Thermal energy storage by agitated capsules of phase change material
Creators: name: Sözen, Zeki Ziya
Publisher: name: University of British Columbia
Year: 2010

description: Thermal energy storage via the latent heat of suitable phase change materials has the advantages of higher energy storage density and relatively isothermal behaviour compared to sensible heat storage systems. Glauber's salt (Na₂S0₄∙10H₂0) is one of the most extensively studied phase change materials for solar energy systems because of its low price, suitable phase change temperature and high latent heat. However, segregation due to incongruent melting behaviour leading to loss in the heat storage efficiency upon repeated melting-freezing cycling is a serious problem which has severely limited application of Glauber's salt. In this study Glauber's salt was encapsulated in 25 mm diameter hollow spheres and agitated in different systems including a liquid fluidized bed, rotating drum and rotating tube to reduce or eliminate the Toss in its heat storage efficiency. The encapsulated mixture consisted of 96% Glauber's salt and 4% borax by weight with 5% by volume air space in the capsules. Some capsules containing 25%, 15% and 5% by weight excess sodium sulfate and 10% by weight excess water were also prepared, to test the effect of sodium sulfate concentration under different agitation conditions. The heat storage capacity of 5756 capsules, agitated by fluidizing with water in a pilot plant size (0.34 m diameter) column, showed a decrease over the first three cycles to about 60% of that theoretically possible, but there was no further decrease over the next 93 cycles under fluidization conditions. The heat storage efficiency was found to be improved by increasing the superficial water velocity and by decreasing the cooling rate. Heating rate had little or no effect. The fluidized capsules provide enhanced heat transfer rates to or from the heat storage medium, enabling the energy to be charged or discharged in about one hour with realistic inlet and outlet temperatures. The high heat transfer rates are an important advantage for the system and may open new areas of applications for thermal energy storage by encapsulated phase change material. Economic analysis of the liquid fluidized bed heat storage system shows that operating costs are almost negligible compared to fixed capital costs. The heat storage efficiency of capsules decreased to 38.4% of the theoretical capacity or 67% of the corresponding agitated (fluidized) system in only 7 cycles under fixed bed conditions, and the efficiency decreased with further cycling. 97.5% of the original heat storage-capacity was recovered within three cycles when these capsules were refluidized. Performances of the regular and different composition capsules were tested in the rotating tube, with rotation around a fixed horizontal axis passing through the capsules' centers, and in the rotating drum, with impact due to collisions in addition to rotation. The results showed that full rotation of a capsule around a horizontal axis improves the heat storage efficiency. However, full recovery of the theoretical capacity was not possible, even under vigorous mixing conditions. The efficiencies in the rotating tube were similar to those in the rotating drum for capsules subject to the same number of rotations around a horizontal axis. At high rotation speeds centrifugal force had a negative influence, especially in the rotating tube. On the basis of heat storage capacity per unit volume or weight of phase change material, 47% by weight sodium sulfate concentration was found to be optimal for the rotating drum and the rotating tube cases. Some small scale experiments were performed to determine the relative importance of different factors in the loss of heat storage capacity. Sodium sulfate concentration gradients in the capsules with different thermal cycling histories were found by thermogravimetric analysis. The results showed that bulk segregation of anhydrous sodium sulfate is not the only reason for the loss of heat storage capacity in systems using Glauber's salt. Microencapsulation of anhydrous sodium sulfate beneath a layer of Glauber's salt crystals is at least as important. Experiments to determine the degree of subcooling, believed to be another factor in the loss of heat storage capacity, showed that a mixture of 96% Glauber's salt and 4% borax by weight undergoes subcooling of about 5 K in gently agitated capsules. Nucleation and crystallization temperatures both increase with increased agitation.