Investigation of hydration/dehydration processes in a fluidized bed reactor using MgO/Mg(OH)2 thermochemical energy storage system

Thermochemical energy storage (TCES) is a promising energy storage method because of its high energy storage density and long-term storage ability. The reactor is the most critical part of the TCES system, and the fluidized bed reactor (FBR) is a novel reactor, which is not restricted by the low effective thermal conductivity of energy storage materials. However, there is little theoretical guidance about the design and operation of the FBR for a TCES system. In this study, we investigated the performance of an FBR using MgO/Mg(OH) 2 as reaction materials by establishing a numerical model followed by experimental validation. The influence of operating parameters on the bed temperature was discussed based on numerical results. According to the sensitivity analysis, the reactor inner diameter, material mass, and inlet gas velocity were the main factors affecting the bed temperature. The optimal boundary surface temperature was analyzed, which influences the proportion of TCES in the total heat storage.