Energy Carriers
The concept of an Energy Carrier is a material that may be used as a storage media that contains potential energy
that may be released on demand.
A wide variety of materials may perform this task but some materials are more desirable than others.
Some of the criteria that impact or determine the choice of a preferred storage media may be related to the
storage and transportation requirements, the degradation or duration of time the storage media may maintain its integrity
and total energy density that may be held within the storage material.
The procedure required to retrieve the stored energy is also a key factor.
Understanding the round trip efficiency in creating or charging the storage media and
the conversion back into the desired form of useable energy,
along with the associated losses, impact the overall economics of the chosen storage material.
Exothermic Element Storage
Exothermic Element Storage is a novel concept designed to address longer term energy storage issues.
The simple overview of Exothermic Element Storage is the conversion of selected energy carrier materials into
stable ambient friendly forms for long term storage or transportation as a portable fuel source.
As, and when, required the carrier material may be converted into energy in the form of
heat
or electricity through an Exothermic process.
There exists options for a number of candidate carrier materials that may be selected.
One such example of a prospective ideal carrier is Calcium or Lime.
This material may be packaged and stored for an indefinite period of time in ambient stable conditions.
The material may be transported as common non-hazardous goods.
Once the Exothermic energy has been extracted the end products may be regenerated to start the cycle again.
The recovery of brine concentrates may provide a source of
Mineral Salts
that may be used as an energy carrier.
Chemical hydrides may be produced with an alkaline
electrolyser.
Hydroxide Energy Conversion
NaOH - Sodium Hydroxide (caustic Soda)
CaOH2 - Calcium Hydroxide
KOH - Potassium Hydroxide
LiOH - Lithium Hydroxide
MgOH2 - Magnesium Hydroxide
The opportunity to use Mineral salts or Metal Hydroxides provides multiple options to take advantage of earth abundant elements as
carriers for stable ambient energy storage.
Hydroxides have a unique capability to assist in the CO2 capture process and the temporary sequestration in the form of carbonates.
The conversion of Hydroxides into carbonates is an exothermic reaction.
Hydroxides have a natural affinity to absorb CO2 from an air or gas flow, exposing, directing or concentrating a flow of
Carbon Dioxide into a Hydroxide medium bed may facilitate the reaction into a carbonate.
Zeolite Energy Cycle
Zeolites are a family of microporous, crystalline
aluminosilicate
based materials commonly used as an Ion exchange resin, nano filters, molecular sieves or as a
absorbent media & catalyst.
Zeolite - does not dissolve in water and does not oxidize in air which give these materials a unique set of use case properties.
Zeolites occurs in over 40 natural flavors and over 200 synthetic engineered flavors.
When dehydrated (dry) Zeolites are hydrated (water is added), it results in an extremely exothermic reaction that generates
sufficient
heat
to convert
water
into steam.
The reaction is fully reversible and the saturated Zeolites may be dried (dehydrated) in preparation to be
regenerated to complete the energy cycle.
Solar Thermal
energy is one option to provide the heat required to dry the regenerated Zeolite.
Metal Oxidation Fuels
Harnessing the exothermic energy released from the oxidation of solid fuels derived from fine metal particulate
is commonly referred to as
Metal Combustion
or Burning Metals.
The rapid oxidization of materials in an induced REDOX reaction may produce high temperature process heat or
be used as a source for electricity generation and has the potential of harnessing the intense
Thermal Luminescence.
The Recovery 2.0 system provides compatible access to pressurized oxygen injection and along with the implementation of a
rapid ignition system that spawns a short cycle regeneration, Metal Oxidation Fuels may be a desirable option.
The conservation of fuels is made possible by displacement reactions based on a strategic multi-stage oxidation sequence
that takes advantage of the natural flow of the
reactivity series.
This cycle combines oxidation/reduction and displacement and also the use of highly water reactive materials.
Select scrap metal particles may provide a carbon free fuel option as an energy carrier source that is
storable, transportable and convertible on demand.
Scrap materials such as fine wires, turnings and borings or waste powders, dusts and particulate residues may be ideal
as feedstocks for use as Metal Oxidation Fuels.
The oxidation of
certain
metals presents the opportunity to harness energy.
The
range
between uncontrolled rapid combustion (thermal runaway) and slow organic oxidation, layers the opportunity
to develop harvesting
mechanisms
that may extract Heat and/or Electricity.
The use of oxy-combustion in the form of wet or dry combustion or versions of metal/air or flow
batteries
may provide
untapped energy generation sources.
Metal oxidation in a steam reactor may be a reliable carbon-free method to generate Hydrogen (H2)
as large volume harvestable outputs.
The use of
Hydrogen Reactants
as a reduction agent to recover oxides, ores and
Residual Materials
may be a fundamental key to a sustainable circular economy.
A contained or closed loop may allow for the implementation of a regeneration cycle to act as
a continuum for metal reduction and recovery.
One method that may be used to reduce oxides and purify certain metals is an oxidation displacement process.
This approach may prove to be a clean energy path to achieve efficient refining.
Solid Carbon Energy Storage
The use of solid carbon as a means of energy storage is a straightforward concept that largely hinges on two evolving key factors,
the adoption of a
closed loop
carbon oxidization cycle and the advancement of
CO2 splitting
technologies.
Recovered solid carbon is a main component in the output from the
solid waste
Recovery 2.0 process.
The benefits of utilizing solid carbon as a method for energy storage is that it may be stored at ambient temperature
for an indefinite period of time and it retains its energy potential.
Carbon Oxidization Cycle
The closed or restricted loop carbon oxidization cycle is a system that employs the controlled oxidation of recovered carbon solids
in an Oxidation Displacement or Oxy Combustion
Reactor
or alternatively a direct carbon
Fuel Cell
to oxidize the carbon.
The Carbon Dioxide emissions are routed into a confined system that utilizes CO2 as a
working fluid.
The Exothermic energy generated by the carbon oxidization is directed through a turbo expander to produce electricity.
The excess CO2 created in the oxidation reaction is harvested to feed the
CO2 splitting
module to produce Oxygen and Solid Carbon.
The solid carbon and oxygen may be accumulated as a bank of energy storage or the output may be sold as industrial products.
When electricity is required, upon demand, the stored carbon and oxygen may be
fed into the oxidation process to begin the cycle once more.
CO2 Energy Cycle
The use of CO2 as a
working fluid
in a closed pipeline provides the ability to generate electricity on demand from harvested or stored energy sources.
The CO2 Energy Cycle is compressor driven and may use any available electricity source to charge a
Pumped Heat Energy Storage system.
The CO2 Energy Cycle is compatible to operate with the Solid
Carbon Energy Storage
system flow.
Endothermic Reactions
The breaking of molecular bonds is an Endothermic Reaction that absorbs heat from the surroundings
which results in a cooling effect.
Harnessing this temperate thermal bond activation energy is an area of great interest in the potential development of a cold side
temperature gradient.
The reduction of many common materials result in the interim production of individual elements, that exist in an unstable state, and
that immediately attempt to reform into any available molecular bond to achieve equilibrium.
The creation of these molecular bonds are
exothermic
in nature and releases heat into the surroundings.
Energy Storage
- Battery Banks
- Thermal Energy Storage
- Compressed Air Storage
- Exothermic Element Storage
Short Cycle Regeneration
- Hydro Energy
- Wind Energy
- Gravity Energy
- Gradient Energy
Energy Sources
- Solar
- Electricity
- Waste Heat
- Optional Sidestreams
Understanding Energy & Recovery
- Energy as a Commodity
- Recovered Energy
