[Gasification] Glaubers Salts for Thermal Storage

[Bob Stuart]

On 3-Apr-08, at 11:14 PM, Mark Ludlow wrote:

> These were "popular" (phase-change energy storage) in the first  
> go-'round of
> solar popularity in the '70s. Largely supplanted by passive storage.
> Complicated. Corrosive. Kinda neat though...
> Mark

The best installation I saw had the salt in thinwall thermoplastic  
tubes, possibly 6 mil polyethylene.  This provided a good surface to  
volume ratio and contained the salt well.  The tubes were arranged on  
wire racks, although cheaper arrangements seem possible.  I'd try to  
find rolls of poly tube from a packaging supply and heat-seal the  
ends.  By including a length of strong monofilament nylon through the  
tube, long tubes might be able to support their own weight between  
two supports.

Best,
Bob Stuart