Abstract
The University of Central Florida invention is software that solves for the transient thermodynamic state of a packed bed thermal energy storage system. The invention uses supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) as the heat transfer fluid based on constant physical parameters and dynamic inlet conditions.
Technical Details: The technology’s source code language includes Python and the following open-source elements: NumPy, SciPy, Numba, CoolProp. Required hardware is a computer with a recent Python 3 interpreter and the necessary open-source libraries. The invention can be used with any operating system for which the Python 3 interpreter and required libraries are available.
Partnering Opportunity: The research team is seeking partners for licensing, research collaboration, or both.
Benefit
Provides temperature of the fluid, temperature of the packed bed, and temperature distribution in the walls and lids of the tankUses open-source libraries for the following:Calculation of thermodynamic properties for CO2Dense and sparse linear algebra solver routines needed to solve the equationsJust-in-time (JIT) compilation of several functions, as well as parallelization of key routines, for performance optimizationMarket Application
Academic researchers who analyze cycles with packed bed thermal energy storage systems using sCO2 as the heat transfer fluidCompanies that develop concentrated solar power (CSP) plants with CO2 for system planning or modelingCSP companies that use integrated sCO2 thermal energy storageProcess simulation software companies that serve the CSP industry or other renewable energy technologies with thermal energy storage requirements
Brochure
