Concrete Structured Bed Thermal Energy Storage With Direct Contact of the Heat Transfer Fluid
- 1Eni (Italy)
Abstract
Thermocline thermal energy storage systems based on two separated hot and cold regions in a single tank have been increasingly deployed in order to reduce investment and operative costs. Eni has developed a novel thermocline system based on concrete as storage medium, arranged as structed bed. The heat transfer fluid is in direct contact with the concrete in order to avoid possible concrete spalling and piping detachment affecting heat exchange and thermal efficiency of the system. This work describes the experimental campaign conducted at the Eni’s Renewable, New Energies and Material Science Research Center in Novara in a dedicated pilot plant, which included a 4 m high prototype with a thermal capacity of about 85 kWhth. Moreover, experimental results were used to validate 1D and 3D numerical models. Results showed high round-trip energy efficiency (up to about 97%) and large energy density (45 – 55 kWh/m3). The heating of the concrete in the overall horizontal section was homogeneous without showing the formation of preferential heating paths (e.g., central channels due to inlet nozzle). Moreover, very high reproducibility of tests was observed with no degradation of performance (e.g., reduction of charged/discharged energy) with increased number of cycles.
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BibTeX
@article{cardamone2026concrete,
title = {{Concrete Structured Bed Thermal Energy Storage With Direct Contact of the Heat Transfer Fluid}},
author = {Stefano Cardamone and Lino Carnelli and Carla Lazzari and Gabriele Bianchi and Davide Deriu and Tamara Passera and Giuseppe Sabetta and Mirko Barbavara and Nicola Mancini and Chiara Gambaro},
journal = {SolarPACES Conference Proceedings},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.52825/solarpaces.v4i.2967},
url = {https://doi.org/10.52825/solarpaces.v4i.2967},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Concrete Structured Bed Thermal Energy Storage With Direct Contact of the Heat Transfer Fluid
AU - Stefano Cardamone
AU - Lino Carnelli
AU - Carla Lazzari
AU - Gabriele Bianchi
AU - Davide Deriu
AU - Tamara Passera
AU - Giuseppe Sabetta
AU - Mirko Barbavara
AU - Nicola Mancini
AU - Chiara Gambaro
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/23
JO - SolarPACES Conference Proceedings
DO - 10.52825/solarpaces.v4i.2967
UR - https://doi.org/10.52825/solarpaces.v4i.2967
AB - Thermocline thermal energy storage systems based on two separated hot and cold regions in a single tank have been increasingly deployed in order to reduce investment and operative costs. Eni has developed a novel thermocline system based on concrete as storage medium, arranged as structed bed. The heat transfer fluid is in direct contact with the concrete in order to avoid possible concrete spalling and piping detachment affecting heat exchange and thermal efficiency of the system. This work describes the experimental campaign conducted at the Eni’s Renewable, New Energies and Material Science Research Center in Novara in a dedicated pilot plant, which included a 4 m high prototype with a thermal capacity of about 85 kWhth. Moreover, experimental results were used to validate 1D and 3D numerical models. Results showed high round-trip energy efficiency (up to about 97%) and large energy density (45 – 55 kWh/m3). The heating of the concrete in the overall horizontal section was homogeneous without showing the formation of preferential heating paths (e.g., central channels due to inlet nozzle). Moreover, very high reproducibility of tests was observed with no degradation of performance (e.g., reduction of charged/discharged energy) with increased number of cycles.
SN - 2751-9899
ER -