US 12,123,327 B2Granted

Pumped heat energy storage system with modular turbomachinery

AssigneeMalta Inc.

InventorsMert Geveci, Benjamin R. Bollinger, Samar J. Shah

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Abstract

The present disclosure provides pumped heat energy storage systems that can be used to store and extract electrical energy. A pumped heat energy storage system of the present disclosure can store energy by operating as a heat pump, 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 also 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. Shared powertrains and reversible powertrains are disclosed to circulate the working fluid.

Claims81

Dependent claims

A pumped heat energy storage (“PHES”) system (1003) comprising:

a hot-side heat exchanger (“HHX”) system (500);
a recuperator heat exchanger (“RHX”) system (400);
a cold-side heat exchanger (“CHX”) system (600);
a shared powertrain system (800) comprising a compressor system (830) and a turbine system (840), wherein the compressor system and the turbine system each operate in a charge-mode configuration of the PHES system and a generation-mode configuration of the PHES system;
a working fluid loop (300C) comprising:
a charge-mode working fluid path arranged to circulate a working fluid through, in sequence, the compressor system, the HHX system, the RHX system, the turbine system, the CHX system, the RHX system, and back to the compressor system, and
a generation-mode working fluid path arranged to circulate the working fluid through, in sequence, the compressor system, the RHX system, the HHX system, the turbine system, the RHX system, the CHX system, and back to the compressor system;
and
a valve system operable to switch circulation of the working fluid between the charge-mode working fluid path and the generation-mode working fluid path,
wherein the charge-mode working fluid path comprises a first open valve (831C1) between an outlet of the compressor system and an inlet of the HHX system, a second open valve (841C1) between a high-pressure outlet of the RHX system and an inlet of the turbine system, a third open valve (841C2) between an outlet of the turbine system and an inlet of the CHX system, and a fourth open valve (831C2) between a low-pressure outlet of the RHX system and an inlet of the compressor system, and
wherein the working fluid loop further comprises a first closed valve (831G1) between the outlet of the compressor system and a high-pressure inlet of the RHX system, a second closed valve (841G1) between an outlet of the HHX system and the inlet of the turbine system, a third closed valve (841G2) between the outlet of the turbine system and a low-pressure inlet of the RHX system, and a fourth closed valve (831G2) between an outlet of the CHX system and the inlet of the turbine system.

8 more elements

A pumped heat energy storage (“PHES”) system (1003) comprising:

a hot-side heat exchanger (“HHX”) system (500);
a recuperator heat exchanger (“RHX”) system (400);
a cold-side heat exchanger (“CHX”) system (600);
a shared powertrain system (800) comprising a compressor system (830) and a turbine system (840), wherein the compressor system and the turbine system each operate in a charge-mode configuration of the PHES system and a generation-mode configuration of the PHES system;
a working fluid loop (300C) comprising:
a charge-mode working fluid path arranged to circulate a working fluid through, in sequence, the compressor system, the HHX system, the RHX system, the turbine system, the CHX system, the RHX system, and back to the compressor system, and
a generation-mode working fluid path arranged to circulate the working fluid through, in sequence, the compressor system, the RHX system, the HHX system, the turbine system, the RHX system, the CHX system, and back to the compressor system;
and
a valve system operable to switch circulation of the working fluid between the charge-mode working fluid path and the generation-mode working fluid path,
wherein the generation-mode working fluid path comprises a first open valve (831G1) between an outlet of the compressor system and a high-pressure inlet of the RHX system, a second open valve (841G1) between an outlet of the HHX system and an inlet of the turbine system, a third open valve (841G2) between an outlet of the turbine system and a low-pressure inlet of the RHX system, and a fourth open valve (831G2) between an outlet of the CHX system and the inlet of the turbine system, and
wherein the working fluid loop further comprises a first closed valve (831C1) between the outlet of the compressor system and an inlet of the HHX system, a second closed valve (841C1) between a high-pressure outlet of the RHX system and the inlet of the turbine system, a third closed valve (841C2) between the outlet of the turbine system and an inlet of the CHX system, and a fourth closed valve (831C2) between a low-pressure outlet of the RHX system and an inlet of the compressor system.

8 more elements

A pumped heat energy storage (“PHES”) system (1003) comprising:

a hot-side heat exchanger (“HHX”) system (500);
a recuperator heat exchanger (“RHX”) system (400);
a cold-side heat exchanger (“CHX”) system (600);
a shared powertrain system (800) comprising a compressor system (830) and a turbine system (840), wherein the compressor system and the turbine system each operate in a charge-mode configuration of the PHES system and a generation-mode configuration of the PHES system;
a working fluid loop (300C) comprising:
a charge-mode working fluid path arranged to circulate a working fluid through, in sequence, the compressor system, the HHX system, the RHX system, the turbine system, the CHX system, the RHX system, and back to the compressor system, and
a generation-mode working fluid path arranged to circulate the working fluid through, in sequence, the compressor system, the RHX system, the HHX system, the turbine system, the RHX system, the CHX system, and back to the compressor system;
and
a valve system operable to switch circulation of the working fluid between the charge-mode working fluid path and the generation-mode working fluid path,
wherein the compressor system comprises a first compressor (830-1) and a second compressor (830-2),
wherein the turbine system comprises a first turbine (840-1) and a second turbine (840-2), and
wherein the shared powertrain system further comprises:
a power transmission system (802) rotationally coupled to the first compressor and rotationally coupled to the first turbine,
a first clutch (845) that couples the first turbine and the second turbine, and
a second clutch (835) that couples the first compressor and the second compressor.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/108,086Filed 10 Feb 2023 · continuation
Priority: 12 Aug 2020
Published: US 2023/0203969 A129 Jun 2023
Granted: 22 Oct 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

F01K 3/12
Plants characterised by the use of steam or heat accumulators, or intermediate steam heaters, therein: having two or more accumulators
F01K 3/02
Plants characterised by the use of steam or heat accumulators, or intermediate steam heaters, therein: use of accumulators and specific engine…
F01K 3/06
Plants characterised by the use of steam or heat accumulators, or intermediate steam heaters, therein: the engine being of extraction or…
F01K 7/16
Steam engine plants characterised by the use of specific types of engine ; Plants or engines characterised by their use of special steam…