To this day, only two types of solar power plants have been proposed and built: high temperature thermal solar one and photovoltaic one. It is here proposed a new type of solar thermal plant using glass-top flat surfa...To this day, only two types of solar power plants have been proposed and built: high temperature thermal solar one and photovoltaic one. It is here proposed a new type of solar thermal plant using glass-top flat surface solar collectors, so working at low temperature (i.e., below 100°C). This power plant is aimed at warm countries, i.e., the ones mainly located between -40° and 40° latitude, having available space along their coast. This land based plant, to install on the seashore, is technologically similar to the one used for OTEC (Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion). This plant, apart from supplying electricity with a much better thermodynamic efficiency than OTEC plants, has the main advantage of providing desalinated water for drinking and irrigation. This plant is designed to generate electricity (and desalinated water) night and day and all year round, by means of hot water storage, with just a variation of the power delivered depending on the season.展开更多
Concentrating solar power(CSP) has garnered considerable global attention as a reliable means of generating bulk electricity, effectively addressing the intermittent nature of solar resources.The integration of molten...Concentrating solar power(CSP) has garnered considerable global attention as a reliable means of generating bulk electricity, effectively addressing the intermittent nature of solar resources.The integration of molten salt technology for thermal energy storage(TES) has further contributed to the growth of CSP plants;however, the corrosive nature of molten salts poses challenges to the durability of container materials, necessitating innovative corrosion mitigation strategies.This review summarizes scientific advancements in high-temperature anticorrosion coatings for molten nitrate salts, highlighting the key challenges and future trends.It also explores various coating types, including metallic, ceramic, and carbon-based coatings, and compares different coating deposition methods.This review emphasizes the need for durable coatings that meet long-term performance requirements and regulatory limitations, with an emphasis on carbon-based coatings and emerging nanomaterials.A combination of multiple coatings is required to achieve desirable anticorrosion properties while addressing material compatibility and cost considerations.The overall goal is to advance the manufacturing, assembly, and performance of CSP systems for increased efficiency, reliability, and durability in various applications.展开更多
The low-temperature heat capacities are studied for antiperovskite compounds AX M_3（A = Al, Ga, Cu, Ag, Sn, X = C,N, M = Mn, Fe, Co）. A large peak in（C- γ T）/T^3 versus T is observed for each of a total of 18 com...The low-temperature heat capacities are studied for antiperovskite compounds AX M_3（A = Al, Ga, Cu, Ag, Sn, X = C,N, M = Mn, Fe, Co）. A large peak in（C- γ T）/T^3 versus T is observed for each of a total of 18 compounds investigated,indicating an existence of low-energy phonon mode unexpected by Debye T^3 law. Such a peak is insensitive to the external magnetic field up to 80 k Oe（1 Oe = 79.5775 A·m-1）. For compounds with smaller lattice constant, the peak shifts towards higher temperatures with a reduction of peak height. This abnormal peak in（C- γ T）/T^3 versus T of antiperovskite compound may result from the strongly dispersive acoustic branch due to the heavier A atoms and the optical-like mode from the dynamic rotation of X M_6 octahedron. Such a low-energy phonon mode may not contribute negatively to the normal thermal expansion in AX M_3 compounds, while it is usually concomitant with negative thermal expansion in open-structure material（e.g., ZrW_2O_8, Sc F_3）.展开更多
A new approach to application of mid-and low-temperature solar thermochemical technology was in-troduced and investigated.Concentrated solar thermal energy in the range of 150―300℃ can be effi-ciently converted into...A new approach to application of mid-and low-temperature solar thermochemical technology was in-troduced and investigated.Concentrated solar thermal energy in the range of 150―300℃ can be effi-ciently converted into high-grade solar fuel by integrating this technique with the endothermic reaction of hydrocarbons.The conversion mechanism of upgrading the low-grade solar thermal energy to high-grade chemical energy was examined based on the energy level.The new mechanism was used to integrate two novel solar thermal power systems:A solar/methanol fuel hybrid thermal power plant and a solar-hybrid combined cycle with inherent CO2 separation using chemical-looping combustion,for developing highly efficient solar energy use to generate electricity.An innovative prototype of a 5-kW solar receiver/reactor,as the key process for realizing the proposed system,was designed and manu-factured.Furthermore,experimental validation of energy conversion of the mid-and low-temperature solar thermochemical processes were conducted.In addition,a second practical and viable approach to the production of hydrogen,in combination with the novel mid-and low-temperature solar thermo-chemical process,was proposed and demonstrated experimentally in the manufactured solar re-ceiver/reactor prototype through methanol steam reforming.The results obtained here indicate that the development of mid-and low-temperature solar thermochemical technology may provide a promising and new direction to efficient utilization of low-grade solar thermal energy,and may enable step-wise approaches to cost-effective,globally scalable solar energy systems.展开更多
Thermal energy storage(TES) systems use solar energy despite its irregular availability and day-night temperature difference.Current work reports the thermal characterizations of solar salt-based phase change composit...Thermal energy storage(TES) systems use solar energy despite its irregular availability and day-night temperature difference.Current work reports the thermal characterizations of solar salt-based phase change composites in the presence of graphene nanoplatelets(GNP).Solar salt(60:40 of NaNO_(3):KNO_(3)) possessing phase transition temperature and melting enthalpy of 221.01℃ and 134.58 kJ/kg is proposed as a phase change material(PCM) for high-temperature solar-based energy storage applications.Thermal conductivity must be improved to make them suitable for widespread applications and to close the gap between the system needs where they are employed.GNP is added at weight concentrations of 0.1%,0.3%,and 0.5% with solar salt using the ball milling method to boost its thermal conductivity.Morphological studies indicated the formation of a uniform surface of GNP on solar salt.FTIR spectrum peaks identified the physical interaction between salt and GNP.Thermal characterization of the composites,such as thermal conductivity,DSC and TGA was carried out for the samples earlier and later 300 thermal cycles.0.5% of GNP has improved the thermal conductivity of salt by 129.67% and after thermal cycling,the enhancement reduced to 125.21% indicating that thermal cycling has a minor impact on thermal conductivity.Phase change temperature decreased by around 2.32% in the presence of0.5% GNP and the latent heat reduced by 4.34% after thermal cycling.TGA thermograms depicted the composites initiated the weight loss at around 550℃ after which it was rapid.After thermal cycling,the weight loss initiated at ~40℃ lower compared to pure salt,which was found to be a minor change.Thermal characterization of solar salt and GNP-based solar salt composites revealed that the composites can be used for enhanced heat transfer in high-temperature solar-based heat transfer and energy storage applications.展开更多
Conventional titanium oxide(TiO2) as an electron transport layer(ETL) in hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells(PSCs) requires a sintering process at a high temperature to crystalize, which is not suitable fo...Conventional titanium oxide(TiO2) as an electron transport layer(ETL) in hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells(PSCs) requires a sintering process at a high temperature to crystalize, which is not suitable for flexible PSCs and tandem solar cells with their low-temperatureprocessed bottom cell. Here, we introduce a low-temperature solution method to deposit a TiO2/tin oxide(SnO2) bilayer towards an efficient ETL. From the systematic measurements of optical and electronic properties, we demonstrate that the TiO2/SnO2 ETL has an enhanced charge extraction ability and a suppressed carrier recombination at the ETL/perovskite interface, both of which are beneficial to photo-generated carrier separation and transport. As a result, PSCs with TiO2/SnO2 bilayer ETLs present higher photovoltaic performance of the baseline cells compared with their TiO2 and SnO2 single-layer ETL counterparts. The champion PSC has a power conversion efficiency(PCE) of 19.11% with an open-circuit voltage(Voc)of 1.15 V, a short-circuit current density(Jsc) of 22.77 mA cm^-2,and a fill factor(FF) of 72.38%. Additionally, due to the suitable band alignment of the TiO2/SnO2 ETL in the device, a high Vocof 1.18 V is achieved. It has been proven that the TiO2/SnO2 bilayer is a promising alternative ETL for high efficiency PSCs.展开更多
The widespread diffusion of renewable energy sources calls for the development of high-capacity energy storage systems as the A-CAES(Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage)systems.In this framework,low temperature(10...The widespread diffusion of renewable energy sources calls for the development of high-capacity energy storage systems as the A-CAES(Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage)systems.In this framework,low temperature(100℃–200℃)A-CAES(LT-ACAES)systems can assume a key role,avoiding some critical issues connected to the operation of high temperature ones.In this paper,two different LT-ACAES configurations are proposed.The two configurations are characterized by the same turbomachines and compressed air storage section,while differ in the TES section and its integration with the turbomachinery.In particular,the first configuration includes two separated cycles:the working fluid(air)cycle and the heat transfer fluid(HTF)cycle.Several heat exchangers connect the two cycles allowing to recover thermal energy from the compressors and to heat the compressed air at the turbine inlet.Two different HTFs were considered:air(case A)and thermal oil(case B).The second configuration is composed of only one cycle,where the operating fluid and the HTF are the same(air)and the TES section is composed of three different packed-bed thermal storage tanks(case C).The tanks directly recover the heat from the compressors and heat the air at each turbine inlet,avoiding the use of heat exchangers.The LT-ACAES systems were modelled and simulated using the ASPEN-Plus and the MATLAB-Simulink environments.The main aim of this study was the detailed analysis of the reciprocal influence between the turbomachinery and the TES system;furthermore,the performance evaluation of each plant was carried out assuming both on-design and off-design operating conditions.Finally,the different configurations were compared through the main performance parameters,such as the round-trip efficiency.A total power output of around 10 MW was set,leading to a TES tank volume ranging between 500 and 700 m^(3).The second configuration with three TES systems appears to be the most promising in terms of round-trip efficiency since the energy produced during the discharging phase is greater.In particular,the round-trip efficiency of the LT-ACAES ranges between 0.566(case A)to 0.674(case C).Although the second configuration assures the highest performance,the effect of operating at very high pressures inside the tanks should be carefully evaluated in terms of overall costs.展开更多
文摘To this day, only two types of solar power plants have been proposed and built: high temperature thermal solar one and photovoltaic one. It is here proposed a new type of solar thermal plant using glass-top flat surface solar collectors, so working at low temperature (i.e., below 100°C). This power plant is aimed at warm countries, i.e., the ones mainly located between -40° and 40° latitude, having available space along their coast. This land based plant, to install on the seashore, is technologically similar to the one used for OTEC (Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion). This plant, apart from supplying electricity with a much better thermodynamic efficiency than OTEC plants, has the main advantage of providing desalinated water for drinking and irrigation. This plant is designed to generate electricity (and desalinated water) night and day and all year round, by means of hot water storage, with just a variation of the power delivered depending on the season.
文摘Concentrating solar power(CSP) has garnered considerable global attention as a reliable means of generating bulk electricity, effectively addressing the intermittent nature of solar resources.The integration of molten salt technology for thermal energy storage(TES) has further contributed to the growth of CSP plants;however, the corrosive nature of molten salts poses challenges to the durability of container materials, necessitating innovative corrosion mitigation strategies.This review summarizes scientific advancements in high-temperature anticorrosion coatings for molten nitrate salts, highlighting the key challenges and future trends.It also explores various coating types, including metallic, ceramic, and carbon-based coatings, and compares different coating deposition methods.This review emphasizes the need for durable coatings that meet long-term performance requirements and regulatory limitations, with an emphasis on carbon-based coatings and emerging nanomaterials.A combination of multiple coatings is required to achieve desirable anticorrosion properties while addressing material compatibility and cost considerations.The overall goal is to advance the manufacturing, assembly, and performance of CSP systems for increased efficiency, reliability, and durability in various applications.
基金Project supported by the National Key Basic Research Program of China(Grant Nos.2011CBA00111)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.51322105,U1632158,51301165,and 51301167)
文摘The low-temperature heat capacities are studied for antiperovskite compounds AX M_3（A = Al, Ga, Cu, Ag, Sn, X = C,N, M = Mn, Fe, Co）. A large peak in（C- γ T）/T^3 versus T is observed for each of a total of 18 compounds investigated,indicating an existence of low-energy phonon mode unexpected by Debye T^3 law. Such a peak is insensitive to the external magnetic field up to 80 k Oe（1 Oe = 79.5775 A·m-1）. For compounds with smaller lattice constant, the peak shifts towards higher temperatures with a reduction of peak height. This abnormal peak in（C- γ T）/T^3 versus T of antiperovskite compound may result from the strongly dispersive acoustic branch due to the heavier A atoms and the optical-like mode from the dynamic rotation of X M_6 octahedron. Such a low-energy phonon mode may not contribute negatively to the normal thermal expansion in AX M_3 compounds, while it is usually concomitant with negative thermal expansion in open-structure material（e.g., ZrW_2O_8, Sc F_3）.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 50836005, 50520140517 and 50506004)
文摘A new approach to application of mid-and low-temperature solar thermochemical technology was in-troduced and investigated.Concentrated solar thermal energy in the range of 150―300℃ can be effi-ciently converted into high-grade solar fuel by integrating this technique with the endothermic reaction of hydrocarbons.The conversion mechanism of upgrading the low-grade solar thermal energy to high-grade chemical energy was examined based on the energy level.The new mechanism was used to integrate two novel solar thermal power systems:A solar/methanol fuel hybrid thermal power plant and a solar-hybrid combined cycle with inherent CO2 separation using chemical-looping combustion,for developing highly efficient solar energy use to generate electricity.An innovative prototype of a 5-kW solar receiver/reactor,as the key process for realizing the proposed system,was designed and manu-factured.Furthermore,experimental validation of energy conversion of the mid-and low-temperature solar thermochemical processes were conducted.In addition,a second practical and viable approach to the production of hydrogen,in combination with the novel mid-and low-temperature solar thermo-chemical process,was proposed and demonstrated experimentally in the manufactured solar re-ceiver/reactor prototype through methanol steam reforming.The results obtained here indicate that the development of mid-and low-temperature solar thermochemical technology may provide a promising and new direction to efficient utilization of low-grade solar thermal energy,and may enable step-wise approaches to cost-effective,globally scalable solar energy systems.
文摘Thermal energy storage(TES) systems use solar energy despite its irregular availability and day-night temperature difference.Current work reports the thermal characterizations of solar salt-based phase change composites in the presence of graphene nanoplatelets(GNP).Solar salt(60:40 of NaNO_(3):KNO_(3)) possessing phase transition temperature and melting enthalpy of 221.01℃ and 134.58 kJ/kg is proposed as a phase change material(PCM) for high-temperature solar-based energy storage applications.Thermal conductivity must be improved to make them suitable for widespread applications and to close the gap between the system needs where they are employed.GNP is added at weight concentrations of 0.1%,0.3%,and 0.5% with solar salt using the ball milling method to boost its thermal conductivity.Morphological studies indicated the formation of a uniform surface of GNP on solar salt.FTIR spectrum peaks identified the physical interaction between salt and GNP.Thermal characterization of the composites,such as thermal conductivity,DSC and TGA was carried out for the samples earlier and later 300 thermal cycles.0.5% of GNP has improved the thermal conductivity of salt by 129.67% and after thermal cycling,the enhancement reduced to 125.21% indicating that thermal cycling has a minor impact on thermal conductivity.Phase change temperature decreased by around 2.32% in the presence of0.5% GNP and the latent heat reduced by 4.34% after thermal cycling.TGA thermograms depicted the composites initiated the weight loss at around 550℃ after which it was rapid.After thermal cycling,the weight loss initiated at ~40℃ lower compared to pure salt,which was found to be a minor change.Thermal characterization of solar salt and GNP-based solar salt composites revealed that the composites can be used for enhanced heat transfer in high-temperature solar-based heat transfer and energy storage applications.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development of China (2018YFB1500103 and 2018YFB0704100)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (61574145, 61874177, 51502315 and 61704176)+1 种基金Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation (LR16F040002)Zhejiang Energy Group (znkj-2018-118)
文摘Conventional titanium oxide(TiO2) as an electron transport layer(ETL) in hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells(PSCs) requires a sintering process at a high temperature to crystalize, which is not suitable for flexible PSCs and tandem solar cells with their low-temperatureprocessed bottom cell. Here, we introduce a low-temperature solution method to deposit a TiO2/tin oxide(SnO2) bilayer towards an efficient ETL. From the systematic measurements of optical and electronic properties, we demonstrate that the TiO2/SnO2 ETL has an enhanced charge extraction ability and a suppressed carrier recombination at the ETL/perovskite interface, both of which are beneficial to photo-generated carrier separation and transport. As a result, PSCs with TiO2/SnO2 bilayer ETLs present higher photovoltaic performance of the baseline cells compared with their TiO2 and SnO2 single-layer ETL counterparts. The champion PSC has a power conversion efficiency(PCE) of 19.11% with an open-circuit voltage(Voc)of 1.15 V, a short-circuit current density(Jsc) of 22.77 mA cm^-2,and a fill factor(FF) of 72.38%. Additionally, due to the suitable band alignment of the TiO2/SnO2 ETL in the device, a high Vocof 1.18 V is achieved. It has been proven that the TiO2/SnO2 bilayer is a promising alternative ETL for high efficiency PSCs.
基金RASSR07979“Development of a hybrid energy storage system for ancillary services devoted in power systems”,funded by the Sardinia Region“Advanced Energy Storage Systems for Sustainable Communities”supported by“Fondazione di Sardegna”。
文摘The widespread diffusion of renewable energy sources calls for the development of high-capacity energy storage systems as the A-CAES(Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage)systems.In this framework,low temperature(100℃–200℃)A-CAES(LT-ACAES)systems can assume a key role,avoiding some critical issues connected to the operation of high temperature ones.In this paper,two different LT-ACAES configurations are proposed.The two configurations are characterized by the same turbomachines and compressed air storage section,while differ in the TES section and its integration with the turbomachinery.In particular,the first configuration includes two separated cycles:the working fluid(air)cycle and the heat transfer fluid(HTF)cycle.Several heat exchangers connect the two cycles allowing to recover thermal energy from the compressors and to heat the compressed air at the turbine inlet.Two different HTFs were considered:air(case A)and thermal oil(case B).The second configuration is composed of only one cycle,where the operating fluid and the HTF are the same(air)and the TES section is composed of three different packed-bed thermal storage tanks(case C).The tanks directly recover the heat from the compressors and heat the air at each turbine inlet,avoiding the use of heat exchangers.The LT-ACAES systems were modelled and simulated using the ASPEN-Plus and the MATLAB-Simulink environments.The main aim of this study was the detailed analysis of the reciprocal influence between the turbomachinery and the TES system;furthermore,the performance evaluation of each plant was carried out assuming both on-design and off-design operating conditions.Finally,the different configurations were compared through the main performance parameters,such as the round-trip efficiency.A total power output of around 10 MW was set,leading to a TES tank volume ranging between 500 and 700 m^(3).The second configuration with three TES systems appears to be the most promising in terms of round-trip efficiency since the energy produced during the discharging phase is greater.In particular,the round-trip efficiency of the LT-ACAES ranges between 0.566(case A)to 0.674(case C).Although the second configuration assures the highest performance,the effect of operating at very high pressures inside the tanks should be carefully evaluated in terms of overall costs.
