Develops ceramic high-temperature energy storage systems (Carnot Batteries) and converts power plants into storage power plants.
Carbon-Clean Technologies GmbH
Cologne (Widdersdorfer Str. 217a) · Cologne (Im Zollhafen 24)New on Amplifa
About carbonclean
Carbon-Clean Technologies GmbH from Cologne develops ceramic-based thermal high-temperature energy storage systems marketed as the Carnot Battery. An electric heater heats air to 900 to 1200 °C; the hot air transfers the energy in a refractory high-temperature vessel to a ceramic bed, from which the heat is fed back as needed via a hot air flow into the thermodynamic cycle of a steam power plant. The technology is based on the principle of the Cowper hot-blast stove from the steel industry and is scalable to an industrial scale of over 1,000 MWh. Computer-based simulation models have been developed for all steps of charging and discharging, tested and patented at a pilot plant in the SAFR project at TU Darmstadt. Application fields are the conversion (retrofit and 2nd Life) of coal-fired, heating and waste-to-energy power plants into storage power plants as well as CO2-free heat supply via Power-to-Heat. Target groups are energy suppliers, municipal utilities and power plant operators.
- Site
- Köln
- Processes
- Development of thermal high-temperature energy storage systems (Carnot Battery) with, Retrofit/conversion of power plants (coal-fired, waste-to-energy power plants) into thermal storage, Electric heating of air to 900–1200 °C (Power-to-Heat) and thermal storage in, Thermal high-temperature energy storage (Carnot Battery), Conversion/retrofit of power plants into storage power plants (2nd Life), Power-to-Heat / CO2-free heat supply, Technology development with computer-based simulation models
- Materials
- Ceramics (high-temperature/refractory ceramics, ceramic bed), Steel (steel construction structures, refractory high-temperature vessel), Air (working medium/hot air), High-temperature ceramics, Steel, Power-to-Heat (electric heater)
- Certificates
- Patents for storage technology
- Industries
- Energy supply, Power plant operators (coal-fired, heating and waste-to-energy power plants), Municipal utilities, Renewable energies
- 01
Engineering and simulation (Chair of Energy Systems and Energy Technology, TU
- 02
Development of electric heaters (air heaters up to 1200 °C)
- 03
Design of refractory high-temperature vessels with ceramic bed
- 04
Pilot plant and testing (SAFR project)
- 05
Retrofit/integration into power plant processes
- 06
Provision of heat and electricity (sector coupling)
Technology & Materials
High-temperature ceramics
Ceramic bed as the storage medium of the packed-bed storage system in the refractory vessel.
Steel
Steel construction structures and refractory high-temperature vessel of the storage system.
Power-to-Heat (electric heater)
Electric air heater heats air to 900–1200 °C to store the thermal energy.
Locations
Cologne (Widdersdorfer Str. 217a)
DEHeadquarters/Office
Cologne (Im Zollhafen 24)
DEOffice
Systems & Applications
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Development of thermal high-temperature energy storage systems (Carnot Battery) withEngineering | – | – | – | – | Ceramics, Steel |
| Retrofit/conversion of power plants (coal-fired, waste-to-energy power plants) into thermal storageEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Electric heating of air to 900–1200 °C (Power-to-Heat) and thermal storage inOther | – | – | – | – | Ceramics |
2 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric heater (air heater up to 1200 °C, component of the Carnot Battery) | – | – | – | – | – |
| High-temperature packed-bed storage system (refractory vessel with ceramic bed, scalable to over | Carbon-Clean Technologies GmbH | – | – | – | Pilot plant University of Darmstadt (SAFR project) |
Additional services
Quality & Research
The simulation models for charging, storage and discharging were developed together with the Chair of Energy Systems and Energy Technology at the University of Darmstadt and technically tested at the pilot plant of the SAFR project; patents were obtained for the technology. The pilot plant achieves overall efficiencies of around 85 % and electrical efficiencies of over 45 %.
| Evidence | Cologne (Widdersdorfer Str. 217a) |
|---|---|
| Patents for storage technology |
History
- 2017
Article on the flexibility market discussion ("A new flexibility market at the stroke of a pen")
- 2018
Market launch of the ceramic high-temperature storage system; position paper "Second Life for Power Plants"; pilot plant in the SAFR project at TU Darmstadt, funded by the EU LIFE+ programme