Argonne and Capstone receive DOE commercialization funds for thermal energy storage technology
19 October 2018
The US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and Capstone Turbine have received $380,000 from the DOE Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF) to refine Argonne’s high-efficiency, fast charging/discharging latent heat thermal energy storage system (TESS) for use in building applications and process/manufacturing industries.
The TESS is a “thermal battery” developed originally for storing heat in concentrated solar power applications, funded by DOE’s Solar Energy Technology Office. Argonne’s TESS incorporates a phase change material in a high thermal conductivity porous preform, resulting in a composite material system that has enhanced thermal performance.
Magnified view of high-thermal-conductivity foam used in Argonne’s TESS.
One of the TESS’s most valuable features is its tunability for specific applications through the selection of appropriate phase change material. Additionally, TESS’s high thermal energy density results in a small footprint.
Magnified view of application-specific phase change material incorporated into TESS’s high-thermal-conductivity porous foam.
Storing thermal energy and using it during periods of high electricity pricing can result in significant cost savings. This is particularly important for process/manufacturing industries and building applications, as it reduces costs and increases energy efficiency.
—Argonne Principal Investigator, Dileep Singh
Capstone Turbine Corporation manufactures combined heat and power (CHP) systems used in environments that can support reuse of process-related waste heat to improve system performance efficiencies and reduce operational costs.
This project focuses on integrating Argonne’s TESS into a Capstone C200 CHP system—specifically, using thermal modeling and simulations to optimize system design; fabricating and integrating the TESS to the C200 system; testing the performance of the integrated TESS-C200 system and conducting a techno-economic analysis to establish performance/cost benefits of the integrated system.
One of TESS’ most valuable features is its tunability for specific applications through the selection of appropriate phase change material. Additionally, TESS’ high thermal energy density results in a small footprint similar to the Capstone microturbine technology.
There are a variety of developments that are driving the evolution of the CHP market, including new resilient on-site energy products, improvements in packaged CHP systems, new utility CHP programs, and the ability of CHP to work with other complementary technologies including battery and thermal energy storage.
Cost-effective thermal energy storage will further reduce customers’ energy costs and increases overall CHP system efficiency.
—Darren Jamison, Capstone’s President and CEO
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