Pumped Thermal and Energy Storage System Units with Pumped Thermal System and Energy Storage System Subunits

• US 20170159500A1
• Filed: 02/23/2017
• Published: 06/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malta, Inc.
• Original Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Larochelle, Philippe, Laughlin, Robert B., Cizek, Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 10,428,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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 method comprising:

providing a composite pumped thermal system configured for continuous ramping between power output and power input, wherein the composite pumped thermal system comprises a plurality of pumped thermal system subunits, wherein each pumped thermal system subunit is configured for operation in at least a thermal storage mode and a power generation mode;

operating the composite pumped thermal system in power output mode with a power output level at an intermediate power output level greater than 0% and less than 100% of a maximum power output level of the composite pumped thermal system;

reducing the power output level to 0% of the maximum power output level by reducing a respective power output of a first subunit of the plurality, wherein the first subunit is operating in a power generation mode; and

at 0% of the maximum power output level of the composite pumped thermal system, wherein a power input level of the composite pumped thermal system is also at 0% of a maximum power input level of the composite pumped thermal system, increasing the power input level of the composite pumped thermal system to an intermediate power input level greater than 0% and less than 100% of the maximum power input level by increasing a respective power input of a second subunit of the plurality, wherein the second subunit is operating in a thermal storage mode.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

operating the composite pumped thermal system in power output mode at 100% of the maximum power output level; and

reducing the power output level to the intermediate power output level by reducing a respective power output of at least a third subunit of the plurality operating in a power generation mode.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

transitioning at least the third subunit of the plurality to operate in a pumped thermal storage mode;

increasing the power input level from the intermediate power input level to 100% of the maximum power input level by increasing a respective power input of at least the third subunit of the plurality operating in a thermal storage mode.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

increasing the power input level from the intermediate power input level to 100% of the maximum power input level by increasing a respective power input of at least a fourth subunit of the plurality operating in a thermal storage mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each subunit of the plurality has a respective maximum power input level less than 100% of the maximum power input level of the composite pumped thermal system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each subunit of the plurality has a respective maximum power output level less than 100% of the maximum power output level of the composite pumped thermal system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each subunit of the plurality can be continuously ramped between a respective maximum power input of the subunit and 50% of the respective maximum power input of the subunit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each subunit of the plurality can be continuously ramped between a respective maximum power output of the subunit and 50% of the respective maximum power output of the subunit.