Development of Advanced Adsorbent-beds for Storing Thermal Energy Derived from Solar and Waste Heat

Climate change is an undeniable reality. A pivotal focus in the battle against climate change is sustainability. One way to achieve this is through safeguarding the environment, optimizing natural resource usage, and minimizing waste. Solar energy has played a vital role in advancing sustainability efforts. This energy can be harnessed as electricity or heat. Emerging technologies, including flat plate and evacuated tube collectors, provide promising pathways for harvesting solar thermal energy.

Thermal energy storage for short-distance mobile applications is an attractive research domain. The first objective of this research work evaluate the zeolite 13X for short-distance mobile thermal energy storage applications. The study investigates the feasibility of storing thermal energy in zeolite 13X charged externally to dedicated heat recovery units. Impressively, the research demonstrates that zeolite 13X charged at 200°C and stored external to the discharging unit can achieve remarkable energy storage densities (ESD) exceeding 110 kWh/m3 under specific conditions. This achievement aligns with previously reported ESD values in the literature.

A particularly crucial aspect addressed in the research is the integration of adsorbents with solar thermal energy storage systems, a relatively underexplored avenue. The study explores diverse configurations, analyzing their impact on enhancing thermal energy storage performance. Through meticulous experimental analysis utilizing Zeolite 13X and water as the adsorbent-adsorbate pair, the research compares direct irradiation with a solar thermal collector.

Moreover, the research dives into a critical aspect of adsorbent-based thermal energy storage (ATES) systems. While these systems boast high energy storage densities over long durations, these often face limitations in terms of the heat provided by prevalent sources such as industrial waste heat and solar energy. To bridge this gap, the study explores experiments that leverage both simulated solar radiation and waste heat concurrently to charge Zeolite 13X for ATES applications.