Literature review of Computational Fluid Dynamics modelling of thermocline tanks

Abstract

A thermocline tank consists of a thermal energy storage system that allows the continuously operation of a Concentrated Solar Power plant even during periods of solar intermittency, making it a complementary and crucial asset in this type of systems. Accordingly, it is important to conduct a thorough evaluation of the system performance and using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to such purpose as become increasingly popular. Consequently, understanding which phenomena are considered relevant in CFD modelling of thermocline tanks, the parametric studies already conducted and the identification of some opportunities for future work in this area becomes crucial to accelerate knowledge about a renewable energy production system that can provide some answers to the troublesome times we live regarding energy consumption. The present paper conducts a systematic literature review in the area of CFD modelling of thermocline tanks. For this purpose, the PRSIMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) methodology is described and used.