Thermal energy storage system for adsorbent low-pressure natural gas storage. Final report, October 1990-July 1992

The objective was to develop information for the design of an optimized adsorption system with thermal energy storage (TES) that mitigates the heat effects associated with carbon-based adsorbents storing natural gas. A literature search was conducted and candidate phase-change materials (PCMs) were selected, tested and evaluated. Lithium nitrate trihydrate with IGT additives A and B, was determined to be best PCM and Aluminum Alloy 6061-T6 was determined to be a suitable encapsulate. Design relationships with TES were derived and a computer program was developed to model the relationships between PCMs and given design conditions such as pressure, carbon's specific natural gas storage, packing density, target natural gas storage, and PCMs latent heat capacity.