Thermal analysis of solar thermal energy storage in a molten-salt thermocline

A comprehensive, two-temperature model is developed to investigate energy storage in a molten-salt thermocline. The commercially available molten salt HITEC is considered for illustration with quartzite rocks as the filler. Heat transfer between the molten salt and quartzite rock is represented by an interstitial heat transfer coefficient. Volume-averaged mass and momentum equations are employed, with the Brinkman-Forchheimer extension to the Darcy law used to model the porous-medium resistance. The governing equations are solved using a finite-volume approach. The model is first validated against experiments from the literature and then used to systematically study the discharge behavior of thermocline thermal storage system. Thermal characteristics including temperature profiles and discharge efficiency are explored. Guidelines are developed for designing solar thermocline systems. The discharge efficiency is found to be improved at small Reynolds numbers and larger tank heights. The filler particle size strongly influences the interstitial heat transfer rate, and thus the discharge efficiency. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.