Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
Ceramic composite structured packing for cost-effective thermal energy storage in concentrating solar power plants
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA en_ZA |
| Published: |
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2024
|
| Subjects: | |
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867614116658544640 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Snyman, L. C. |
| author2 | McGregor, C. |
| author_browse | McGregor, C. Snyman, L. C. |
| author_facet | McGregor, C. Snyman, L. C. |
| author_sort | Snyman, L. C. |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/130459 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:55.727Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| publishDateRange | 2024 |
| publishDateSort | 2024 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/130459 Ceramic composite structured packing for cost-effective thermal energy storage in concentrating solar power plants Snyman, L. C. McGregor, C. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. Thermal energy storage Solar power plants Composite materials -- Mechanical properties UCTD Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Molten salt is widely used for thermal energy storage in concentrated solar power plants. Given its significant contribution to storage system costs, exploring cost-effective alternatives with good heat storage capacity is essential. This study aims to design and test a structured packing as an alternative to molten salt for thermal energy storage applications. The project’s objectives include developing an affordable ceramic-based composite material, designing a brick and structured packing from the material, and testing the composite’s thermal and structural properties. Mate- rials were selected based on a literature review, and a market assessment in the South African context considered production volumes, procurement constraints, and material costs. Clay soil, corex slag, bagasse ash, and fly ash were chosen, prepared for testing and characterized through various analyses, which included thermogravimetric, scanning electron microscopy, particle size distribution, thermal conductivity and specific heat tests. Sample bricks were fabricated from each material and their composites, fired in a furnace to assess vitrification, and evaluated for thermal conductivity and heat capacity. Three geometric packing concepts were developed and thermally characterized. A cost model, derived from the clay brick manufacturing process, was created to estimate the potential production cost of the composite bricks. Material characterization revealed that raw fly ash exhibited the highest stability and the lowest loss on ignition. While bagasse ash and corex slag did not vitrify successfully, the fired clay and slag composite showed superior density, heat capacity, and thermal conductivity despite observed fracturing. Geometric design analysis indicated non-uniform temperature distribution and potential thermal stresses. The cost model projected that the composite bricks would be more cost-effective than molten salt, though their heat storage capacities were not yet comparable. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gesmelte sout word wyd gebruik vir die berging van termiese energie in gekonsentreerde sonkragaanlegte. Gegewe die beduidende bydrae daarvan tot bergingstelselkoste, is dit noodsaaklik om kostedoeltreffende alternatiewe met goeie hittebergingskapasiteit te ondersoek. Hierdie studie het ten doel om ’n gestruktureerde verpakking te ontwerp en te toets as ’n alternatief vir gesmelte sout vir toepassings vir termiese energieberging. Die projek se doelwitte sluit in die ontwikkeling van ’n bekostigbare keramiek- gebaseerde saamgestelde materiaal, die ontwerp van ’n baksteen en gestruk- tureerde verpakking van die materiaal, en die toets van die saamgestelde se termiese en strukturele eienskappe. Materiale is gekies op grond van ’n litera- tuuroorsig, en ’n markbeoordeling in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks het produk- sievolumes, verkrygingsbeperkings en materiaalkoste in ag geneem. Kleigrond, corex-slak, bagasse-as en vliegas is gekies, voorberei vir toetsing en gekarak- teriseer deur verskeie ontledings, wat termogravimetriese, skandeerelektronmi- kroskopie, deeltjiegrootteverspreiding, termiese geleidingsvermoë en spesifieke hittetoetse ingesluit het. Monsterstene is van elke materiaal en hul samestellings vervaardig, in ’n oond gevuur om verglazing te bepaal, en geëvalueer vir termiese geleidingsver- moë en hittekapasiteit. Drie geometriese verpakkingskonsepte is ontwikkel en termies gekarakteriseer. ’n Kostemodel, afgelei van die kleibaksteenvervaardi- gingsproses, is geskep om die potensiële produksiekoste van die saamgestelde stene te skat. Materiaalkarakterisering het aan die lig gebring dat rou vliegas die hoogste stabiliteit en die laagste verlies by ontbranding getoon het. Terwyl bagasse- as en corex-slak nie suksesvol verglas het nie, het die gebrande klei en slak- komposiet superieure digtheid, hittekapasiteit en termiese geleidingsvermoë getoon ten spyte van waargenome breking. Meetkundige ontwerpanalise het nie-eenvormige temperatuurverspreiding en potensiële termiese spannings aan- gedui. Die kostemodel het geprojekteer dat die saamgestelde stene meer koste- effektief as gesmelte sout sou wees, hoewel hul hittebergingsvermoë nog nie vergelykbaar was nie. Masters 2024-02-26T12:28:29Z 2024-04-26T18:22:50Z 2024-02-26T12:28:29Z 2024-04-26T18:22:50Z 2024-02 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/130459 en_ZA en_ZA Stellenbosch University xvii, 105 pages : illustrations. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Thermal energy storage Solar power plants Composite materials -- Mechanical properties UCTD Snyman, L. C. Ceramic composite structured packing for cost-effective thermal energy storage in concentrating solar power plants |
| title | Ceramic composite structured packing for cost-effective thermal energy storage in concentrating solar power plants |
| title_full | Ceramic composite structured packing for cost-effective thermal energy storage in concentrating solar power plants |
| title_fullStr | Ceramic composite structured packing for cost-effective thermal energy storage in concentrating solar power plants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ceramic composite structured packing for cost-effective thermal energy storage in concentrating solar power plants |
| title_short | Ceramic composite structured packing for cost-effective thermal energy storage in concentrating solar power plants |
| title_sort | ceramic composite structured packing for cost effective thermal energy storage in concentrating solar power plants |
| topic | Thermal energy storage Solar power plants Composite materials -- Mechanical properties UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/130459 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT snymanlc ceramiccompositestructuredpackingforcosteffectivethermalenergystorageinconcentratingsolarpowerplants |