Chemischthermisch

Chemischthermisch, often written chemisch-thermisch, is a term used in chemistry and energy science to describe processes in which chemical reactions are coupled to thermal effects. In these systems heat is stored during endothermic steps and released during exothermic steps via reversible reactions. The concept is central to thermochemical energy storage and related technologies such as chemical heat pumps.

Principles: Reversible chemistries store energy in chemical bonds and release heat when the reaction is reversed. Temperature, pressure, and catalysts influence direction and rate. Common media include oxide/hydroxide cycles (e.g., CaO/Ca(OH)2), metal hydrides, and various salts or clathrates. Compared with sensible or latent storage, chemischthermische storage can offer higher energy density and low self-discharge, depending on the material.

Applications: The approach is studied for solar thermal systems, district heating, and industrial process heat, aiming to smooth intermittent energy and reduce peak fuel use. Systems are designed to maximize efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness, integrating reactors and heat exchangers to cycle materials.

Challenges: Material stability, kinetics, heat transfer, safety, and cost limit deployment. Advances in durable reactants, fast cycling, and scalable hardware are active research areas. The field intersects with chemical thermodynamics, materials science, and energy policy and is often grouped with thermochemical energy storage (TCES).