Wärmespeicher

Wärmespeicher, also known as thermal energy storage (TES), refers to systems and technologies designed to store thermal energy for later use. This stored heat can be generated from various sources, including solar thermal collectors, waste heat from industrial processes, or electricity generated from renewable sources. The primary goal ofwärmespeicher is to decouple the availability of heat from its demand, allowing for more efficient energy utilization and improved grid stability.

There are several types of Wärmespeicher, categorized by their operating temperature range and storage medium. Sensible heat storage systems utilize materials whose temperature changes when heat is added or removed. Common materials include water, rocks, and concrete. Latent heat storage systems store energy by changing the phase of a material, such as melting or freezing. This phase change occurs at a constant temperature, allowing for higher energy density storage. Thermochemical storage systems involve reversible chemical reactions to store and release heat.

Applications of Wärmespeicher are diverse. In buildings, they can be used to store heat from solar collectors for space heating and hot water. In industrial settings, they help recover waste heat, reducing the need for primary energy. On a larger scale, they can be integrated with power generation facilities to store excess electricity as heat, which can then be converted back to electricity when needed, smoothing out the intermittency of renewable energy sources like wind and solar. The development of efficient and cost-effective Wärmespeicher is considered a key factor in the transition to a more sustainable energy system.