- Title
- Development and investigation of large scale Miscibility Gap Alloys
- Creator
- Copus, Mark Anthony
- Relation
- University of Newcastle Research Higher Degree Thesis
- Resource Type
- thesis
- Date
- 2021
- Description
- Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Description
- Energy storage has become a necessity to the widespread implementation of intermittent renewable energy sources to replace the aging fossil fuel assets around the globe. Thermal storage in particular has received a large amount of attention due to its potential low cost and compatibility with existing electricity generation infrastructure, especially when the renewable energy source is absorbed as thermal energy, as in Concentrated Solar Power. Thermal storage materials have, to date, had poor thermal properties, with many precautions required to implement them safely, relying on complex and expensive infrastructure to operate. Miscibility Gap Alloys (MGA) are a new type of thermal storage material with high thermal conductivity, high energy density that do not require complex infrastructure to operate. However, at the commencement of this candidature have only been manufactured on a very small scale unsuitable for effective thermal storage. This thesis presents the development of large-scale MGA manufacture methods, as well as the application and investigation of different MGA systems. Uniaxial compression dies and scalable manufacture methods for graphite-matrix MGA systems were developed. MGA modules were successfully scaled up to a maximum volume of 2.4 L from a previous maximum of 0.26 L using methods that were designed to scale to even larger modules. MGA modules manufactured using the methods developed within are utilised as a receiving surface, thermal storage material and discharge device for a concentrated solar power demonstration apparatus. The high thermal conductivity of the MGA distributed the high-density concentrated solar energy throughout the 4 L of MGA modules and discharged a maximum of 1.5 KW of thermal energy to water in a single pass over a length of 200 mm in a range of charge-discharge configurations. Scientific studies of MGA systems of interest for large-scale application were investigated. X-ray and neutron diffraction were used to measure the texture (preferred orientation) within graphite-matrix MGA systems, which affects thermal properties. Neutron transmission Bragg-edge diffraction experiments were also used to determine the phase change front location and shape within an MGA under a prescribed thermal gradient. The work presented in this thesis has resulted in MGA technology being developed to a larger scale, with diverse applications demonstrating excellent thermal performance. Further knowledge of MGA system property relationships with manufacture method and understanding of in-service behaviour have been expanded greatly. The knowledge gained in this work is supported by recommendations to ensure MGA technology is scaled up, improved, and used as a large-scale thermal storage material.
- Subject
- thermal storage; manufacturing; renewable energy; Miscibility Gap Alloys
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1468370
- Identifier
- uon:48043
- Rights
- Copyright 2021 Mark Anthony Copus
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
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| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT01 | Thesis | 9 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download | ||
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT02 | Abstract | 1008 KB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |