Review on storage materials and thermal performance enhancement techniques for high temperature phase change thermal storage systems

Designing a cost-effective phase change thermal storage system involves two challenging aspects: one is to select a suitable storage material and the other is to increase the heat transfer between the storage material and the heat transfer fluid as the performance of the system is limited by the poo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Renewable & sustainable energy reviews 2012-05, Vol.16 (4), p.2118-2132
Main Authors: Liu, Ming, Saman, Wasim, Bruno, Frank
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
cost effectiveness
Energy
Exact sciences and technology
heat transfer
Heat transfer rate
High temperature thermal energy storage
Latent heat thermal energy storage
melting point
Phase change materials
phase transition
power plants
research and development
temperature
thermal conductivity
Thermal performance enhancement
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Summary:Designing a cost-effective phase change thermal storage system involves two challenging aspects: one is to select a suitable storage material and the other is to increase the heat transfer between the storage material and the heat transfer fluid as the performance of the system is limited by the poor thermal conductivity of the latent heat storage material. When used for storing energy in concentrated solar thermal power plants, the solar field operation temperature will determine the PCM melting temperature selection. This paper reviews concentrated solar thermal power plants that are currently operating and under construction. It also reviews phase change materials with melting temperatures above 300°C, which potentially can be used as energy storage media in these plants. In addition, various techniques employed to enhance the thermal performance of high temperature phase change thermal storage systems have been reviewed and discussed. This review aims to provide the necessary information for further research in the development of cost-effective high temperature phase change thermal storage systems.
ISSN:1364-0321
1879-0690
DOI:10.1016/j.rser.2012.01.020