Feolite

Feolite is a type of iron oxide sintered into building blocks, which are then used for heat storage.^[1][2]

Feolite was developed in Great Britain.^[1]

Characteristics

Feolite, one of many materials used for heat storage, being a solid, does not have any volumetric or pressure containment issues, but correspondingly does require the use of a transfer medium to then get the stored heat to the desired location.^[3]

The specific heat of feolite is 920.0 J·kg⁻¹·°C⁻¹,^[4] its density is 3,900 kg·m⁻³, and its thermal conductivity is 2.1 W·m⁻¹·°C⁻¹.^[5]

Feolite may be used at temperatures up to 1000 °C.^[1]

History

Feolite was invented in 1969 by Electricity Association Technology, then called Electricity Council Research Centre.^[6]

Feolite was a registered trademark _^[7] in Australia for all iron oxides for use in the manufacture of thermal storage units which has now lapsed, by Electricity Association Technology of the United Kingdom.^[7]

Heating systems with a storage component now widely use feolite as the storage core.^[8]

Application

Blocks of feolite enclosing sheathed electric heating elements to form a heat storage core, surrounded by thermal insulation, are used in storage heaters and storage radiators.^[9][10] Because feolite blocks will conduct electricity, electric heating elements must be electrically insulated when used with feolite storage.^[11]

The typical heat exchange medium for feolite storage is air.^[10][12][13]

Feolite has been considered for use as a component for braking systems in railway rolling stock.^[14]

References

1. Wettermark, Gunnar. "High Temperature Storage". Springer International Publishing AG. doi:10.1007/978-94-009-2350-8_24. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
2. "Night Storage Heaters" (PDF). Bavarian State Office for the Environment. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
3. Hausz, W.; Berkowitz, B.J.; Hare, R.C. (October 1978). "CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS FOR NEAR TERM ELECTRIC UTILITY APPLICATIONS" (PDF). National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
4. Willmott, John A. (2002). "Dynamics of Regenerative Heat Transfer". Taylor & Francis. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
5. L´opez, Juan Pablo Arzamendia (2013). "Materials Design Methodology Architectures for the Latent Storage in the Field of Building" (PDF). INSA de Lyon. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
6. "Our History". Electricity Association Technology. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
7. "FEOLITE - 268578". Intellectual Property of Australia. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
8. A sample of commercial systems from around the world:
   • "Olsberg - State-of-the-art Astral Static Storage Heating with European-designed Technology" (PDF). Energy Efficient Products. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
   • "ASTRAL - Static Storage Heaters". Opus Electrical Technologies. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
   • "Nightstor Boilers Selby". KW Grant. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
   • "ELECTRIC ACCUMULATION HEATING". Atlantic. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
   • Coote, Nathan; MacLeman, David (2012). "Low Carbon Networks Fund Tier 1 Project Close-Down Report – Trial evaluation of domestic demand side management" (PDF). Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
   • "Storage heating with Technotherm" (PDF). Devi Heating Systems. 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
   • "Nightstor Boilers". Hyndburn Engineering Services. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
9. Frazer, Stephen. "Electrical Heaters". Building Services Engineering. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
10. Wright, Andrew J (1997). "ELECTRIC STORAGE HEATERS IN BUILDING SIMULATION" (PDF). Electricity Association Technology. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
11. Hegbom, Thor (1997). "Integrating Electrical Heating Elements in Product Design". Marcel Dekker. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
12. "PIONEER OF ELECTRIC HEATING ACCUMULATION - Design and manufacture Belgian since 1961". ACEC HEATING. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
13. "The TECHNOTHERM electro storage heater" (PDF). Technotherm International. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
14. McGuire, M. (1973). "Some further investigations into the use of feolite as a friction material". SPARK - Rail Safety and Standards Board. Retrieved 28 June 2016.