The search for sustainable energy solutions has brought forward an innovative breakthrough known as the sand battery. This revolutionary sand battery stores energy by heating quartz sand to 600 ºC. The remarkable system’s operation mechanism and its future effects on the world will be explored in detail.
A groundbreaking technology uses this revolutionary sand battery to keep renewable energy as stored thermal energy.
Sand batteries use Thermal Energy Storage (TES) technology through the efficient thermal properties sandwich possesses. The procedure requires renewable power-based surplus heat to warm a sandy layer until it reaches a temperature of 600 ºC. The procedure stores this energy inside the battery, which becomes available when required to deliver sustained clean power.
The sand battery performs three essential steps between the charging, storing, and discharging phases. The sand undergoes high-temperature heating using surplus renewable energy from various sources. In the storing phase, the sand retains this heat with minimal thermal losses. The stored heat from the sand battery exits through the discharging phase by transferring energy to either air or water for purposes that can enable electricity production or industrial needs.
MGTES stands as the initial energy storage system that produces zero negative impact.
The Magaldi Green Thermal Energy Storage (MGTES) is the initial system of its type and provides zero-impact storage technology. Magaldi Group established this storage technology, which employs silica sand fluidization to store and retrieve thermal energy. The MGTES system possesses 11 worldwide patents, which protect its designs specifically intended to decrease fossil fuel dependence in energy-intensive industries.
The MGTES system offers an exceptional storage solution because it takes renewable power and generates hot steam during energy release. Industrial processes could use the steam output from the MGTES system to make it a flexible, sustainable solution when industries want to reduce their carbon footprint.
These represent the main advantages that arise from employing sand-based TES systems.
The MGTES system achieves high operational efficiency as its main benefit. The fluidized sand bed structure enables top-tier thermal diffusivity, which results in superior heat transfer speeds compared to other storage technology solutions. MGTES operates effectively to both save and release thermal energy at a high speed, making it an efficient energy storage system.
The system demonstrates high sustainability, which is among its main benefits. The MGTES system consists mostly of steel and silica sand, which are sustainable components. The system design removes all requirements for intermediate heat transfer fluids and containment vessels, which minimizes operational expenses and maintenance requirements.
Many industries have started using sand batteries to decrease CO2 emissions.
A variety of industries have already applied the MGTES system to their operations. The system operates by supplying green thermal energy to the Italian food company IGI, which supplies Ferrero Group. This application is based on the development of a 5 MW photovoltaic plant together with a 125-ton MGTES system with 13 MWh daily thermal storage capabilities.
Implementation of this system will enable IGI to slash its total energy use by 20% while cutting annual CO2 output to 1,000 tons. The MGTES system presents extensive future opportunities for various commercial applications. Small-scale to large-scale industries within various sectors, including pulp and paper, chemicals, and plastics, can implement this system. The MGTES system supplies industries with dependable and environmentally friendly thermal energy, which allows them to move toward renewable power generation systems.
The sand battery and MGTES system establishes a notable breakthrough for energy storage technologies. The heat-retaining quality of sand enables these systems to serve as an efficient renewable energy storage technology that promotes sustainable power utilization. Adopting sand batteries will be fundamental to building a sustainable future since the world seeks alternatives beyond fossil fuels.
