Thermal energy storage demonstration unit for Vuilleumier cryogenic cooler. Interim report 2 Jun 75--31 Aug 76

Technical Report · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:7092278

Richter, R

Work performed under the Thermal Energy Storage Demonstration Unit Program is discussed. The analysis, design, fabrication, and testing of a thermal energy storage demonstration unit which was to be mated to an existing Vuilleumier cooler (AFLIR) to demonstrate the concept of powering such a device directly with stored thermal energy are presented. The Thermal Energy Storage Demonstration Unit was to be sized for delivering 1000 watts thermal power for one hour at a temperature of 1250 + or - 25 F. The ternary eutectic 64 MgF/sub 2/ - 30 LiF-6 KF, which has a eutectic temperature of 1310F, was selected as the thermal energy storage material. The approach and the assumptions underlying the design of the unit which incorporates a heat pipe for the transfer of energy from the thermal energy storage material to the hot cylinder of the Vuilleumier cooler are presented. Details of the fabrication and the testing of the Thermal Energy Storage Demonstration Unit are presented. The analysis of the test data led to the conclusion that the basic design satisfied all requirements that were established for a TES unit. The thermal energy storage material, however, was found to apparently release its latent heat of fusion over a wider temperature range than had been anticipated. This fact can be attributed to nonisothermal phase transformation or a bulk thermal conductivity that is lower than had been assumed for the salt.

• Research Organization: Xerox Electro-Optical Systems, Pasadena, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7092278
• Report Number(s): AD-A-040895
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
250600* -- Energy Storage-- Thermal
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS
DESIGN
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY STORAGE
ENERGY TRANSFER
EQUIPMENT
EUTECTICS
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HEAT PIPES
HEAT STORAGE
HEAT TRANSFER
LATENT HEAT STORAGE
LITHIUM COMPOUNDS
LITHIUM FLUORIDES
LITHIUM HALIDES
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MAGNESIUM FLUORIDES
MIXTURES
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
POTASSIUM FLUORIDES
STORAGE
THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPMENT