• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.293-300
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• 2021

In this study, the microstructure and thermal conductivity correlation was investigated for concrete materials used in concrete thermal energy storage (CTES) among real-time energy storage devices. Graphite was used as admixture to increase the thermal conductivity performance of the CTES. Concrete specimens of 10% and 15% substitution of cement by mass with graphite, as well as ordinary portland cement (OPC) specimens were prepared, and the microstructural changes and effects on thermal conductivity were analyzed. Porosities of OPC and concrete with graphite were compared using micro-CT, and the microstructural characteristics were quantified using probability functions. Three-dimensional virtual specimens were constructed for thermal analysis, to confirm the effect of microstructural characteristics on thermal conductivity, and the results were compared with the measured conductivity obtained using the hot-disc method. To identify thermal conductivity of graphite for thermal analysis, solid phase conductivity was inversely determined based on simulation and experimental results, and the effect of graphite on thermal conductivity was analyzed.