Pumped heat energy storage system integrated with coal-fired energy generation unit

An integrated system (3500) comprising:

• a pumped heat energy storage (“PHES”) system (3005) operable in charge mode to accept electrical energy and convert the accepted electrical energy into stored thermal energy, the PHES system (3005) comprising:
• a first compressor system (830) and a first turbine system (840);
• a hot-side heat exchanger (“HHX”) system (500);
• a cold-side heat exchanger (“CHX”) system (600);
• a working fluid loop (300) comprising a charge-mode working fluid loop arranged to circulate a working fluid through, in sequence, the charge compressor system, the HHX system, the turbine system, the CHX system, and back to the charge compressor system,
• wherein the PHES system in charge mode is configured to convert at least a portion of the accepted electricity into at least a portion of the stored thermal energy in a hot thermal storage medium (“HTS medium”) by transferring heat from the working fluid to heat the HTS medium;
• and,
• a coal plant (1803), comprising:
• a second turbine system that drives a generator, wherein the second turbine system is driven by a steam heated at least in part by the stored thermal energy in the hot HTS medium;
• and
• a steam heat exchanger (“SHX”) system (1830) operable in generation mode to accept stored thermal energy from the PHES system (3005) and transfer the accepted thermal energy to the steam for use in the second turbine system, wherein the SHX system is configured to transfer heat from the hot HTS medium to provide the steam to drive the second turbine system,
• wherein the coal plant is configured to provide return heat to the PHES system from steam from the second turbine system.