Sand - Super Efficient Thermal Storage System for any Community

Stravinsk

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I've been hearing about this from a few different sources currently a sort of abuzz on the internet.

Sand/Dirt is a super cheap resource that can be used to store a vast amount of thermal energy.

A Finish Team - Polar Night Energy - has developed a system to store heat at 600-1000 C
for months at a time using mostly just pipes and sand.

Why this is important:

Heat is a resource needed all over the world in winter months. Most often this is produced by factories burning
various materials to produce electricity to produce heat, or by pumping natural gas into people's homes. In short,
a large amount of resources are used to provide heat energy to communities that need it during the colder months.

The "Sand Battery Thermal Storage System" is able to store large amounts of heat (up to 1000 C) for months and months
at a time. The heat itself can be generated with renewable energy like solar and wind during productive (sunny and windy) times. Currently
storage of this energy when it is not needed is a problem. As space heating for homes and businesses on demand constitutes a large
energy output, having an efficient thermal storage system in place reduces overheads for any community.

The system is so simple that it can literally be taken up anywhere, by any community that needs it using existing and readily available materials
(mostly, pipes and sand).

 

Lamb

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Well now, that's a neat concept!!
 

tango

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Interesting, it looks rather like a twist on geothermal but potentially without the need for all the fancy electronics?
 

Nazareth

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I think it's why underground houses, ''bunkers', are getting a lot of attention now.

Add something like the GENERAC natural gas generator, and a family is set in a natural disaster as long as natural gas feeds the generator. Heat,AC, lights,etc...

10 Underground Homes That are Crazy Cool

I know folks who have considered repurposing giant abandoned storage tanks for such things.

Burying them in sand or on high ground.

Even caves are a thing now.
 

Lamb

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I think it's why underground houses, ''bunkers', are getting a lot of attention now.

Add something like the GENERAC natural gas generator, and a family is set in a natural disaster as long as natural gas feeds the generator. Heat,AC, lights,etc...

10 Underground Homes That are Crazy Cool

I know folks who have considered repurposing giant abandoned storage tanks for such things.

Burying them in sand or on high ground.

Even caves are a thing now.

We have a Generac generator and it's really loud when it comes on.
 

Nazareth

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We have a Generac generator and it's really loud when it comes on.
That's not something they tell you in their commercials. 🤔😟
 

Stravinsk

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Inspired by the concept, I decided to have a go modifying my little space heating unit.

Basically this consists of an * iron pot (about 12 inches high and 12 inches in diameter), filled with sand, and a smaller pot to rest inside it. The smaller pot is filled (partially) with pure alcohol and has a grate resting on it for charcoal. Above this is a terracotta pot fixed with a steel bolt in the middle on which several other large, fat washers rest. These serve to retain heat from the burning alcohol and charcoal.

Taking the temperature measurement of just the sand (after the alcohol has burned and the charcoal is moved off the grate into the smaller pot) I am able to keep it (the sand) well above 120 C. This may not sound so impressive, but I do not have pipes running through the sand and the large pot filled with sand is not insulated and the total area (12 X 12 inches) quite small. Still, the sand retains heat very well, leaking out slowly to help heat the space.

Obviously, a much larger area, pipes as per the design and insulation would yield much high temperatures without leakage for thermal storage. I think it's an awesome idea that nearly any local community could put to good use for overall energy savings.

* The pot rests on several tiles to prevent burning/scaring the underneath surface.
 
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