Volume 43: Energy Transitions toward Carbon Neutrality: Part VI

A mobilized three-phase absorption thermal energy storage system for district heating and cooling supply Yao Lin, Fu Xiao, Shengwei Wang

Abstract

Mobilized thermal energy storage (M-TES) system can balance the spatial mismatch between the waste heat source and the end-user side. In this study, an experimental test rig has been built to study. The dynamic discharging characteristics and the storage performance of a three-phase absorption thermal energy storage (ATES) system are studied. The test rig consists of an electric chiller, electric heaters, a control cabinet, plate heat exchangers and detachable storage tanks for mobilized applications. LiCl solution is chosen as a working fluid for its high energy storage density (ESD). Three-phase absorption, which includes the formation and dissolution of LiCl crystals during storage and discharging processes, can further enhance its ESD. The performances of the proposed storage system under three application scenarios, namely cooling, heating and combined cooling and heating were investigated. The experimental results show that the proposed storage system can achieve the ESD for 484~598 (kJ/kg solution) under different working conditions. The test results verify its potential mobilized application in district heating and cooling systems.

Keywords absorption thermal energy storage, three-phase, mobilized, energy storage density