Swedish research team develops MOST emissions-free energy storage system

A research team at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden has made great strides in developing a specially designed molecule that can store energy from the sun in the summer and use it in the winter. These developments have been released this year. Published in a scientific paper, the most recent one published in the highly ranked "Energy" magazine.

This isomer can store energy for later use in energy – for example, at night or in winter. It is liquid and suitable for solar systems, and the researchers named it MOST (Molecular Solar Thermal Storage) Just last year, the research team made great progress in the development of MOST.

'The energy in this isomer can now be stored for up to 18 years,' said Professor Kasper Moth-Poulsen, professor of chemical and chemical engineering. 'When we extract energy and use it, we get more calories than we would like.'

The research team has developed a catalyst to control the release of stored energy. The catalyst acts as a filter through which the liquid flows, producing a reaction that raises the temperature of the liquid by 63 degrees Celsius. If the liquid passes through the filter, the temperature is 20 °C, then the temperature from the other side is 83 ° C. At the same time, it restores the molecule to its original shape, so that it can be reused in the heating system.

The energy system MOST works in a circular manner - no emissions at all, and does not damage the molecules carrying energy. (Illustration: Yen Strandqvist)

During the same period, researchers also learned to improve the design of molecules to improve their storage capacity, allowing isomers to store up to 18 years of energy. This is a key improvement because the project focuses on chemical energy storage. .

In addition, the system previously relied on a liquid consisting partly of toluene, a flammable chemical. But researchers have now found a way to remove potentially dangerous toluene, but only use energy storage molecules.

In summary, these advances mean that the energy system now mostly works in a cyclical manner. First, the liquid gets its energy from the sunlight through a solar thermal collector on the roof. It is then stored at room temperature for minimal energy loss. When energy is needed, it can heat the liquid through the catalyst. It is envisaged that this heat can be applied to the home heating system, after which the liquid can be sent back to the roof to collect more energy – no emissions at all, and no damage molecule.

Casper added: 'We have made a lot of key advances recently. Today we have a non-emission energy system that works all year round.'

The solar thermal collector is a concave reflector with a duct in the center. It tracks the path of the sun through the sky and works as a satellite antenna, focusing the sun's rays onto the point where the liquid passes through the pipe. It is even possible to add an additional pipe and Normal water combines to heat the water.

The next step for the researchers is to combine everything together to form a coherent system. Casper believes that the team is satisfied with the storage capabilities, but can extract more energy. He hopes the research team can be short-term. Achieve a temperature rise of at least 110 degrees Celsius, and believe that this technology may be put into commercial use within 10 years.

The study was funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundations and the Swedish Strategic Research Foundation.