Thermal analysis of heat storage canisters for a solar dynamic, space power system

Conference · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:5376868

Wichner, R P; Solomon, A D; Drake, J B; Williams, P T

A thermal analysis was performed of a thermal energy storage canister of a type suggested for use in a solar receiver for an orbiting Brayton cycle power system. Energy storage for the eclipse portion of the cycle is provided by the latent heat of a eutectic mixture of LiF and CaF/sub 2/ contained in the canister. The chief motivation for the study is the prediction of vapor void effects on temperature profiles and the identification of possible differences between ground test data and projected behavior in microgravity. The first phase of this study is based on a two-dimensional, cylindrical coordinates model using an interim procedure for describing void behavior in 1-g and microgravity. The thermal analysis includes the effects of solidification front behavior, conduction in liquid/solid salt and canister materials, void growth and shrinkage, radiant heat transfer across the void, and convection in the melt due to Marangoni-induced flow and, in 1-g, flow due to density gradients. A number of significant differences between 1-g and 0-g behavior were found. This resulted from differences in void location relative to the maximum heat flux and a significantly smaller effective conductance in 0-g due to the absence of gravity-induced convection. 20 refs., 14 figs., 1 tab.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 5376868
• Report Number(s): CONF-880457-2; ON: DE88004199
• Resource Relation: Conference: American Society of Mechanical Engineers Solar Energy Division conference, Golden, CO, USA, 10 Apr 1988; Other Information: Paper copy only, copy does not permit microfiche production
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
14 SOLAR ENERGY
CALCIUM FLUORIDES
THERMAL ANALYSIS
LITHIUM FLUORIDES
SPACE VEHICLES
BRAYTON CYCLE POWER SYSTEMS
CONTAINERS
EQUATIONS
FINITE DIFFERENCE METHOD
FINITE ELEMENT METHOD
PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
SALTS
SOLAR RECEIVERS
THERMAL CONDUCTION
THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPMENT
THERMAL STRESSES
VELOCITY
VOIDS
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM HALIDES
ENERGY SYSTEMS
ENERGY TRANSFER
EQUIPMENT
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HEAT TRANSFER
ITERATIVE METHODS
LITHIUM COMPOUNDS
LITHIUM HALIDES
MATERIALS
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
POWER SYSTEMS
STRESSES
VEHICLES
250600* - Energy Storage- Thermal
142000 - Solar Energy- Heat Storage- (1980-)