Transient thermal analysis of three fast-charging latent heat storage configurations for a space-based power system

Abstract

A space-based thermal storage application must accept large quantities of heat in a short period of time at an elevated temperature. A model of a lithium hydride phase change energy storage system was used to estimate reasonable physical dimensions for this application which included the use of a liquid metal heat transfer fluid. A finite difference computer code was developed and used to evaluate three methods of enhancing heat transfer in the PCM energy storage system. None of these three methods, inserting thin fins, reticulated nickel, or liquid lithium, significantly improved the system performance. The use of a 95% void fraction reticulated nickel insert was found to increase the storage capacity (total energy stored) of the system slightly with only a small decrease in the system energy density (energy storage/system mass). The addition of 10% liquid lithium was found to cause minor increases in both storage density and storage capacity with the added benefit of reducing the hydrogen pressure of the lithium hydride. 9 refs., 7 figs., 2 tabs