Comparative Ranking of Thermal Storage Systems, Volume 1: For Water/Steam, Organic Fluid, and Air/Brayton Solar Thermal Collector-Receivers

The DOE Department of Advanced Conservation, Technologies Division of Physical and Chemical Energy Storage and the Office of Solar Applications for Industry, Division of Solar Thermal Energy Systems have developed a joint program plan to accelerate the development of thermal storage for solar thermal applications. The plan focuses on the development of thermal energy storage for six solar thermalcollector/receiver systems and the specific applications of each system. This report documents the SERI systems analysis of thermal storage concepts for water/steam receivers, organic fluid receiver systems, and an air/Brayton receiver system. The objectives of the study are to conduct a comparative ranking of thermal storage technologies and to make recommendations on the future ranking ofthermal storage technologies and to make recommendations on the future development of those technologies. Obtainable cost estimates are compared with value for both electric power and process heat applications.