CFD Analysis of a Molten Salt Thermocline Tank Analysis Using Copper Slags as Filler Material
Abstract
The present study describes a CFD based methodology for the analysis of temperature stratification in a molten salt thermocline tank using a three-dimensional model developed in ANSYS CFX. This particular case considers a copper slags as filler material, allowing to simulate its behavior as a porous continuum media or a coupled solid-fluid interface system. Exergy Analysis is carried out to study the thermal stratification of the tank under various operating conditions and the thermal losses considering the tank’s thermal insulation. The effects of design and operating of parameters such as inlets Reynolds number, aspect ratio, porosity and filler void fraction are considered for studying the overall storage performance. Optimal tank geometry and filler material height/distribution are determined by the proposed CFD method aiming to maximize the stratification efficiency of the tank filled with copper slags