Improvements relating to energy storage
AssigneeRheenergise Limited
InventorsTamas BERTENYI, Christian POROWSKI
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In general terms the present invention proposes a system 100 for storing energy. The system comprises upper and lower reservoirs 102, 104, a working fluid 120, and a conduit 106 arranged to permit flow of the working fluid 120 from the upper reservoir 102 to the lower reservoir 104 under gravity. The conduit 106 comprises a turbine generator 110 arranged to be driven by the flow of the working fluid 120 to generate energy. A heat transfer device is arranged to transfer heat to and/or from the upper reservoir 102 and/or lower reservoir 104.
Claims22
A system for storing energy comprising:
- upper and lower reservoirs;
- a working fluid;
- and a conduit arranged to permit flow of the working fluid from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir under gravity, the conduit comprising a turbine generator arranged to be driven by the flow of the working fluid to generate energy;
- and a heat transfer device arranged to transfer heat to and/or from the upper and/or lower reservoir.
The system of any preceding, wherein the heat transfer device is arranged to transfer heat from the upper and/or lower reservoir to a geothermal borehole.
The system of any preceding claim, wherein the heat transfer device comprises a heat pump.
The system of any preceding claim, wherein the heat transfer device comprises a heat transfer fluid disposed within the one or more pipes.
The system of any preceding claim, wherein the upper and/or lower reservoir comprises a resistor bank.
The system of any preceding claim, wherein the upper and/or lower reservoir comprises an agitator.
The system of any preceding claim, wherein the working fluid has a specific gravity with respect to water in the range of from 1.4 to 3.0, optionally wherein the working fluid has a specific gravity with respect to water in the range of from 1.8 to 2.8.
The system of any preceding claim, wherein the working fluid comprises mineral particles and a surfactant.
The system of any preceding claim, comprising a pump arranged to transfer the working fluid from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir.
The system of any preceding claim, wherein the turbine generator is arranged to be driven in reverse to transfer the working fluid from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir.
The system of any preceding claim, comprising a computing arrangement, wherein in operation the computing arrangement executes a predictive temperature control model, wherein the computing arrangement is configured to receive data related to the temperature of the upper and/or lower reservoir, and wherein the computing arrangement uses the predictive temperature control model to determine a predicted temperature for the upper and/or lower reservoir and activates the heat transfer device when the predicted temperature falls outside a defined operating range.
The system of any preceding claim, wherein the upper and/or lower reservoir comprises a temperature sensor.
A method of storing and generating energy, the method comprising the steps of:
- transferring a working fluid from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir;
- storing the working fluid in the upper reservoir;
- permitting flow of the working fluid from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir under gravity through a conduit connecting the upper and lower reservoirs, the conduit comprising a turbine generator arranged to be driven by the flow of the working fluid to generate energy;
- and
- transferring heat to and/or from the upper and/or lower reservoir to maintain the temperature of the upper and/or lower reservoir within a defined operating range.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.