Evaluation of an aluminum latent heat storage system for the fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor

Latent heat energy storage (LHS) systems offer multiple advantages over sensible heat storage systems in terms of energy density, cost, and cycle efficiency. LHS systems use a phase change medium (PCM) that transfer heat at constant temperature. The use of metallic PCMs allows LHS to be used with high-temperature heat sources, such as the Fluoride-Salt-Cooled High- Temperature Reactor, and the use of a metallic heat transfer fluid (HTF) allows for a high rate of heat transfer. In this thesis, a 0.993 GWh thermal battery (ALTA) comprised of an aluminum PCM and sodium HTF is designed and evaluated in the steady-state. A novel rod design is also proposed to accommodate aluminum expansion as it changes phases. A final capital cost of $25.00/kWh is found, suggesting that ALTA is economically competitive.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Fears, Kendall A. (Kendall Alexander)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Michael J. Driscoll and Charles W. Forsberg.

• Nuclear Science and Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/119101

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/119101