Coupled experimental and numerical study of innovative nanofluids: from characterization to their performances in a prototype of heat exchanger

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Sigma Energy Storage (SES) Inc. has recently developed a prototype for the storage of electrical energy issue of overproduction from the network or from renewable sources. This energy is stored in two forms: compressed air and thermal energy. This second form involves a heat exchanger formed by two concentric tubes with compressed air on one side and a microfluid developed specifically for this application by SES. This project concerns the optimization of this exchanger and of the micro-/ nanofluid for a better transfer of thermal energy during the phases of storage and return of energy. The main disadvantage of microfluid is their propensity to clump and settle, thus losing any interest and resulting in greater consumption of the pump. This may also occur for nanofluids poorly or not functionalized. The project is divided into 4 actions ranging from the synthesis of nanoparticles, to the preparation and characterization of the thermophysical properties of nanofluids, to the dynamic study of these nanofluids in a finely instrumented heat exchanger developed at the University and its optimization by direct numerical simulations. By controlling the whole chain, the objective is to identify the nanofluid being both the most efficient in terms of heat capacity and thermal conductivity and the most stable, i.e. whose properties remain constant after a large number of cycles (24000 cycles for the prototype). This mixed 500 kW storage unit should make it possible to restore energy for about 20 hours at very low cost 0.05 CAD per kWh per cycle and turns out perfectly suited for remote areas (Northern) or dangerous areas (war) by examples.