Typical questions we have been getting
Can Batsand use the surplus of my solar panel?
Yes. Batsand provides sensors that connect to your home power supply. When those detect electricity being diverted to the public grid it will trigger the heating equipment to start working and use the surplus to heat the battery.
Do I need an internet connection?
No. You will need a router, but all sensors and triggers can work without an internet connection.
Can I use Batsand without a neutral supply?
No. Some of the sensors and the heating components will require a neutral power supply.
Can I use black sand in the sand tank?
No. Batsand can effectively be used with a variety of grain sizes but it requires it to be inorganic sand.
What insulation should I use for the sand pool?
All types of insulation needed can be bought in any DIY shop. You can use stone wool, mineral wool, polystyrene or polyurethane insulation.
Can I use Batsand without solar panels?
Yes. If your region has variable electricity pricing and the price is low in the summer, you can program Batsand to automatically turn on when the price reaches the desired price. Without variable electricity pricing, your only solution is to pair Batsand with solar panels.
How many kW of solar panels do I need?
You can see the recommendation table by batsand here. But as an alternative, you can ask any neighbor with solar panels how much kW they use from their panels and how much is diverted to the grid (a house usually only uses 50% of the available power). As a rule of thumb, you should consider 6kW for home use and 14kW for supply batsand. Having a total of 20kw system.
What are the risks associated with sand batteries?
There are no significant risks associated with our system, unlike chemical batteries. We store heat at 500°C, with heated sand safely encapsulated in insulation. In the unlikely event of sabotage leading to a water leak into the sand, the water would evaporate instantly upon contact. The system is designed to prevent pressurization, so any excess would simply escape as steam.
What issues might arise when using it for hot water?
Hot water can be supplied at temperatures ranging from 20°C to 85°C, and we anticipate no problems within this range. However, if someone attempts to hack the system to achieve higher temperatures, there may be issues with the valves due to increased pressure. In such cases, it's essential for the individual to consider using valves that can withstand those higher pressures.
Is the quality of the sand and the sand's specific heat important?
No. All our tests utilize the worst sand available: dune sand, which has the lowest thermal conductivity. For industries that require faster charging and discharging, iron sand could be beneficial.
is it possible to heat an underfloor system that normally operates at lower temperatures than radiators?
Yes, you can connect the hot water supply from the battery to two water mixers: one for a lower temperature and another for a higher temperature. This is a totally normal situation.
Do you have any references of installations in Germany?
is it possible to heat an underfloor system which normally operates at lower temperatures than radiators?
Hello,
What are the risks associated with sand batteries? Can they explode? How much energy is required for a 1 cubic meter sand battery? How much energy does a 1 cubic meter sand battery produce in joules? What issues might arise when using it for hot water? Is the quality of the sand and the sand's specific heat important?
Do you have an Dutch(The Netherlands) reseller who can assist with local sales?
Do you have an Australian reseller who can assist with local sales?
For applications needing more power but less seasonal energy (e.g.: 1000 sq. ft of walkway hydronic snow melting using 50 kW of heat for 80-130 hours of operation/year) can multiple 25 kW units combine and use the same sand storage tank? What would be the minimum volume sand tank needed to sustain the required power output?
Hi,
You thermal storage is interesting. Might we use csp solar fresnel panel to heat the air?
What is the operating temperature range of the sand battery? I.e. at what temperature does the sand start/stop supplying functional heat to the home’s central heating system, at say 80 degrees?
Is it possible to use your system in conjunction with a water based thermal store, so topping up the heat in the ‘water battery’ as that is depleted?
We get a lot of winter sun in Johannesburg, but don’t have a Feed In Tariff so can’t sell excess power to the grid.
A sand battery could capture all the excess power during summer, whilst the water battery would be a more efficient method (thus fewer panels required) to capture the energy for use that same day, during winter.
Would this be viable?
I am having a NIBE1255, ground/rock heating. How can that be connected to your sustem?