Abstract
Abstract Increasing thermal energy storage (TES) installation across countries is anticipated to enable greater adoption of distributed energy systems to meet the Net Zero Emission goals by 2050. Emerging TES technologies have been widely considered as a key component to support transition towards carbon neutrality as well as to secure grid stability for more flexible, reliable, and efficient energy systems. Integrating a sensible thermal energy storage in an existing energy cycle can be a feasible solution to enhance system flexibility for following fluctuations in power demand and supply. This research investigates the ability of a recuperated gas turbine cycle to reduce carbon emissions and optimize the system efficiency during load following with a thermal energy storage. This cycle was selected due to its reconfigurability for integration of renewable energy resources for thermal sources and sinks. To first demonstrate the concept and identify the key performance requirements, dynamic performance tests were conducted using hardware-based facility at the U.S Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory. A new control strategy using a hot air bypass valve to control the discharging and charging states was proposed. The sensible heat medium (i.e., air mass flow) entering the thermal energy storage was modulated through opening and closing hot air bypass simulating the cycle has excess energy or requires energy. It was observed that the thermal energy storage has a maximum heat dissipation of 103 kW. This latent heat represents 57% of the electric load capacity of the turbomachinery, assuming a 33% efficiency heat to electricity. The thermal energy storage was able to maintain heat dissipation for 4 minutes. Load following is possible since the change in dissipation rates over one second are double of what is achievable with a fuel valve. Some optimizations to the surface area to mass ratio are needed to maximize the integrated cycle.
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