Comparison of straight and zig-zag channel designs for a CO2-sCO2 PCHE in a Thermal Energy Storage

Renewable energy sources are the key for long-term decarbonisation of the energy system. However, the intermittent nature of renewables, such as solar energy or wind energy, does not always meet the energy demand in the electrical grid. Considering the fact that both electricity production and consumption vary independently, balancing the grid is a major challenge for the development of an energy system based on renewable energies. Within this framework, Thermal Energy Storage systems (TES) coupled with a power cycle have gained popularity since they can store energy from renewable sources during the periods of high production and release it when necessary.
To convert thermal energy into electricity, a power cycle is required. Given the relative high temperature range (600 - 1000 °C), supercritical CO2 (sCO2) is the most promising material as working fluid for the power cycle, from efficiency and safety considerations. Thus, the Primary Heat Exchanger (PHX) must be carefully designed as the fluid pressures in the TES and the power cycle are namely 1 - 10 bar and 200 - 250 bar.
A Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger (PCHE) with straight or zigzag channels is numerically studied. A 1D model were developped and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted to design and to optimize the PCHE.