Hercules.

 

Developing storage vessels for new storage material.

A Kraftblock high-temperature thermal energy storage system integrated with a solar and wind farm. Kraftblock as part of the HERCULES project, an R&D initiative led by the University of Twente, research new hybrid thermal storage materials powered by rene

Under the leadership of University of Twente, the HERCULES project researches thermal energy storages with a metal-oxide base storage material. Together with the partners, Kraftblock will build a thermal storage demonstrator powered by new heating elements and renewable electricity. The storage material will be a hybrid of a thermochemical material based on metal oxide and a sensible storage material. The project aims to calculate and explore the storage properties of the metal oxide-based material and design a storage system for use under pressure.

Kraftblock’s part is designing the storage, providing insulation for use above 1,000°C, and constructing the storage vessel. The technology will first be tested on a laboratory scale.

Scheme for the HERCULES project, which uses Kraftblock thermal energy storage to provide heat to both an industrial process and a district heating network. The system has distinct "Charging" and "Discharging" phases.
Table data from HERCULES project system between Kraftblock and University of Twente detailing the current carbon dioxide emissions and the potential for emission reduction across four industrial processes in the EU 27 and globally.

The project partners are:


Here, you can learn more about the technology and the project: https://project-hercules.utwente.nl/