Revealing the latest in efficient thermal energy storage
Monash University has unveiled the latest groundbreaking innovation to start on a commercialisation pathway: Trimodal Thermal Energy Storage Material (TMM150).
This technology, developed through extensive university research, promises a more sustainable solution to one of the most pressing challenges in renewable energy: storing large amounts of energy efficiently and cost-effectively.
TMM150 uses cheap, environmentally benign components that work synergistically, resulting in energy storage that occurs at temperatures of the order of 150℃.
Dr Karolina Matuszek, from the Monash University School of Chemistry, conducted the initial research and developed the TES technology. Now Dr Matuszek is collaborating with Monash Innovation to explore pathways that deliver the best commercial outcomes.
Monash Innovation is supporting this work by providing a Monash Research Impact Fund grant to develop a prototype heat battery at a proof-of-concept scale.
Functional prototypes highlight the value proposition of the material, assist in validating the technology and can significantly improve the prospects of a commercial outcome, whether that is in the form of a licence to an industry partner or to a spinout company for attracting investment.
A real energy solution and new possibilities for the Carnot battery
Recently published in Nature magazine, the research outlines a newly developed material that integrates three modes of energy storage creating a “trimodal” system (sensible, latent, and thermochemical) that stores thermal energy with unprecedented efficiency. The key to the material’s performance is its ability to store energy through three mechanisms simultaneously.
This novel trimodal system opens new possibilities for the Carnot battery, a cutting-edge energy storage technology. A Carnot battery converts electrical energy into thermal energy for storage, then back into electricity when needed. However, current phase change materials do not effectively store energy in a useful, intermediate temperature range (between 100℃ and 220℃), instead operating either at below 100℃ or above 400℃.
The chemical reaction in this material is highly reversible, allowing it to be used repeatedly without degradation.
The material, a mixture of boric and succinic acids, undergoes a transition at around 150℃ and can store a record-breaking 600 MJ per m3 of energy, which is almost two times higher than existing materials. This material acts as the key component in storing the thermal energy, withstanding over 1000 heating and cooling cycles, demonstrating excellent stability and performance over time.
Early-stage research and the initial results are promising
With development of a prototype thermal battery now underway, the future applications of this technology are varied. It has a potential application as a sustainable domestic water-heating solution, replacing gas as the world continues to phase out fossil fuels enroute to net zero. Also, in the medium term, the thermal battery could find application as a heater for buildings or in a steam sanitising application. Ultimately, the thermal battery could even be used as a building block for a Carnot battery, where the stored heat could be transformed directly into electricity.