Closed-loop, dome-shaped, thermal energy storage system
AssigneeUNM Rainforest Innovations
InventorsWalter Gerstle, Athena Christodoulou
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thermal energy storage system comprising a dome-shaped thermal storage medium, a power supply that provides electrical power to an electrical air heater, a heat exchanger, an air blower, a steam generator, a tower, and air return duct. The thermal energy storage system may be designed in such a way that air return ducts are used to allow heat to travel back to the thermal storage medium, thereby improving efficiency and reducing loss of heat or energy of the system.
Claims22
A thermal energy storage system comprising:
- a thermal storage medium;
- a power supply that provides electrical power to an electrical air heater;
- a heat exchanger;
- an air blower;
- a steam generator;
- a tower;
- and an air return duct.
A thermal energy storage repository comprising:
- a thermal storage medium;
- a thermal insulation layer;
- an air return duct;
- an electrical heater;
- a heat exchanger duct;
- a central core;
- a steam generator;
- an air blower;
- an impermeable membrane;
- a power supply;
- a pipe carrying pressurized steam to turbine or industrial process.
A thermal energy storage method comprising:
- predetermining a threshold in which renewable energy source is sufficient to charge a thermal energy storage system;
- determining if there is renewable energy source available that meets the predetermined threshold;
- using renewable energy source to power an electrical heater;
- heating air in the center of an energy storage repository;
- turning of an air blower to store energy for the thermal energy storage system;
- reversing the air blower and heating steam in a steam generator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.