More results...

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
post
page

Thermal Energy Storage Technology

Explore the cutting-edge technology behind O-Hx’s thermal battery and energy storage solutions.

EnergiVault
Leading Thermal Energy Storage Solutions

O-Hx has created and patented a distinctive Thermal Energy Storage Technology. This phase change battery offers Cold Thermal Energy Storage (CTES) solutions. Initially aimed at making chilled supply chains (like food manufacturing, distribution, and retail) greener, it’s also suitable for industrial refrigeration, air-conditioning, and refrigerated transport.

EnergiVault Thermal Energy technology, a thermal storage system, supports existing or new fluid-based cooling systems. It accommodates short or long daily charging, providing high cooling rates. For instance, a 1MWht thermal store charges in 16 hours with a 65kWt charger and discharges 1MW in one hour, or 500kW over two hours.

The EnergiVault technology includes the EnergiVault Crystalliser module. This has a condensing unit for the charge rate, an ice slurry crystalliser, a charging pump, and a control module. Besides, there is the EnergiVault thermal store or battery module. It contains the thermal storage vessel or vessels, a charge quantification device, a cooling pump, and a 3-way valve. This valve controls the cooling delivery.

EnergiVault - Thermal Battery
EnergiVault - Thermal Battery

EnergiVault
Operational modes for Thermal Energy Management

The EnergiVault system activates cooling support when its controller senses deviations in the returning fluid from the set point. It modulates a diverting valve, allowing the fluid to cool efficiently via the EnergiVault thermal bank.

Moreover, EnergiVault boasts advanced modes for dynamic charging, adjusting to energy price changes. This offers extra cooling, especially when primary chillers are down or overloaded.

With rising unscheduled renewable energy in the National Grid, balancing supply and demand grows challenging. This raises issues about energy sustainability, affordability, and security.

EnergiVault
The Distinctive Nature of Thermal Energy Storage

The success of thermal energy storage closely ties to how quickly and effectively it can transfer energy.

EnergiVault integrates with existing cooling circuits, avoiding conventional heat exchangers and using consistent fluid throughout.

It acts as a dynamic heat exchanger, chilling the fluid upon entry. This fluid gets colder as it moves through the battery.

During charging, the battery’s heat exchange surface, made of microscopic fluid crystals, grows. This growth enhances the cooling capacity.

EnergiVault’s “organic” heat exchanger has an increasing surface area from forming spherical ice particles. This feature is crucial for handling large cooling loads, marking EnergiVault as a distinct choice in thermal energy storage.

EnergiVault - Thermal Battery O-Hx OHX

EnergiVault

Conventional vs Organic Heat Exchangers

Conventional Heat Exchangers: Facing Limitations

Limitations and Challenges

In traditional heat exchangers, the heat exchange area is dictated by physical dimensions, inherently limiting their transfer capabilities. Consequently, for compact applications, plate heat exchangers are often the go-to, yet they face challenges.

Specifically, they struggle with fluids containing particulate matter, leading to potential blockages. Conversely, tube-in-tube heat exchangers, being larger, better handle particulates but introduce cleaning and maintenance issues, particularly with fouling.

Meanwhile, the shell and tube variant offers a more compact footprint than tube-in-tube models but encounters similar constraints.

Overall, these conventional systems are bound by a critical limitation: the finite surface available for heat exchange.

Organic Heat Exchangers: Pioneering Efficiency

Innovative and Efficient Heat Transfer

Organic Heat Exchangers, exemplified by the EnergiVault system, transcend traditional limitations through innovative design. These systems are ingeniously crafted to expand the heat transfer surface in proportion to the stored energy volume. Notably, they employ a thin film of organic material enveloping each energy-laden particle, thereby facilitating an efficient heat transfer mechanism. As the system stores more particles, the heat transfer surface increases accordingly, thereby enhancing both the system’s efficiency and capacity.

Illustratively, a fully charged EnergiVault Thermal Energy battery with a capacity of 1MWh could robustly support a substantial cooling load of 6MW for ten minutes. Alternatively, this same EnergiVault unit might steadily sustain a discharge at 100KW for a continuous ten hours. This level of operational flexibility and efficiency distinctly sets Organic Heat Exchangers apart, marking them as a revolutionary solution in thermal energy management.

Further Information about EnergiVault

Discover how EnergiVault can revolutionise your energy strategy with tailored solutions and significant cost savings. Click for more info and pricing, and take the first step towards a smarter, greener future