Thermal Batteries for Industries
Thermal Batteries in Industries: Efficient Energy Storage
Thermal energy storage (TES) has become a key solution for energy optimization in industrial processes. Among the most innovative technologies are thermal batteries, or Carnot batteries, which efficiently store and reuse heat, helping to reduce costs and improve industrial sustainability.
Thermal batteries take advantage of the ability of certain materials to accumulate energy in the form of heat and release it when needed. This type of storage is not only more cost-effective than traditional electrochemical batteries, but it also facilitates the integration of renewable energy sources—such as solar thermal or excess electricity from wind and photovoltaic sources—by converting them into usable thermal energy for industrial processes.
The development of these solutions marks a crucial step in the decarbonization of the industrial sector, as it reduces dependence on fossil fuels and lowers the carbon footprint of production processes.
What Are Carnot Batteries and How Do They Work?
Carnot batteries are an energy storage technology based on converting electricity into heat for storage and later reuse. Their name comes from the Carnot principle, which describes the efficiency of thermal cycles.
This type of thermal battery is based on heat storage in high thermal capacity materials, such as molten salts, ceramics, refractory concrete, or phase change materials (PCM). Later, when the stored energy is needed, the heat can be used directly in industrial processes or converted back into electricity through thermodynamic cycles.
Carnot batteries stand out for their versatility, as they can be used in various industrial applications, such as steam generation, product drying, process heating, and electricity generation from renewable sources. Their implementation improves energy efficiency and reduces waste of residual thermal energy.
Operating Principles of Thermal Energy Storage (TES)
The thermal energy storage (TES) is based on the ability of certain materials to absorb, store, and release heat in a controlled way. There are three main types of thermal storage:
Sensible Storage: Based on temperature increase of a material without changing phase. Examples include molten salts, water, thermal oils and rocks.
Latent Storage: Uses phase change materials (PCM), which absorb or release heat during a state change (solid-liquid or liquid-gas), allowing higher storage density.
Thermochemical Storage: Based on reversible chemical reactions to store and release heat with greater energy density than the previous technologies.
In the case of Carnot batteries, surplus electricity from the grid or renewable sources is converted into heat using electric resistors or high-temperature heat pumps. This heat is stored in a thermal medium until needed, when it can be used directly in industrial processes or reconverted into electricity using a steam turbine or a Brayton cycle engine.
Differences Between Thermal Batteries and Conventional Storage
Thermal batteries offer several advantages over other energy storage systems, such as electrochemical batteries (lithium-ion, lead-acid, etc.) or flywheels.
Thermal batteries (TES) and conventional storage differ significantly in operation and applications.
Type of Stored Energy:
Conventional storage is based on electricity (electrochemical batteries) or fuels.
Thermal batteries store energy as heat, enabling use in industrial processes and heating.
Flexibility:
Conventional technologies rely on the capacity of electrochemical batteries or chemical storage systems.
Thermal batteries allow large volumes of heat to be stored and released when needed, increasing energy flexibility.
Storage Cost:
Conventional storage is often costly due to the need for materials like lithium and cobalt.
Thermal batteries use more accessible materials like molten salts or stones, lowering storage costs.
Environmental Impact:
Conventional storage relies on extracting critical materials, which has a significant environmental impact.
Thermal batteries are more sustainable, using abundant materials and not depending on scarce elements.
Energy Efficiency:
Electrochemical batteries typically achieve storage efficiencies of around 80–90%.
Thermal batteries have 40–70% efficiency when converting heat to electricity, but can reach 80–90% when heat is used directly, without conversion.
Applications:
Conventional batteries are ideal for mobility, electronics, and electric grid storage.
Thermal batteries are better suited for industrial processes, heating, steam generation, and integration with renewable energies.
While lithium batteries are designed to store and release electricity, thermal batteries store heat, making them more efficient for industrial applications with high thermal demand. Another key difference, mentioned earlier, is that TES allows large-scale energy storage at lower cost, without relying on critical materials like lithium, cobalt, or nickel. This makes Carnot batteries an attractive solution for large-scale storage in industry and renewable energy generation.
Industrial Applications of Thermal Storage
Industrial thermal batteries are being implemented across many sectors due to their ability to improve energy efficiency and reduce fossil fuel consumption. Some of the most relevant applications include:
🔹 Steel and metallurgy industries: Recovery and storage of residual heat from industrial furnaces for reuse in the process.
🔹 Chemical and petrochemical industries: Use of thermal batteries for heat storage in refining, distillation, and polymer production processes.
🔹 Food and pharmaceutical industries: Applications in pasteurization, drying, refrigeration, and steam generation for sterilization processes.
🔹 Renewable power plants: Integration with solar thermal and photovoltaic energy, enabling electricity to be stored as heat and used later in power generation cycles.
🔹 Cogeneration and industrial heating: Optimization of heating and steam generation systems to enhance the energy performance of industrial facilities.
The use of thermal batteries enables industries to reduce fossil fuel dependence, minimize operating costs, and decarbonize their production processes. In addition, their integration with renewable energies facilitates a more sustainable energy transition.
Benefits of Thermal Batteries in Industry
Thermal batteries are transforming the way industry manages its energy consumption, offering efficient solutions for thermal energy storage (TES). By implementing this type of technology, industries can reduce costs, increase their energy independence, and move toward more sustainable, emission-free production.
Reduction of Energy Consumption and Operating Costs
One of the main benefits of industrial thermal batteries is their ability to store heat efficiently, allowing its use during peak demand without the need to rely on expensive energy sources.
Utilization of waste heat: Many industries generate large amounts of heat that, without an adequate storage system, is wasted. Thermal batteries allow this heat to be recovered and reused, optimizing energy performance.
Reduction in fuel consumption: By using TES systems, industries can reduce their dependence on natural gas, coal, and oil, significantly lowering operating costs.
Thermal energy on demand: Thermal batteries store heat during periods of lower energy cost (such as photovoltaic energy during sunlight hours) and release it when needed, reducing the need to produce heat in real time using fossil fuels.
Optimization of Renewable Energy Use in Industrial Processes
The integration of thermal batteries with renewable energy sources is key to the decarbonization of industry. These technologies allow for managing the intermittency of solar and wind energy, providing a stable source of thermal energy.
Storage of photovoltaic energy as heat: Electricity generated by solar panels can be converted into thermal energy and stored in molten salts or ceramic materials, ensuring a constant heat supply even in the absence of sunlight.
Optimization of solar thermal energy: Solar thermal plants can use Carnot batteries to store the generated heat and release the thermal energy in a controlled manner, maximizing system efficiency.
Hybridization with other renewable technologies: TES systems can be combined with biomass, geothermal, and cogeneration, creating more resilient and sustainable energy solutions.
Reduction of Carbon Footprint and Sustainability
The use of industrial thermal batteries not only improves energy efficiency but also directly contributes to the reduction of CO₂ emissions and other pollutants.
Reduced dependence on fossil fuels: By replacing heat generated by natural gas or coal with renewable thermal storage, industries can significantly cut their greenhouse gas emissions.
Lower environmental impact: Unlike electrochemical batteries, Carnot batteries do not require critical materials such as lithium or cobalt, reducing their environmental impact and facilitating large-scale implementation.
Compliance with regulations and climate goals: The adoption of TES technologies helps companies align with environmental regulations and carbon neutrality targets set by governments and international organizations.
Most Commonly Used Thermal Energy Storage (TES) Technologies
Thermal batteries are based on different thermal energy storage (TES) technologies, each with specific characteristics in terms of efficiency, capacity, and industrial applicability.
Sensible Heat Storage: Rocks, Molten Salts, and Thermal Fluids
Molten salts: Used in solar thermal power plants and industrial heat storage systems, these salts can reach temperatures of up to 600°C, enabling high energy density.
Rocks and refractory concrete: Cost-effective and highly durable materials used in high-temperature thermal storage, especially for cogeneration applications and industrial decarbonization.
Thermal oils and heat transfer fluids: Employed in industrial processes requiring a controlled temperature range, such as in the chemical and food industries.
Advantages: Low cost, high material availability, long service life.
Disadvantages: Requires large volumes to store significant amounts of energy.
Latent Heat Storage with Phase Change Materials (PCM)
Phase change materials (PCM) store energy by absorbing or releasing heat during a change of state (solid-liquid or liquid-gas).
Paraffins and synthetic waxes: Used in low-temperature heat storage systems, such as in heating and industrial climate control applications.
Eutectic salts: Salt mixtures that allow thermal energy storage at specific temperatures with high efficiency.
Metal hydrides: Advanced materials under development for high-energy-density thermal storage.
Advantages: Higher energy density than sensible heat storage, high thermal efficiency.
Disadvantages: Higher cost, some PCMs require encapsulation to prevent degradation.
Thermochemical Storage: Reversible Reactions and High Energy Density
Thermochemical heat storage uses reversible chemical reactions to store and release heat. This type of Carnot battery has a much higher energy density than sensible and latent systems.
Metal oxides: Materials that can absorb and release heat through cyclical chemical reactions, with applications in heavy industry and power generation.
Adsorption and absorption reactions: Used in industrial climate control systems and seasonal heat storage.
Salt hydrate-based systems: Emerging technologies with strong potential for industrial applications and solar thermal energy storage.
Advantages: High storage capacity, no long-term thermal losses, ideal for seasonal storage.
Disadvantages: Technologies still under development, higher costs compared to conventional TES.
Applications of Thermal Batteries in Industrial Sectors
Thermal batteries are revolutionizing energy management across various industries by enabling the efficient storage and reuse of heat. These solutions optimize production processes, reduce fossil fuel consumption, and enhance the sustainability of industrial operations. Among the many industries that can benefit from Carnot batteries, this section highlights a few key examples.
Thermal Batteries in the Steel Industry and High-Temperature Processes
The steel industry is one of the most heat-intensive, with processes that require temperatures above 1,500°C. Thermal batteries allow:
Recover and reuse residual heat from electric arc furnaces and blast furnaces, improving energy efficiency.
Reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, lowering costs and CO₂ emissions.
Optimize the preheating of materials, reducing production times and increasing productivity.
Thermal Batteries for the Food and Pharmaceutical Industry
Processes like pasteurization, sterilization, and drying in the food and pharmaceutical industry require a continuous supply of heat. Thermal batteries offer advantages such as:
Storage of heat from renewable energy sources to ensure stability in thermal processes.
Reduction of energy waste through the reuse of residual heat in production lines.
Optimization of refrigeration and freezing processes, allowing better temperature control in sensitive products.
Carnot Batteries in the Chemical and Petrochemical Industry
The chemical and petrochemical industry requires large amounts of heat for processes like distillation, thermal cracking, and chemical product synthesis. Thermal batteries allow:
Store and recover residual heat from reactors and furnaces, improving the energy efficiency of the process.
Reduce the consumption of gas and other fossil fuels, lowering CO₂ emissions.
Optimize thermal stability in sensitive processes, ensuring constant temperatures and higher product quality.
Carnot Batteries in the Textile and Paper Production Sector
Textile and paper mills use large volumes of heat for drying, bleaching, and thermal treatment of materials. With thermal batteries, it is possible to:
Utilize residual heat from boilers and dryers, reducing energy expenditure.
Improve the efficiency of drying processes, speeding up production and reducing waste.
Integrate renewable energies in heat generation, reducing the sector’s carbon footprint.
Thermal Batteries in Desalination and Water Treatment Plants
Water processing and desalination is a heat-intensive process, especially in reverse osmosis and thermal distillation plants. With thermal batteries, it is possible to:
Reduce electricity consumption, using stored heat to warm water in distillation processes.
Improve the efficiency of water evaporation and condensation, optimizing potable water production.
Integrate solar thermal energy in heat generation, reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
Thermal Batteries in Power Generation and Integration with Renewable Energies
Thermal batteries are transforming the electricity generation sector, enabling greater integration of renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic solar, solar thermal, and wind energy. These solutions improve the stability and efficiency of the energy system by:
Storing renewable excesses in the form of heat, allowing their conversion into electricity when renewable generation is low.
Reducing the use of fossil fuels in hybrid thermal power plants, improving the sustainability of the electric system.
Greater stability in the grid, minimizing the intermittency of renewable energies and providing backup during low production periods.
Emerging Technologies and the Future of Thermal Batteries
The advancement in thermal storage is driving new technologies that improve efficiency, integration with renewables, and adaptability to industrial processes.
New Materials for Greater Efficiency and Durability
Research in advanced materials is expanding the capacity and efficiency of Carnot batteries. Some key innovations include:
Next-generation Phase Change Materials (PCM), with greater thermal stability and storage capacity.
Improved molten salts, with wider temperature ranges for greater versatility in industrial applications.
Ceramic materials and thermal nanotechnology, which optimize conductivity and storage efficiency.
Integration of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Control
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms in thermal management systems allows:
Optimize the storage and release of heat based on real-time demand.
Predict failures and improve maintenance through advanced data analysis.
Maximize energy efficiency, adjusting the use of stored heat according to industrial production.
Scalability and Perspectives in Industry 4.0
Thermal batteries are evolving to meet the requirements of Industry 4.0, with advances such as:
Scalable modular systems, which allow adjusting the capacity of thermal storage to different plant sizes.
IoT connectivity and automation, enabling remote control and integration with smart energy networks.
Applications in industrial microgrids, providing stability and optimizing energy use in factories and industrial parks.
Engineering Companies Specialized in Thermal Battery Systems Design
The development of thermal energy storage (TES) systems requires a high degree of specialization in process engineering and mechanical engineering, advanced materials, and energy modeling. Few companies have stood out in the design, manufacturing, and implementation of thermal batteries for industrial and energy applications.
RPow: Innovative Company in Thermal Batteries for Industry
RPow is one of the leading companies in the development of next-generation thermal storage systems. Its focus is on the implementation of Carnot batteries and other TES technologies to optimize energy management in high thermal consumption industries.
Specialization in industrial thermal storage: RPow designs customized solutions for sectors such as the chemical, metallurgical, cement, and food industries, integrating TES technologies to reduce energy consumption.
Hybridization with renewable energy: The company works on integrating thermal batteries with photovoltaic and solar thermal energy, allowing the storage of excess energy in the form of heat for later use in industrial processes.
Use of molten salts and advanced materials: RPow develops systems that primarily use molten salts as an energy storage material, however, it also designs systems with refractory concrete and phase change materials (PCM), among others, maximizing the efficiency and energy density of thermal storage.
Development of innovative projects: The company has participated in the implementation of large-scale thermal batteries, collaborating with research centers and energy companies in the transition to a more sustainable industrial model.
If you want to know more about our thermal battery solutions in industries, take a look at our references here. On the other hand, if you are interested in research projects on innovative thermal battery technologies, visit our R&D projects.
The Rise of Thermal Storage in Industry
The market for thermal batteries is rapidly growing, with investments in new materials, higher efficiency, and cost reduction. Companies like RPow are driving the adoption of TES solutions to facilitate industrial decarbonization and improve energy competitiveness in key sectors.
If you are looking to implement an efficient thermal storage system, partnering with a specialized company like RPow can make a difference in optimizing resources and transitioning to a more sustainable energy model.
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