Heat recovery from a thermal energy storage based on the Ca(OH)2/CaO cycle

Thermal energy storage is very important in many applications related to the use of waste heat from industrial processes, renewable energies or from other sources. Thermochemical storage is very interesting for long-term storage as it can be carried out at room temperature with no energy losses. Dehydration/hydration cycle of Ca(OH)2/CaO has been applied for thermal energy storage in two types of reactors. One of them was a prototype designed by the authors, and in the other type conventional laboratory glassware was used. Parameters such as specific heats, reaction rate and enthalpy, mass losses and heat release were monitored during cycles. Although in the hydration step water is normally added in vapour phase, liquid water, at 0 °C has been used in these experiences. Results indicated that the energy storage system performance showed no significant differences, when we compared several hydration/dehydration cycles. The selected chemical reaction did not exhibit a complete reversibility because complete Ca(OH)2 dehydration, was not achieved. However the system could be used satisfactorily along 20 cycles at least. Heat recovery experiments showed general system behaviour during the hydration step in both types of reactors. The designed prototype was more efficient in this step. Main conclusions suggested carrying out one complete cycle at a higher dehydration temperature to recover total system reversibility. A modification of the prototype design trying to enhance heat transfer from the Ca(OH)2 bed could also be proposed.