Review and assessment of thermal energy storage systems based upon reversible chemical reactions

ABSTRACT:
This report presents a summary of a number of projects related to thermal energy storage for solar thermal electric plants and carried out under DOE's Thermochemical Energy Storage and Transport Program. Technology projects, as well as analytical studies, are reviewed. Technical problems

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remain for all of the reaction systems under consideration. More importantly, the analytical studies have led to the conclusion that long-duration (seasonal) storage of any type presently envisioned is not economically attractive and that, for short-duration (diurnal) storage, thermochemical systems would not be competitive with the advanced sensible energy storage systems currently being developed. It is recommended that future efforts related to thermochemical systems place more emphasis on fundamental research aimed at far-term applications and on systems analyses of other solar/chemical applications such as: energy transport, chemical production (including potential fuels), and chemical heat pumps.

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