#Heat Exchanger Market Share

[mordorintelligencemarketresearch]

Heat Exchanger Market: Growth Trends, Innovations, and Future Outlook

1. Overview of the Global Heat Exchanger Market

Market Size and Growth Forecast: The Heat Exchanger Market is projected to be valued at USD 18.08 billion in 2024, with an expected growth to USD 28.26 billion by 2029, reflecting a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.34% over the forecast period (2024-2029). The rising energy demand and the need for energy-efficient systems are major factors driving this growth.

Key Types of Heat Exchangers: The market is categorized into several key types of heat exchangers, including shell and tube, plate and frame, air-cooled, double pipe, and others, each serving different industrial needs based on efficiency, cost, and operational requirements.

2. Key Market Drivers in the Heat Exchanger Industry

Energy Efficiency and Sustainability: Increasing emphasis on energy efficiency and sustainability, particularly in the HVAC, power generation, and petrochemical sectors, is driving the demand for advanced heat exchanger systems that reduce energy consumption and enhance operational efficiency.

Industrial Expansion: The growing industrialization in emerging economies such as India, China, and Brazil is fueling the demand for heat exchangers across sectors like oil & gas, power generation, and chemical processing. These industries rely heavily on heat exchangers to maintain optimal thermal performance and reduce operational costs.

Regulatory Pressures: Stringent environmental regulations are pushing industries to adopt heat exchangers that minimize emissions and waste heat. This has accelerated the development of green technologies and high-performance heat exchangers.

Technological Advancements: The advent of new materials, designs, and manufacturing technologies, such as additive manufacturing and corrosion-resistant alloys, is creating opportunities for more durable and efficient heat exchangers. These advancements help reduce maintenance costs and improve longevity, making them attractive to industries with high operational demands.

3. Emerging Trends in the Heat Exchanger Market

Compact Heat Exchangers: There is a growing demand for compact and modular heat exchangers, particularly in industries like automotive and HVAC. These exchangers offer higher efficiency in smaller spaces, making them ideal for applications where space is a constraint.

Integration of Advanced Materials: The use of corrosion-resistant materials such as titanium, stainless steel, and nickel alloys is increasing, particularly in industries dealing with harsh environments like offshore oil & gas and chemical processing. These materials enhance heat exchanger performance and durability.

Renewable Energy Integration: The integration of heat exchangers in renewable energy systems, such as solar power plants and geothermal energy, is a growing trend. Heat exchangers are essential in converting thermal energy from renewable sources into usable electricity, helping the world transition toward cleaner energy.

Smart Heat Exchangers: With the rise of Industry 4.0, there is an increasing focus on smart heat exchangers equipped with IoT and AI-based predictive maintenance systems. These technologies allow for real-time monitoring of exchanger performance, reducing the likelihood of failures and optimizing energy efficiency.

4. Industry-Specific Applications of Heat Exchangers

Power Generation: Heat exchangers are vital in thermal power plants, nuclear power plants, and renewable energy systems. The growing demand for energy globally is pushing for more efficient thermal management solutions in power generation.

Chemical Processing: In the chemical and petrochemical industries, heat exchangers play a key role in controlling temperatures during chemical reactions and maintaining the safety and efficiency of processes.

Oil & Gas: The oil & gas industry uses heat exchangers in various processes, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) production, refining, and transportation. As oil companies aim to reduce operational costs and environmental impact, there is a growing need for energy-efficient heat exchangers.

HVAC & Refrigeration: The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) sector relies on heat exchangers to regulate indoor temperatures efficiently. The growing demand for energy-efficient buildings and sustainable solutions is driving innovation in this segment.

Automotive: The automotive industry is increasingly relying on lightweight, high-performance heat exchangers to manage engine temperatures, cool electric vehicle batteries, and improve fuel efficiency.

5. Regional Market Analysis

North America: The North American heat exchanger market is driven by rising energy demands and environmental regulations. The region is also a hub for technological innovation, with a strong focus on developing next-generation heat exchanger designs.

Europe: Europe is seeing a surge in demand for heat exchangers due to its focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy adoption. Countries like Germany, the UK, and France are at the forefront of integrating advanced heat exchanger technologies into their energy and manufacturing sectors.

Asia-Pacific: The Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the highest growth in the heat exchanger market, driven by rapid industrialization, urbanization, and the increasing need for energy-efficient solutions in countries like China, India, and Japan.

Middle East & Africa: In the Middle East, the demand for heat exchangers is growing, particularly in the oil & gas and chemical sectors, due to ongoing investments in large-scale industrial projects. Similarly, Africa is seeing growth in the energy and mining sectors, spurring demand for efficient heat exchangers.

6. Challenges Facing the Heat Exchanger Industry

High Initial Costs: The initial costs of designing and installing advanced heat exchangers can be high, which can be a barrier for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, long-term energy savings and operational efficiency often justify these investments.

Material Challenges: Despite advancements, the challenge of finding cost-effective materials that can withstand extreme temperatures and corrosive environments remains. Continuous R&D is needed to overcome this.

Maintenance and Downtime: Heat exchangers require regular maintenance to prevent fouling and scaling, which can reduce their efficiency. Innovations in self-cleaning or fouling-resistant designs are helping address these issues, but maintenance costs can still be significant for some industries.

7. Competitive Landscape

Key Players: The global heat exchanger market is highly competitive, with major players such as Alfa Laval, Danfoss, SPX Flow, Kelvion, Hisaka Works, and Xylem leading the industry. These companies are focusing on expanding their product portfolios, enhancing energy efficiency, and incorporating smart technologies to remain competitive.

Mergers & Acquisitions: Many leading players are engaging in strategic mergers and acquisitions to strengthen their market positions and expand their presence in emerging markets.

Innovation in Design: The heat exchanger industry is witnessing innovations in design, such as compact, plate-type heat exchangers and modular designs that offer higher efficiency, easier installation, and reduced maintenance requirements.

8. Future Outlook and Opportunities

Growing Demand for Green Technologies: As industries strive to reduce their carbon footprints, the demand for green technologies such as waste heat recovery systems and energy-efficient exchangers is expected to rise.

Expansion in Emerging Markets: Emerging economies in Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Africa offer significant growth opportunities for the heat exchanger market, especially in sectors like power generation, HVAC, and industrial processing.

Focus on Innovation: Continuous R&D into new materials, compact designs, and smart technologies is expected to drive future growth, helping industries meet rising energy efficiency standards and environmental regulations.

Conclusion: The Heat Exchanger Market on the Rise

The heat exchanger market is at a critical juncture of growth, fueled by advancements in technology, the push for energy efficiency, and the need for better thermal management across industries. As the world increasingly focuses on sustainability and energy conservation, heat exchangers will continue to play a vital role in meeting industrial and environmental demands.

For a detailed overview and more insights, you can refer to the full market research report by Mordor Intelligence.

[industrynewsupdates]

Heat Exchangers Market Analysis, Opportunities And Forecast Report 2024-2030

The global heat exchangers market size was estimated at USD 18.19 billion in 2023 and is expected to expand at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4% from 2024 to 2030. 

Rising focus on efficient thermal management in various industries, including oil & gas, power generation, chemical & petrochemical, food & beverage, and HVAC & refrigeration, is expected to drive the demand for heat exchangers over the forecast period. Rising demand from chemical industry coupled with increasing technological advancements and a growing focus on improving efficiency standards is expected to drive heat exchangers market growth. Most processes in petrochemical facilities involve high pressure and temperature, thus, necessitating the optimization of heat transfer and enhancement of energy savings, which, in turn, is likely to boost the demand for energy-efficient heat exchangers.

Gather more insights about the market drivers, restrains and growth of the Heat Exchangers Market

U.S. dominated the North America heat exchanger market in 2023, owing to high electricity demand, industrialization, and investments in renewable power generation. Rising investments by oil & gas companies in exploration & production activities in the U.S. are expected to boost the demand for these products in oil & gas industry.

Significant power markets such as China, U.S., India, Russia, and Japan are restructuring their operating models to adopt the structure of renewable energy and efficient utilization of energy by installing heat exchangers and shifting from traditional energy use. This is expected to drive the demand for heat exchangers.

Technological advancements such as tube inserts in heat exchangers are expected to complement the market growth. Furthermore, ongoing technological improvements to improve energy efficiency, total life cycle cost, durability, and compactness of heat exchangers are expected to drive industry growth.

Manufacturers of these products face a long list of difficult supply chain challenges, including increasing demand variability, intense global competition, more environmental compliance regulations, increasing human- and nature-based risks, and inventory proliferation. COVID-19 pandemic has created new challenges, which are compelling manufacturers to innovate their supply chains at a faster speed.

Heat Exchangers Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global heat exchangers market report based on product, end-use, material and region:

Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

• Plate & Frame Heat Exchanger

• Brazed Plate & Frame Heat Exchanger

• Gasketed Plate & Frame Heat Exchanger

• Welded Plate & Frame Heat Exchanger

• Others

• Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger

• Air-Cooled Heat Exchanger

• Others

End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

• Chemical & Petrochemical

• Oil & Gas

• HVAC & Refrigeration

• Power GenerationFood & Beverage

• Pulp & Paper

• Others

Material Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

• Metals

• Alloys

• Others

Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

• North America

o U.S.

o Canada

o Mexico

• Europe

o Germany

o France

o Italy

o Spain

o UK

• Asia Pacific

o China

o Japan

o India

o South Korea

o Australia

• Central & South America

o Brazil

o Argentina

• Middle East & Africa

o Saudi Arabia

o UAE

o South Africa

Browse through Grand View Research's Advanced Interior Materials Industry Research Reports.

• The global wood plastic composites market size was estimated at USD 7.15 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.6% from 2024 to 2030.

• The global industrial fasteners market size was estimated at USD 95.57 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2024 to 2030.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

Global heat exchangers industry is characterized by presence of multinational as well as regional players that are engaged in designing, manufacturing, and distributing these products. Product manufacturers strive to obtain a competitive edge over their competitors by increasing application scope of their products.

Strategies adopted by manufacturers include new product development, diversification, mergers & acquisitions, and geographical expansion. These strategies aid the companies in expanding their market penetration and catering to changing technological demand across various end-use industries.

Key Heat Exchangers Companies:

• Alfa Laval

• Danfoss

• Kelvion Holding GmbH

• Güntner Group GmbH

• Xylem Inc

• API Heat Transfer

• Mersen

• Hisaka Works, Ltd.

• Chart Industries, Inc

• Johnson Controls International

• HRS Heat Exchangers

• SPX FLOW, Inc.

• Funke Wärmeaustauscher Apparantebau GmbH

• Koch Heat Transfer Company

• Southern Heat Exchanger Corporation

Recent Developments:

• For instance, in April 2023, Kelvion launched dedicated air cooler series for natural refrigerants. The CDF & CDH ranges are dual discharge air coolers highlighting a similar proficient tube system.

• In May 2023, Alfa Laval is enhancing its brazed plate heat exchanger capacity to bolster the global energy transition. The establishment of new facilities in Italy, China, Sweden, and the U.S. signifies significant progress in their initiative to advance manufacturing intelligence and efficiency throughout the entire supply chain.

• In January 2021, Alfa Laval, opened a new facility for the production of brazed heat exchangers in San Bonifacio, Italy. The new facility will have more capacity to fulfill the increasing customer demand.

Order a free sample PDF of the Heat Exchanger Market Intelligence Study, published by Grand View Research.

[neha24blog]

Heat Exchanger Market Segmented On The Basis Of Product, End-Use, Region And Forecast 2030: Grand View Research Inc.

San Francisco, 6 Sep 2023: The Report Heat Exchanger Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Plate & Frame (Brazed, Gasketed, Welded), Shell & Tube, Air Cooled), By End-use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 – 2030 The global heat exchanger market size is expected to reach USD 26.26 billion by 2030, registering at a CAGR of 5.1%, according to a new report by Grand View…

[researchrealmblog]

Plate-End-Frame Heat Exchangers: A Marvel of Efficiency and Sustainability

Heat exchangers are very important components for numerous sectors, negligible functioning behind the scenes to transfer thermal power between two liquids, whether it is for cooling, heating, or heat recovery aims. 

Among the many kinds of heat exchangers, one that has attained substantial popularity because of its effectiveness and environment-friendliness is the plate-end-frame heat exchanger. 

The plate-and-frame heat exchanger market will reach USD 8,912.9 million by 2030. 

The Basics of Plate-End-Frame Heat Exchangers

Visualize 2 plates squeezing in a heat-conductive material, making a small and effective instrument to transmit heat. This is the core of a plate-end-frame heat exchanger. The machine contains alternating plates, generally created by stainless steel or other strong resources, combined with seals, making a liquid flow channel between them. The end frames are utilized to aid and enfold the plates steadily.

Productivity at Its Best

The main benefit of a plate-end-frame heat exchanger lies in its extremely effective design. The huge surface area of the plates permits an augmented heat transmission rate among the fluids, fortifying it to be extremely effective in several heat exchange applications. If compared to old-style shell-and-tube heat exchangers, plate-end-frame heat exchangers needs less area and material, providing a more lucrative and ecologically friendly solution.

Adaptability and Flexibility

One of the major reasons plate-end-frame heat exchangers have attained extensive appreciation is their adaptability. Such heat exchangers can manage an extensive variety of fluids, such as gases and liquids, making them appropriate for many applications. Whether it is boiling water in residential boilers, cooling chemicals in manufacturing procedures, or improving heat in power plants, plate-end-frame heat exchangers are best suited.

Reduced Ecological Impact

These days, ecological sustainability is an emerging concern. Fortunately, plate-end-frame heat exchangers work flawlessly with such principles. By easing effective heat transfer, such heat exchangers contribute to lesser power usage, decreasing GHG releases and total ecological impact. Their small design and utilization of recyclable materials also reduce waste production, making them an ecological option for heat exchange requirements.

Their compact design and easy maintenance have been driving the demand for them in the chemicals & petrochemicals sector. In addition, the rising global demand for electricity, accelerating industrialization, and burgeoning investments in renewable energy generation in key economies, such as the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, European countries, India, China, Australia, and New Zealand, are set to boost product sales.

Types of plate heat exchangers

Gasketed plate heat exchangers utilize high-quality gaskets and are made to seal plates together and safeguard against leaks. Plates can effortlessly be detached for cleaning, expansion, or replacing drives, radically decreasing maintenance costs.

Brazed Plate heat exchangers are utilized in several refrigeration and industrial applications. Because of the stainless-steel plate arrangement with copper brazing, they are extremely resilient to corrosion. Brazed Plate heat exchangers are effective and compact, making them a perfect economic choice.

Hence, plate-end-frame heat exchangers have established themselves as extraordinary manufacturing marvels, offering effective and supportable solutions for heat transfer requirements across industries. 

Source: P&S Intelligence

[businessindustry]

Double Pipe Heat Exchanger Market Analysis, Forecast by 2024-2032 | Reports and Insights

The Reports and Insights, a leading market research company, has recently releases report titled “Double Pipe Heat Exchanger Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2024-2032.” The study provides a detailed analysis of the industry, including the global Double Pipe Heat Exchanger Market share, size, trends, and growth forecasts. The report also includes competitor and regional analysis and highlights the latest advancements in the market.

Report Highlights:

How big is the Double Pipe Heat Exchanger Market?

The global double pipe heat exchanger market was valued at US$ 1.3 Billion in 2023 and is expected to register a CAGR of 7.2% over the forecast period and reach US$ 2.4 Bn in 2032.

What are Double Pipe Heat Exchanger?                                                                                                                                                                            

A double pipe heat exchanger is a heat transfer device consisting of two concentric pipes, where one carries hot fluid and the other cold fluid. The fluids can flow in opposite directions (counterflow) or in the same direction (parallel flow) to maximize heat exchange efficiency. This design provides a large surface area for heat transfer, making it ideal for applications that require high thermal efficiency, such as in chemical processing, HVAC systems, and power generation. Double pipe heat exchangers are known for their simplicity, compact size, and ease of maintenance, making them well-suited for small to medium-scale operations where space and cost are important factors.

Request for a sample copy with detail analysis: https://www.reportsandinsights.com/sample-request/2472

What are the growth prospects and trends in the Double Pipe Heat Exchanger industry?

The double pipe heat exchanger market growth is driven by various factors and trends. The double pipe heat exchanger market is growing steadily, driven by rising demand for efficient heat transfer solutions in industries such as chemical processing, power generation, HVAC, and oil and gas. These heat exchangers are popular for their simple design, cost-efficiency, and high thermal performance, making them suitable for small to medium-scale applications. Increased industrialization, a focus on energy efficiency, and the need for effective heat management systems are fueling market expansion. Additionally, advancements in technology and a push to reduce energy consumption and operational costs are further boosting the global adoption of double pipe heat exchangers. Hence, all these factors contribute to double pipe heat exchanger market growth.

What is included in market segmentation?

The report has segmented the market into the following categories:

By Type

Parallel Flow Heat Exchanger

Countercurrent Heat Exchanger

Crossflow Heat Exchanger

By Material

Metal

Alloy

Brazing Clad Materials

By Application

Chemicals

Oil & Gas

Power Generation

Automobile

Pharmaceuticals

Food & Beverages

Others

North America

United States

Canada

Europe

Germany

United Kingdom

France

Italy

Spain

Russia

Poland

Benelux

Nordic

Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

China

Japan

India

South Korea

ASEAN

Australia & New Zealand

Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Argentina

Middle East & Africa

Saudi Arabia

South Africa

United Arab Emirates

Israel

Rest of MEA

Who are the key players operating in the industry?

The report covers the major market players including:

Sondex Heat Exchangers Ningbo Co Ltd

Kelvion Holding GmbH

API Heat Transfer Inc.

Harsco Industrial Air-X-Changers

Hamon Group

SPX Cooling Technologies, Inc.

Tranter Inc.

Air Products, Chemicals, Inc.

Hisaka works, ltd.

View Full Report: https://www.reportsandinsights.com/report/Double Pipe Heat Exchanger-market

If you require any specific information that is not covered currently within the scope of the report, we will provide the same as a part of the customization.

About Us:

Reports and Insights consistently mееt international benchmarks in the market research industry and maintain a kееn focus on providing only the highest quality of reports and analysis outlooks across markets, industries, domains, sectors, and verticals. We have bееn catering to varying market nееds and do not compromise on quality and research efforts in our objective to deliver only the very best to our clients globally.

Our offerings include comprehensive market intelligence in the form of research reports, production cost reports, feasibility studies, and consulting services. Our team, which includes experienced researchers and analysts from various industries, is dedicated to providing high-quality data and insights to our clientele, ranging from small and medium businesses to Fortune 1000 corporations.

Contact Us:

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[adityarana1687-blog]

Heat Exchangers Market Likely To Reach Beyond $26.26 Billion By 2030

The global heat exchangers market size is expected to reach USD 26.26 billion by 2030, registering at a CAGR of 5.4% from 2024 to 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Rising demand from various industries, including chemical & petrochemical, and power generation, along with an increasing focus on improving efficiency standards is expected to drive the market.

The presence of favorable government regulations in the emerging economies of China, India, Brazil, and Mexico about setting up new manufacturing facilities is expected to spur the demand for heat exchangers in various industries. In addition, upcoming nuclear power projects, particularly in the Asia Pacific, are anticipated to drive market growth during the forecast period.

Technological advancements coupled with constant efforts and investments by major market participants in product innovation and research & development are expected to increase the market competitiveness over the coming years. The adoption of novel techniques of additive manufacturing in the production of heat exchangers is likely to complement industrial growth.

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted several economies worldwide. Containment measures, including lockdowns imposed by various countries to curb the spread of COVID-19, have resulted in limiting the operations of manufacturing facilities, thereby negatively impacting the demand for heat exchangers in 2020.

Request a free sample copy or view report summary: Heat Exchangers Market Report

Heat Exchangers Market Report Highlights

The demand for plate & frame heat exchangers is anticipated to witness growth at a CAGR of 6.1% from 2024 to 2030 on account of its simple & compact structure coupled with their ability to increase capacity easily by adding new plates to the system

The shell & tube segment led the market and accounted for 35.6% of the global revenue in 2023

Asia Pacific heat exchanger demand is likely to grow at a CAGR of 6.8% over the forecast period

The demand for heat exchangers in Saudi Arabia is expected to witness a CAGR of 4.5% owing to the presence of a robust oil & gas industry coupled with the growth in the manufacturing sector attributed to the government’s diversification efforts

Heat Exchangers Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global heat exchangers market report based on product, end-use, material and region

Heat Exchangers Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

Plate & Frame Heat Exchanger

Brazed Plate & Frame Heat Exchanger

Gasketed Plate & Frame Heat Exchanger

Welded Plate & Frame Heat Exchanger

Others

Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger

Air-Cooled Heat Exchanger

Others

Heat Exchangers End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

Chemical & Petrochemical

Oil & Gas

HVAC & Refrigeration

Power Generation

Food & Beverage

Pulp & Paper

Others

Heat Exchangers Material Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 – 2030)

Metals

Alloys

Others

Heat Exchangers Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

North America

U.S.

Canada

Mexico

Europe

Germany

France

Italy

Spain

UK

Asia Pacific

China

Japan

India

Central & South America

Brazil

Middle East & Africa

Saudi Arabia

UAE

List of Key Players of Heat Exchanger Market

Alfa Laval

Danfoss

Kelvion Holding GmbH

Güntner Group GmbH

Xylem Inc.

API Heat Transfer

Mersen

Hisaka Works, Ltd.

Chart Industries, Inc.

Johnson Controls International

HRS Heat Exchangers

SPX FLOW, Inc.

Funke Wärmeaustauscher Apparantebau GmbH

Koch Heat Transfer Company

Southern Heat Exchanger Corporation

[researchreport11]

https://www.maximizemarketresearch.com/market-report/global-heat-exchangers-market/3346/

Global Heat Exchangers Market: Increasing HVAC installation globally driving market growth

Heat Exchangers Market was valued at US$ 16.24 Bn. in 2022 and the total Heat Exchangers revenue is expected to grow at 5.2% from 2023 to 2029, reaching nearly US$ 23.16 Bn.

[marketingsites]

Global Heat Exchanger Market was valued at USD 17.49 Billion in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 26.24 Billion by the year 2030, at a CAGR of 5.2%

Heat Exchanger Market - Global Size & Upcoming Industry Trends | IMR

[sports9885]

Plate heat exchangers market is expected to gain market growth in the forecast period of 2022 to 2029. Data Bridge Market Research analyses the plate heat exchangers market to exhibit a CAGR of 7.3% for the forecast period of 2022 to 2029.

[reasonsforhope]

"A 1-megawatt sand battery that can store up to 100 megawatt hours of thermal energy will be 10 times larger than a prototype already in use.

The new sand battery will eliminate the need for oil-based energy consumption for the entire town of town of Pornainen, Finland.

Sand gets charged with clean electricity and stored for use within a local grid.

Finland is doing sand batteries big. Polar Night Energy already showed off an early commercialized version of a sand battery in Kankaanpää in 2022, but a new sand battery 10 times that size is about to fully rid the town of Pornainen, Finland of its need for oil-based energy.

In cooperation with the local Finnish district heating company Loviisan Lämpö, Polar Night Energy will develop a 1-megawatt sand battery capable of storing up to 100 megawatt hours of thermal energy.

“With the sand battery,” Mikko Paajanen, CEO of Loviisan Lämpö, said in a statement, “we can significantly reduce energy produced by combustion and completely eliminate the use of oil.”

Polar Night Energy introduced the first commercial sand battery in 2022, with local energy utility Vatajankoski. “Its main purpose is to work as a high-power and high-capacity reservoir for excess wind and solar energy,” Markku Ylönen, Polar Nigh Energy’s co-founder and CTO, said in a statement at the time. “The energy is stored as heat, which can be used to heat homes, or to provide hot steam and high temperature process heat to industries that are often fossil-fuel dependent.” ...

Sand—a high-density, low-cost material that the construction industry discards [Note: 6/13/24: Turns out that's not true! See note at the bottom for more info.] —is a solid material that can heat to well above the boiling point of water and can store several times the amount of energy of a water tank. While sand doesn’t store electricity, it stores energy in the form of heat. To mine the heat, cool air blows through pipes, heating up as it passes through the unit. It can then be used to convert water into steam or heat water in an air-to-water heat exchanger. The heat can also be converted back to electricity, albeit with electricity losses, through the use of a turbine.

In Pornainen, Paajanen believes that—just by switching to a sand battery—the town can achieve a nearly 70 percent reduction in emissions from the district heating network and keep about 160 tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere annually. In addition to eliminating the usage of oil, they expect to decrease woodchip combustion by about 60 percent.

The sand battery will arrive ready for use, about 42 feet tall and 49 feet wide. The new project’s thermal storage medium is largely comprised of soapstone, a byproduct of Tulikivi’s production of heat-retaining fireplaces. It should take about 13 months to get the new project online, but once it’s up and running, the Pornainen battery will provide thermal energy storage capacity capable of meeting almost one month of summer heat demand and one week of winter heat demand without recharging.

“We want to enable the growth of renewable energy,” Paajanen said. “The sand battery is designed to participate in all Fingrid’s reserve and balancing power markets. It helps to keep the electricity grid balanced as the share of wind and solar energy in the grid increases.”"

-via Popular Mechanics, March 13, 2024

--

Note: I've been keeping an eye on sand batteries for a while, and this is really exciting to see. We need alternatives to lithium batteries ASAP, due to the grave human rights abuses and environmental damage caused by lithium mining, and sand batteries look like a really good solution for grid-scale energy storage.

--

Note 6/13/24: Unfortunately, turns out there are substantial issues with sand batteries as well, due to sand scarcity. More details from a lovely asker here, sources on sand scarcity being a thing at the links: x, x, x, x, x

[market-insider]

Demand In The Power Generation Industry Driving Heat Exchanger Market Growth

The global heat exchanger market size is expected to reach USD 26.26 billion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Rising demand from various industries, including chemical & petrochemical, and power generation, along with an increasing focus on improving efficiency standards in expected to drive the market at a CAGR of 5.1%.

The presence of favorable government regulations in the emerging economies of China, India, Brazil, and Mexico about setting up new manufacturing facilities is expected to spur the demand for heat exchangers in various industries. In addition, upcoming nuclear power projects, particularly in the Asia Pacific, are anticipated to drive market growth during the forecast period.

Gain deeper insights on the market and receive your free copy with TOC now @: Heat Exchanger Market Report

Technological advancements coupled with constant efforts and investments by major market participants in product innovation and research & development are expected to increase the market competitiveness over the coming years. The adoption of novel techniques of additive manufacturing in the production of heat exchangers is likely to complement industrial growth.

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted several economies worldwide. Containment measures, including lockdowns imposed by various countries to curb the spread of COVID-19, have resulted in limiting the operations of manufacturing facilities, thereby negatively impacting the demand for heat exchangers in 2020.

[darsynia]

Steve and Avenger!Reader going to a Christmas Market please! 🥰 Can be any sort of relationship but wouldn't mind a Christmas Market proposal...

Thank you so much, this is perfect for both @buck-star's fluffy winter event (Christmas Market) and Day 1 of @the-slumberparty's December Daze: (let me dust the snow off your coat/hat/shoulder)

Words/Warnings: 2,315 / tooth-rotting fluff

MCU MASTERLIST | STEVE ROGERS | BUCKY BARNES

Don’t Mind If I Do

“Even North Carolina is freezing cold this morning, I checked. Trust me, this will be worth it.”

You frown in your perfect blanket cocoon. “All right, I’ll be out front by 8. And I’m cranking the heat in my rooms to 74 while I do it, just so I’ll be in a nicer mood for you!”

“You won’t regret it, sweetheart.”

With that, the two of you hang up, and you tap the + icon multiple times in the app that controls the heating in your suite. The Avengers Compound isn’t much to look at from the outside, but they make up for that in amenities. The only catch is, the suites are much too small to share with anyone. Despite your year-long committed relationship, you and Steve haven’t been able to truly ‘sleep over’ or spend couples time comfortably while stationed here. His rental apartment in NYC is lovely, and you’ve spent time together there, but both of you tend to be work-oriented. You’ve made do with what you have, even when that means sometimes cramming into Steve’s twin sized, extra-long bed here at the Compound.

Besides, you remind yourself as you rush through your morning routine, Steve Rogers isn’t the ‘shack up’ type, so it’s not like you’d be sharing an apartment if one were available. Still, it feels wrong to wake up without his warm, strong body next to yours on a cold day like this.

Steve had told you to dress for being outside, so after pulling on a thick pair of socks and lacing up your hiking boots, you don a knitted hat and shrug on a winter coat over your sweater. You meet up with Steve in the atrium of the building, feeling that familiar flush when he turns and lights up to see you.

“Oh perfect, you look nice and warm,” Steve says, quickly adding, “--and beautiful too. Very.”

He always leads with the truth, but as a boyfriend, he’s made you feel lovely enough for a superhero, leading to this in-joke of adding that compliment as an afterthought. You know him enough now to recognize when he thinks the second part first, and the face he’d made after turning around tells you this is one of those days.

“Are any of those pre-requisites for your secret Saturday morning outing?”

“Two of those are permanent, but yes, being warm will help,” he says, holding out a bare hand for you to take.

Inwardly grinning, you start to slip off your own glove, then pause. “Exactly how cold is it in North Carolina versus here? Do I need to grab a scarf?” Before working with the Avengers, you’d been stationed at Fort Liberty, so the climate difference between that and upstate New York had taken a little getting used to.

Steve takes your glove, tucks it into your pocket (being sure to crowd close enough to blatantly smell your hair), and then takes your bare hand in his bare hand to walk out into the brisk December air. It’s cold.

“At least ten degrees warmer than this, but I’d be happy to offer my arm as a scarf,” he says, squeezing your hand as you wend your way through the parked cars.

“You’re ten times better looking than all of my scarves, so I think I win!”

The drive is cozy with the heat on and an oldies Christmas station crooning the classics. After almost a half hour of light conversation and heavy exchanged glances, Steve pulls into a charming neighborhood decked to the rafters with holiday cheer. You peer out the windows, trying to figure out the plan. Are there sleigh-hay rides? An ice skating rink? Maybe a holiday quilt show set up in an 18th century church somewhere? You’re so caught up by the possibilities that you miss the instructions Steve gets from a woman wearing a high-vis jacket and Santa hat until the car parks, and he turns it off.

There’s something almost ceremonial about the way your boyfriend pats each of his warm trenchcoat’s pockets to find his gloves before pulling them on and flexing his hands. It’s captivating, not dissimilar to the way he girds himself for battle (whether physically or morally, you’ve noticed).

“You see my hat anywhere?” he asks, finally turning to look at you.

“Crap. I might have sat on it,” you realize.

Steve grins. “Well, it’ll be warm.”

You both get out of the car, and Steve dons his pre-warmed hat before gesturing toward the city center a few blocks away. “Christmas market.”

If your life was a film, that’s where either the Hallelujah Chorus or a full-on tire screech would have happened, but as it is, you fall sideways into him and catch yourself on his lapel, looking up at him with wide, delighted eyes.

“You promise? Oh God, that was way too Hallmark of me, I’m sorry-- but… you promise?” you ask, going through three vastly different facial expressions in the process.

“I promise,” Steve says, taking your hand in his, then lifting both to kiss the back of yours.

Christmas markets had been a staple of your childhood, and your family used to travel pretty far afield to see new and favorite ones. As your family’s circumstances had changed, those trips had dwindled, and by the time you were out of high school, they were a treasured memory of a no-longer-possible past. The years since then have mostly involved you throwing yourself into your work, becoming the kind of person soldiers and civilians alike can trust and rely on. If you’re honest, your time with the Avengers has been more fulfilling than even those precious school years of summer beaches, birthday parties, and chilly strolls through magical small-town holiday displays.

Part of that is Steve, a genuine hero and painfully good man who somehow seems to love you almost as much as you love him. Since the first moment you met he’s held out his hand for you in support. He’s a teammate, a challenger, a role model, and honestly? A partner. 

“Snow! Look at that!” You can hear the smile in his voice. Light, gentle flurries have started to drift down just as you visit the first festive stall. It’s perfect timing, since some of the crafts on display are delicate handmade snowflake ornaments. “If you’ve got an ‘in’ with the weather, sir, I’d love to learn your secrets,” Steve jokes with the owner. 

“It snows for you, to make perfect day for you and your wife!” the elderly man says with a beatific expression. “Please, you must take one for your tree at home.”

The two of you have two separate small trees, a result made necessary by the size of your living spaces at the Compound. You can see Steve tense up, clearly uncomfortable with the hinted, benign falsehood.

“Oh, but I must have both of these, too! How much?” you rush to say, pulling out your wallet and holding them up next to the one the owner pressed into Steve’s hand. It feels like your responsibility to meet the men in the middle.

“This is so we can see them from all angles, you understand,” Steve says.

“Of course!” the man says, a secretive smile playing on his lips. “Three is a good number, and I wish you a successful day!”

Steve’s cheeks have a distinct pinkish tinge to them for the next set of booths, but you avoid teasing him about it. This is not the first time someone’s misidentified the two of you as married, and you’ve always tread very carefully during those moments. Have you dreamed about marrying Steve Rogers? God, yes. You’d never say anything though. Proposing to Captain America is almost a national sport, something you’ve witnessed firsthand. Heck, you wouldn’t be surprised if he rejected you out of habit if you tried proposing.

It does look like you’ll both get to dodge your more famous secondary identities today. A lot of that is thanks to Tony’s fleet of look-alike cars, his insane security for the whole campus, and the way Steve can somehow dress and look like a regular, if burly country guy. However it’s happened, you’re incredibly grateful that your relationship has skated under the press radar. You suspect that Steve’s ‘couple behavior’ this morning is a result of happiness, holiday cheer, and perceived anonymity (you like the scruff he’s sported these past weeks, but… come to think of it, you wonder if he grew it just for that extra layer of obfuscation. Cap doesn’t quite pull National Icon status with hints of a beard, after all).

After forty minutes of happily wandering from booth to booth and window display to window display, the two of you decide to partake in the reason why everyone’s there so early in the morning: Christmas pastry from one of the best bakeries in central New York.

The town has set up a charming eating area just off the central square in a church parking lot. There are evergreen trees lining one side, each decorated in a different (sometimes chaotic) style and heavily festooned with lights. The picnic tables are all red and green, and hanging from a few of the arching lightposts is a bundle of familiar-looking plant-life. Steve sends you to snag a seat ahead of him while he waits in line, and when he comes back, he’s got twice as many goodies as you expected, all piled up on one plate.

“They all have a label on them saying ‘Mistle-hug,’” he says, standing at the end of the table. “I have two plates’ worth here, but they were much more stable like this.”

“How are we going to eat all this?” you ask, delighted nonetheless. You take the plate and carefully liberate the second stacked plate so you can distribute the bounty evenly, but Steve doesn’t hasn’t sat down yet. “If you don’t come pick out what you want, I’m going to get greedy!” you lie in a singsong voice. All he does in response is say your name softly.

“What are you--” you ask as you straighten up and look over at him. He’s standing at almost battle stance, frozen still with one hand tucked into the inside of his jacket. You immediately see the beautiful pattern the snow’s made on his shoulder, and pop to your feet with your phone.

“Wait, that’s not--” Steve says in a bewildered voice, his brows adorably furrowed even when you show him the picture.

“Here,” you say impudently, reaching up to kiss at his shoulder and thus melt the ‘offending’ snowflake art so he can feel free to sit down. “All perfect now.”

“You’re completely right,” Steve says. There’s something odd in the tenor of his voice-- and then suddenly he’s on one knee in front of you, pulling that hand out of his coat pocket with a recognizably-sized box.

You’ve got tears in your eyes, flowers blooming in your heart, and powdered sugar on your hands, which is why you’d chosen to kiss the snow off instead of brush it, but then Steve starts to speak.

“I was going to do this by the big tree, but then it hit me-- I spent years locked in ice, and it was all because I was waiting for you to come kiss all the cold away. You’re everything I didn’t and couldn’t know I needed-- a warm smile, a fighting heart, a clever mind, and more than that, you make me feel smarter, stronger, and happier when I’m with you. Will you marry me?”

You can barely get the word ‘YES!’ out past the lump in your throat, but you’d started nodding as soon as he opened his mouth. Steve tugs the ring out of the box and slides it perfectly onto your finger before surging upwards, pulling you into a twirling, joyful hug that dances the two of you a good few feet away from your table.

“Look, they’re under the Mistle-hug!” some voice calls out, and Steve’s --your future husband’s-- chest starts shaking with laughter. He sets you down and you both look up. A mere centimeter above his head spins one of the fake mistletoe pieces, its label dislodged by your antics. A ‘Hug! Hug! Hug!’ chant starts from the growing crowd of onlookers, and you nod up at Steve, your heart in your eyes.

“Don’t mind if I do!” he quips, engulfing you in a bear hug that leaves your newly-adorned left hand once again resting right on his chest. At the very edges of the roaring in your ears you hear a few people correctly guess who the two of you are, but you’re too delighted to mind.

A half hour later, when most of the well-wishers are finished offering their advice, encouragements, and pieces of paper for Steve to autograph, you notice that you’d left a powdered sugar outline on his coat.

“Oops, sorry about that,” you tell Steve, nodding at the handprint and grabbing a wreath-adorned paper napkin to dip it in your cider to wash it off.

“Leave it,” he says, stopping you with a possessive little thumb swipe across the ring he’d placed on your finger. “Feels like it belongs there, just like you, sweetheart.”

You want to tell him all the ways you love him, all the things he’s made better in your life, all the demons he’s conquered for you simply by being Steve Rogers, but you’re speechless. All at once, the perfect tension-breaker hits you, and you can’t help but laugh.

“What is it?” Steve asks in a wary, amused tone. It’s another sign of how well you know each other.

“Can we try to convince Tony that I get to take the name Mrs. America?"

As it turns out, that’s exactly what most of the next day’s news articles call you.

[crying-fantasies]

Love fantasy

Masterlist

It all started as a normal cycle, he swears on his spark that it was an innocent and normal cycle.

"I interfaced with one of the humans".

Until it wasn't.

No bot can verify the fact but all are equally flabbergasted at the statement, humans are still a novelty aboard, it has been only a few earth years since they arrived to the starship and while friendships and primitive market of products are normal to see nowadays it still doesn't stop one or two glass cubes from shattering against the floor of Swerve's or the high grade that has gone down the wrong pipe by the mere words formed by Fizzle's vox.

No bot asked, no one even knew, no one really noticed him gone from the ship or when he came back but now they all have their attention at him even when he simply said it to the bot next to him, but gossiping, no matter species, is a big deal among sentient beings.

"You're lying"

"No!", almost sensing the others receptor audials over him he can only try to cover his EMF as close to his frame as possible, spoiler coiled near to his armor in a display of nervousness, "it was- it was out of this world, okay? And- and then she was-"

"It was a human femme?!"

Again, some were at their seats end, some again chocking on their drinks, others feeling their fans activate, everybot has seen for themselves how soft humans are, and even heard from the same humans that some are most soft than others.

Human femmes- er, woman and alike, were supposed to be the peak of softness, even human primitive communication devices (porn and magazines) said so!

"Primus dammit- do you want everybot to hear about it?", oh yes, please say more was something resonating among the processors of the most curious in the theme and the most deviant of them that had also thought of some organic colleagues in such a way, of course, Fizzle didn't had to know, and in some way it was his fault to talk about such a thing like a sparkling sharing secrets in a public area when the Lost Light was so big.

"Okay, okay, go on, what did she do?", there was silence, one that preceded the proton storm while Fizzle's spoiler raised back again in excitement to remember the exchange.

"...she played with my wires and with my spark"

If the two bots didn't know they were being eavesdropped before now they knew after a few bots cracked their glasses full of energon at the mere mention of the interface related activity, making they almost scape even when some bots wanted to keep hearing and asked them to come back, because it was the discovery of the century, well, almost, but it was still of great interest nonetheless for most of them!

"Wow, that was crazy, huh, Roddy?", Drift tries to ignore the other bots still remaining in the bar and their obnoxiously loud fans, hardly covering the growing charge on their EMF and now heated frames trying to seem as undisturbed as possible.

Even Rodimus, who stops as hard as he can his cooling fans, servos being negated of the littlest possibility to even shake at how hard his spark is pulsing, "Uhum".

First of the questions running around his processor is who was it? Fizzle doesn't even have any game going on or perceived by his optics to be able to drag along another mech on his habsuit, let alone a human that knows nothing about interfacing, which get to the next question running wild in circles around his processor: can a human do sparkplay? The idea is impossible but it doesn't stop his imagination where, in fact, it seems more than possible with those little hands and fingers running wild on a bot's spark chamber, he remembers the humans being taught cybetronian medic techniques, how they were so focused in healing illness and it isn't so hard to change the purposes of the delicate and sometimes rough way those little hands made their way around a spark and all the sensitive wiring around.

He ask to himself if the human Fizzle was talking about were to be, by any chance, you.

And he negates it, scratches it, deletes as far as he can any trace of the mere idea of it because it will break his spark in million pieces would be improper in everyway.

It is also improper to remember it when he is next to you while you read a datapad about once living creatures of Cybertron, little finger moving the page once in a while in your hunger for more information that gets his optics focused on the way your eyes move along the light and the glyphs on the screen.

Will your curiosity also extent to other possibilities? He has seen you go "woah" and "ahh" over simple things like the subtle communication between frames with wings and spoilers or the fair quantity of differences of one frame to the other, the image of your face looking with interest whatever you're reading and how you take notes on your personal datapad, little fingers moving along and pressing different places in the sensible screen while showing your obvious interest, your possible awe over his bared spark in front of you.

It's almost too easy, he only needs to change a few things, his open spark chamber is now the source of light reflecting on your eyes, a perfect miniature mirror of your actions as your fingers touch the sensible glass cover of his spark, he can almost feel the electricity driving away to your body to his waiting spark that welcomes it with a tremor as hard as lightning that spreads to his whole frame in electric pleasure, wires tensing at the movement around and all the pressure, trying to make give accomodations to every little electric pulses your body can send to his most sensible component.

"Roddy"

It's way too real, way too hard, and it gets worse when your fingers get replaced with your soft looking lips and tongue, lapping above the connections before sliding to his tensed wires, making a wet trail to his spark while he debates internally in his own fantasy, he is supposed to concentrate, to not come undone or look because he is sure it would be JUST. SO. HOT.

"Rods"

It doesn't even end there, he can hear your voice along it, processor and cooling fans working overtime while he can only focus on the possibility, on the maybe that lingers above, it only takes so little to have you kiss with tongue his spark and he can't take it-

"Rodimus!" Oh, now, that's his designation, the fantasy is shattered in pieces and he soon realizes one of his digits is above his spark chamber, you are looking at him, maybe confused, obviously worried, it's enough to make him let go of the digit between his dentae and feeling his spike depressurize- "why are you so hot?", nevermind.

"... I'm hot?...", a wicked grin blended with happiness is forming on his faceplate as his words trail on slowly, almost as he is tasting it.

"I mean", you correct yourself, you really didn't need to, "heat is coming from your body, are you going flames on again? Are we under attack again?"

"What? Nah, just...", daydreaming about impossibilities, about a weak porn, like humans call it, without basis, heated romance and passion he isn't even sure you share with him, impossibilities that drag his bleeding spark over every movement and word of yours that he clings on with greedy servos, it's so embarrassing and he is sure he'll offline by pure mortification if you ever get a word about his attraction to you just to be faced by any degree of disgust coming from you, "it's getting cold in here, wouldn't want you to freeze those little fingers to dead", he doesn't even offer his servo but it is almost a natural response when he sees you approaching him with fear on your steps by any possibility of being another normal day aboard the Lost Light, he doesn't even stop and let's you settle on his lap like the security protocols indicated.

Fear washes away quickly when you register his words, there is curiosity on your eyes, looking between him and your hands, before finally look at him in the optics again, "Oh, didn't know you heard about the effects of excessive cold on the most distant phalanges, I mean, it's something that only happens while in extreme freezing conditions in harsh environments or controlled ones in closed lab experiments-"

Rodimus really didn't get what you were talking or the whole deal you were explaining to him, but seeing you feel secure next to him, taking seat above him showing the full confidence and trust you put on him while your hands move to explain your point, putting the warm palm against his armor from time to time.

"Everything you touch is bound to fail anyway", harsh words pang among his memory archives while he touches a side of yours to prevent a fall, but he silenced it, preferring the sound of your voice that now was about something called homeostasis.

He wouldn't trade this moment for anything, not when he offers you a digit and you hold it immediately, well, maybe a kiss if you could be generous enough, but he will get there soon, he hopes so.

.

I totally offer this one to @archie-sunshine and @pinkanonwrites by their glorious work of overheating and teasing Rodimus, I love it to the moon and back to hear about one of my faves even when he is mentally unstable and runs hot most of the time, it's his own charm, specially their newest works that relate to Roddy so much.

[yoredoesmore]

Until Fate Reunites us - An Unexpected Storm | Cyno

pairing: Cyno x Reader

summary: Two young children who both share different fates meet. They are connected by a bond that surpasses even the universe, but the worlds they were born into divide them. Will their paths cross again or will their first encounter be their last?

cw: fight scenes, the story takes place in cyno's and y/n's childhood, mentioning of child abuse, kidnapping

genre: angst, action, eventual romance, [wc: 2,7k]

a/n: this story was written long before more parts of cyno's backstory were released, so none of this is canon

enjoy!

The burning summer heat fell onto the world, penetrating not just the climate but also one's mind. It was safe to say that this was by far one of the hottest days of the year in Sumeru, yet you didn't seem to mind. With a smile on your face, you walked over the sandy surface, carefree and full of joy. Today was a day of celebration, one you were destined to remember forever– today, you were going to create your very own family.

Years of loneliness and desperation were finally coming to an end, you could feel it in your heart.

Now, one would ask themselves how a little child like you was going to achieve such goal but you were ready to surprise them all. Months have gone into the making of your plan and nothing and no one was going to stop you from pursuing it. So as you sneaked past the gates of Caravan Ribat, you held your eyes out for your new family members.

"Look at this.." You said in awe while making your way through the bustling streets of the marketplace. You were no stranger to crowded places and commotion, despite being born in the middle of the desert. When the rations got thin and the nights too dangerous, you would often come here and borrow one or two items from the stalls or seek shelter behind one of the buildings. It was safe to say that you were at least familiar enough with the place to know where to search first.

But even though you fit right in with the people, you still had to be cautious. This place was just booming with guards and thieves, a dangerous mixture for an outsider and little kid like you. But you still did a pretty good job at mixing in with the locals. Hardly anybody took notice of your existence and even those who did, did not bother themselves longer than two seconds with your presence. After making it through the entire street, you finally arrived at your first destination.

Right under a structure or bridge, you weren't entirely sure what it was, they sat. Children like you, but a tad bit older. Despite their young appearance, nobody dared to walk past or even look at them. These teenagers were known for causing trouble after all. Yet you didn't even hesitate to approach them with a bright smile.

"Good afternoon." You said, holding out your hand. "My name is Y/n, and I would like for you guys to join my family!"

A long silence followed your words which was followed by an awkward cough. The teenagers exchanged confused looks with one another before one of them decided to speak up.

"Are you lost, kid..?" The tallest asked.

"I was but I am not anymore. I am here to recruit you guys to join my family!"

"Join...your family? I'm sorry kid but we have no interest in playing house with you. Why don't you ask mommy and daddy to get you some toys to play with them instead?"

"Don't be rude, Galehunter, the kid is just lost." A brown haired girl came to your defense. The blonde girl simply rolled her eyes and nodded her head towards your direction, acting as if you weren't right in front of them.

"Listen kid. I don't know where your parents are but you should go back and find them. You don't know us so stop saying these weird things. We could easily cut you open and sell your body parts, distribute your organs on the black market and much more. Return now and let us be."

The five teens patiently waited for you to run off in fear, show some signs that their presence was intimidating you but you remained stuck in place. Your stubbornness must have gotten on their nerves, because one of them suddenly revealed a dagger to you. The shiny object absorbed the sunlight, making it look like some expensive jewelry. The boy swung the weapon in front of your eyes but you didn't move one inch.

"This kid is crazy.." The boy with the dagger said, returning the weapon to its previous spot.

"They call you Stone Enchanter, right?" You asked the boy.

"I would like you guys to call me Frostbite. I may be young but I am the leader of a gang that is in desperate need of new members..or members in general. You and I are quite similar, forgotten kids who roam the sand and fight for their survival. We were abandoned by this world, by our archon and by the people and now seek vengeance. Follow me, thrust me and become one of the most feared soldiers the world has ever seen."

"And why should we?" Galehunter suddenly asked while approaching you.

"Why should we put our trust in the hands of a child? We don't know if you're capable of leading a group. Being from the streets means nothing if you can't play by its rules." The girl looked down at you with daring eyes, eyes which you adored but also saw as a provocation.

You knew that things wouldn't go as smoothly as you wanted them to, that is why you came prepared. You still believed that today was a date which would be engraved into the stars and you were going to do everything to make that happen.

"How can I prove myself?"

Galehunter thought for a while before her eyes suddenly lit up. She grabbed you by the shoulder and turned you around and pointed at a young boy. The child was walking hand in hand with who you assumed were his parents. An uneasy feeling started to erupt in your body as you waited for her answer.

"You see that happy family over there? The father looks like he makes good money judging from the clothes they're wearing..I'm sure he wouldn't mind a few missing Mora."

"That's it? I just have to steal some Mora?" You found the request amusing at first, a challenge easily done, but when you noticed all the guards that started to surround them, your smile quickly dropped. Their expensive attire obviously didn't go unnoticed by your eyes but to think that they were that important people, here in the middle of the desert? The task immediately shifted up on the difficulty scale.

"Today history will be written. The birth of a new organization, one that will make it all the way to the stars. We shall celebrate that birth with a big feast, which I of course will pay for."

The teens just nodded their heads and laughed, none of them taking you serious. They were doubting your skills and intelligence but that was only to be expected. None of them could ever have fathomed the strength that laid within your grasp..

✎ᝰ

Time passed, yet the sun still burned down on Teyvat like an ungodly fire. For the past thirty minutes you have tried your best to keep up with the family– which went quite successful most of the time. They were an easy target despite the crowded place and not to mention the unusual hair color of their son that made them stick out more than a sore thumb. By listening in during some of their conversations, you managed to find out that they were from Sumeru City and came here for some business affairs. They were indeed a family but to your surprise they weren't as rich as you thought they were.

The man was part of the Matra, a group of self proclaimed heroes of the Akademiya and his wife was a professor. They gave off a rather friendly aura but that of course didn't stop you from following through with your plan. You cautiously watched them enter the Gilded Journey, a famous resting place for all types of travelers but also quite the dangerous place for the average person. But given the man's occupation, he would have no troubles defending his people.

While watching them, you constantly tried to find an opening, a moment of distraction, but your search was in vain. If they weren't surrounded by guards and mercenaries, they would be in an too unideal position to attack from.

The only opening there was, was the son. His curious eyes gazed into all kinds of directions as they walked through the bustling marketplace. He was your best chance– and most likely even your only. Unsure of how to draw his attention towards you, you waited and waited, for the perfect opportunity to find you and indeed after a couple more minutes an idea popped into your head.

You waited a few more moments for one of the merchants to pull the parents into one of their exaggerated stories before you approached the kid.

"Did they sell out yet??" You asked him in a worried tone.

"The..what?" He replied in a rather confused voice.

"The nuts of course! Did they sell out yet?" Concern reflected in the boy's eyes as you continued to confuse him. He had absolutely no idea what you were talking about yet he couldn't help himself but become curious.

"What nuts are you talking about?" You carefully took a peek at his parents, who were still chatting with the merchant. You then pointed at a man who was standing in the far distance.

"His name is Hawad and he sells the most delicious Candid Ajilenakh Nuts! they're a delicacy here and are mostly known for their sweetness. They sell out really fast and I wanted to know if he still had some left. Every child loves them, so I thought that maybe you have gotten some already but..seems like you don't.."

This was the moment of truth. The boy's eyes still reeked of confusion and conflict yet the small sparks of curiosity didn't go unnoticed by you. Your heart stopped for a second when he turned around to talk to his mother but when he asked her for some Mora a big smile found its way on your face.

"Yes mother, I will be back shortly. Do not worry, the vendor is right over there." And with that said the boy ran off and you followed him. Your eyes were dead focused on the bag. He had told the woman that he was just going to buy some of the books he saw at the other stall, what a clever child. Based on that, you figured that someone as posh as him wasn't allowed to snack on such unhealthy delicates.

"What's your name?" The boy suddenly asked.

"I'm Y/n, what about you?"

"I'm Cyno!"

"Nice to meet you, Cyno." The two of you exchanged smiles before you continued to focus on the task at hand. You were only a couple minutes away from the merchant, you could already smell the sweet aroma of the nuts. You weren't lying when you said that the Ajilenakh Nuts were beloved by the people of the desert. They were sugary and nice to chew on, the perfect snack when craving something sweet and you loved them.

Your heart bloomed with each step you took forward. Cyno walked ahead of you and was equally excited, but the both of you for different reasons.

Stretching out your hands, you prepared yourself to snatch the bag out of his grip, but all of a sudden an eerie atmosphere filled the air. All the exhilaration had clouded your mind, making you forget about your surroundings. You had let your guard down and that led to a group of strangers suddenly approaching you.

"Look at that.." One of them said with a mischievous smile on his face. "We got ourselves some lost kids."

"Who appear to be in desperate need of help from some capable adults."

Cyno's smile immediately faded upon noticing their dangerous nature. He shifted closer to you but not to hide himself but rather to shield you with his own body.

"We are in no need of help." He said in a serious tone. "Just on our way back to our parents."

"Well, then why don't we guide you back?" One of the men suddenly grabbed you by the shoulders and started pushing you towards the exit of the market. You were about to yell out to get the public's attention when one of them pulled out a dagger and held it against the boy's back. It was perfectly concealed, for only your eyes to see.

"Let's bot bother anyone else, shall we?" A woman, the leader of the group you assumed, gave you a soft smile.

"Let's move to a more quiet place, shall we?.."

Your gaze moved over to Cyno, who's face was filled with horror and concern. All you were able to do was comply and follow the group off the market ground..

✎ᝰ

The sun was starting to set and with the setting of the sun , the radiant heat drastically decreased as well.

There you were, in the middle of the desert, surrounded by criminals. The group of gangsters had taken you to an abandoned camp that wasn't too far away from Caravan Ribit you believed but not exactly close either.

Neither you or Cyno had said a word throughout the entire journey, too scared to piss one of them off. Turning your gaze around towards the boy, you tried to make out the state he was currently in but his eyes were completely empty.

"Why did you take us all the way out here? If you had wanted our Mora, you simply would have taken it."

"We got ourselves a little thinker over here." The woman said, slowly approaching you.

"Times are getting rather rough out here, little one, I'm sure you heard mommy and daddy talk about it as well. The prices of basic goods are rapidly increasing day by day and simple commissions aren't enough to get us by anymore."

"So you kidnapped us in hopes that our parents would pay you guys a fine price?" Cyno suddenly joined the conversation.

"Impressive. Looks like we caught a bundle of little researchers." The woman's voice was filled with sarcasm, which earned her soft chuckles from her comrades.

Cyno just rolled his eyes at their remarks but remained silent. The situation had spiraled out of control and you were starting to get really worried. If you had been on your own, these eremites would have been taken care of in no time but the boy's presence was a great limitation to your options. You didn't want him to be confronted with any graphic scenes but you knew that you had to do something about this mess of a situation at some point.

"I must disappoint you then, I'm an orphan." You said with a smug smile on your face. Both the adults and the boy turned around to look at you.

"Then you have no worth to us.." A deep voice came forth. A tall figure raised itself into the air, pulling out a dagger from his pocket. Cyno's eyes widened in terror as he saw the sharp weapon being pointed at you but when he tried to scream out for them to stop, another individual placed their large hand over his lips, forcing him to watch in fear.

The eremite swung the dagger into the air but missed, as you moved quickly and dodged him at the last second.

A ball of your spit then hit the man right between the eyes, setting off the fury in him. But while he was cursing you, you freed yourself from the ropes they had tied your hands with together and threw yourself onto him with full force. The blade he held only seconds ago was now pointed at his own neck, but it never came in contact with his skin.

Yet he still screamed out in pain.

The Eremites around you froze up upon hearing their comrade's cries and watched the scene unfold.

"My eyes!" The man cried out, desperately pressing his hands over his face.

"That fucking brat froze my eyeballs!"

From there on, everything moved in slow motion. All remaining Eremites came charging at you but they fell as fast as they came. Your attacks were quick and unforeseeable. Like a snowstorm you swooped over them and froze their different body parts to the core. After only minutes they were all on the ground, knocked out cold or shivering uncontrollably.

The boy was beyond speechless. His mouth hung wide open as he watched you pat off the sand from your clothes as if what just happened was nothing. He didn't know what to say or how to react– if he should feel grateful or intimidated. He was frozen in place like the enemies on the ground and his eyes stayed stuck on the small item that had fallen out of your pocket and now dangled around in the cold desert wind.

Your Vision.

[cosmicjoke]

AoT Short Stories Vol. 4 First Tea Cakes: Levi:

So this story got me in the heart.

It revolves around the wife of a wealthy patron to the SC donating baked goods to their branch, and everybody trying to figure out what to do with them, being unused to having any, real luxuries for their soldiers. Nanaba suggests that they split the goods up and have each squad leader take them back and share them with their subordinates.

There's this exchange when Levi brings his share back to his Special Operations Squad:

"'Oh, Captain! Why don't I take this opportunity to make some tea?'

'Don't get so worked up, Petra.'

'Opportunities like this are so rare, though! Also, Olou, you'll make a mess if you cut it up, so let Eld do it.'

So it was true that these soldiers ate for sustenance and little else from their Training Corps days. When Levi met soldiers during his Underground City days, they were always MPs, so he believed they'd all grown fat on luxuries. It almost seemed comical that other fellow soldiers grew congenial over a single sweet, but something about it was also pleasant.

'Do whatever you want. Well... there's a black tin on a shelf in my room. It should be better than the disgusting tea you get in those rations.'

Levi's soldiers recognized the consideration in these words and looked at him with shock. It may have been the first time he showed them anything resembling kindness outside of battle."

What's so telling about the above excerpt is how it demonstrates Levi's kindness, but also his struggle with communicating that kindness. His squad is shocked at his generous offer of letting them drink his own, higher grade tea, because he's never, apparently, offered them anything like that before. But Levi's internal thoughts here are important to understanding why. The only experience Levi really had with soldiers was with the MP's, when he was still in the Underground, and so his impression was that all soldiers in the military, including Survey Corps soldiers, must be used to luxury items and being able to indulge in them. We see Levi's initial confusion here at Petra's excitement over the baked goods, telling her not to get so worked up about it, before realizing it's because they aren't used to having nice things. Seeing the genuine joy it brings them to finally have an opportunity to indulge a little spurs Levi on, then, to offering his own, higher grade tea to go with the sweets. The moment he realized getting to enjoy something of higher quality actually brought his squad happiness, Levi offered what he himself had to give without hesitation. And that really does encapsulate Levi as a person. He has such immense compassion for people, and always wants to help. He just doesn't always know how to share that kindness, almost assuredly because of the way he grew up and the lack of good role models he had. He struggles to know how to express what he's feeling, how to communicate how much he cares.

Then, later in the story, Levi is out at the market, buying provisions it seems, and we get this excerpt:

"He looked over to find a stall with a line of fruit-based sweets. Society was now in a place where more than just the bare necessities could be sold.

'Hey, Mister Survey Corps! How about something sweet to take back to your family?'

I have no family, Levi thought as he tried to ignore him, but then familiar faces came to mind. A new commander, hard at work. Young men who bore the guilt of having survived the killing fields as they analyzed the world's secrets and prepared for the next operation. He doubted he'd get to see the peaceful smiles that came to those expressions like he did before. Even so-

'... Wrap it up for me.'

Something sparked his interest.

All of them thought Levi's sour look never left his face. How would they look if he brought them back some sweets and even made them some tea?

The packaged sweets were freshly baked, and a warm heat spread across Levi's palm."

I mean... just kill me now, please. How sweet is Levi? First, Levi thinking he has no family (which is just all kinds of heartbreaking), but then him thinking of his fellow soldiers. Thinking of, I'm guessing, Hange, and his new squad, realizing they're his family. And then just the way he immediately decides to buy them the sweets on display, thinking about how so many of them have lost their hope and optimism, but hopeful himself that maybe having something nice like this will give them back a little joy, even as he knows it won't really fix anything. When he wonders how they'll look if he gives them sweets and makes them tea, he's obviously remembering how much it meant to his original squad to have even something as small as baked goods to share between them, and he's trying to replicate that here for his new squad, and for Hange, too.

And we see Levi thinking here also about his own difficulty in communicating and expressing his true feelings. He's aware that most people look at him and see an unfeeling, distant and callous person, and he's wondering here, also, if they'll be able to see that's not the case if he gifts them something nice. It's pretty clear from this line that Levi doesn't mean to give off the impression he does to people. He doesn't want to make anyone think he doesn't care. Again, because of how he grew up and the experiences he's lived through, it's had a deeply negative impact on his ability to properly socialize and communicate with others, and Levi is aware of that. He wants people to know he cares about them, again, he just hasn't ever really been shown how to express that care.

It's why we get so many awkward interactions between Levi and others, with him attempting to express compassion or provide them comfort in some way, and it often coming out in strange and sometimes even inappropriate ways, sometimes even leading others to think Levi is being the opposite of kind, like what happened with Historia during the Uprising arc, or like Levi making shit jokes to cheer Eren up, or the numerous times he's hurled what seems like insults at people, but rather than malice, it's simply been out of fear or worry for them on his part. Levi just simply hasn't ever been taught how to communicate with others in a way that would be deemed socially acceptable, and so we see him struggling to learn how to express his care in a way that will be understood by others. We see in this story Levi gradually learning one such way he can, and it's just a testament to what a kind and caring heart he has, that he keeps seeking out ways to show others kindness, and tries here to replicate successfully doing so again with his new squad and commander, just like he once did with his old squad. We see this play out again, when Levi allows the men under his command to take the boxes of wine with them for their mission of watching over Zeke in the forest. He's once more trying to give his subordinates a little joy among all the suffering and loss.

Honestly, how could anyone ever claim that Levi doesn't care or feel anything for others? It seems impossible to me that anyone could be that blind. He's truly just such a good person.

[desirees-world18]

An Affair- Antoine Lambert

Show: Emily in Paris

Pairing: Antoine Lambert x OC

Warnings: minors DNI 🔞. cussing, smut, fingering, p in v, unprotected sex, begging, overstimulation, cheating, affair, and age gap. i think i got everything if not please let me know so it can be added. this is my very first written post on here so please be nice but critiques are always appreciated :)

NSFW content underneath line. enjoy:)

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Anastasia Kingston had always dreamed of moving to Paris. The allure of the City of Love or The City of Lights, with its charming cafés, beautiful architecture, and rich history, had captivated her since she was a child. So, when she received a job offer from Savoir, a prestigious marketing firm in Paris, she jumped at the opportunity. It was a chance to leave her small town in England behind and start anew in one of the most romantic cities in the world.

With a mixture of excitement and nerves, Anastasia arrived in Paris on a crisp autumn morning. The air was filled with the scent of freshly baked bread and the distant hum of city life. Her new apartment, a quaint studio in the Marais district, was everything she had hoped for-cozy, stylish, and quintessentially Parisian.

On her second week at Savoir, Anastasia was introduced to some of the clients they had been working with. Among them was Antoine Lambert, a charismatic and strikingly handsome man with an easy smile and an air of confidence. Antoine was the owner of Maison Lavaux, a perfume company renowned for its luxurious scents. Known for his charm and persuasive skills, he quickly caught Anastasia's attention.

One afternoon, Anastasia, Antoine, Sylvie, Luc, Julian, and Emily gathered in the Savoir conference room to discuss new scents for Maison Lavaux. The meeting was intense, filled with debates and discussions. Finally, it was Anastasia who convinced Antoine on the new perfume scent. Impressed and relieved, Antoine decided to celebrate. "How about dinner to celebrate your brilliant idea?"

Antoine asked Anastasia with a twinkle in his eye after the meeting had concluded. Anastasia hesitated but then agreed, feeling a flutter of excitement. They found themselves at a chic bistro, sharing a bottle of Bordeaux and talking long into the night. As they sipped their wine and exchanged lingering glances, the tension between them reached its peak.

Unable to resist any longer, they found themselves entwined in a passionate embrace, kissing as if the world around them had ceased to exist. Their affair began that night when Anastasia invited him back to her apartment. As they entered her cozy studio, Antoine pulled her into a passionate kiss, which quickly turned into a heated make-out session. His hands roamed her body, while hers wrapped around his neck.

He placed his hands on her hips, moving them against his growing bulge, causing her to break the kiss and moan. "You have no idea how long l've been waiting for this," he whispered, still moving her hips against him. He pulled her shirt over her head, kissing down her chest as Anastasia's moans grew more frequent and her movements more frantic. He paused to unbutton his shirt, tossing it aside, and Anastasia did the same with her bra.

He took her nipple into his mouth, alternating between her breasts, eliciting more moans from her. "Fuck, Antoine," Anastasia moaned, grinding her pant-covered core against him. Antoine pulled away from her chest to pull down his pants, and she followed suit, both discarding their bottoms, leaving only their underwear.

Antoine lowered Anastasia onto his covered erection, grinding her against him. Anastasia moved faster, pressing down harder as she felt her release approaching. One of her hands tangled in his hair, pulling at it and eliciting a low moan from him. He curled his finger upward, slowly thrusting it in and out. "I think you can handle another one," he murmured. Anastasia nodded quickly, desperate for more. He added a second finger, curling both upward before thrusting them deeper.

"What's wrong? Do you have to come?" he teased. "Y-yes, please let me come," Anastasia begged, and Antoine shook his head with a smirk. He added another finger, thrusting faster, her legs starting to spasm again. She finally released all over his fingers, which he slowly withdrew, bringing them to his mouth. "You made quite the mess," Antoine remarked, sucking her juices from his fingers while maintaining eye contact. He pulled her into a kiss, letting her taste herself on his tongue.

He then removed her panties and his boxers, tossing them aside. Antoine ran his tip through her folds, lubing himself up before pulling Anastasia closer by her hips. He lifted her and slowly lowered her onto his cock, ensuring she felt every inch and vein. Once fully inside, he let go of her hips, allowing her to adjust to his size. "Show me how good you can ride my cock, sweet girl," Antoine urged, leaning his head back with a smirk.

She lifted herself almost to the tip before lowering herself back down, riding him harder and faster. When Anastasia started growing tired, Antoine wrapped his hands onto her hips, planted his feet onto the floor, and started roughly pounding up into her. Anastasia moaned out in shock but when she leaned her upper body back, they both moaned out as his cock hit even deeper than before.

By the time they were done, they had gone multiple rounds, tried multiple positions, and had multiple orgasms. Their encounters were filled with a mix of exhilaration and guilt. Anastasia knew Antoine was married, but she couldn't deny the magnetic pull she felt towards him. Antoine, for his part, was equally captivated by Anastasia, finding in her a sense of excitement and freshness that had been missing in his life. Months passed, and their clandestine relationship grew more intense.

They would steal moments together whenever they could, always careful to keep their affair hidden from their colleagues and, most importantly, Antoine's wife, Catherine. One afternoon, as Anastasia and Antoine lay tangled in each other's arms in her apartment, Antoine's phone buzzed with a message. He glanced at it and froze, his face draining of color. "It's Catherine," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"She knows." Panic surged through Anastasia. "What are we going to do?" she asked, her mind racing with the possible consequences. "We need to talk to her," Antoine replied, his tone resolute but calm. "I'll handle it." Later that evening, Antoine returned home to find Catherine waiting for him. Her expression was composed, almost serene. "Antoine," she began, "I know about you and Anastasia."

Antoine braced himself for an onslaught of anger and accusations, but to his surprise, Catherine remained calm. "I've known for a while," she continued. "And I've had time to think about it. I'm not angry, Antoine. In fact, I'm relieved." Relieved? Antoine couldn't believe his ears. "What do you mean?" he asked, bewildered. Catherine took a deep breath. "Our marriage has been more of a partnership than a romance for some time now. I've come to realize that I want more from life, and so do you. If Anastasia makes you happy, then I won't stand in the way. I approve."

Antoine was stunned. He had never expected this reaction. Catherine's understanding and acceptance felt like a weight lifted off his shoulders. He nodded, gratitude and relief flooding through him. The next day, Antoine shared Catherine's response with Anastasia. She was equally shocked but felt a sense of relief and hope for the future. Their relationship, once shrouded in secrecy and guilt, now had a chance to flourish openly.

With Catherine's blessing, Anastasia and Antoine continued their romance, their bond growing stronger each day. Anastasia's life in Paris had taken an unexpected turn, but she embraced it with open arms, knowing that sometimes, the most unexpected paths lead to the most beautiful destinations.