THERMAL STORAGE SYSTEMS - PRESENT STATUS AND TRENDS

Abstract Recent progress in solar thermal storage developments and applications is made evident by the presentation of various modern projects: central solar heating plants with seasonal storage, high temperature heat storage with composite (phase changing) materials, long term energy storage via heterogeneous (condensed state - gas) chemical reactions. Storage performance is setting bounds to the solar multiple which is an essential design parameter for the operation economics of solar power plants. The storage multiple which pays attention to the persistencies of unfavorable solar weather conditions is found to be an important design parameter.