lämpövarastointikapasiteetti

Lämpövarastointikapasiteetti, or thermal storage capacity in English, refers to the amount of thermal energy that a material or system can store. This property is crucial in various applications, from building insulation and solar energy systems to industrial processes and thermal management of electronic devices.

The heat storage capacity of a substance is primarily determined by its specific heat capacity and its mass. Specific heat capacity is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one unit of mass of a substance by one degree Celsius. Materials with high specific heat capacity, such as water or certain phase-change materials, can store more thermal energy for a given temperature change and mass compared to materials with lower specific heat capacities, like air or most metals.

In practical terms, thermal storage capacity allows for the decoupling of energy supply and demand. For example, in solar thermal systems, excess solar energy collected during the day can be stored in a thermal storage medium and then released during the night or on cloudy days to provide heat. Similarly, in buildings, materials with high thermal storage capacity can absorb heat during the day and release it at night, helping to regulate indoor temperature and reduce the need for active heating or cooling. The effectiveness of thermal storage is also influenced by factors like the temperature range over which storage occurs and the rate at which heat can be charged and discharged from the storage medium.