Modeling and parametric analysis of an adsorber unit for thermal energy storage

M.S. Fernandes, G.J.V.N. Brites, J.J. Costa, A.R. Gaspar and V.A.F. Costa

Energy, 2016, vol. 102, issue C, 83-94

Abstract: The dynamic model of an adsorber unit used as thermal energy storage device immersed in water is presented. The system operates with the silica-gel/water pair and is capable of storing the thermal energy received from the surrounding water (e.g., excess heat input from a hot water storage tank), in order to give it back later to the water as adsorption heat. The model was developed following a lumped parameter approach implemented in MATLAB® code. The performance of the absorber unit was assessed by a set of parametric tests under different geometric configurations and temperature conditions. The mass of adsorbent was found to have a higher impact on the thermal energy exchange than the surface contact area between metal and adsorbent. An improved finned adsorber, with 27 internal longitudinal fins and 120 external annular fins, resulted in a heat output to the water 2.3 times higher than with a similar finless adsorber. Moreover, the evaporation temperature effect was found to be much higher than the condensation temperature effect. This device seems to be an attractive solution to include, for instance, in solar hot water systems in order to fulfill the thermal energy needs during periods of low solar radiation.

Keywords: Adsorption; Modeling; Silica-gel/water; Thermal energy storage (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544216300561
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:102:y:2016:i:c:p:83-94

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2016.02.014

Access Statistics for this article

Energy is currently edited by Henrik Lund and Mark J. Kaiser

More articles in Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().