Efficient low temperature thermal energy storage
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of producing electricity comprising(a) removing heat from a first storage fluid in a cold reservoir to produce colder first storage fluid;
- (b) transferring said heat to a second storage fluid in a hot reservoir to produce hotter second storage fluid;
(c) evaporating an organic working fluid using heat from the hotter second storage fluid;
(d) using the organic working fluid to generate electricity; and
(e) cooling the organic working fluid using the colder first storage fluid.
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Abstract
Thermal energy derived from a low temperature heat source is stored in one reservoir above ambient temperature and in another reservoir below ambient temperature for use in driving an organic Rankine cycle engine to produce electricity. The organic Rankine cycle engine may utilize an organic working fluid that boils below or near ambient temperature. Solar energy may be used to power a heat pump or chiller that provides the hot and cold storage fluids stored in hot and cold reservoirs for use in the organic Rankine cycle engine.
130 Citations
86 Claims
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1. A method of producing electricity comprising
(a) removing heat from a first storage fluid in a cold reservoir to produce colder first storage fluid; -
(b) transferring said heat to a second storage fluid in a hot reservoir to produce hotter second storage fluid; (c) evaporating an organic working fluid using heat from the hotter second storage fluid; (d) using the organic working fluid to generate electricity; and (e) cooling the organic working fluid using the colder first storage fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An energy generation system, comprising
(a) a hot reservoir configured to retain a first storage fluid; -
(b) a cold reservoir configured to retain a second storage fluid; (c) a first heat engine in fluid communication with the hot reservoir and the cold reservoir, and wherein the first heat engine is configured to remove heat from the second storage fluid and transfer that heat into the first storage fluid; (d) a second heat engine in fluid communication with the hot reservoir and the cold reservoir, the second heat engine having an organic working fluid and being configured to transfer heat from the first storage fluid into the organic working fluid and also being configured to transfer heat from the organic working fluid into the second storage fluid; and (e) an electrical generator coupled to the second heat engine. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method of generating electricity, comprising:
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increasing the temperature of a first storage fluid in a hot reservoir and reducing the temperature of a second storage fluid in a cold reservoir with a power source; and generating electricity with an organic Rankine cycle turbine with the hot reservoir and the cold reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method of generating electricity, comprising:
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operating a heat pump driven by a power source to store thermal energy; and generating electricity with an organic Rankine turbine with the stored thermal energy. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A method of generating electricity, comprising:
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operating a heat pump driven by a power source to create a hot water reservoir at about 1 atm and at a temperature between about 70°
C. and about 100°
C., and a cold water reservoir at about 1 atm and at a temperature between about −
20°
C. and about 20°
C.; andgenerating electricity with an organic Rankine turbine driven by the hot water reservoir and the cold water reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A method of generating electricity, comprising:
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storing thermal energy during periods of relatively low electricity prices, wherein storing thermal energy comprises; increasing the temperature of a hot reservoir and lowering the temperature of a cold reservoir with a power source to create stored thermal energy; converting the stored thermal energy during periods of relatively high electricity prices, wherein converting the stored thermal energy comprises; generating electricity with an organic Rankine turbine with the hot reservoir and the cold reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions to control electricity generation, the instructions for:
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storing thermal energy during periods of relatively low electricity prices, wherein storing thermal energy comprises; increasing the temperature of a hot reservoir and lowering the temperature of a cold reservoir with a power source to create stored thermal energy; converting the stored thermal energy during periods of relatively high electricity prices, wherein converting the stored thermal energy comprises; generating electricity with an organic Rankine turbine with the hot reservoir and the cold reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. A system to generate electricity, comprising:
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a heat pump operable to increase the temperature of a hot reservoir and lower the temperature of a cold reservoir with a power source; and an organic Rankine turbine, wherein the organic Rankine turbine is operable to generate electricity with energy from the hot reservoir and the cold reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72)
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73. A system to generate electricity, comprising:
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a turbine to generate electricity with energy from a power source, wherein the energy from the power source is greater than a capacity of the turbine to utilize the energy; a heat pump operable to convert energy from the power source to stored energy; and an organic Rankine turbine, wherein the organic Rankine turbine is operable to generate electricity with the stored energy. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76)
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77. A system to generate electricity, comprising:
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a hot water reservoir at about 1 atm and at a temperature between about 70°
C. and about 100°
C., and a cold water reservoir at about 1 atm and at a temperature between about −
20°
C. and about 20°
C.;a heat pump operable to be driven by a power source to create the hot water reservoir and the cold water reservoir; and an organic Rankine turbine for generating electricity, wherein the turbine is operable to be driven by one or more working fluids in fluid communication with the hot water reservoir and the cold water reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
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83. A method of improving efficiency of a power plant, comprising utilizing waste heat from low temperature steam to transfer heat from a cooler liquid to a hotter liquid, using heat from the hotter liquid and chilling by the cooler liquid to power an organic Rankine cycle turbine, and generating electricity using the organic Rankine cycle turbine.
- 84. A method of improving efficiency of a power plant which employs one or more Rankine cycle turbines to generate electricity, comprising retrofitting to said plant a system comprising (1) a chiller or heat pump configured to utilize heat from a low temperature steam derived from said one or more Rankine cycle turbines, (2) a hot reservoir, (3) a cold reservoir, (4) an organic Rankine cycle turbine in fluid communication with the hot reservoir and the cold reservoir, and (5) an electrical generator.
Specification