybrid vehicles, with an internal combustion engine, and a supplementary storage with low-weight, low-energy but high-power capacity, are analyzed. This design avoids the shortcoming of the "near-EV" and the "dual-mode" hybrid vehicles that need a large energy storage system (in terms of energy capacity and weight). The small storage is used to optimize engine energy management and can provide power when needed. The energy advantage of the "near-CV" design is to reduce reliance on the engine at low power, to enable regenerative braking, and to provide good performance with a small engine. The fuel consumption of internal combustion engines, which might be applied to hybrid vehicles, is analyzed by building simple analytical models that reflect the engines' energy loss characteristics. Both diesel and gasoline engines are modeled. The simple analytical models describe engine fuel consumption at any speed and load point by describing the engine's indicated efficiency and friction. The engine's indicated efficiency and heat loss are described in terms of several easy-to-obtain engine parameters, e.g., compression ratio, displacement, bore and stroke. Engine friction is described in terms of parameters obtained by fitting available fuel measurements on several diesel and spark-ignition engines. The engine models developed are shown to conform closely to experimental fuel consumption and motored friction data. A model of the energy use of "near-CV" hybrid vehicles with different storage mechanism is created, based on simple algebraic description of the components. With powertrain downsizing and hybridization, a "near-CV" hybrid vehicle can obtain a factor of approximately two in overall fuel efficiency (mpg) improvement, without considering reductions in the vehicle load.

Experimental Study of Thermal Energy Storage Characteristics using Heat Pipe with Nano-Enhanced Phase Change Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishna, Jogi; Kishore, P. S.; Brusly Solomon, A.

2017-08-01

The paper presents experimental investigations to evaluate thermal performance of heat pipe using Nano Enhanced Phase Change Material (NEPCM) as an energy storage material (ESM) for electronic cooling applications. Water, Tricosane and nano enhanced Tricosane are used as energy storage materials, operating at different heating powers (13W, 18W and 23W) and fan speeds (3.4V and 5V) in the PCM cooling module. Three different volume percentages (0.5%, 1% and 2%) of Nano particles (Al2O3) are mixed with Tricosane which is the primary PCM. This experiment is conducted to study the temperature distributions of evaporator, condenser and PCM during the heating as well as cooling. The cooling module with heat pipe and nano enhanced Tricosane as energy storage material found to save higher fan power consumption compared to the cooling module that utilities only a heat pipe.

Quality of cut lettuce treated by heat shock: prevention of enzymatic browning, repression of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity, and improvement on sensory evaluation during storage.

PubMed

Murata, Masatsune; Tanaka, Eriko; Minoura, Emiko; Homma, Seiichi

2004-03-01

Stored cut lettuce gradually turns brown on the cut section after several days of storage, because cutting induces phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity, the biosynthesis of polyphenol is promoted, and the polyphenols are oxidized by polyphenol oxidase. Here, the effect of heat shock treatment at 50 degrees C for 90 s on the quality of cut lettuce during cold storage was examined. The heat shock treatment significantly repressed the induction of PAL activity and phenolics accumulation in cut lettuce during storage, and prevented the browning of cut lettuce. Ascorbic acid content was not affected by the heat shock treatment. The sensory analysis showed that the organoleptic quality of cut lettuce treated by heat shock was significantly better than that of the control cut lettuce. These results show that heat shock treatment is useful for prolonging the shelf life of cut lettuce.

Heat Production and Storage Are Positively Correlated with Measures of Body Size/Composition and Heart Rate Drift during Vigorous Running

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buresh, Robert; Berg, Kris; Noble, John

2005-01-01

The purposes of this study were to determine the relationships between: (a) measures of body size/composition and heat production/storage, and (b) heat production/storage and heart rate (HR) drift during running at 95 % of the velocity that elicited lactate threshold, which was determined for 20 healthy recreational male runners. Subsequently,…

Secondary barrier construction for low temperature liquefied gas storage tank carrying vessels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Okamoto, T.; Nishimoto, T.; Sawada, K.

1978-12-05

A new LNG-cargo-tank secondary barrier developed by Japan's Hitachi Shipbuilding and Engineering Co., Ltd., offers ease of fabrication, simple construction, improved efficiency of installation, and protection against seawater ingress as well as LNG leakage. The secondary barrier, intended for use below spherical LNG tanks, consists of unit heat-insulating block plates adhesively secured to the bottom plate of the ship's hold, heat-insulating filling members stuffed into the joints between the block plates, and a protective layer formed on the entire surface of the block plates and the filling members. These unit block plates are in the form of heat-insulating members ofmore » the required thickness, preformed into a square or trapezoidal shape, particularly in the form of rigid-foam synthetic-resin plates.« less

Mathematical modeling and simulation of a thermal system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toropoc, Mirela; Gavrila, Camelia; Frunzulica, Rodica; Toma, Petrica D.

2016-12-01

The aim of the present paper is the conception of a mathematical model and simulation of a system formed by a heatexchanger for domestic hot water preparation, a storage tank for hot water and a radiator, starting from the mathematical equations describing this system and developed using Scilab-Xcos program. The model helps to determine the evolution in time for the hot water temperature, for the return temperature in the primary circuit of the heat exchanger, for the supply temperature in the secondary circuit, the thermal power for heating and for hot water preparation to the consumer respectively. In heating systems, heat-exchangers have an important role and their performances influence the energy efficiency of the systems. In the meantime, it is very important to follow the behavior of such systems in dynamic regimes. Scilab-Xcos program can be utilized to follow the important parameters of the systems in different functioning scenarios.

Status of the DOE /STOR/-sponsored national program on hydrogen production from water via thermochemical cycles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, C. E.

1977-01-01

A pure thermochemical cycle is a system of linked regenerative chemical reactions which accepts only water and heat and produces hydrogen. Thermochemical cycles are potentially a more efficient and cheaper means of producing hydrogen from water than is the generation of electricity followed by electrolysis. The Energy Storage Systems Division of the Department of Energy is currently funding a national program on thermochemical hydrogen production. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is responsible for the technical management of this program. The goal is to develop a cycle which can potentially operate with an efficiency greater than 40% using a heat source providing a maximum available temperature of 1150 K. A closed bench-scale demonstration of such a cycle would follow. This cycle would be labeled a 'reference cycle' and would serve as a baseline against which future cycles would be compared.

Unsteady Stored Heat Behavior in Building Frame of Reinforced Concrete Structure Type Cold Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomura, Tomohiro; Murakami, Yuji; Uchikawa, Motoyuki

The time variation of temperature in the reinforced concrete frame with an internal insulation or with an external insulation and the unsteady stored heat behavior, which results from the thermal mass of the concrete frame, have been investigated. The experiments with the concrete models and the measurements of the heat flux through the practical cold storage were performed. The experimental results under the unsteady condition showed great difference of the stored heat behavior between the internal insulation type and the external type. In addition, it was shown that the external insulation frame was useful for heat storage. The simulation method with two dimentional unsteady FEM was introduced for easily analyzing the stored heat behavior problems of the practical cold storages, which had various specifications in design. The calculated results of the heat flux and temperature in the concrete frame agreed with the experiments approximately. From these results, the suggestions for the design of the insulation wall under the unsteady condition were given.

Predictive performance modeling framework for a novel enclosed particle receiver configuration and application for thermochemical energy storage

DOE PAGES

Martinek, Janna; Wendelin, Timothy; Ma, Zhiwen

2018-04-05

Concentrating solar power (CSP) plants can provide dispatchable power with a thermal energy storage capability for increased renewable-energy grid penetration. Particle-based CSP systems permit higher temperatures, and thus, potentially higher solar-to-electric efficiency than state-of-the-art molten-salt heat-transfer systems. This paper describes a detailed numerical analysis framework for estimating the performance of a novel, geometrically complex, enclosed particle receiver design. The receiver configuration uses arrays of small tubular absorbers to collect and subsequently transfer solar energy to a flowing particulate medium. The enclosed nature of the receiver design renders it amenable to either an inert heat-transfer medium, or a reactive heat-transfer medium that requires a controllable ambient environment. The numerical analysis framework described in this study is demonstrated for the case of thermal reduction of CaCr 0.1Mn 0.9O 3-more » $$\\delta$$ for thermochemical energy storage. The modeling strategy consists of Monte Carlo ray tracing for absorbed solar-energy distributions from a surround heliostat field, computational fluid dynamics modeling of small-scale local tubular arrays, surrogate response surfaces that approximately capture simulated tubular array performance, a quasi-two-dimensional reduced-order description of counter-flow reactive solids and purge gas, and a radiative exchange model applied to embedded-cavity structures at the size scale of the full receiver. In this work we apply the numerical analysis strategy to a single receiver configuration, but the framework can be generically applicable to alternative enclosed designs. In conclusion, we assess sensitivity of receiver performance to surface optical properties, heat-transfer coefficients, solids outlet temperature, and purge-gas feed rates, and discuss the significance of model assumptions and results for future receiver development.« less

Time-lapse electrical resistivity imaging of the thermally affected zone of a Borehole Thermal Energy Storage system near Torino (Northern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giordano, N.; Arato, A.; Comina, C.; Mandrone, G.

2017-05-01

A Borehole Thermal Energy Storage living lab was built up nearby Torino (Northern Italy). This living lab aims at testing the ability of the alluvial deposits of the north-western Po Plain to store the thermal energy collected by solar thermal panels and the efficiency of energy storage systems in this climatic context. Different monitoring approaches have been tested and analyzed since the start of the thermal injection in April 2014. Underground temperature monitoring is constantly undertaken by means of several temperature sensors located along the borehole heat exchangers and within the hydraulic circuit. Nevertheless, this can provide only pointwise information about underground temperature distribution. For this reason, a geophysical approach is proposed in order to image the thermally affected zone (TAZ) caused by the heat injection: surface electrical resistivity measurements were carried out with this purpose. In the present paper, results of time-lapse acquisitions during a heating day are reported with the aim of imaging the thermal plume evolution within the subsoil. Resistivity data, calibrated on local temperature measurements, have shown their potentiality in imaging the heated plume of the system and depicting its evolution throughout the day. Different types of data processing were adopted in order to face issues mainly related to a highly urbanized environment. The use of apparent resistivity proved to be in valid agreement with the results of different inversion approaches. The inversion processes did not significantly improve the qualitative and quantitative TAZ imaging in comparison to the pseudo-sections. This suggested the usefulness of apparent resistivity data alone for a rough monitoring of TAZ in this kind of applications.

Predictive performance modeling framework for a novel enclosed particle receiver configuration and application for thermochemical energy storage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Martinek, Janna; Wendelin, Timothy; Ma, Zhiwen

Concentrating solar power (CSP) plants can provide dispatchable power with a thermal energy storage capability for increased renewable-energy grid penetration. Particle-based CSP systems permit higher temperatures, and thus, potentially higher solar-to-electric efficiency than state-of-the-art molten-salt heat-transfer systems. This paper describes a detailed numerical analysis framework for estimating the performance of a novel, geometrically complex, enclosed particle receiver design. The receiver configuration uses arrays of small tubular absorbers to collect and subsequently transfer solar energy to a flowing particulate medium. The enclosed nature of the receiver design renders it amenable to either an inert heat-transfer medium, or a reactive heat-transfer medium that requires a controllable ambient environment. The numerical analysis framework described in this study is demonstrated for the case of thermal reduction of CaCr 0.1Mn 0.9O 3-more » $$\\delta$$ for thermochemical energy storage. The modeling strategy consists of Monte Carlo ray tracing for absorbed solar-energy distributions from a surround heliostat field, computational fluid dynamics modeling of small-scale local tubular arrays, surrogate response surfaces that approximately capture simulated tubular array performance, a quasi-two-dimensional reduced-order description of counter-flow reactive solids and purge gas, and a radiative exchange model applied to embedded-cavity structures at the size scale of the full receiver. In this work we apply the numerical analysis strategy to a single receiver configuration, but the framework can be generically applicable to alternative enclosed designs. In conclusion, we assess sensitivity of receiver performance to surface optical properties, heat-transfer coefficients, solids outlet temperature, and purge-gas feed rates, and discuss the significance of model assumptions and results for future receiver development.« less

Hybrid and conventional hydrogen engine vehicles that meet EZEV emissions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aceves, S.M.; Smith, J.R.

In this paper, a time-dependent engine model is used for predicting hydrogen engine efficiency and emissions. The model uses basic thermodynamic equations for the compression and expansion processes, along with an empirical correlation for heat transfer, to predict engine indicated efficiency. A friction correlation and a supercharger/turbocharger model are then used to calculate brake thermal efficiency. The model is validated with many experimental points obtained in a recent evaluation of a hydrogen research engine. A The validated engine model is then used to calculate fuel economy and emissions for three hydrogen-fueled vehicles: a conventional, a parallel hybrid, and a seriesmore » hybrid. All vehicles use liquid hydrogen as a fuel. The hybrid vehicles use a flywheel for energy storage. Comparable ultra capacitor or battery energy storage performance would give similar results. This paper analyzes the engine and flywheel sizing requirements for obtaining a desired level of performance. The results indicate that hydrogen lean-burn spark-ignited engines can provide a high fuel economy and Equivalent Zero Emission Vehicle (EZEV) levels in the three vehicle configurations being analyzed.« less

A&M. Radioactive parts security storage area, heat removal storage casks. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

A&M. Radioactive parts security storage area, heat removal storage casks. Plan, section, and details. Ralph M. Parsons 1480-7 ANP/GE-3-720-S-1. Date: November 1958. Approved by INEEL Classification Office for public release. INEEL index no. 034-0720-60-693-107459 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Test Area North, Scoville, Butte County, ID

Methods of forming thermal management systems and thermal management methods

DOEpatents

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.

Active latent heat storage with a screw heat exchanger - experimental results for heat transfer and concept for high pressure steam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zipf, Verena; Willert, Daniel; Neuhäuser, Anton

2016-05-01

An innovative active latent heat storage concept was invented and developed at Fraunhofer ISE. It uses a screw heat exchanger (SHE) for the phase change during the transport of a phase change material (PCM) from a cold to a hot tank or vice versa. This separates heat transfer and storage tank in comparison to existing concepts. A test rig has been built in order to investigate the heat transfer coefficients of the SHE during melting and crystallization of the PCM. The knowledge of these characteristics is crucial in order to assess the performance of the latent heat storage in a thermal system. The test rig contains a double shafted SHE, which is heated or cooled with thermal oil. The overall heat transfer coefficient U and the convective heat transfer coefficient on the PCM side hPCM both for charging and discharging have been calculated based on the measured data. For charging, the overall heat transfer coefficient in the tested SHE was Uch = 308 W/m2K and for discharging Udis = 210 W/m2K. Based on the values for hPCM the overall heat transfer coefficients for a larger SHE with steam as heat transfer fluid and an optimized geometry were calculated with Uch = 320 W/m2K for charging and Udis = 243 W/m2K for discharging. For pressures as high as p = 100 bar, an SHE concept has been developed, which uses an organic fluid inside the flight of the SHE as working media. With this concept, the SHE can also be deployed for very high pressure, e.g. as storage in solar thermal power plants.

Parametric study of thermal storage containing rocks or fluid filled cans for solar heating and cooling, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saha, H.

1981-01-01

The test data and an analysis of the heat transfer characteristics of a solar thermal energy storage bed utilizing water filled cans and standard bricks as energy storage medium are presented. This experimental investigation was initiated to find a usable heat intensive solar thermal storage device other than rock storage and water tank. Four different sizes of soup cans were stacked in a chamber in three different arrangements-vertical, horizontal, and random. Air is used as transfer medium for charging and discharge modes at three different mass flow rates and inlet air temperature respectively. These results are analyzed and compared, which show that a vertical stacking and medium size cans with Length/Diameter (L/D) ratio close to one have better average characteristics of heat transfer and pressure drop.

Thermal Energy Storage using PCM for Solar Domestic Hot Water Systems: A Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khot, S. A.; Sane, N. K.; Gawali, B. S.

2012-06-01

Thermal energy storage using phase chase materials (PCM) has received considerable attention in the past two decades for time dependent energy source such as solar energy. From several experimental and theoretical analyses that have been made to assess the performance of thermal energy storage systems, it has been demonstrated that PCM-based systems are reliable and viable options. This paper covers such information on PCMs and PCM-based systems developed for the application of solar domestic hot water system. In addition, economic analysis of thermal storage system using PCM in comparison with conventional storage system helps to validate its commercial possibility. From the economic analysis, it is found that, PCM based solar domestic hot water system (SWHS) provides 23 % more cumulative and life cycle savings than conventional SWHS and will continue to perform efficiently even after 15 years due to application of non-metallic tank. Payback period of PCM-based system is also less compared to conventional system. In conclusion, PCM based solar water heating systems can meet the requirements of Indian climatic situation in a cost effective and reliable manner.

OVERVIEW OF CENTRAL HEATING PLANT, WITH OIL STORAGE ON LEFT, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

OVERVIEW OF CENTRAL HEATING PLANT, WITH OIL STORAGE ON LEFT, BOILER BUILDING ON RIGHT, SOUTH AND EAST ELEVATIONS, CAMERA FACING NORTH. - New Haven Rail Yard, Central Steam Plant and Oil Storage, Vicinity of Union Avenue, New Haven, New Haven County, CT

High Temperature Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage to Augment Solar Thermal Propulsion for Microsatellites

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-30

Solar Thermal Propulsion for Micro. Sats 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Matthew R. Gilpin 5d...ABSTRACT Solar thermal propulsion (STP) offers an unique combination of thrust and efficiency, providing greater total V capability than chemical...to conventional technologies. The trend in solar thermal research over the past two decades has been towards simplification and miniaturization to

Analysis and assessment of STES technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, D. R.; Blahnik, D. E.; Huber, H. D.

1982-12-01

Technical and economic assessments completed in FY 1982 in support of the Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage (STES) segment of the Underground Energy Storage Program included: (1) a detailed economic investigation of the cost of heat storage in aquifers, (2) documentation for AQUASTOR, a computer model for analyzing aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) coupled with district heating or cooling, and (3) a technical and economic evaluation of several ice storage concepts. This paper summarizes the research efforts and main results of each of these three activities. In addition, a detailed economic investigation of the cost of chill storage in aquifers is currently in progress. The work parallels that done for ATES heat storage with technical and economic assumptions being varied in a parametric analysis of the cost of ATES delivered chill. The computer model AQUASTOR is the principal analytical tool being employed.

Thermal Impact of Medium Deep Borehole Thermal Energy Storage on the Shallow Subsurface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welsch, Bastian; Schulte, Daniel O.; Rühaak, Wolfram; Bär, Kristian; Sass, Ingo

2017-04-01

Borehole heat exchanger arrays are a well-suited and already widely applied method for exploiting the shallow subsurface as seasonal heat storage. However, in most of the populated regions the shallow subsurface also comprises an important aquifer system used for drinking water production. Thus, the operation of shallow geothermal heat storage systems leads to a significant increase in groundwater temperatures in the proximity of the borehole heat exchanger array. The magnitude of the impact on groundwater quality and microbiology associated with this temperature rise is controversially discussed. Nevertheless, the protection of shallow groundwater resources has priority. Accordingly, water authorities often follow restrictive permission policies for building such storage systems. An alternative approach to avoid this issue is the application of medium deep borehole heat exchanger arrays instead of shallow ones. The thermal impact on shallow aquifers can be significantly reduced as heat is stored at larger depth. Moreover, it can be further diminished by the installation of a thermally insulating materials in the upper section of the borehole heat exchangers. Based on a numerical simulation study, the advantageous effects of medium deep borehole thermal energy storage are demonstrated and quantified. A finite element software is used to model the heat transport in the subsurface in 3D, while the heat transport in the borehole heat exchangers is solved analytically in 1D. For this purpose, an extended analytical solution is implemented, which also allows for the consideration of a thermally insulating borehole section.

Method for utilizing decay heat from radioactive nuclear wastes

DOEpatents

Busey, H.M.

1974-10-14

Management of radioactive heat-producing waste material while safely utilizing the heat thereof is accomplished by encapsulating the wastes after a cooling period, transporting the capsules to a facility including a plurality of vertically disposed storage tubes, lowering the capsules as they arrive at the facility into the storage tubes, cooling the storage tubes by circulating a gas thereover, employing the so heated gas to obtain an economically beneficial result, and continually adding waste capsules to the facility as they arrive thereat over a substantial period of time.

Fusible pellet transport and storage of heat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bahrami, P. A.

1982-01-01

A new concept for both transport and storage of heat at high temperatures and heat fluxes is introduced and the first steps in analysis of its feasibility is taken. The concept utilizes the high energy storage capability of materials undergoing change of phase. The phase change material, for example a salt, is encapsulated in corrosion resistant sealed pellets and transported in a carrier fluid to heat source and storage. Calculations for heat transport from a typical solar collector indicate that the pellet mass flow rates are relatively small and that the required pumping power is only a small fraction of the energy transport capability of the system. Salts and eutectic salt mixtures as candidate phase change materials are examined and discussed. Finally, the time periods for melting or solidification of sodium chloride pellets is investigated and reported.

Fusible pellet transport and storage of heat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahrami, P. A.

1982-06-01

A new concept for both transport and storage of heat at high temperatures and heat fluxes is introduced and the first steps in analysis of its feasibility is taken. The concept utilizes the high energy storage capability of materials undergoing change of phase. The phase change material, for example a salt, is encapsulated in corrosion resistant sealed pellets and transported in a carrier fluid to heat source and storage. Calculations for heat transport from a typical solar collector indicate that the pellet mass flow rates are relatively small and that the required pumping power is only a small fraction of the energy transport capability of the system. Salts and eutectic salt mixtures as candidate phase change materials are examined and discussed. Finally, the time periods for melting or solidification of sodium chloride pellets is investigated and reported.

Actual versus predicted performance of an active solar heating system - A comparison using FCHART 4.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wetzel, P. E.

1981-11-01

The performance of an active solar heating system added to a house in Denver, CO was compared with predictions made by the FCHART 4.0 computer program. The house featured 43.23 sq m of collectors with an ethylene-glycol/water heat transfer fluid, and a 3.23 cu m storage tank. The house hot water was preheated in the storage tank, and home space heat was furnished whenever the storage water was above 32 C. Actual meteorological and heating demand data were used for the comparison, rather than long-term averages. Although monthly predictions by the FCHART program were found to diverge from measured data, the annual demand and supply predictions provided a good fit, i.e. within 9%, and were within 1% of the measured solar energy contributed to storage.

The 1980 report on NRL energy storage program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chubb, T. A.; Nemecek, J. J.; Simmons, D. E.; Veith, R. J.

1981-03-01

The development of a means for bulk storage of energy in a form capable of providing demand sensitive steam, heat, or cooling is described. Salt eutectic systems availability and costs of salts, progress on the 2 MWht energy storage boiler tank under construction at NRL, and major elements of storage system costs for this 2 MWht tank which employs a heat transfer fluid are discussed. A radiation coupled energy storage tank concept is also discussed.

Final Technical Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Newmarker, Marc; Campbell, Mark

2012-03-16

Design, validate at prototype level, and then demonstrate a full size, 800 MWht Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system based on Phase Changing Material (PCM) TES modules with round trip efficiency in excess of 93%. The PCM TES module would be the building block of a TES system which can be deployed at costs inline with the DOE benchmark of 2020. The development of a reliable, unsophisticated, modular, and scalable TES system designed to be massmanufactured utilizing advanced automated fabrication and assembly processes and field installed in the most cost-effective configuration could facilitate the attainment of a Levelized Cost of Energymore » (LCOE) of $.07/kWh by 2015. It was believed that the DOE targets can be attained by finding the best combinationTES module size, its optimal integration in the power cycle, and readily available PCM. Work under this project ultimately focused on the development and performance evaluation of a 100kWht prototype heat exchanger. The design utilizes a commercially available heat exchanger product to create a unique latent heat PCM storage module. The novel ideal associated with this technology is the inclusion of an agitation mechanism that is activated during the discharge process to improve heat transfer. The prototype unit did not meet the performance goals estimated through modeling, nor did the estimated costs of the system fall in line with the goals established by DOE.« less

Geometrical effects on the concentrated behavior of heat flux in metamaterials thermal harvesting devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Guoqiang; Zhang, Haochun; Xie, Ming; Jin, Yan

2017-10-01

Thermal harvesting devices based on transformation optics, which can manipulate the heat flux concentration significantly through rational arrangements of the conductivities, have attracted considerable interest owing to several great potential applications of the technique for high-efficiency thermal conversion and collection. However, quantitative studies on the geometrical effects, particularly wedge angles, on the harvesting behaviors are rare. In this paper, we adopt wedge structure-based thermal harvesting schemes, and focus on the effects of the geometrical parameters including the radii ratios and wedge angles on the harvesting performance. The temperature deformations at the boundaries of the compressional region and temperature gradients for the different schemes with varying design parameters are investigated. Moreover, a concept for temperature stabilization was derived to evaluate the fluctuation in the energy distributions. In addition, the effects of interface thermal resistances have been investigated. Considering the changes in the radii ratios and wedge angles, we proposed a modification of the harvesting efficiency to quantitatively assess the concentration performance, which was verified through random tests and previously fabricated devices. In general, this study indicates that a smaller radii ratio contributes to a better harvesting behavior, but causes larger perturbations in the thermal profiles owing to a larger heat loss. We also find that a smaller wedge angle is beneficial to ensuring a higher concentration efficiency with less energy perturbations. These findings can be used to guide the improvement of a thermal concentrator with a high efficiency in reference to its potential applications as novel heat storage, thermal sensors, solar cells, and thermoelectric devices.

Membrane-lined foundations for liquid thermal storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourne, R. C.

1981-06-01

The membrane lined storage (MLS) container which is a spinoff of vinyl-lined swimming pool and waterbed technologies was developed. The state of development of MLS was evaluated and concepts for MLS structural and heat transfer systems were improved. Preferred structural supports were identified and designed for 1500 gal MLS containers for basement, crawl space, and slab-on-grade foundation types. Techniques are developed to provide space heating via forced air through a finned storage jacket for the two preferred structural enclosure designs. Cost effectiveness of the direct air heating technique is evaluated. Alternate free convection domestic water preheaters and a preferred heat exchanger material is selected. Collector and space heat inlet/outlet designs, design concepts for auxiliary heat input to MLS from resistance electric, combustion, and heat pump sources are developed.

Performance data for a desuperheater integrated to a thermal energy storage system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, A.H.W.; Jones, J.W.

1995-11-01

Desuperheaters are heat exchangers that recover heat from the compressor discharge gas to heat domestic hot water. The objective of this project was to conduct performance tests for a desuperheater in the cooling and heating modes of a thermal energy storage system so as to form a data base on the steady state performance of a residential desuperheater unit. The desuperheater integrated to a thermal energy storage system was installed in the Dual-Air Loop Test Facility at The Center for Energy Studies, the University of Texas at Austin. The major components of the system consist of the refrigerant compressor, domesticmore » hot water (DHW) desuperheater, thermal storage tank with evaporator/condenser coil, outdoor air coil, DHW storage tank, DHW circulating pump, space conditioning water circulation pump, and indoor heat exchanger. Although measurements were made to quantity space heating, space cooling, and domestic water heating, this paper only emphasizes the desuperheater performance of the unit. Experiments were conducted to study the effects of various outdoor temperature and entering water temperature on the performance of the desuperheater/TES system. In the cooling and heating modes, the desuperheater captured 5 to 18 percent and 8 to 17 percent, respectively, of the heat that would be normally rejected through the air coil condenser. At higher outdoor temperature, the desuperheater captured more heat. it was also noted that the heating and cooling COPs decreased with entering water temperature. The information generated in the experimental efforts could be used to form a data base on the steady state performance of a residential desuperheater unit.« less

Engineering Sedimentary Geothermal Resources for Large-Scale Dispatchable Renewable Electricity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bielicki, Jeffrey; Buscheck, Thomas; Chen, Mingjie; Sun, Yunwei; Hao, Yue; Saar, Martin; Randolph, Jimmy

2014-05-01

Mitigating climate change requires substantial penetration of renewable energy and economically viable options for CO2 capture and storage (CCS). We present an approach using CO2 and N2 in sedimentary basin geothermal resources that (1) generates baseload and dispatchable power, (2) efficiently stores large amounts of energy, and (3) enables seasonal storage of solar energy, all which (5) increase the value of CO2 and render CCS commercially viable. Unlike the variability of solar and wind resources, geothermal heat is a constant source of renewable energy. Using CO2 as a supplemental geothermal working fluid, in addition to brine, reduces the parasitic load necessary to recirculate fluids. Adding N2 is beneficial because it is cheaper, will not react with materials and subsurface formations, and enables bulk energy storage. The high coefficients of thermal expansion of CO2 and N2 (a) augment reservoir pressure, (b) generate artesian flow at the production wells, and (c) produce self-convecting thermosiphons that directly convert reservoir heat to mechanical energy for fluid recirculation. Stored pressure drives fluid production and responds faster than conventional brine-based geothermal systems. Our design uses concentric rings of horizontal wells to create a hydraulic divide that stores supplemental fluids and pressure. Production and injection wells are controlled to schedule power delivery and time-shift the parasitic power necessary to separate N2 from air and compress it for injection. The parasitic load can be scheduled during minimum power demand or when there is excess electricity from wind or solar. Net power output can nearly equal gross power output during peak demand, and energy storage is almost 100% efficient because it is achieved by the time-shift. Further, per-well production rates can take advantage of the large productivity of horizontal wells, with greater leveraging of well costs, which often constitute a major portion of capital costs for geothermal power systems.

Environmental profile of latent energy storage materials applied to industrial systems.

PubMed

López-Sabirón, Ana M; Aranda-Usón, Alfonso; Mainar-Toledo, M D; Ferreira, Victor J; Ferreira, Germán

2014-03-01

Industry sector is an intensive-energy consumer and approximately 20-50% of industrial energy consumption is lost as waste heat. Therefore, there is a great potential for reducing energy consumption and, subsequently, decreasing the fossil fuels used if this lost energy can be recovered. Thermal Energy Storage (TES) based on Latent Heat Storage systems (LHS) using Phase Change Materials (PCMs) has become one of the most feasible solutions in achieving energy savings through waste heat recovery, especially when there is a mismatch between the supply and consumption of energy processes. In this paper, a shell and tube heat exchanger incorporating PCMs has been considered to store the excess energy available in an industrial process. Several attempts have been made to design the most appropriate system considering many cost-benefit and technical criteria to maximise the heat recovery. However, the environmental criterion also is an important factor when determining whether this technology is not only energy and cost-efficient but also environmentally friendly, considering the whole life of the system from its manufacture to its disposal. To this end, this research includes a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to determine whether the energy savings of conventional fuels during the operation stage are large enough to balance the environmental impact originated in an industrial TES system including the manufacture, use and disposal phases. Inputs and outputs of each management stage have been defined, and the inventory emissions calculated by SIMAPRO v7.3.2. A midpoint and endpoint approaches have been carried out using two methods, CML 2001 and Eco-indicator 99, respectively. As a preliminary result, a promising reduction in the overall impacts was obtained by the use of this technology. From the environmental impact results, a matrix of possible technical solutions is displayed, to improve the environmental performance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High Temperature Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage to Augment Solar Thermal Propulsion for Microsatellites

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-01

Charts 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) Mar 2014- May 2014 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER In-House High Temperature Latent Heat Thermal ...Energy Storage to Augment Solar Thermal Propulsion for Microsats 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER...High Temperature Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage to Augment Solar Thermal Propulsion for Microsatellites Presentation Subtitle Matthew R. Gilpin

Direct hydrogen fuel cell systems for hybrid vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahluwalia, Rajesh K.; Wang, X.

Hybridizing a fuel cell system with an energy storage system offers an opportunity to improve the fuel economy of the vehicle through regenerative braking and possibly to increase the specific power and decrease the cost of the combined energy conversion and storage systems. Even in a hybrid configuration it is advantageous to operate the fuel cell system in a load-following mode and use the power from the energy storage system when the fuel cell alone cannot meet the power demand. This paper discusses an approach for designing load-following fuel cell systems for hybrid vehicles and illustrates it by applying it to pressurized, direct hydrogen, polymer-electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) systems for a mid-size family sedan. The vehicle level requirements relative to traction power, response time, start-up time and energy conversion efficiency are used to select the important parameters for the PEFC stack, air management system, heat rejection system and the water management system.

Durability of a fin-tube latent heat storage using high density polyethylene as PCM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zauner, Christoph; Hengstberger, Florian; Etzel, Mark; Lager, Daniel; Hofmann, Rene; Walter, Heimo

2017-10-01

Polymers have rarely been used as storage materials in latent heat storages up to now. Thus, we systematically screened all polymers available on a large-scale, selected promising ones based on their theoretical properties and experimentally tested more than 50 candidates. We found that polyethylene, polyoxymethylene and polyamides are promising even as recycled material. Especially high density polyethylene (HDPE) turned out to be suitable as was shown by detailed thermophysical characterization including more than 1000 heating and cooling cycles for INEOS Rigidex HD6070EA. We built a storage with 170 kg HDPE and a total mass of 600 kg based on a fin-tube heat exchanger and characterized its energy capacity, power characteristics and temperature profiles using a thermal oil test rig. In total we performed 30 melting and crystallization cycles where the whole storage was above 100 °C for more than 140 hours. After usage we examined the interior of the storage by cutting it into various pieces. A thin layer of degradation was observed on the surfaces of the PCM which is most likely related to thermo-oxidative degeneration of HDPE. However, the bulk of the PCM is still intact as well as the heat exchanger itself.

Development of media for dynamic latent heat storage for the low-temperature range. Part 1: Thermal analyses of selected salt hydrate systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanwischer, H.; Tamme, R.

1985-01-01

Phase change temperatures and phase change enthalpies of seventeen salt hydrates, three double salts, and four eutectics were measured thermodynamically and the results reported herein. Good results were obtained, especially for congruently melting salt hydrates. Incongruently melting salt hydrates appear less suitable for heat storage applications. The influence of the second phase - water, acid and hydroxide - to the latent heat is described. From these results, basic values of the working temperatures and storage capabilities of various storage media compositions may be derived.

10 CFR 431.172 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... boiler, hot water supply boiler, commercial warm air furnace, instantaneous water heater, storage water heater, or unfired hot water storage tank. Flue loss means the sum of the sensible heat and latent heat... Provisions for Commercial HVAC & Water Heating Products § 431.172 Definitions. The following definitions...

Improved thermal storage material for portable life support systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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.

Closed-Cycle Hydrogen-Oxygen Regenerative Fuel Cell at the NASA Glenn Research Center-An Update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bents, David J.; Chang, Bei-Jiann; Johnson, Donald W.; Garcia, Christopher P.

2008-01-01

The closed cycle hydrogen-oxygen proton exchange membrane (PEM) regenerative fuel cell (RFC) at the NASA Glenn Research Center has demonstrated multiple back-to-back contiguous cycles at rated power and round-trip efficiencies up to 52 percent. It is the first fully closed cycle RFC ever demonstrated. (The entire system is sealed; nothing enters or escapes the system other than electrical power and heat.) During fiscal year fiscal year (FY) FY06 to FY07, the system s numerous modifications and internal improvements focused on reducing parasitic power, heat loss, and noise signature; increasing its functionality as an unattended automated energy storage device; and in-service reliability.

Dynamics of heat storage in evapotranspiration estimate

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

One of the widely discussed reasons for a lack of surface energy balance closure when using eddy covariance is neglect of storage term elements. Storage as related to the surface energy balance refers to all heat stored below the observation level of eddies. It represents the sum of several componen...

Analysis of Large- Capacity Water Heaters in Electric Thermal Storage Programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cooke, Alan L.; Anderson, David M.; Winiarski, David W.

2015-03-17

This report documents a national impact analysis of large tank heat pump water heaters (HPWH) in electric thermal storage (ETS) programs and conveys the findings related to concerns raised by utilities regarding the ability of large-tank heat pump water heaters to provide electric thermal storage services.

Research on medium and high temperature solar heat storage materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heine, D.; Jucker, J.; Koch, D.; Krahling, H.; Supper, W.

1979-01-01

Characteristics of solar heat storage materials, preliminary tests in which melting and solidification characteristics are tested, and service life and cycling tests are reported. Various aspects of corrosion are discussed as well as decision about ultimate selection of materials. A program for storage and evaluation of data is included.

Storage-stable foamable polyurethane is activated by heat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1966-01-01

Polyurethane foamable mixture remains inert in storage unit activated to produce a rapid foaming reaction. The storage-stable foamable composition is spread as a paste on the surface of an expandable structure and, when heated, yields a rigid open-cell polyurethane foam that is self-bondable to the substrate.

Efficient implementation of a 3-dimensional ADI method on the iPSC/860

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Van der Wijngaart, R.F.

1993-12-31

A comparison is made between several domain decomposition strategies for the solution of three-dimensional partial differential equations on a MIMD distributed memory parallel computer. The grids used are structured, and the numerical algorithm is ADI. Important implementation issues regarding load balancing, storage requirements, network latency, and overlap of computations and communications are discussed. Results of the solution of the three-dimensional heat equation on the Intel iPSC/860 are presented for the three most viable methods. It is found that the Bruno-Cappello decomposition delivers optimal computational speed through an almost complete elimination of processor idle time, while providing good memory efficiency.

Efficient Q-switched operation in 1.64 μm Er:YAG tapered rod laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polyakov, Vadim M.; Vitkin, Vladimir V.; Krylov, Alexandr A.; Uskov, Alexander V.; Mak, Andrey A.

2017-02-01

We model output characteristics of the 1645 nm 8 mJ 10 ns 100 Hz Q-switched Er:YAG DPSSL. The laser is end pumped at a wavelength of 1532 nm. Fiber-coupled diode laser module was 10 nm FWHM, 12 W CW, 200 μm, NA 0.22. Various tapering of the active rod has been considered for 1 mm diameter, 20 mm long and 0.5% Er doping. We discuss the heat deposition process, the energy storage efficiency and the average power limitations for Q-switched regime of generation and amplification, and find the system scalable for the high power operation.

Heat storage in Asian elephants during submaximal exercise: behavioral regulation of thermoregulatory constraints on activity in endothermic gigantotherms.

PubMed

Rowe, M F; Bakken, G S; Ratliff, J J; Langman, V A

2013-05-15

Gigantic size presents both opportunities and challenges in thermoregulation. Allometric scaling relationships suggest that gigantic animals have difficulty dissipating metabolic heat. Large body size permits the maintenance of fairly constant core body temperatures in ectothermic animals by means of gigantothermy. Conversely, gigantothermy combined with endothermic metabolic rate and activity likely results in heat production rates that exceed heat loss rates. In tropical environments, it has been suggested that a substantial rate of heat storage might result in a potentially lethal rise in core body temperature in both elephants and endothermic dinosaurs. However, the behavioral choice of nocturnal activity might reduce heat storage. We sought to test the hypothesis that there is a functionally significant relationship between heat storage and locomotion in Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), and model the thermoregulatory constraints on activity in elephants and a similarly sized migratory dinosaur, Edmontosaurus. Pre- and post-exercise (N=37 trials) measurements of core body temperature and skin temperature, using thermography were made in two adult female Asian elephants at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, LA, USA. Over ambient air temperatures ranging from 8 to 34.5°C, when elephants exercised in full sun, ~56 to 100% of active metabolic heat production was stored in core body tissues. We estimate that during nocturnal activity, in the absence of solar radiation, between 5 and 64% of metabolic heat production would be stored in core tissues. Potentially lethal rates of heat storage in active elephants and Edmontosaurus could be behaviorally regulated by nocturnal activity.

Evaporation of liquefied natural gas in conditions of compact storage containers heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Telgozhayeva, D. S.

2014-08-01

Identical by its power, but located in different parts of the external surface of the tank, the heating sources are different intensity heat transfer modes is heating up, respectively, times of vapour pressure rise to critical values. Developed mathematical model and method of calculation can be used in the analysis of conditions of storage tanks for liquefied gases.

Solar project description for Perl-Mack Enterprises' single family residences, Denver, Colorado

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1979-08-21

The Perl-Mack Enterprises Co. solar energy system(s) are installed in a total of 25 single family dwellings located in Denver, Colorado. The 25 dwellings are of three different configurations. Two of the twenty-five dwellings have been fully instrumented for performance monitoring and evaluation since September 1977. All the solar systems are designed to provide approximately 69 percent of the space heating and energy requirements for each dwelling. Solar energy is collected by an array of flat plate collectors having a gross area of 470 square feet. A water-glycol mixture is used as the medium for delivering solar heat from themore » collection to the storage tank. The storage tank has a total capacity of 945 gallons. A liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, within the storage tank, transfers the stored heat from the transfer medium to the domestic hot water tank of the house. Space heating demands are met by circulating heated water/glycol mixture from the storage tank through the heat exchanger coil installed downstream from the auxiliary furnace blower. The auxiliary gas-fired furnace is activated whenever room thermostat demands heat.« less

Do Heat Waves have an Impact on Terrestrial Water Storage?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brena-Naranjo, A.; Teuling, R.; Pedrozo-Acuña, A.

2014-12-01

Recent works have investigated the impact of heat waves on the surface energy and carbon balance. However, less attention has been given to the impacts on terrestrial hydrology. During the summer of 2010, the occurrence of an exceptional heat wave affected severely the Northern Hemisphere. The extension (more than 2 million km2) and severity of this extreme event caused substantial ecosystem damage (more than 1 million ha of forest fires), economic and human losses (~500 billion USD and more than 17 million of indirect deaths, respectively). This work investigates for the first time the impacts of the 2010 summer heat wave on terrestrial water storage. Our study area comprises three different regions where air temperature records were established or almost established during the summer: Western Russia, the Middle East and Eastern Sahel. Anomalies of terrestrial water storage derived from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) were used to infer water storage deficits during the 2003-2013 period. Our analysis shows that Russia experienced the most severe water storage decline, followed by the Middle East, whereas Eastern Sahel was not significantly affected. The impact of the heat wave was spatially uniform in Russia but highly variable in the Middle East, with the Northern part substantially more affected than the Southern region. Lag times between maxima air temperatures and lower water storage deficits for Russia and the Middle East were approximately two and seven months, respectively. The results suggest that the response of terrestrial water storage to heat waves is stronger in energy-limited environments than in water-limited regions. Such differences in the magnitude and timing between meteorological and hydrological extremes can be explained by the propagation time between atmospheric water demand and natural or anthropogenic sources of water storage.

Optical and Thermal Behaviors of Plasmonic Bowtie Aperture and Its NSOM Characterization for Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-01

NFT), plasmonic materials, scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-NSOM). I . INTRODUCTION THE continuous growth in data storage is...recording stack for (a) gold and (b) silver bowtie apertures. The spatial distributions are calculated at 1 ns. TABLE I COMPARISON BETWEEN GOLD AND SILVER...NFTs From the calculation results, we can obtain the thermal efficiency defined in (1). A detailed comparison is summarized in Table I , where the

Body heat storage during physical activity is lower with hot fluid ingestion under conditions that permit full evaporation.

PubMed

Bain, A R; Lesperance, N C; Jay, O

2012-10-01

To assess whether, under conditions permitting full evaporation, body heat storage during physical activity measured by partitional calorimetry would be lower with warm relative to cold fluid ingestion because of a disproportionate increase in evaporative heat loss potential relative to internal heat transfer with the ingested fluid. Nine males cycled at 50% VO(2max) for 75 min at 23.6 ± 0.6 °C and 23 ± 11% RH while consuming water of either 1.5 °C, 10 °C, 37 °C or 50 °C in four 3.2 mL kg(-1) boluses. The water was administered 5 min before and 15, 30 and 45 min following the onset of exercise. No differences in metabolic heat production, sensible or respiratory heat losses (all P > 0.05) were observed between fluid temperatures. However, while the increased internal heat loss with cold fluid ingestion was paralleled by similar reductions in evaporative heat loss potential at the skin (E(sk) ) with 10 °C (P = 0.08) and 1.5 °C (P = 0.55) fluid, the increased heat load with warm (50 °C) fluid ingestion was accompanied by a significantly greater E(sk) (P = 0.04). The resultant calorimetric heat storage was lower with 50 °C water ingestion in comparison to 1.5 °C, 10 °C and 37 °C (all P < 0.05). In contrast, heat storage derived conventionally using thermometry yielded higher values following 50 °C fluid ingestion compared to 1.5 °C (P = 0.025). Under conditions permitting full sweat evaporation, body heat storage is lower with warm water ingestion, likely because of disproportionate modulations in sweat output arising from warm-sensitive thermosensors in the esophagus/stomach. Local temperature changes of the rectum following fluid ingestion exacerbate the previously identified error of thermometric heat storage estimations. © 2012 The Authors Acta Physiologica © 2012 Scandinavian Physiological Society.

Thermal buffering of receivers for parabolic dish solar thermal power plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manvi, R.; Fujita, T.; Gajanana, B. C.; Marcus, C. J.

1980-01-01

A parabolic dish solar thermal power plant comprises a field of parabolic dish power modules where each module is composed of a two-axis tracking parabolic dish concentrator which reflects sunlight (insolation) into the aperture of a cavity receiver at the focal point of the dish. The heat generated by the solar flux entering the receiver is removed by a heat transfer fluid. In the dish power module, this heat is used to drive a small heat engine/generator assembly which is directly connected to the cavity receiver at the focal point. A computer analysis is performed to assess the thermal buffering characteristics of receivers containing sensible and latent heat thermal energy storage. Parametric variations of the thermal inertia of the integrated receiver-buffer storage systems coupled with different fluid flow rate control strategies are carried out to delineate the effect of buffer storage, the transient response of the receiver-storage systems and corresponding fluid outlet temperature. It is concluded that addition of phase change buffer storage will substantially improve system operational characteristics during periods of rapidly fluctuating insolation due to cloud passage.

Field experience with aquifer thermal energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kannberg, L. D.

1987-11-01

Aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) has the potential to provide storage for large-scale building heating and cooling at many sites in the US. However, implementation requires careful attention to site geohydraulic and geochemical characteristics. Field tests in the US have shown the over 60% of the heat injected at temperatures over 100 C can be recovered on a seasonal cycle. Similarly, aquifer storage of shilled ground water can provide building cooling with annual cooling electrical energy reductions of over 50% and a reduction in summer peak cooling electrical usage by as much as a factor of 20. A number of projects have been built and operated around the world. China has installed numerous ATES systems in many major cities. Installations in Europe and Scandinavia are almost exclusively low-temperature heat storage systems that use heat pumps. Two high-temperature systems (over 100 C) are in operation or undergoing preliminary testing: one in Denmark, the other in France. Heat ATES often requires water treatment to prevent precipitation of calcium and magnesium carbonates. At some sites, consideration of other geochemical and microbiological issues (such as iron bacteria) must be resolved.

Solar project description for environmental partnership, Upper Freehold Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1982-08-01

A solar house is described. It is a three-story single family detached residence in New Jersey. It is equipped with a 540 cubic foot vented Trombe wall constructed of concrete filled concrete blocks and glazed with 344 square feet of insulated tempered glass. Heat is also provided by a 168 square foot sunspace of insulated glass. In the loft area is a phase change storage system composed of 32 PSI Thermal-81 phase change storage rods. Auxiliary heating is y a wood-burning stove and a dual-fuel, propane and wood, forced air furnace. A breadbox type hot water preheater is located on the roof. Summer cooling is accomplished by opening windows, doors, and exhaust dampers and operating a whole house ventilation fan. Operation of the solar system and the auxiliary subsystems may involve one or more of 5 modes: collector-to-storage, storage-to-space heating, auxiliary-to-space heating, energy-to-load-summer cooling, and domestic hot water. The house, its solar heating systems, storage, load, operation, on-site performance evaluation instrumentation, and data depicting the solar portion of construction costs are outlined.

Solar Thermoelectricity via Advanced Latent Heat Storage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Olsen, Michele L.; Rea, J.; Glatzmaier, Greg C.

2016-05-31

We report on a new modular, dispatchable, and cost-effective solar electricity-generating technology. Solar ThermoElectricity via Advanced Latent heat Storage (STEALS) integrates several state-of-the-art technologies to provide electricity on demand. In the envisioned STEALS system, concentrated sunlight is converted to heat at a solar absorber. The heat is then delivered to either a thermoelectric (TE) module for direct electricity generation, or to charge a phase change material for thermal energy storage, enabling subsequent generation during off-sun hours, or both for simultaneous electricity production and energy storage. The key to making STEALS a dispatchable technology lies in the development of a 'thermalmore » valve,' which controls when heat is allowed to flow through the TE module, thus controlling when electricity is generated. The current project addresses each of the three major subcomponents, (i) the TE module, (ii) the thermal energy storage system, and (iii) the thermal valve. The project also includes system-level and techno- economic modeling of the envisioned integrated system and will culminate in the demonstration of a laboratory-scale STEALS prototype capable of generating 3kWe.« less

Solar thermoelectricity via advanced latent heat storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olsen, M. L.; Rea, J.; Glatzmaier, G. C.; Hardin, C.; Oshman, C.; Vaughn, J.; Roark, T.; Raade, J. W.; Bradshaw, R. W.; Sharp, J.; Avery, A. D.; Bobela, D.; Bonner, R.; Weigand, R.; Campo, D.; Parilla, P. A.; Siegel, N. P.; Toberer, E. S.; Ginley, D. S.

2016-05-01

We report on a new modular, dispatchable, and cost-effective solar electricity-generating technology. Solar ThermoElectricity via Advanced Latent heat Storage (STEALS) integrates several state-of-the-art technologies to provide electricity on demand. In the envisioned STEALS system, concentrated sunlight is converted to heat at a solar absorber. The heat is then delivered to either a thermoelectric (TE) module for direct electricity generation, or to charge a phase change material for thermal energy storage, enabling subsequent generation during off-sun hours, or both for simultaneous electricity production and energy storage. The key to making STEALS a dispatchable technology lies in the development of a "thermal valve," which controls when heat is allowed to flow through the TE module, thus controlling when electricity is generated. The current project addresses each of the three major subcomponents, (i) the TE module, (ii) the thermal energy storage system, and (iii) the thermal valve. The project also includes system-level and techno- economic modeling of the envisioned integrated system and will culminate in the demonstration of a laboratory-scale STEALS prototype capable of generating 3kWe.

Erkundung und Beweissicherung für eine geothermale Erschließung eines Alpinen Karstaquifers im Tuxertal, Österreich

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sass, Ingo; Heldmann, Claus-Dieter; Schäffer, Rafael

2016-06-01

Karst aquifers may on one hand improve the efficiency of geothermal systems due to increased permeabilities, but on the other hand, high groundwater velocities can reduce the efficiency of the underground heat storage capacity. The marble karst aquifer of the Hochstegen formation was explored and developed for the first time as an intermediate-depth geothermal energy storage system at Finkenberg, Tux valley (Tyrol, Austria). Geological field studies and a spring monitoring program for the project revealed characteristic hydro-chemical signatures related to the catchments in specific tectonic units depending on their lithology. Observations showed that the catchment area of the Hochstegen formation karst aquifer extends up to 2650 m a.s.l. southwest of Finkenberg. In the boreholes, karstification was detected to 400 m below surface (Sass et al., 2016). A monitoring program involving seven springs downgradient of the boreholes has shown that the geothermal project has had no long-term impact on groundwater quality.

Solar energy development and application in Japan - An outsiders assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knopp, E.

1982-04-01

The Sunshine Project was initiated in Japan in 1974 in order to develop energy resources to meet future needs. The solar program consists of three categories; solar home construction, the construction and operation of a 1000 kWe capacity solar thermal power generation plant, and the development of a photovoltaic system with a cost per watt reduced to 1/100 of the present cost. Low interest loans to promote the use of solar systems have resulted in the installation of one million solar collectors. Solar water heaters produced have a 2 sq m collection area and a 200 liters water storage capacity, and an evacuated tube collector with an efficiency of 64% has been developed. Work is being devoted to the production of a 50 times concentrating tracking circular Fresnel-type photovoltaic device, and a solar driven cooling system with a 5.35 kW capacity, which operates with a highly efficient freon vapor expander, has been developed. The problem of collected heat storage is being tested and assessed.

Polyethylene Glycol Based Graphene Aerogel Confined Phase Change Materials with High Thermal Stability.

PubMed

Fu, Yang; Xiong, Weilai; Wang, Jianying; Li, Jinghua; Mei, Tao; Wang, Xianbao

2018-05-01

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) based graphene aerogel (GA) confined shaped-stabilized phase change materials (PCMs) are simply prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method. Three-dimensional GA inserted by PEG molecule chains, as a supporting material, obtained by reducing graphene oxide sheets, is used to keep their stabilized shape during a phase change process. The volume of GA is obviously expended after adding PEG, and only 9.8 wt% of GA make the composite achieve high energy efficiency without leakage during their phase change because of hydrogen bonding widely existing in the GA/PEG composites (GA-PCMs). The heat storage energy of GA-PCMs is 164.9 J/g, which is 90.2% of the phase change enthalpy of pure PEG. In addition, this composite inherits the natural thermal properties of graphene and thus shows enhanced thermal conductivity compared with pure PEG. This novel study provides an efficient way to fabricate shape-stabilized PCMs with a high content of PEG for thermal energy storage.

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haihua Zhao; Hongbin Zhang; Phil Sharpe

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 builtmore » 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 benefits and avoid forced derating and shutdown during extremely hot weather. For the new plants using dry cooling towers, adding the ice thermal storage systems can effectively reduce the efficiency loss and water consumption during hot weather so that new LWRs could be considered in regions without enough cooling water. \\ This paper presents the feasibility study of using ice thermal storage systems for LWR supplemental cooling and peak power shifting. LWR cooling issues and ITS application status will be reviewed. Two ITS application case studies will be presented and compared with alternative options: one for once-through cooling without enough cooling for short time, and the other with dry cooling. Because capital cost, especially the ice storage structure/building cost, is the major cost for ITS, two different cost estimation models are developed: one based on scaling method, and the other based on a preliminary design using Building Information Modeling (BIM), an emerging technology in Architecture/Engineering/Construction, which enables design options, performance analysis and cost estimating in the early design stage.« less

Microscale Enhancement of Heat and Mass Transfer for Hydrogen Energy Storage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Drost, Kevin; Jovanovic, Goran; Paul, Brian

2015-09-30

The document summarized the technical progress associated with OSU’s involvement in the Hydrogen Storage Engineering Center of Excellence. OSU focused on the development of microscale enhancement technologies for improving heat and mass transfer in automotive hydrogen storage systems. OSU’s key contributions included the development of an extremely compact microchannel combustion system for discharging hydrogen storage systems and a thermal management system for adsorption based hydrogen storage using microchannel cooling (the Modular Adsorption Tank Insert or MATI).

Photovoltaic dryer with dual packed beds for drying medical herb

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abdel-Rehim, Z.S.; Fahmy, F.H.

1998-03-01

This work presents design and optimization of a cylindrical photovoltaic dryer with dual packed beds thermal energy storage for drying medical herb. The dryer is provided with electrical heater where the electrical energy is generated by using photovoltaic system. The electrical heater is designed and sized to realize continuous drying (day and night) to minimize the drying time. Two packed beds are used to fix the drying temperature in dryer during day and night. The main packed bed thermal energy storage is charged during the sunlight hours directly, to realize continued drying after sunset. An efficient PV dryer is devisedmore » to work under forced air created by air blower and heated by the electrical coils.« less

Immiscible fluid: Heat of fusion heat storage system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edie, D. D.; Melsheimer, S. S.; Mullins, J. C.

1980-01-01

Both heat and mass transfer in direct contact aqueous crystallizing systems were studied as part of a program desig- ned to evaluate the feasibility of direct contact heat transfer in phase change storage using aqueous salt system. Major research areas, discussed include (1) crystal growth velocity study on selected salts; (2) selection of salt solutions; (3) selection of immiscible fluids; (4) studies of heat transfer and system geometry; and (5) system demonstration.

Solar air heating system: design and dynamic simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bououd, M.; Hachchadi, O.; Janusevicius, K.; Martinaitis, V.; Mechaqrane, A.

2018-05-01

The building sector is one of the big energy consumers in Morocco, accounting for about 23% of the country’s total energy consumption. Regarding the population growth, the modern lifestyle requiring more comfort and the increase of the use rate of electronic devices, the energy consumption will continue to increase in the future. In this context, the introduction of renewable energy systems, along with energy efficiency, is becoming a key factor in reducing the energy bill of buildings. This study focuses on the design and dynamic simulation of an air heating system for the mean categories of the tertiary sector where the area exceeds 750 m3. Heating system has been designed via a dynamic simulation environment (TRNSYS) to estimate the produced temperature and airflow rate by one system consisting of three essential components: vacuum tube solar collector, storage tank and water-to-air finned heat exchanger. The performances estimation of this system allows us to evaluate its capacity to meet the heating requirements in Ifrane city based on the prescriptive approach according to the Moroccan Thermal Regulation. The simulation results show that in order to maintain a comfort temperature of 20°C in a building of 750m3, the places requires a thermal powers of approximately 21 kW, 29 kW and 32 kW, respectively, for hotels, hospitals, administrative and public-school. The heat generation is ensured by a solar collector areas of 5 m², 7 m² and 10 m², respectively, for hotels, hospitals, administrative and public-school spaces, a storage tank of 2 m3 and a finned heat exchanger with 24 tubes. The finned tube bundles have been modelled and integrated into the system design via a Matlab code. The heating temperature is adjusted via two controllers to ensure a constant air temperature of 20°C during the heating periods.

Natural Gas Storage in the United States in 2001: A Current Assessment and Near-Term Outlook

EIA Publications

2001-01-01

This report examines the large decline of underground natural gas storage inventories during the 2000-2001 heating season and the concern that the nation might run out of working gas in storage prior to the close of the heating season on March 31, 2001. This analysis also looks at the current profile and capabilities of the U.S. natural gas underground storage sector.

Measurements of the apparent thermal conductivity of multi-layer insulation between 20 K and 90 K

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hurd, Joseph A.; Van Sciver, Steven W.

NASA has the need to efficiently store cryogenic propellants in space for long periods of time. One method to improve storage efficiency is to use multi-layer insulation (MLI), a technique that minimizes the boiling rate due to radiation heat transfer. Typically, the thermal performance of MLI is determined by measuring the rate of evaporation of liquid nitrogen from a calibrated cryostat. The main limitation with this method is that testing conditions are restricted by the boiling temperature of the LN{sub 2}, which may not match the requirements of the application. The Multi-Layer Insulation Thermal Conductivity Experiment (MIKE) at the Nationalmore » High Magnetic Field Laboratory is capable of measuring the effective thermal conductivity of MLI at variable boundary temperatures. MIKE uses cryo-refrigerators to control boundary temperatures in the calorimeter and a calibrated thermal link to measure the heat load. To make the measurements requested by NASA, MIKE needed to be recalibrated for the 20 K to 90 K range. Also, due to the expectation of a lower heat transfer rate, the heat load support rod material was changed to one with a lower thermal conductivity to ensure the temperature difference seen on the cold rod could be measurable at the estimated heat load. Presented are the alterations to MIKE including calibration data and heat load measurements on new load-bearing MLI supplied by NASA.« less

Hybrid solar converters for maximum exergy and inexpensive dispatchable electricity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Branz, Howard M.; Regan, William; Gerst, Kacy J.

Photovoltaic (PV) solar energy systems are being deployed at an accelerating rate to supply low-carbon electricity worldwide. However, PV is unlikely to economically supply much more than 10% of the world's electricity unless there is a dramatic reduction in the cost of electricity storage. There is an important scientific and technological opportunity to address the storage challenge by developing inexpensive hybrid solar converters that collect solar heat at temperatures between about 200 and 600 °C and also incorporate PV. Since heat can be stored and converted to electricity at relatively low cost, collection of high exergy content (high temperature) solarmore » heat can provide energy that is dispatchable on demand to meet loads that are not well matched to solar insolation. However, PV cells can collect and convert much of the solar spectrum to electricity more efficiently and inexpensively than solar thermal systems. Advances in spectrum-splitting optics, high-temperature PV cells, thermal management and system design are needed for transformational hybrid converters. We propose that maximizing the exergy output from the solar converters while minimizing the cost of exergy can help propel solar energy toward a higher contribution to carbon-free electricity in the long term than the prevailing paradigm of maximizing the energy output while minimizing the cost of energy« less

Co3O4-based honeycombs as compact redox reactors/heat exchangers for thermochemical storage in the next generation CSP plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pagkoura, Chrysoula; Karagiannakis, George; Halevas, Eleftherios; Konstandopoulos, Athanasios G.

2016-05-01

Over the last years, several research groups have focused on developing efficient thermochemical heat storage (THS) systems, in-principle capable of being coupled with next generation high temperature Concentrated Solar Power plants. Among systems studied, the Co3O4/CoO redox system is a promising candidate. Currently, research efforts extend beyond basic level identification of promising materials to more application-oriented approaches aiming at validation of THS performance at pilot scale reactors. The present work focuses on the investigation of cobalt oxide based honeycomb structures as candidate reactors/heat exchangers to be employed for such purposes. In the evaluation conducted and presented here, cobalt oxide-based structures with different composition and geometrical characteristics were subjected to redox cycles in the temperature window between 800 and 1000°C under air flow. Basic aspects related to redox performance of each system are briefly discussed but the main focus lies on the evaluation of the segments structural stability after multi-cyclic operation. The latter is based on macroscopic visual observation and also supplemented by pre- (i.e. fresh samples) and post-characterization (i.e. after long term exposure) of extruded honeycombs via combined mercury porosimetry and SEM analysis.

Developing an Optimum Protocol for Thermoluminescence Dosimetry with GR-200 Chips using Taguchi Method.

PubMed

Sadeghi, Maryam; Faghihi, Reza; Sina, Sedigheh

2017-06-15

Thermoluminescence dosimetry (TLD) is a powerful technique with wide applications in personal, environmental and clinical dosimetry. The optimum annealing, storage and reading protocols are very effective in accuracy of TLD response. The purpose of this study is to obtain an optimum protocol for GR-200; LiF: Mg, Cu, P, by optimizing the effective parameters, to increase the reliability of the TLD response using Taguchi method. Taguchi method has been used in this study for optimization of annealing, storage and reading protocols of the TLDs. A number of 108 GR-200 chips were divided into 27 groups, each containing four chips. The TLDs were exposed to three different doses, and stored, annealed and read out by different procedures as suggested by Taguchi Method. By comparing the signal-to-noise ratios the optimum dosimetry procedure was obtained. According to the results, the optimum values for annealing temperature (°C), Annealing Time (s), Annealing to Exposure time (d), Exposure to Readout time (d), Pre-heat Temperature (°C), Pre-heat Time (s), Heating Rate (°C/s), Maximum Temperature of Readout (°C), readout time (s) and Storage Temperature (°C) are 240, 90, 1, 2, 50, 0, 15, 240, 13 and -20, respectively. Using the optimum protocol, an efficient glow curve with low residual signals can be achieved. Using optimum protocol obtained by Taguchi method, the dosimetry can be effectively performed with great accuracy. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A three-dimensional architecture of vertically aligned multilayer graphene facilitates heat dissipation across joint solid surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Qizhen; Yao, Xuxia; Wang, Wei; Wong, C. P.

2012-02-01

Low operation temperature and efficient heat dissipation are important for device life and speed in current electronic and photonic technologies. Being ultra-high thermally conductive, graphene is a promising material candidate for heat dissipation improvement in devices. In the application, graphene is expected to be vertically stacked between contact solid surfaces in order to facilitate efficient heat dissipation and reduced interfacial thermal resistance across contact solid surfaces. However, as an ultra-thin membrane-like material, graphene is susceptible to Van der Waals forces and usually tends to be recumbent on substrates. Thereby, direct growth of vertically aligned free-standing graphene on solid substrates in large scale is difficult and rarely available in current studies, bringing significant barriers in graphene's application as thermal conductive media between joint solid surfaces. In this work, a three-dimensional vertically aligned multi-layer graphene architecture is constructed between contacted Silicon/Silicon surfaces with pure Indium as a metallic medium. Significantly higher equivalent thermal conductivity and lower contact thermal resistance of vertically aligned multilayer graphene are obtained, compared with those of their recumbent counterpart. This finding provides knowledge of vertically aligned graphene architectures, which may not only facilitate current demanding thermal management but also promote graphene's widespread applications such as electrodes for energy storage devices, polymeric anisotropic conductive adhesives, etc.

Engineering evaluation of a sodium hydroxide thermal energy storage module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perdue, D. G.; Gordon, L. H.

1980-01-01

An engineering evaluation of thermal energy storage prototypes was performed in order to assess the development status of latent heat storage media. The testing and the evaluation of a prototype sodium hydroxide module is described. This module stored off-peak electrical energy as heat for later conversion to domestic hot water needs.

Weather Driven Renewable Energy Analysis, Modeling New Technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paine, J.; Clack, C.; Picciano, P.; Terry, L.

2015-12-01

Carbon emission reduction is essential to hampering anthropogenic climate change. While there are several methods to broach carbon reductions, the National Energy with Weather System (NEWS) model focuses on limiting electrical generation emissions by way of a national high-voltage direct-current transmission that takes advantage of the strengths of different regions in terms of variable sources of energy. Specifically, we focus upon modeling concentrating solar power (CSP) as another source to contribute to the electric grid. Power tower solar fields are optimized taking into account high spatial and temporal resolution, 13km and hourly, numerical weather prediction model data gathered by NOAA from the years of 2006-2008. Importantly, the optimization of these CSP power plants takes into consideration factors that decrease the optical efficiency of the heliostats reflecting solar irradiance. For example, cosine efficiency, atmospheric attenuation, and shadowing are shown here; however, it should be noted that they are not the only limiting factors. While solar photovoltaic plants can be combined for similar efficiency to the power tower and currently at a lower cost, they do not have a cost-effective capability to provide electricity when there are interruptions in solar irradiance. Power towers rely on a heat transfer fluid, which can be used for thermal storage changing the cost efficiency of this energy source. Thermal storage increases the electric stability that many other renewable energy sources lack, and thus, the ability to choose between direct electric conversion and thermal storage is discussed. The figure shown is a test model of a CSP plant made up of heliostats. The colors show the optical efficiency of each heliostat at a single time of the day.

Cyclic injection, storage, and withdrawal of heated water in a sandstone aquifer at St. Paul, Minnesota--Analysis of thermal data and nonisothermal modeling of short-term test cycles

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Robert T.; Delin, G.N.

2002-01-01

In May 1980, the University of Minnesota began a project to evaluate the feasibility of storing heated water (150 degrees Celsius) in the Franconia-Ironton Galesville aquifer (183 to 245 meters below land surface) and later recovering it for space heating. The University's steam-generation facilities supplied high-temperature water for injection. The Aquifer Thermal-Energy Storage system is a doublet-well design in which the injection-withdrawal wells are spaced approximately 250 meters apart. Water was pumped from one of the wells through a heat exchanger, where heat was added or removed. This water was then injected back into the aquifer through the other well. Four short-term test cycles were completed. Each cycle consisted of approximately equal durations of injection and withdrawal ranging from 5.25 to 8.01 days. Equal rates of injection and withdrawal, ranging from 17.4 to 18.6 liters per second, were maintained for each short-term test cycle. Average injection temperatures ranged from 88.5 to 117.9 degrees Celsius. Temperature graphs for selected depths at individual observation wells indicate that the Ironton and Galesville Sandstones received and stored more thermal energy than the upper part of the Franconia Formation. Clogging of the Ironton Sandstone was possibly due to precipitation of calcium carbonate or movement of fine-grain material or both. Vertical-profile plots indicate that the effects of buoyancy flow were small within the aquifer. A three-dimensional, anisotropic, nonisothermal, ground-water-flow, and thermal-energy-transport model was constructed to simulate the four short-term test cycles. The model was used to simulate the entire short-term testing period of approximately 400 days. The only model properties varied during model calibration were longitudinal and transverse thermal dispersivities, which, for final calibration, were simulated as 3.3 and 0.33 meters, respectively. The model was calibrated by comparing model-computed results to (1) measured temperatures at selected altitudes in four observation wells, (2) measured temperatures at the production well, and (3) calculated thermal efficiencies of the aquifer. Model-computed withdrawal-water temperatures were within an average of about 3 percent of measured values and model-computed aquifer-thermal efficiencies were within an average of about 5 percent of calculated values for the short-term test cycles. These data indicate that the model accurately simulated thermal-energy storage within the Franconia-Ironton-Galesville aquifer.

Building heating and cooling applications thermal energy storage program overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eissenberg, D. M.

1980-01-01

Thermal energy storage technology and development of building heating and cooling applications in the residential and commercial sectors is outlined. Three elements are identified to undergo an applications assessment, technology development, and demonstration. Emphasis is given to utility load management thermal energy system application where the stress is on the 'customer side of the meter'. Thermal storage subsystems for space conditioning and conservation means of increased thermal mass within the building envelope and by means of low-grade waste heat recovery are covered.

Research and Development for Novel Thermal Energy Storage Systems (TES) for Concentrating Solar Power (CSP)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Faghri, Amir; Bergman, Theodore L; Pitchumani, Ranga

2013-09-26

The overall objective was to develop innovative heat transfer devices and methodologies for novel thermal energy storage systems for concentrating solar power generation involving phase change materials (PCMs). Specific objectives included embedding thermosyphons and/or heat pipes (TS/HPs) within appropriate phase change materials to significantly reduce thermal resistances within the thermal energy storage system of a large-scale concentrating solar power plant and, in turn, improve performance of the plant. Experimental, system level and detailed comprehensive modeling approaches were taken to investigate the effect of adding TS/HPs on the performance of latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems.

Experimental process investigation of a latent heat energy storage system with a staggered heat exchanger with different phase change materials for solar thermal energy storage applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsolakoglou, Nikolas P.; Koukou, Maria K.; Vrachopoulos, Michalis Gr.; Tachos, Nikolaos; Lymberis, Kostas; Stathopoulos, Vassilis

2017-11-01

This work investigates melting and solidification processes of four different Phase Change Materials (PCM) used as latent heat thermal storage system. The experimental rig was consisted of an insulated tank, filled with the under investigation PCM, a staggered heat exchanger to supply or extract heat from the PCM cavity and a water pump to circulate Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF). Both charging (melting) and discharging (solidification) processes were conducted for two different HTF flow rates. The main scope of this work was to develop a first approach and to investigate the behaviour of PCM under various load conditions (different HTF flow rates). Results show that different HTF flow rates affect melting and solidification time periods; in both processes time was reduced while HTF flow rate was increased but in differentways due to the transition from conduction to convection heat transfer mechanisms.

Solar heating and hot water system installed at Arlington Raquetball Club, Arlington, Virginia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

A solar space and water heating system is described. The solar energy system consists of 2,520 sq. ft. of flat plate solar collectors and a 4,000 gallon solar storage tank. The transfer medium in the forced closed loop is a nontoxic antifreeze solution (50 percent water, 50 percent propylene glycol). The service hot water system consists of a preheat coil (60 ft. of 1 1/4 in copper tubing) located in the upper third of the solar storage tank and a recirculation loop between the preheat coil and the existing electric water heaters. The space heating system consists of two separate water to air heat exchangers located in the ducts of the existing space heating/cooling systems. The heating water is supplied from the solar storage tank. Extracts from site files, specification references for solar modifications to existing building heating and hot water systems, and installation, operation and maintenance instructions are included.

Optimizing the position of insulating materials in flat roofs exposed to sunshine to gain minimum heat into buildings under periodic heat transfer conditions.

PubMed

Shaik, Saboor; Talanki, Ashok Babu Puttranga Setty

2016-05-01

Building roofs are responsible for the huge heat gain in buildings. In the present work, an analysis of the influence of insulation location inside a flat roof exposed directly to the sun's radiation was performed to reduce heat gain in buildings. The unsteady thermal response parameters of the building roof such as admittance, transmittance, decrement factor, and time lags have been investigated by solving a one-dimensional diffusion equation under convective periodic boundary conditions. Theoretical results of four types of walls were compared with the experimental results available in literature. The results reveal that the roof with insulation placed at the outer side and at the center plane of the roof is the most energy efficient from the lower decrement factor point of view and the roof with insulation placed at the center plane and the inner side of the roof is the best from the highest time lag point of view among the seven studied configurations. The composite roof with expanded polystyrene insulation located at the outer side and at the center plane of the roof is found to be the best roof from the lowest decrement factor (0.130) point of view, and the composite roof with resin-bonded mineral wool insulation located at the center plane and at the inner side of the roof is found to be energy efficient from the highest time lag point (9.33 h) of view among the seven configurations with five different insulation materials studied. The optimum fabric energy storage thicknesses of reinforced cement concrete, expanded polystyrene, foam glass, rock wool, rice husk, resin-bonded mineral wool, and cement plaster were computed. From the results, it is concluded that rock wool has the least optimum fabric energy storage thickness (0.114 m) among the seven studied building roof materials.

GPU-accelerated element-free reverse-time migration with Gauss points partition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Zhen; Jia, Xiaofeng; Qiang, Xiaodong

2018-06-01

An element-free method (EFM) has been demonstrated successfully in elasticity, heat conduction and fatigue crack growth problems. We present the theory of EFM and its numerical applications in seismic modelling and reverse time migration (RTM). Compared with the finite difference method and the finite element method, the EFM has unique advantages: (1) independence of grids in computation and (2) lower expense and more flexibility (because only the information of the nodes and the boundary of the concerned area is required). However, in EFM, due to improper computation and storage of some large sparse matrices, such as the mass matrix and the stiffness matrix, the method is difficult to apply to seismic modelling and RTM for a large velocity model. To solve the problem of storage and computation efficiency, we propose a concept of Gauss points partition and utilise the graphics processing unit to improve the computational efficiency. We employ the compressed sparse row format to compress the intermediate large sparse matrices and attempt to simplify the operations by solving the linear equations with CULA solver. To improve the computation efficiency further, we introduce the concept of the lumped mass matrix. Numerical experiments indicate that the proposed method is accurate and more efficient than the regular EFM.

Study of thermal effects and optical properties of an innovative absorber in integrated collector storage solar water heater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taheri, Yaser; Alimardani, Kazem; Ziapour, Behrooz M.

2015-10-01

Solar passive water heaters are potential candidates for enhanced heat transfer. Solar water heaters with an integrated water tank and with the low temperature energy resource are used as the simplest and cheapest recipient devices of the solar energy for heating and supplying hot water in the buildings. The solar thermal performances of one primitive absorber were determined by using both the experimental and the simulation model of it. All materials applied for absorber such as the cover glass, the black colored sands and the V shaped galvanized plate were submerged into the water. The water storage tank was manufactured from galvanized sheet of 0.0015 m in thickness and the effective area of the collector was 0.67 m2. The absorber was installed on a compact solar water heater. The constructed flat-plate collectors were tested outdoors. However the simulation results showed that the absorbers operated near to the gray materials and all experimental results showed that the thermal efficiencies of the collector are over than 70 %.

Performance and operational analysis of a liquid desiccant open-flow solar collector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grodzka, P. G.; Rico, S. S.

1982-10-01

Theoretical predictions of the heat and mass transfer in an open flow solar collector used in conjunction with an absorption chiller are compared with performance data from a rooftop system. The study focuses on aqueous solutions of a hygroscopic salt, e.g., LiCl, flowing continuously over a solar absorbing surface. Water in the solution sublimes to a region of lower vapor pressure, i.e., the atmosphere. Direction of the water-depleted dessiccant to a storage volume and then to circulation around an evaporator unit permits operation of a solar-powered air conditioner. A closed form solution was defined for the heat and mass transfer, along with a finite difference solution. The system studied comprised a sloped roof top with 2500 sq ft of asphalt shingles, collector pipes beneath the shingles, and two 500 gal storage tanks. Relatively good agreement was found between the models and the recorded data, although some discrepancies were present when considering temperatures and performance at specific times of day. The measured 30-40% efficiencies indicated that further development of the system is warranted.

Hydrogen-Oxygen PEM Regenerative Fuel Cell Development at NASA Glenn Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bents, David J.; Scullin, Vincent J.; Chang, B. J.; Johnson, Donald W.; Garcia, Christopher P.; Jakupca, Ian J.

2006-01-01

The closed-cycle hydrogen-oxygen PEM regenerative fuel cell (RFC) at NASA Glenn Research Center has demonstrated multiple back to back contiguous cycles at rated power, and round trip efficiencies up to 52 percent. It is the first fully closed cycle regenerative fuel cell ever demonstrated (entire system is sealed: nothing enters or escapes the system other than electrical power and heat). During FY2006 the system has undergone numerous modifications and internal improvements aimed at reducing parasitic power, heat loss and noise signature, increasing its functionality as an unattended automated energy storage device, and in-service reliability. It also serves as testbed towards development of a 600 W-hr/kg flight configuration, through the successful demonstration of lightweight fuel cell and electrolyser stacks and supporting components. The RFC has demonstrated its potential as an energy storage device for aerospace solar power systems such as solar electric aircraft, lunar and planetary surface installations; any airless environment where minimum system weight is critical. Its development process continues on a path of risk reduction for the flight system NASA will eventually need for the manned lunar outpost.

Do encapsulated heat storage materials really retain their original thermal properties?

PubMed

Chaiyasat, Preeyaporn; Noppalit, Sayrung; Okubo, Masayoshi; Chaiyasat, Amorn

2015-01-14

The encapsulation of Rubitherm®27 (RT27), which is one of the most common commercially supplied heat storage materials, by polystyrene (PS), polydivinyl benzene (PDVB) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) was carried out using conventional radical microsuspension polymerization. The products were purified to remove free RT27 and free polymer particles without RT27. In the cases of PS and PDVB microcapsules, the latent heats of melting and crystallization for RT27 ( and , J/g-RT27) were clearly decreased by the encapsulation. On the other hand, those of the PMMA microcapsules were the same as pure RT27. A supercooling phenomenon was observed not only for PS and PDVB but also for the PMMA microcapsules. These results indicate that the thermal properties of the heat storage materials encapsulated depend on the type of polymer shells, i.e., encapsulation by polymer shell changes the thermal properties of RT27. This is quite different from the idea of other groups in the world, in which they discussed the thermal properties based on the ΔHm and ΔHc values expressed in J/g-capsule, assuming that the thermal properties of the heat storage materials are not changed by the encapsulation. Hereafter, this report should raise an alarm concerning the "wrong" common knowledge behind developing the encapsulation technology of heat storage materials.

Development of a thermal storage module using modified anhydrous sodium hydroxide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rice, R. E.; Rowny, P. E.

1980-01-01

The laboratory scale testing of a modified anhydrous NaOH latent heat storage concept for small solar thermal power systems such as total energy systems utilizing organic Rankine systems is discussed. A diagnostic test on the thermal energy storage module and an investigation of alternative heat transfer fluids and heat exchange concepts are specifically addressed. A previously developed computer simulation model is modified to predict the performance of the module in a solar total energy system environment. In addition, the computer model is expanded to investigate parametrically the incorporation of a second heat exchange inside the module which will vaporize and superheat the Rankine cycle power fluid.

The Development of Small Solar Concentrating Systems with Heat Storage for Rural Food Preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van den Heetkamp, R. R. J.

A system, consisting of a parabolic reflector mounted on a polar axis tracker, has been designed and built. Air at atmospheric pressure is heated by the concentrated solar radiation to temperatures of up to 400°C as it is sucked through the receiver and into the pebble-bed heat storage unit, by means of a fan at the bottom of the storage. The stored heat is recovered by the reversal of the fan and the resulting hot air can be used in a convection oven and other appliances. This report discusses practical aspects, as well as preliminary test results, of such a system.

Field Performance of Heat Pump Water Heaters in the Northeast

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shapiro, Carl; Puttagunta, Srikanth

2016-02-05

Heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) are finally entering the mainstream residential water heater market. Potential catalysts are increased consumer demand for higher energy efficiency electric water heating and a new Federal water heating standard that effectively mandates use of HPWHs for electric storage water heaters with nominal capacities greater than 55 gallons. When compared to electric resistance water heating, the energy and cost savings potential of HPWHs is tremendous. Converting all electric resistance water heaters to HPWHs could save American consumers 7.8 billion dollars annually ($182 per household) in water heating operating costs and cut annual residential source energy consumptionmore » for water heating by 0.70 quads. Steven Winter Associates, Inc. embarked on one of the first in situ studies of these newly released HPWH products through a partnership with two sponsoring electric utility companies, National Grid and NSTAR, and one sponsoring energy efficiency service program administrator, Cape Light Compact. Recent laboratory studies have measured performance of HPWHs under various operating conditions, but publically available field studies have not been as available. This evaluation attempts to provide publicly available field data on new HPWHs by monitoring the performance of three recently released products (General Electric GeoSpring(TM), A.O. Smith Voltex(R), and Stiebel Eltron Accelera(R) 300). Fourteen HPWHs were installed in Massachusetts and Rhode Island and monitored for over a year. Of the 14 units, ten were General Electric models (50 gallon units), two were Stiebel Eltron models (80 gallon units), and two were A.O. Smith models (one 60-gallon and one 80-gallon unit).« less

Synergies of wind power and electrified space heating: case study for Beijing.

PubMed

Chen, Xinyu; Lu, Xi; McElroy, Michael B; Nielsen, Chris P; Kang, Chongqing

2014-01-01

Demands for electricity and energy to supply heat are expected to expand by 71% and 47%, respectively, for Beijing in 2020 relative to 2009. If the additional electricity and heat are supplied solely by coal as is the current situation, annual emissions of CO2 may be expected to increase by 59.6% or 99 million tons over this interval. Assessed against this business as usual (BAU) background, the present study indicates that significant reductions in emissions could be realized using wind-generated electricity to provide a source of heat, employed either with heat pumps or with electric thermal storage (ETS) devices. Relative to BAU, reductions in CO2 with heat pumps assuming 20% wind penetration could be as large as 48.5% and could be obtained at a cost for abatement of as little as $15.6 per ton of avoided CO2. Even greater reductions, 64.5%, could be realized at a wind penetration level of 40% but at a higher cost, $29.4 per ton. Costs for reduction of CO2 using ETS systems are significantly higher, reflecting the relatively low efficiency for conversion of coal to power to heat.

Analysis of a combined heating and cooling system model under different operating strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dzierzgowski, Mieczysław; Zwierzchowski, Ryszard

2017-11-01

The paper presents an analysis of a combined heating and cooling system model under different operating strategies. Cooling demand for air conditioning purposes has grown steadily in Poland since the early 1990s. The main clients are large office buildings and shopping malls in downtown locations. Increased demand for heat in the summer would mitigate a number of problems regarding District Heating System (DHS) operation at minimum power, affecting the average annual price of heat (in summertime the share of costs related to transport losses is a strong cost factor). In the paper, computer simulations were performed for different supply network water temperature, assuming as input, real changes in the parameters of the DHS (heat demand, flow rates, etc.). On the basis of calculations and taking into account investment costs of the Absorption Refrigeration System (ARS) and the Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system, an optimal capacity of the TES system was proposed to ensure smooth and efficient operation of the District Heating Plant (DHP). Application of ARS with the TES system in the DHS in question increases net profit by 19.4%, reducing the cooling price for consumers by 40%.

German central solar heating plants with seasonal heat storage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bauer, D.; Marx, R.; Nussbicker-Lux, J.

2010-04-15

Central solar heating plants contribute to the reduction of CO{sub 2}-emissions and global warming. The combination of central solar heating plants with seasonal heat storage enables high solar fractions of 50% and more. Several pilot central solar heating plants with seasonal heat storage (CSHPSS) built in Germany since 1996 have proven the appropriate operation of these systems and confirmed the high solar fractions. Four different types of seasonal thermal energy stores have been developed, tested and monitored under realistic operation conditions: Hot-water thermal energy store (e.g. in Friedrichshafen), gravel-water thermal energy store (e.g. in Steinfurt-Borghorst), borehole thermal energy store (inmore » Neckarsulm) and aquifer thermal energy store (in Rostock). In this paper, measured heat balances of several German CSHPSS are presented. The different types of thermal energy stores and the affiliated central solar heating plants and district heating systems are described. Their operational characteristics are compared using measured data gained from an extensive monitoring program. Thus long-term operational experiences such as the influence of net return temperatures are shown. (author)« less

Solar Water Heating System for Biodiesel Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syaifurrahman; Usman, A. Gani; Rinjani, Rakasiwi

2018-02-01

Nowadays, electricity become very expensive thing in some remote areas. Energy from solar panels give the solution as renewable energy that is environment friendly. West Borneo is located on the equator where the sun shines for almost 10-15 hours/day. Solar water heating system which is includes storage tank and solar collections becomes a cost-effective way to generate the energy. Solar panel heat water is delivered to water in storage tank. Hot water is used as hot fluid in biodiesel jacked reactor. The purposes of this research are to design Solar Water Heating System for Biodiesel Production and measure the rate of heat-transfer water in storage tank. This test has done for 6 days, every day from 8.30 am until 2.30 pm. Storage tank and collection are made from stainless steel and polystyrene a well-insulated. The results show that the heater can be reach at 50ºC for ±2.5 hours and the maximum temperature is 62ºC where the average of light intensity is 1280 lux.

Physical properties of ZrC/Al2O3 imbedded heat storage woven fabrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, S. J.; Song, M. K.; Seo, K. O.; Kim, H. A.

2017-10-01

This study investigated different physical properties of ZrC/Al2O3 imbedded heat storage woven fabrics. ZrC and Al2O3 imbedded heat storage PET filaments were spun on the pilot spinning equipment, respectively. Various physical properties of ceramic imbedded fabrics made of ZrC and Al2O3 imbedded filaments were measured and compared with those of the regular PET woven fabric. The surface temperatures of the ZrC and Al2O3 imbedded fabrics were higher than that of the regular fabric. Water absorption rate of ceramic imbedded fabrics was better than that of the regular fabric and drying property was inferior to that of regular fabric. Breathability by water vapour resistance(Ref) of ZrC imbedded fabric was superior to that of regular fabric. Heat keepability rates of the ceramic imbedded fabrics were higher than that of the regular fabrics, which revealed a good heat storage property of the ZrC/Al2O3 imbedded fabrics.

Design Calculation Procedure for Passive Solar Houses at Navy Installations in Warm California Climates. Volume V.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-01

Storage Locations . . .. 7 2.3 Heat Transfer Mechanisms of Thermal Storage Walls ......... 11 2.4 Heating of Living Space with Solar Greenhouse ...12 2.5 Schematic of North-Side Greenhouse Retrofit ........... . .. 12 2.6 The Roof Pond in Warm Climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 2.7...Profile .......... ... 47 5 Calculation of Solar Heating Contribution ............. .. 51 5A Adjusted Net Solar Greenhouse Heat Gain

The Influence of Arc-Flash and Fire-Resistant Clothing on Thermoregulation during Exercise in the Heat.

PubMed

Poirier, Martin P; Meade, Robert D; McGinn, Ryan; Friesen, Brian J; Hardcastle, Stephen G; Flouris, Andreas D; Kenny, Glen P

2015-01-01

We evaluated the effect of arc-flash and fire-resistant (AFR) clothing ensembles (CE) on whole-body heat dissipation during work in the heat. On 10 occasions, 7 males performed four 15-min cycling bouts at a fixed rate of metabolic heat production (400 W) in the heat (35°C), each separated by 15-min of recovery. Whole-body heat loss and metabolic heat production were measured by direct and indirect calorimetry, respectively. Body heat storage was calculated as the temporal summation of heat production and heat loss. Responses were compared in a semi-nude state and while wearing two CE styles: (1) single-piece (coveralls) and (2) two-piece (workpant + long-sleeve shirt). For group 1, there was one non-AFR single-piece CE (CE1STD) and three single-piece CE with AFR properties (CE2AFR, CE3AFR, CE4AFR). For group 2, there was one non-AFR two-piece CE (CE5STD) and four two-piece CE with AFR properties (CE6AFR, CE7AFR, CE8AFR, CE9AFR). The workpants for CE6AFR were not AFR-rated, while a cotton undershirt was also worn for conditions CE8AFR and CE9AFR and for all single-piece CE. Heat storage for all conditions (CE1STD: 328 ± 55, CE2AFR: 335 ± 87, CE3AFR: 309 ± 95, CE4AFR: 403 ± 104, CE5STD: 253 ± 78, CE6AFR: 268 ± 89, CE7AFR: 302 ± 70, CE8AFR: 360 ± 36, CE9AFR: 381 ± 99 kJ) was greater than the semi-nude state (160 ± 124 kJ) (all p ≤ 0.05). No differences were measured between single-piece uniforms (p = 0.273). Among the two-piece uniforms, heat storage was greater for CE8AFR and CE9AFR relative to CE5STD and CE6AFR (all p ≤ 0.05), but not CE7AFR (both p > 0.05). Differences between clothing styles were measured such that greater heat storage was observed in both CE1STD and CE2-4AFR relative to CE5STD. Further, heat storage was greater in CE2AFR and CE4AFR relative to CE6AFR, while it was greater in CE4AFR compared to CE7AFR. Body heat storage during work in the heat was not influenced by the use of AFR fabrics in the single- or two-piece uniforms albeit less heat was stored in the two-piece uniforms when no undershirt was worn. However, heat storage was comparable between clothing styles when an undershirt was worn with the two-piece uniform.

Development and Validation of a Slurry Model for Chemical Hydrogen Storage in Fuel Cell Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brooks, Kriston P.; Pires, Richard P.; Simmons, Kevin L.

2014-07-25

The US Department of Energy's (DOE) Hydrogen Storage Engineering Center of Excellence (HSECoE) is developing models for hydrogen storage systems for fuel cell-based light duty vehicle applications for a variety of promising materials. These transient models simulate the performance of the storage system for comparison to the DOE’s Technical Targets and a set of four drive cycles. The purpose of this research is to describe the models developed for slurry-based chemical hydrogen storage materials. The storage systems of both a representative exothermic system based on ammonia borane and endothermic system based on alane were developed and modeled in Simulink®. Oncemore » complete the reactor and radiator components of the model were validated with experimental data. The model was then run using a highway cycle, an aggressive cycle, cold-start cycle and hot drive cycle. The system design was adjusted to meet these drive cycles. A sensitivity analysis was then performed to identify the range of material properties where these DOE targets and drive cycles could be met. Materials with a heat of reaction greater than 11 kJ/mol H2 generated and a slurry hydrogen capacity of greater than 11.4% will meet the on-board efficiency and gravimetric capacity targets, respectively.« less

Development and Experimental Benchmark of Simulations to Predict Used Nuclear Fuel Cladding Temperatures during Drying and Transfer Operations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Greiner, Miles

Radial hydride formation in high-burnup used fuel cladding has the potential to radically reduce its ductility and suitability for long-term storage and eventual transport. To avoid this formation, the maximum post-reactor temperature must remain sufficiently low to limit the cladding hoop stress, and so that hydrogen from the existing circumferential hydrides will not dissolve and become available to re-precipitate into radial hydrides under the slow cooling conditions during drying, transfer and early dry-cask storage. The objective of this research is to develop and experimentallybenchmark computational fluid dynamics simulations of heat transfer in post-pool-storage drying operations, when high-burnup fuel cladding ismore » likely to experience its highest temperature. These benchmarked tools can play a key role in evaluating dry cask storage systems for extended storage of high-burnup fuels and post-storage transportation, including fuel retrievability. The benchmarked tools will be used to aid the design of efficient drying processes, as well as estimate variations of surface temperatures as a means of inferring helium integrity inside the canister or cask. This work will be conducted effectively because the principal investigator has experience developing these types of simulations, and has constructed a test facility that can be used to benchmark them.« less

Thermal energy storage apparatus, controllers and thermal energy storage control methods

DOEpatents

Hammerstrom, Donald J.

2016-05-03

Thermal energy storage apparatus, controllers and thermal energy storage control methods are described. According to one aspect, a thermal energy storage apparatus controller includes processing circuitry configured to access first information which is indicative of surpluses and deficiencies of electrical energy upon an electrical power system at a plurality of moments in time, access second information which is indicative of temperature of a thermal energy storage medium at a plurality of moments in time, and use the first and second information to control an amount of electrical energy which is utilized by a heating element to heat the thermal energy storage medium at a plurality of moments in time.

Development of the hybrid sulfur cycle for use with concentrated solar heat. I. Conceptual design

DOE PAGES

Gorensek, Maximilian B.; Corgnale, Claudio; Summers, William A.

2017-07-27

We propose a detailed conceptual design of a solar hybrid sulfur (HyS) cycle. Numerous design tradeoffs, including process operating conditions and strategies, methods of integration with solar energy sources, and solar design options were considered. A baseline design was selected, and process flowsheets were developed. Pinch analyses were performed to establish the limiting energy efficiency. Detailed material and energy balances were completed, and a full stream table prepared. Design assumptions include use of: location in the southwest US desert, falling particle concentrated solar receiver, indirect heat transfer via pressurized helium, continuous operation with thermal energy storage, liquid-fed electrolyzer with PBImore » membrane, and bayonet-type acid decomposer. Thermochemical cycle efficiency for the HyS process was estimated to be 35.0%, LHV basis. The solar-to-hydrogen (STH) energy conversion ratio was 16.9%. This thus exceeds the Year 2015 DOE STCH target of STH >10%, and shows promise for meeting the Year 2020 target of 20%.« less

Development of the hybrid sulfur cycle for use with concentrated solar heat. I. Conceptual design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gorensek, Maximilian B.; Corgnale, Claudio; Summers, William A.

We propose a detailed conceptual design of a solar hybrid sulfur (HyS) cycle. Numerous design tradeoffs, including process operating conditions and strategies, methods of integration with solar energy sources, and solar design options were considered. A baseline design was selected, and process flowsheets were developed. Pinch analyses were performed to establish the limiting energy efficiency. Detailed material and energy balances were completed, and a full stream table prepared. Design assumptions include use of: location in the southwest US desert, falling particle concentrated solar receiver, indirect heat transfer via pressurized helium, continuous operation with thermal energy storage, liquid-fed electrolyzer with PBImore » membrane, and bayonet-type acid decomposer. Thermochemical cycle efficiency for the HyS process was estimated to be 35.0%, LHV basis. The solar-to-hydrogen (STH) energy conversion ratio was 16.9%. This thus exceeds the Year 2015 DOE STCH target of STH >10%, and shows promise for meeting the Year 2020 target of 20%.« less

Ultrafast Microwave Nano-manufacturing of Fullerene-Like Metal Chalcogenides

PubMed Central

Liu, Zhen; Zhang, Lin; Wang, Ruigang; Poyraz, Selcuk; Cook, Jonathan; Bozack, Michael J.; Das, Siddhartha; Zhang, Xinyu; Hu, Liangbing

2016-01-01

Metal Chalcogenides (MCs) have emerged as an extremely important class of nanomaterials with applications ranging from lubrication to energy storage devices. Here we report our discovery of a universal, ultrafast (60 seconds), energy-efficient, and facile technique of synthesizing MC nanoparticles and nanostructures, using microwave-assisted heating. A suitable combination of chemicals was selected for reactions on Polypyrrole nanofibers (PPy-NF) in presence of microwave irradiation. The PPy-NF serves as the conducting medium to absorb microwave energy to heat the chemicals that provide the metal and the chalcogenide constituents separately. The MCs are formed as nanoparticles that eventually undergo a size-dependent, multi-stage aggregation process to yield different kinds of MC nanostructures. Most importantly, this is a single-step metal chalcogenide formation process that is much faster and much more energy-efficient than all the other existing methods and can be universally employed to produce different kinds of MCs (e.g., MoS2, and WS2). PMID:26931353

Ultrafast Microwave Nano-manufacturing of Fullerene-Like Metal Chalcogenides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhen; Zhang, Lin; Wang, Ruigang; Poyraz, Selcuk; Cook, Jonathan; Bozack, Michael J.; Das, Siddhartha; Zhang, Xinyu; Hu, Liangbing

2016-03-01

Metal Chalcogenides (MCs) have emerged as an extremely important class of nanomaterials with applications ranging from lubrication to energy storage devices. Here we report our discovery of a universal, ultrafast (60 seconds), energy-efficient, and facile technique of synthesizing MC nanoparticles and nanostructures, using microwave-assisted heating. A suitable combination of chemicals was selected for reactions on Polypyrrole nanofibers (PPy-NF) in presence of microwave irradiation. The PPy-NF serves as the conducting medium to absorb microwave energy to heat the chemicals that provide the metal and the chalcogenide constituents separately. The MCs are formed as nanoparticles that eventually undergo a size-dependent, multi-stage aggregation process to yield different kinds of MC nanostructures. Most importantly, this is a single-step metal chalcogenide formation process that is much faster and much more energy-efficient than all the other existing methods and can be universally employed to produce different kinds of MCs (e.g., MoS2, and WS2).

Ultrafast Microwave Nano-manufacturing of Fullerene-Like Metal Chalcogenides.

PubMed

Liu, Zhen; Zhang, Lin; Wang, Ruigang; Poyraz, Selcuk; Cook, Jonathan; Bozack, Michael J; Das, Siddhartha; Zhang, Xinyu; Hu, Liangbing

2016-03-02

Metal Chalcogenides (MCs) have emerged as an extremely important class of nanomaterials with applications ranging from lubrication to energy storage devices. Here we report our discovery of a universal, ultrafast (60 seconds), energy-efficient, and facile technique of synthesizing MC nanoparticles and nanostructures, using microwave-assisted heating. A suitable combination of chemicals was selected for reactions on Polypyrrole nanofibers (PPy-NF) in presence of microwave irradiation. The PPy-NF serves as the conducting medium to absorb microwave energy to heat the chemicals that provide the metal and the chalcogenide constituents separately. The MCs are formed as nanoparticles that eventually undergo a size-dependent, multi-stage aggregation process to yield different kinds of MC nanostructures. Most importantly, this is a single-step metal chalcogenide formation process that is much faster and much more energy-efficient than all the other existing methods and can be universally employed to produce different kinds of MCs (e.g., MoS2, and WS2).

Greenbuilt Retrofit Test House Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sparn, B.; Hudon, K.; Earle, L.

2014-06-01

The Greenbuilt house is a 1980's era house in the Sacramento area that was a prominent part of Sacramento Municipal Utility District's (SMUD) Energy Efficient Remodel Demonstration Program. The house underwent an extensive remodel, aimed at improving overall energy efficiency with a goal of reducing the home's energy use by 50%. NREL researchers performed a number of tests on the major systems touched by the retrofit to ensure they were working as planned. Additionally, SMUD rented the house from Greenbuilt Construction for a year to allow NREL to perform a number of tests on the cooling system and the watermore » heating system. The goal of the space conditioning tests was to find the best ways to cut cooling loads and shift the summer peak. The water heating system, comprised of an add-on heat pump water heater and an integrated collector-storage solar water heater, was operated with a number of different draw profiles to see how varying hot water draw volume and schedule affected the performance of the system as a whole. All the experiments were performed with the house empty, with a simulated occupancy schedule running in the house to mimic the load imposed by real occupants.« less

Densities of some molten fluoride salt mixtures suitable for heat storage in space power applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Misra, Ajay K.

1988-01-01

Liquid densities were determined for a number of fluoride salt mixtures suitable for heat storage in space power applications, using a procedure that consisted of measuring the loss of weight of an inert bob in the melt. The density apparatus was calibrated with pure LiF and NaF at different temperatures. Density data for safe binary and ternary fluoride salt eutectics and congruently melting intermediate compounds are presented. In addition, a comparison was made between the volumetric heat storage capacity of different salt mixtures.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoffman, Michael G.; Srivastava, Viraj; Wagner, Anne W.

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has launched a project funded by the Bonneville Power Association (BPA) to identify strategies for increasing industrial energy efficiency and reducing energy costs of Northwest Food Processors Association (NWFPA) plants through deployment of novel combinations and designs of variable-output combined heat and power (CHP) distributed generation (DG), combined cooling, heating and electric power (CCHP) DG and energy storage systems. Detailed evaluations and recommendations of CHP and CCHP DG systems will be performed for several Northwest (NW) food processing sites. The objective is to reduce the overall energy use intensity of NW food processors bymore » 25% by 2020 and by 50% by 2030, as well as reducing emissions and understanding potential congestion reduction impacts on the transmission system in the Pacific Northwest.« less

Performance of the solarium-assisted dormitory at the White Mountain School, Littleton, NH

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hall-Martindale, M.; Converse, A.O.

1980-01-01

The performance of a hybrid solarium-based heating system is discussed. Over the period 16 October 1979 to 12 March 1980 the solarium collection efficiency was 18.1%, with a daily high of 37.8% on 3 March 1980. The buffering action of the solarium is significant, contributing an energy savings of 144 gal oil equivalent (24% of the actual oil usage). The rock bed storage and associated ducts have a heat loss larger than expected, delivering to the building only 23% of the energy collected in the solarium. Insolation and temperatures are shown for a three-day period; corresponding values for a ten-daymore » period are available for simulation studies.« less

78 FR 66201 - Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products and Certain Commercial and Industrial Equipment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-04

.... NREL commented that storage tanks do not make a complete water heating system, so an energy factor is.... Unfired storage tanks are not complete water- heating systems and require additional equipment in the... water-heating system is so dependent upon other components of the system that use of the uniform...

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alameri, Saeed A.

Nuclear power plants usually provide base-load electric power and operate most economically at a constant power level. In an energy grid with a high fraction of renewable energy sources, future 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 the reactor to a large Thermal Energy Storage (TES) block will allow the reactor to better respond to variable power demands. In the system described in this thesis, a Prismatic-core Advanced High Temperature Reactor (PAHTR) operates at constant power with heat provided to a TES block that supplies power as needed to a secondary energy conversion system. The PAHTR is designed to have a power rating of 300 MW th, with 19.75 wt% enriched Tri-Structural-Isotropic UO 2 fuel and a five year operating cycle. The passive molten salt TES system will operate in the latent heat region with an energy storage capacity of 150 MWd. Multiple smaller TES blocks are used instead of one large block to enhance the efficiency and maintenance complexity of the system. A transient model of the coupled reactor/TES system is developed to study the behavior of the system in response to varying load demands. The model uses six-delayed group point kinetics and decay heat models coupled to thermal-hydraulic and heat transfer models of the reactor and TES system. Based on the transient results, the preferred TES design consists of 1000 blocks, each containing 11000 LiCl phase change material tubes. A safety assessment of major reactor events demonstrates the inherent safety of the coupled system. The loss of forced circulation study determined the minimum required air convection heat removal rate from the reactor core and the lowest possible reduced primary flow rate that can maintain the reactor in a safe condition. The loss of ultimate heat sink study demonstrated the ability of the TES to absorb the decay heat of the reactor fuel while cooling the PAHTR after an emergency shutdown. The simulated reactivity insertion accident assessment determined the maximum allowable reactivity insertion to the PAHTR as a function of shutdown response times.

75 FR 33853 - Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company; Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation; Issuance of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-15

...) Surveillance Requirement 3.1.6.1 to verify the operability of the concrete cask heat removal system to maintain... Amendment No. 5 for one storage canister at the MY ISFSI. The affected storage canister had a heat load of 9..., and the LCO 3.1.4 time limit for a canister [[Page 33855

Next generation molten NaI batteries for grid scale energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Small, Leo J.; Eccleston, Alexis; Lamb, Joshua; Read, Andrew C.; Robins, Matthew; Meaders, Thomas; Ingersoll, David; Clem, Paul G.; Bhavaraju, Sai; Spoerke, Erik D.

2017-08-01

Robust, safe, and reliable grid-scale energy storage continues to be a priority for improved energy surety, expanded integration of renewable energy, and greater system agility required to meet modern dynamic and evolving electrical energy demands. We describe here a new sodium-based battery based on a molten sodium anode, a sodium iodide/aluminum chloride (NaI/AlCl3) cathode, and a high conductivity NaSICON (Na1+xZr2SixP3-xO12) ceramic separator. This NaI battery operates at intermediate temperatures (120-180 °C) and boasts an energy density of >150 Wh kg-1. The energy-dense NaI-AlCl3 ionic liquid catholyte avoids lifetime-limiting plating and intercalation reactions, and the use of earth-abundant elements minimizes materials costs and eliminates economic uncertainties associated with lithium metal. Moreover, the inherent safety of this system under internal mechanical failure is characterized by negligible heat or gas production and benign reaction products (Al, NaCl). Scalability in design is exemplified through evolution from 0.85 to 10 Ah (28 Wh) form factors, displaying lifetime average Coulombic efficiencies of 99.45% and energy efficiencies of 81.96% over dynamic testing lasting >3000 h. This demonstration promises a safe, cost-effective, and long-lifetime technology as an attractive candidate for grid scale storage.

Coupling of exothermic and endothermic hydrogen storage materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brooks, Kriston P.; Bowden, Mark E.; Karkamkar, Abhijeet J.

2016-08-01

Chemical hydrogen storage (CHS) materials are a high-storage-density alternative to the gaseous compressed hydrogen currently used to provide hydrogen for fuel cell vehicles. One of the challenges of CHS materials is addressing the thermodynamic and kinetic barriers required to break the chemical bonds and release the hydrogen. Coupling CHS reactions that are endothermic and exothermic during the dehydrogenation can improve the system on-board energy efficiency and thermal control, making such materials viable. Acceptable coupling between reactions requires both thermodynamic and kinetics considerations. Models were developed to predict the reaction enthalpy and rate required to achieve high conversions for both reactionsmore » based on experimental measurements. These modeling results show that the efficiency of coupling of an exothermic and endothermic reaction is more sensitive the magnitude of the ratio of the exothermic and endothermic enthalpies than the ratio of the rates of the two steps. The modeling shows further that a slower rate of the endothermic step is desirable to permit sufficient heating of the reactor by the exothermic step. We look at two examples of a sequential and parallel reaction scheme and provide some of the first insight into the required temperature range to maximize the H2 release from 1,2-BN cyclohexane and indoline.« less

Phase change energy storage for solar dynamic power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chiaramonte, F. P.; Taylor, J. D.

1992-01-01

This paper presents the results of a transient computer simulation that was developed to study phase change energy storage techniques for Space Station Freedom (SSF) solar dynamic (SD) power systems. Such SD systems may be used in future growth SSF configurations. Two solar dynamic options are considered in this paper: Brayton and Rankine. Model elements consist of a single node receiver and concentrator, and takes into account overall heat engine efficiency and power distribution characteristics. The simulation not only computes the energy stored in the receiver phase change material (PCM), but also the amount of the PCM required for various combinations of load demands and power system mission constraints. For a solar dynamic power system in low earth orbit, the amount of stored PCM energy is calculated by balancing the solar energy input and the energy consumed by the loads corrected by an overall system efficiency. The model assumes an average 75 kW SD power system load profile which is connected to user loads via dedicated power distribution channels. The model then calculates the stored energy in the receiver and subsequently estimates the quantity of PCM necessary to meet peaking and contingency requirements. The model can also be used to conduct trade studies on the performance of SD power systems using different storage materials.

Phase change energy storage for solar dynamic power systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiaramonte, F. P.; Taylor, J. D.

This paper presents the results of a transient computer simulation that was developed to study phase change energy storage techniques for Space Station Freedom (SSF) solar dynamic (SD) power systems. Such SD systems may be used in future growth SSF configurations. Two solar dynamic options are considered in this paper: Brayton and Rankine. Model elements consist of a single node receiver and concentrator, and takes into account overall heat engine efficiency and power distribution characteristics. The simulation not only computes the energy stored in the receiver phase change material (PCM), but also the amount of the PCM required for various combinations of load demands and power system mission constraints. For a solar dynamic power system in low earth orbit, the amount of stored PCM energy is calculated by balancing the solar energy input and the energy consumed by the loads corrected by an overall system efficiency. The model assumes an average 75 kW SD power system load profile which is connected to user loads via dedicated power distribution channels. The model then calculates the stored energy in the receiver and subsequently estimates the quantity of PCM necessary to meet peaking and contingency requirements. The model can also be used to conduct trade studies on the performance of SD power systems using different storage materials.

Dynamic analysis of concentrated solar supercritical CO2-based power generation closed-loop cycle

DOE PAGES

Osorio, Julian D.; Hovsapian, Rob; Ordonez, Juan C.

2016-01-01

Here, the dynamic behavior of a concentrated solar power (CSP) supercritical CO 2 cycle is studied under different seasonal conditions. The system analyzed is composed of a central receiver, hot and cold thermal energy storage units, a heat exchanger, a recuperator, and multi-stage compression-expansion subsystems with intercoolers and reheaters between compressors and turbines respectively. Energy models for each component of the system are developed in order to optimize operating and design parameters such as mass flow rate, intermediate pressures and the effective area of the recuperator to lead to maximum efficiency. Our results show that the parametric optimization leads themore » system to a process efficiency of about 21 % and a maximum power output close to 1.5 MW. The thermal energy storage allows the system to operate for several hours after sunset. This operating time is approximately increased from 220 to 480 minutes after optimization. The hot and cold thermal energy storage also lessens the temperature fluctuations by providing smooth changes of temperatures at the turbines and compressors inlets. Our results indicate that concentrated solar systems using supercritical CO 2 could be a viable alternative to satisfying energy needs in desert areas with scarce water and fossil fuel resources.« less

Thermal performance and heat transport in aquifer thermal energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Design Calculation Procedure for Passive Solar Houses at Navy Installations in Regions with Warm, Humid Climate. Volume III.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-01

and Storage Locations . ... 7 2.3 Heat Transfer Mechanisms of Thermal Storage Walls ...... ... 11 2.4 Heating of Living Space with Solar Greenhouse ...12 2.5 Schematic of North-Side Greenhouse Retrofit .... ......... 12 2.6 The Roof Pond in Warm Climate ................... ... 14 2.7...Building Thermal Load Profile ... ........ 48 5 Calculation of Solar Heating Contribution ............. 52 5A Adjusted Net Solar Greenhouse Heat Gain

Solar powered absorption cycle heat pump using phase change materials for energy storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Middleton, R. L.

1972-01-01

Solar powered heating and cooling system with possible application to residential homes is described. Operating principles of system are defined and illustration of typical energy storage and exchange system is provided.

Integrated heat pipe-thermal storage system performance evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keddy, E.; Sena, J. T.; Merrigan, M.; Heidenreich, Gary

1987-01-01

An integrated thermal energy storage (TES) system, developed as a part of an organic Rankine cycle solar dynamic power system is described, and the results of the performance verification tests of this TES system are presented. The integrated system consists of potassium heat-pipe elements that incorporate TES canisters within the vapor space, along with an organic fluid heater tube used as the condenser region of the heat pipe. The heat pipe assembly was operated through the range of design conditions from the nominal design input of 4.8 kW to a maximum of 5.7 kW. The performance verification tests show that the system meets the functional requirements of absorbing the solar energy reflected by the concentrator, transporting the energy to the organic Rankine heater, providing thermal storage for the eclipse phase, and allowing uniform discharge from the thermal storage to the heater.

Effect of heat treatment and storage conditions on mead composition.

PubMed

Kahoun, David; Řezková, Soňa; Královský, Josef

2017-03-15

The effects of heat treatment and storage conditions on the composition of pure mead (honey wine) made from only honey and water were investigated. Heat treatment experiments were performed at 7 different temperatures ranging from 40°C to100°C with 10°C increments for 60min. Storage condition experiments were performed at room temperature (20-25°C) in daylight without direct sunlight and in darkness in a refrigerator at 4°C for 1, 2, 4 and 12weeks. The parameters evaluated were phenolic compounds, peak area of unidentified compounds, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural content and antioxidant capacity. Significant changes in compound content were observed in the case of 6 identified compounds and 9 unidentified compounds. However, the antioxidant activity was not affected by the heat treatments or storage at room temperature. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance Testing of a Lightweight, High Efficiency 95 K Cryocooler

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salerno, Lou; Kittel, P.; Kashani, A.; Helvensteijn, B. P. M.; Tward, E.; Arnold, Jim A. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Performance data are presented for a flight-like, lightweight, high efficiency pulse tube cryogenic cooler. The cooler has a mass of less than 4.0 kg, and an efficiency of 12 W/W, which is 18% of Carnot at 95 K, nearly double the efficiency of previous cooler designs, The mass of the cooler has been reduced by approximately a factor of three. The design point cooling power is 10 watts at 95 K at a heat rejection temperature of 300 K. The no-load temperature is 45 K. The compressor is built by Hymatic Engineering, UK, and is of a horizontally opposed piston design using flexure bearings. The vertical pulse tube is built by TRW with the heat exchanger or cold block located approximately mid-way along the tube. The final assembly and integration is also performed by TRW. The inertance tube and dead volume are contained within one of the compressor end caps. The cooler was developed by TRW under a joint NASA-DOD program, and has a goal of 10 yr operating lifetime. Potential NASA applications will focus on using coolers of this type in Zero boil off (ZBO) cryogen storage topologies for next generation launch vehicles. Zero boil off systems will feature significant reductions in tank size and Initial Mass to Low Earth Orbit (IMLEO), thereby significantly reducing the cost of access to space, and enabling future missions. The coolers can be used directly in liquid oxygen (LOx) or liquid methane ZBO systems, as shield coolers in liquid hydrogen tanks, or as first stage coolers in two-stage liquid hydrogen (LH2) ZBO cooler systems. Finally, the coolers could find applications in exploration missions where either propellants or breathable oxygen are extracted from the planetary atmosphere using a Sabatier or similar process. The gases could then be liquefied for storage either directly in return vehicle propellant tanks or on the planetary surface. Data presented were taken with the cooler operating in a vacuum of 10 (exp -5) torr, at controlled rejection temperatures from 300 K down to 275 K using a cold water heat exchanger bolted to the cooler. Heat loads were varied between 0.5 W and 15 W by supplying current to a 50 omega resistor mounted on a copper cold plate which was bolted to the cooler cold block. Silicon diodes mounted on both the cold plate and the heat exchanger provided accurate temperature measurement to within plus or minus 0.25 K and plus or minus 0.5 K respectively, up to 100 K with plus or minus 1% accuracy above 100 K. Input power to the compressor was limited to 180 W, corresponding to a maximum stroke of 80%.

Numerical simulation of seasonal heat storage in a contaminated shallow aquifer - Temperature influence on flow, transport and reaction processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popp, Steffi; Beyer, Christof; Dahmke, Andreas; Bauer, Sebastian

2015-04-01

The energy market in Germany currently faces a rapid transition from nuclear power and fossil fuels towards an increased production of energy from renewable resources like wind or solar power. In this context, seasonal heat storage in the shallow subsurface is becoming more and more important, particularly in urban regions with high population densities and thus high energy and heat demand. Besides the effects of increased or decreased groundwater and sediment temperatures on local and large-scale groundwater flow, transport, geochemistry and microbiology, an influence on subsurface contaminations, which may be present in the urban surbsurface, can be expected. Currently, concerns about negative impacts of temperature changes on groundwater quality are the main barrier for the approval of heat storage at or close to contaminated sites. The possible impacts of heat storage on subsurface contamination, however, have not been investigated in detail yet. Therefore, this work investigates the effects of a shallow seasonal heat storage on subsurface groundwater flow, transport and reaction processes in the presence of an organic contamination using numerical scenario simulations. A shallow groundwater aquifer is assumed, which consists of Pleistoscene sandy sediments typical for Northern Germany. The seasonal heat storage in these scenarios is performed through arrays of borehole heat exchangers (BHE), where different setups with 6 and 72 BHE, and temperatures during storage between 2°C and 70°C are analyzed. The developing heat plume in the aquifer interacts with a residual phase of a trichloroethene (TCE) contamination. The plume of dissolved TCE emitted from this source zone is degraded by reductive dechlorination through microbes present in the aquifer, which degrade TCE under anaerobic redox conditions to the degradation products dichloroethene, vinyl chloride and ethene. The temperature dependence of the microbial degradation activity of each degradation step is taken into account for the numerical simulations. Hence, the simulations are performed with the code OpenGeoSys, which is especially suited for simulating coupled thermal, hydraulic and geochemical processes. The scenario simulations show an increase in the source zone emission of TCE at higher temperatures, which is primarily due to the focusing of the groundwater flow in the area of higher temperatures within the source zone and to a lesser part to an increase in TCE solubility. On the other hand, a widening of the contaminant plume and enlargement of the area for TCE biodegradation is induced, which leads to an increase in biodegradation of the chlorinated hydrocarbons. In combination almost no change in the overall ratio of degraded to emitted TCE is found, which shows that the seasonal heat storage is not negatively influencing the present TCE contamination under these assumptions. The results of this work serve to support the risk assessment for the interaction between heat storage and contaminations in the shallow subsurface and show positive interactions as well as possible conflicts.

Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Minor, J. E.

1980-01-01

The Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage (STES) Program designed to demonstrate the storage and retrieval of energy on a seasonal basis using heat or cold available from waste or other sources during a surplus period is described. Factors considered include reduction of peak period demand and electric utility load problems and establishment of favorable economics for district heating and cooling systems for commercialization of the technology. The initial thrust of the STES Program toward utilization of ground water systems (aquifers) for thermal energy storage is emphasized.

Environmental Control Unit with Integral Thermal Storage

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-12

integrated PCM Heat Exchanger (PHX) to provide thermal energy storage . By storing thermal energy during the hottest part of the day and rejecting this stored...Environmental Control Unit (ECU) that uses an integrated PCM Heat Exchanger (PHX) to provide thermal energy storage . To aid in the development of the PHX...Thermal Storage 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER W911QX-14-C-0014 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Michael C. Ellis Ryan McDevitt 5d

Modeling of District Heating Networks for the Purpose of Operational Optimization with Thermal Energy Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leśko, Michał; Bujalski, Wojciech

2017-12-01

The aim of this document is to present the topic of modeling district heating systems in order to enable optimization of their operation, with special focus on thermal energy storage in the pipelines. Two mathematical models for simulation of transient behavior of district heating networks have been described, and their results have been compared in a case study. The operational optimization in a DH system, especially if this system is supplied from a combined heat and power plant, is a difficult and complicated task. Finding a global financial optimum requires considering long periods of time and including thermal energy storage possibilities into consideration. One of the most interesting options for thermal energy storage is utilization of thermal inertia of the network itself. This approach requires no additional investment, while providing significant possibilities for heat load shifting. It is not feasible to use full topological models of the networks, comprising thousands of substations and network sections, for the purpose of operational optimization with thermal energy storage, because such models require long calculation times. In order to optimize planned thermal energy storage actions, it is necessary to model the transient behavior of the network in a very simple way - allowing for fast and reliable calculations. Two approaches to building such models have been presented. Both have been tested by comparing the results of simulation of the behavior of the same network. The characteristic features, advantages and disadvantages of both kinds of models have been identified. The results can prove useful for district heating system operators in the near future.

Demonstration of a high-capacity turboalternator for a 20 K, 20 W space-borne Brayton cryocooler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zagarola, M.; Cragin, K.; Deserranno, D.

2014-01-01

NASA is considering multiple missions involving long-term cryogenic propellant storage in space. Liquid hydrogen and oxygen are the typical cryogens as they provide the highest specific impulse of practical chemical propellants. Storage temperatures are nominally 20 K for liquid hydrogen and 90 K for liquid oxygen. Heat loads greater than 10 W at 20 K are predicted for hydrogen storage. Current space cryocoolers have been developed for sensor cooling with refrigeration capacities less than 1 W at 20 K. In 2011, Creare Inc. demonstrated an ultra-low-capacity turboalternator for use in a turbo-Brayton cryocooler. The turboalternator produced up to 5 W of turbine refrigeration at 20 K; equivalent to approximately 3 W of net cryocooler refrigeration. This turboalternator obtained unprecedented operating speeds and efficiencies at low temperatures benefitting from new rotor design and fabrication techniques, and new bearing fabrication techniques. More recently, Creare applied these design and fabrication techniques to a larger and higher capacity 20 K turboalternator. The turboalternator was tested in a high-capacity, low temperature test facility at Creare and demonstrated up to 42 W of turbine refrigeration at 20 K; equivalent to approximately 30 W of net cryocooler refrigeration. The net turbine efficiency was the highest achieved to date at Creare for a space-borne turboalternator. This demonstration was the first step in the development of a high-capacity turbo-Brayton cryocooler for liquid hydrogen storage. In this paper, we will review the design, development and testing of the turboalternator.

The development of a residential heating and cooling system using NASA derived technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oneill, M. J.; Mcdanal, A. J.; Sims, W. H.

1972-01-01

A study to determine the technical and economic feasibility of a solar-powered space heating, air-conditioning, and hot water heating system for residential applications is presented. The basic system utilizes a flat-plate solar collector to process incident solar radiation, a thermal energy storage system to store the collected energy for use during night and heavily overcast periods, and an absorption cycle heat pump for actually heating and cooling the residence. In addition, heat from the energy storage system is used to provide domestic hot water. The analyses of the three major components of the system (the solar collector, the energy storage system, and the heat pump package) are discussed and results are presented. The total system analysis is discussed in detail, including the technical performance of the solar-powered system and a cost comparison between the solar-powered system and a conventional system. The projected applicability of the system to different regions of the nation is described.

System for Packaging Planetary Samples for Return to Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Badescu, Mircea; Bar-Cohen, Yoseph; Backes, paul G.; Sherrit, Stewart; Bao, Xiaoqi; Scott, James S.

2010-01-01

A system is proposed for packaging material samples on a remote planet (especially Mars) in sealed sample tubes in preparation for later return to Earth. The sample tubes (Figure 1) would comprise (1) tubes initially having open tops and closed bottoms; (2) small, bellows-like collapsible bodies inside the tubes at their bottoms; and (3) plugs to be eventually used to close the tops of the tubes. The top inner surface of each tube would be coated with solder. The side of each plug, which would fit snugly into a tube, would feature a solder-filled ring groove. The system would include equipment for storing, manipulating, filling, and sealing the tubes. The containerization system (see Figure 2) will be organized in stations and will include: the storage station, the loading station, and the heating station. These stations can be structured in circular or linear pattern to minimize the manipulator complexity, allowing for compact design and mass efficiency. The manipulation of the sample tube between stations is done by a simple manipulator arm. The storage station contains the unloaded sample tubes and the plugs before sealing as well as the sealed sample tubes with samples after loading and sealing. The chambers at the storage station also allow for plug insertion into the sample tube. At the loading station the sample is poured or inserted into the sample tube and then the tube is topped off. At the heating station the plug is heated so the solder ring melts and seals the plug to the sample tube. The process is performed as follows: Each tube is filled or slightly overfilled with sample material and the excess sample material is wiped off the top. Then, the plug is inserted into the top section of the tube packing the sample material against the collapsible bellowslike body allowing the accommodation of the sample volume. The plug and the top of the tube are heated momentarily to melt the solder in order to seal the tube.

Passive Residential Houses with the Accumulation Properties of Ground as a Heat Storage Medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ochab, Piotr; Kokoszka, Wanda; Kogut, Janusz; Skrzypczak, Izabela; Szyszka, Jerzy; Starakiewicz, Aleksander

2017-12-01

Solar radiation is the primary source of life energy on Earth. The irradiance of the upper atmosphere is about 1360 W/m2, and it is estimated that about 1000 W/m2 reaches the ground. Long-term storage of heat energy is related to the use of a suitable thermal energy carrier. It may be either artificial or natural water tank, or artificial gravel-water tank, or aquifer or soil. It is justified to store the generated energy in large heating systems due to the nature of solar thermal energy. Typically, in such a solution storage space is a large solar collector farm. The reason for this is the proportionally small unit profits, which only in the case of large number of units provides sufficient energy that can be accumulated. It should be noted that Poland, a country located in a temperate and less harsh climate such as Scandinavia and Canada, has a relatively high potential for solar revenue. In the last decade, it has caused mainly small and individual heating installations. However, much of the municipal and industrial economy continues to rely on energy from non-renewable resources. This is due not only to the lack of a high-efficiency alternative to non-renewable energy resources, but also to the thermal state of buildings throughout the country, where old buildings require thermomodernization. This has the effect of both polluting the environment and the occurrence of smog, as well as pollutants in water and soil. This directly affects the occurrence of civilization diseases and other societal health problems. Therefore, the surplus of thermal clean energy that occurs during the spring and summer period should not only be used on a regular basis, but also stored for later winter use. The paper presents the concept of housing estate, which consists of 32 twin housing units. The solid character of buildings consistently refers to passive construction, and the materials meet the requirements for the passive buildings.

Multi-Fluid Geo-Energy Systems for Bulk and Thermal Energy Storage and Dispatchable Renewable and Low-Carbon Electricity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buscheck, T. A.; Randolph, J.; Saar, M. O.; Hao, Y.; Sun, Y.; Bielicki, J. M.

2014-12-01

Integrating renewable energy sources into electricity grids requires advances in bulk and thermal energy storage technologies, which are currently expensive and have limited capacity. We present an approach that uses the huge fluid and thermal storage capacity of the subsurface to harvest, store, and dispatch energy from subsurface (geothermal) and surface (solar, nuclear, fossil) thermal resources. CO2 captured from fossil-energy systems and N2 separated from air are injected into permeable formations to store pressure, generate artesian flow of brine, and provide additional working fluids. These enable efficient fluid recirculation, heat extraction, and power conversion, while adding operational flexibility. Our approach can also store and dispatch thermal energy, which can be used to levelize concentrating solar power and mitigate variability of wind and solar power. This may allow low-carbon, base-load power to operate at full capacity, with the stored excess energy being available to addresss diurnal and seasonal mismatches between supply and demand. Concentric rings of horizontal injection and production wells are used to create a hydraulic divide to store pressure, CO2, N2, and thermal energy. Such storage can take excess power from the grid and excess thermal energy, and dispatch that energy when it is demanded. The system is pressurized and/or heated when power supply exceeds demand and depressurized when demand exceeds supply. Supercritical CO2 and N2 function as cushion gases to provide enormous pressure-storage capacity. Injecting CO2 and N2 displaces large quantities of brine, reducing the use of fresh water. Geologic CO2 storage is a crucial option for reducing CO2 emissions, but valuable uses for CO2 are needed to justify capture costs. The initial "charging" of our system requires permanently isolating large volumes of CO2 from the atmosphere and thus creates a market for its disposal. Our approach is designed for locations where a permeable geologic formation is overlain by an impermeable formation that constrains migration of buoyant CO2 and/or N2, and heated brine. Such geologic conditions exist over nearly half of the contiguous United States. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. DOE by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Multiwell CO2 injectivity: impact of boundary conditions and brine extraction on geologic CO2 storage efficiency and pressure buildup.

PubMed

Heath, Jason E; McKenna, Sean A; Dewers, Thomas A; Roach, Jesse D; Kobos, Peter H

2014-01-21

CO2 storage efficiency is a metric that expresses the portion of the pore space of a subsurface geologic formation that is available to store CO2. Estimates of storage efficiency for large-scale geologic CO2 storage depend on a variety of factors including geologic properties and operational design. These factors govern estimates on CO2 storage resources, the longevity of storage sites, and potential pressure buildup in storage reservoirs. This study employs numerical modeling to quantify CO2 injection well numbers, well spacing, and storage efficiency as a function of geologic formation properties, open-versus-closed boundary conditions, and injection with or without brine extraction. The set of modeling runs is important as it allows the comparison of controlling factors on CO2 storage efficiency. Brine extraction in closed domains can result in storage efficiencies that are similar to those of injection in open-boundary domains. Geomechanical constraints on downhole pressure at both injection and extraction wells lower CO2 storage efficiency as compared to the idealized scenario in which the same volumes of CO2 and brine are injected and extracted, respectively. Geomechanical constraints should be taken into account to avoid potential damage to the storage site.

Integrating experimental and numerical methods for a scenario-based quantitative assessment of subsurface energy storage options

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kabuth, Alina; Dahmke, Andreas; Hagrey, Said Attia al; Berta, Márton; Dörr, Cordula; Koproch, Nicolas; Köber, Ralf; Köhn, Daniel; Nolde, Michael; Tilmann Pfeiffer, Wolf; Popp, Steffi; Schwanebeck, Malte; Bauer, Sebastian

2016-04-01

Within the framework of the transition to renewable energy sources ("Energiewende"), the German government defined the target of producing 60 % of the final energy consumption from renewable energy sources by the year 2050. However, renewable energies are subject to natural fluctuations. Energy storage can help to buffer the resulting time shifts between production and demand. Subsurface geological structures provide large potential capacities for energy stored in the form of heat or gas on daily to seasonal time scales. In order to explore this potential sustainably, the possible induced effects of energy storage operations have to be quantified for both specified normal operation and events of failure. The ANGUS+ project therefore integrates experimental laboratory studies with numerical approaches to assess subsurface energy storage scenarios and monitoring methods. Subsurface storage options for gas, i.e. hydrogen, synthetic methane and compressed air in salt caverns or porous structures, as well as subsurface heat storage are investigated with respect to site prerequisites, storage dimensions, induced effects, monitoring methods and integration into spatial planning schemes. The conceptual interdisciplinary approach of the ANGUS+ project towards the integration of subsurface energy storage into a sustainable subsurface planning scheme is presented here, and this approach is then demonstrated using the examples of two selected energy storage options: Firstly, the option of seasonal heat storage in a shallow aquifer is presented. Coupled thermal and hydraulic processes induced by periodic heat injection and extraction were simulated in the open-source numerical modelling package OpenGeoSys. Situations of specified normal operation as well as cases of failure in operational storage with leaking heat transfer fluid are considered. Bench-scale experiments provided parameterisations of temperature dependent changes in shallow groundwater hydrogeochemistry. As a second example, the option of seasonal hydrogen storage in a deep saline aquifer is considered. The induced thermal and hydraulic multiphase flow processes were simulated. Also, an integrative approach towards geophysical monitoring of gas presence was evaluated by synthetically applying these monitoring methods to the synthetic, however realistically defined numerical storage scenarios. Laboratory experiments provided parameterisations of geochemical effects caused by storage gas leakage into shallow aquifers in cases of sealing failure. Ultimately, the analysis of realistically defined scenarios of subsurface energy storage within the ANGUS+ project allows a quantification of the subsurface space claimed by a storage operation and its induced effects. Acknowledgments: This work is part of the ANGUS+ project (www.angusplus.de) and funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of the energy storage initiative "Energiespeicher".

Application of thermal energy storage to process heat recovery in the aluminum industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccabe, J.

1980-01-01

The economic viability and the institutional compatibility of a district heating system in the city of Bellingham, Washington are assessed and the technical and economic advantages of using thermal energy storage methods are determined.

Review of Phase Change Materials Based on Energy Storage System with Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thamaraikannn, R.; Kanimozhi, B.; Anish, M.; Jayaprabakar, J.; Saravanan, P.; Rohan Nicholas, A.

2017-05-01

The use of Different types of storage system using phase change materials (PCMs) is an effective way of storing energy and also to make advantages of heating and cooling systems are installed to maintain temperatures within the well-being zone. PCMs have been extensively used in various storage systems for heat pumps, solar engineering, and thermal control applications. The use of PCM’s for heating and cooling applications have been investigated during the past decade. There are large numbers of PCM’s, which melt and solidify at a wide range of temperatures, making them attractive in a number of applications. This paper also outline the investigation and analysis of Phase Change materials used in Different Types of storage systems with different applications.

Solvothermal method as a green chemistry solution for micro-encapsulation of phase change materials for high temperature thermal energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tudor, Albert Ioan; Motoc, Adrian Mihail; Ciobota, Cristina Florentina; Ciobota, Dan. Nastase; Piticescu, Radu Robert; Romero-Sanchez, Maria Dolores

2018-05-01

Thermal energy storage systems using phase change materials (PCMs) as latent heat storage are one of the main challenges at European level in improving the performances and efficiency of concentrated solar power energy generation due to their high energy density. PCM with high working temperatures in the temperature range 300-500 °C are required for these purposes. However their use is still limited due to the problems raised by the corrosion of the majority of high temperature PCMs and lower thermal transfer properties. Micro-encapsulation was proposed as one method to overcome these problems. Different micro-encapsulation methods proposed in the literature are presented and discussed. An original process for the micro-encapsulation of potassium nitrate as PCM in inorganic zinc oxide shells based on a solvothermal method followed by spray drying to produce microcapsules with controlled phase composition and distribution is proposed and their transformation temperatures and enthalpies measured by differential scanning calorimetry are presented.

Microencapsulated Phase-Change Materials For Storage Of Heat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colvin, David P.

1989-01-01

Report describes research on engineering issues related to storage and transport of heat in slurries containing phase-change materials in microscopic capsules. Specific goal of project to develop lightweight, compact, heat-management systems used safely in inhabited areas of spacecraft. Further development of obvious potential of technology expected to lead to commercialization and use in aircraft, electronic equipment, machinery, industrial processes, and other sytems in which requirements for management of heat compete with severe restrictions on weight or volume.

Lightweight Phase-Change Material For Solar Power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stark, Philip

1993-01-01

Lightweight panels containing phase-change materials developed for use as heat-storage elements of compact, lightweight, advanced solar dynamic power system. During high insolation, heat stored in panels via latent heat of fusion of phase-change material; during low insolation, heat withdrawn from panels. Storage elements consist mainly of porous carbon-fiber structures imbued with germanium. Developed for use aboard space station in orbit around Earth, also adapted to lightweight, compact, portable solar-power systems for use on Earth.

Advanced high-temperature thermal energy storage media for industrial applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

A central microprocessor controlled electrical storage heating system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horstmann, H.

1980-12-01

The use of a microprocessor to control the reloading of electrical storage heaters not only during the night, but whenever the electrical grid is cycled down, was tested. The test setup, used to control a total of about 10 MW installed storage heating in 96 dwellings, is described. It is demonstrated that additional consumers can be connected to the system without demand for more power stations.

Regional Renewable Energy Cooperatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hazendonk, P.; Brown, M. B.; Byrne, J. M.; Harrison, T.; Mueller, R.; Peacock, K.; Usher, J.; Yalamova, R.; Kroebel, R.; Larsen, J.; McNaughton, R.

2014-12-01

We are building a multidisciplinary research program linking researchers in agriculture, business, earth science, engineering, humanities and social science. Our goal is to match renewable energy supply and reformed energy demands. The program will be focused on (i) understanding and modifying energy demand, (ii) design and implementation of diverse renewable energy networks. Geomatics technology will be used to map existing energy and waste flows on a neighbourhood, municipal, and regional level. Optimal sites and combinations of sites for solar and wind electrical generation (ridges, rooftops, valley walls) will be identified. Geomatics based site and grid analyses will identify best locations for energy production based on efficient production and connectivity to regional grids and transportation. Design of networks for utilization of waste streams of heat, water, animal and human waste for energy production will be investigated. Agriculture, cities and industry produce many waste streams that are not well utilized. Therefore, establishing a renewable energy resource mapping and planning program for electrical generation, waste heat and energy recovery, biomass collection, and biochar, biodiesel and syngas production is critical to regional energy optimization. Electrical storage and demand management are two priorities that will be investigated. Regional scale cooperatives may use electric vehicle batteries and innovations such as pump storage and concentrated solar molten salt heat storage for steam turbine electrical generation. Energy demand management is poorly explored in Canada and elsewhere - our homes and businesses operate on an unrestricted demand. Simple monitoring and energy demand-ranking software can easily reduce peaks demands and move lower ranked uses to non-peak periods, thereby reducing the grid size needed to meet peak demands. Peak demand strains the current energy grid capacity and often requires demand balancing projects and infrastructure that is highly inefficient due to overall low utilization.

Developing and demonstrating low-energy climate control and production techniques for greenhouse-grown citrus and ornamental crops

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bodnaruk, W.H. Jr.

1983-04-01

The aim of this study was to develop and demonstrate low energy climate control and production techniques for greenhouse grown citrus and ornamental crops. Emphasis was placed on design, fuel efficiency and plant response to warm water soil heating systems using solar energy and LP gas. An energy requirement of 28Btus output per hour per square foot of bed space will provide soil temperature of 70/sup 0/F minimum when air temperatures are maintained at 60/sup 0/F. Soil heating to 70/sup 0/ increased rooting and growth of 8 foliage plant varieties by 25 to 45% compared to plants grown under 60/supmore » 0/F air temperature conditions. Providing soil heating, however, increased fuel consumption in the central Florida test facilities by 30% in the winters of 1980-81 and 1981-82. Solar tie-in to soil heating systems has the potential of reducing fuel usage. Solar heated water provided 4 hours of soil heating following a good collection day. Decreased in-bed pipe spacing and increased storage capacity should increase the solar percentage to 6 hours.« less

Decay heat power of spent nuclear fuel of power reactors with high burnup at long-term storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ternovykh, Mikhail; Tikhomirov, Georgy; Saldikov, Ivan; Gerasimov, Alexander

2017-09-01

Decay heat power of actinides and fission products from spent nuclear fuel of power VVER-1000 type reactors at long-term storage is calculated. Two modes of storage are considered: mode in which single portion of actinides or fission products is loaded in storage facility, and mode in which actinides or fission products from spent fuel of one VVER reactor are added every year in storage facility during 30 years and then accumulated nuclides are stored without addition new nuclides. Two values of fuel burnup 40 and 70 MW·d/kg are considered for the mode of storage of single fuel unloading. For the mode of accumulation of spent fuel with subsequent storage, one value of burnup of 70 MW·d/kg is considered. Very long time of storage 105 years accepted in calculations allows to simulate final geological disposal of radioactive wastes. Heat power of fission products decreases quickly after 50-100 years of storage. The power of actinides decreases very slow. In passing from 40 to 70 MW·d/kg, power of actinides increases due to accumulation of higher fraction of 244Cm. These data are important in the back end of fuel cycle when improved cooling system of the storage facility will be required along with stronger radiation protection during storage, transportation and processing.

High temperature thermal energy storage in moving sand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, R. H.; Awaya, H. I.

1978-01-01

Several high-temperature (to 500 C) heat-storage systems using sand as the storage medium are described. The advantages of sand as a storage medium include low cost for sand, widespread availability, non-toxicity, non-degradation characteristics, easy containment, and safety. The systems considered include: stationary sand with closely spaced tubes throughout the volume, the use of a fluidized bed, use of conveyor belt transporter, and the use of a blower rapid transport system. For a stationary sand bed, very close spacing of heat transfer tubes throughout the volume is required, manifesting as high power related system cost. The suggestion of moving sand past or around pipes is intended to reduce the power related costs at the penalty of added system complexity. Preliminary system cost estimates are offered. These rough calculations indicate that mobile sand heat storage systems cost less than the stationary sand approach.

Characteristics of phase-change materials containing oxide nano-additives for thermal storage.

PubMed

Teng, Tun-Ping; Yu, Chao-Chieh

2012-11-06

In this study, the authors report the production of nanocomposite-enhanced phase-change materials (NEPCMs) using the direct-synthesis method by mixing paraffin with alumina (Al2O3), titania (TiO2), silica (SiO2), and zinc oxide (ZnO) as the experimental samples. Al2O3, TiO2, SiO2, and ZnO were dispersed into three concentrations of 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 wt.%. Through heat conduction and differential scanning calorimeter experiments to evaluate the effects of varying concentrations of the nano-additives on the heat conduction performance and thermal storage characteristics of NEPCMs, their feasibility for use in thermal storage was determined. The experimental results demonstrate that TiO2 is more effective than the other additives in enhancing both the heat conduction and thermal storage performance of paraffin for most of the experimental parameters. Furthermore, TiO2 reduces the melting onset temperature and increases the solidification onset temperature of paraffin. This allows the phase-change heat to be applicable to a wider temperature range, and the highest decreased ratio of phase-change heat is only 0.46%, compared to that of paraffin. Therefore, this study demonstrates that TiO2, added to paraffin to form NEPCMs, has significant potential for enhancing the thermal storage characteristics of paraffin.

Growth and survival of uninjured and sublethally heat-injured Escherichia coli O157:H7 on beef extract medium as influenced by package atmosphere and storage temperature.

PubMed

Semanchek, J J; Golden, D A; Williams, R C

1999-03-01

The effect of atmospheric composition and storage temperature on growth and survival of uninjured and sublethally heat-injured Escherichia coli O157:H7, inoculated onto brain heart infusion agar containing 0.3% beef extract (BEM), was determined. BEM plates were packaged in barrier bags in air, 100% CO2, 100% N2, 20% CO2: 80% N2, and vacuum and were stored at 4, 10, and 37 degrees C for up to 20 days. Package atmosphere and inoculum status (i.e., uninjured or heat-injured) influenced (P < 0.01) growth and survival of E. coli O157:H7 stored at all test temperatures. Growth of heat-injured E. coli O157:H7 was slower (P < 0.01) than uninjured E. coli O157:H7 stored at 37 degrees C. At 37 degrees C, uninjured E. coli O157:H7 reached stationary phase growth earlier than heat-injured populations. Uninjured E. coli O157:H7 grew during 10 days of storage at 10 degrees C, while heat-injured populations declined during 20 days of storage at 10 degrees C. Uninjured E. coli O157:H7 stored at 10 degrees C reached stationary phase growth within approximately 10 days in all packaging atmospheres except CO2. Populations of uninjured and heat-injured E. coli O157:H7 declined throughout storage for 20 days at 4 degrees C. Survival of uninjured populations stored at 4 degrees C, as well as heat-injured populations stored at 4 and 10 degrees C, was enhanced in CO2 atmosphere. Survival of heat-injured E. coli O157:H7 at 4 and 10 degrees C was not different (P > 0.05). Uninjured and heat-injured E. coli O157:H7 are able to survive at low temperatures in the modified atmospheres used in this study.

Gas Hydrate Storage of Natural Gas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rudy Rogers; John Etheridge

2006-03-31

Environmental and economic benefits could accrue from a safe, above-ground, natural-gas storage process allowing electric power plants to utilize natural gas for peak load demands; numerous other applications of a gas storage process exist. A laboratory study conducted in 1999 to determine the feasibility of a gas-hydrates storage process looked promising. The subsequent scale-up of the process was designed to preserve important features of the laboratory apparatus: (1) symmetry of hydrate accumulation, (2) favorable surface area to volume ratio, (3) heat exchanger surfaces serving as hydrate adsorption surfaces, (4) refrigeration system to remove heat liberated from bulk hydrate formation, (5)more » rapid hydrate formation in a non-stirred system, (6) hydrate self-packing, and (7) heat-exchanger/adsorption plates serving dual purposes to add or extract energy for hydrate formation or decomposition. The hydrate formation/storage/decomposition Proof-of-Concept (POC) pressure vessel and supporting equipment were designed, constructed, and tested. This final report details the design of the scaled POC gas-hydrate storage process, some comments on its fabrication and installation, checkout of the equipment, procedures for conducting the experimental tests, and the test results. The design, construction, and installation of the equipment were on budget target, as was the tests that were subsequently conducted. The budget proposed was met. The primary goal of storing 5000-scf of natural gas in the gas hydrates was exceeded in the final test, as 5289-scf of gas storage was achieved in 54.33 hours. After this 54.33-hour period, as pressure in the formation vessel declined, additional gas went into the hydrates until equilibrium pressure/temperature was reached, so that ultimately more than the 5289-scf storage was achieved. The time required to store the 5000-scf (48.1 hours of operating time) was longer than designed. The lower gas hydrate formation rate is attributed to a lower heat transfer rate in the internal heat exchanger than was designed. It is believed that the fins on the heat-exchanger tubes did not make proper contact with the tubes transporting the chilled glycol, and pairs of fins were too close for interior areas of fins to serve as hydrate collection sites. A correction of the fabrication fault in the heat exchanger fin attachments could be easily made to provide faster formation rates. The storage success with the POC process provides valuable information for making the process an economically viable process for safe, aboveground natural-gas storage.« less

The impact of short-term heat storage on the ice-albedo feedback loop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polashenski, C.; Wright, N.; Perovich, D. K.; Song, A.; Deeb, E. J.

2016-12-01

The partitioning of solar energy in the ice-ocean-atmosphere environment is a powerful control over Arctic sea ice mass balance. Ongoing transitions of the sea ice toward a younger, thinner state are enhancing absorption of solar energy and contributing to further declines in sea ice in a classic ice-albedo feedback. Here we investigate the solar energy balance over shorter timescales. In particular, we are concerned with short term delays in the transfer of absorbed solar energy to the ice caused by heat storage in the upper ocean. By delaying the realization of ice melt, and hence albedo decline, heat storage processes effectively retard the intra-season ice-albedo feedback. We seek to quantify the impact and variability of such intra-season storage delays on full season energy absorption. We use in-situ data collected from Arctic Observing Network (AON) sea ice sites, synthesized with the results of imagery processed from high resolution optical satellites, and basin-scale remote sensing products to approach the topic. AON buoys are used to monitor the storage and flux of heat, while satellite imagery allows us to quantify the evolution of surrounding ice conditions and predict the aggregate scale solar absorption. We use several test sites as illustrative cases and demonstrate that temporary heat storage can have substantial impacts on seasonal energy absorption and ice loss. A companion to this work is presented by N. Wright at this meeting.

Cyclic injection, storage, and withdrawal of heated water in a sandstone aquifer at St. Paul, Minnesota: Analysis of thermal data and nonisothermal modeling of short-term test cycles

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Robert T.; Delin, G.N.

1994-01-01

A three-dimensional, anisotropic, nonisothermal, ground-water-flow, and thermal-energy-transport model was constructed to simulate the four short-term test cycles. The model was used to simulate the entire short-term testing period of approximately 400 days. The only model properties varied during model calibration were longitudinal and transverse thermal dispersivities, which, for final calibration, were simulated as 3.3 and 0.33 meters, respectively. The model was calibrated by comparing model-computed results to (1) measured temperatures at selected altitudes in four observation wells, (2) measured temperatures at the production well, and (3) calculated thermal efficiencies of the aquifer. Model-computed withdrawal-water temperatures were within an average of about 3 percent of measured values and model-computed aquifer-thermal efficiencies were within an average of about 5 percent of calculated values for the short-term test cycles. These data indicate that the model accurately simulated thermal-energy storage within the Franconia-Ironton-Galesville aquifer.

Alkali Metal/Salt Thermal-Energy-Storage Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, Wayne W.; Stearns, John W.

1987-01-01

Proposed thermal-energy-storage system based on mixture of alkali metal and one of its halide salts; metal and salt form slurry of two immiscible melts. Use of slurry expected to prevent incrustations of solidified salts on heat-transfer surfaces that occur where salts alone used. Since incrustations impede heat transfer, system performance improved. In system, charging heat-exchanger surface immersed in lower liquid, rich in halide-salt, phase-charge material. Discharging heat exchanger surface immersed in upper liquid, rich in alkali metal.

75 FR 36449 - Yankee Atomic Electric Co.; Yankee Atomic Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation; Issuance...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-25

... Specification (TS) Surveillance Requirement 3.1.6.1 to verify the operability of the concrete cask heat removal....6.1 to verify the operability of the concrete cask heat removal system to maintain safe storage...

Functional materials for energy-efficient buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebert, H.-P.

2015-08-01

The substantial improving of the energy efficiency is essential to meet the ambitious energy goals of the EU. About 40% of the European energy consumption belongs to the building sector. Therefore the reduction of the energy demand of the existing building stock is one of the key measures to deliver a substantial contribution to reduce CO2-emissions of our society. Buildings of the future have to be efficient in respect to energy consumption for construction and operation. Current research activities are focused on the development of functional materials with outstanding thermal and optical properties to provide, for example, slim thermally superinsulated facades, highly integrated heat storage systems or adaptive building components. In this context it is important to consider buildings as entities which fulfill energy and comfort claims as well as aesthetic aspects of a sustainable architecture.

Energy storage-boiler tank

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chubb, T. A.; Nemecek, J. J.; Simmons, D. E.

1980-03-01

Activities performed in an effort to demonstrate heat of fusion energy storage in containerized salts are reported. The properties and cycle life characteristics of a eutectic salt having a boiling point of about 385 C (NaCl, KCl, Mg Cl2) were determined. M-terphenyl was chosen as the heat transfer fluid. Compatibility studies were conducted and mild steel containers were selected. The design and fabrication of a 2MWh storage boiler tank are discussed.

Energy storage-boiler tank

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chubb, T. A.; Nemecek, J. J.; Simmons, D. E.

1980-01-01

Activities performed in an effort to demonstrate heat of fusion energy storage in containerized salts are reported. The properties and cycle life characteristics of a eutectic salt having a boiling point of about 385 C (NaCl, KCl, Mg Cl2) were determined. M-terphenyl was chosen as the heat transfer fluid. Compatibility studies were conducted and mild steel containers were selected. The design and fabrication of a 2MWh storage boiler tank are discussed.

Experimental test of a hot water storage system including a macro-encapsulated phase change material (PCM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mongibello, L.; Atrigna, M.; Bianco, N.; Di Somma, M.; Graditi, G.; Risi, N.

2017-01-01

Thermal energy storage systems (TESs) are of fundamental importance for many energetic systems, essentially because they permit a certain degree of decoupling between the heat or cold production and the use of the heat or cold produced. In the last years, many works have analysed the addition of a PCM inside a hot water storage tank, as it can allow a reduction of the size of the storage tank due to the possibility of storing thermal energy as latent heat, and as a consequence its cost and encumbrance. The present work focuses on experimental tests realized by means of an indoor facility in order to analyse the dynamic behaviour of a hot water storage tank including PCM modules during a charging phase. A commercial bio-based PCM has been used for the purpose, with a melting temperature of 58°C. The experimental results relative to the hot water tank including the PCM modules are presented in terms of temporal evolution of the axial temperature profile, heat transfer and stored energy, and are compared with the ones obtained by using only water as energy storage material. Interesting insights, relative to the estimation of the percentage of melted PCM at the end of the experimental test, are presented and discussed.

Copper-silicon-magnesium alloys for latent heat storage

DOE PAGES

Gibbs, P. J.; Withey, E. A.; Coker, E. N.; ...

2016-06-21

The systematic development of microstructure, solidification characteristics, and heat of solidification with composition in copper-silicon-magnesium alloys for thermal energy storage is presented. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to relate the thermal characteristics to microstructural development in the investigated alloys and clarifies the location of one of the terminal three-phase eutectics. Repeated thermal cycling highlights the thermal storage stability of the transformation through multiple melting events. In conclusion, two near-terminal eutectic alloys display high enthalpies of solidification, relatively narrow melting ranges, and stable transformation hysteresis behaviors suited to thermal energy storage.

Thermal energy storage – overview and specific insight into nitrate salts for sensible and latent heat storage

PubMed Central

Bauer, Thomas; Martin, Claudia; Eck, Markus; Wörner, Antje

2015-01-01

Summary Thermal energy storage (TES) is capable to reduce the demand of conventional energy sources for two reasons: First, they prevent the mismatch between the energy supply and the power demand when generating electricity from renewable energy sources. Second, utilization of waste heat in industrial processes by thermal energy storage reduces the final energy consumption. This review focuses mainly on material aspects of alkali nitrate salts. They include thermal properties, thermal decomposition processes as well as a new method to develop optimized salt systems. PMID:26199853