INFINITY TURBINE LLC We specialize in designs, plans, licensing, consulting, design services, and surplus spare parts. We no longer manufacture turbines or CO2 systems. More Info...
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Infinity Turbine CO2 Turbine Development and Testing Cart Supercritical CO2 Turbine Development Cart using high pressure filter canisters for rapid prototyping and commercialization for 1-25 kWh Power Generation... More Info
ORC and sCO2 Performance Charts: R134a, R245fa, CO2 – 2026 Edition Updated 2026 edition of Infinity Turbine’s ORC and supercritical CO2 performance curves: R134a, R245fa and CO2 charts, CO2 heat-rate tables from 100 to 700 °C, sCO2 turbine types, and data-center applications. 62-page PDF... More Info
Supercritical CO2 Turbine Generator Plans (Transcritical) Rankine Cycle Lab format for development ... More Info
Matra Concentrated Solar Project Using Infinity Turbine Generator for Power Production Solar thermal power production using a reflective dish concentrator... More Info
Cluster Mesh Supercritical CO2 Power System for Data Centers and AI Pairing Cluster Mesh Supercritical CO2 Power System with Small Modular Reactors enables hyperscalers to convert high-grade nuclear heat into ultra-efficient, dispatchable power with a compact, modular footprint tailored for AI-scale demand. More Info
ORC and Products Index Infinity Turbine ORC Index... More Info
A Generator Without Magnets Switched Reluctance is the simplest rotating electrical machine there is: a rotor of stacked steel laminations with salient teeth, and a stator carrying concentrated coils. The rotor has no magnets, no windings, no bars and no slip rings... More Info
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Lime Based Thermal Battery Your concept describes a lime-based thermal battery—a thermochemical energy storage system using the calcination and hydration cycle of limestone (CaCO₃/CaO/Ca(OH)₂). This is a scientifically valid and potentially highly effective method for storing and releasing heat energy, especially when powered by concentrated solar or surplus electricity.Cycle Overview: Lime-Based Thermal BatteryCharging Phase (Heat Storage via Calcination):1. Input: Limestone (CaCO₃), heat from concentrated solar or resistive electric source2. Reaction (Endothermic):$$\text{CaCO₃ (s)} \xrightarrow{\Delta \sim 850–950^\circ C} \text{CaO (s)} + \text{CO₂ (g)}$$3. Output: Calcium oxide (CaO) stored as energy-rich material, plus CO₂ (capturable)This step stores thermal energy in the chemical bonds of CaO.Discharging Phase (Heat Release via Hydration):1. Input: Water added to CaO2. Reaction (Exothermic):$$\text{CaO (s)} + \text{H₂O (l)} \rightarrow \text{Ca(OH)₂ (s)} + \text{Heat}$$3. Output: Heat (release), hydrated lime (Ca(OH)₂)This step releases stored heat on demand, ideal for space heating, industrial drying, or steam generation.Thermochemical Efficiency and Capacity| Property | Value (Approximate) || ------------------------------• | ----------------------------------------• || Heat of calcination (input) | \~3.2–3.5 MJ/kg CaCO₃ (\~900–970 kWh/ton) || Heat of hydration (output) | \~1.2–1.4 MJ/kg CaO (\~330–390 kWh/ton) || Energy density | 250–400 kWh/m³ (solid CaO bulk) || Round-trip efficiency | \~35–45% (thermal-to-thermal) || Thermal stability | Months to years (CaO is stable dry) |While not highly efficient like electrochemical batteries, lime thermal batteries excel at large-scale, long-duration heat storage, and have extremely low material cost.Advantages| Benefit | Explanation || ----------------------------• | ------------------------------------------------------------• || Scalable thermal storage | Ideal for megawatt to gigawatt heat banks || Abundant, cheap materials | Limestone is plentiful and non-toxic || Long shelf-life | CaO can be stored indefinitely if dry || CO₂ separability | Can be captured during calcination for reuse or sequestration || Modular design | System can be containerized or silo-based |Challenges and Considerations| Challenge | Solution/Note || ----------------------------• | ------------------------------------------------------------• || High charging temperature | Needs CSP or electric heaters >850°C || CO₂ handling | Must capture or vent gas safely || Hydration control | Hydration is fast and exothermic; must be managed for safety || Material degradation | CaO sintering at high temps may reduce reactivity over cycles || Round-trip loss | Only partial thermal recovery vs input heat |Ideal Use CasesIndustrial heat buffering (e.g., drying, calcination, food processing)District heatingSeasonal thermal energy storageRenewable heat backup for solar thermal plantsCement production integration (lime product becomes feedstock)ConclusionA lime-based thermal battery is a viable, proven, and scalable thermochemical storage solution, especially suited for concentrated solar thermal systems or electrified industrial heat. It stores energy in the chemical decomposition of limestone and releases it upon hydration—producing substantial heat with zero emissions at the point of use. |
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