Heat storage system and method
First Claim
1. A thermal energy storage system comprising:
- a source of heat for heating a heat collecting fluid to a temperature within the range of from about 600°
to 1600°
F.;
a housing containing a bed of rocks for storage of thermal energy;
a heat transfer gas in heat-exchange relationship with said bed of rocks;
means for moving said heat transfer gas through said bed of rocks at an apparent velocity of less than about 6 ft/sec;
means for causing said heat collecting fluid and said heat transfer gas to flow in counter-current, indirect, heat-exchange relationship with one another, said means including means for reversing the direction of flow of said heat collecting fluid and said heat transfer gas;
a working fluid;
means for passing said working fluid and said heat collecting fluid in indirect, heat-exchange relationship with one another; and
means operatively associated with said working fluid to convert thermal energy contained therein to mechanical energy.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A thermal energy storage system and method for storing substantial quantities of heat for extended periods of time. The system includes a heat collecting fluid which is in a heat-exchange relationship with a source of heat or thermal energy, a housing containing a large volume of particulate material such as rocks for the storage of thermal energy, a heat transfer gas in a heat-exchange relationship with the rocks and means for causing the heat collecting fluid and the heat transfer gas to flow in counter-current, indirect heat-exchange relationship with one another, the means further includes provisions for reversing the direction of flow of the heat collecting fluid and gas for the introduction and removal of heat from a portion of the body of rock. There further is provided a working fluid and means for passing the working fluid and heat collecting fluid in indirect, heat-exchange relationship with one another for the transfer of heat to the working fluid, and a means operatively associated with the working fluid to extract energy therefrom. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the source of heat comprises a solar heat collector which uses a liquid alkali metal as the heat collecting fluid and the preferred heat transfer gas comprises air.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A thermal energy storage system comprising:
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a source of heat for heating a heat collecting fluid to a temperature within the range of from about 600°
to 1600°
F.;a housing containing a bed of rocks for storage of thermal energy; a heat transfer gas in heat-exchange relationship with said bed of rocks; means for moving said heat transfer gas through said bed of rocks at an apparent velocity of less than about 6 ft/sec; means for causing said heat collecting fluid and said heat transfer gas to flow in counter-current, indirect, heat-exchange relationship with one another, said means including means for reversing the direction of flow of said heat collecting fluid and said heat transfer gas; a working fluid; means for passing said working fluid and said heat collecting fluid in indirect, heat-exchange relationship with one another; and means operatively associated with said working fluid to convert thermal energy contained therein to mechanical energy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of storing and recovering thermal energy comprising:
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providing a source of heat and a heat collecting fluid; passing the heat collecting fluid in a heat-exchange relationship with the source of heat; providing a housing containing a bed of rocks for storage of thermal energy and a heat transfer gas in direct heat-exchange relationship with said bed of rocks; passing said heat collecting fluid and said heat transfer gas in a counter-current, indirect, heat-exchange relationship with one another, said heat collecting fluid and said heat transfer gas being maintained at a temperature within a range of from about 600°
to 1600°
F.;passing said heat transfer gas through said bed of rocks at an apparent velocity not to exceed about 6 ft/sec; reversing the direction of the flow of said heat collecting fluid and said heat transfer gas such that heated gas is introduced or withdrawn from an upper portion of said bed of rocks; providing a working fluid; passing said working fluid and said heat collecting fluid in heat exchange-relationship with one another to transfer heat to the working fluid; and extracting energy from said heated working fluid.
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Specification