Ecostock Conference. New Jersey (USA) - May 31 to June 2, 2006

GRUP de RECERCAen ENERGIA APLICADA

1

THERMAL ENERGY STORAGEIN SPAIN

Dr. Luisa F. CabezaUniversity of Lleida

Spain

Ecostock Conference. New Jersey (USA) - May 31 to June 2, 2006

GRUP de RECERCAen ENERGIA APLICADA

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Contents

• Introduction• Phase Change Materials• Underground Thermal Energy Storage• Conclusions

Ecostock Conference. New Jersey (USA) - May 31 to June 2, 2006

GRUP de RECERCAen ENERGIA APLICADA

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Introduction

• There is not much activity in Thermal Energy Storage in Spain

• Most of the activities with Phase Change Materials are centred in research with a few applications

• The activities on Underground Thermal Storage are difficult to find since they are categorized as Geothermal energy without distinction between Storage or No storage

Ecostock Conference. New Jersey (USA) - May 31 to June 2, 2006

GRUP de RECERCAen ENERGIA APLICADA

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Introduction

• More interest in TES is raising and can increase even more due to:– The Kyoto compromises are not being reached– New national Building Code released in 2006– Some areas have also new Building Codes more

restrictive (Catalonia 2006)– Some cities have new laws that obliges the use of solar

energy for DHW in new and refurbished buildings

Ecostock Conference. New Jersey (USA) - May 31 to June 2, 2006

GRUP de RECERCAen ENERGIA APLICADA

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Phase Change Materials

• The activity on phase change materials is focussed in the research developed by 4 research groups:– Research Group on Applied Energy – University of

Lleida (Dr. Luisa F. Cabeza)– Research Group on Thermal Engineering – University

of Zaragoza (Dr. Belén Zalba)– Research Group on Thermal Storage with Molecular

Alloys – University of Barcelona (Dr. Miguel Ángel Cuevas Diarte)

– Department of Engineering – Insituto del Frío, CSIC(Dr. Manuel Domínguez)

Ecostock Conference. New Jersey (USA) - May 31 to June 2, 2006

GRUP de RECERCAen ENERGIA APLICADA

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Phase Change Materials

• Research Group on Applied Energy – University of Lleida (Dr. Luisa F. Cabeza)– Analysis of Thermophysical Properties– Development of new PCMs– Applications:

• PCM modules in DHW tanks• PCM in concrete for buildings

DSC calorimeter

DHW tanks with PCM modulesPrototypes with PCM in concrete

Ecostock Conference. New Jersey (USA) - May 31 to June 2, 2006

GRUP de RECERCAen ENERGIA APLICADA

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Phase Change Materials

• Research Group on Thermal Engineering –University of Zaragoza (Dr. Belén Zalba)– Study of Thermophysical properties of PCMs– Application: free-cooling

T-history analysisFree-cooling pilot plant

Ecostock Conference. New Jersey (USA) - May 31 to June 2, 2006

GRUP de RECERCAen ENERGIA APLICADA

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Phase Change Materials

• Research Group on Thermal Storage with Molecular Alloys – University of Barcelona (Dr. Miguel Ángel Cuevas Diarte)– The main activity of this group is the development of

new PCMs (Molecular Alloys) for temperature control applications, although other applications have been studied

Transport of blood and blood derived products Container for ice-cream

Ecostock Conference. New Jersey (USA) - May 31 to June 2, 2006

GRUP de RECERCAen ENERGIA APLICADA

9

Phase Change Materials

• Department of Engineering – Insituto del Frío, CSIC (Dr. Manuel Domínguez)– The main activity of this group is the application of ice

storage in climatization

Ice storage in different office buildings in Madrid

Ecostock Conference. New Jersey (USA) - May 31 to June 2, 2006

GRUP de RECERCAen ENERGIA APLICADA

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Phase Change Materials

• Inasmet– Participates in European projects such as MOPCON

(finished in 2005) and DISTOR• Ciemat

– Participates in European projects where storage concepts are developed, such as DISTOR

Ecostock Conference. New Jersey (USA) - May 31 to June 2, 2006

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Underground ThermalEnergy Storage

• Department of Thermodynamics – Politechnical University of Valencia (Dr. J. Urchueguía)– Their research is focussed on Ground Coupled Heat

Pumps for the Mediterranean area– Participated in the European project GEOCOOL

Collection box at GEOCOOL Installation of storage tubes

Ecostock Conference. New Jersey (USA) - May 31 to June 2, 2006

GRUP de RECERCAen ENERGIA APLICADA

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Conclusions• Spain has a very big potential for Thermal Energy

Storage• The technology of TES should be shown and

demonstrated• The development of renewable energies is being

„explosive“ for the last few years– Only with the application of TES, this development

can be really successful• Big efforts are being made to show the law

makers and Government decision makers this technology