Decarbonising heating and hot water using solar thermal collectors coupled with thermal storage: The scale of the challenge
Decarbonising heating and hot water using solar thermal collectors coupled with thermal storage: The scale of the challenge
This paper explores the feasibility of using renewable solar thermal energy linked to a salt hydrate thermochemical store (reversible chemical reaction involving the addition / removal of water from a salt) to provide a zero-carbon heating and hot water option for an average UK home. Volumetric absorption based on diluted colloidal suspensions or nanofluids containing wavelength tuneable plasmonic silver nanoparticles are a possible means for enhancing solar thermal capture. To make full use of this captured energy, it requires inter-seasonal storage in a suitable energy dense, high efficiency thermal store. As such even the potentially highest energy density obtainable for a salt hydrate thermochemical store would still need a store of greater than 35 m3 (10 MWh) to nearly meet current winter heating and hot water demands (with 1 discharge cycle per annum). With a possible increase in collector efficiency to over 70% such a system would collect enough solar energy annually to become viable for homes with a greater than average (>15 m2) roof area, a lower than median consumption (<12,000 kWhyr-1) and enough space for a large thermochemical store (≤46 m3). This paper concludes by detailing the significant additional research efforts required to bring this possible decarbonising solution to a prototype level of maturity.
Solar thermal collectors, decarbonising, salt hydrates, silver nanofluids, thermal storage
25-34
Kimpton, Harriet, Jill
30c744e7-3f80-4a81-a53c-03f44074a805
Zhang, Xunli
d7cf1181-3276-4da1-9150-e212b333abb1
Stulz, Eugen
9a6c04cf-32ca-442b-9281-bbf3d23c622d
May 2020
Kimpton, Harriet, Jill
30c744e7-3f80-4a81-a53c-03f44074a805
Zhang, Xunli
d7cf1181-3276-4da1-9150-e212b333abb1
Stulz, Eugen
9a6c04cf-32ca-442b-9281-bbf3d23c622d
Kimpton, Harriet, Jill, Zhang, Xunli and Stulz, Eugen
(2020)
Decarbonising heating and hot water using solar thermal collectors coupled with thermal storage: The scale of the challenge.
4th Annual CDT Conference in Energy Storage and Its Applications, , Southampton, United Kingdom.
09 - 10 Jul 2019.
.
(doi:10.1016/j.egyr.2020.02.024).
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Conference or Workshop Item
(Paper)
Abstract
This paper explores the feasibility of using renewable solar thermal energy linked to a salt hydrate thermochemical store (reversible chemical reaction involving the addition / removal of water from a salt) to provide a zero-carbon heating and hot water option for an average UK home. Volumetric absorption based on diluted colloidal suspensions or nanofluids containing wavelength tuneable plasmonic silver nanoparticles are a possible means for enhancing solar thermal capture. To make full use of this captured energy, it requires inter-seasonal storage in a suitable energy dense, high efficiency thermal store. As such even the potentially highest energy density obtainable for a salt hydrate thermochemical store would still need a store of greater than 35 m3 (10 MWh) to nearly meet current winter heating and hot water demands (with 1 discharge cycle per annum). With a possible increase in collector efficiency to over 70% such a system would collect enough solar energy annually to become viable for homes with a greater than average (>15 m2) roof area, a lower than median consumption (<12,000 kWhyr-1) and enough space for a large thermochemical store (≤46 m3). This paper concludes by detailing the significant additional research efforts required to bring this possible decarbonising solution to a prototype level of maturity.
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4thACDTCESA Kimpton H no logo for pure
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Published date: May 2020
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences and that received from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) through the Centre for Doctoral Training in Energy Storage and its Applications grant EP/L016818/1 at the University of Southampton, UK.
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© 2020
Venue - Dates:
4th Annual CDT Conference in Energy Storage and Its Applications, , Southampton, United Kingdom, 2019-07-09 - 2019-07-10
Keywords:
Solar thermal collectors, decarbonising, salt hydrates, silver nanofluids, thermal storage
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 438537
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/438537
PURE UUID: 0616694a-2ad7-4109-9fb2-88338c4e74c8
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Date deposited: 13 Mar 2020 17:30
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 03:10
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Author:
Harriet, Jill Kimpton
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