Sort of on the same subject. How's this little clever ' invention '. Utilising an old principle, add some cheap materials and a little bit of thinking and you have a pretty handy industrial tool.
" A novel blend of old and new technology is helping Australian researchers combine renewable energy and low-cost thermal storage to deliver heat for industrial processes.Developed at the University of South Australia in Adelaide, the method involves using low cost renewable energy such as wind or solar PV to power electrical elements that heat rocks in a similar way to a sauna.The element and rocks are packed inside a stainless steel tank and heat air pushed through the tank with an ambient fan. The temperature of the exiting air can be simply adjusted between 200C and 700C by changing the fan speed. The successful testing of a 35kWh thermal prototype system has led to the development of a final 1.5MWh thermal prototype. The second prototype is expected to be finished by the end of the year and will form the basis of the technology’s first commercial product. The modular technology is fully scalable, allowing multiple systems to be built into shipping container-sized units. "
