Several materials and technologies are emerging as promising candidates for thermal energy storage. These include both traditional materials and innovative systems that leverage cutting-edge science and technology.
Promising Materials and Technologies
- Thermochemical Materials:
- Salt-Hydrates: These materials are particularly effective in humid environments. They work by reacting with water vapor to release heat, making them suitable for building heating systems.
- Thermochemical Storage with Hydration Reactions: This approach involves materials like salt hydrates that absorb and desorb water to store and release energy.
- Advanced Graphite and Carbon-Based Materials:
- While not detailed in the current search results, these materials are often discussed in broader thermal energy storage contexts due to their high thermal conductivity.
- Trimodal Thermal Energy Storage Material (TMM150):
- Developed by Monash University, TMM150 uses a synergistic combination of cheap, environmentally friendly components to achieve efficient thermal energy storage across multiple modes: sensible, latent, and thermochemical. This material operates at temperatures around 150°C and offers high energy storage capacity.
- MnIn₂Se₄:
- Identified through machine learning and DFT calculations, this compound shows extremely high heat capacity, surpassing the Dulong–Petit limit at room temperature. It has potential applications in advanced thermal energy storage systems.
- Molten Salts and Sensible Heat Storage Media:
- Commonly used for large-scale thermal energy storage due to their stability and high heat capacity. Materials like molten salts are integral to systems that aim to decouple energy generation from usage time.
- Volcanic Rock and Concrete:
- These materials are used in sensible heat storage due to their cost-effectiveness and widespread availability. They can be part of larger thermal storage systems designed to utilize waste heat or renewable energy sources.
These materials and technologies are crucial for developing more efficient thermal energy storage solutions that can help reduce energy consumption, enhance the integration of renewable energy sources, and support decarbonization efforts globally.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/what-are-the-most-promising-materials-for-thermal-energy-storage/
