Thermodynamic Evaluation of the Potential of a Sorption Storage System for Renewables and Waste Heat Integration

This work investigates the potential of a sorption-based thermal energy storage (TES) system for enhancing the integration of renewable energy and waste heat recovery in key sectors—industry, transport, and buildings. Sorption-based TES systems, which utilize reversible sorbent–sorbate reactions to store and release thermal energy, offer long-term storage capabilities with minimal losses. In particular, the aim of the study is to evaluate the efficiency of an adsorption TES system for various working pairs under different operating conditions, by means of a thermodynamic model (supported by experimental data). Key findings demonstrate that water-based solutions (e.g., zeolite and silica gel composites) perform well for residential and transport applications, while methanol-based solutions, such as LiCl-silica/methanol, maintain higher efficiency in industrial contexts. Short-term storage shows higher energy efficiencies compared to long-term applications, and the choice of working pairs significantly influences performance. Industrial applications face unique challenges due to extreme operating conditions, limiting the viable solutions to water-based working pairs. This research highlights the capability of sorption-based TES systems to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency, and facilitate a transition to sustainable energy practices. The findings contribute to developing cost-effective and reliable solutions for energy storage and renewable integration in various applications.