Use of external air for closed cycle inventory control
AssigneeMalta Inc.
InventorsRaj Apte, Philippe Larochelle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods relating to use of external air for inventory control of a closed thermodynamic cycle system or energy storage system, such as a reversible Brayton cycle system, are disclosed. A method may involve, in a closed cycle system operating in a power generation mode, circulating a working fluid may through a closed cycle fluid path. The closed cycle fluid path may include a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg. The method may further involve in response to a demand for increased power generation, compressing and dehumidifying environmental air. And the method may involve injecting the compressed and dehumidified environmental air into the low pressure leg.
Claims9
A method comprising:
- in a closed cycle system operable in a power generation mode and a charge mode, circulating a working fluid through a closed cycle fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot side heat exchanger, a turbine, and a cold side heat exchanger, wherein the closed cycle system is configured to thermally contact the working fluid circulating through the cold side heat exchanger with a cold side thermal storage (“CTS”) medium;
- thermally contacting environmental air with a portion of the CTS medium;
- and
- injecting the thermally contacted environmental air into the closed cycle fluid path.
A method comprising:
- in a closed cycle system operable in a power generation mode and a charge mode, circulating a working fluid through a closed cycle fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot side heat exchanger, a turbine, and a cold side heat exchanger, wherein the closed cycle system is configured to thermally contact the working fluid circulating through the cold side heat exchanger with a cold side thermal storage (“CTS”) medium;
- expelling a portion of the working fluid from the closed cycle fluid path;
- and
- after expelling the portion of the working fluid, thermally contacting the expelled working fluid with a portion of the CTS medium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.