In order to reduce emissions from the building sector, which stands for than a fifth of the global energy consumption today, efficient and fossil free heating and cooling systems are of importance. This study investigates the combination of solar photovoltaic thermal collectors and ground source heat pump systems in order to regenerate energy to the ground in combination with free cooling. Research questions investigated was how techno-economically efficient a system with photovoltaic thermal collectors, ground source heat pumps and free cooling in a commercial building is. Moreover, the study evaluates what benefits and challenges such system can have. In addition, Polysun as a modeling tool was evaluated for modeling a system includingthese components. Polysun was used as a model tool to first set up a replication of an existing system in TRNSYS provided by researchers at KTH. The model was then scaled and adjusted with parameters to represent a commercial building using free cooling from Vasakronan, a Swedish property company. Photovoltaic thermal collectors were added to the model of the existing building, with two different configurations, and the heating and cooling demand of the building was varied. The results showed that a configuration with photovoltaic thermal collectors added after the evaporator side of the heat pump generated more energy to the system compared with an installation before the evaporator side of the heat pump. The possibilities of free cooling decreased with increasing number of solar collectors, due to the rise of temperature in the ground. From an economic perspective, photovoltaic thermal collectors are more expensive than photovoltaic modules, since it has an additional cost for the hydraulic system that depends on the building. However, photovoltaic thermal collectors also provide thermal energy that can help balancing borehole systems and reduce the risk for a need of additional drilling. The study performed an uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of the results, showing that the electricity price is the most sensitive parameter to the net present value of investing in photovoltaic thermal collectors. With the electricity price assumed in this study, the net present values were positive for all cases for the given interest rate and lifetime of 25 years. It was also concluded that the modeling tool Polysun has a user friendly interface where energy systems easily can be modeled. In terms of borehole configurations, there is a lack of modeling alternatives which resulted in unexpected temperature rises in the ground for the model. / Byggnadssektorn står idag för mer än en femtedel av den globala energiförbrukningen, där över hälften av energin kommer från fossila bränslen. Därför är det viktigt med effektiva och fossilfria uppvärmnings- och kylsystem för att minska utsläppen, där värmepumpar är ett bra alternativ. Denna studie undersöker kombinationen av termiska solceller och bergvärmepumpssystem i kommersiella fastigheter, med syfte att återladda energi till marken i kombination med frikyla. Syftet var att undersöka hur teknoekonomiskt effektivt ett sådant system är och vilka fördelar samt nackdelar som finns. Dessutom utvärderades modelleringsverktyget Polysun som användes föratt modellera systemen. Arbetet inleddes med att efterlikna ett befintligt system i Polysun från en tidigare studie från KTH som använt modelleringsverktyget TRNSYS. Därefter justerades detta system så att det skulle efterlikna en av Vasakronans byggnader som idag använder bergvärme och frikyla. Tre scenarier konstruerades till basmodellen där samtliga innefattade termiska solceller. Resultaten visade att antalet termiska solceller kunde minska i antal då dessa var kopplade efter förångarsidan av värmepumpen, jämfört med om de är installerade före förångarsidan av värmepumpen. Genom att öka antalet termiska solceller i systemet ökade temperaturen i borrhålen, vilket ledde till en minskad möjlig användning av frikyla. Ur ett ekonomiskt perspektiv är termiska solceller dyrare än solceller som enbart genererar elektricitet, med en extra kostnad för det hydrauliska systemet som även beror på byggnadens utformning. Dock finns det andra fördelar med termiska solceller såsom att de kan hjälpa till att balansera borrhålssystem och minska behovet för att borra ytterligare borrhål. I studien utfördes en osäkerhets- och känslighetsanalys av resultaten, vilken visade att elpriset har stor påverkan på nettonuvärdet av en investering i termiska solceller. Med det elpris som antogs i denna studie var nettovärdet positivt för alla fall med den givna kalkylräntan och livstiden för systemet. Polysun visade sig vara ett modelleringsverktyg med ett användarvänligt gränssnitt där energisystem lätt kan modelleras. När det gäller konfigurationer av borrhål finns det begränsade modelleringsalternativ, där resultaten visade oväntade temperaturstegringar för marken i modellen.

Integrating the electrical and thermal community buildings' energy systems can play an important role in harvesting wasted energy resources and reduction of carbon emissions from buildings and electricity generation sectors. It also increases demand management flexibility by minimizing the curtailed electricity on the grid through electrified heating without increasing the electricity peak demand. The current work examines Integrated Community Energy and Harvesting systems (ICE-Harvest), a new generation of distributed energy resources systems (DERs). They prioritize the harvesting of community waste energy resources—for example, heat rejected from cooling processes and distributed peak electricity fossil-fuel-fired generators, as well as energy from curtailed clean grid electricity resources—to help in satisfying the heating demands of commercial and residential buildings. As such, ICE-Harvest systems provide a solution that can minimize greenhouse gas emissions from high-energy-consumption buildings in cold-climate regions such as North America and Northern Europe. In the current research, a thermal energy sharing model was developed to provide a dynamic characterization of the potential benefits of integrating and harvesting energy within a community of any number of buildings. The proposed model estimates the amount of rejected heat from cooling and refrigeration systems that can be simultaneously collected and used to heat other nearby buildings connected with a low temperature microthermal network (MTN). It also determines the proper timing and quantity of electricity used by the heat pumps in low-temperature MTNs as well as the reduction of both GHG emissions and the energy required from the EMC relative to conventional stand-alone systems. For an energy-balanced community cluster, the model showed that, over the course of a year, the energy harvesting would reduce this node’s GHG emissions by 74% and cover approximately 82% of the heating requirements compared to the BAU system. The results also revealed that the diversity in thermal demand between the connected buildings increases the harvesting potential. This research develops two clustering methods for the ICE-Harvest system. The proposed methods are clustering around anchor building and density-based (DB) clustering with post-processing by adding the closest anchor building to each cluster that focuses on the diversity of the buildings in each cluster. The energy sharing model is used to examine these techniques in comparison with the density-based clustering technique, the commonly used technique in the literature on a large database of 14000 high energy consumption buildings collected in Ontario, Canada. The results of this case study reveal that DB clustering with post-processing resulted in the largest emission reduction per unit piping network length of 360 t CO2eq /km/year. In addition, this research identified seven different cluster categories based on the total and simultaneous cooling-to-heating ratios of each cluster. The ICE harvest system integrates the thermal and electrical networks to add more flexibility to the electricity grid and schedule the electrification of heating (EoH). Current research provides a reduced model for the ICE-Harvest system to study its impact for over 1100 clusters of different categories on a provincial scale on the GHG emission and electricity demand from the grid. The use of ICE-Harvest systems at this scale can displace the energy required from the gas-fired heating resources by 11 TWh, accounting for over 70% of the clusters’ total heating requirements. This results in a 1.9 Mt CO2eq reduction in total GHG emissions, which represents around 60% of the clusters’ emissions. Operating conditions of the thermal network (TN) in the integrated community energy systems affect the ability to harvest waste energy and the reduction of GHG emissions as well as the electricity peak demand and consumption. In the current research, modeling of different thermal distribution network operating scenarios was performed for the different community energy profile clusters. These operation scenarios include low-temperature (fourth generation), ultra-low (fifth generation), a binary range-controlled temperature modulating thermal network operating between Low and Ultra-low temperatures (ICE-Harvest), and a new proposed scenario wherein a continuous range-controlled temperature modulating micro-thermal network. The continuous range-controlled temperature scenario shows the most benefits with the large implementation on the identified clusters. It adds more flexibility to balance the electricity grid as well as results in large GHG emission savings while controlling the increase in site electricity peak demand. The load profile of the cluster affects the selection of the most beneficial energy integrated system. This research shows that, for most of the heating-dominated clusters, it is better to employ the continuous range-controlled temperature TN with peak control and CHP on sites to serve the high heating demands along with short term and seasonal thermal storage. For the majority of balanced and /or cooling-dominated clusters, it is better to implement more carbon-free resources to the electricity grid or on-site that produce electricity but are not associated with heat such as wind, hydro, and solar PV panels. Parametric studies were performed in this research including changing the CHP size, the CHP utilization efficiency, and the grid gas-fired generators usage conditions to show their impact on the GHG emissions reduction from the clustered buildings. The analysis was implemented on a fleet of 1139 sites in Ontario and the results showed that the CHP size and operating hours have a measurable impact on GHG emission saving. The system can reach up to 58% and 66.5% emission savings of the total sites’ emissions with 93% and 39% operating hours respectively following the Ontario grid natural gas peaking power plants for the years of 2016 and 2017 with larger CHP sizes. The largest share of GHG emission saving in 2016 is by the CHP (61%) as opposed to 30% in 2017. The reduced models introduced in this research for the thermal energy sharing, the ICE-harvest system operation and sizing, and the MTN operation aid the investigation of the impact of the large implementation of the ICE-Harvest systems on the GHG emissions and electricity grid. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

<p>To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, shifting the energy sources used in buildings, transportation, industry, etc., from fossil fuels to clean electricity is a trend. The increasing electricity demand stresses the existing electric grids. Buildings consume 73% of all U.S. electricity and are responsible for 30% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.  Residential and commercial buildings' space heating/cooling system consumes considerable electricity. Integrating thermal energy storage (TES) in building heating/cooling systems can mitigate the challenge of electric grids. Applying TES to existing air-source heat pump (ASHP) systems is the most studied for residential buildings. However, the high-quality thermal energy requirement for charging the TES tank results in low thermal performance of the ASHP system. Moreover, the failure of ASHP in cold climates requires a supplemental electric heater that significantly reduces the system efficiency and may lead to a higher annual peak for the grids.</p> <p>This study proposes integrating TES with ground-source heat pump (GSHP) systems as a more effective solution for building decarbonization due to the high efficiency of renewable-energy-based GSHPs year-round. This study focuses on proving the effectiveness of TES-integrated GSHPs for building decarbonization.  A dual-source heat pump (DSHP) with a hybrid TES and ground heat exchanger (GHE) named dual-purpose underground thermal battery (DPUTB) is investigated. The study uses modeling and experiments to verify the system's energy efficiency, decarbonization potential, and demand response capability. The modeling process involves developing various models, from component-level to system-level, and investigating advanced control strategies. A first-of-this-kind dynamic model of the DPUTB is developed to enable high-resolution system simulation for the GSHP system. The simulation is conducted using Modelica with rule-based control (RBC). A model predictive control (MPC) is also developed based on dynamic building envelope and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system models. A cutting-edge co-simulation testbed integrates Modelica physical models with a MATLAB MPC controller model for advanced control evaluation. A prototype system of the DPUTB+DSHP is tested in a flexible research platform (FRP) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), which allows for component and system-level testing and remote automation controls. </p> <p>The study highlights the importance of proper insulation in the performance of the DPUTB, which consists of a TES tank enclosed by an outer tank functioning as a GHE. With appropriate insulation, a full-size DPUTB can store 1-ton cooling (3.5 kW) for four hours after eight hours of charging. Simulation results suggest that decoupling the TES with the GHE could reduce energy consumption by 27%.  System-level simulations confirm that the DSHP+DPUTB system, with a customized RBC, outperforms the conventional ASHP. The proposed system can reduce the annual HVAC electricity cost by up to 50% while saving 45% on electricity consumption. In the Northern areas of the United States, the annual peak load of the HVAC system can be reduced by 60%.  However, this reduction is less in the Southern parts of the as the system's higher efficiency in winter dominates the overall decrease. The application of MPC can further reduce the cost and energy consumption of the system by 35% theoretically. However, the accuracy of model prediction affects its performance in practical applications, which can be mitigated by employing technologies such as machine learning and reinforcement learning. Further research is required to verify these technologies.</p> <p>The DSHP+DPUTB system, a type of TES-integrated GSHP, has been well-designed and demonstrated superior performance to conventional systems, with greater flexibility and thermal efficiency. As a result, this system can enable electrification in the space heating sector without requiring an escalation in the grid. Moreover, alternative controls can be utilized to exploit its decarbonization potential fully.</p>

Zur Reduzierung von Treibhausgasemissionen und Energiekosten in der Industrie kann die Steigerung der Energieeffizienz durch Nutzung der verfügbaren Abwärme einen wichtigen Beitrag leisten. Mit den Methoden der Wärmeintegration kann das Abwärmepotenzial quantifiziert und systematisch Maßnahmen zur Nutzung von Abwärme identifiziert werden. Durch die mathematische Optimierung des Wärmetransports von Wärmequellen hin zu Wärmesenken kann ein Wärmeübertrager Netzwerk gebildet werden. Hierbei können je nach Formulierung der Zielfunktion des Optimierungsproblems der benötigte Energiebedarf, die Kosten oder Treibhausgasemissionen minimiert werden. In dieser Arbeit wird ein Ansatz für mehrperiodische Optimierungsprobleme weiterentwickelt und um die Einbindung von sensiblen und latenten thermischen Energiespeichern erweitert. Die Berücksichtigung des Phasenwechsels erfolgt mit Hilfe einer intervallweise linearen Funktion der Speichertemperatur. Durch Einführen von Binärvariablen erfolgt eine Berücksichtigung des jeweils relevanten Intervalls. Darüber hinaus wird eine Methode zur Berücksichtigung von Wärmeverlusten der Rohrleitungen vorgestellt. Die entwickelten Methoden werden in einem Fallbeispiel aus der Textilindustrie angewendet und im Rahmen von Sensitivitätsanalysen ausgewählte Einflussfaktoren untersucht. / Increasing the energy efficiency by using available waste heat can make an important contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs in the industry. Heat integration methods can be used to quantify the waste heat potential and systematically identify measures for waste heat utilization. By mathematically optimizing the heat transport from heat sources to heat sinks, a heat exchanger network can be designed. Depending on the formulation of the objective function of the optimization problem, the required energy demand, costs or greenhouse gas emissions can be minimized. In this work, an approach for multiperiod optimization problems is further developed and extended to include sensible and latent thermal energy storage. The phase change is considered by an interval linear function of the storage temperature. By introducing binary variables, the relevant interval is taken into account. Furthermore, a method for including heat losses of pipelines is presented. The developed methods are applied in a case study from the textile industry and selected influencing factors are investigated within the scope of sensitivity analyses.

One of the key challenges the world will need to face during the 21st century is global warming and the consequent climate change. Its presence is indisputable, and decarbonizing the gird emerges as one of the required pathways to achieve global sustainable objectives. Solar energy power plants have the potential to revert this situation and solve the problem. One way to harness this energy is through Concentrated Solar Power plants. The major advantage and potential of this technology is its ability to integrate cost-effective Thermal Energy Storage (TES), which is key with such an inherently intermittent resource. On the other hand, the drawback is the high current Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE). The other main way to harness that highlighted solar energy is the use of Photovoltaic panels, which have recently achieved very competitive LCOE values. On the other hand, the storage integration is still a very pricey option, normally done with Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). As a conclusion, a hybrid power plant combining the LCOE of the PV and the TES of the CSP emerges as the key way of achieving a very competitive solution with a big potential. This master thesis aims at exploring the possibilities of a hybrid CSP and PV power plant with a sCO2 power cycle, integrated in the primary, secondary and tertiary electricity markets. To achieve this purpose, firstly, a Python-based Energy Dispatcher was developed to control the hybrid power plant. Indeed, the Dispatcher is the tool that decides when to produce, when to store… following an optimization problem. This can be formulated mathematically, and that was done and integrated into the Python code using Pyomo, a software for optimization problems. As a result, the Dispatcher achieved an effective control of the plant, showing intelligent decisions in detailed hourly analyses. The results were very promising and included optimization functions as maximizing the profitability of the plant or the total production, among others. To proceed with the Techno-economic assessment of the hybrid plant, the electricity markets were studied. The main source of income of any power plant is normally the revenue from selling electricity to the grid, but since there are several markets, there are also other possibilities. In this thesis, it was assessed from a Techno-Economic perspective how the performance and optimal design of the plants vary when providing different services extra to selling electricity to the grid. The conclusion was that even though the Net Present Value (NPV) achieved working on the spot market was already very high, the extra value added from participating in the secondary or tertiary markets was indisputable. Indeed, the profits attained in those markets were between two and four times higher than the ones of the spot market. This is a specific case, but a trend was identified: these hybrid power plants have a huge possibility and a bright future on the service markets. As a consequence, this thesis shows the huge potential of hybrid power plants integrated in the grid participating in several markets. It also lays the foundation for future studies in other locations, under different conditions and with different technologies, among others.

<p>  </p> <p>Concentrated solar power (CSP) is a technology that utilizes focused sunlight to heat a high-temperature medium (such as a molten salt). Heat from this medium can be transferred to a working fluid (such as supercritical CO2) that is then used to drive a turbine to generate electricity. Alternatively, the hot medium/fluid can be pumped into tanks for thermal energy storage (TES), for heat extraction later to generate dispatchable electricity and/or for electricity production at night or on cloudy days. By increasing the fluid temperature to <u>></u>750oC and utilizing TES, CSP can become more cost competitive with fossil-based electricity production. Current CSP systems utilize molten nitrate salts for heat transfer and TES that are known to thermally degrade at temperatures >600oC. To achieve temperatures <u>></u>750oC, molten chloride salts, such as ternary MgCl2-KCl-NaCl compositions, are being considered as heat transfer and thermal energy fluids for next generation CSP plants due to their higher temperature stability, low cost, and availability. </p> <p>In this work, it was demonstrated that MgCl2-containing molten salts are prone to oxidation in ambient air at 750oC, which can enhance corrosion of the containment materials and alter the thermophysical properties of the fluid. An alternative, low-cost, earth-abundant, MgCl2-free, oxidation-resistant molten salt, a eutectic CaCl2-NaCl composition, was developed, along with a corrosion mitigation strategy, to enable the slow growth of protective oxide layers on metals that are resistant to dissolution by such MgCl2-free molten chloride salts. </p> <p>This strategy was expanded to other low-cost, oxidation resistant compositions, such as eutectic BaCl2-CaCl2-KCl-NaCl with tailored chemical and thermophysical properties for CSP and TES. The melting temperature, heat capacity, oxidation resistance, and crystallization behavior were measured for eutectic a BaCl2-CaCl2-KCl-NaCl(17.5-47.8-3.3-31.4 mol%) (BCKN) salt and a MgCl2-KCl-NaCl (40-40-20 mol%) salt. BCKN salt was shown to have a similar melting temperature while having a higher heat capacity and far better oxidation resistance. </p> <p>The corrosion of the nickel-based superalloy Haynes 214 was studied in molten MgCl2-KCl-NaCl (40-40-20 mol%) salt at 750oC under inert atmosphere conditions using a custom-built rotating-disc corrosion testing apparatus that maintained laminar fluid flow on the sample. Non-protective external Cr-, Al-, and Mg- oxide layers were formed on Haynes 214 that were prone to spallation. Internal oxidation of Al was also observed along with Cr depletion zones within Haynes 214.  Corrosion kinetics were evaluated to quantify the role of fluid flow for application of this alloy for use in containment and transportation of this molten chloride salt. </p>

Sweden has goals to reach net-zero emissions by 2045. Although electricity sector is almost fossil free, industry &amp; transport still rely on fossil fuels. Ambitious initiatives such as HYBRIT, growth of EV market &amp; expansion of wind power aim to expedite emission reduction. Decarbonization of transport, industry and large-scale wind &amp; solar PV integration in the future necessitates studying energy system of Sweden at national scale in the context of sector coupling, external transmission &amp; storage technologies. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the impact of thermal energy storage, hydrogen storage and batteries via Power-to-heat &amp; Power-to-hydrogen strategies in the future Swedish energy system (2045) with high proportions of wind power. Two scenarios SWE_2045 &amp; NFF_2045 were formulated to represent two distinct energy systems of the future. The SWE_2045 energy system still relies on fossil fuels, but to a lower extent compared to 2019 level and has increased levels of electrification and biofuels in the transport and industrial sectors. In comparison, the fossil fuels are completely removed in NFF_2045 and the industrial sector has significant demand for electrolytic hydrogen. Both the scenarios were simulated using EnergyPLAN, a deterministic energy system model, under each storage technology. The results indicate that HPs coupled with TES has the potential to increase wind integration from 29.12% to 31.8% in SWE_2045 and 26.78% to 29.17% in NFF_2045. HP &amp; TES also reduces heat production from boilers by 67% to 72% depending on the scenario, leading to overall reduction in total fuel and annual costs by at least 2.5% and 0.5% respectively. However, for wind integration of 31.1% in SWE_2045 the annual cost increases by 5.1% with hydrogen storage compared to TES. However, hydrogen storage shows better performance in NFF_2045, wherein the wind integration increases from 26.78% to 29.3%. Furthermore, increasing hydrogen storage for a lower wind capacity (60 GW) in NFF_2045 reduces both electricity import and export while simultaneously increasing the contribution of storage in fulfilling the hydrogen demand from 1.62% to 6.2%. Compared to TES and HS, the contribution of battery storage is minimal in sector integration. For increase in wind integration of 28% to 29%, the annual cost of a system with battery storage is 1.3% to 2% higher than that of the system with TES and hydrogen storage respectively. Therefore, HPs coupled with TES can improve flexibility in both scenarios. Hydrogen storage is not a promising option if the end goal is only to store excess electricity, as shown by the results in SWE_2045. However, it demonstrates better utilization in terms of wind integration, reduction in electricity import and export when there is a considerable demand for hydrogen, as in the case of NFF_2045. / Sverige ligger i framkant när det gäller avkarbonisering och har mål att nå nettonollutsläpp till 2045. Även om elsektorn är nästan fossilfri, är industri och transport fortfarande beroende av fossila bränslen. Ambitiösa initiativ som Hydrogen Breakthrough Ironmaking Technology (HYBRIT), tillväxt av elbilsmarknaden och expansion av vindkraft syftar till att påskynda utsläppsminskningar. Dekarbonisering av transport, industri och storskalig vind- och solcellsintegrering i framtiden kräver att man studerar Sveriges energisystem i nationell skala i samband med sektorskoppling, extern transmissions- och lagringsteknik.  Därför syftar denna studie till att bestämma effekten av termisk energilagring, vätelagring och batterier via Power-to-heat &amp; Power-to-hydrogen-strategier i det framtida svenska energisystemet (2045) med höga andelar vindkraft. Två scenarier SWE_2045 &amp; NFF_2045 formulerades för att representera två distinkta framtidens energisystem. Energisystemet SWE_2045 är fortfarande beroende av fossila bränslen, men i lägre utsträckning jämfört med 2019 års nivå och har ökat nivåerna av elektrifiering och biobränslen inom transport- och industrisektorn. Som jämförelse är de fossila bränslena helt borttagna i NFF_2045-scenariot där transportsektorn endast är beroende av el och biobränslen, medan industrisektorn har en betydande efterfrågan på elektrolytiskt väte. Båda energisystemen simuleras med EnergyPLAN, en deterministisk energisystemmodell, för olika testfall under varje lagringsteknik. Resultatet av simuleringen bedömdes i termer av kritisk överskottselproduktion, potential för ytterligare vindintegration, total bränslebalans i systemet och årliga kostnader.  Resultatet indikerar att värmepumpar i kombination med termisk energilagring kan förbättra flexibiliteten i båda scenarierna genom att minska den kritiska överskottselproduktionen och bränsleförbrukningen samtidigt som vindintegrationen förbättras. Vätgaslagring är inget lovande alternativ om målet är att endast lagra överskottsel, vilket framgår av vindintegrationsnivåerna i SWE_2045. Det förbättrar dock vindintegration och tillförlitlighet avsevärt när det finns en betydande efterfrågan på vätgas i NFF_2045. Som jämförelse är batteriernas bidrag till vindintegration minimalt i båda scenarierna i samband med sektorintegration på grund av utnyttjandet av överskottsel av värmepumpar och extern överföring av restel. Valet av lagringsteknik i framtiden beror dock på dess tekniska ekonomiska utveckling och energipolitik.

This dissertation describes the development of an intelligent non-invasive thermal energy flow rate sensor for laminar and turbulent pipe flows. Energy flow rate is the thermal energy that is carried by a fluid, for example, in a pipe to heat or cool a space in a building. It can be measured by an energy flow rate sensor which consists of a volume flow rate meter and supply and return fluid temperature sensors to bill the users for their energy usage. A non-invasive, low-cost, and easy to install thermal energy flow rate sensor based on thermal interrogation transient heat flux and temperature measurements has been developed to measure fluid velocity and fluid temperature in pipes. This sensor can be used for different pipe diameters, different pipe materials, and different viscous fluids. The transient measurements are made on the outer surface of a pipe by using a heat flux sensor and a thin-film thermocouple which are covered by a thin-film heater. A one-dimensional transient thermal model is applied before and during activation of the external heater along with a parameter estimation code to provide estimates of the fluid heat transfer coefficient and apparent thermal resistance between the thermocouple and the pipe surface. This dissertation contributes to the sensor's development in three ways. First, a new design is developed by using a single layer of Kapton tape with an adhesive (dielectric material) between the thermocouple foils and the pipe wall to isolate the thermocouple electrically from the pipe surface. This new design gives accurate and reliable estimates of the internal mean fluid temperature without environmental interference. Second, this new sensor design is tested for turbulent pipe flows with two different pipe diameters ( = 25.4 mm and = 12.7 mm) and two different viscous fluids (diesel oil and water). Experiments are completed over a large range of fluid velocity from 0.2 m/s to 5.5 m/s and a range of fluid temperature from 20 ℃ to 50 ℃. The estimated parameters, heat transfer coefficient and apparent thermal resistance, are correlated with the fluid velocity and fluid temperature. This sensor gives a good correlation, repeatability, and sensitivity between the estimated parameters and the fluid velocities with an accurate estimation of the fluid temperatures without environmental interference. Third, this sensor is tested for laminar flow in pipes over a range of fluid velocity from 0.049 m/s to 0.45 m/s and a range of fluid temperature from 20 ℃ to 50 ℃. A new empirical correlation between the estimated parameters and the laminar fluid velocity has been developed. The results show that this sensor gives lower sensitivity and accuracy between the estimated parameters and the fluid velocity and fluid temperature for the laminar flow. / Doctor of Philosophy / Heating or cooling is responsible for approximately 50% of the total energy consumption in a building. Budlings' energy consumption can be measured by energy flow rate sensors (measuring both fluid velocity and fluid temperature). Current energy flow rate sensors are invasive (requiring installation inside the system and disturbing the flow) which create unacceptable risks, such as fluid leaks and damage the equipment. Other energy flow rate sensors based on ultrasonic and electromagnetic technologies are non-invasive which can be installed on the outside of the pipe without disturbing the flow, however, they are expensive to buy, difficult to install, and hard to calibrate. Therefore, developing new sensor techniques is necessary, preferably non-invasive, low-cost, and easy to install. In this dissertation, a new non-invasive, low-cost, and easy to install thermal energy flow rate sensor has been designed, developed, and tested. This thermal sensor is based on transient heat flux and temperature measurements which are made on the outside of a copper pipe surface by using a heat flux sensor and a thermocouple. This sensor is used to estimate the energy consumption by measuring a fluid velocity and a fluid temperature in heating and cooling pipe applications for different pipe diameters, different fluids, and different pipe materials. A parameter estimation code is developed to match the analytical and experimental sensor temperature values and to estimate the unknown system parameters. These parameters are correlated with the fluid velocity and fluid temperature. Experiments are completed over a large range of fluid velocity from 0.049 m/s to 5.5 m/s and a range of fluid temperature from 20℃ to 50℃. The encouraging measurement results show that this sensor gives a good correlation, repeatability, accuracy, and sensitivity between the estimated parameters and the fluid velocities with an accurate estimation of the fluid temperatures to allow calculation of the thermal energy consumption.

Thermische Energiespeicher tragen u. a. zur Erhöhung der Versorgungsicherheit in der Fernwärmeversorgung und zur Effizienzsteigerung des Fernwärmesystems (z. B. Flexibilisierung der Erzeuger, Speicherung überschüssiger Wärme, besserer hydraulischer Betrieb) bei. Dafür eignen sich Druckbehälter, sog. schlanke Heißwasserspeicher (Speichertyp b1). Die oben genannten Vorteile setzen einen effizienten Speicherbetrieb (niedrige interne und externe Speicherverluste) voraus. Dieser Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit der Minimierung der internen Verluste durch die Verbesserung des thermischen Schichtungsverhaltens. Eine thermische Schichtung mit einem möglichst schmalen Übergangsbereich zwischen heißer und kalter Zone ist ein Indikator für geringe Mischvorgänge während der Beladung. Die Minimierung dieser Mischungsvorgänge bei der Beladung nimmt eine Schlüsselrolle bei der Minimierung der internen Speicherverluste ein. Lohse und Brähmer untersuchten die Beladung mit herkömmlichen radialen Diffusor in schlanken Heißwasserspeicher mit numerischer Strömungssimulation. Die Arbeiten identifizieren aufgrund der schlanken Speicherform nachteilige Strömungseffekte wie z. B. einen ausgeprägten Wandstrahl. Dieser Wandstrahl regt Mischvorgänge an und damit steigen die internen Speicherverluste. Zur Überwindung dieser Strömungsproblematik schlägt die Beladung mit Drall vor. Die Untersuchungen von Oestreich zeigten das Strömungsverhalten im Diffusor und im Speicher, die Auswirkungen auf die thermische Schichtung sowie die Vorteilhaftigkeit. Dieser Beitrag soll eine detailliertere Beschreibung der Strömungsvorgänge liefern. Dieses Wissen ist unbedingt notwendig, um die Ursachen und Wirkungen bei der Beladung mit Drall und beim Aufbau der thermischen Schichtung besser zu verstehen. Die Modellierung und Simulation des Diffusors bzw. des Speichers erfolgen mit ANSYS CFX. Zur Auflösung turbulenter Strukturen findet die Large Eddy Simulation Anwendung. Dieser Artikel präsentiert erstmalig die Wirbelstrukturen im Diffusor mit Leitelementen zur Drallerzeugung. Die Speicherströmung weist ein ähnliches Verhalten zu bekannten Dichteströmungen (z. B. Lappen-Kluft-Struktur, Instabilitäten in den freien Scherschichten) auf, was bisher nicht bekannt war. Hohe Peclet-Zahlen (hohe Advektionsströme) im Speichermodell führen zu numerischer Instabilität der Simulation und erfordern deshalb erhöhten Diskretisierungsaufwand. / Thermal energy storage systems contribute, among other things, to increasing the security of supply in the district heating system and to improving the efficiency of the district heating system (e.g., making the generators more flexible, storing waste heat, better hydraulic operation). Pressure vessels, so-called slim hot water storage tanks (storage type b1) are suitable for this purpose. The above mentioned advantages require efficient storage operation (low internal and external storage losses). This paper deals with the minimization of internal losses by improving the thermal stratification behavior. Thermal stratification with a thermocline between hot and cold zone as narrow as possible is an indicator of low mixing processes during loading. Minimizing these mixing processes during loading takes a key role in minimizing internal storage losses. Lohse and Brähmer investigated loading with conventional radial diffuser in slim hot water storage tanks with numerical flow simulation. The work identifies adverse flow effects due to the slim tank shape, such as a wall jet. This wall jet stimulates mixing processes and thus increases the internal storage losses. To overcome this flow problem, Findeisen et al. proposes swirl loading. The investigations of Oestreich et al. showed the flow behavior in the diffuser and in the storage, the effects on the thermal stratification as well as the advantageousness. This paper aims to provide a more detailed description of the flow processes. This knowledge is essential to better understanding the causes and effects of swirl loading and the structure of thermal stratification. Modeling and simulation of the diffuser and storage, respectively, are performed using Ansys CFX. Large eddy simulation (LES) is applied to resolve turbulent structures. This paper presents for the first time the vortex structures in the diffuser with internal elements for swirl generation. The storage flow exhibits similar behavior to known density flows (e.g., head and nose formation, instabilities in the free shear layers), which was previously unknown. High Peclet numbers (high advection currents) in the storage model lead to numerical instability of the simulation and therefore require increased discretization efforts.

Emulsions, comprising dispersed oil or water droplets stabilized by surfactants, are widely employed across industries. However, conventional surfactants raise environmental concerns, and emulsions may encounter stability challenges during storage. A promising alternative lies in Pickering emulsions, where particles adhere irreversibly at the water-oil interface, providing enhanced stability. Recent research explores the use of natural bio-based particles as interfacial stabilizers for creating Pickering emulsions, offering improved stability and environmental friendliness. This significant change towards particle-stabilized emulsions addresses sustainability and efficacy concerns. This dissertation investigates the application of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) in stabilizing Pickering emulsions for the development of functional microcapsules with diverse applications. A novel CNF aerogel with a hierarchical pore structure was developed using n-hexane-CNF oil-in-water (O/W) Pickering emulsions as templates. These hollow microcapsule-based CNF (HM-CNF) aerogels demonstrated high oil absorption capacities of 354 grams per gram for chloroform and 166 grams per gram for n-hexadecane, without requiring hydrophobic modifications, highlighting their potential as environmentally sustainable and high-performance oil absorbents. Further, the research explored the microencapsulation of n-hexadecane, an organic phase change material (PCM), within a hybrid shell of CNFs and chitin nanofibers (ChNFs). This method significantly improved the thermal stability of the encapsulated n-hexadecane, with maximum weight loss temperatures increasing from 184 degrees Celsius to 201 degrees Celsius with ChNF loading. The char yield also increased with ChNF content, indicating enhanced thermal degradation resistance. These emulsions demonstrated stability in various ionic solutions and elevated temperatures, showcasing their potential for applications such as thermal energy storage, cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals. Additionally, the dissertation examined stable water-in-oil (W/O) inverse Pickering emulsions using TEMPO-treated cellulose nanofibrils (TCNF). These emulsions, stabilized by TCNF-oleylamine complexes, exhibited droplet sizes ranging from 27 micrometers to 8 micrometers depending on TCNF concentration. They maintained stability under varying pH, ionic strength, and temperature conditions and demonstrated the encapsulation of water-soluble components like phytic acid, highlighting their versatility for diverse encapsulation applications. Overall, the research presents significant advancements in the utilization of CNF-stabilized Pickering emulsions, employing them as templates for fabricating aerogels and microcapsules. This approach enhances oil absorption, thermal stability, and encapsulation capabilities, offering eco-friendly solutions for diverse applications.