Gas turbine energy storage and conversion system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A turbine power plant, comprising:
- a source of compressed fluid;
a turbine;
a mechanical linkage for extracting power from an output shaft of the turbine; and
at least one of a sensible thermal storage and a thermal transfer medium contained within a pressure boundary of the turbine power plant, wherein the at least one of a sensible thermal storage and a thermal transfer medium transfers, by convection, thermal energy to the compressed fluid.
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Abstract
The present invention combines the principles of a gas turbine engine with an electric transmission system. A method and apparatus are disclosed for utilizing metallic and ceramic elements to store heat energy derived from a regenerative braking system. The subject invention uses this regenerated electrical energy to provide additional energy storage over conventional electrical storage methods suitable for a gas turbine engine. The subject invention provides engine braking for a gas turbine engine as well as reducing fuel consumption.
411 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A turbine power plant, comprising:
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a source of compressed fluid; a turbine; a mechanical linkage for extracting power from an output shaft of the turbine; and at least one of a sensible thermal storage and a thermal transfer medium contained within a pressure boundary of the turbine power plant, wherein the at least one of a sensible thermal storage and a thermal transfer medium transfers, by convection, thermal energy to the compressed fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A vehicle, comprising:
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a turbine power plant; a mechanical-to-electrical conversion device in mechanical communication with the turbine power plant to generate electrical energy from braking of the vehicle; a direct current (“
DC”
) bus in electrical communication with the mechanical-to-electrical conversion device to receive the electrical energy; andat least one of a sensible thermal storage and a thermal transfer medium contained within a pressure boundary of the turbine power plant to receive at least one of electrical energy and thermal energy generated from the electrical energy. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A vehicle, comprising:
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a mechanical-to-electrical conversion device in mechanical communication with an output shaft plant to generate electrical energy from braking of the vehicle; a thermal energy storage medium to convert at least a portion of the electrical energy into thermal energy and store the thermal energy for use by a vehicle operation; an electrical energy storage system for storing at least a portion of the electrical energy; and a controller to regulate, based on at least one of a state-of-charge of the electrical energy storage system and a temperature of the thermal energy storage and transfer medium, an amount of electrical energy sent to each of the thermal energy storage and transfer medium and electrical energy storage medium. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A vehicle, comprising:
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a conduit for transporting a gas-fuel mixture; at least one of a combustor and re-heater for receiving and combusting the gas-fuel mixture to form a heated gas; a turbine to receive the heated gas from the at least one of a combustor and re-heater; an electrical energy storage system to store electrical energy; at least one of a sensible thermal storage and a thermal transfer medium contained within a pressure boundary of the turbine power plant to receive the electrical energy from the electrical energy storage system to heat at least one of the gas and gas-fuel mixture; and a controller operable to direct transfer of electrical energy from the electrical energy storage system to the at least one of a sensible thermal storage and a thermal transfer medium.
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Specification