Investigation of Methods to Predict Thermal Stratification and Its Effect on Solar Energy System Performance

THIS REPORT DESCRIBES A STUDY TO IDENTIFY CHARACTERISTICS WHICH INDUCE THERMAL STRATIFICATION IN LIQUID THERMAL STORAGE, AND TO EVALUATE SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM PERFORMANCE AS A FUNCTION OF THE DEGREE OF STRATIFICATION. It was determined that for efficient use of thermal stratification it was necessary...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Sliwinski,B J
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
AST23
CORRELATION TECHNIQUES
Electric Power Production and Distribution
ENERGY STORAGE
FLUIDS
GEOMETRY
INLETS
LIQUIDS
Non-electrical Energy Conversion
Outlet conditions
PE61102A
PERFORMANCE(ENGINEERING)
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PREDICTIONS
SOLAR ENERGY
Solar energy systems
STORAGE TANKS
STRATIFICATION
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
Thermal stratification
VELOCITY
WU010
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Summary:THIS REPORT DESCRIBES A STUDY TO IDENTIFY CHARACTERISTICS WHICH INDUCE THERMAL STRATIFICATION IN LIQUID THERMAL STORAGE, AND TO EVALUATE SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM PERFORMANCE AS A FUNCTION OF THE DEGREE OF STRATIFICATION. It was determined that for efficient use of thermal stratification it was necessary to (1) introduce hot fluid at the top of the liquid storage tank and to add cold fluid at the bottom of the tank, (2) with a cylindrical tank, have a length/diameter ratio equal to or greater than 2.0, (3) use mathematical correlations to determine allowable fluid inlet velocities and temperatures, and (4) use storage tank material that has a thermal conductivity less than that of the storage fluid. The mathematical correlations described in this report allow stratification occurrence to be predicted and can be used to estimate the sharpness of the thermocline based on tank inlet and outlet conditions, fluid properties, and storage tank geometry. (Author)