Sensitivity analysis of thermal performance parameters of zeolite-filled thermochemical reactor during energy release

doi:10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2025.0106

Abstract

Abstract:

Thermal energy storage technology is crucial for the development and utilization of renewable energy. Compared with traditional energy storage methods, thermochemical energy storage offers advantages such as stability and cross-seasonal storage, effectively addressing the mismatch between energy supply and demand in both time and space for solar energy utilization. Among various thermal energy storage technologies, adsorption-type thermochemical energy storage shows significant potential for development. In the field of medium- and low-temperature thermochemical energy storage, zeolite 13X is an economical and safe material. The conventional packed-bed reactor is a simple and reliable structure. In this study, a numerical model was established using Fluent to simulate the output performance of a zeolite-filled thermochemical reactor. The effects of inlet wet air temperature, inlet wet air flow rate, inlet wet air humidity, and initial zeolite adsorption capacity on reactor performance were investigated. The mass transfer process inside the reactor, variations in zeolite adsorption, and changes in reactor output power were analyzed. The sensitivity of reactor output performance to different parameters was identified, providing theoretical guidance for reactor design. The results indicate that the reactor output thermal power is most sensitive to changes in the initial adsorption capacity of zeolite. When the initial adsorption capacity decreases from 0.19 kg/kg to 0.15 kg/kg, the reactor output power increases by 49%. Conversely, it is least sensitive to variations in the inlet wet air flow rate; increasing the flow rate from 80 kg/h to 160 kg/h results in only a 20% increase in thermal power. Increasing the inlet wet air flow rate reduces the reactor outlet temperature, while increasing the inlet wet air temperature and reducing the initial zeolite adsorption capacity can significantly enhance the outlet temperature, which can reach up to 90 ℃.

Key words: thermochemical energy storage, discharge process, parameter optimization

CLC Number:

TK 02

Ying LI, Shuli LIU, Yuliang ZOU, Yihan WANG, Tingsen CHEN, Yongliang SHEN. Sensitivity analysis of thermal performance parameters of zeolite-filled thermochemical reactor during energy release[J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2025, 14(9): 3330-3339.

Figures/Tables 9

Fig. 1

Table 1

Parameter settings of the numerical simulation"

参数	符号	取值	单位
沸石导热系数	$λ b$	0.20	$W / m ∙ ℃$
沸石密度	$ρ s$	850	$k g / m 3$
沸石比热容	$c p s$	900	$J / k g ∙ ℃$
干空气密度	$ρ d$	1.177	$k g / m 3$
干空气摩尔质量	$M d$	0.0289	kg/mol
干空气比热容	$c p d$	1004.9	$J / k g ∙ ℃$
干空气热导率	$K d$	0.0263	$W / m ∙ ℃$
水蒸气比热容	$c p w$	1864	$J / k g ∙ ℃$
水蒸气热导率	$K w$	0.0196	$W / m ∙ ℃$
水蒸气摩尔质量	$M w$	0.018	kg/mol
最大吸附容积	$X m$	0.33	kg/kg
孔隙率	$ε$	0.4	—
粒径	d_p	3	mm
特征能量	$E 1$	1192300	$J / k g$
反应器宽	$L 1$	0.5	$m$
反应器长	$L 2$	0.8	$m$
水蒸气气体特征常数	$R w$	461.5	$J / k g ∙ ℃$
理想气体常数	$R$	8.314	$J / ℃ ∙ m o l$
基准扩散率	$D s 0$	0.02 $e - 4$	$m 2 / s$
活化能	$E 2$	29500	$J / m o l$

Table 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

Fig. 7

Fig. 8

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