Life Cycle Assessment of Dispersed Phase Change Material Heat Accumulators for Cooperation with Buildings in the District Heating System

The wide use of energy-efficient district heating systems allows for decreased atmospheric pollution resulting from lower emissions. One of the ways to increase the efficiency of existing district heating systems, and a key element of new systems using renewable energy sources, is modern heat storag...

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Main Authors: Michał Turski, Agnieszka Jachura
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-08-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/16/5771
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author Michał Turski
Agnieszka Jachura
author_facet Michał Turski
Agnieszka Jachura
author_sort Michał Turski
collection DOAJ
description The wide use of energy-efficient district heating systems allows for decreased atmospheric pollution resulting from lower emissions. One of the ways to increase the efficiency of existing district heating systems, and a key element of new systems using renewable energy sources, is modern heat storage technology—the utilization of dispersed PCM heat accumulators. However, the use of different solutions and the inconsistency of selection methods make it difficult to compare the obtained results. Therefore, in this paper, using TRNSYS software, a standardization of the selection of dispersed PCM heat accumulators for cooperation with buildings in the DHS was proposed along with a Life Cycle Assessment. Life Cycle Assessment could be a good, versatile indicator for new developments in district heating systems. A new contribution to the research topic was the Life Cycle Assessment itself as well as the range of heat output of the substations up to 2000 kW and the development of nomograms and unitary values for the selection of individual parameters based on the relative amount of heat uncollected by buildings. The technical potential of heat storage value, %Δ<i>Q<sub>i</sub></i><sub>,<i>st</i></sub>, was from 49.4% to 59.6% of the theoretical potential of heat storage. The increases in the active volume of the PCM heat accumulator, <i>d</i><i>V<sub>PCM</sub></i>, and the mass of the required amount of PCM, <i>d</i><i>m<sub>st</sub></i>, were, respectively, 0.8 × 10<sup>−2</sup>–4.0 m<sup>3</sup>/kW and 1.3–6.7 × 10<sup>−2</sup> kg/kW. Due to dispersed heat storage, an increase in system efficiency of 41% was achieved. LCA analysis showed that a positive impact on the environment was achieved, expressed as negative values of the Eco-indicator from −0.504 × 10<sup>−2</sup> to −6.44 × 10<sup>−2</sup> kPt/kW.
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spelling doaj.art-259a87ae6ea94da6b4e3f7d96eedc02c2023-12-01T23:39:03ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732022-08-011516577110.3390/en15165771Life Cycle Assessment of Dispersed Phase Change Material Heat Accumulators for Cooperation with Buildings in the District Heating SystemMichał Turski0Agnieszka Jachura1Faculty of Infrastructure and Environment, Czestochowa University of Technology, 73 J.H. Dąbrowskiego St., 42-200 Czestochowa, PolandFaculty of Infrastructure and Environment, Czestochowa University of Technology, 73 J.H. Dąbrowskiego St., 42-200 Czestochowa, PolandThe wide use of energy-efficient district heating systems allows for decreased atmospheric pollution resulting from lower emissions. One of the ways to increase the efficiency of existing district heating systems, and a key element of new systems using renewable energy sources, is modern heat storage technology—the utilization of dispersed PCM heat accumulators. However, the use of different solutions and the inconsistency of selection methods make it difficult to compare the obtained results. Therefore, in this paper, using TRNSYS software, a standardization of the selection of dispersed PCM heat accumulators for cooperation with buildings in the DHS was proposed along with a Life Cycle Assessment. Life Cycle Assessment could be a good, versatile indicator for new developments in district heating systems. A new contribution to the research topic was the Life Cycle Assessment itself as well as the range of heat output of the substations up to 2000 kW and the development of nomograms and unitary values for the selection of individual parameters based on the relative amount of heat uncollected by buildings. The technical potential of heat storage value, %Δ<i>Q<sub>i</sub></i><sub>,<i>st</i></sub>, was from 49.4% to 59.6% of the theoretical potential of heat storage. The increases in the active volume of the PCM heat accumulator, <i>d</i><i>V<sub>PCM</sub></i>, and the mass of the required amount of PCM, <i>d</i><i>m<sub>st</sub></i>, were, respectively, 0.8 × 10<sup>−2</sup>–4.0 m<sup>3</sup>/kW and 1.3–6.7 × 10<sup>−2</sup> kg/kW. Due to dispersed heat storage, an increase in system efficiency of 41% was achieved. LCA analysis showed that a positive impact on the environment was achieved, expressed as negative values of the Eco-indicator from −0.504 × 10<sup>−2</sup> to −6.44 × 10<sup>−2</sup> kPt/kW.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/16/5771district heating systemhybrid substationsPCMdistrict heating storagelife cycle assessment
spellingShingle Michał Turski
Agnieszka Jachura
Life Cycle Assessment of Dispersed Phase Change Material Heat Accumulators for Cooperation with Buildings in the District Heating System
Energies
district heating system
hybrid substations
PCM
district heating storage
life cycle assessment
title Life Cycle Assessment of Dispersed Phase Change Material Heat Accumulators for Cooperation with Buildings in the District Heating System
title_full Life Cycle Assessment of Dispersed Phase Change Material Heat Accumulators for Cooperation with Buildings in the District Heating System
title_fullStr Life Cycle Assessment of Dispersed Phase Change Material Heat Accumulators for Cooperation with Buildings in the District Heating System
title_full_unstemmed Life Cycle Assessment of Dispersed Phase Change Material Heat Accumulators for Cooperation with Buildings in the District Heating System
title_short Life Cycle Assessment of Dispersed Phase Change Material Heat Accumulators for Cooperation with Buildings in the District Heating System
title_sort life cycle assessment of dispersed phase change material heat accumulators for cooperation with buildings in the district heating system
topic district heating system
hybrid substations
PCM
district heating storage
life cycle assessment
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/16/5771
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