• Energy Research

Thermal Energy Storage Technologies for Sustainability: Systems Design, Assessment and Applications Authors: S. KALAISELVAM, R. PARAMESHWARAN ISBN: 9780124172913

Sensible Heat Storage is the most common method of thermal energy storage, particularly in the form of hot water tanks. Essentially, sensible heat storage systems work by charging them with heat from a higher temperature source to raise the temperature of the thermal store, and by extracting heat to discharge them. On a larger scale, these sensible heat stores should be designed to store heat long term over seasons, which allow the thermal storage systems to be charged using solar thermal systems to then supply heat over colder periods and can be applied in an array of buildings, including individual dwellings and larger buildings. These seasonal storage systems consist of: Tank Thermal Energy Storage (TTES), Pit Thermal Energy Storage (PTES), Borehole Thermal Energy Storage (BTES) and Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES). The aim of this report is to provide useful information about the different construction techniques for the mentioned systems in addition to FP7 Einstein Project, where a big information research has already been done, analysing the main characteristics that interfere in the various proceedings. In addition, a general study for the three different CHESS-SETUP pilots is done regarding the availability and constraints of every case to introduce the different technologies. Finally, in order to ensure the correct operation of the installations, some guidance of the different types of maintenance is done as well as maintenance plans for the different elements of the system.

The thermal energy storage (TES) system is one of the most innovative technologies available for meeting long-term energy demands. Energy storage technology has demonstrated its ability to close the energy gap between supply and demand. The storage of thermal energy (TES) building integration is expected to reduce energy demand shortages while also allowing for better energy management in the construction industry. This paper will review about recent advancements in thermal energy storage which is in mini-review. There is some point that is highlighted in the review. There is sensible heat storage, latent heat storage and thermal chemical storage and the advantage of thermal energy storage. In this review paper, recent advancement has been studied and discussed, most commercial thermal energy storage was the sensible heat storage which is most cheap and most ready to use in recent technology. While future research is needed for giving confidence to the audience to use their system, which latent heat storage and thermochemical storage provide high energy capacity and high temperature for storing effect. These technologies were come in to track which has the advantage of their effectiveness.

In this work, four zeolite-bearing materials (three naturally occurring and one of synthetic origin) were considered for thermal energy capture and storage. Such materials can store thermal energy as heat of desorption of the water present therein, heat that is given back when water vapor is allowed to be re-adsorbed by zeolites. This study was carried out by determining the loss of water after different activation thermal treatments, the water adsorption kinetics and isotherm after an activation step of the zeolites, the intergranular and intragranular porosity, and the thermal conductivity of the zeolite-bearing materials. Moreover, the thermal stability of the framework of the zeolites of the four materials tested was investigated over a large number of thermal cycles. The results indicate that zeolite 13X was the most suitable material for thermal energy storage and suggest its use in the capture and storage of thermal energy that derives from thermal energy waste.

Ocean thermal is one of the renewable energy resources. In 1981, a design of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) pilot power plant was proven could produce electricity. The performance of OTEC depends on the possible temperature differences of the warm and cold seawater, at least 20°C. In the coastal of Para'baya, this requirement can be satisfied since the distance to reach the 1000 m depth is less than 10,000 m from the shore. The result of ocean thermal power calculation in Makassar Strait shows that Para'baya could produce higher power than any other place in west coast of Sulawesi, with an average power output of 120.35 kW. This ocean thermal study, in the coast of Para'baya, used sea surface temperatures (SST) data from the result of Long-term Indonesian Throughflow Model Simulation (LITHMOS) over 24 years (1982 – 2006), and sea temperature data at 1000 m depth from the World Ocean Atlas (WOA) 2009. The result shows that ocean thermal energy distributions in the Makassar Strait were affected by the combination of gust, wind direction, and sun position which varies in each season. Maximum ocean thermal power is reached during the first transitional season (March, April, May) with output power of 128 kW, and the minimum power is achieved during the dry season (June, July, August) with an output power of 114 kW.

Please refer to "Ma Q, Wang P, Fan J and Klar A. Underground solar energy storage via energy piles: an experimental study. 2021." for details.

This report describes the following: (1) the US Department of Energy Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage Program, (2) aquifer thermal energy storage technology, (3) alternative STES technology, (4) foreign studies in seasonal thermal energy storage, and (5) economic assessment.

The objective of the Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage (STES) Program is to demonstrate the economic storage and retrieval of thermal energy on a seasonal basis, using heat or cold available from waste sources or other sources during a surplus period to reduce peak period demand, reduce electric utilities peaking problems, and contribute to the establishment of favorable economics for district heating and cooling systems for commercialization of the technology. The initial thrust of the STES Program is toward utilization of ground-water systems (aquifers) for thermal energy storage. The program has the further objective of evaluating other methods of seasonal storage, both from existing literature and by following current work in other countries. The STES Program is divided into an Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) Demonstration Task for demonstrating the commercialization potential of aquifer thermal energy storage technology using an integrated system approach to multiple demonstration projects and a parallel Technical Support Task designed to provide support to the overall STES Program, and to reduce technological and institutional barriers to the development of energy storage systems prior to significant investment in demonstration or commercial facilities. During this initial STES program reporting period, program plans were completed, and the Work Breadkdown Structure,more » budget, schedules, and reporting/review procedures were developed. Responsibility was assumed for existing, ongoing STES contracts and projects.« less

Sweden is only utilizing half of the available excess heat. To utilize more of the excess heat a seasonal thermal energy storage could be implemented to store excessed heat from the summer when the demand is lower to the winter when the demand is higher. This can be achieved by an integration of a seasonal thermal energy storage to the district heating system. A seasonal thermal energy storage may also reduce the need of the system’s peak load, which often is economically costly and adversely affect the environment. The purpose of the paper is to investigate the possibility for Skövde Värmeverk to implement a seasonal thermal storage. The paper is performed by a literature collection and calculations are made by software programs. The result shows that it is technically possible to implement a pit thermal energy storage and a borhole thermal energy storage, but no outcome shows a profitability within 20 years. A pit thermal energy storage can replace the system’s peak load up to 79 percent and a borhole thermal energy storage up to 2,8 percent. The most suitable case for Skövde Värmeverk is to install a pit thermal energy storage with a storage capacity of 4 GWh.