Lämpövarausjärjestelmä

Lämpövarausjärjestelmä, often translated as thermal storage system, is a technology designed to store thermal energy for later use. This energy can be in the form of heat or cold. The primary goal is to capture energy when it is abundant or inexpensive and release it when demand is high or when conventional energy sources are unavailable or costly.

There are several types of thermal storage systems. Sensible heat storage is the most common, where heat is stored by raising the temperature of a storage medium. Common materials for sensible heat storage include water, rocks, or concrete. Latent heat storage utilizes the phase change of materials, such as melting or freezing, to absorb or release large amounts of thermal energy at a relatively constant temperature. Phase change materials (PCMs) are often used for this purpose. Thermochemical storage involves reversible chemical reactions that store and release heat.

Applications for lämpövarausjärjestelmä are diverse. In buildings, they can be used to store solar heat collected during the day for nighttime heating, or to store off-peak electricity in the form of heat for use during peak hours, thereby reducing electricity bills and grid strain. Industrial processes can benefit from storing waste heat generated during production for reuse, improving energy efficiency. Seasonal thermal energy storage allows large quantities of heat to be stored during the summer for use in winter. These systems contribute to energy management, renewable energy integration, and greenhouse gas emission reduction.