Investigation of methods to predict thermal stratification and its effect on solar energy system performance. Special report

Technical Report · Thu May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

OSTI ID:6725980

Sliwinski, B J

this report describes a study to identify characteristics which induce thermal stratification in liquid thermal storage, and to evaluate solar energy system performance as a function of the degree of stratification. It was determined that for efficient use of thermal stratification it was necessary to (1) introduce hot fluid at the top of the liquid storage tank and to add cold fluid at the bottom of the tank, (2) with a cylindrical tank, have a length/diameter ratio equal to or greater than 2.0, (3) use mathematical correlations to determine allowable fluid inlet velocities and temperatures, and (4) use storage tank material that has a thermal conductivity less than that of the storage fluid. The mathematical correlations described in this report allow stratification occurrence to be predicted and can be used to estimate the sharpness of the thermocline based on tank inlet and outlet conditions, fluid properties, and storage tank geometry.

• Research Organization: Army Construction Engineering Research Lab., Champaign, IL (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6725980
• Report Number(s): AD-A-086051
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140901 -- Solar Thermal Utilization-- Space Heating & Cooling
142000* -- Solar Energy-- Heat Storage-- (1980-)
25 ENERGY STORAGE
250600 -- Energy Storage-- Thermal
CONTAINERS
CORRELATIONS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
FORECASTING
HEATING SYSTEMS
PERFORMANCE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
STRATIFICATION
TANKS
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPMENT
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES