HYdroxide Salt Energy Storage Innovation

Introduction

Hyme is a Danish SME established in 2021, dedicated to revolutionizing large-scale energy storage by developing a Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system that stores energy in the form of high-temperature heat in molten salt. This solution can contribute to the decarbonization of energy-intensive industries (EII) and cogeneration utility companies – Combined Heat and Power plants (CHP), producing heat and electricity from a single energy source with a TES system that is affordable, compact, scalable, and sustainable.

Technology Overview

The Hyme TES system is based on a known and over 20-year-proven design from the concentrated solar power (CSP) industry. This allows us to:

• Work with established suppliers
• Use mainly readily available system components
• Avoid critical raw materials and harmful substances

While CSP traditionally relies on nitrates as the storage medium, Hyme is pioneering the use of hydroxide salts, which have superior thermophysical properties and higher chemical stability at elevated temperatures. This creates a novel TES relevant to many EIIs and CHP utility plants, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors where the penetration of green power is limited by the lack of solutions to control the intermittent nature of renewable power.

Advantages of Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium hydroxide’s high energy density brings additional advantages, including:

1. Improved plant footprint (MWh/m²)
2. Low total installed cost (TIC)
3. Excellent heat transfer properties, enabling effective use in high charge and discharge capacity settings

Core Technology

The TES system is built around our core technology – a patented method for adjusting oxoacidity and its implementation, which limits and controls the corrosion of hydroxide salts on structural materials in contact with the molten salt.

Company Background

Hyme was created as a spin-off from the Danish 4th generation nuclear startup Seaborg ApS. Our team comprises 35 FTEs (34% of women) representing a dozen nationalities.