Mechanical Engineering
Graduate Seminar
NOTICE OF SEMINAR PRESENTATION
CANDIDATE: Md Nasir Uddin Mondal
DEGREE SOUGHT: MASc
DATE: 6/12/2026
TIME: 11:30am
PLACE: Room 1101 CEI
TITLE: Falling-Sphere Thermal Energy Storage Framework with Counterflow Air
Abstract
Advanced compressed air energy storage (A-CAES) systems require effective thermal management because air compression produces high-temperature air containing recoverable thermal energy. If this heat is not captured, part of the input energy may be lost through thermal dissipation. Therefore, capturing heat from compressed air and storing it in a suitable thermal storage medium is an important challenge for improving system performance. This research focuses on an air–solid thermal storage concept in which heat is transferred from hot air to falling solid spheres during charging, and from heated spheres back to air during discharge. Reusing the stored heat during discharge can support improved energy recovery in A-CAES applications.
This research work focuses on building a screening framework rather than a final system design. Simplified schematics are used to define the physical problem and identify the key fluid flow and heat-transfer variables. Dimensional analysis is then performed to narrow down the governing parameters. Analytical heat-transfer and force-balance relations are used to connect sphere motion, relative velocity, and thermal responses.
The framework provides a basis for selecting influential design parameters and supporting future validation through CFD modelling and bench-scale experimental testing.