A system for monitoring and controlling a thermal energy store and an energy capture system

Abstract

The structure and operating principles of a system for monitoring and controlling the operation of a thermal energy store have been presented in this study. As a novel feature of the presented solution, the device can be operated as a thermal energy store that relies on specific heat of fluids or phase transition heat when packages of phase change materials (PCM) are placed inside the device. Grates were used to arrange PCM packages in a manner that guarantees the flow of the heat transfer medium. The grates were equipped with temperature sensors to control thermal decomposition throughout the entire tank. The use of aerogel for thermal insulation was also a novel solution. Only a thin layer of aerogel was required to reduce heat loss across the tank wall. The structure and functionality of the modelled thermal energy store correspond to real-life conditions. The model can be used to test monitoring and control systems and to analyse the phenomena observed during the operation of similar devices. The operation of the thermal energy store can be regularly monitored and controlled on-line from any location in the world. The developed model supports the automatic import of operating parameters into a database for further analysis.