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Thermal Energy Storage and Solar Thermal Energy Systems

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "A2: Solar Energy and Photovoltaic Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2022) | Viewed by 22584

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Karunesh Kant

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Guest Editor

Advanced Materials and Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
Interests: solar energy and its utilization; thermal energy storage materials and devices; phase change materials; thermal modeling; heat transfer; modeling of heat and mass transfers in building innovative envelopes and systems; particle tracking velocimetry for airflow study in buildings

Dr. Atul Sharma

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Guest Editor

Department of Basic Sciences and Humanities, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (RGIPT), Amethi 229304, India
Interests: solar thermal energy storage systems; solar water heating systems; solar air heating systems; solar drying systems; phase change materials development and applications; green buildings; wind energy; renewable energy policies

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The journal Energies is pleased to invite you to submit research and/or review papers to a Special Issue on “Thermal Energy Storage and Solar Thermal Energy Systems”. TES improves system performance by smoothing supply and demand for thermal energy, and further, it reduces temperature fluctuations when applied in cooling devices. The major applications of thermal energy storage are in buildings, solar thermal systems, concentrating solar power plants and industrial heat recovery and many more. This Special Issue aims to present new research findings as well as reviews of significant work in the field of solar thermal energy systems, thermal energy storage, solar photovoltaic thermal systems (PTV), and hybrid solar systems.

Topics of interest for this Special Issue include but are not limited to:

Thermal energy storage materials and techniques (phase change material, thermochemical materials, metal hydrates thermal energy storage materials, sensible heat storage, latent heat storage, thermochemical heat storage, or a combination of these);
Thermal energy storage materials development and characterization;
Solar thermal systems with thermal energy storage (concentrating solar thermal system, solar water heating systems, solar cookers, solar desalination, solar dryer, solar greenhouse, thermal processing of food in agriculture, photovoltaic thermal system, hybrid solar thermal system, thermal energy storage in the building).

We are writing to invite you to submit your original experimental, theoretical, and review work to this Special Issue. We look forward to receiving your outstanding research.

Dr. Karunesh Kant
Prof. Dr. Atul Sharma
Guest Editors

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Keywords

Thermal energy storage
Phase change materials
Waste heat recovery
Solar drying systems
Solar greenhouse
Solar thermal
Solar water heater
Solar air heater
Distillation
Concentrating solar power
Parabolic trough
Fresnel reflector
Heliostat
Paraboloid dish
Solar stills
Solar cooking with thermal energy storage
Photovoltaic thermal collectors

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

32 pages, 8443 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Box-Type Solar Cookers: An Overview of Technological Advancement, Energy, Environmental, and Economic Benefits

by Navendu Misra, Abhishek Anand, Saurabh Pandey, Karunesh Kant, Amritanshu Shukla and Atul Sharma

Energies 2023, 16(4), 1697; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en16041697 - 08 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4728

Abstract

Being one of the major energy consumers, cooking is a necessary part of daily life. Non renewable cooking fuel sources, such as wood or cow dung cause hazardous pollution and a poor ecosystem worldwide. Over the past few decades, solar-powered cooking has undergone numerous improvements. Solar cooking has been predominantly used as a substitute for reducing oil and gas dependence, increasing environmental sustainability, and reducing global warming threats. This paper talks about the recent development of the box-type solar cooker. The paper discusses the principles and classifications of various parameters that affect the performance, energy, and exergy related to the solar cooking system. In line with the sustainable development goals of the UN agenda 2030 and especially the heed to the accomplishment of SDG 7 and SDG 13, various economic factors, such as the payback period (PP), net present value (NPV), benefit–cost (B–C) ratios, internal rate of return (IRR), levelized cost of heat (LCOH), and levelized cost of cooking a meal (LCCM) have been discussed. The environmental analysis has also been presented to show the overall benefit of solar cooking. The review also focuses on the current development of a box-type solar cooker, its components, and its heat transfer characteristic. Various geometrical modifications, the use of reflectors, and transparent insulating materials that improve cooking have been discussed. The concept of energy storage in the form of Phase change material (Latent heat storage) with the latest studied designs improvements of solar cookers has been obtained to be efficient, which also help in late-evening cooking. It can be said that with better policy implications, the social and economic acceptability of the solar cooker can be achieved. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal Energy Storage and Solar Thermal Energy Systems)

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15 pages, 2634 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Design and Evaluation of a High Temperature Phase Change Material Carnot Battery

by Rhys Jacob and Ming Liu

Energies 2023, 16(1), 189; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en16010189 - 24 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1687

Abstract

In the current study, a high temperature thermal storage system with a hybrid of phase change material and graphite as the storage materials is designed and evaluated as to its applicability for use as a utility-scale Carnot battery. The design includes an externally heated liquid sodium tank, which is used as the heat transfer fluid. This is used to charge and discharge the storage system consisting of a graphite storage medium sandwiched by two phase change materials. Finally, electrical generation is by way of a supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle operated at 700 °C. Detailed modelling of these designs was conducted by way of a previously validated numerical model to predict performance metrics. Using the aforementioned designs, a preliminary cost estimate was undertaken to better determine applicability. From these results, it was found that while the graphite system was the most effective at storing energy, it was also the highest cost due to the high cost of graphite. In total, 18 storage tanks containing nearly 17,400 tons of storage material were required to store the 1200 MWh_t required to run the sCO₂ power block for 10 h. Under the study conditions, the cost of a PCM-based Carnot battery was estimated to be $476/kWh_e, comparable to other storage technologies. Furthermore, it was found that if the cost of the graphite and/or steel could be reduced, the cost of the system could be reduced to $321/kWh_e. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal Energy Storage and Solar Thermal Energy Systems)

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17 pages, 5008 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Simulation of Phase Change Material Absorbers for Passive Cooling of Solar Systems

by Abdelhakim Hassabou and Rima J. Isaifan

Energies 2022, 15(24), 9288; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15249288 - 07 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1078

Abstract

One of the main challenges that face the reliable use of photovoltaic solar systems in hot arid regions is the prevailing high temperatures during the day. To overcome this issue, Phase Change Materials (PCM) are used for passive cooling providing different options to attain sufficient thermal management solutions for different applications. Passive cooling can be achieved by adjusting a heat sink to the solar PV module. This can be realized by attaching a PCM layer or sensible heat storage to the backside of PV panels. Few studies have reported on simplified modeling and numerical procedures using the apparent heat capacity formulation and volume averaging technique as a robust approach to solving such sophisticated problems with minimal computational efforts, high accuracy, and in a short period of time. However, there is still a need to bridge the large-scale gap between the macroscale within the PCM layer, with a moving melting front, and the length scale of PV modules. Hence, this work focuses on modeling and simulating PCM-Matrix Absorbers (PCM-MA) that consist of fibrous aluminum cellular structure filled with PCM for passive thermal management of PV panels using apparent heat capacity formulation and homogenization based on volume averaging technique. COMSOL Multiphysics FEM software was used for the numerical simulation of the phase change problem by using a Smoothed Heaviside step function to overcome the singularity of PCM challenge that arises with sharp melting temperatures. To validate the proposed model, it has been compared with a benchmark analytical solution for an ice melting problem, i.e., the Stefan problem, in a semi-finite slab, i.e., Neumann’s solution under the same assumptions and boundary conditions. The specific characteristics of phase change and evolution of melting front with time, heat capacity change with the temperature at different times, and with locations along the slab height are presented. As the phase change is modeled to take place over a mushy region, i.e., a narrow temperature interval rather than a sharp melting point, the results show a good coincidence of the heat capacity profile and its peak at different times and locations. The validated model can be used for the optimization of PCM-MA for any specific geographical location and other applications such as the passive cooling of buildings with PCM integrated with the outer envelope. To this end, the results of the simulation in this work are shown to be in agreement with those obtained from the analytical solution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal Energy Storage and Solar Thermal Energy Systems)

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15 pages, 3950 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improving the Single-Slope Solar Still Performance Using Solar Air Heater with Phase Change Materials

by Sujit Kumar and Om Prakash

Energies 2022, 15(21), 8013; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15218013 - 28 Oct 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1868

Abstract

This communication discusses the energy, exergy, and economic feasibility of novel heat storage based on a single-slope solar still coupled with a solar air heater (SAH). The analysis was conducted on three different solar stills, i.e., a single-slope solar still (SSSS), single-slope solar still with latent heat storage, and a single-slope solar still with latent heat storage coupled with a solar air heater. The performance evaluation of all types of solar still has been compared to evaluate the best-performing solar still. Paraffin wax as a phase change material (PCM) has been used at the bottom of the solar still to provide proper thermal storage. The experiments were conducted on different depths, i.e., 3 cm, 6 cm, 9 cm, 12 cm, and 15 cm. The efficiency of a single-slope solar still with PCM and SAH was 65.58% higher than a conventional solar still. The average exergy efficiency of a single-slope solar still with latent heat storage coupled with a solar air heater is 83.19% higher than a traditional solar still. Additionally, the maximum hourly output was found to be 735 mL/m² h for the solar still customized with PCM and solar heater for a depth of 3 cm. This shows that the still (single-slope solar still with latent heat storage coupled with a solar air heater) has higher thermal performance than the other two solar stills. Therefore, the proposed solar still is very suitable for desalination. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal Energy Storage and Solar Thermal Energy Systems)

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19 pages, 8390 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Connection between Architectural Elements and Adaptive Thermal Comfort of Tropical Vernacular Houses in Mountain and Beach Locations

by Hermawan Hermawan and Jozef Švajlenka

Energies 2021, 14(21), 7427; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14217427 - 08 Nov 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2710

Abstract

Passive thermal comfort has been widely used to test the thermal performance of a building. The science of active thermal comfort is important to be connected with the science of architecture. The currently developing active thermal comfort is adaptive thermal comfort. Vernacular houses are believed to be able to create thermal comfort for the inhabitants. The present study seeks to analyze the connection between the architectural elements of vernacular houses and adaptive thermal comfort. A mixed method was applied. A quantitative approach was used in the measurement of variables of climate, while a qualitative methodology was employed in an interview on thermal sensations. The connection between architectural elements and adaptive thermal comfort was analyzed by considering the correlation among architectural features, the analysis results of thermal comfort, and the Olgyay and psychrometric diagrams. At the beginning of the rainy season, residents of exposed stone houses had the highest comfortable percentage of 31%. In the middle of the rainy season, the highest percentage of comfort was obtained by residents of exposed brick and wooden houses on the beach at 39%. The lowest comfortable percentage experienced by residents of exposed stone houses at the beginning of the dry season was 0%. The beginning of the dry season in mountainous areas has air temperatures that are too low, making residents uncomfortable. The study results demonstrate that adaptive thermal comfort is related to using a room for adaptation to create thermal comfort for the inhabitants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal Energy Storage and Solar Thermal Energy Systems)

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22 pages, 6336 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thermal Stability and Reliability Test of Some Saturated Fatty Acids for Low and Medium Temperature Thermal Energy Storage

by Abhishek Anand, Karunesh Kant, Amritanshu Shukla, Chang-Ren Chen and Atul Sharma

Energies 2021, 14(15), 4509; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14154509 - 26 Jul 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2094

Abstract

Phase change materials have been overwhelmingly used for thermal energy storage applications. Among organics, fatty acids are an important constituent of latent heat storage. Most of the saturated fatty acid PCMs so far studied are either unary or binary constituents of pure fatty acids. In the present study, ternary blends of saturated fatty acids i.e., capric, lauric, myristic, stearic, and palmitic acids have been developed with different weight proportions. A series of 28 ternary blends viz. CA-LA-MA, CA-LA-PA, CA-LA-SA, CA-MA-PA, CA-MA-SA, and CA-PA-SA were prepared and analyzed with differential scanning calorimetry, thermal gravimetric analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. DSC analysis revealed that the prepared materials lie in the 15–30 °C temperature range. Also, 300 thermal melt/freeze cycles were conducted which showed ±10% variation in terms of the melting peak for most of the PCMs, with the average latent heat of fusion between 130 and 170 kJ/kg. The TGA analysis showed that most of the PCMs are thermally stable up to 100 °C and useful for medium-low storage applications, and FTIR analysis showed that the materials are chemically stable after repeated thermal cycles. Based on cycle test performances, the developed materials were found to be reliable for long-term use in building and photovoltaic applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal Energy Storage and Solar Thermal Energy Systems)

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18 pages, 5934 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Investigations on Steam Generation in Nanofluids under Concentrated Solar Radiation

by Xin Jin, Guiping Lin and Haichuan Jin

Energies 2021, 14(13), 3985; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14133985 - 02 Jul 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1852

Abstract

Developing renewable energy, especially solar energy related, is of great importance for securing our future energy society. Steam generation in nanofluids based on solar radiation has been increasingly studied. It has been determined that the efficiency of steam generation is significantly enhanced when nanoparticles are seeded into the fluid owing to their unique radiative heat transfer performance. The nanoparticles trap solar energy inside the fluid and convert it into thermal form, which dramatically accelerates the steam generation process. In this study, we experimentally investigated different nanofluids that directly absorb solar energy to generate steam. Ag nanofluid, Au nanofluid and MWCNT nanofluid with different concentration have been carefully investigated. We analyzed the temperature increase and steam generation combined with the calculation of the efficiency factor from radiative heat transfer. The heating power and steam generation power of different nanofluids and the same nanofluid with different concentrations were compared. For Au nanofluid with concentration of 0.5 wt‰, the absorbed solar energy for heating the volume and generating steam is 6 and 40 times higher than those of pure water, respectively. We concluded that localized boiling generates steam rapidly in nanofluids based on the observation of three types of nanofluids. Furthermore, the heating power and steam generation power of different nanofluids increase with concentration. Moreover, the difference between the efficiency factors results in varied volume heating and steam generation efficiencies for different nanofluids despite identical concentrations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal Energy Storage and Solar Thermal Energy Systems)

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22 pages, 4869 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Validation of the Thermal Processes Modeling in a Solar Still

by Ewelina Radomska, Lukasz Mika, Karol Sztekler and Wojciech Kalawa

Energies 2021, 14(8), 2321; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14082321 - 20 Apr 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1756

Abstract

Passive solar distillation is cheap and energy-efficient technology but its main disadvantage is low productivity. Thus, there are many attempts to improve solar stills’ productivity, and one of them is changing the mass of the water. This paper presents the results of validation of the thermal processes modeling in a solar still (SS). In order to validate the model, the experimental studies were conducted in a laboratory to ensure uniform climatic conditions. The studies were carried out for 10 kg, 15 kg, and 20 kg of water under three different solar irradiance conditions. The results show that 10 kg and 20 kg of water ensure the highest and the lowest daily productivity, respectively, independently of solar irradiance. When the water mass is 10 kg, the solar still’s productivity is 800 mL/m²/day, 3732 mL/m²/day, and 9392 mL/m²/day for low, medium, and high solar irradiance, respectively. Additionally, it is found that reducing the water mass from 20 kg to 10 kg can improve solar still’s productivity by a maximum value of 21.6%, which is obtained for low solar irradiance. The proposed mathematical model allows predicting the performance of the SS. The results of the theoretical calculations are in good agreement with the results of the experiments. The minimum and maximum deviation between the actual and theoretical productivity of the SS is 1.1% and 8.3%, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal Energy Storage and Solar Thermal Energy Systems)

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24 pages, 7526 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis and Optimization of a Novel Hexagonal Waveguide Concentrator for Solar Thermal Applications

by Karunesh Kant, Karthik Nithyanandam and Ranga Pitchumani

Energies 2021, 14(8), 2146; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14082146 - 12 Apr 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2467

Abstract

This paper analyzes a novel, cost-effective planar waveguide solar concentrator design that is inspired by cellular hexagonal structures in nature with the benefits of facile installation and low operation and maintenance cost. A coupled thermal and optical analysis of solar irradiation through an ideal hexagonal waveguide concentrator integrated with a linear receiver is presented, along with a cost analysis methodology, to establish the upper limit of performance. The techno-economic model, coupled with numerical optimization, is used to determine designs that maximized power density and minimized the cost of heat in the temperature range of 100–250 °C, which constitutes more than half of the industrial process heat demand. Depending on the incident solar irradiation and the application temperature, the cost of heat for the optimal design configuration ranged between 0.1–0.27 $/W and 0.075–0.18 $/W for waveguide made of ZK7 glass and polycarbonate, respectively. A techno-economic analysis showed the potential of the technology to achieve cost as low as 80 $/m² and 61 $/m² for waveguide made of ZK7 glass and polycarbonate material, respectively, which is less than half the cost of state-of-the-art parabolic trough concentrators. Overall, the hexagonal waveguide solar concentrator technology shows immense potential for decarbonizing the industrial process heat and thermal desalination sectors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal Energy Storage and Solar Thermal Energy Systems)

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