Thermal Energy Storage for Solar Plant Applications-A Review

Thermal applications are drawing increasing attention in the solar energy research field, due to their high performance in energy storage density and energy conversion efficiency. This paper focuses to provide a detailed review on solar thermal energy storage especially for concentrating solar power plants. Thermal energy storage systems are reviewed on the basis on their designs, material selection and different thermal storage technologies. Thermal energy storage for concentrating solar thermal power (CSP) plants can help in overcoming the intermittency of the solar resource and also reduce the levelized cost of energy by utilizing the power block for extended periods of time.

Comptes Rendus Physique

Stockage de chaleur sensible Stockage de chaleur latente Stockage de chaleur enlever l'adjectif latente thermochimique Solar thermal energy storage is used in many applications, from building to concentrating solar power plants and industry. The temperature levels encountered range from ambient temperature to more than 1000 • C, and operating times range from a few hours to several months. This paper reviews different types of solar thermal energy storage (sensible heat, latent heat, and thermochemical storage) for low-(40-120 • C) and medium-to-hightemperature (120-1000 • C) applications.

In many parts of the world, solar radiation is considered to be one of the most prospective sources of energy. However, the large scale utilization of this form of energy is possible only if the effective technology for its storage can be developed with acceptable capital and running costs. The solar energy storage system in this research work takes into account usage of solar energy for indoor cooking or heating purposes during off sunshine hours. A parabolic dish with small pieces of sliver glass mirrors constitutes a heat collector used to reflect and track solar radiation at a single point on a receiver tank with the help of a tracking system. The use of a latent heat storage system using phase change materials (PCMs) is an effective way of storing thermal energy and has the advantage of high-energy storage density and the isothermal nature of the storage process. Heat transfer from the solar collector to the storage tank is done by circulating heat transfer fluid with the help of a pump. The objective of the present study is to investigate the characteristics of a novel thermal energy storage system using phase change materials. Before fabrication of the storage tank incorporating PCM, the design is simulated using CFD software COMSOL in order to know the effectiveness of the PCM based storage tank model. The experimental results show acceptable results which meet the target requirement and are in sync with the simulation results.

Energy Procedia, 2015

In the present scenario of a huge energy demand, dependency on fossil fuels only, certainly creates crisis in future especially for developing country. Although renewable resources of energy like solar energy is being utilized on a broad scale now a days but the problem comes in law and economy i.e. social and acceptability. Main reasons of this kind of difficulties are low density of solar radiation on earth's surface and if it is available then fluctuating in nature with time of the day and the day of the year. To remove these kinds of difficulties solar energy storage unit must be introduced in solar thermal power application. In this paper, literatures on thermal energy storage unit with phase change material has been rigorously studied to select the best suitable PCMs and materials for the design of test bench of the thermal energy storage unit.

2010

6 Large percentages of the South African population have no access to grid power and are located at distances that make provision for such facility uneconomical. Also traditional fuels are under pressure. Most areas in South Africa receive 300 days of sunshine per year. The proposed solar system addresses the needs of such communities. The main objective of the paper is the development of a solar thermal energy storage system utilizing phase change material (PCM). The system allows for sensible heat storage as well as latent heat storage using PCM, which melts at sufficiently high temperatures for cooking a variety of food types. The right choice of a suitable PCM to take advantage of the latent heat absorbed during phase changes is important. The system can overcome the time mismatch between solar availability and demand. The developed prototype modules together as a system could provide the essential domestic power requirements of the target groups. This includes power for cooking...

Processes

To address the growing problem of pollution and global warming, it is necessary to steer the development of innovative technologies towards systems with minimal carbon dioxide production. Thermal storage plays a crucial role in solar systems as it bridges the gap between resource availability and energy demand, thereby enhancing the economic viability of the system and ensuring energy continuity during periods of usage. Thermal energy storage methods consist of sensible heat storage, which involves storing energy using temperature differences; latent heat storage, which utilizes the latent heat of phase change materials; and thermochemical heat storage, which utilizes reversible chemical reactions through thermochemical materials. The objective of this review paper is to explore significant research contributions that focus on practical applications and scientific aspects of thermal energy storage materials and procedures. For each type of storage, different materials have been exam...

Journal of energy and power technology, 2023

In recent times, renewable energy resources have been greatly researched because of the increasing concern to minimize global warming and meet energy demands. Energy storage systems have become useful tools for sustainability and meeting energy needs. Solar energy has proven in recent times to be the primary and most prevalent option due to its environmental friendliness, availability, and minimal pollution. Effective utilization of available energy resources has led to developing new alternative energy devices like the solar thermal energy storage system (STESS) with a solar energy source. Solar thermal energy systems are efficient systems that utilize solar energy to produce thermal and electrical

International Journal of Renewable Energy Development

The use of solar energy to heat water is the more critical application of solar energy. Researchers are trying to develop different methods to improve the efficiency of solar water heaters to meet the increasing demand for hot water due to global population growth. To reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of solar heaters, the solar collector and the storage tank are combined into one part, and this system is called solar storage collector. It can be defined as geometric shapes filled with water, painted black, and placed under the influence of sunlight to gain the largest amount of solar energy. This article presents the various designs of solar storage collector. This review showed that design variables and design shape significantly affect the efficiency of the solar heating system. Climate and operational factors also have a strong influence on the performance of solar heating. Furthermore, scientists and researchers have also used nanotechnology, solar cells, and mirrors ...

2020

Energy demand depend strongly on growth of world population, householders and urbanization. The energy consumption forecasting allows to give a guide for the future development in technologies. The need in energy saving as an energy source and the thermal energy storage can play a strategic role in energy recovering. After a general description of the main concept of thermal energy storage are given the classification of the different storage systems involved in several applications. It is underlined that one of the main applications is related to the solar energy conversion systems and their development is linked to the economic policy choices on energy.

The thermal performance of the PV/T (photovoltaic thermal) system and conventional collector is affected by water storage capacity. There are limited studies which show the effects of the storage capacity on the performance of different solar systems. This paper measures and analyzes the performance of a photovoltaic thermal system, conventional collector, and PV (photovoltaic) plate at different water storage capacities (25, 50, 75, 100, and 125 kg/m 2 ). The cost payback period of the solar systems was calculated with the electricity price of South Korea (0.049 US$/kWh) and for the country with the highest electricity price of 0.364 US$/kWh (Australia). The thermal efficiency of the PV/T system and conventional collector increased sharply with increasing storage capacity. The cost payback period of the PV/T system and conventional collector reduced considerably with increasing storage capacity. Similarly, the cost payback period of PV/T system and PV plate reduced remarkably when electricity price increased from 0.049 to 0.364 US$/kWh. The selection of the proper storage capacity could play a vital role for the performance enhancement and cost reduction in the PV/T system and the conventional collector.