Development of a Model for Performance Analysis of a Honeycomb Thermal Energy Storage for Solar Power Microturbine Applications

Davide Iaria, Xin Zhou, Jafar Al Zaili, Qiang Zhang, Gang Xiao and Abdulnaser Sayma
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Davide Iaria: Department of Mechanical Engineering & Aeronautics, School of Mathematics, Computer Science & Engineering, University of London, London EC1V 0HB, UK
Xin Zhou: Institute for Thermal Power Engineering, College of Energy Engineering, Zhejiang University, 38 Zheda Road, Hangzhou 310027, China
Jafar Al Zaili: Department of Mechanical Engineering & Aeronautics, School of Mathematics, Computer Science & Engineering, University of London, London EC1V 0HB, UK
Qiang Zhang: Department of Mechanical Engineering & Aeronautics, School of Mathematics, Computer Science & Engineering, University of London, London EC1V 0HB, UK
Gang Xiao: Institute for Thermal Power Engineering, College of Energy Engineering, Zhejiang University, 38 Zheda Road, Hangzhou 310027, China
Abdulnaser Sayma: Department of Mechanical Engineering & Aeronautics, School of Mathematics, Computer Science & Engineering, University of London, London EC1V 0HB, UK

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 20, 1-19

Abstract: Solar power microturbines are required to produce steady power despite the fluctuating solar radiation, with concerns on the dispatchability of such plants where thermal energy storage may offer a solution to address the issue. This paper presents a mathematical model for performance prediction of a honeycomb sensible-heat thermal energy storage designed for application of concentrated solar power microturbine. The focus in the model is to consider the laminar developing boundary layers at the entry of the flow channels, which could have a profound effect on the heat-transfer coefficient due to large velocity and temperature gradients, an effect which has not been considered in the modelling of such storage systems. Analysing the thermal and hydrodynamic boundary layer development, the Nusselt number and the friction factor were evaluated using a validated conjugate heat-transfer method. The simulations results were used to develop accurate regression functions for Nusselt number and friction factor. These formulations have been adopted within a one-dimensional model to evaluate the performance of the storage under different operating conditions. The model was in good agreement with conjugate heat transfer results with maximum relative error below 2%. Two case studies are presented to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed methodology.

Keywords: thermal storage; solar power micro gas turbine; honeycomb thermal storage; conjugate heat transfer; concentrated solar power; sensible-heat thermal storage (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: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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