The size of sorbents in low pressure sorption or thermochemical energy storage processes

• Published in: Energy (Oxford) 2014-12, Vol.77, p.983-998
• Main Authors: N'Tsoukpoe, Kokouvi Edem, Restuccia, Giovanni, Schmidt, Thomas, Py, Xavier
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adsorption; Applied sciences; Energy; Energy storage; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Grain size; Heat storage; Heat transfer; Heat transformers; Mass transfer; Packed bed; Particle size; Sorbents; Sorption; Thermochemical energy storage; Transport and storage of energy
• ISSN: 0360-5442
• DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2014.10.013

Sorption and thermochemical heat storage attracted considerable attention recently because it offers various opportunities in the design of renewable and sustainable energy systems. Heat and mass transfer remains currently the main limitations whose overcoming would facilitate their introduction to the market, a step which has been pointed out as long overdue. In this paper, main aspects regarding the heat and mass transfer in solid sorption heat transformers, seen purely from the perspective of the size of particles and the thickness of sorbent layers, are reviewed for both open and closed units. Because mass and heat transfer challenges are common problematic in adsorption, chemical heat pumps and chillers as well as in thermochemical energy storage, relevant data from related literatures will be considered. This work has been limited to pulverised or pelletised beds. One trend is towards the use of relatively small grain size adsorbents in physical closed adsorption heat transformers. The authors expect to provide valuable starting points for designers of sorption or thermochemical energy storage units. •We review the size of sorbent particles in solid sorption/thermochemical units.•The review is limited to packed bed configuration, the common design in storage units.•Grain size is a powerful tool to manage dynamics and performance of sorption units.•Small particles size is preferable for stable sorbents in closed solid sorption units.•We provide helpful guidelines for designers of thermochemical energy storage units.