A Bench-Top Demonstration of a Novel Material Thermal Storage System Test Apparatus
Description
As part of a United States-Australian Solar Energy Collaboration on a Micro Urban Solar Integrated Concentrator project, the purpose of the research was to design and build a bench-top apparatus of a solar power concentrator thermal storage unit. This prototype would serve to be a test apparatus for testing multiple thermal storage mediums and heat transfer fluids for verification and optimization of the larger system. The initial temperature range for the system to test a wide variety of thermal storage mediums was 100°C to 400°C. As for the thermal storage volume it was decided that the team would need to test volumes of about 100 mL. These design parameters later changed to a smaller range for the initial prototype apparatus. This temperature range was decided to be 210°C to 240°C using tin as a phase change material (PCM). It was also decided a low temperature (<100°C) test using paraffin as the PCM would be beneficial for troubleshooting purposes.
Date Created
The date the item was original created (prior to any relationship with the ASU Digital Repositories.)
2015-05
Agent
- Author (aut): Lee, William John
- Thesis director: Phelan, Patrick
- Committee member: Wang, Robert
- Contributor (ctb): Barrett, The Honors College
- Contributor (ctb): Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program
- Contributor (ctb): School of International Letters and Cultures