Developing novel Thermal Energy Systems to meet global sustainability goals

Thermal Energy Storage System (TESS) refers to the technology used for efficiently capturing, storing and releasing thermal energy for practical use. A TESS offers numerous advantages in terms of flexibility, energy management, cost-effectiveness, and environmental sustainability by seamlessly integrating renewable energy sources. The system optimizes the use of energy resources while addressing the temporal gap between energy production and consumption. It achieves this by allowing the storage of excess thermal energy generated from diverse sources during periods of low demand and increased availability. This stored energy can be later used during peak demand periods, in the absence of the primary energy source, or whenever it's needed.

Thermo-Chemical Materials (TCM) are a type of materials that have the ability to undergo reversible chemical reactions or sorption processes to absorb and release heat energy. A primary advantage of TCMs is their capacity to store and release large amounts of energy in a compact and efficient manner. These characteristics make them ideal for thermo-chemical storage systems, also known as high-energy-density TESS, that rely on storing and releasing energy through chemical reactions or sorption processes. Common examples of TCM include zeolites, aluminophosphates, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), salt hydrates, hydroxides, and hydrides.

Phase-Change Materials (PCMs) are a class of substances with the capacity to absorb or release significant amounts of latent heat through a change in their physical state. PCMs are used across various industries to enhance energy efficiency and thermal performance. For TESS applications, the most prevalent type of PCMs employed are Solid-Liquid, because of their high heat storage density. Solid-Solid PCMs also offer various advantages for TESS, such as maintaining solid properties both below and above the phase transition, avoiding leakage concerns, displaying smaller volume changes, and being easier to handle.

The Muspell project started in October 2023, and is planned to run over a 4-year timeframe.

The Muspell project aims to pioneer an advanced mid-to-long term TESS for medium temperatures, with embedded heat-pump capabilities, promising increased efficiency in both thermal energy storage and usage processes. Designed to be compact, adaptable, and modular, the innovative TESS will harness the potential of novel Thermo-Chemical-Materials (TCM) and Phase-Change-Materials (PCM), ensuring increased energy density and thermal conductivity. The Muspell TESS will revolutionise various industries, particularly energy-intensive sectors, facilitating the effective capture, storage, and utilisation of waste heat generated in industrial processes.

The Muspell Consortium comprises 6 members with extensive experience in various disciplines:
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Eurac Research serves as the Coordinator of the Muspell project, while also handling the modeling part of the TESS utilisation within industrial processes and the broader energy system.
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The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems collaborates closely with Swisspod Technologies to develop the TESS prototype and run benchmark testing of the novel system.
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The National Institute of Chemistry in Slovenia and Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya will lead material research activities, concentrating on the development of novel Thermo-Chemical Materials (TCMs) and Phase-Change Materials (PCMs), respectively.
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Politecnico di Milano, in collaboration with Eurac Research and Swisspod Technologies, conducts interviews and gathers market insights on TESS application scenarios, while analysing the system's integration into a broader ecosystem.
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Swisspod Technologies, as the commercialisation partner, provides guidance in business development, and devises strategies to facilitate a seamless transition and successful market implementation of the technology, ensuring continuous development beyond the project's scope.

The Muspell project has received a €3.5M Pathfinder grant by the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation (SERI).

The Muspell TESS aims to overcome several limitations current TCM-based TESS have, such as the specific temperature range for effective heat release. In this case, the flexibility is increased by incorporating a PCM heat storage which acts as a mediator between the constant power output of the TCM module and the heat demand profile of the supplied process. Moreover, the overall power of the Muspell TESS is enhanced through the adoption of an innovative modular flat plate-heat exchanger (HX) design. This design tackles primary dynamic limitations by maximising the TCM-HX contact area and minimising conductive lengths.
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A significant emphasis within the project is placed on material research and development. The goal is to increase energy density and thermal conductivity compared to current TESS, prioritising the use of non-critical raw materials and ensuring a sustainable material life-cycle and sourcing.
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Nevertheless, compared with conventional TESS, the Muspell solution concentrates on Solid-Solid PCMs, instead of Solid-Liquid PCMs. Although this group of materials may have reduced latent heat, it brings forth several advantages for developing an efficient TESS, including the avoidance of leakage problems, minimal volume changes, and ease of handling.

The Muspell TESS will have an important impact over energy-intensive industries, such as manufacturing, textile, food processing, construction materials, transportation, energy and environmental services areas, where as much as 50% of industrial energy consumption is typically released as waste heat. Based on the estimated temperature operational range, this solution aims to efficiently use approx. 20% of this waste heat for in-house or off-site use, meeting the heat demand for industrial and district heating systems.
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Additionally, Muspell TESS will contribute to revolutionising the transportation sector, catalysing progress in the development of the technology for hyperloop, a new mode of transportation capable of achieving supersonic speeds with zero direct CO2 emissions. The novel TESS tackles the complex issues of managing waste heat during hyperloop operations, a critical aspect in the context of a low-pressure environment.

Anyone interested in receiving the latest updates and news about the Muspell project should regularly visit the Muspell project's website or follow Muspell project's social media channels. All relevant information, including project status, ongoing development, research studies, and achieved results, will be consistently published and updated on the above mentioned sources, to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date source of information.
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The Muspell project aligns with several of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). As a mid-to-long-term thermal storage which works at medium temperatures, the Muspell TESS will sustain the access to clean energy in urban and rural areas (SDG 7). This would ultimately enhance citizens’ commitment to clean energy and sustainability and reduce cities’ carbon footprint (SDG 11). As a 2-in-1 thermal storage and heat pump, in an industrial scenario, Muspell TESS contributes to innovative infrastructure and clean investments (SDG 9). Finally, thanks to the circular-driven and sustainability-oriented materials research and TESS manufacturing, the consortium supports SDG 12 by assuring responsible sourcing and production.