Thermal energy storage system and media

A thermal energy storage system which includes:

• a. a storage tank;
• b. a thermal fluid;
• said thermal fluid includes i) glass and/or salt;
• and ii) a metallic phase change material (MPC);
• said MPC is mixed with said thermal fluid to form a thermal mixture;
• said MPC includes an encapsulated metallic mixture having a melting temperature or range that falls within a temperature range of 400-1500° C.;
• said MPC is formulated to be reusable in a temperature environment of at least 400° C.;
• said thermal mixture further includes 0.5-10 vol. % colloidal nanoparticles.

A thermal energy storage system which includes:

• a. a storage tank;
• b. a thermal fluid;
• said thermal fluid includes i) glass and/or salt;
• and ii) a metallic phase change material (MPC);
• said MPC is mixed with said thermal fluid to form a thermal mixture;
• said MPC includes an encapsulated metallic mixture having a melting temperature or range that falls within a temperature range of 400-1500° C.;
• said MPC includes a core and coating;
• said core is formulated to have a liquidus temperature above 400° C.;
• said MPC is formulated to be reusable in a temperature environment of at least 800° C.;
• said MPC includes at least 50 wt. % Si metal.

A thermal energy storage system which includes:

• a. a storage tank;
• b. a thermal fluid;
• said thermal fluid includes i) glass and/or salt;
• and ii) a metallic phase change material (MPC);
• said MPC is mixed with said thermal fluid to form a thermal mixture;
• said MPC includes an encapsulated metallic mixture having a melting temperature or range that falls within a temperature range of 400-1500° C.;
• said MPC is formulated to be reusable in a temperature environment of at least 400° C.;
• said MPC has a latent heat of at least 300 J/g.

A thermal energy storage system which includes:

• a. a storage tank;
• b. a thermal fluid;
• said thermal fluid includes i) glass and/or salt;
• and ii) a metallic phase change material (MPC);
• said MPC is mixed with said thermal fluid to form a thermal mixture;
• said MPC includes an encapsulated metallic mixture having a melting temperature or range that falls within a temperature range of 400-1500° C.;
• said MPC is formulated to be reusable in a temperature environment of at least 400° C.;
• said MPC has a latent heat that falls within the range of 300-2000 J/g.

A thermal energy storage system which includes:

• a. a storage tank;
• b. a thermal fluid;
• said thermal fluid includes i) glass and/or salt;
• and ii) a metallic phase change material (MPC);
• said MPC is mixed with said thermal fluid to form a thermal mixture;
• said MPC includes an encapsulated metallic mixture having a melting temperature or range that falls within a temperature range of 400-1500° C.;
• said MPC is formulated to be reusable in a temperature environment of at least 400° C.;
• said MPC includes a) Si-(A and/or B) MPC;
• b) Si-(A and/or B)-(X) MPC;
• and/or c) Si-(A and/or B)-(X and Y);
• said A, B, X and Y are elements;
• said elements for A and B are selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, boron, germanium, and magnesium;
• said elements for X and Y are selected from the group consisting of aluminum, calcium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, and nickel.

A thermal energy storage system which includes:

• a. a storage tank;
• b. a thermal fluid;
• said thermal fluid includes i) glass and/or salt;
• and ii) a metallic phase change material (MPC);
• said MPC is mixed with said thermal fluid to form a thermal mixture;
• said MPC includes an encapsulated metallic mixture having a melting temperature or range that falls within a temperature range of 400-1500° C.;
• said MPC is formulated to be reusable in a temperature environment of at least 400° C.;
• said MPC includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of Si—Al, Si—Mg—Cu, Si—Mg, Si—Al—Ca, Si—Cu—Ca, Si—Ge, Si—B, Si—Ge—B, Si—Ge—Fe, Si—Ge—Mn, Si—Ge—Fe—Mn, Si—Ge—Cu, Si—Ge—Ni, Si—Ge—Cr, Si—Ge—Cu—Fe, Si—Ge—Ni—Fe, and Si—Ge—Cr—Fe.

A thermal energy storage system which includes:

• a. a storage tank;
• b. a thermal fluid;
• said thermal fluid includes i) glass and/or salt;
• and ii) a metallic phase change material (MPC);
• said MPC is mixed with said thermal fluid to form a thermal mixture;
• said MPC includes an encapsulated metallic mixture having a melting temperature or range that falls within a temperature range of 400-1500° C.;
• said MPC is formulated to be reusable in a temperature environment of at least 400° C.;
• said MPC includes at least 10 wt. % Si;
• and one or more of a) at least 10 wt. % Al, b) at least 10 wt. % B;
• c) at least 10 wt. % Cu, d) at least 10 wt. % Ge, and e) at least 10 wt. % Mg.

A thermal energy storage system which includes:

• a. a storage tank;
• b. a thermal fluid;
• said thermal fluid includes i) glass and/or salt;
• and ii) a metallic phase change material (MPC);
• said MPC is mixed with said thermal fluid to form a thermal mixture;
• said MPC includes an encapsulated metallic mixture having a melting temperature or range that falls within a temperature range of 400-1500° C.;
• said MPC is formulated to be reusable in a temperature environment of at least 400° C.;
• said MPC includes an outer coating;
• said outer coating includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of SiC, SiOCN, SiCN, Si3N4, SiB6, TiO2, and an organic polysilizane preceramic polymer.

A thermal energy storage system which includes:

• a. a storage tank;
• and,
• b. a thermal fluid;
• said thermal fluid includes i) glass and/or salt;
• and ii) a metallic phase change material (MPC);
• said MPC is mixed with said thermal fluid to form a thermal mixture;
• said thermal mixture includes 5-80 vol. % MPC and 20-95 vol. % salt and/or glass;
• said thermal fluid includes a ternary salt, a quaternary salt, and/or a quinary salt;
• said MPC includes a) Si-(A and/or B) MPC;
• b) Si-(A and/or B)-(X) MPC;
• and/or c) Si-(A and/or B)-(X and Y);
• said A, B, X and Y are elements;
• said elements for A and B are selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, boron, germanium, and magnesium;
• said elements for X and Y are selected from the group consisting of aluminum, calcium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, and nickel;
• said MPC includes an encapsulated metallic mixture having a melting temperature of 400-1500° C.;
• said MPC is formulated to be reusable in a temperature environment of at least 400° C.;
• said MPC has a particle size of 20-5000 microns;
• said MPC has a latent heat of at least 300 J/g.