Experimental Study of a 600 W Seasonal Solar Heat Storage Reactor for the Heating of Buildings

摘要

A prototype of sorption-based solar heat storage is tested. It integrates a vibrating circular reactor designed forbatch operation with around 2 kg of composite (Silica Gel with 40 % of CaCl_2). The global performance of thesystem and of each component is evaluated during adsorption and desorption. The influence of different parametersof the system is measured through a parametric variation: temperatures, flow rates, adsorbent mass andgranulometry, air humidity and reactor insulation. The prototype is connected to the experimental buildingallowing to make semi-virtual experimentations in controlled conditions. In conditions considered as realistic, thereactor average heat flow is around 600 W of which 250 W are transferred to the heating loop. The efficiency of acycle desorption/adsorption is around 13% for a water uptake between 12 and 40%. Parameters identified as crucialare the adsorbent granulometry, the low temperature heat source temperature and location, the load returntemperature and the hot source temperature and flow rate.