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US 11,451,112 B2Granted
Flywheel and molten salt hybrid energy storage systems
AssigneeHigher Dimension Materials, Inc.
InventorsYoung-Hwa Kim, Richard Dale Olmsted
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This disclosure describes novel hybrid energy storage systems for providing short-term and long-term storage and delivery of electricity generated by any energy source including renewable energy sources such as solar energy and wind energy. The hybrid energy storage systems described herein have a higher overall real-world efficiency than energy storage systems currently available.
Claims21
An energy storage and delivery system comprising:
- one or more flywheel energy storage systems (FESS), the one or more FESS including or coupled to one or more generators configured to generate and deliver electricity to users;
- and
- a molten salt energy storage system (MSESS) comprising:
- a container holding salt therein;
- a heater in thermal contact with the salt such that the salt is heated in response to the heater receiving energy from an energy source;
- and
- a heat exchanger in thermal contact with the salt;
- a turbine fluidly coupled to an output of the heat exchanger;
- an electricity generator mechanically coupled to the turbine, wherein electricity output by the electricity generator is delivered to the one or more FESS to power flywheel rotations of the one or more FESS;
- and
- a compressor or pump fluidly coupled to an input of the heat exchanger, wherein the compressor or pump is powered by energy output by the one or more FESS.
8 more elements
A method of delivering electricity to users, the method comprising:
- delivering a first amount of energy generated by a renewable energy source to the users as a first amount of electricity;
- delivering a second amount of the energy generated by the renewable energy source to one or more flywheel energy storage systems (FESS);
- storing, by the one or more FESS, the second amount of the energy as kinetic energy;
- delivering a third amount of the energy generated by the renewable energy source to a molten salt energy storage system (MSESS);
- storing, by the MSESS, the third amount of the energy as heat energy;
- generating a second amount of electricity using the heat energy stored by the MSESS;
- and
- delivering, to the users, the second amount of electricity that was generated using the heat energy stored by the MSESS.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.