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Title: Final Technical Report

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1052708· OSTI ID:1052708

Design, validate at prototype level, and then demonstrate a full size, 800 MWht Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system based on Phase Changing Material (PCM) TES modules with round trip efficiency in excess of 93%. The PCM TES module would be the building block of a TES system which can be deployed at costs inline with the DOE benchmark of 2020. The development of a reliable, unsophisticated, modular, and scalable TES system designed to be massmanufactured utilizing advanced automated fabrication and assembly processes and field installed in the most cost-effective configuration could facilitate the attainment of a Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) of $.07/kWh by 2015. It was believed that the DOE targets can be attained by finding the best combinationTES module size, its optimal integration in the power cycle, and readily available PCM. Work under this project ultimately focused on the development and performance evaluation of a 100kWht prototype heat exchanger. The design utilizes a commercially available heat exchanger product to create a unique latent heat PCM storage module. The novel ideal associated with this technology is the inclusion of an agitation mechanism that is activated during the discharge process to improve heat transfer. The prototype unit did not meet the performance goals estimated through modeling, nor did the estimated costs of the system fall in line with the goals established by DOE.

Research Organization:
ACCIONA SOLAR POWER, INC.
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; USDOE FE Office of Clean Energy Systems (FE-22)
DOE Contract Number:
FC36-08GO18158
OSTI ID:
1052708
Report Number(s):
DOE/FE/08GO18158-1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English