Medium temperature energy storage

What is thermochemical heat storage?

Thermochemical heat storage is a technology under development with potentially high-energy densities. The binding energy of a working pair, for example, a hydrating salt and water, is used for thermal energy storage in different variants (liquid/solid, open/closed) with strong technological links to adsorption and absorption chillers.

What are sensible and latent thermal energy storage?

Sensible, latent, and thermochemical energy storages for different temperatures ranges are investigated with a current special focus on sensible and latent thermal energy storages. Thermochemical heat storage is a technology under development with potentially high-energy densities.

How can thermal energy storage be achieved?

Thermal energy storage can be achieved through 3 distinct ways: sensible; latent or thermochemical heat storage. Sensible heat storage relies on the material’s specific heat capacity.

What are thermochemical energy storage systems?

While the focus is on low-temperature applications such as residential heating, thermochemical energy storage systems are also being considered for industrial waste heat applications or for solar thermal power plants, with TCES seen as a promising option for high-temperature systems [Pardo2014].

Are phase change materials suitable for thermal energy storage?

Phase change materials (PCMs) having a large latent heat during solid-liquid phase transition are promising for thermal energy storage applications. However, the relatively low thermal conductivity of the majority of promising PCMs (<10 W/ (m ⋅ K)) limits the power density and overall storage efficiency.

What is a typical storage temperature?

Each application requires different storage temperatures. While for buildings the typical temperature range is between 5 and 90 °C, for industries with process heat applications it is typically between 40 and 250 °C and for solar thermal power plants up to 600 °C.