Pumped thermal systems with variable stator pressure ratio control

• US 10,422,250 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2017
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• 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:
  US15/440,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20170159497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• 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 comprising:

a compressor comprising a plurality of adjustable stators, wherein an angle of each stator of the plurality is adjustable relative to the flow of a working fluid through the compressor, wherein a compression ratio across the compressor varies with the angle;

a hot side heat exchanger;

a turbine;

a cold side heat exchanger; and

a fluid path,

wherein the system is configured to operate in a charging mode in which energy is stored in the system and a discharging mode in which energy is discharged from the system, and

wherein the fluid path is configured to circulate the working fluid through, in sequence and in the same direction, the compressor, the hot side heat exchanger, the turbine, and the cold side heat exchanger when the system operates in the charging mode and when the system operates in the discharging mode.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the compressor further comprises:

a plurality of inlet guide vanes;

a plurality of rotors; and

a plurality of outlet guide vanes.

3. A system comprising:

a compressor;

a hot side heat exchanger;

a turbine comprising a plurality of adjustable stators, wherein an angle of each stator of the plurality is adjustable relative to the flow of a working fluid through the turbine, wherein an expansion ratio across the turbine varies with the angle;

a cold side heat exchanger; and

a fluid path,

wherein the system is configured to operate in a charging mode in which energy is stored in the system and a discharging mode in which energy is discharged from the system, and

wherein the fluid path is configured to circulate the working fluid through, in sequence and in the same direction, the compressor, the hot side heat exchanger, the turbine, and the cold side heat exchanger when the system operates in the charging mode and when the system operates in the discharging mode.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the turbine further comprises:

a plurality of inlet guide vanes;

a plurality of rotors; and

a plurality of outlet guide vanes.

5. A system comprising:

a compressor comprising a first plurality of adjustable stators, wherein a first angle of each stator of the first plurality is adjustable relative to the flow of a working fluid through the compressor, wherein a compression ratio across the compressor varies with the first angle;

a hot side heat exchanger;

a turbine comprising a second plurality of adjustable stators, wherein a second angle of each stator of the second plurality is adjustable relative to the flow of the working fluid through the turbine, wherein an expansion ratio across the turbine varies with the second angle;

a cold side heat exchanger; and

a fluid path,

wherein the system is configured to operate in a charging mode in which energy is stored in the system and a discharging mode in which energy is discharged from the system, and

wherein the fluid path is configured to circulate the working fluid through, in sequence and in the same direction, the compressor, the hot side heat exchanger, the turbine, and the cold side heat exchanger when the system operates in the charging mode and when the system operates in the discharging mode.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a first pressure of the working fluid at an outlet of the compressor is equal to a second pressure of the working fluid at an inlet of the turbine.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein a first pressure of the working fluid at an inlet of the compressor is equal to a second pressure of the working fluid at an outlet of the turbine.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the compression ratio across the compressor is equal to the expansion ratio across the turbine.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the compression ratio across the compressor differs from the expansion ratio across the turbine by a fixed amount.