High-Temperature Chloride-Carbonate Phase Change Material: Thermal Performances and Modelling of a Packed Bed Storage System for Concentrating Solar Power Plants

Giovanni Salvatore Sau, Valerio Tripi, Anna Chiara Tizzoni, Raffaele Liberatore, Emiliana Mansi, Annarita Spadoni, Natale Corsaro, Mauro Capocelli, Tiziano Delise and Anna Della Libera
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Giovanni Salvatore Sau: ENEA—Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Casaccia Research Centre, 00123 Rome, Italy
Valerio Tripi: Department of Chemical Engineering for the Sustainable Development, University Campus Bio-Medico, 00128 Rome, Italy
Anna Chiara Tizzoni: ENEA—Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Casaccia Research Centre, 00123 Rome, Italy
Raffaele Liberatore: ENEA—Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Casaccia Research Centre, 00123 Rome, Italy
Emiliana Mansi: ENEA—Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Casaccia Research Centre, 00123 Rome, Italy
Annarita Spadoni: ENEA—Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Casaccia Research Centre, 00123 Rome, Italy
Natale Corsaro: ENEA—Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Casaccia Research Centre, 00123 Rome, Italy
Mauro Capocelli: Department of Chemical Engineering for the Sustainable Development, University Campus Bio-Medico, 00128 Rome, Italy
Tiziano Delise: ENEA—Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Faenza Research Centre, 48018 Faenza, Italy
Anna Della Libera: Department of Chemical Engineering for the Sustainable Development, University Campus Bio-Medico, 00128 Rome, Italy

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 17, 1-17

Abstract: Molten salts eutectics are promising candidates as phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal storage applications, especially considering the possibility to store and release heat at high temperatures. Although many compounds have been proposed for this purpose in the scientific literature, very few data are available regarding actual applications. In particular, there is a lack of information concerning thermal storage at temperatures around 600 °C, necessary for the coupling with a highly efficient Rankine cycle powered by concentrated solar power (CSP) plants. In this contest, the present work deals with a thermophysical behavior investigation of a storage heat exchanger containing a cost-effective and safe ternary eutectic, consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium carbonate. This material was preliminarily and properly selected and characterized to comply with the necessary melting temperature and latent enthalpy. Then, an indirect heat exchanger was considered for the simulation, assuming aluminum capsules to confine the PCM, thus obtaining the maximum possible heat exchange surface and air at 5 bar as heat transfer fluid (HTF). The modelling was carried out setting the inlet and outlet air temperatures at, respectively, 290 °C and 550 °C, obtaining a realistic storage efficiency of around 0.6. Finally, a conservative investment cost was estimated for the storage system, demonstrating a real possible economic benefit in using these types of materials and heat exchange geometries, with the results varying, according to possible manufacturing prices, in a range from 25 to 40 EUR/kWh.

Keywords: phase change material; packed bed storage; thermal storage; concentrating solar plant (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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