Material Development for Heat and Cold Storage

Fraunhofer ISE places special emphasis on the development of new materials for sensible and latent heat and cold storage and has extensive R&D infrastructure and many years of experience in this field. The aim of our research is, in particular, to increase the storage density and the long-term stability of storage materials. In addition to the development and optimization of materials, our focus is on analyzing the interactions between filler material, heat transfer fluid and tank or capsule materials.

Our R&D services include:

• Material screening of heat storage and insulation materials
•  Characterization of material properties of heat transfer media and filler materials: phase transition temperature, heat capacity, thermal conductivity, heat of fusion, flash point, viscosity, chemical composition
• Long-term stability tests of storage materials
• Investigation of outgassing and gas atmospheres in the storage tank
• Compatibility tests between fillers, working fluid and capsule or tank and tube materials

Fraunhofer ISE has particularly broad expertise in the development of sensible molten salt storage systems based on nitrate salts, which are used on an industrial scale in solar thermal power plants. In addition, we support project partners in the development of storage systems based on water, thermal oil, metal alloys and ceramic solids and measure these storage systems in our laboratories and field test sites around Freiburg or in demonstration plants directly in the application.