Analysis and optimisation of thermal energy storage

The focus of this project is the storage of thermal energy in packed beds for bulk electricity storage applications. Packed beds are composed of pebbles through which a heat transfer fluid passes, and a thermodynamic model of the heat transfer processes within the store is described. The packed beds are investigated using second law analysis which reveals trade-offs between several heat transfer processes and the importance of various design parameters. Parametric studies of the reservoir behaviour informs the design process and leads to a set of design guidelines. Two innovative design features are proposed and investigated. These features are segmented packed beds and radial-flow packed beds respectively. Thermal reservoirs are an integral component in a storage system known as Pumped Thermal Energy Storage (PTES). To charge, PTES uses a heat pump to create a difference in internal energy between two thermal stores; one hot and one cold. The cycle reverses during discharge with PTES operating as a heat engine. The heat pumps/engines require compression and expansion devices, for which simple models are described and are integrated with the packed bed models. The PTES system behaviour is investigated with parametric studies, and alternative design configurations are explored. A multi-objective genetic algorithm is used to undertake thermo-economic optimisations of packed-bed thermal reservoirs and PTES systems. The algorithm generates a set of optimal designs that illustrate the trade-off between capital cost and round-trip efficiency. Segmentation is found to be particularly beneficial in cold stores, and can add up to 1% to the round-trip efficiency of a PTES system. On the basis of the assumptions made, PTES can achieve efficiencies and energy densities comparable with other bulk electricity storage systems. However, the round-trip efficiency is very sensitive to the efficiency of the compression–expansion system. For designs that utilised bespoke reciprocating compressors and expanders, PTES might be expected to achieve electricity-to-electricity efficiencies of 64%. However, using compression and expansion efficiencies typical of off-theshelf devices the round-trip efficiency is around 45%.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Cambridge

Year dc:date.issued

2016

Author dc:creator

• McTigue, Joshua

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• White, Alexander

• thermal energy storage

Licence

• https://apollo8-f-pro.lib.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/e496a010-76f3-4a23-a464-5cf1284e3e47/download
• https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/
• https://apollo8-f-pro.lib.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/17559c6c-d895-48ae-9e95-d15b71e0eb4a/download

Language dc:language

en

Author Identifier

0000-0003-3736-2788

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/263019