THUMBSUP: D3.2 ADSORBER HEX SELECTION AND REACTOR DESIGN DEFINITION

D3.2 Adsorber HEX selection and reactor design defi nition reports the activities performed within Task 3.3 of the THUMBS-UP project, focusing on the adsorber design, which consists of the heat exchanger technology embedding the adsorbent material and integrated inside the vacuum vessel representing the reactor envelope. As proposed in the project, the aim of THUMBS-UP sorption storage (i.e. SorTES) development is to further optimize the technology paying a specifi c attention to the overall cost optimization. In such a background, the adsorber development is based on existing commercial technologies, mainly from the HVAC sector, to be possibly adapted for the sorption TES application. Accordingly, the fi rst stage of the activity was dedicated to the identifi cation of possible HEX technologies and their integration inside the reactor vessel. Once having defi ned these preliminary options, the possible providers of the components on the market were contacted to identify their availability in collaborating with the consortium in the design/adaptation of their solutions for the sorption TES application. This analysis allowed to perform a screening of the available options and select two main options to further investigate, namely, fi nned-coils and pillow plate heat exchangers. Starting from this preliminary assessment, a small-scale sorption kinetic experimental analysis was carried out, using the developed composite sorbent material, to evaluate the infl uence of operating parameters under real operating conditions. The obtained experimental data were then used for the implementation and validation of a CFD detailed numerical model of the adsorber, to be employed for the careful design of the component. The numerical model allowed to analyze the main factors aff ecting the overall performance of the components and will be then used in the next steps for the fi nal design and optimization of the adsorber reactor. This activity will be also coupled with the large scale adsorber testing campaign that will be carried out on the selected components. According to the performed analyses and the techno-economic optimization of the possible solutions available, the reactor design for the fi rst prototype to be delivered in the coming months was fi nalized. It will be based on pillow plate HEXs integrated inside the cylindrical vacuum reactor vessel. The sorbent material will be integrated among the diff erent plates and hydraulically connected in three parallel circuits in order to be able to charge only part of the overall adsorbent material inside the reactor, thus optimizing the heat transfer eff ectiveness. The fi rst reactor as well as the single HEXs selected will be manufactured and tested in the coming months, to be also used as reference for a possible reactor re-design before the manufacturing of the fi nal prototype to be demonstrated in the demo site of the project.