Open Source Thermal Energy Storage Construction Set

From Open Source Ecology
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Consists Of

Solid Storage Medium (SSM)

Concrete Blocks

Metal Blocks

Geothermal Heat Storage

Liquid Storage Medium (LSM)

Water

Oil

Molten Salt

  • Sodium Chloride Melts at 801 °C and Boils at 1,413 °C
  • Quite Common
  • Is good on most points, but kind of corrosive + it has a high operating temperature

Molten Metals

  • Lead-bismuth eutectic alloy (LBE; 45% Pb, 55% Bi) melts at 125 °C and does not boil until 1670 °C (Ideal, but toxic, corrosive + hard to obtain)
  • Aluminium Melts at 659 °C and boils at 2470 °C (Non-Toxic, Easy to Find, But High Minimum Operating Temperature
  • Note that steel pipes melt ~1371 °C So that is probably around the upper limit of operating temperature

Gas Storage Medium (GSM)

Steam

Compressed Air

Phase Change Material Medium (PCMM)

Sodium Hydroxde

  • Works by evaporating the water from a soduium hydroxide solution to store energy, and adding water back in to release energy
  • Less energy dense, but potentially infinite storage time (at room temperature)

Hybrid Storage Medium (HSM)

Saturated Water

  • IE "Steam Accumuators"
  • Hold Water at A High Temperature and Pressure. More Pressure is Created from Superheated Water Going to Steam when pPressure is Removed for Turbines/Motors etc
  • Open Source Steam Accumulator
  • Saturated Water

Liquid and Solid Mixture

  • Such as Oil and Gravel, or Oil and Glass Beads

Uses

Allows For

  • Energy Storage (For grid/house level electricity storage)
  • Indirect Thermal Vehicles (Combustionless Locomotives etc)

See Also

Useful Links