PCM-STORE gathers dairies, fish industries, food processing plants, supermarkets, technology suppliers and power grid operators to work towards a common goal: Solving energy storage challenges in support of a more energy-efficient industrial future.
More renewable energy means a more variable electricity grid, hastening the need to develop more energy-efficient industry. Better energy storage solutions can reduce peak power demands for intermittent processes, facilitate load shifting, and hedge against any shortage in energy supply. Compared to traditional electricity storage, thermal energy storage (TES) stores large amounts of thermal energy at both low- and high temperatures more efficiently and at much lower cost. Although highly relevant for Norwegian food industries, the competence on cold TES (CTES) is still limited in Norway.
To meet this challenge, PCM-STORE will develop low-temperature TES systems based on phase change materials (PCM) for industrial cooling and freezing processes. Three case studies representing different temperature ranges are identified as potential candidates for implementation of PCM-CTES: industrial batch freezing processes, cold storage in food processes, and refrigerated display cabinets.
Application of PCMs requires a thorough understanding of limiting phenomena such as supercooling, low thermal conductivity, phase separation and low heat transfer rate. PCM-STORE will combine detailed numerical modelling of these phenomena, dynamic system modelling of the PCM-CTES units integrated in selected industrial applications, experimental validation of the models as well as lab-scale pilot demonstrations.
Industrial partners are at the heart of PCM-STORE. Utilization of PCM-CTES will enable partner industries to cover their peak cooling while reducing peak power demands, increase cooling capacity, and decrease food waste. This will reduce both operational and investment costs, leading to a more sustainable Norwegian industry.