Sustainable Heat Generation in Flow from a Molecular Solar Thermal Energy Storage System
Journal article, 2024

As the global deployment of renewable technologies accelerate, finding efficient ways to store energy will aid in responding to shifting energy demands. A prospective option not only in harvesting solar energy but also in emission-free heating is MOlecular Solar Thermal (MOST) energy storage. A central part of MOST applications is to develop methods to release the stored energy. Herein, the Quadricyclane (QC)-to-Norbornadiene catalyzed back reaction is explored in a specially designed packed-bed reactor. Four distinctly sized and purposely synthesized platinum on activated carbon catalysts are studied to trigger the heat release from the energy-dense QC isomer. The catalysts are fully characterized using a variety of structural, surface, and spectroscopic techniques. Parameters to optimize catalytic conversion and heat release in flow conditions are explored including particle size and packing behavior, flow rates, and molecular residence times. Moreover, using CO pulse chemisorption technique, site time yield values and a turnover number are reported. Complementary to the flow reactions, computational fluid dynamic simulations applying lattice Boltzmann methods to two catalytic packed beds of different size ranges are done to evaluate fluid-dynamic behavior within the reactor bed to ascertain the ideal particle size and packing density for catalysis in MOST applications.

catalysts

heat

flow reactors

energy storages

rechargeable

Author

Lucien Magson

University of La Rioja

Dario Jonsson Maggiolo

Chalmers, Mechanics and Maritime Sciences (M2), Fluid Dynamics

Angela Sasic Kalagasidis

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Building Technology

Stefan Henninger

Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE

Gunther Munz

Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE

Markus Knäbbeler-Buß

Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE

Helen Hölzel

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Polytechnic University of Catalonia

Kasper Moth-Poulsen

Polytechnic University of Catalonia

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Ignacio Funes-Ardoiz

University of La Rioja

Diego Sampedro

University of La Rioja

Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research

26999412 (eISSN)

Vol. In Press

Molecular Solar Thermal energy storage systems (MOST)

Swedish Energy Agency (2019-010724), 2019-05-07 -- 2019-09-03.

European Commission (EC) (EC/H2020/951801), 2020-09-01 -- 2024-02-29.

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

Subject Categories

Energy Engineering

DOI

10.1002/aesr.202400230

More information

Latest update

9/26/2024