Thermochemical energy storage in kW-scale based on CaO/Ca(OH)2

In order to investigate thermochemical energy storage in larger scale, a test bench as well as a reactor containing around 20 kg of reaction material has been built and brought into operation. This investigation is based on the reversible decomposition reaction of calcium hydroxide, due to its wide availability, high reaction enthalpy and promising temperature range for CSP plants. Additionally, a developed simulation tool was used to analyze the experimental results. The comparison of the discharging processes showed a good agreement but also revealed thermal losses due to the experimental setup and the operation mode of the thermochemical storage. Therefore, first operation strategies of thermal energy storages based on chemical reactions can be derived. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.