Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.3
3.2
Journals
Energies
Special Issues
Advanced Technologies and Materials for Thermal Energy Storage
energies-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Energies Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Advanced Technologies and Materials for Thermal Energy Storage

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "D: Energy Storage and Application".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2025 | Viewed by 1312

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zhixiong Ding

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
Interests: thermal energy storage; renewable energy utilization; absorption cycles; heat and mass transfer; PCM; HVAC
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Yuekuan Zhou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Guangzhou 511453, China
Interests: low-energy and zero-energy buildings; building integrated renewable energy systems; advanced energy conversion; hybrid energy storage technologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Chong Zhai

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
School of Energy and Mechanical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
Interests: heat pump; absorption thermal energy storage; liquid desiccant air conditioning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Zengguang Sui

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
Interests: heat and mass transfer; microchannels; thermal management; machine learning; cooling; thermofluids modeling using CFD
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, titled “Advanced Technologies and Materials for Thermal Energy Storage”, seeks to compile cutting-edge research on innovative technologies and materials that are driving the next generation of thermal energy storage (TES) solutions. As global energy systems transition toward decarbonization and increased reliance on renewable sources, TES has emerged as a critical technology to balance supply and demand, optimize system efficiency, and enhance energy resilience. TES technologies enable the capture, storage, and controlled release of thermal energy, making them invaluable in a variety of applications, from building energy management to industrial processes and power generation.

This Special Issue invites comprehensive studies that explore advancements in TES materials, such as phase-change materials (PCMs), thermochemical storage materials, and advanced composites designed to improve storage density, thermal conductivity, and operational lifespan. We are especially interested in studies that delve into novel approaches to material synthesis, characterization, and application to enhance TES performance under a variety of operating conditions.

Additionally, this issue encourages research focused on TES integration into real-world applications, such as renewable energy systems, waste heat recovery, and smart building management, which are critical for supporting low-carbon energy systems. Articles may also explore innovative TES configurations, including hybrid systems and multi-functional materials that expand the flexibility and functionality of TES technologies. Papers covering optimization techniques, lifecycle assessments, and techno-economic analyses are particularly welcome, as they provide insights into the practicality, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness of TES systems for broad implementation.

By bringing together these diverse perspectives and advancements, this Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state and future directions in TES research. We encourage contributions from researchers and industry experts to help advance TES as a cornerstone of sustainable energy systems, supporting the global transition toward a cleaner, more resilient, and efficient energy future. This collection will serve as a valuable resource for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, inspiring innovations that pave the way for advanced TES solutions in diverse sectors and applications.

Dr. Zhixiong Ding
Dr. Yuekuan Zhou
Dr. Chong Zhai
Dr. Zengguang Sui
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • thermal energy storage
  • renewable energy
  • energy storage materials
  • PCM
  • energy storage density

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

24 pages, 5037 KiB  
Article
Managing High Groundwater Velocities in Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage Systems: A Three-Well Conceptual Model
by Max Ohagen, Maximilian Koch, Niklas Scholliers, Hung Tien Pham, Johann Karl Holler and Ingo Sass
Energies 2025, 18(16), 4308; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18164308 - 13 Aug 2025
Viewed by 310
Abstract
Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) is a promising technology for the seasonal storage of heat, thereby bridging the temporal gap between summer surpluses and peak winter demand. However, the efficiency of conventional ATES systems is severely compromised in aquifers with high groundwater flow [...] Read more.
Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) is a promising technology for the seasonal storage of heat, thereby bridging the temporal gap between summer surpluses and peak winter demand. However, the efficiency of conventional ATES systems is severely compromised in aquifers with high groundwater flow velocities, as advective heat transport leads to significant storage losses. This study explores a novel three-well concept that implements an active hydraulic barrier, created by an additional extraction well upstream of the ATES doublet. This well effectively disrupts the regional groundwater flow, thereby creating a localized zone of stagnant or significantly reduced flow velocity, to protect the stored heat. A comprehensive parametric study was conducted using numerical simulations in FEFLOW. The experiment systematically varied three key parameters: groundwater flow velocity, the distance of the third well and its pumping rate. The performance of the system was evaluated based on its thermal recovery efficiency and a techno-economic analysis. The findings indicate that the hydraulic barrier effectively enhances heat recovery, surpassing twice the efficiency observed in a conventional two-well configuration (100 m/a). The analysis reveals a critical trade-off between hydraulic containment and thermal interference through hydraulic short-circuiting. The techno-economic assessment indicates that the three-well concept has the potential to generate significant cost and CO2e savings. These savings greatly exceed the additional capital and operational costs in comparison to a traditional doublet system in the same conditions. In conclusion, the three-well ATES system can be considered a robust technical and economic solution for expanding HT-ATES to sites with high groundwater velocities; however, its success depends on careful, model-based design to optimize these competing effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies and Materials for Thermal Energy Storage)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 2216 KiB  
Article
Study on the Design and Development of Advanced Inorganic Polymers for Thermal Energy Storage (TES) Systems
by Ioanna Giannopoulou, Loizos Georgiou, Konstantina Oikonomopoulou, Maria Spanou, Alexandros Michaelides and Demetris Nicolaides
Energies 2025, 18(12), 3107; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18123107 - 12 Jun 2025
Viewed by 561
Abstract
Thermal Energy Storage (TES) technologies improve solar power dispatchability by addressing the important challenge of energy intermittency. Sensible heat energy storage technology using materials based on Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is the simplest and most economical. However, the operation of these materials is [...] Read more.
Thermal Energy Storage (TES) technologies improve solar power dispatchability by addressing the important challenge of energy intermittency. Sensible heat energy storage technology using materials based on Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is the simplest and most economical. However, the operation of these materials is limited to temperatures below 400 °C due to the structural degradation of OPC at this temperature. This paper investigates the design and development of inorganic polymers based on Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) as a sustainable, low-cost, and environmentally friendly alternative to OPC-based materials for high-temperature sensible TES applications. Based on the ternary systems Na2O-SiO2-Al2O3 and K2O-SiO2-Al2O3, representative compositions of CDW-based inorganic polymers were theoretically designed and evaluated using the thermochemical software FactSage 7.0. The experimental verification of the theoretically designed inorganic polymers confirmed that they can withstand temperatures higher than 500 and up to 700 °C. The optimized materials developed compressive strength around 20 MPa, which was improved with temperatures up to 500 °C and then decreased. Moreover, they presented thermal capacities from 600 to 1090 J kg−1 °C −1, thermal diffusivity in the range of 4.7–5.6 × 10−7 m2 s−1, and thermal conductivity from 0.6 to 1 W m−1 °C−1. These properties render the developed inorganic polymers significant candidates for TES applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies and Materials for Thermal Energy Storage)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop