Methodology for the sizing of a Carnot battery based on a Rankine cycle and application to a 10 kWe system for district heating application

Abstract

The basic technological principle of a Carnot Battery is to transform electricity into heat, store the heat and transform the heat back into electricity and/or heat. This technology has been developed more and more in the last years. This study considers the integration of a 10 kW Carnot battery in a district heating in a building with photovoltaic panels. It allows to provide both thermal and electrical peaks shaving. Few prototypes exist up to now and a clear methodology to size a Carnot battery properly does not exist. This paper tries to draw guidelines based on a state of the art, simulation models and lessons learnt from experimental campaigns. The idea is to help engineers to develop Carnot battery which are cheap, robust and efficient.