Solar thermochemical energy-storage system (thermochemical battery) [electronic resource].

Includes bibliographic reference.

This work aimed to investigate the potential of direct storage and restoration of solar energy in a chemical form
and to construct a portable, rechargeable, and usable solar thermochemical battery for agricultural applications.
Many attempts were conducted to select a suitable thermochemical storage material (TCM) among which are self-indicating
silica gel (blue/pink), commercial white silica gel, and natural zeolite. During the experiments, moist TCMs samples
were dried (energy-charged) by a one square-meter stainless-steel parabolic solar energy concentrator in three experimental
configurations. An experimental aluminum thermochemical battery size 35×35×5 ???? filled with 3.5 ???? of TCMs working
as a heat-exchanger and a portable energy charging/discharging thermal battery was evaluated. Energy restoration (discharging)
was achieved by applying forced humid air generated from an ultrasonic mist generator and an air-circulation fan through a set
of perforated pipes located inside the thermochemical battery. Results showed that TCM self-indicating silica gel was able to
store 165 Wh/kg of solar energy at the charging process compared to natural zeolite (124 ???/????) and white-silica gel (80 ???/????).
The energy discharging efficiency of the self-indicating silica gel was 57.7%, while the efficiency of the natural zeolite
and white silica gel was 45.8% and 39%, respectively. Direct storage and use of solar energy in a thermochemical (TCM)
form can reduce costs and maintenance of renewable energy applications compared to the high-cost photovoltaic systems.
TCMs thermochemical batteries, like traditional electrical batteries, can act as energy master-key for different agricultural
applications, as well as in thermo-sensitive processing and treatment

Summary in Arabic.