VAN NUYS, Calif. -- Capstone Turbine Corp.reports that the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Argonne National Laboratory and Capstone have received funding from the DOE Technology Commercialization to refine Argonne’s high-efficiency, fast-charging and fast-discharging thermal energy storage system (TESS) for use in combined heat and power (CHP) systems.

According to Argonne Principal Investigator, Dileep Singh, "Storing thermal energy and using it during periods of high electricity pricing can result in significant cost savings. This is particularly important for process/manufacturing industries and building applications, as it reduces costs and increases energy efficiency."

The new Capstone CHP system will incorporate Argonne’s high-efficiency, fast-charging, and fast-discharging thermal energy system for waste heat recovery and reuse in projects that require process heat and industrial manufacturing environments.

The TESS system is essentially a "thermal battery" developed originally for storing heat in concentrated solar power applications. Argonne’s TESS incorporates a phase change material in a high thermal conductivity porous preform, resulting in a composite material system that has enhanced thermal performance. One of TESS’s most valuable features is its tunability for specific applications through the selection of appropriate phase change material. Additionally, TESS’s high thermal energy density results in a small footprint similar to the Capstone microturbine technology.

This new project focuses on integrating Argonne’s TESS into a Capstone C200 CHP system, specifically, using thermal modeling and simulations to optimize system design; fabricating and integrating the TESS into the C200 system; testing the performance of the integrated TESS-C200 CHP system and conducting both a technology and economic analysis to establish performance and cost benefits of the new integrated microturbine and thermal battery solution.

"There are a variety of developments that are driving the evolution of the CHP market, including new resilient on-site energy products, improvements in packaged CHP systems, new utility CHP programs, and the ability of CHP to work with other complementary technologies including battery and thermal energy storage," said Darren Jamison, Capstone’s President and Chief Executive Officer. "Cost-effective thermal energy storage will further reduce customers’ energy costs and increases overall CHP system efficiency."

Source: Capstone
Associated URL: https://www.capstoneturbine.com/news/press-releases/detail/3639/