Thermochemical energy storage systems: mathematical modelling and experimental evaluation of materials and prototype systems performance

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Thermochemical energy storage reactor systems for domestic and heat transport applications will be studied. Initially a detailed literature review in the area of materials, reactors, and applications of TCES systems to date will be performed. A key objective will be identifying options for improvement in reactor design and composite material development that have the potential to advance the current understanding of this low TRL research area. Potential economic and environmental benefits and market potential that could be realised by deploying such systems will also be identified. Materials suitable for domestic and industrial applications will be identified and characterised with respect to properties including charge/discharge rate and reaction temperature, temperature dependence of reaction rate, energy density, cost, efficiency, corrosiveness and safety. A range of lab analysis techniques including DSC, TGA and porosity analysis will be performed to characterise candidate materials and developed composites. COMSOL 6.0 will be used to develop a mathematical model to allow the performance of a TCES reactor system to be predicted. To validate the model predictions a small-scale lab reactor system will be constructed, instrumented and characterised. After model validation a larger lab scale reactor will be designed, fabricated and characterised based on initial experimental findings and information from the reviewed literature. Performance of a range of designs will be simulated with the aim of achieving high efficiency, high energy density, long term repeatable cycle stability and material durability. After confirming the validity of the developed model predictions by comparison to experimentally measured performance data for this larger lab scale system, the model will be used to develop and evaluate designs at a scale suitable for domestic and heat transport applications. Based on simulated performance for different applications predictions of cost, economic and environmental benefits will be made.