The Integration Of Fire Bricks Into Thermal Batteries Will Provide Capabilities For Cleaner Energy Storage
Thursday, June 20, 2024, 7:00 A.M. ET. By Ryan Metz: Englebrook Independent News,
MANHATTAN, NY.- In a promising development for renewable energy storage and industrial energy use, researchers have successfully incorporated fire bricks into thermal batteries, marking a significant step forward in sustainable technology. This innovative approach not only enhances the efficiency of energy storage systems but also offers a practical solution for converting electricity into heat.
Thermal batteries utilize materials capable of storing and releasing large amounts of thermal energy. Traditionally, these batteries have relied on molten salts or phase-change materials. However, a team of scientists at MIT along with the company Electrified Thermal Solutions (ETS), has pioneered the use of fire bricks, commonly used in kilns and furnaces, to achieve similar energy storage capabilities.
The principles at work here are in two parts, firstly the ability of fire bricks to absorb and retain heat over extended periods of time and second, the ability of the metal oxides in the fire bricks to convert electricity into heat. By having changed the recipe of the metal oxides in the bricks, they are now capable of reaching temperatures of a searing 3,275 degrees Fahrenheit—much hotter than even the melting point of steel at 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. “There’s no exotic metals in here, there’s nothing that’ll burn out,” said Daniel Stack of ETS.
The integration of fire bricks into thermal batteries not only enhances energy storage capacity but also addresses key challenges faced by renewable energy systems. Such as intermittency and variability. Industries that rely on large amounts of heat such as those producing glass, steel, and concrete now have an alternative to fossil fuels that is cheap and effective with a 95% efficiency for storing heat.
This new development could now lead to industries actually spending less than they do now for the same output for heat. For more information on these bricks and their uses, you can go to https://electrifiedthermal.com/
