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US 8,826,664 B2Granted
Energy storage
AssigneeIsentropic Limited
InventorsJonathan Sebastian Howes, James Macnaghten
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for storing energy includes a compression chamber for receiving a gas, a compression piston for compressing gas contained in the compression chamber, a first heat store for receiving and storing thermal energy from gas compressed by the compression piston, an expansion chamber for receiving gas after exposure to the first heat store, an expansion piston for expanding gas received in the expansion chamber, and a second heat store for transferring thermal energy to gas expanded by the expansion piston. The cycle used by the apparatus has two different stages that can be split into separate devices or combined into one device.
Claims61
Apparatus for storing energy, comprising:
- a compression chamber configured to receive a gas;
- a compressor configured to compress gas contained in the compression chamber;
- a first thermal store comprising a gas-permeable structure and configured to receive and store thermal energy from gas compressed by the compressor;
- an expansion chamber configured to receive gas after exposure to the first thermal store;
- an expander configured to expand gas received in the expansion chamber;
- and
- a second thermal store comprising a gas-permeable structure and configured to transfer thermal energy to gas expanded by the expander,
- wherein the first and second thermal stores are separate from the compression and expansion chambers, respectively, and wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first and second thermal stores are placed within a thermal heat pump cycle such that a flow path of the expanded or compressed gas passes through the gas-permeable structure of each of the first and second thermal stores for receiving and storing thermal energy from the gas in the gas-permeable structure of the first thermal store and for transfer of thermal energy from the gas-permeable structure of the second thermal store to the gas, respectively, the thermal energy transfer to or from the expanded or compressed gas being a substantially isobaric heat transfer.
5 more elements
Apparatus for transmitting mechanical power from an input device to an output device, comprising:
- an energy storage section comprising:
- a first compression chamber configured to receive a gas;
- a first compressor configured to compress gas contained in the first compression chamber;
- a first thermal store comprising a gas-permeable structure and configured to receive and store thermal energy from gas compressed by the first compressor;
- a first expansion chamber configured to receive gas after exposure to the first thermal store;
- a first expander configured to expand gas received in the first expansion chamber;
- and
- a second thermal store comprising a gas-permeable structure and configured to transfer thermal energy to gas expanded by the first expander;
- and
- a heat engine section comprising:
- a second compression chamber in fluid communication with the second thermal store and the first thermal store;
- a second compressor configured to compress gas received in the second compression chamber for transfer to the first thermal store;
- a second expansion chamber in fluid communication with the first thermal store and the second thermal store;
- and
- a second expander configured to allow expansion of gas received in the second expansion chamber from the first thermal store,
- wherein the first and second thermal stores are separate from the first and second compression chambers and the first and second expansion chambers, respectively, and wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first and second thermal stores are placed within a thermal heat pump cycle such that a flow path of the expanded or compressed gas passes through the gas-permeable structure of each of the first and second thermal stores for receiving and storing thermal energy from the gas in the gas-permeable structure of the first thermal store and for transfer of thermal energy from the gas-permeable structure of the second thermal store to the gas, respectively, the thermal energy transfer to or from the expanded or compressed gas being a substantially isobaric heat transfer.
13 more elements
Apparatus for storing energy, comprising:
- a compression chamber configured to receive a gas;
- a compression piston configured to compress gas contained in the compression chamber;
- a thermal store comprising a gas-permeable structure and configured to receive and store thermal energy from gas compressed by the compression piston;
- an expansion chamber configured to receive gas after exposure to the thermal store;
- an expansion piston configured to expand gas received in the expansion chamber;
- and
- a heat exchanger configured to transfer thermal energy to gas expanded by the expansion piston,
- wherein the thermal store is separate from the compression and expansion chambers, and wherein the apparatus is configured such that the thermal store is placed within a thermal heat pump cycle such that a flow path of the gas passes through the gas-permeable structure of the thermal store for receiving and storing thermal energy from the compressed gas in the gas-permeable structure of the thermal store, the thermal energy transfer from the compressed gas being a substantially isobaric heat transfer.
5 more elements
Apparatus for storing energy, comprising:
- a compression chamber configured to receive a gas;
- compression piston configured to compress gas contained in the compression chamber;
- a heat exchanger configured to cool gas compressed by the compression piston;
- an expansion chamber configured to receive gas after exposure to the heat exchanger;
- an expansion piston configured to expand gas received in the expansion chamber;
- and
- a thermal store comprising a gas-permeable structure and configured to transfer thermal energy to gas expanded by the expansion piston,
- wherein the thermal store is separate from the compression and expansion chambers, and wherein the apparatus is configured such that the thermal store is placed within a thermal heat pump cycle such that a flow path of the gas passes through the gas-permeable structure of the thermal store for transferring thermal energy from the gas-permeable structure of the thermal store to the expanded gas, the thermal energy transfer to the expanded gas being a substantially isobaric heat transfer.
5 more elements
Apparatus for storing energy, comprising:
- compression chamber means for receiving a gas;
- compression means for compressing gas contained in the compression chamber means;
- first thermal storage means for receiving and storing thermal energy from gas compressed by the compression means;
- expansion chamber means for receiving gas after exposure to the first thermal storage means;
- expansion means for expanding gas received in the expansion chamber means;
- and
- second thermal storage means for transferring thermal energy to gas expanded by the expansion means,
- wherein the first and second thermal storage means are separate from the compression and expansion chamber means, respectively, and wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first and second thermal storage means are placed within a thermal heat pump cycle such that a flow path of the gas passes through each of the first and second thermal storage means for receiving and storing thermal energy from the gas and for transfer of thermal energy to the gas, respectively, the thermal energy transfer to or from the expanded or compressed gas being a substantially isobaric heat transfer.
5 more elements
Apparatus for transmitting mechanical power from an input device to an output device, comprising:
- an energy storage section comprising:
- first compression chamber means for receiving a gas;
- first compression means for compressing gas contained in the first compression chamber means;
- first thermal storage means for receiving and storing thermal energy from gas compressed by the first compression means;
- first expansion chamber means for receiving gas after exposure to the first thermal storage means;
- first expansion means for expanding gas received in the first expansion chamber means;
- and
- second thermal storage means for transferring thermal energy to gas expanded by the first expansion means;
- and
- a heat engine section comprising:
- second compression chamber means in fluid communication with the second thermal storage means and first thermal storage means;
- second compression means for compressing gas received in the second compression chamber means for transfer to the first thermal storage chamber means;
- second expansion chamber means in fluid communication with the first thermal storage means and the second thermal storage means;
- and
- second expansion means for allowing expansion of gas received in the second expansion chamber from the first thermal storage means,
- wherein the first and second thermal storage means are separate from the first and second compression chamber means and the first and second expansion chamber means, respectively, and wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first and second thermal storage means are placed within a thermal heat pump cycle such that a flow path of the gas passes through each of the first and second thermal storage means for receiving and storing thermal energy from the gas and for transfer of thermal energy to the gas, respectively, the thermal energy transfer to or from the expanded or compressed gas being a substantially isobaric heat transfer.
13 more elements
Apparatus for storing energy, comprising:
- compression chamber means for receiving a gas;
- a compression piston for compressing gas contained in the compression chamber means;
- thermal storage means for receiving and storing thermal energy from gas compressed by the compression piston;
- expansion chamber means for receiving gas after exposure to the thermal storage means;
- an expansion piston for expanding gas received in the expansion chamber means;
- and
- heat exchanger means for transferring thermal energy to gas expanded by the expansion piston,
- wherein the thermal storage means is separate from the compression and expansion chamber means, and wherein the apparatus is configured such that the thermal storage means is placed within a thermal heat pump cycle such that a flow path of the gas passes through the thermal storage means for receiving and storing thermal energy from the compressed gas, the thermal energy transfer from the compressed gas being a substantially isobaric heat transfer.
5 more elements
Apparatus for storing energy, comprising:
- compression chamber means for receiving a gas;
- a compression piston for compressing gas contained in the compression chamber means;
- heat exchanger means for cooling gas compressed by the compression piston;
- expansion chamber means for receiving gas after exposure to the heat exchanger means;
- an expansion piston for expanding gas received in the expansion chamber means;
- and
- thermal storage means for transferring thermal energy to gas expanded by the expansion piston,
- wherein the thermal storage means is separate from the compression and expansion chamber means, and wherein the apparatus is configured such that the thermal storage means is placed within a thermal heat pump cycle such that a flow path of the gas passes through the thermal storage means for transferring thermal energy to the gas, the thermal energy transfer to the expanded gas being a substantially isobaric heat transfer.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.