Hybrid pumped thermal systems

• US 10,288,357 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2017
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malta, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Malta, Inc.
• Inventors: Laughlin, Robert B., Larochelle, Philippe, Cizek, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Dounis, Laert
• Application Number:
  US15/440,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20170159499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 60659, 606411-682
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 13/02 Controlling, e.g. stopping or starting
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 3/00 Plants characterised by the use of steam or heat accumulators, or intermediate steam heaters, therein regenerating exhaust steam F01K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 3/12 having two or more accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 3/185 using waste heat from outside the plant F02G5/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 3/20 with heating by combustion gases of main boiler
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 1/10 Closed cycles
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/14 Gas-turbine plants having means for storing energy, e.g. for meeting peak loads
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/90 Variable geometry
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 60/10 using latent heat
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/00 Heat-exchange apparatus with the intermediate heat-transfer medium in closed tubes passing into or through the conduit walls ; Heat-exchange apparatus employing intermediate heat-transfer medium or bodies F28D17/00, F28D19/00, F28D20/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/00 Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2020/0047 using molten salts or liquid metals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/14 Combined heat and power generation [CHP]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/16 Combined cycle power plant [CCPP], or combined cycle gas turbine [CCGT]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/16 Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids

Abstract

The present disclosure provides pumped thermal energy storage systems that can be used to store electrical energy. A pumped thermal energy storage system of the present disclosure can store energy by operating as a heat pump or refrigerator, whereby net work input can be used to transfer heat from the cold side to the hot side. A working fluid of the system is capable of efficient heat exchange with heat storage fluids on a hot side of the system and on a cold side of the system. The system can extract energy by operating as a heat engine transferring heat from the hot side to the cold side, which can result in net work output. Systems of the present disclosure can employ solar heating for improved storage efficiency.

Claims

1. A system configured to operate in at least three modes, including a pumped thermal storage mode, a power generation mode, and a hybrid mode, the system comprising:

a compressor;

a hot side heat exchanger;

a hot thermal storage (“

HTS”

) medium;

a combustion heat exchanger;

a turbine;

a cold side heat exchanger;

a cold thermal storage (“

CTS”

) medium;

a cooling heat exchanger;

a working fluid;

a first fluid path configured to circulate the working fluid in the pumped thermal storage mode, wherein the first fluid path circulates the working fluid through, in sequence, the compressor, the hot side heat exchanger, the turbine, and the cold side heat exchanger, wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with the HTS medium in the hot side heat exchanger, and wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with the CTS medium in the cold side heat exchanger;

a second fluid path configured to circulate the working fluid in the power generation mode, wherein the second fluid path circulates the working fluid through, in sequence, the compressor, the combustion heat exchanger, the turbine, and the cooling heat exchanger, wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with an external heat source in the combustion heat exchanger, and wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with an external heat sink in the cooling heat exchanger; and

a third fluid path configured to circulate the working fluid in the hybrid mode, wherein the third fluid path circulates the working fluid through, in sequence, the compressor, both the hot side heat exchanger and the combustion heat exchanger, the turbine, and both the cold side heat exchanger and the cooling heat exchanger, wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with the HTS medium in the hot side heat exchanger, wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with an external heat source in the combustion heat exchanger, wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with the CTS medium in the cold side heat exchanger, and wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with an external heat sink in the cooling heat exchanger.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the external heat source comprises a solar heater.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the external heat source comprises a combustor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the external heat source comprises a flue gas from a combustor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the external heat source comprises a waste heat source.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the external heat sink comprises a body of water.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the external heat sink comprises an environmental heat sink.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the third fluid path is further configured to circulate a first portion of the working fluid to the hot side heat exchanger and second portion of the working fluid to the combustion heat exchanger.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the third fluid path is further configured to circulate a first portion of the working fluid to the cold side heat exchanger and second portion of the working fluid to the cooling heat exchanger.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of valves configured to switch circulation of the working fluid between the first fluid path configured to circulate the working fluid in the pumped thermal storage mode, the second fluid path configured to circulate the working fluid in the power generation mode, and the third fluid path configured to circulate the working fluid in the hybrid mode.

11. A system comprising:

a compressor;

a hot side heat exchanger;

a hot thermal storage (“

HTS”

) medium;

a combustion heat exchanger;

a turbine;

a cold side heat exchanger;

a cold thermal storage (“

CTS”

) medium;

a cooling heat exchanger;

a working fluid; and

a fluid path configured to circulate the working fluid through, in sequence, the compressor, both the hot side heat exchanger and the combustion heat exchanger, the turbine, and both the cold side heat exchanger and the cooling heat exchanger, wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with the HTS medium in the hot side heat exchanger, wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with an external heat source in the combustion heat exchanger, wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with the CTS medium in the cold side heat exchanger, and wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with an external heat sink in the cooling heat exchanger.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the external heat source comprises a solar heater.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the external heat source comprises a combustor.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the external heat source comprises a flue gas from a combustor.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the external heat source comprises a waste heat source.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the external heat sink comprises a body of water.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the external heat sink comprises an environmental heat sink.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the fluid path is further configured to circulate a first portion of the working fluid to the hot side heat exchanger and second portion of the working fluid to the combustion heat exchanger.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the fluid path is further configured to circulate a first portion of the working fluid to the cold side heat exchanger and second portion of the working fluid to the cooling heat exchanger.