Recent developments in phase change materials for energy storage applications: A review

A concentrating solar power (CSP) system converts sunlight into a heat source which can be used to drive a conventional power plant. Thermal energy storage (TES) improves the dispatchability of a CSP plant. Heat can be stored in either sensible, latent or thermochemical storage. Commercial deployment of CSP systems have been achieved in recent years with the two-tank sensible storage system using molten salt as the storage medium. Considerable research effort has been conducted to improve the efficiency of the CSP system and make the cost of electricity comparable to that of the conventional fossil-fuel power plant. This paper provides a comprehensive summary of CSP plants both in operation and under construction. It covers the available technologies for the receiver, thermal storage, power block and heat transfer fluid. This paper also reviews developments in high temperature TES over the past decade with a focus on sensible and latent heat storage. High temperature corrosion and economic aspects of these systems are also discussed.

Review on concentrating solar power plants and new developments in high temperature thermal energy storage technologies

Phase change materials (PCMs) can be applied to several different solar energy systems for the extended heat energy storage which is quite useful as the solar energy is intermittent in nature and is unavailable during the night period Application of PCMs in solar energy systems allows the solar energy to be used at any time even in the absence of the natural solar radiation Thus, the use of PCMs in the solar energy systems can bridge the demand and supply gap of the normal electrical energy This paper deals with the recent advances in PCMs application in different solar energy systems and presents almost all of the emerging areas where the applications of PCM in solar energy systems are urgently required The novel and most recent developments of PCMs in solar thermal energy systems, such as, solar thermal power plants, solar air heater, solar water heater and solar cooker have been duly covered Furthermore, the application of PCMs in heating and cooling of buildings have been presented as well as the investigation of the PCM application in the solar photovoltaic systems for the performance enhancement of PCMs Intrinsically important, from the study it has been found that PCMs have been in use in almost all of the solar energy systems even though their uses are still limited and commercially not available due to several economic and environmental constraints Thus, the paper attempts to present recent and novel approaches by the authors around the world on PCMs applications in the solar energy in well documented forms Based on the findings, future recommendations have also been given to provide the idea and pragmatic concepts for the researcher to work on the areas of research for further improvements in the systems

Novel approaches and recent developments on potential applications of phase change materials in solar energy

https://research.birmingham.ac.uk/portal/files/42823087/Manuscript_Clear_v4.pdf

Dynamic simulation of Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage (A-CAES) plant with integrated thermal storage – Link between components performance and plant performance

https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02594054/document

S. Torras

Papers

Multi-layered solid-PCM thermocline thermal storage for CSP. Numerical evaluation of its application in a 50 MWe plant

Drain water heat recovery storage-type unit for residential housing

Thermo-mechanical parametric analysis of packed-bed thermocline energy storage tanks

Parametric Study of Two-tank TES Systems for CSP Plants☆

Numerical Evaluation of Multi-layered Solid-PCM Thermocline-like Tanks as Thermal Energy Storage Systems for CSP Applications