TY - JOUR
T1 - Boosting stability of K2CO3 granules for thermochemical heat storage applications through innovative membrane encapsulation
AU - Elahi, Behrooz
AU - Salehzadeh, Delaram
AU - Vos, Wiebe M.de
AU - Shahidzadeh, Noushine
AU - Brem, Gerrit
AU - Mehrali, Mohammad
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Authors
PY - 2024/11/15
Y1 - 2024/11/15
N2 - Potassium carbonate sesquihydrate shows potential for low-temperature thermochemical heat storage applications. However, in contexts such as thermochemical heat batteries, salt hydrate particles are vulnerable to dissolution, caking, and disintegration due to intermittent exposure to water vapor during cyclic operations, posing significant challenges. In response, this study proposes an innovative encapsulation methodology that uses membrane technology to produce macrocapsules of potassium carbonate as a remedial strategy. The study includes a comprehensive experimental investigation that employs polyethersulfone (PES) porous membrane film as a water vapor-permeable layer for potassium carbonate granules. This investigation analyzes water permeability, pore structure, morphological transformations, cyclability, and outer shell flexibility. The aim is to facilitate water vapor diffusion, accommodate cyclic volume fluctuations, and prevent caking. By encapsulating potassium carbonate granules with a porous protective layer, the preservation of structural integrity over hydration-dehydration cycles is demonstrated, ensuring sustained energy density and kinetic stability. Specifically, the encapsulated granules achieved a volumetric energy density (VED) of approximately 0.6 GJ⋅m−3, and a power output at 90% conversion stabilized around 200 kW⋅m−3. These results indicate that the encapsulation approach significantly enhances the robustness and efficacy of potassium carbonate granules in thermochemical energy storage systems.
AB - Potassium carbonate sesquihydrate shows potential for low-temperature thermochemical heat storage applications. However, in contexts such as thermochemical heat batteries, salt hydrate particles are vulnerable to dissolution, caking, and disintegration due to intermittent exposure to water vapor during cyclic operations, posing significant challenges. In response, this study proposes an innovative encapsulation methodology that uses membrane technology to produce macrocapsules of potassium carbonate as a remedial strategy. The study includes a comprehensive experimental investigation that employs polyethersulfone (PES) porous membrane film as a water vapor-permeable layer for potassium carbonate granules. This investigation analyzes water permeability, pore structure, morphological transformations, cyclability, and outer shell flexibility. The aim is to facilitate water vapor diffusion, accommodate cyclic volume fluctuations, and prevent caking. By encapsulating potassium carbonate granules with a porous protective layer, the preservation of structural integrity over hydration-dehydration cycles is demonstrated, ensuring sustained energy density and kinetic stability. Specifically, the encapsulated granules achieved a volumetric energy density (VED) of approximately 0.6 GJ⋅m−3, and a power output at 90% conversion stabilized around 200 kW⋅m−3. These results indicate that the encapsulation approach significantly enhances the robustness and efficacy of potassium carbonate granules in thermochemical energy storage systems.
KW - UT-Hybrid-D
KW - Encapsulation
KW - Potassium carbonate (KCO)
KW - Salt hydrate
KW - Thermochemical heat storage
KW - Cyclic stability
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85208077189&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cej.2024.157042
DO - 10.1016/j.cej.2024.157042
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85208077189
SN - 1385-8947
VL - 500
JO - Chemical Engineering Journal
JF - Chemical Engineering Journal
M1 - 157042
ER -