Alternatives to Ceramic Bricks and Ceramic-Brick Systems

摘要

Alternative materials for use as TES media in electric storage furnaces have been evaluated and selected. Selections were based on: low cost; availability; durability; and energy storage density. The materials selected were: taconite pellets; river gravel; crushed stone; and crushed (air-cooled) blast furnace slag. Essential material properties and energy storage densities were established. A conceptual design for an electric storage furnace using these low-cost materials has been developed. The performance of this conceptual furnace has been characterized by use of an analytical model. A computer code for the model has been developed. Existing performance data for present-day electric storage furnaces have been evaluated, and performance and design comparisons between present-day furnaces and the prototype furnace have been made. With the limited data at this time, a significant cost advantage for the proposed furnace, with equivalent performance, over existing electric storage furnaces cannot be established. Future work required for materials testing and component development has been identified. (ERA citation 06:034923)