Study on Thermal Performance of Single-Tank Thermal Energy Storage System with Thermocline in Solar Thermal Utilization
For the intermittence and instability of solar energy, energy storage can be a good solution in many civil and industrial thermal scenarios. With the advantages of low cost, simple structure, and high efficiency, a single-tank thermal energy storage system is a competitive way of thermal energy stor...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/8/3908 |
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| author | Chao Zhu Jian Zhang Yueshe Wang Zehong Deng Peng Shi Jian Wu Zihao Wu |
| author_facet | Chao Zhu Jian Zhang Yueshe Wang Zehong Deng Peng Shi Jian Wu Zihao Wu |
| author_sort | Chao Zhu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | For the intermittence and instability of solar energy, energy storage can be a good solution in many civil and industrial thermal scenarios. With the advantages of low cost, simple structure, and high efficiency, a single-tank thermal energy storage system is a competitive way of thermal energy storage (TES). In this study, a two-dimensional flow and heat transfer model of a cylindrical storage tank with water as heat transfer fluid (HTF) is developed, in which the effects of time, flow velocity, and height-to-diameter ratio of the tank on the thermocline thickness have been highlighted. The results show that the thermocline thickness in the storage tank is increasing during the charging and discharging processes, and it increases with the increase of the inlet flow velocity and the height to diameter ratio. It is emphasized that in our cases when the time period of <i>t</i> is 14,400 s, the fluid inlet velocity of <i>u</i><sub>in</sub> is 4.577 × 10<sup>−4</sup> m/s, and the height-to-diameter ratio of <i>H</i>/<i>D</i> is 1.2, the performance evaluation index reaches the maximum 0.9575, and the efficiency of the system is the highest. It is expected that all of the findings herein can provide a fundamental understanding of the design and operation of the single-tank thermal energy storage system in water heating for civil and industrial applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:12:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-69515b09115045bda1374a1f12934145 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:12:00Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-69515b09115045bda1374a1f129341452023-12-01T00:41:21ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172022-04-01128390810.3390/app12083908Study on Thermal Performance of Single-Tank Thermal Energy Storage System with Thermocline in Solar Thermal UtilizationChao Zhu0Jian Zhang1Yueshe Wang2Zehong Deng3Peng Shi4Jian Wu5Zihao Wu6State Grid Shaanxi Electric Power Research Institute, Xi’an 710100, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, ChinaState Grid Shaanxi Electric Power Research Institute, Xi’an 710100, ChinaState Grid Shaanxi Electric Power Research Institute, Xi’an 710100, ChinaState Grid Shaanxi Electric Power Research Institute, Xi’an 710100, ChinaFor the intermittence and instability of solar energy, energy storage can be a good solution in many civil and industrial thermal scenarios. With the advantages of low cost, simple structure, and high efficiency, a single-tank thermal energy storage system is a competitive way of thermal energy storage (TES). In this study, a two-dimensional flow and heat transfer model of a cylindrical storage tank with water as heat transfer fluid (HTF) is developed, in which the effects of time, flow velocity, and height-to-diameter ratio of the tank on the thermocline thickness have been highlighted. The results show that the thermocline thickness in the storage tank is increasing during the charging and discharging processes, and it increases with the increase of the inlet flow velocity and the height to diameter ratio. It is emphasized that in our cases when the time period of <i>t</i> is 14,400 s, the fluid inlet velocity of <i>u</i><sub>in</sub> is 4.577 × 10<sup>−4</sup> m/s, and the height-to-diameter ratio of <i>H</i>/<i>D</i> is 1.2, the performance evaluation index reaches the maximum 0.9575, and the efficiency of the system is the highest. It is expected that all of the findings herein can provide a fundamental understanding of the design and operation of the single-tank thermal energy storage system in water heating for civil and industrial applications.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/8/3908single-tank systemthermal energy storage (TES)thermoclinethermal performance |
| spellingShingle | Chao Zhu Jian Zhang Yueshe Wang Zehong Deng Peng Shi Jian Wu Zihao Wu Study on Thermal Performance of Single-Tank Thermal Energy Storage System with Thermocline in Solar Thermal Utilization Applied Sciences single-tank system thermal energy storage (TES) thermocline thermal performance |
| title | Study on Thermal Performance of Single-Tank Thermal Energy Storage System with Thermocline in Solar Thermal Utilization |
| title_full | Study on Thermal Performance of Single-Tank Thermal Energy Storage System with Thermocline in Solar Thermal Utilization |
| title_fullStr | Study on Thermal Performance of Single-Tank Thermal Energy Storage System with Thermocline in Solar Thermal Utilization |
| title_full_unstemmed | Study on Thermal Performance of Single-Tank Thermal Energy Storage System with Thermocline in Solar Thermal Utilization |
| title_short | Study on Thermal Performance of Single-Tank Thermal Energy Storage System with Thermocline in Solar Thermal Utilization |
| title_sort | study on thermal performance of single tank thermal energy storage system with thermocline in solar thermal utilization |
| topic | single-tank system thermal energy storage (TES) thermocline thermal performance |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/8/3908 |
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