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Solution using heat from a thermal battery charged by renewables or during off peak time to provide heat for heating systems.
About
Low carbon heating, this is what Sunamp thermal battery can offer to help Direct Line Group decarbonizing paint spray booths at 22 body shops. With a small package including a renewable energy source, a Sunamp thermal battery and a fan coil system, the heating system of paint booths will be supplied by a renewable solution. Sunamp offer a low carbon solution that can reduce operational cost running equipment during off-peak time to store energy to be used during on peak time increasing resilience by not fully depending on the grid operation, or increasing the usage of existing renewable energy that can be stored during periods of excess production. Sunamp thermal battery differs of the other types of storage by being based on a phase change material. This material stores thermal energy instead of electrical energy, which means that it stores the temperature needed for the painting booth heating system at the temperature of 58C or 118C, being able to be blended to lower temperatures, if required. The phase change material also come from sustainable supply chain, is non-flammable, recyclable and is designed and tested to operate at least 25 years with a minimum maintenance required. A whole solution that can be on field for a long time. The key innovation of the solution is the Sunamp thermal batteries that use phase change materials (PCM) to store energy for domestic hot water, heating, steam, and cooling applications. Giving more technical information about the technology, melting, and freezing a PCM can stores 3-4 times as much energy in latent heat as the sensible heat of water in a typical thermal storage (i.e., thermal buffering) applications. The generic construction of the battery includes the PCM, and the heat exchanger housed in a sealed enclosure (The Cell). Although the Cell is sealed against ingress of moisture and air, the pressure inside the Cell is around the ambient atmospheric pressure and is fitted with an expansion relief valve. The Cell is insulated using vacuum insulation panels. The outer case and hydraulic connections are designed so that multiple batteries can either be stacked or positioned side by side and then connected either in series or parallel. The polypropylene container containing the heater exchanger is filled with the appropriate phase change material that is prepared in a mixing tank. Sensors and wiring are connected to the controller that sits within the overall casing. Compared with conventional PCM and water based thermal stores, the Sunamp thermal battery technology has the following advantages: a) High flow rates and power ratings (heat exchanger immersed in PCM) b) Additive to PCM and internal design of heat battery eliminates sub-cooling c) PCM Raw materials: Made from by-products of widely deployed industrial processes, non-toxic, and based on inorganic salts, which are non-flammable and with low stable commodity pricing. d) PCM costs < $0.5/kg; complete heat batteries cost under $65/kWh. e) Strong focus on corrosion and permeability (water/ oxygen ingress), resulting in confidence in long lifetime. Over 95% capacity remains after 40,000 accelerated cycles. f) Very low water content, lower water treatment costs, and additional expansion vessels not required. (90 kWh battery has only 70 Litres of water inside). g) Unlike a hot water thermal store, the aspect ratios of Sunamp Heat Battery can be changed without compromising, storage capacity, utilization efficiency and stratification. h) Over 80% of thermal energy is stored in the PCM and the PCM enclosure is at near atmospheric pressure and therefore safety devices associated with pressurised hot water stores will not be required. i) Two independent hydronic circuits, which can be combined where separate and/or simultaneous charging and discharging is not required. Compared with conventional commercial electrical storage, Sunamp have the following advantages: a) Lifespan tested for over 40.000 cycles (50 years when cycled 2 times/day). b) Sunamp batteries can be charged from multiple thermal sources including boilers, heat pumps, waste heat, electricity (grid or embedded), steam, glycol/water, thermal solar panels and recovered heat. c) At least 2.5 times cheaper than an electric battery. d) Non-flammable substances in the PCM composition. e) Non-toxic substances in the PCM composition. f) Derived from sustainable supply chains.
Key Benefits
A low carbon heating solution that can be applied in multiple stores with different sources of energy helps to maximize the usage of renewables, when available, and a better usage of the energy from the grid, reducing the peak demand. It allows heat to be produced when conditions are favorable and used on demand. It also allows stores to downsize heating equipment (electric boiler, heat pumps, gas boilers), in this case the storage is charged for a continuous period, reducing recycling operation, which improves energy efficiency, reduces capital costs, and gives resilience in cases of grid problems. When the energy usage is decoupled from the generation, more resilience is seen in the commercial side, by guarantying service offer, and in the grid side, by decompressing the grid for community benefit.
Applications
Sunamp thermal battery included in the heating solution can be applied worldwide, specially where and limited or no access to energy or wants to reduce carbon emissions. Sunamp thermal battery offers resilience and low carbon solution with an easy integration and compact way, maximizing the usage of renewables and reducing the peak demand on the grid. Thermal storage allows heat to be produced when conditions are favorable (off-peak) and used on demand, reducing carbon emissions and energy bills. The system can be built as a mobile system and is a modular solution.