Solar thermal energy storage using heat of dilution: Analysis of heat generation in multistage mixing column

Storage of solar energy is important for the future success of solar energy utilization systems such as solar thermal power plants. Various papers have described the storage methods for storing solar energy. Because of the results of assessing the storage methods proposed in these papers, the method based on heat of dilution was selected by reasons of the ease of heat transfer, the controllability of reaction and the recovery of heat stored. The effectiveness of heat recovered from heat of dilution in the case of storing solar energy in the form of heat of dilution was considered in this paper. Sulfuric acid and water solution used as the typical example of heat of dilution, since its thermodynamic properties were well known. Two liquids were mixed in two different systems of multistage mixing column, and an application of heat of dilution to multipurpose energy utilization was analyzed. The utility of heat of dilution was explained from the results of thermal characteristics of each system.