Terrafore Technologies, LLC products

Terrafore reduced the cost of storing thermal energy by developing a cascaded Encapsulated Phase Change material (EPCM) Thermal Energy Storage (TES), towards meeting the Department of Energy’s SunShot cost goal of $15 per kWh for thermal storage. With funding from the Department of Energy, Terrafore successfully solved the energy storage problem using phase change salts which increased the energy density by 50% thus reducing the amount of salt required to store energy. To achieve this, Terrafore, working with Southwest Research Institute, broke through the technology barrier to successfully create an open space in the capsules so that solid salt can expand when it melts. Making capsules with phase change materials melting at high temperatures has never been done before. By using a single tank packed with three different types of salt- capsules, they reduced the container size by 50%.

Storing thermal energy using a thermal-stratification method can reduce the cost of thermal storage. This method is commonly referred to as dual-media thermocline thermal energy storage. Terrafore’s TerraKline thermal storage solution uses a single tank packed with granite particles and the volume between the particles filled with a fluid such as molten salt or oil. It involves using the concept of thermocline which is created when heat from the thermal charge results in a hot fluid layer on top of a cold layer.