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.
Claims14
A method of boosting efficiency of a thermal power generation cycle system, including:
- converting input electricity from a renewable energy source having intermittent availability into heat;
- storing the heat in a storage medium;
- transferring heat from the storage medium to a thermal power cycle working fluid originally heated to a first temperature by a heat source in order to boost the thermal power cycle working fluid to a second temperature higher than the first temperature;
- providing the boosted thermal power cycle working fluid to a turbine stage of a thermal power generation cycle system;
- generating electricity from a generator receiving energy from the turbine stage;
- and directing at least a portion of the generated electricity back to the storage medium to be converted into additional heat and providing the additional heat to the storage medium, wherein said directing is executed in a closed loop manner without entering an external electrical grid.
A method of boosting efficiency of a thermal power generation cycle system, including:
- converting input electricity from a renewable energy source having intermittent availability into heat;
- storing the heat in a storage medium;
- transferring heat from the storage medium to a thermal power cycle working fluid originally heated to a first temperature by a heat source in order to boost the thermal power cycle working fluid to a second temperature higher than the first temperature;
- providing the boosted thermal power cycle working fluid to a turbine stage of a thermal power generation cycle system;
- generating electricity from a generator receiving energy from the turbine stage;
- and
- directing at least a portion of the generated electricity back to the storage medium to be converted into additional heat and providing the additional heat to the storage medium, wherein said directing is executed in a closed loop manner without entering an external electrical grid;
- wherein the heat source includes geothermal fluid pumped from a subsurface location.
A method of boosting efficiency of a thermal power generation cycle system, including:
- converting input electricity from a renewable energy source having intermittent availability into heat;
- storing the heat in a storage medium;
- transferring heat from the storage medium to a thermal power cycle working fluid originally heated to a first temperature by a heat source in order to boost the thermal power cycle working fluid to a second temperature higher than the first temperature;
- providing the boosted thermal power cycle working fluid to a turbine stage of a thermal power generation cycle system;
- generating electricity from a generator receiving energy from the turbine stage;
- and
- directing at least a portion of the generated electricity back to the storage medium to be converted into additional heat and providing the additional heat to the storage medium, wherein said directing is executed in a closed loop manner without entering an external electrical grid;
- wherein:
- the turbine stage includes a generator configured to produce electrical energy for grid operators;
- and
- the method includes the step of during periods of low demand by the grid, returning unwanted or surplus electrical energy produced by the generator as input electricity for conversion into heat and storage in the storage medium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.