Thermal Performance of Concrete Containing Graphite at High Temperatures for the Application in a TES

Seung-Tae Jeong, Ji-Hun Park, Tuan-Kiet Tran and In-Hwan Yang ()
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Seung-Tae Jeong: Department of Civil Engineering, Kunsan National University, Kunsan 54150, Republic of Korea
Ji-Hun Park: Department of Structural Engineering Research, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, Goyang 10223, Republic of Korea
Tuan-Kiet Tran: Department of Civil Engineering, Kunsan National University, Kunsan 54150, Republic of Korea
In-Hwan Yang: Department of Civil Engineering, Kunsan National University, Kunsan 54150, Republic of Korea

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 17, 1-20

Abstract: Thermal energy storage (TES) technology is pivotal for storing thermal energy and has numerous applications in buildings and industrial processes. Graphite is a potential additive for improving TES materials because of its high-temperature resistance and thermal conductivity. This study presents an examination of TES concrete with 5%, 10%, and 15% (by volume of binder) compared to concrete that contains only ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Notably, increasing graphite content reduced the unit weight by 0.3%, 2.0%, and 2.6%. Additionally, the graphite mixture exhibited less strength loss than the OPC mixture. Specifically, the G15 mixture achieved a 38.3% cut in compressive strength compared to 51.9% for OPC and a 51.8% cut in splitting tensile strength compared to 56.1% for OPC. Additionally, the thermal conductivity of graphite mixtures was greater than that of the OPC concrete under high-temperature conditions. Microstructural analysis through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed reduced portlandite content and fewer voids in graphite-integrated samples, suggesting increased thermal stability and matrix densification. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) further confirmed the effect of graphite on thermal behavior, revealing distinct mass loss patterns at increased temperatures. Based on the findings, numerical simulations were conducted. The results confirm trends in thermal conductivity and heat propagation in the experiment, revealing the potential of graphite concrete in TES design by obtaining temperature distributions under thermal cycling. Overall, this study confirms the feasibility and efficiency of using graphite to improve the thermal properties of concrete for TES applications.

Keywords: TES; graphite; high temperature; thermal conductivity; FEM simulation (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: 2025
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