US 2026/0266203 A1 · THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE AND POWER SHIFTING SYSTEM

Abstract

An electric power generation system having a primary electric power generation system, a bypass branch, and a control subsystem. The primary electric power generation system includes a primary flow loop containing a first working fluid. The primary flow loop includes a primary thermal energy input subsystem which adds thermal energy to the first working fluid flowing therethrough and a primary turbine-generator which generates electricity with thermal energy extracted from the first working fluid. The bypass branch includes an inlet coupled to the primary flow loop downstream of the primary thermal energy input subsystem, an outlet coupled to the primary flow loop downstream of the primary turbine-generator, and a thermal energy storage subsystem which absorbs thermal energy from the first working fluid flowing through the bypass branch for storage. The control subsystem is operably coupled to the bypass branch and can isolate the bypass branch from the primary flow loop.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A method for operating an electric power generation system operably coupled to an electrical grid, the method comprising:

a) heating a first working fluid with a primary thermal energy input subsystem to form a heated first working fluid;
b) during a first mode of operation of the electric power generation system, flowing the heated first working fluid through a primary turbine-generator to extract thermal energy from the heated first working fluid to generate electricity for the electrical grid, the primary thermal energy input subsystem and the primary turbine-generator being part of a primary flow loop;
and
c) during a second mode of operation of the electric power generation system, diverting a first portion of the heated first working fluid through a first fluid pathway of a thermal energy storage subsystem via a bypass branch before the primary turbine-generator, a thermal mass composition of the thermal energy storage subsystem absorbing thermal energy from the first portion of the heated first working fluid and storing the absorbed thermal energy.

1 more element

An electric power generation system comprising:

a primary electric power generation subsystem comprising a primary flow loop containing a first working fluid, the primary flow loop comprising a primary thermal energy input subsystem configured to add thermal energy to a first working fluid flowing through the primary loop to form a heated first working fluid and a primary turbine-generator configured to extract thermal energy from the heated first working fluid to generate electricity;
a thermal energy storage subsystem containing a thermal mass composition;
a bypass branch comprising, in fluid coupling:
a bypass branch inlet fluidly coupled to the primary flow loop to receive a first portion of the heated first working fluid before the primary turbine-generator;
a first fluid pathway of the thermal energy storage subsystem configured to transfer thermal energy from the heated first working fluid flowing through the first fluid pathway to the thermal mass composition for storage;
and
a bypass branch outlet fluidly coupled to the primary flow loop downstream of the primary turbine-generator;
and
a control subsystem configured to alternate between fluidly coupling and fluidly isolating the bypass branch to and from the primary flow loop based on an electricity demand of an electrical grid.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Thermal energy storage and power shifting system

Life of this patent

Thermal energy storage and power shifting system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31