Thermal energy storage system coupled with thermal power cycle systems
AssigneeRondo Energy, Inc.
InventorsJohn Setel O'Donnell, Yusef Desjardins Ferhani
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An energy storage system converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000° C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. The delivered heat which may be used for processes including power generation and cogeneration. In one application, the energy storage system provides higher-temperature heat to a conventional lower-temperature heat source to boost the temperature of a thermal power cycle working fluid to a turbine, thereby increasing efficiency of the power cycle.
Claims10
A thermal power generation system, including:
- a first continuous source of heat from a noncombustion origin configured to heat a first working fluid to a first temperature and pressure;
- a thermal energy storage system configured to store thermal energy derived from intermittent electric power in a liquid and/or solid thermal storage medium as latent and/or sensible heat at or above a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and to controllably deliver the stored heat into a second working fluid at temperatures up to the second temperature;
- a first thermal power turbine configured to generate electric power using heat from a turbine inlet flow of pressurized vapor;
- and
- a flow combiner configured to combine the first and second working fluids so as to controllably increase or decrease total power generation.
A thermal power generation system, including:
- a first continuous source of heat from a noncombustion origin configured to heat a first working fluid to a first temperature and pressure;
- a thermal energy storage system configured to store thermal energy derived from intermittent electric power in a liquid and/or solid thermal storage medium as latent and/or sensible heat at or above a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and to controllably deliver the stored heat into a second working fluid at temperatures up to the second temperature;
- a first thermal power turbine configured to generate electric power using heat from a turbine inlet flow of pressurized vapor;
- and
- a flow combiner configured to combine the first and second working fluids so as to controllably increase or decrease total power generation;
- wherein the first continuous source of noncombustion heat is a geothermal source.
A thermal power generation system, including:
- a first continuous source of heat from a noncombustion origin configured to heat a first working fluid to a first temperature and pressure;
- a thermal energy storage system configured to store thermal energy derived from intermittent electric power in a liquid and/or solid thermal storage medium as latent and/or sensible heat at or above a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and to controllably deliver the stored heat into a second working fluid at temperatures up to the second temperature;
- a first thermal power turbine configured to generate electric power using heat from a turbine inlet flow of pressurized vapor;
- and
- a flow combiner configured to combine the first and second working fluids to form a combined fluid flow that has a higher temperature, pressure and mass flow than the first working fluid so as to controllably increase or decrease total power generation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.