Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Numerical simulation of underground seasonal cold energy storage for a 10 MW solar thermal power plant in north-western China using TRNSYS

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Frontiers in Energy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper aims to explore an efficient, cost-effective, and water-saving seasonal cold energy storage technique based on borehole heat exchangers to cool the condenser water in a 10 MW solar thermal power plant. The proposed seasonal cooling mechanism is designed for the areas under typical weather conditions to utilize the low ambient temperature during the winter season and to store cold energy. The main objective of this paper is to utilize the storage unit in the peak summer months to cool the condenser water and to replace the dry cooling system. Using the simulation platform transient system simulation program (TRNSYS), the borehole thermal energy storage (BTES) system model has been developed and the dynamic capacity of the system in the charging and discharging mode of cold energy for one-year operation is studied. The typical meteorological year (TMY) data of Dunhuang, Gansu province, in north-western China, is utilized to determine the lowest ambient temperature and operation time of the system to store cold energy. The proposed seasonal cooling system is capable of enhancing the efficiency of a solar thermal power plant up to 1.54% and 2.74% in comparison with the water-cooled condenser system and air-cooled condenser system respectively. The techno-economic assessment of the proposed technique also supports its integration with the condenser unit in the solar thermal power plant. This technique has also a great potential to save the water in desert areas.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

TES:

Thermal energy storage

Q f :

Total fluid flow rate/(kg·h−1)

STES:

Seasonal thermal energy storage

β :

Damping factor

BTES:

Borehole thermal energy storage

L p :

Pipe length/m

C F :

Specific heat capacity of the fluid

T f :

Fluid temperature

GSHP:

Ground source heat pump

Q F :

Fluid flow rate/(kg·h−1)

V :

Storage volume/m3

q l :

Regional heat conduction heat flow

T g :

Global heat conduction temperature

qsf:

Steady-state heat flow

T l :

Regional heat conduction temperature

r :

Radial distance of buried pipes

V k :

Volume of grid k

\(T_g^k\) :

Average temperature in grid k

\(\beta_{sf}^k\) :

Correction factor

\(T_{g,i,j}^k\) :

Temperature of the grid (i, j)

C :

Volumetric heat capaci/(J·(m3·K)−1)

N b :

Number of boreholes

a :

Heat transfer coefficient

COP:

Coefficient of performance

C p :

Specific heat capacity//(J·(kg·K)−1)

c o :

Before cooling

ρ :

Density/(kg·m−3)

T a :

Ground temperature

Q(t):

Rate of heat injection/extraction

c e :

End of cooling

T fin :

Inlet fluid temperature/K

ATES:

Aquifer thermal energy storage

T fout :

Outlet fluid temperature/K

ΔT :

Temperature difference/ K

V f :

Volumetric flow rate of fluid

A :

Pipe cross-sectional area/m2

Q :

Flow rate through the pipe/(m3· s-1)

λ :

Friction coefficient

ξ :

Minor loss coefficient

Q c :

Total cold energy stored

W :

Pump work required by system

q :

Flow capacity

h :

Differential head/head losses

g :

Gravitational acceleration

C c :

Capital cost/$

C mt :

Maintenance cost in a year/$

C ot :

Operational cost in a year/$

E t :

Energy delivered in year t/GJ

r :

Discount rate

N p :

Payback period/a

C s :

Total cost of equipment/$

Q L :

Total heat load/GJ

i f :

Electricity inflammation rate

C F :

Cost of input electrical energy

d :

Down payment

F :

Annual solar fraction/%

R t :

Net cash flow

N :

Total number of periods

t :

Time of cash flow

References

  1. Berroug F, Lakhal E K, El Omari M, Faraji M, El Qarniac H. Thermal performance of a greenhouse with a phase change material north wall. Energy and Building, 2011, 43(11): 3027–3035

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Najjar A, Hasan A. Modeling of greenhouse with PCM energy storage. Energy Conversion and Management, 2008, 49(11): 3338–3342

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Bouadila S, Kooli S, Skouri S, Lazaar M, Farhat A. Improvement of the greenhouse climate using a solar air heater with latent storage energy. Energy, 2014, 64: 663–672

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Sarbu I, Sebarchievici C. Solar Heating and Cooling: Fundamentals, Experiments and Applications. Oxford: Elsevier, 2016

    Google Scholar 

  5. Schmidt D, Mangold D, Mülller-Steinhagen H. Central solar heating plants with seasonal storage in Germany. Solar Energy, 2004, 76(1–3): 165–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Kuravi S, Trahan J, Goswami D Y, Rahman M M, Stefanakos E K.. Thermal energy storage technologies and systems for concentrating solar power plants. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 2013, 39(4): 285–319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Liu M, Steven Tay N H, Bell S, Belusko M, Jacob R, Will G, Saman W, Bruno F. Review on concentrating solar power plants and newdevelopments in high-temperature thermal energy storage technologies. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2016, 53: 1411–1432

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Xu X, Luo F, Wang W, Hong T, Fu X. Performance-based evaluation of courtyard design in China’s cold-winter hot-summer climate regions. Sustainability, 2018, 10(11): 3950

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Moore J, Grimes R, O’Donovan A, Walsh E. Design and testing of a novel air-cooled condenser for concentrated solar power plants. Energy Procedia, 2014, 49: 1439–1449

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. de Gracia A, Cabeza L F. Phase change materials and thermal energy storage for buildings. Energy and Building, 2015, 103: 414–419

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Kumar A, Shukla S K. A review on thermal energy storage unit for solar thermal power plant application. Energy Procedia, 2015, 74: 462–469

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Sarbu I, Sebarchievici C. A comprehensive review of thermal energy storage. Sustainability, 2018, 10(2): 191

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The Energy Technology Systems Analysis Programmes (ETSAP): Technology Brief E17. Paris, France, 2013

    Google Scholar 

  14. Cruickshank C A, Baldwin C. Sensible thermal energy storage: diurnal and seasonal. In: Letcher T M, ed. Storing Energy, 2016: 291–311

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  15. Lundh M, Dalenback J O. Swedish solar heated residential area with seasonal storage in rock: initial evaluation. Renewable Energy, 2008, 33(4): 703–711

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Sibbitt B, McClenahan D, Djebbar R, Thornton J, Wong B, Carriere J, Kokko J. The performance of a high solar fraction seasonal storage district heating system–five years of operation. Energy Procedia, 2012, 30: 856–865

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Wu W, You T, Wang B, Shi W, Li X. Evaluation of ground source absorption heat pumps combined with borehole free cooling. Energy Conversion and Management, 2014, 79: 334–343

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Eicker U, Vorschulze C. Potential of geothermal heat exchangers for office building climatisation. Renewable Energy, 2009, 34(4): 1126–1133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Lund J, Sanner B, Rybach L, Curtis R, Hellstrom G. Geothermal (ground source) heat pumps, a world overview. Oregon: Oregon Institute of Technology, 2004, available at the website of oit

    Google Scholar 

  20. Sanner B, Karytsas C, Mendrinos D, Rybach L. Current status of ground source heat pumps and underground thermal energy storage in Europe. Geothermics, 2003, 32(4–6): 579–588

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Pahud D, Belliardi M, Caputo P. Geocooling potential of borehole heat exchangers’ systems applied to low energy office buildings. Renewable Energy, 2012, 45: 197–204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. REN 21._Renewables 2018 Global Status Report (Paris: REN21 Secretariat). 2018, available at the website of ren21

    Google Scholar 

  23. Li Z S, Zhang G Q, Li D M, Zhou J, Li L J, Li L X. Application and development of solar energy in the building industry and its prospects in China. Energy Policy, 2007, 35(8): 4121–4127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Crompton P, Wu Y. Energy consumption in China: past trends and future directions. Energy Economics, 2005, 27(1): 195–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Yang L, Lam J C, Tsang C L. Energy performance of building envelopes in different climate zones in China. Applied Energy, 2008, 85(9): 800–817

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Geng Y. Improve China’s sustainability targets. Nature, 2011, 477(7363): 162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Li X G, Chen Z H, Zhao J. Simulation and experiment on the thermal performance of U-vertical ground-coupled heat exchanger. Applied Thermal Engineering, 2006, 26(14–15): 1564–1571

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Lanini S, Delaleux F, Py X, Olivès R, Nguyen D. Improvement of borehole thermal energy storage design based on experimental and modeling results. Energy and Building, 2014, 77: 393–400

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Pahud D, Hellström G, Mazzarella L. DUCT GROUND HEAT STORAGE MODEL: Manual for Computer Code. Lund: University of Lund, 1989

    Google Scholar 

  30. Ingersoll L R, Plass H J. Theory of the ground pipe heat source for the heat pump. Heating, Piping, and Air Conditioning, 1948, 54(7): 339–348

    Google Scholar 

  31. Beier R A, Smith M D, Spitler J D. Reference data sets for vertical borehole ground heat exchanger models and thermal response test analysis. Geothermics, 2011, 40(1): 79–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Kelly B. Nexant parabolic trough solar power plant systems analysis, task 2 comparison of wet and dry Rankine cycle heat rejection. Technical Report: National Renewable Energy Laboratory NREL/SR-550–40163, 2006

    Google Scholar 

  33. Semple L, Carriveau R, Ting D S K. A techno-economic analysis of seasonal thermal energy storage for green house applications. Energy and Building, 2017, 154: 175–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Key Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China for International Academic Exchanges (Grant No. 51561145012) and the Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. Zhuhai, Guangdong Province.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Refrigeration and Cryogenics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China

    Zulkarnain Abbas & Ruzhu Wang

  2. College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China

    Yong Li

Authors
  1. Zulkarnain Abbas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yong Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ruzhu Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yong Li.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Abbas, Z., Li, Y. & Wang, R. Numerical simulation of underground seasonal cold energy storage for a 10 MW solar thermal power plant in north-western China using TRNSYS. Front. Energy 15, 328–344 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-020-0676-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-020-0676-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation