Lämpöakkutekniikka

Lämpöakkutekniikka, known in English as thermal battery technology, refers to systems designed to store thermal energy. These systems can be broadly categorized into sensible heat storage, latent heat storage, and thermochemical heat storage. Sensible heat storage involves raising or lowering the temperature of a material, such as water or rock, without changing its phase. Latent heat storage utilizes the heat absorbed or released during a phase change, like melting or freezing of materials such as paraffin or salt hydrates. Thermochemical heat storage employs reversible chemical reactions to store and release heat, offering potentially higher energy densities.

The primary applications of lämpöakkutekniikka include solar energy storage, building heating and cooling, and industrial waste heat recovery. In solar energy systems, thermal batteries allow for the storage of solar heat collected during the day for use at night or during cloudy periods, improving the reliability of solar power. For buildings, they can be integrated into heating and cooling systems to store energy during off-peak hours when electricity is cheaper or during periods of high solar gain, and then release it when needed. This contributes to energy efficiency and reduced operational costs.

Industrial applications involve capturing and storing waste heat generated by various processes, which can then be reused for other heating needs, thereby reducing overall energy consumption and emissions. The development of lämpöakkutekniikka is driven by the increasing demand for renewable energy integration, energy efficiency improvements, and grid stability. Research in this field focuses on developing materials with improved thermal properties, enhanced storage capacities, and longer lifecycles, as well as optimizing system designs for various applications.