TITLE:
Review on Thermocline Storage Effectiveness for Concentrating Solar Power Plant
AUTHORS:
Bagre Boubou, Ibrahim Kalawole Muritala, Boukar Makinta, Daho Tizane, Tubreoumya Guy Christian, Nebie Jacques, Dabilgou Téré, Bere Antoine, Adamou Rabani
KEYWORDS:
Thermocline Storage, Storage Effectiveness, Storage Materials, Optimum Parameters
JOURNAL NAME:
Energy and Power Engineering,
Vol.13 No.10,
October
22,
2021
ABSTRACT: In this paper, a literature review on thermocline storage
performance for Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plant storage
systems has been conducted. The efficiency of materials to store heat depends on the
storage process like sensible heat storage, latent heat storage and
thermochemical one and also on their properties. This study has been focused on
sensible heat storage materials especially thermocline storage system (DMT)
using eco-materials which has a high potentiality (35%) to reduce CSP cost.
There is a possibility to use natural rocks, industry waste and to develop also
materials for a thermocline storage within a bed called packed bed using one
tank. The thermal storage materials should have some optimum parameters
(particle diameter less than 2 cm and good
thermo-physical properties) to achieve better thermal storage performance
(thermal cycle efficiency, extraction factor). However, the size and the shape
of natural rocks are uncontrollable (big diameter) and can drive to
thermocline degradation, catastrophic thermal ratcheting and poor thermal stratification
due to the variability of the storage system porosity and the stress on the
storage tank wall. Also a better thermal storage efficiency is achievable at
low velocity and with good thermo-physical properties of the HTF. The ratio
H/D, the height, the porosity, the shape and the position of the tank should be
optimized to increase the storage efficiency.