HERCULES
Thermal storage
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Thermal storageサイト
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HERCULES introduces an innovative approach to thermal storage of surplus renewable energy through a hybrid thermochemical/sensible thermal storage concept, applied with the help of porous media made of refractory redox metal oxides and electric heating elements. Specific redox oxides are capable of undergoing reversible reduction/oxidation reactions when heated/cooled in direct contact with air, accompanied by endothermic/exothermic thermal effects, respectively. The heating elements use surplus/low-cost renewable electricity (e.g., from photovoltaic, wind, or other renewable sources) to charge the porous storage block made of metal oxide by heating it to a level above the reduction onset temperature of the metal oxide (i.e., the energy storage/charging stage).
Therefore, energy is stored in the porous oxide structure both sensibly and thermo chemically through the endothermic reduction reaction. Later (i.e., on demand), the fully charged system can transfer its energy to a controlled airflow passing through the porous oxide block, initiating the exothermic oxidation of the reduced metal oxide. During this step, a stream of hot air is generated, which can be used to provide usable heat for industrial processes.
These storage systems based on redox oxide materials not only have a much higher energy storage density than conventional sensible types, but they also offer a high discharge temperature range (> 500 ºC), do not require gas storage, and greatly simplify the overall system design and operation.
"This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation program under grant agreement no. 101104182. However, the views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them."