IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v192y2020ics0360544219322881.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Thermal performance analysis of a solar energy storage unit encapsulated with HITEC salt/copper foam/nanoparticles composite

Author

Listed:
  • Xiao, Xin
  • Jia, Hongwei
  • Wen, Dongsheng
  • Zhao, Xudong

Abstract

HITEC salt (40 wt. % NaNO2, 7 wt. % NaNO3, 53 wt. % KNO3) with a melting temperature of about 142 °C is a typical phase change material (PCM) for solar energy storage. Both aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanopowder and metal foam were used to enhance pure HITEC salt, so as to retrieve the limitation of composite PCMs with single enhancement. The morphologies and thermo-physical properties of the composites were firstly characterized with Scanning Electron Microscope, Fourier-transform Infrared spectroscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimeter, respectively. A pilot test rig with a heater of 380 W located in the inner pipe was built, which was encapsulated with HITEC salt, nano-salt (HITEC salt seeded with 2 wt. % Al2O3 nanopowder) and salt/copper foam composite seeded with 2 wt. % Al2O3 nanopowder as storage media. Then heat storage and retrieval tests of the energy storage system were conducted both for pure HITEC salt and composite PCMs at various heating temperatures. The temperature evolutions and distributions of the PCMs at different locations were measured, including radial, angular, and axial locations, and the energy and volumetric mean powers during heat storage/retrieval processes were calculated subsequently. The results show that metal foam is generally compatible with the nano-salt. The maximum deviation of the melting/freezing phase change temperatures of the nano-salt/copper foam composite is 3.54 °C, whereas that of the nano-salt/nickel foam composite is 3.80 °C. The specific heats of the nano-salt are apparently enhanced with the addition of Al2O3 nanopowder both in solid and liquid states. The system encapsulated with the nano-salt/copper foam composite can be considerably enhanced, e.g. the time-duration of heat storage process at the heating temperature of 160 °C can be reduced by about 58.5%, compared to that of pure salt. The volumetric mean power of heat storage for the nano-salt/copper foam composite at the heating temperature of 180 °C increases to 109.32 kW/m3, compared with 53.01 kW/m3 of pure HITEC salt. The information will be helpful for solar system design, construction and application using molten salt for solar energy storage.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiao, Xin & Jia, Hongwei & Wen, Dongsheng & Zhao, Xudong, 2020. "Thermal performance analysis of a solar energy storage unit encapsulated with HITEC salt/copper foam/nanoparticles composite," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:192:y:2020:i:c:s0360544219322881
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2019.116593
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544219322881
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2019.116593?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zhang, Huili & Kong, Weibin & Tan, Tianwei & Baeyens, Jan, 2017. "High-efficiency concentrated solar power plants need appropriate materials for high-temperature heat capture, conveying and storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 52-64.
    2. Kuik, Onno & Branger, Frédéric & Quirion, Philippe, 2019. "Competitive advantage in the renewable energy industry: Evidence from a gravity model," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 472-481.
    3. Zhang, P. & Xiao, X. & Meng, Z.N. & Li, M., 2015. "Heat transfer characteristics of a molten-salt thermal energy storage unit with and without heat transfer enhancement," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 758-772.
    4. Zhang, Hanfei & Shin, Donghyun & Santhanagopalan, Sunand, 2019. "Microencapsulated binary carbonate salt mixture in silica shell with enhanced effective heat capacity for high temperature latent heat storage," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 1156-1162.
    5. Navarrete, Nuria & Mondragón, Rosa & Wen, Dongsheng & Navarro, Maria Elena & Ding, Yulong & Juliá, J. Enrique, 2019. "Thermal energy storage of molten salt –based nanofluid containing nano-encapsulated metal alloy phase change materials," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 912-920.
    6. Pitié, F. & Zhao, C.Y. & Baeyens, J. & Degrève, J. & Zhang, H.L., 2013. "Circulating fluidized bed heat recovery/storage and its potential to use coated phase-change-material (PCM) particles," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 505-513.
    7. Xin Xiao & Gan Zhang & Yulong Ding & Dongsheng Wen, 2019. "Rheological Characteristics of Molten Salt Seeded with Al 2 O 3 Nanopowder and Graphene for Concentrated Solar Power," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-16, February.
    8. Xiao, X. & Zhang, P., 2015. "Numerical and experimental study of heat transfer characteristics of a shell-tube latent heat storage system: Part II – Discharging process," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 177-189.
    9. Jouybari, H. Javaniyan & Saedodin, S. & Zamzamian, A. & Nimvari, M. Eshagh & Wongwises, S., 2017. "Effects of porous material and nanoparticles on the thermal performance of a flat plate solar collector: An experimental study," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(PB), pages 1407-1418.
    10. Mahdi, Jasim M. & Nsofor, Emmanuel C., 2017. "Melting enhancement in triplex-tube latent heat energy storage system using nanoparticles-metal foam combination," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 22-34.
    11. Li, Min, 2013. "A nano-graphite/paraffin phase change material with high thermal conductivity," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 25-30.
    12. Hosseinzadeh, Mohammad & Sardarabadi, Mohammad & Passandideh-Fard, Mohammad, 2018. "Energy and exergy analysis of nanofluid based photovoltaic thermal system integrated with phase change material," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 636-647.
    13. Hulshof, Daan & Jepma, Catrinus & Mulder, Machiel, 2019. "Performance of markets for European renewable energy certificates," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 697-710.
    14. Myers, Philip D. & Alam, Tanvir E. & Kamal, Rajeev & Goswami, D.Y. & Stefanakos, E., 2016. "Nitrate salts doped with CuO nanoparticles for thermal energy storage with improved heat transfer," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 225-233.
    15. Xiao, X. & Zhang, P., 2015. "Numerical and experimental study of heat transfer characteristics of a shell-tube latent heat storage system: Part I – Charging process," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 337-350.
    16. Xiao, X. & Zhang, P. & Li, M., 2013. "Preparation and thermal characterization of paraffin/metal foam composite phase change material," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 1357-1366.
    17. Mahdi, Jasim M. & Nsofor, Emmanuel C., 2017. "Solidification enhancement in a triplex-tube latent heat energy storage system using nanoparticles-metal foam combination," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 501-512.
    18. Zhang, H.L. & Baeyens, J. & Degrève, J. & Cáceres, G. & Segal, R. & Pitié, F., 2014. "Latent heat storage with tubular-encapsulated phase change materials (PCMs)," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 66-72.
    19. Yang, Xiaohu & Yu, Jiabang & Guo, Zengxu & Jin, Liwen & He, Ya-Ling, 2019. "Role of porous metal foam on the heat transfer enhancement for a thermal energy storage tube," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(C), pages 142-156.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Sylwia Wciślik, 2020. "Efficient Stabilization of Mono and Hybrid Nanofluids," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-26, July.
    2. Atul Bhattad & Vinay Atgur & Boggarapu Nageswar Rao & N. R. Banapurmath & T. M. Yunus Khan & Chandramouli Vadlamudi & Sanjay Krishnappa & A. M. Sajjan & R. Prasanna Shankara & N. H. Ayachit, 2023. "Review on Mono and Hybrid Nanofluids: Preparation, Properties, Investigation, and Applications in IC Engines and Heat Transfer," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-40, March.
    3. Tomasz Tietze & Piotr Szulc & Daniel Smykowski & Andrzej Sitka & Romuald Redzicki, 2021. "Application of Phase Change Material and Artificial Neural Networks for Smoothing of Heat Flux Fluctuations," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-17, June.
    4. Che Lah, Nurul Akmal, 2021. "Late transition metal nanocomplexes: Applications for renewable energy conversion and storage," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    5. Abdul Sattar & Muhammad Farooq & Muhammad Amjad & Muhammad A. Saeed & Saad Nawaz & M.A. Mujtaba & Saqib Anwar & Ahmed M. El-Sherbeeny & Manzoore Elahi M. Soudagar & Enio P. Bandarra Filho & Qasim Ali , 2020. "Performance Evaluation of a Direct Absorption Collector for Solar Thermal Energy Conversion," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-16, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zhang, Shuai & Feng, Daili & Shi, Lei & Wang, Li & Jin, Yingai & Tian, Limei & Li, Ziyuan & Wang, Guoyong & Zhao, Lei & Yan, Yuying, 2021. "A review of phase change heat transfer in shape-stabilized phase change materials (ss-PCMs) based on porous supports for thermal energy storage," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    2. Zhang, P. & Xiao, X. & Ma, Z.W., 2016. "A review of the composite phase change materials: Fabrication, characterization, mathematical modeling and application to performance enhancement," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 472-510.
    3. Diao, Yanhua & Kang, Yameng & Liang, Lin & Zhao, Yaohua & Zhu, Tingting, 2017. "Experimental investigation on the heat transfer performance of a latent thermal energy storage device based on flat miniature heat pipe arrays," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 929-941.
    4. Kumar, Ashish & Saha, Sandip K., 2020. "Experimental and numerical study of latent heat thermal energy storage with high porosity metal matrix under intermittent heat loads," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(C).
    5. Qu, Xiaohang & Jiang, Shan & Qi, Xiaoni, 2022. "Experimental investigation on performance improvement of latent heat storage capsule by oscillating movement," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 316(C).
    6. Hamidi, E. & Ganesan, P.B. & Sharma, R.K. & Yong, K.W., 2023. "Computational study of heat transfer enhancement using porous foams with phase change materials: A comparative review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    7. Gustavo Cáceres & Karina Fullenkamp & Macarena Montané & Krzysztof Naplocha & Anna Dmitruk, 2017. "Encapsulated Nitrates Phase Change Material Selection for Use as Thermal Storage and Heat Transfer Materials at High Temperature in Concentrated Solar Power Plants," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-21, September.
    8. Aramesh, M. & Shabani, B., 2022. "Metal foam-phase change material composites for thermal energy storage: A review of performance parameters," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    9. Yang, Xiaohu & Yu, Jiabang & Guo, Zengxu & Jin, Liwen & He, Ya-Ling, 2019. "Role of porous metal foam on the heat transfer enhancement for a thermal energy storage tube," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(C), pages 142-156.
    10. Shahsavar, Amin & Al-Rashed, Abdullah A.A.A. & Entezari, Sajad & Sardari, Pouyan Talebizadeh, 2019. "Melting and solidification characteristics of a double-pipe latent heat storage system with sinusoidal wavy channels embedded in a porous medium," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 751-769.
    11. Mahdi, Jasim M. & Mohammed, Hayder I. & Hashim, Emad T. & Talebizadehsardari, Pouyan & Nsofor, Emmanuel C., 2020. "Solidification enhancement with multiple PCMs, cascaded metal foam and nanoparticles in the shell-and-tube energy storage system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    12. Saranprabhu, M.K. & Rajan, K.S., 2019. "Magnesium oxide nanoparticles dispersed solar salt with improved solid phase thermal conductivity and specific heat for latent heat thermal energy storage," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 451-459.
    13. Sardari, Pouyan Talebizadeh & Mohammed, Hayder I. & Giddings, Donald & walker, Gavin S. & Gillott, Mark & Grant, David, 2019. "Numerical study of a multiple-segment metal foam-PCM latent heat storage unit: Effect of porosity, pore density and location of heat source," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    14. Meng, Z.N. & Zhang, P., 2017. "Experimental and numerical investigation of a tube-in-tank latent thermal energy storage unit using composite PCM," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 524-539.
    15. Tao, Y.B. & Carey, V.P., 2016. "Effects of PCM thermophysical properties on thermal storage performance of a shell-and-tube latent heat storage unit," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 203-210.
    16. Park, Jinsoo & Choi, Sung Ho & Karng, Sarng Woo, 2021. "Cascaded latent thermal energy storage using a charging control method," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(PA).
    17. Sardari, Pouyan Talebizadeh & Giddings, Donald & Grant, David & Gillott, Mark & Walker, Gavin S., 2020. "Discharge of a composite metal foam/phase change material to air heat exchanger for a domestic thermal storage unit," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 987-1001.
    18. Hashem Zadeh, Seyed Mohsen & Mehryan, S.A.M. & Ghalambaz, Mohammad & Ghodrat, Maryam & Young, John & Chamkha, Ali, 2020. "Hybrid thermal performance enhancement of a circular latent heat storage system by utilizing partially filled copper foam and Cu/GO nano-additives," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).
    19. Xue Chen & Xiaolei Li & Xinlin Xia & Chuang Sun & Rongqiang Liu, 2019. "Thermal Performance of a PCM-Based Thermal Energy Storage with Metal Foam Enhancement," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-18, August.
    20. Cui, Wei & Si, Tianyu & Li, Xiangxuan & Li, Xinyi & Lu, Lin & Ma, Ting & Wang, Qiuwang, 2022. "Heat transfer enhancement of phase change materials embedded with metal foam for thermal energy storage: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:192:y:2020:i:c:s0360544219322881. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.