Performance Evaluation of Packed Bed Energy Storage System: A Simulation Study

Packed bed energy storage (PBES) is an alternative system for thermal energy storage through asensible heat storage mechanism. With relatively local construction, PBES is suitable for variouspurposes for both low and high temperature applications. It is packed with materials that do notundergo phase change over the temperature range during the storage process. The materials havegood thermal storage capacity and effective thermal conductivity. The outer tank, insulation, inletand outlet pipelines, heat transfer fluid and energy source make up the system. This study aims tosimulate the system, and analyse its thermal energy behaviour including, absorption and heatretention. For this study, the materials for the tank, insulation, and heat transfer fluid have beenselected using the Pugh Matrix Method. Steatite, Basalt rock and Sand are chosen as packingmaterials due to their relatively desirable cost, availability and thermal properties. The simulation isconducted in TRNSYS with the components: pump, boiler, tank and segmented rock beds. Heatretention and the temperature change of the packed bed system are studied across different layersand arrangements. It is observed through the simulation that the layer of basalt, followed by steatite,and then sand showed better heat retention for identical ambient conditions and processes.