Measurements of the gas-particle convective heat transfer coefficient in a packed bed for high-temperature energy storage

Abstract

Experimental measurements of the forced convection gas-particle heat transfer coefficient in a packed bed, high-temperature, thermal energy storage system were performed using a custom-made experimental facility. Special attention was paid to the application of uncertainty analysis (a very important concept in experimentation). General and detailed uncertainty analyses were carried out, which identified the choices that were made in the experimental planning and procedure to ensure reliable final results. The experimental data reduction program used the governing equations and the results of the uncertainty analysis while making allowance for media property variations with temperature. Results were correlated in terms of Nusselt number, Prandtl number and Reynolds number and comparisons were made with existing correlations developed with similar storage media. The maximum temperature for the bed was about 1000°C (1830°F) with flue gas as the operating fluid in the storage mode and atmospheric air in the recovery mode. Because most related previous studies were not necessarily focused on high-temperature applications, the published gas-particle heat transfer correlations were obtained at relatively low temperature ranges, generally at room temperature or at temperatures slightly above room temperature. Moreover, only a few of the previously reported correlations associated the results with the corresponding uncertainty margins. The results from this study give a convective gas-particle heat transfer correlation for high-temperature thermal energy storage applications. Also, due to substantial uncertainties normally associated with the measurements of this heat transfer coefficient, it is significant to note that no firm conclusions can be reached on the validity or non-validity of previously reported related correlations for which the uncertainty margins were not reported.