# US 10,371,013 B2 · Thermal energy storage plant > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,371,013 B2 - Document ID: US10371013B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/556,417 - Filed: 2015-03-20 - Published: 2018-04-19 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-20 - Assignees: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/S - Applicants: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Till Andreas Barmeier - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371013B2 ## CPC - F01K 3/12: having two or more accumulators - F01K 3/18: having heaters (having both steam accumulator and heater F01K3/14; steam heaters per se F22) - F01K 5/00: Plants characterised by use of means for storing steam in an alkali to increase steam pressure, e.g. of Honigmann or Koenemann type - F28D 17/005: {using granular particles} - F28D 17/02: using rigid bodies, e.g. of porous material - F28D 17/04: Distributing arrangements for the heat-exchange media - F28D 20/0056: {using solid heat storage material (F28D20/0052 takes precedence)} - F28F 27/00: Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus (control arrangements in general G05) - F28F 27/006: {specially adapted for regenerative heat-exchange apparatus} - F28D 2020/006: {Heat storage systems not otherwise provided for} - Y02E 60/14: Thermal energy storage - F01K: STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES (gas-turbine or jet-propulsion plants F02; nuclear power plants, engine arrangements therein G21D) - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract Provided is a thermal energy storage plant including a charging circuit where a first working fluid is circulated, the charging circuit includes a first fluid transporting machine for generating a flow of the first working fluid in charging circuit, a heating device electrically powered for transferring heat to the first working fluid, a heat accumulator for storing the thermal energy of the first working fluid, the heat accumulator including a hot end for receiving the first working fluid at a first temperature and a cold end for letting the first working fluid exit the heat accumulator at a second temperature lower than the first temperature, the heat accumulator includes a plurality of heat storage units connected in series between the hot end and the cold end, which may be separated by valves. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A thermal energy storage plant comprising: a charging circuit where a first working fluid is circulated, the charging circuit including: a first fluid transporting machine for generating a flow of the first working fluid in the charging circuit, a heating device for transferring heat to the first working fluid, and a heat accumulator for storing a thermal energy of the first working fluid, the heat accumulator including a hot end for receiving the first working fluid at a first temperature and a cold end for letting the first working fluid exit the heat accumulator at a second temperature lower than the first temperature, wherein the heat accumulator is oriented in such a way that the first working fluid is circulated through heat storage elements within the heat storage units from the hot end to the cold end along a horizontal direction; wherein the heat accumulator comprises: a plurality of heat storage units connected in series between the hot end and the cold end; and at least one valve interposed between two heat storage units of the plurality of heat storage units, wherein a closing of the at least one valve disconnects the plurality of heat storage units from each other during idling operations between charging and discharging phases to prevent a mass flow between the plurality of heat storage units initiated by natural convection. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The thermal energy storage plant according to claim 1, further comprising a discharging circuit, the discharging circuit including: the heat accumulator, a second fluid transporting machine for generating a flow of a second working fluid in the discharging circuit, the flow being oriented from the cold end to the hot end of the heat accumulator, a heat exchanger included in a thermal cycle for transferring a thermal energy from the second working fluid to a working fluid of the thermal cycle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The thermal energy storage plant according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the heat storage units of the plurality of heat storage units comprises a housing for a plurality of heat storing elements having high thermal capacity. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The thermal energy storage plant according to claim 2, wherein the thermal cycle is a water-steam cycle including a thermal machine and the heat exchanger is a steam generator for transferring the thermal energy from the second working fluid to a mass of water to generate steam to be fed to the thermal machine. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The thermal energy storage plant according to claim 3, wherein the first working fluid and the second working fluid are a same fluid. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The thermal energy storage plant according to claim 1, wherein the heating device is powered from a renewable energy source. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method for operating the thermal energy storage plant according to claim 1, the method comprising the steps of: heating the first working fluid in the heating device; generating a flow of the first working fluid in the charging circuit with the first fluid transporting machine, for charging the plurality of heat storage units in series from the hot end to the cold end; and stopping the heating and the flow of the first working fluid after at least one heat storage unit has been charged. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of isolating the charged heat storage unit from the other heat storage units by means of at least one valve. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein all heat storage units are isolated from each other, by means of at least one valve provided between the plurality of heat storage units. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A method for operating the thermal energy storage plant according to claim 8, the method comprising the steps of: opening the at least one valve; generating a flow of the second working fluid in the discharging circuit, from the cold end to the hot end, for transferring heat from the plurality of heat storage units to the second working fluid; and stopping the heating and the flow of the second working fluid after an inlet of a heat storage unit which is closest to the hot end has reached a temperature lower than the first temperature.