Erratum: Corrigendum to “Similarity and generalized analysis of efficiencies of thermal energy storage systems” (Renew. Energy (2012) (39) (388–402))

The paper, Similarity and generalized analysis of efficiencies of thermal energy storage systems, in Renewable Energy, 39 (2012), 388–402, presented a work in which the authors considered that the two fluid-solid configurations in thermal storage systems, as shown in Fig. 2 (in the paper) denoted as (a) and (b), have similarity. The authors considered that a thermal storage system that has heat transfer fluid tubes imbedded through a packed solid (or liquid), also shown clearly in Fig. 8 (in the paper), can be viewed as a case that fluid passing through a porous material as that of the configuration (a), if similarity analysis is made. Because of this similarity, the authors developed methods to introduce and find several equivalent parameters in the paper to describe the energy storage process in case (b) in the similar manner so that our method of generalized charts for analysis of energy storage effectiveness for case (a) in a previous work can be used. These equivalent parameters include equivalent porosity, equivalent heat transfer area per unit length, and effective heat transfer coefficient, as were presented in the paper. The idea of introducing the similarity parameters and analyzing a much complicate fluid-solid configuration (b) in a similar and simple method as applied to case (a) is very valuable due to the less effort needed for analysis while with no sacrifice of the accuracy. Fig. 2 (from the paper) Thermal storage tanks with the use of thermal storage medium and heat transfer fluid (HTF). (a) Filler material, such as rocks, fully submerged in flowing HTF; (b) HTF pipes passing through filler materials, such as soil, concrete, sands, or molten salts.[figure presented] Fig. 8 (from the paper) Heat transfer fluid tubes and the surrounding thermal storage material (D_eq is an equivalent diameter based on the area that the cross section area of the container is divided by the number of HTF tubes.)[figure presented] The authors would like to point out here that our method of generalized charts for analysis of energy storage effectiveness for case (a) was published in a previous paper, Generalized charts of energy storage effectiveness for thermocline heat storage tank design and calibration, in Solar Energy, 85 (2011), 2130–2143, by the same group with most of the same authors. Furthermore, in order to lay the foundation for the new findings presented in Renewable Energy, 39 (2012), 388–402, text and graphics from our previous work in Solar Energy, 85 (2011), 2130–2143, were repeated without reference. Specifically, Figures 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14 from Solar Energy, 85 (2011), 2130–2143, were duplicated in Renewable Energy, 39 (2012), 388–402. The authors regret that Solar Energy, 85 (2011), 2130–2143 was not cited in Renewable Energy, 39 (2012), 388–402 as the original source. With this corrigendum the authors wish to add the missing reference: Solar Energy, 85 (2011), 2130–2143.The authors apologize to readers this was not done prior to publication and for any inconvenience caused.