Untapping Industrial Flexibility via Waste Heat-Driven Pumped Thermal Energy Storage Systems

Stefano Barberis (), Simone Maccarini, Syed Safeer Mehdi Shamsi and Alberto Traverso ()
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Stefano Barberis: Thermochemical Power Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Genova, 16145 Genoa, Italy
Simone Maccarini: Thermochemical Power Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Genova, 16145 Genoa, Italy
Syed Safeer Mehdi Shamsi: Thermochemical Power Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Genova, 16145 Genoa, Italy
Alberto Traverso: Thermochemical Power Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Genova, 16145 Genoa, Italy

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 17, 1-24

Abstract: Pumped thermal energy storage (PTES) is a promising long-duration energy storage technology. Nevertheless, PTES shows intermediate round-trip efficiency (RTE—0.5 ÷ 0.7) and significant CAPEX. sCO 2 heat pumps and power cycles could reduce PTES CAPEX, particularly via reversible and flexible machines. Furthermore, the possibility to exploit freely available heat sources (such as waste heat and/or CSP inputs) could increase RTE, making the system capable of an apparent RTE > 100% as well as reducing CAPEX, avoiding the need for two TES systems. This paper analyses the potential valorization of industrial waste heat (WH) to enhance PTES thermodynamic performance as well as increase industrial energy efficiency, valorizing different levels of WH sources in the 100–400 °C temperature range. In fact, the use of additional heat, otherwise dumped into ambient surroundings, may contribute to avoiding the need for a second TES, thus enhancing plant competitiveness. Starting from an assessment of the most relevant industrial sectors to apply the proposed solution (looking at available WH and electric flexibility needed), this paper analyses the feasibility of a specific sCO 2 -based PTES case study, where the cycle is integrated into a cement production plant with a WH temperature of around 350 °C. It is demonstrated that the CAPEX of the proposed systems are still relevant and only a robust exploitation of the PTES in the ancillary service market could attract industrial customers’ interest in sCO 2 PTES.

Keywords: Carnot batteries; high-temperature heat pump; pumped thermal energy storage; long-duration energy storage; sCO 2 power cycles (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: 2023
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