IP Library Granted Patent US 12693078
Granted Patent B2
US 12693078 · App. 17/960,520 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

High enthalpy thermochemical energy storage materials

Inventors: Patrick A. Ward (Aiken, SC); Simona H. Murph (Augusta, SC); Henry T. Sessions, Jr. (Aiken, SC)
Assignee: Battelle Savannah River Alliance, LLC
F28D20/003C09K5/16F25B17/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12693078
App. No.
17/960,520
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed are thermochemical energy storage materials that exhibit high enthalpy of reaction for an exothermic hydrogenation reaction at high temperature reaction conditions. Disclosed materials include titanium-aluminum-vanadium based alloys that can undergo high temperature reversible hydrogenation/dehydrogenation reactions. The materials include aluminum and vanadium in conjunction with titanium in amounts designed to encourage the high enthalpy of reaction and are substantially free of materials that would lower the enthalpy of reaction.

Claims (14)

1 . A thermochemical energy storage system comprising:

a hydrogen source;

a thermochemical energy storage material in fluid communication with the hydrogen source, the thermochemical energy storage material including a metal alloy comprising titanium in an amount of from about 50 wt. % to about 99.8 wt. %, aluminum in an amount of from about 0.1 wt. % to about 25 wt. %, and vanadium in an amount of from about 0.1 wt. % to about 25 wt. %, wherein the thermochemical energy storage material is substantially free of iron, cobalt, and manganese; and

a heat transfer fluid in thermal communication with the thermochemical energy storage material;

wherein the metal alloy is configured to undergo a reversible hydrogenation reaction at a temperature of about 500° C. or greater.

2 . The thermochemical energy storage system of claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises water, steam, supercritical carbon dioxide, hydrogen gas, helium gas, molten salts, molten metals, or any combination thereof.

3 . The thermochemical energy storage system of claim 1 , wherein the thermochemical energy storage material comprises one or more additives.

4 . The thermochemical energy storage system of claim 1 , wherein the thermochemical energy storage material is in the form of an additively manufactured porous structure.

5 . The thermochemical energy storage system of claim 4 , wherein the thermochemical energy storage material has been manufactured on a surface of the system.

6 . The thermochemical energy storage system of claim 5 , wherein the surface of the system is configured to transfer heat from the thermochemical energy storage material to the heat transfer fluid.

7 . The thermochemical energy storage system of claim 1 , wherein the thermochemical energy storage material is in the form of a fluid bed.

8 . A dual-bed hydride reactor comprising the thermochemical energy storage system of claim 1 , the reactor comprising a low enthalpy metal hydride bed, and a hydrogen cycling system between the low enthalpy metal hydride bed and the thermochemical energy storage system of claim 1 such that the hydrogen source comprises the low temperature metal hydride bed.

9 . The dual bed hydride reactor of claim 8 , wherein the heat transfer fluid is in communication with an electricity generation system.

10 . The thermochemical energy storage system of claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy is configured to undergo a reversible hydrogenation reaction at a temperature of about 600° C. or greater.