Experimental investigation of sand-based sensible heat energy storage system

The demand for renewable energy solutions increases, utilizing readily available and inexpensive materials like sand becomes crucial and offers significant thermal energy storage. This study addresses the limited benchmarking of thermal properties for Manufactured and Plaster Sand, including thermal stability, life cycle, heat transfer rate, and storage capacity. The study involved the fabrication of an experimental setup utilizing serpentine type heat exchanger using Therminol-66 and employed a range of methodologies including particle size distribution analysis, specific gravity measurement and characterization techniques like Energy-dispersive Xray spectroscope analysis in addition to thermal characteristics analysis such as Thermal conductivity measurement, heat flow curve analysis using Differential Scanning calorimetry and mass loss analysis using Thermogravimetric analysis. The results indicate a mass loss of 1.604 % for M-Sand, 1.212 % for P-Sand, and 2.462 % for River Sand when subjected to temperatures up to 1000 degrees C, as analysed by Thermogravimetric analysis. Heat transfer analysis with 70 degrees C heat transfer fluid across the tested volumetric flow rates indicates that M-Sand reaching equilibrium at 54.6 degrees C in 192 min, while P-Sand, and River Sand stabilized at 53.8 degrees C and 54 degrees C in 224 min and 268 min. The maximum energy storage capacity of M-Sand reaches up to 1310.72 kJ, 1169.32 kJ for PSand, 979.6 kJ for River Sand at different volumetric flow rates. Correlation and regression equations were developed to assess model fit and predict variables over time. This study emphasizes the importance of sustainable materials in thermal energy storage systems, highlighting the potential of Manufactured Sand and Plaster Sand to reduce dependency on traditional river sand amid India's regulatory restrictions.