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US 9,518,786 B2Granted
Heat storage system
AssigneeEnergy Technologies Institute LLP
InventorsJonathan Sebastian Howes, James Macnaghten
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus (1) for storing energy includes a high pressure storage vessel (10) for receiving high pressure gas, the high pressure storage vessel (10) including a high pressure heat store including a first chamber housing a first gas-permeable heat storage structure (14); and a low pressure storage vessel (11,12) for receiving low pressure gas, the low pressure storage vessel (11,12) including a low pressure heat store including a second chamber housing a second gas-permeable heat storage structure (16,18. The first heat storage structure (14) has a mean surface area per unit volume which is higher than a mean surface area per unit volume of the second heat storage structure (16,18).
Claims20
Apparatus for storing energy, comprising:
- a high pressure storage vessel for receiving a high pressure gas, the high pressure storage vessel comprising a high pressure heat store configured to receive thermal energy from the high pressure gas;
- wherein the high pressure storage vessel is configured for connection to a gas store for storing pressurised gas after exposure to the high pressure heat store or to gas processing equipment for receiving pressurised gas after exposure to the high pressure heat store;
- wherein the apparatus further comprises:
- a low pressure storage vessel comprising a low pressure heat store configured to receive thermal energy from a low pressure gas, the low pressure storage vessel being configured for selective connection to the high pressure storage vessel for a transfer process in which thermal energy is transferred from the high pressure heat store to the low pressure heat store;
- and
- gas transfer equipment for transferring gas at low pressure between the high pressure storage vessel and the low pressure storage vessel, wherein stored thermal energy is transferred between the high pressure heat store and the low pressure heat store by passing the low pressure gas between the high pressure storage vessel and the low pressure storage vessel, the low pressure gas passing through the high pressure heat store where the thermal energy is transferred to the low pressure gas, and then passing through the low pressure heat store where the low pressure gas transfers the thermal energy to the low pressure heat store.
3 more elements
A method of storing and subsequently retrieving energy, comprising:
- during a charge phase:
- receiving a heated high pressure gas;
- transferring the high pressure gas to a gas store or gas processing equipment via a high pressure storage vessel comprising a high pressure heat store that receives and stores thermal energy from the gas;
- selectively connecting a low pressure storage vessel to the high pressure storage vessel for a transfer process;
- the transfer process comprising transferring gas from the high pressure storage vessel at low pressure between the high pressure storage vessel and the low pressure storage vessel comprising a low pressure heat store that receives and stores thermal energy from gas, wherein thermal energy stored by the high pressure heat store is transferred to the low pressure heat store by low pressure gas passing between the high pressure storage vessel and the low pressure storage vessel, the low pressure gas passing through the high pressure heat store where the thermal energy is transferred to the low pressure gas, and then passing through the low pressure heat store where the low pressure gas transfers the thermal energy to the low pressure heat store;
- and
- during a discharge phase:
- transferring gas between the low pressure storage vessel and the high pressure storage vessel at low pressure, wherein thermal energy stored by the low pressure heat store is transferred to the high pressure heat store by low pressure gas passing between the low pressure storage vessel and the high pressure storage vessel, the low pressure gas passing through the low pressure heat store where the thermal energy is transferred to the low pressure gas, and then passing through the high pressure heat store where the low pressure gas transfers the thermal energy to the high pressure heat store;
- subsequently passing gas at high pressure through the high pressure storage vessel to expose the high pressure gas to the high pressure heat store to heat the gas by transferring the stored thermal energy to the gas;
- and
- expanding the heated high pressure gas.
8 more elements
A method of storing and subsequently retrieving energy, comprising:
- during a charge phase;
- receiving a heated low pressure gas;
- passing the low pressure gas through a low pressure storage vessel comprising a low pressure heat store for receiving thermal energy from the gas;
- and
- during a discharge phase:
- selectively connecting the low pressure storage vessel to a high pressure storage vessel for a transfer process;
- the transfer process comprising transferring gas from the low pressure storage vessel at low pressure between the low pressure storage vessel and the high pressure storage vessel comprising a high pressure heat store for receiving thermal energy from the gas, wherein thermal energy stored by the low pressure heat store is transferred to the high pressure heat store by low pressure gas passing between the low pressure storage vessel and the high pressure storage vessel, the low pressure gas passing through the low pressure heat store where the thermal energy is transferred to the low pressure gas, and then passing through the high pressure heat store where the low pressure gas transfers the thermal energy to the high pressure heat store;
- subsequently passing gas at high pressure through the high pressure storage vessel to expose the gas to the high pressure heat store;
- and
- expanding the heated high pressure gas.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.