Hybrid Pumped Thermal Systems
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a compressor;
a hot side heat exchanger;
a hot thermal storage (“
HTS”
) medium;
a turbine;
a cold side heat exchanger;
a cold thermal storage (“
CTS”
) medium;
a first additional heat exchanger;
a second additional heat exchanger;
a working fluid;
a fluid path configured to circulate the working fluid in a hybrid mode, wherein the fluid path circulates the working fluid through, in sequence, the compressor, the first additional heat exchanger, the turbine, and the cold side heat exchanger, wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with an external heat source in the first additional heat exchanger, and wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with the CTS medium in the cold side heat exchanger.
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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.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a compressor; a hot side heat exchanger; a hot thermal storage (“
HTS”
) medium;a turbine; a cold side heat exchanger; a cold thermal storage (“
CTS”
) medium;a first additional heat exchanger; a second additional heat exchanger; a working fluid; a fluid path configured to circulate the working fluid in a hybrid mode, wherein the fluid path circulates the working fluid through, in sequence, the compressor, the first additional heat exchanger, the turbine, and the cold side heat exchanger, wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with an external heat source in the first additional heat exchanger, and wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with the CTS medium in the cold side heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A system comprising:
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a compressor; a hot side heat exchanger; a hot thermal storage (“
HTS”
) medium;a turbine; a cold side heat exchanger; a cold thermal storage (“
CTS”
) medium;a first additional heat exchanger; a second additional heat exchanger; a working fluid; a fluid path configured to circulate the working fluid in a hybrid mode, wherein the fluid path circulates the working fluid through, in sequence, the compressor, both the hot side heat exchanger and the first additional 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, wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with an external heat source in the first additional heat exchanger, and wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with the CTS medium in the cold side heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
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6. A system comprising:
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a compressor; a hot side heat exchanger; a hot thermal storage (“
HTS”
) medium;a turbine; a cold side heat exchanger; a cold thermal storage (“
CTS”
) medium;a first additional heat exchanger; a second additional heat exchanger; a working fluid; a fluid path configured to circulate the working fluid in a hybrid mode, wherein the fluid path circulates the working fluid through, in sequence, the compressor, both the hot side heat exchanger and the first additional heat exchanger, the turbine, and the second additional 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 first additional heat exchanger, and wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with an external heat sink in the second additional heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A system comprising:
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a compressor; a hot side heat exchanger; a hot thermal storage (“
HTS”
) medium;a turbine; a cold side heat exchanger; a cold thermal storage (“
CTS”
) medium;a first additional heat exchanger; a second additional heat exchanger; a working fluid; a fluid path configured to circulate the working fluid in a hybrid mode, wherein the fluid path circulates the working fluid through, in sequence, the compressor, the hot side heat exchanger, the turbine, and both the cold side heat exchanger and the second additional 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 the CTS medium in the cold side heat exchanger, and wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with an external heat sink in the second additional heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A system comprising:
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a compressor; a hot side heat exchanger; a hot thermal storage (“
HTS”
) medium;a turbine; a cold side heat exchanger; a cold thermal storage (“
CTS”
) medium;a first additional heat exchanger; a second additional heat exchanger; a working fluid; a fluid path configured to circulate the working fluid in a hybrid mode, wherein the fluid path circulates the working fluid through, in sequence, the compressor, the hot side heat exchanger, the turbine, and the second additional 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 an external heat sink in the second additional heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A system comprising:
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a compressor; a hot side heat exchanger; a hot thermal storage (“
HTS”
) medium;a turbine; a cold side heat exchanger; a cold thermal storage (“
CTS”
) medium;a first additional heat exchanger; a second additional heat exchanger; a working fluid; a fluid path configured to circulate the working fluid in a hybrid mode, wherein the fluid path circulates the working fluid through, in sequence, the compressor, the first additional heat exchanger, the turbine, and both the cold side heat exchanger and the second additional heat exchanger, wherein the working fluid exchanges heat with an external heat source in the first additional 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 second additional heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A system comprising:
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a compressor; a hot side heat exchanger; a hot thermal storage (“
HTS”
) medium;a turbine; a cold side heat exchanger; a cold thermal storage (“
CTS”
) medium;a first additional heat exchanger; a second additional heat exchanger; a working fluid; a fluid path configured to circulate the working fluid through, in sequence; the compressor, one or more of the hot side heat exchanger or the first additional heat exchanger, the turbine, and one or more of the cold side heat exchanger or the second additional 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 first additional 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 second additional heat exchanger; and a plurality of valves configured to control whether the working fluid is circulated through one or more of the hot side heat exchanger or the first additional heat exchanger and whether the working fluid is circulated through one or more of the cold side heat exchanger or the second additional heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification