The Thermal Analysis of a Sensible Heat Thermal Energy Storage System Using Circular-Shaped Slag and Concrete for Medium- to High-Temperature Applications

Yasir Saleem,Jamsheed Sajid,Naveed Ahmed

doi:10.3390/engproc2021012099

Abstract

Thermal energy storage (TES) system is a technique that stores thermal energy in a storage medium for later use to balance demand and supply in industrial operations. In this study, a sensible thermal energy storage tank composed of concrete block and heat transfer fluid (HTF) passages is proposed. Slag and concrete particles are introduced to analyze the performance of the TES system. A comprehensive numerical model is developed using an energy balance approach combined with an enthalpy-based methodology. The temperature distribution is presented at different time intervals during the charging and discharging cycle of TESS. In comparison with a slag-filled TES tank, the concrete-filled TES tank charged and discharged quickly. The findings reveal that a TES tank filled with concrete is more efficient than a TES tank filled with slag.

Highlights

Due to the daily scarcity of nonrenewable energy reserves, renewable energy options must be investigated for energy needs
The temporal mismatch between energy supply and demand is a difficult issue to deal with, which can be bridged by designing a thermal energy storage system for adding or removing heat from a storage medium at different time intervals [1]
The use of solid bricks as a storage material in a thermal energy storage system (TES) is intended to improve the performance of sensible storage systems, and the results indicated that the ability to store data is excellent under this system [3]

Summary

Introduction

Due to the daily scarcity of nonrenewable energy reserves, renewable energy options must be investigated for energy needs. The temporal mismatch between energy supply and demand is a difficult issue to deal with, which can be bridged by designing a thermal energy storage system for adding or removing heat from a storage medium at different time intervals [1]. Heat transfer fluid is transported to a thermal energy storage system through solar fields. The cold fluid absorbs heat from the thermal energy storage system to complete the discharging cycle. The impact of different concrete structures on the performance of thermal energy storage devices is investigated. Through the thinnest thermocline region of a concrete thermal energy storage tank, rod bundle construction has the greatest discharge efficiency and the longest discharge duration [5]. A thermal energy storage tank with a diameter of 5 m and 46 channels for heat transfer fluid (HTF) to travel through is built.

Materials

Initial and Boundary Conditions