The generation of domestic hot water from SIM (Salt in Matrix) technologies

该项目的主要目标和目的：供热约占英国总能耗的一半，其中434太瓦时（约57%）是通过空间供暖和热水使用在家庭内部消耗的。这种能源的主要来源是燃气燃烧，由于资源的消耗，气候变化目标的快速接近以及英国新建房屋中安装燃气锅炉的禁令，这种方法在长期内是不可持续的。20%到50%的工业废热被排放到大气中，损失了大量的能量，这些能量可能被重新利用，为工艺或空间加热应用提供热量。SUSTAIN和SPECIFIC IKC目前正在与英国钢铁行业合作，通过热化学储存（TCS）和释放技术捕获和再利用这些废热，这些废热可以通过提供初级能源生产需求有限的家庭供暖来影响上述问题。这些储存材料，如SIM（盐基质）技术，作为一种跨季节储存选择已经研究了多年，通过化学盐的脱水和再水合作用，利用相关的内热和放热反应提供热能的储存和释放，目前的输出集中在热空气的输送上。需要解决的研究问题：当前项目的重点将是调查和优化新型SIM材料的排放，以使生产的热水与英国家庭的情况兼容。这将包括材料的特性和评估，以及新系统的发展，以产生热水。研究工程师将：对不同湿度输入、流速和材料成分的SIM材料进行短期和长期放电测试；使用水合空气和干空气输入组合研究脉冲循环；研究从开发的材料中产生的生活热水；使用显微镜观察不同输入参数导致的材料变化；x射线衍射和其他合适的技术支持正在进行的工业项目，寻求捕获和利用工业废热。EPSRC研究范围内的新工程：目前的热化学储存研究主要集中在为建筑供暖而产生的热量上。这可能会提供低碳供暖，但忽略了家庭对热水的需求，热水通常在冬季占热能需求的10%，在夏季几乎占100%。该项目将确定在家庭环境中使用热化学材料提供热水的可行性。这将映射出单个盐水合物的总热能密度和峰值温度要求，确定满足热力学、经济和实用（例如腐蚀、毒性、丰度）要求的新型单一和复合盐系统。将使用理论和实验方法来确定合适的材料/材料组合。该项目还将通过设计能够将能量从多孔固相热化学材料转移到液态水相的热交换器，提供工程上的新颖性。这将需要以最小的工作传递流体来实现，以保持热响应，传递效率和设计的紧凑性。在开发合适的解决方案时，需要开发新的实验方法和设备，这将与可用于更彻底地探索过程包络的模拟技术相结合。

KEY OBJECTIVES AND AIMS OF THE PROJECT:The provision of heat accounts for approximately half of the total energy consumed in the UK, with 434 TWh (~57%) of this total consumed within domestic homes via space heating and hot water usage. The primary source for this energy is the combustion of gas, a methodology which unsustainable in the long term due to depleting resources, rapid approaching climate change targets and a ban on the installation of gas boilers in UK new build homes. Between 20 and 50% of industrial waste heat is vented to the atmosphere, losing a huge amount of energy that could potentially be reused to provide heat for process or space heating applications. SUSTAIN and SPECIFIC IKC are currently working with the UK steel industry to capture and reuse this waste heat via Thermochemical storage (TCS) and release technologies, that could be used to impact on the above issues through the provision of domestic heating with limited primary energy production requirements. These storage materials, such as SIM (Salt in Matrix) technologies, have been researched for a number of years as an Inter-seasonal storage option, operate via the dehydration and rehydration of the chemical salt, utilising the associated endo- and exothermic reactions to provide the storage and release of thermal energy with the output currently focused upon the delivery of hot air. THE RESEARCH QUESTION TO BE ADDRESSED:The focus of the current project will be to investigate and optimise the discharge of novel SIM material sets to allow the production of hot water compatible with a UK domestic scenario. This will cover both the material characterisation and assessment along with the development of novel systems to generate hot water. The research engineer will:Perform short- and long-term discharge tests of SIM materials varying moisture inputs, flow rates and material constituentsInvestigate pulsed cycles using combinations of hydrated and dry air inputsInvestigate the generation of domestic hot water from the developed material setsCharacterise the material changes as a result of the varying input parameters using microscopy, XRD and other suitable techniques Support ongoing industrial projects looking to capture and utilise industrial waste heat.THE NOVEL ENGINEERING THAT PLACES IT WITHIN EPSRC REMIT:Current thermochemical storage research has focused on the production of heat for building heating only. This would potentially provide low carbon heating, but ignores the domestic demand for hot water which typically can make up 10% of the thermal energy demand in winter and almost 100 % in the summer. The project will determine the feasibility of using thermochemical materials for the provision of hot water in a domestic setting. This will map total thermal energy density and peak temperature requirements to individual salt hydrates, identifying novel single and composite salt systems which meet the thermodynamic, economic and practical (e.g. corrosion, toxicity, abundance) requirements. Both theoretical and experimental methods will be used to determine suitable material / material combinations. The project will also provide engineering novelty through the design of heat exchangers capable of transferring energy from the porous solid phase thermochemical material to the liquid water phase. This will need o be achieved with a minimum of working transfer fluid, in order to maintain thermal response, efficiency of transfer and compactness of design. In developing a suitable solution, new experimental methods and apparatus will need to be developed and this will be coupled with simulation techniques which can be used to explore the process envelope more thoroughly.