Pumped Thermal Systems with Dedicated Compressor/Turbine Pairs
First Claim
1. A system configured to operate in at least a heat pump mode and a heat engine mode, the system comprising:
- a first compressor;
a second compressor;
a first hot side heat exchanger;
a second hot side heat exchanger;
a hot thermal storage (“
HTS”
) medium;
a first HTS tank;
a second HTS tank;
a first turbine;
a second turbinea first cold side heat exchanger;
a second cold side heat exchanger;
a cold thermal storage (“
CTS”
) medium;
a first CTS tank;
a second CTS tank;
a working fluid;
a first working fluid path for operation of the system in the heat pump mode and configured to circulate the working fluid through, in sequence, the first compressor, the first hot side heat exchanger, the first turbine, the first cold side heat exchanger, and back to the first compressor;
a first HTS fluid path for operation of the system in the heat pump mode and configured to flow the HTS medium from the second HTS tank through the first hot side heat exchanger and to the first HTS tank;
a first CTS fluid path for operation of the system in the heat pump mode and configured to flow the CTS medium from the first CTS tank through the first cold side heat exchanger and to the second CTS tank;
a second working fluid path for operation of the system in the heat engine mode and configured to circulate the working fluid through, in sequence, the second compressor, the second hot side heat exchanger, the second turbine, the second cold side heat exchanger, and back to the second compressor;
a second HTS fluid path for operation of the system in the heat engine mode and configured to flow the HTS medium from the first HTS tank through the second hot side heat exchanger and to the second HTS tank; and
a second CTS fluid path for operation of the system in the heat engine mode and configured to flow the CTS medium from the second CTS tank through the second cold side heat exchanger and to the first CTS tank.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
36 Citations
2 Claims
-
1. A system configured to operate in at least a heat pump mode and a heat engine mode, the system comprising:
-
a first compressor; a second compressor; a first hot side heat exchanger; a second hot side heat exchanger; a hot thermal storage (“
HTS”
) medium;a first HTS tank; a second HTS tank; a first turbine; a second turbine a first cold side heat exchanger; a second cold side heat exchanger; a cold thermal storage (“
CTS”
) medium;a first CTS tank; a second CTS tank; a working fluid; a first working fluid path for operation of the system in the heat pump mode and configured to circulate the working fluid through, in sequence, the first compressor, the first hot side heat exchanger, the first turbine, the first cold side heat exchanger, and back to the first compressor; a first HTS fluid path for operation of the system in the heat pump mode and configured to flow the HTS medium from the second HTS tank through the first hot side heat exchanger and to the first HTS tank; a first CTS fluid path for operation of the system in the heat pump mode and configured to flow the CTS medium from the first CTS tank through the first cold side heat exchanger and to the second CTS tank; a second working fluid path for operation of the system in the heat engine mode and configured to circulate the working fluid through, in sequence, the second compressor, the second hot side heat exchanger, the second turbine, the second cold side heat exchanger, and back to the second compressor; a second HTS fluid path for operation of the system in the heat engine mode and configured to flow the HTS medium from the first HTS tank through the second hot side heat exchanger and to the second HTS tank; and a second CTS fluid path for operation of the system in the heat engine mode and configured to flow the CTS medium from the second CTS tank through the second cold side heat exchanger and to the first CTS tank.
-
-
2. A system configured to operate in at least a heat pump mode and a heat engine mode, the system comprising:
-
a first compressor; a second compressor; a hot side heat exchanger; a hot thermal storage (“
HTS”
) medium;a first HTS tank; a second HTS tank; a first turbine; a second turbine a cold side heat exchanger; a cold thermal storage (“
CTS”
) medium;a first CTS tank; a second CTS tank; a working fluid; a first working fluid path for operation of the system in the heat pump mode and configured to circulate the working fluid through, in sequence, the first compressor, the hot side heat exchanger, the first turbine, the cold side heat exchanger, and back to the first compressor; a first HTS fluid path for operation of the system in the heat pump mode and configured to flow the HTS medium from the second HTS tank through the hot side heat exchanger and to the first HTS tank; a first CTS fluid path for operation of the system in the heat pump mode and configured to flow the CTS medium from the first CTS tank through the cold side heat exchanger and to the second CTS tank; and a second working fluid path for operation of the system in the heat engine mode and configured to circulate the working fluid through, in sequence, the second compressor, the second hot side heat exchanger, the second turbine, the cold side heat exchanger, and back to the second compressor.
-
Specification