Researchers have developed a heat storage unit that takes up less space than a regular hot water tank.
Researchers have developed a heat storage unit that takes up less space than a regular hot water tank. It charges when electricity is cheap and releases heat when needed.
Heat pumps are becoming increasingly common in private homes. But storing the heat they produce has not been possible – until now. SINTEF and Swiss company COWA Thermal Solutions researchers are collaborating on the solution.
“Think of it as a thermal battery, which stores the heat from the heat pump and can be used later. In practice, this means that people get more energy out of the stored heat. It becomes easier and more comfortable to use, and the energy is also used in a smarter way,” says Galina Simonsen, a senior research scientist at SINTEF.
Simonsen is a member of the team that has developed the new thermal batteries.
Read More: Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Image: You may have this very common substance in your kitchen cupboard. Now it plays the main role in a new system for heat storage. Researcher Galina Simonsen (pictured) believes the solution could also be very useful in private homes. (Photo Credit: SINTEF)
