Abstract
Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, hold immense potential in transitioning towards a sustainable energy future. However, their intermittent nature poses challenges to grid stability. Energy storage solutions, particularly Thermal Energy Storage (TES) systems, have emerged as a promising approach to address this issue and enhance the integration of renewables. This study delves into the development of a TES system that utilizes repurposed minerals as storage material, integrated with a low-temperature zero liquid discharge thermal desalination system. The integration of TES with desalination processes holds significant promise in mitigating the economic and environmental consequences of ocean or brackish water desalination. By employing TES, the study aims to improve the overall efficiency of the integrated system, contributing to the sustainability of both energy generation and water production. This research employs a comprehensive thermodynamic analysis, encompassing optimization and sensitivity analyses of the TES system utilizing only sensible heat. A detailed MATLAB model relying on the first law of thermodynamics provides valuable insights into the transient behavior of a 4,000–15,000 kg storage system under various charge and discharge scenarios.
