Joule Hive™ Thermal battery in steelmaking
ETS has developed the Joule Hive™ Thermal Battery (JHTB), a system made of electrically and thermally conductive refractory bricks contained in an insulated steel block. It is charged by passing renewable electricity directly through the refractory bricks, saving low-cost, carbon-free thermal energy at temperatures up to 1,700°C. The accumulated heat is released by circulating air or gas through channels that deliver high-temperature energy for industrial processes.
High-temperature heat is widely required in steelmaking, including in blast furnaces, in the reheating of slabs before rolling, and in finishing processes such as quenching and annealing. Currently, these processes usually rely on fossil fuels such as metallurgical gases or natural gas. Thus, JHTB offers the potential to decarbonize critical stages of the steel production chain.
Demonstration plant under construction
A 5 MWh demonstration plant is currently under construction at the Southwest Research Institute in Texas, with commissioning scheduled for the end of 2025.
Along with the investment, ArcelorMittal has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ETS to conduct verification tests on its
