Decarbonising heating and hot water using solar thermal collectors coupled with thermal storage: The scale of the challenge
This paper explores the feasibility of using renewable solar thermal energy linked to a salt hydrate thermochemical store (reversible chemical reaction involving the addition / removal of water from a salt) to provide a zero-carbon heating and hot water option for an average UK home. Volumetric abso...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Energy Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235248472030192X |
| _version_ | 1818155923728760832 |
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| author | Harriet Kimpton Xunli Zhang Eugen Stulz |
| author_facet | Harriet Kimpton Xunli Zhang Eugen Stulz |
| author_sort | Harriet Kimpton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper explores the feasibility of using renewable solar thermal energy linked to a salt hydrate thermochemical store (reversible chemical reaction involving the addition / removal of water from a salt) to provide a zero-carbon heating and hot water option for an average UK home. Volumetric absorption based on diluted colloidal suspensions or nanofluids containing wavelength tuneable plasmonic silver nanoparticles are a possible means for enhancing solar thermal capture. To make full use of this captured energy, it requires inter-seasonal storage in a suitable energy dense, high efficiency thermal store. As such even the potentially highest energy density obtainable for a salt hydrate thermochemical store would still need a store of greater than 35 m3 (10 MWh) to nearly meet current winter heating and hot water demands (with 1 discharge cycle per annum). With a possible increase in collector efficiency to over 70% such a system would collect enough solar energy annually to become viable for homes with a greater than average (>15 m2) roof area, a lower than median consumption (<12,000 kWhyr−1) and enough space for a large thermochemical store (≤46 m3). This paper concludes by detailing the significant additional research efforts required to bring this possible decarbonising solution to a prototype level of maturity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T14:50:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8305d4292fed48edbf02836d2ad8acd2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2352-4847 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T14:50:07Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energy Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-8305d4292fed48edbf02836d2ad8acd22022-12-22T01:01:29ZengElsevierEnergy Reports2352-48472020-05-0162534Decarbonising heating and hot water using solar thermal collectors coupled with thermal storage: The scale of the challengeHarriet Kimpton0Xunli Zhang1Eugen Stulz2Corresponding author.; University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UKUniversity of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UKUniversity of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UKThis paper explores the feasibility of using renewable solar thermal energy linked to a salt hydrate thermochemical store (reversible chemical reaction involving the addition / removal of water from a salt) to provide a zero-carbon heating and hot water option for an average UK home. Volumetric absorption based on diluted colloidal suspensions or nanofluids containing wavelength tuneable plasmonic silver nanoparticles are a possible means for enhancing solar thermal capture. To make full use of this captured energy, it requires inter-seasonal storage in a suitable energy dense, high efficiency thermal store. As such even the potentially highest energy density obtainable for a salt hydrate thermochemical store would still need a store of greater than 35 m3 (10 MWh) to nearly meet current winter heating and hot water demands (with 1 discharge cycle per annum). With a possible increase in collector efficiency to over 70% such a system would collect enough solar energy annually to become viable for homes with a greater than average (>15 m2) roof area, a lower than median consumption (<12,000 kWhyr−1) and enough space for a large thermochemical store (≤46 m3). This paper concludes by detailing the significant additional research efforts required to bring this possible decarbonising solution to a prototype level of maturity.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235248472030192XSolar thermal collectorsSilver nanofluidsThermal storageSalt hydratesDecarbonising |
| spellingShingle | Harriet Kimpton Xunli Zhang Eugen Stulz Decarbonising heating and hot water using solar thermal collectors coupled with thermal storage: The scale of the challenge Energy Reports Solar thermal collectors Silver nanofluids Thermal storage Salt hydrates Decarbonising |
| title | Decarbonising heating and hot water using solar thermal collectors coupled with thermal storage: The scale of the challenge |
| title_full | Decarbonising heating and hot water using solar thermal collectors coupled with thermal storage: The scale of the challenge |
| title_fullStr | Decarbonising heating and hot water using solar thermal collectors coupled with thermal storage: The scale of the challenge |
| title_full_unstemmed | Decarbonising heating and hot water using solar thermal collectors coupled with thermal storage: The scale of the challenge |
| title_short | Decarbonising heating and hot water using solar thermal collectors coupled with thermal storage: The scale of the challenge |
| title_sort | decarbonising heating and hot water using solar thermal collectors coupled with thermal storage the scale of the challenge |
| topic | Solar thermal collectors Silver nanofluids Thermal storage Salt hydrates Decarbonising |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235248472030192X |
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