Hybrid: Latent and Sensible heat thermal storage system for medium and high temperature CSP applications
Primary Information
Domain
Energy
Project No.
4424
Sanction and Project Initiation
Sanction No: F.No.3-18/2015-TS-TS.I
Sanction Date: 29/11/2016
Project Initiation date: 01/05/2017
Project Duration: 39
Partner Ministry/Agency/Industry
a) Ministry of New and Renewable Energy b) Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited
Role of partner:a) Financial support b) Hindustan Petroleum corporation limited (HPCL) is the industry partner in this endeavour. They are taking part in supply of heat transfer fluids and nanoparticles (Hytherm 600 oil, Hitech salts and CNT, CuO and other metallic nanoparticles). They have performed preliminary screening and characterizations of the nanofluids.
Support from partner:a) Funds required from MNRE. So far none have been received. This puts project objectives in jeopardy. b) Supplied Hytherm 600 oil Barrel, Nano particle added oil (5 Ltrs)
Principal Investigator
Saptarshi Basu
Indian Institute of Science
Host Institute
Co-PIs
Sandip Kumar Saha
IIT-Bombay
Prodyut Chakraborty
IIT-Jodhpur
K.V Manu
BMS College of Engineering
SuryaSarathi Bose
Indian Institute of Science
Prasanta Kumar Das
IIT-Kharagpur
Ambesh Dixit
IIT Jodhpur
CHANDRAMOULI SUBRAMANIAM
IIT-Bombay
SHIREESH BALWANT KEDARE
IIT-Bombay
Suneet Singh
IIT-Bombay
Scope and Objectives
The institutions (IISc and IITB) have the overall goal of identifying and improving the characteristics of thermal energy storage that will meet the future energy demand of concentrated solar power plants. This goal corresponds largely to minimise the cost incurred in thermal energy storage. To accomplish this goal, IISc and IITB bring together a multi-disciplinary team with expertise in fluid, thermal and materials divisions. It includes two research projects: 1) Sensible heat thermal energy storage- Molten salt thermocline and 2) Latent heat thermal energy storage- Encapsulated PCM.
Deliverables
a) 20 kW molten salt-based thermocline thermal energy storage system (IISc lead) b) 2-5 kW encapsulated PCM (phase change material) based thermal energy storage system (IITB lead)

Scientific Output
1) Thermocline formation has been obtained using nanoparticles.
2) A good amount of useful energy can be extracted from the thermocline using nanoparticles.
3) Methods to tackle thermocline decay are identified.

Results and outcome till date
i) Analysis of thermal storage capacity enhancement (in percentage) with nanoparticle addition is performed.
ii) Distributor performance to reduce inlet mixing is studied




Societal benefit and impact anticipated
Thermal energy storage is essential in various fields including power generation especially when you have to meet the fluctuating power demands. Thermal energy storage undoubtedly adds up effectiveness and efficiency of such applications.
Next steps
Hybrid Prototypical Set up
a) Fabrication of equipment/tools
b) Procurement of necessary items
c) Installation and commissioning of the hybrid system
d) Field testing of a prototypical system for different, plug and play, thermal storage blocks, each showcasing two different technologies
e) Testing to the projected efficiencies (80-90 %) and system level performance of the two technologies.
Lab Scale Thermal Loop (Partially funded by DST/TMC/SERI/FR/136)
a) Experimental analysis of thermocline degradation and heat capacity enhancement through nanoparticle addition in lab scale thermal loop.
Publications and reports
Nil
Patents
An inlet diffuser for single tank sensible thermal energy storage system (Patent has been filed)
Scholars and Project Staff
1 Dipti Ranjan Parida PhD Scholar
2 Advaith S PhD Scholar
3 Nikhil Dani Project Assistant
4 Harish M Project Assistant
5 Ambuj Punia Project Assistant (Former)
Challenges faced
Half of the total funds for first and second year received from MHRD. However, no funds have been received from MNRE. There is shortage fall in the budget as the MNRE part is not available. All project goals are suffering because of this. There is limited money for lab scale work and man power.
Other information
1) Rs. 1,29,67,188.00 (entire amount) has been committed towards design, fabrication and commissioning of the test prototype to Murhpye Scientific Limited (P.O. No. : ME/1498/IMPR/SB/18-19/LS00059/18 dated 17.04.2018).
2) The amount is to be released in three installments with completion of certain milestones.
3) First installment for detailed engineering design is completed on 12/03/2019
4) Second installment for fabrication is completed on 13/07/2019
Financial Information
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Total sanction: Rs. 39928000
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Amount received: Rs. 15461500
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Amount utilised for Equipment: Rs. 4671632
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Amount utilised for Manpower: Rs. 922736
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Amount utilised for Consumables: Rs. 170560
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Amount utilised for Contingency: Rs. 73558
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Amount utilised for Travel: Rs. 99626
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Amount utilised for Other Expenses: 3956400
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Amount utilised for Overheads: Rs. 1343000
Equipment and facilities
1) The detailed project layout and engineering design are completed.
2) Specifications of desired equipment and accessories are identified.
3) Fabrication process is completed. It includes a) Inventory tanks b) Storage tanks c) Expansion tanks d) Heat exchangers e) Mounting skid f) Piping systems g) Control units
4) Procurement process is in progress.