Article
Energy & Fuels
W. Kooijman, D. J. Kok, M. A. R. Blijlevens, H. Meekes, E. Vlieg
Summary: This paper tests a relatively new class of thermochemical compounds for their heat storage potential and identifies one material that meets the desired criteria. Additionally, there are five other salts that meet two out of the three criteria.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Meng-Tian Li, Ya-Ting Li, Lu Sun, Zhi-Bin Xu, Yun Zhao, Zi-Hui Meng, Qin-Pei Wu
Summary: This study demonstrates the excellent heat storage performance of magnesium hydroxide doped with cerium nitrate and lithium hydroxide, reducing dehydration temperatures, increasing dehydration and heat storage rates, and decreasing activation energy and pre-exponential factor. The research also shows the promising reversibility of the dehydration-hydration cycle for heat storage using these composites.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ata Ur Rehman, Tianyu Zhao, Muhammad Zahir Shah, Yaqoob Khan, Asif Hayat, Changwei Dang, Maosheng Zheng, Sining Yun
Summary: This study demonstrates a novel thermo-chemical heat storage material using a 2D MXene nanohybrid, MgSO4/Ti3C2Tx, which exhibits improved hydration/dehydration enthalpy, superior thermal conductivity, good cyclic ability, maximum water sorption performance, and larger thermal energy conversion. The results suggest that the MgSO4/MXene nanohybrid has excellent long-term thermal energy storage, photo-to-thermal conversion, and larger water sorption performance, making it a promising candidate for thermochemical heat storage applications.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Quentin Touloumet, Georgeta Postole, Lishil Silvester, Laurence Bois, Aline Auroux
Summary: The study investigates the use of aluminum fumarate - porous alumina as a host matrix for CaCl2-based composite sorbents for thermochemical heat storage applications. The results show that the hierarchical porous structure impacts the physico-chemical characteristics and water storage performances, with enhanced capacity in the presence of micropores and mesoporosity. CaCl2-AF/Al composites exhibit increased water and heat storage capacities with higher salt content, reaching 1930 kJ kg(-1) and 0.68 kgH(2)O kg(-1) for 61 wt% of salt. The study highlights the significant impact of salt content on storage capacity and the influence of porosity on water vapor sorption behavior.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
H. Ye, Y. B. Tao
Summary: In this paper, a novel three-dimensional cross-arranged fin structure is proposed to enhance the heat transfer process in a shell and tube reactor with Mg(OH)(2) as thermochemical material. The results show that this new cross-arranged fin can enhance heat transfer more efficiently and uniformly, thus significantly reducing heat storage time, compared to traditional axial fin and no fin reactors.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Aman Gupta, Paul D. Armatis, Piyush Sabharwall, Brian M. Fronk, Vivek Utgikar
Summary: Thermochemical energy storage involves reversible chemical reactions for storing thermal energy, offering high energy density and low parasitic heat loss. Experiments on a Ca(OH)2/CaO TCES system showed high energy and exergy efficiencies in dehydration-hydration cycles.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2021)
Review
Energy & Fuels
Ting Yan, Hong Zhang
Summary: This article introduces the thermodynamic characteristics and reaction kinetics of salt hydrate-based thermochemical sorption heat storage technology, and evaluates the heat storage potential of salt hydrates. The selection criteria of sorption materials and reaction kinetics models are summarized. The challenges and advanced designs of thermochemical sorption heat storage system are also evaluated.
Article
Thermodynamics
Khuram Walayat, Jason Duesmann, Thomas Derks, Amir Houshang Mahmoudi, Ruud Cuypers, Mina Shahi
Summary: Salt hydrates are promising candidates for long-term thermochemical heat storage in buildings, releasing and storing energy through dehydration and hydration reactions. Understanding heat and mass transfer processes in the packed beds of salt hydrates is crucial to construct an improved system, as poor transfer can be a bottleneck in the technology.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
L. Briones, C. M. Valverde-Pizarro, I Barras-Garcia, C. Tajuelo, E. S. Sanz-Perez, R. Sanz, J. M. Escola, J. Gonzalez-Aguilar, M. Romero
Summary: This study proposes a method of dip-coating mixed Ca(OH)(2)/gamma-Al2O3 pellets with silica and Al-MCM-41 gels to improve the hardness and structural integrity of pure Ca(OH)(2) pellets in the CaO + H2O <-> Ca(OH)(2) system. The results show that this method can increase the hardness of the pellets and preserve the structural integrity after dehydration/hydration cycles.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2022)
Review
Energy & Fuels
Zhendong Ye, Hongzhi Liu, Wantong Wang, Han Liu, Jing Lv, Fan Yang
Summary: This review focuses on the dehydration/hydration kinetics of pure salt hydrates and the desorption/sorption kinetics of composite salt hydrates. The rate of dehydration/desorption can be accelerated by increasing heating temperature or decreasing water vapor pressure, while low temperature and high water vapor pressure are usually beneficial for hydration/sorption kinetics. Smaller particle sizes and larger relative surface areas can enhance the reaction kinetics. The desorption/sorption kinetics of composite salt hydrates are generally faster than those of pure salt hydrates.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
B. Chen, K. Johannes, M. Horgnies, V Morin, F. Kuznik
Summary: The energy storage technology based on ettringite shows potential for storing excess solar energy to meet heating needs in buildings. Experimental results demonstrate that this material has high energy storage capacity, low charging temperature, and high power output, making it a promising solution for thermal energy storage.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ata Ur Rehman, Tianyu Zhao, Ihsan Muhammad, Shehla Rasheed, Rahim Shah, Adnan Raza Altaf, Fumin Zhang, Sining Yun
Summary: Researchers synthesized a new MgCl2/MXene (Ti3C2Tx) composite sorbent for low-temperature thermochemical heat storage through the impregnation method. Various techniques were used to characterize the mechanical and thermal properties of the MgCl2/MXene composites. The results showed that the MXene-based composites exhibited improved adsorption properties and cyclic stability compared to pure MgCl2. The water sorption kinetics and energy storage density of the composites were also evaluated, indicating their potential for long-term heat storage applications.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
K. Kant, A. Shukla, David M. J. Smeulders, C. C. M. Rindt
Summary: Thermochemical heat storage using potassium carbonate is an efficient and cost-effective approach to enhance solar energy utilization. Adjusting the geometric parameters of the heat exchanger can improve the reaction rate and heat transfer efficiency, enhancing the thermal transport of potassium carbonate fixed bed.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
H. Ye, Y. B. Tao, Z. H. Wu
Summary: This study enhances the thermochemical heat storage performance through numerical simulation, analyzing the relative importance of improving heat transfer and vapor flow under different conditions. The results show that synergistic enhancement can be achieved by improving both simultaneously.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Joey Aarts, Stan de Jong, Martina Cotti, Pim Donkers, Hartmut Fischer, Olaf Adan, Henk Huinink
Summary: This study presents a systematic investigation on the hydration kinetics of mm-sized salt hydrate particles, revealing that the particle density and tortuosity are the key parameters affecting its performance. The primary powder size, on the other hand, does not have any impact on the particle performance. The study also suggests the potential of shape and size optimization to improve the hydration kinetics of salt hydrate particles for thermochemical heat storage.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Maarten van Eerden, Jasper van Gastel, Gerard J. Bauhuis, Elias Vlieg, John J. Schermer
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive analysis of light trapping and photon recycling in thin-film GaAs solar cells, considering the effects of light scattering and the performance metrics such as short-circuit current density, open-circuit voltage, and power conversion efficiency are derived. The study shows that a textured rear mirror reduces the importance of photon recycling but is still crucial for achieving high voltage values. Transparent contact layers are important for photon recycling at both the front and rear of the device.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
W. Kooijman, D. J. Kok, M. A. R. Blijlevens, H. Meekes, E. Vlieg
Summary: This paper tests a relatively new class of thermochemical compounds for their heat storage potential and identifies one material that meets the desired criteria. Additionally, there are five other salts that meet two out of the three criteria.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Natalia Mazur, Henk Huinink, Hartmut Fischer, Olaf Adan
Summary: This study investigates the reactions occurring in K2CO3-H2O-CO2 under conditions applicable for domestic thermochemical heat storage. The primary product of the reaction can be K2CO3·1.5H2O, K2CO3·2KHCO3·1.5H2O, or a mixture of both, depending on the reaction conditions. The formation of K2CO3·1.5H2O is preferred above the equilibrium conditions, while the formation of double salt is preferred when hydration reaction is inhibited. A new phase transition line corresponding to the formation of K2CO3·2KHCO3 was identified. The formation of K2CO3·2KHCO3·(1.5H2O) increases the minimum charging temperature, but the energy density and cyclability can be preserved if the double salt is decomposed after each cycle.
Article
Crystallography
Katsuo Tsukamoto, Erika Furukawa, Peter Dold, Mayumi Yamamoto, Masaru Tachibana, Kenichi Kojima, Izumi Yoshizaki, Elias Vlieg, Luis Antonio Gonzalez-Ramirez, Juan Manuel Garcia-Ruiz
Summary: Comparative growth rate measurement of 51 lysozyme seeded crystals was conducted under microgravity and in normal gravity, and it was found that the growth rate under microgravity was the same or even larger than that in normal gravity. This was attributed to the reduction of impurities on the surface of the crystals in space. The increase in perfection of the space grown crystals also contributed to the increased growth rate.
JOURNAL OF CRYSTAL GROWTH
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Michaela C. Eberbach, Henk P. Huinink, Aleksandr I. Shkatulov, Hartmut R. Fischer, Olaf C. G. Adan
Summary: The hydration of salts has drawn attention in thermochemical energy storage. Most salts expand when absorbing water and shrink when desorbing, which reduces their macroscopic stability. In addition, the stability of salts can be affected by the transition to an aqueous solution, known as deliquescence, which often leads to salt particle conglomeration. Confining the salt inside a porous material can help stabilize its expansion, shrinkage, and conglomeration.
CRYSTAL GROWTH & DESIGN
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jelle Houben, Aleksandr Shkatulov, Henk Huinink, Hartmut Fischer, Olaf Adan
Summary: Potassium carbonate (K2CO3) has been identified as a promising candidate for thermochemical energy storage. However, its reaction kinetics is slow due to a metastable zone, limiting its operating temperature range. This study aims to improve the material performance by enhancing the reaction kinetics and reducing the metastable zone width. The results show that doping K2CO3 with Cs2CO3 can improve both aspects, laying the foundation for further research on using dopants to enhance the performance of salt hydrates.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Joey Aarts, Bas van Ravensteijn, Hartmut Fischer, Olaf Adan, Henk Huinink
Summary: Non-stabilized thermochemical materials have limitations such as swelling/shrinkage, cracking, and agglomeration. This study stabilized salt hydrates in a porous polymer matrix, showing stability against deliquescence. Different composites were cycled, with the K2CO3-polymer composite being stable for 50 cycles, the LiCl-polymer composite becoming unstable after 40 cycles, and the CaCl2 composite stable for 15 cycles. These composites achieved high energy densities and power outputs, providing new pathways for stabilizing salt hydrates.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jelle Houben, Joris van Biesen, Henk Huinink, Hartmut R. Fischer, Olaf C. G. Adan
Summary: Potassium carbonate is a promising candidate for thermochemical energy storage. However, the reaction kinetics and hydration transition of salt hydrates are limited due to a metastable zone and limited mobility. This work demonstrates that doping with organic potassium compounds can improve mobility and accelerate the hydration reaction. The introduction of more water adsorption or surface area enhances the hydration rate. This research opens up new possibilities for organic dopants to enhance the performance of salt hydrates.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Tim Raemaekers, Pim Donkers, Henk Huinink
Summary: K2CO3 is a promising heat storage material used in domestic applications. Quantitative NMR measurements are used to study the hydration behavior of packed beds, revealing that the behavior varies depending on the hydration conditions. At low airflows, hydration proceeds via a front, while higher airflows cause the front to widen. Increasing flow rate leads to uniform hydration. Comparison between TGA and NMR measurements shows transition from packed bed kinetics to single particle kinetics of K2CO3.
TRANSPORT IN POROUS MEDIA
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
Joey Aarts, Bas van Ravensteijn, Hartmut Fischer, Olaf Adan, Henk Huinink
Summary: This study presents a one-pot synthesis method for creating salt hydrate composites with enhanced mechanical stability. The use of poly (dimethyl siloxane) as a binder allows for the production of mm-sized particles. The results demonstrate that these composites exhibit stable mechanical properties during cycling and achieve high energy densities and power outputs.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Natalia Mazur, Henk Huinink, Hartmut Fischer, Olaf Adan
Summary: A selection procedure was designed to find suitable salt mixtures for thermochemical heat storage (TCHS) composites, improving the phase change behavior and ionic mobility to enhance performance.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shahriyar Safat Dipta, Md Habibur Rahaman, Walia Binte Tarique, Ashraful Hossain Howlader, Ayush Pratik, John A. Stride, Ashraf Uddin
Summary: Implementing a double-sided passivation approach can enhance the performance of n-i-p structured PSCs and improve the stability and photovoltaic properties of the cells.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Daniel Ourinson, Andreas Brand, Andreas Lorenz, Marwan Dhamrin, Sebastian Tepner, Michael Linse, Nathalie Goettlicher, Kosuke Tsuji, Jonas D. Huyeng, Florian Clement
Summary: This work presents two approaches to reduce the amount of silver on the rear side of M2-sized industrial iTOPCon solar cells. The Cu-based approach shows promise with similar power conversion efficiency compared to the conventional approach, while the Al-based approach exhibits some limitations but demonstrates the potential of such type of contact for iTOPCon solar cells.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Abasifreke Ebong, Donald Intal, Sandra Huneycutt, Thad Druffel, Ruvini Dharmadasa, Kevin Elmer, Apolo Nambo
Summary: This study demonstrates the successful metallization of a PERC silicon solar cell using screen-printable copper (Cu) paste. The Cu paste contains antioxidant additives and diffusion inhibitors to prevent oxidation and diffusion of Cu. The Cu-printed cells achieved an efficiency of 19% and showed no Cu diffusion after characterization tests. The long-term stability and effectiveness of the Cu diffusion barrier were also confirmed.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Senami Zogbo, Wilfried Favre, Olivier Bonino, Marie-Estelle Gueunier-Farret
Summary: Measuring specific contact resistivity (pc) is crucial for interface engineering in high efficiency solar cells. The Transfer Length Method (TLM) is commonly used for evaluating layer sheet resistance (Rsheet) and pc, but it is not suitable for metal/Transparent Conductive Oxide (TCO) interface evaluation in silicon heterojunction (SHJ) cells. This study investigates the parameters that restrict current confinement within the TCO, including mid-gap trap density (Dit) at the a-Si:H/c-Si interface and the activation energy (Ea = Ec - EF) variation of a-Si:H contact layers.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jean-Baptiste Charpentier, Philippe Voarino, Julien Gaume
Summary: The phenomenon of ribbon lengthening in PV modules exposed to thermal cycling is not well explained in the literature. In this study, a three layers model is proposed to explain this effect, and the predictions of the model are validated through finite element method simulations and experiments. The results show that the model predictions are consistent with the indirect measurements, but not with the direct measurements. Additionally, it is inferred that the encapsulant plays a role after the solder failure.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jean-Baptiste Charpentier, Philippe Voarino, Julien Gaume
Summary: This study investigates the problematic ribbon lengthening observed in PV modules exposed to high amplitude thermal cycling. A simplified system model is proposed and accurate predictions are obtained using the Finite Element Method. The results show that the thickness of the encapsulant has a substantial impact on the lengthening of the ribbons.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
S. Catalan-Gomez, E. Martinez Castellano, M. Schwarz, M. Montes Bajo, L. Dorado Vargas, A. Gonzalo, A. Redondo-Cubero, A. Gallego Carro, A. Hierro, J. M. Ulloa
Summary: This study investigates the use of core-shell gallium nanoparticles as functional light scatterers on solar cells. By optimizing the nanoparticle size, the short-circuit current of the solar cells is significantly improved. The underlying physical mechanism is studied through optical measurements and simulations, and a method to reduce the plasmonic effect of the nanoparticles is demonstrated.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
M. Gamel, G. Lopez, A. M. Medrano, A. Jimenez, A. Datas, M. Garin, I. Martin
Summary: In this study, a highly reflective ohmic contact to p-type c-Ge material is demonstrated, which can improve the efficiency of thermophotovoltaic devices. The experimental results show that this contact can simultaneously meet the requirements of good back surface passivation, low electrical resistivity, and high reflectivity. Moreover, simulations suggest that implementing these back contacts has the potential to achieve conversion efficiencies comparable to high-efficiency c-Ge TPV cells.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hongyang Wei, Qing Xu, Dongchu Chen, Min Chen, Menglei Chang, Xiufang Ye
Summary: This study prepared solar selective absorption films based on anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) photonic crystals using a unique electrodeposition method. The Co-Ag electrodeposited film exhibited superior solar selective absorption properties and thermal stability.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ankit Kumar, Ankit Chauhan, Jordi Llobet, Helder Fonseca, Patricia C. Sousa, Carlos Calaza, Gil Shalev
Summary: This study found that decorating subwavelength arrays with SiO2 quasi-nanolenses (qNL arrays) can enhance the absorption of the solar spectrum. Optical absorption mechanisms in qNL arrays were investigated using near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM), revealing that the enhancement is a result of the combination of effective antireflection coating, increased optical interactions between adjacent dielectrics for elevated light trapping, and strong light concentration due to the presence of qNLs.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
S. Pingel, T. Wenzel, N. Goettlicher, M. Linse, L. Folcarelli, J. Schube, S. Hoffmann, S. Tepner, Y. C. Lau, J. Huyeng, A. Lorenz, F. Clement
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential to reduce silver consumption in highly efficient SHJ cells through fine-line screen printing using low temperature paste with various screens. The results show that using finer mesh allows for narrower grid fingers and lower resistance, leading to improved cell efficiency. Simulation results indicate that module wire configuration is crucial for reducing silver consumption.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Xibo He, Jun Qiu, Wei Wang, Yicheng Hou, Yong Shuai
Summary: This paper proposes a novel phase change material with high thermal conductivity and stability for fast photo-thermal conversion and storage. The experimental results demonstrate excellent durability and stability of the phase change material, with good performance in thermal conductivity and thermal storage efficiency.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Qingyuan Liu, Lin Wang, Zheng Liu, Guohua Liu
Summary: A new evaporating structure consisting of liquid marble with tunable nanowire array is proposed to enhance solar evaporation. The experiments show that the liquid marble with nanowire array exhibits outstanding evaporation performance, which has significant implications for seawater desalination or wastewater treatment.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hao Liu, Qiming Liu, Jinpei Liu, Yonggang Zhao, Yingjie Yu, Yue An, Ganghui Wei, Yanzheng Li, Yujun Fu, Junshuai Li, Deyan He
Summary: Moisture in the air is identified as the main cause of performance degradation in organic-inorganic hybrid solar cells. Exposure to air leads to the growth of thin oxide layer on the interface and the formation of silver sulfide, increasing the series resistance and decreasing the fill factor, thus degrading the cell performance.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
E. Blanco, P. Martin, M. Dominguez, P. Fernandez-Palacios, I. Lombardero, C. Sanchez-Perez, I. Garcia, C. Algora, M. Gabas
Summary: This study addresses the lack of optical parameters for p-type Ge wafers by determining the complex refractive indices of commercial Ge wafers with varying doping levels. The obtained data successfully reproduces the critical points associated with interband transitions and absorption features below the bandgap. The refractive indices were validated through experimental measurements and solar cell simulations.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)