Experimental Study of a 600 w Seasonal Solar Heat Storage Reactor for the Heating of Buildings
Abstract
A prototype of sorption-based solar heat storage is tested. It integrates a vibrating circular reactor designed for batch operation with around 2 kg of composite (Silica Gel with 40 % of CaCl2). The global performance of the system and of each component is evaluated during adsorption and desorption. The influence of different parameters of the system is measured through a parametric variation: temperatures, flow rates, adsorbent mass and granulometry, air humidity and reactor insulation. The prototype is connected to the experimental building allowing to make semi-virtual experimentations in controlled conditions. In conditions considered as realistic, the reactor average heat flow is around 600 W of which 250 W are transferred to the heating loop. The efficiency of a cycle desorption/adsorption is around 13% for a water uptake between 12 and 40%. Parameters identified as crucial are the adsorbent granulometry, the low temperature heat source temperature and location, the load return temperature and the hot source temperature and flow rate.