Thermal Energy Storage - ERA
Thermal energy, both hot and cold, is one of the major energy challenges. Heating and cooling in our buildings and infrastructure accounts for more than half of our total energy consumption and is set to grow dramatically over the next 15 years. Energy consumption for cooling is projected to exceed heating within 40 years, yet 84% of heating and cooling is still generated by the burning of fossil fuels
The provision of cold, or cooling, is integral to modern society; without it, the supply of food, medicine and data would simply break down. Yet cooling currently consumes large amounts of energy and causes a great deal of pollution.
Thermal Energy at Birmingham Energy Institute
In order to meet our climate and energy goals we must sharply reduce the energy we consume for thermal loads and specifically move away from the use of fossil fuels. The key now is to engage UK industry as customers and collaborators to drive innovation in the global supply chain.
Our research into Thermal Energy Storage aims to provide a balance between energy demand and supply and utilise the waste heat generated through various applications; including energy produced from energy generation or industrial processes.
Supporting Infrastructure
Supporting Infrastructure
The Energy Research Accelerator (ERA) is working to support thermal and cryogenic research and is both investing in and utilising a number of facilities. These include:
Highview Liquid Air Energy Storage Facility
The UK’s first dedicated research facility for energy storage using cryogenic liquids, opened at the University of Birmingham in 2015. The technology can integrate waste heat or cold from industrial processes to increase the system’s overall efficiency to over 70%.
This facility, which is also used for ERA funded research, has the potential to transform future energy systems, reducing the costs of integrating intermittent generation into the electricity system and ensuring power is available when it is most needed.
Manufacturing Technology Centre
The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) develops and proves innovative manufacturing processes and technologies in partnership with industry, academia and other institutions. The MTC is working with ERA on the ‘Factory in a Box’ concept, which will allow manufacturers of energy products to have a British technology solution delivered to their doorstep. The mobile factories will use smart sensors, super-fast broadband and big data to measure and control production processes remotely.
Thermal Technologies Laboratory
The Thermal Technologies Laboratory is being enhanced by the provision of further test equipment and data logging facilities. New in-house manufacturing capability is also being provided by the purchase of micro-TIG welding systems and a laser cutter to allow rapid proto-typing of the bespoke heat-exchangers being developed. New thermal baths will extend the ability to test thermal systems that require controlled heating and cooling.
Thermal Testbeds
ERA is supporting Loughborough University to enhance existing thermal characterisation facilities and provide testbeds to evaluate thermal storage system performance. Facilities will also support the development of new high performance insulation and building façade systems. The university is also establishing a cryogenic engine test facility to support the development of Cold Engine Technology.
ITEMA
ITEMA
International Thermal Energy Manufacturing Research Accelerator (ITEMA)
The University of Birmingham and Loughborough University are entering into an exciting collaboration with the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) to develop the International Thermal Energy Manufacturing Research Accelerator (ITEMA); co-funded by Government, industry and the universities themselves.
ITEMA will be leveraging Industy 4.0, and other novel manufacturing approaches with aim of scaling up and modularising the production of technologies that will improve the efficiency of thermal energy systems.
What is Industry 4.0?
Industry 4.0 has been heralded as the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ and promises to transform the way we manufacture products; improving productivity and competitive advantage. It aims to leverage digital technologies to create cyber-physical systems and informatics to create ‘Smart Factories’ of the future.
Cyber physical systems sense and monitor physical processes using the ‘Internet of Things’, to create a virtual copy of the physical world and make decentralised decisions based on comparing data on manufactured output to the specifications within the virtual model. Cyber physical systems provide automation, but are also designed to work with humans where there input to the manufacturing process is required.
What is Factory in a Box?
The 'Factory in a Box' concept will allow manufacturers globally, which are missing key components from local suppliers, to soon have a British technology solution delivered to their doorstep.
The mobile factories, which can be shipped in a container, will use next generation Industry 4.0 technology, such as smart sensors, super-fast broadband and big data to measure and control production processes remotely. T-ERA and the MTC believe this will reduce the significant expense of setting up stand-alone production facilities, while also giving UK companies the opportunity to establish manufacturing footprints in new markets relatively quickly. Factory in a Box could also be the answer to increasing the UK's ability to commercialise the R&D it has developed, offering greater speed to market and flexible production opportunities.