Thermal

We store energy on site and above-ground for a 24/7 uninterrupted service using our MW-scale thermodynamic energy storage modules. We use electricity to power a heat pump and store the heat at 500°C (932°F) in low cost materials. The heat pump then becomes a heat engine to convert the heat back into electricity when it's needed

Well beyond today's maximum operation temperatures of ~1000ºC, Amadeus isl synthetizing new phase change materials (PCMs) with latent heat in the range of 2-4 MJ/kg (an order of magnitude greater than that of typical salt-based PCMs), developing advanced thermal insulation and PCM casing designs, along with novel solid-state heat to power conversion technologies able to operate at temperatures up to 2000ºC. Using these new materials and devices, we aim at realizing the proof of concept of a new kind of extremely compact LHTES device with unprecedented high energy density. The key enabling technologies are: novel PCMs based on the silicon-boron system with ultra-high melting temperature and latent heat, novel refractory lining composites based on carbides, nitrides and oxides for the PCM container walls, advanced thermally insulated PCM casing for ultra-high temperature operation, and novel solid-state heat-to-power converters based on photovoltaic and thermionic effects. In this regard, we will perform the proof of concept of a new kind of hybrid thermionic-photovoltaic (TIPV) device that has been recently formulated theoretically. TIPV cells combine the ionic and photovoltaic phenomena to convert high temperature heat directly into electricity at very high power rates.

The Antora Energy team will develop a thermal energy storage system that contains thermal energy in inexpensive carbon blocks. To charge the battery, power from the grid will heat the blocks to temperatures exceeding 2000 °C. To discharge, the hot blocks are exposed to thermophotovoltaic panels that are similar to traditional solar panels but specifically designed to efficiently use the heat radiated by the blocks. The team will seek to double panel efficiency through new
materials and smart system design, allowing such a concept to be used cost effectively as a grid storage solution.