WO2021158639A1 - Turbomachines réversibles dans des systèmes d'accumulation d'énergie thermique par pompage - Google Patents

Turbomachines réversibles dans des systèmes d'accumulation d'énergie thermique par pompage Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2021158639A1
WO2021158639A1 PCT/US2021/016382 US2021016382W WO2021158639A1 WO 2021158639 A1 WO2021158639 A1 WO 2021158639A1 US 2021016382 W US2021016382 W US 2021016382W WO 2021158639 A1 WO2021158639 A1 WO 2021158639A1
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WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
heat
reversible
turbomachine
working fluid
turbine
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2021/016382
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Robert B. Laughlin
Original Assignee
Malta Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Malta Inc. filed Critical Malta Inc.
Priority to CA3166613A priority Critical patent/CA3166613A1/fr
Priority to AU2021217355A priority patent/AU2021217355A1/en
Priority to EP21750402.6A priority patent/EP4100632A4/fr
Publication of WO2021158639A1 publication Critical patent/WO2021158639A1/fr

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02C—GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
    • F02C6/00—Plural gas-turbine plants; Combinations of gas-turbine plants with other apparatus; Adaptations of gas-turbine plants for special use
    • F02C6/14—Gas-turbine plants having means for storing energy, e.g. for meeting peak loads
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02C—GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
    • F02C1/00—Gas-turbine plants characterised by the use of hot gases or unheated pressurised gases, as the working fluid
    • F02C1/04—Gas-turbine plants characterised by the use of hot gases or unheated pressurised gases, as the working fluid the working fluid being heated indirectly
    • F02C1/10—Closed cycles
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
    • F05D—INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
    • F05D2240/00—Components
    • F05D2240/20—Rotors
    • F05D2240/30—Characteristics of rotor blades, i.e. of any element transforming dynamic fluid energy to or from rotational energy and being attached to a rotor
    • F05D2240/301—Cross-sectional characteristics
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
    • F05D—INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
    • F05D2260/00—Function
    • F05D2260/42—Storage of energy
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E20/00—Combustion technologies with mitigation potential
    • Y02E20/14—Combined heat and power generation [CHP]
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/14—Thermal energy storage

Definitions

  • a system includes PHES system that includes a first reversible turbomachine, a second reversible turbomachine, a hot-side heat exchanger, and a cold-side heat exchanger.
  • the PHES system is configured to operate in a charge mode and a discharge mode.
  • the first reversible turbomachine acts as a compressor
  • the second reversible turbomachine acts as a turbine
  • a working fluid circulates through, in sequence, the first reversible turbomachine, the hot-side heat exchanger, the second reversible turbomachine, the cold-side heat exchanger, and back to the first reversible turbomachine.
  • the first reversible turbomachine acts as a turbine
  • the second reversible turbomachine acts as a compressor
  • the working fluid circulates through, in sequence, the first reversible turbomachine, the cold-side heat exchanger, the second reversible turbomachine, the hot-side heat exchanger, and back to the first reversible turbomachine.
  • a system in another aspect, includes PHES system that includes a first reversible turbomachine, a second reversible turbomachine, a hot-side heat exchanger, a cold-side heat exchanger, and a recuperator heat exchanger.
  • the PHES system is configured to operate in a charge mode and a discharge mode.
  • the first reversible turbomachine acts as a compressor
  • the second reversible turbomachine acts as a turbine
  • a working fluid circulates through, in sequence, the first reversible turbomachine, the hot-side heat exchanger, the recuperator heat exchanger, the second reversible turbomachine, the cold-side heat exchanger, the recuperator heat exchanger, and back to the first reversible turbomachine.
  • the first reversible turbomachine acts as a turbine
  • the second reversible turbomachine acts as a compressor
  • the working fluid circulates through, in sequence, the first reversible turbomachine, the recuperator heat exchanger, the cold-side heat exchanger, the second reversible turbomachine, the recuperator heat exchanger, the hot-side heat exchanger, and back to the first reversible turbomachine.
  • a method in another aspect, includes operating a first reversible turbomachine as a compressor and circulating a working fluid from the first reversible turbomachine to, in sequence, a hot-side heat exchanger, a second turbomachine acting as a turbine, a cold-side heat exchanger, and back to the first reversible turbomachine.
  • the method further includes operating the first reversible turbomachine as a turbine and circulating the working fluid from the first reversible turbomachine to, in sequence, the cold-side heat exchanger, a third turbomachine acting as a compressor, the hot-side heat exchanger, and back to the first reversible turbomachine.
  • FIG.1 schematically illustrates operation of a pumped thermal electric storage system.
  • FIG.2 is a schematic flow diagram of working fluid and heat storage media of a pumped thermal system in a charge/heat pump mode.
  • FIG.3 is a schematic flow diagram of working fluid and heat storage media of a pumped thermal system in a discharge/heat engine mode.
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic pressure and temperature diagram of the working fluid as it undergoes the charge cycle in FIG.2.
  • FIG. 5 is a schematic pressure and temperature diagram of the working fluid as it undergoes the discharge cycle in FIG.3.
  • FIG.6 is a schematic perspective view of a closed working fluid system in the pumped thermal system in FIGs.2-3.
  • FIG.7 is a schematic perspective view of the pumped thermal system in FIGs.2-3 with hot side and cold side storage tanks and a closed cycle working fluid system.
  • FIG. 10 shows a heat storage cycle in a pumped thermal system with variable compression ratios between the charge and discharge cycles.
  • FIG. 11 shows roundtrip efficiency contours for a water/salt system. The symbols ⁇ and represent an approximate range of present large turbomachinery adiabatic efficiency values. The dashed arrows represent the direction of increasing efficiency.
  • FIG. 12 shows roundtrip efficiency contours for a colder storage/salt system. The symbols represent an approximate range of present large turbomachinery adiabatic efficiency values.
  • FIG. 13 is a schematic flow diagram of working fluid and heat storage media of a pumped thermal system with a gas-gas heat exchanger for the working fluid in a charge/heat pump mode. [0019] FIG.
  • FIG. 14 is a schematic flow diagram of working fluid and heat storage media of a pumped thermal system with a gas-gas heat exchanger for the working fluid in a discharge/heat engine mode.
  • FIG. 15 is a schematic flow diagram of working fluid and heat storage media of a pumped thermal system with a gas-gas heat exchanger for the working fluid in a charge/heat pump mode with indirect heat rejection to the environment.
  • FIG. 16 is a schematic flow diagram of working fluid and heat storage media of a pumped thermal system with a gas-gas heat exchanger for the working fluid in a discharge/heat engine mode with indirect heat rejection to the environment.
  • FIG. 15 is a schematic flow diagram of working fluid and heat storage media of a pumped thermal system with a gas-gas heat exchanger for the working fluid in a discharge/heat engine mode with indirect heat rejection to the environment.
  • FIG. 16 is a schematic flow diagram of working fluid and heat storage media of a pumped thermal system with a gas-gas heat exchanger for the working fluid in a discharge/
  • FIG. 19 is a schematic flow diagram of hot side recharging in a pumped heat cycle in solar mode with heating of a solar salt solely by solar power.
  • FIG.20 is a schematic flow diagram of a pumped thermal system discharge cycle with heat rejection to ambient.
  • FIG.29 is an example of variable stators in a compressor/turbine pair.
  • FIG. 30 shows a computer system that is programmed to implement various methods and/or regulate various systems of the present disclosure.
  • FIGs. 31A and 31B are schematic flow diagrams of working fluid and heat storage media of a pumped thermal system with reversible turbomachinery in charge and discharge modes.
  • FIGs. 32A and 32B are schematic flow diagrams of working fluid and heat storage media of a pumped thermal system with reversible turbomachinery in charge and discharge modes.
  • FIG.33 is a schematic diagram of a combined turbomachine drivetrain.
  • FIG.34 is a schematic diagram of individual turbomachine drivetrains.
  • FIG. 35 is a representation of a pair of reversible turbomachines, according to an example embodiment.
  • FIGs. 36-39 are illustrations of reversible turbomachine blades compared to conventional turbine and compressor blades, according to example embodiments.
  • FIG. 40 is a representation of a compressor or turbine stage, viewed axially, according to an example embodiment.
  • FIG.42 is an illustration of an example blade arc, according to an example embodiment.
  • FIGs. 43-45 are illustrations of blade shapes based on the blade arc of FIG. 42, according to example embodiments. [0043] FIGs.
  • Example systems and methods are described herein. It should be understood that the words “example” and/or “exemplary” are used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment or feature described herein as being an “example” or “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or features. The example embodiments described herein are not meant to be limiting. It will be readily understood that certain aspects of the disclosed systems and methods can be arranged and combined in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are contemplated herein.
  • a closed thermodynamic cycle power generation or energy storage system such as a reversible Brayton cycle system, may use a generator/motor connected to a turbine and a compressor which act on a working fluid circulating in the system.
  • working fluids include air, argon, carbon dioxide, or gaseous mixtures.
  • a closed thermodynamic cycle power generation or energy storage system such as a reversible Brayton cycle system, may have a hot side and/or a cold side. Each side may include a heat exchanger coupled to one or more cold storage containers and/or one or more hot storage containers.
  • the heat exchangers may be arranged as counterflow heat exchangers for higher thermal efficiency.
  • Liquid thermal storage medium may include, for example, liquids that are stable at high temperatures, such as molten nitrate salt or solar salt, or liquids that are stable at low temperatures, such as glycols or alkanes such as hexane.
  • the hot side molten salt may include a hot storage at approximately 565 °C and a cold storage at approximately 290 °C and the cold side hexane may include a hot storage at approximately 35 °C and a cold storage at approximately -60 °C.
  • Large power generation systems may be slow to ramp up to full power generation.
  • out-of-phase transient spikes in generated power in such large systems may be disruptive.
  • Each power subunit may include a valve arrangement configurable to be in a connected state or an isolated state with respect to a shared hot side thermal store and a shared cold side thermal store (i.e., to be in use or not in use).
  • reversible generally refers to a process or operation that can be reversed via infinitesimal changes in some property of the process or operation without substantial entropy production (e.g., dissipation of energy). A reversible process may be approximated by a process that is at thermodynamic equilibrium.
  • the direction of flow of energy is reversible.
  • the general direction of operation of a reversible process e.g., the direction of fluid flow
  • the general direction of operation of a reversible process can be reversed, such as, e.g., from clockwise to counterclockwise, and vice versa.
  • sequence generally refers to elements (e.g., unit operations) in order. Such order can refer to process order, such as, for example, the order in which a fluid flows from one element to another.
  • a compressor, heat storage unit and turbine in sequence includes the compressor upstream of the heat exchange unit, and the heat exchange unit upstream of the turbine.
  • a fluid can flow from the compressor to the heat exchange unit and from the heat exchange unit to the turbine.
  • a fluid flowing through unit operations in sequence can flow through the unit operations sequentially.
  • a sequence of elements can include one or more intervening elements.
  • a system comprising a compressor, heat storage unit and turbine in sequence can include an auxiliary tank between the compressor and the heat storage unit.
  • a sequence of elements can be cyclical.
  • Pumped thermal systems The disclosure provides pumped thermal systems capable of storing electrical energy and/or heat, and releasing energy (e.g., producing electricity) at a later time.
  • the pumped thermal systems of the disclosure may include a heat engine, and a heat pump (or refrigerator). In some cases, the heat engine can be operated in reverse as a heat pump.
  • the heat engine can be operated in reverse as a refrigerator.
  • Any description of heat pump/heat engine systems or refrigerator/heat engine systems capable of reverse operation herein may also be applied to systems comprising separate and/or a combination of separate and reverse- operable heat engine system(s), heat pump system(s) and/or refrigerator system(s).
  • any description of configurations or operation of heat pumps herein may also be applied to configurations or operation of refrigerators, and vice versa.
  • Systems of the present disclosure can operate as heat engines or heat pumps (or refrigerators). In some situations, systems of the disclosure can alternately operate as heat engines and heat pumps.
  • a system can operate as a heat engine to generate power, and subsequently operate as a heat pump to store energy, or vice versa.
  • Such systems can alternately and sequentially operate as heat engines as heat pumps.
  • such systems reversibly or substantially reversibly operate as heat engines as heat pumps.
  • Electricity may be stored in the form of thermal energy of two materials or media at different temperatures (e.g., thermal energy reservoirs comprising heat storage fluids or thermal storage media) by using a combined heat pump/heat engine system.
  • a charging or heat pump mode work may be consumed by the system for transferring heat from a cold material or medium to a hot material or medium, thus lowering the temperature (e.g., sensible energy) of the cold material and increasing the temperature (i.e., sensible energy) of the hot material.
  • a discharging or heat engine mode work may be produced by the system by transferring heat from the hot material to the cold material, thus lowering the temperature (i.e., sensible energy) of the hot material and increasing the temperature (i.e., sensible energy) of the cold material.
  • the system may be configured to ensure that the work produced by the system on discharge is a favorable fraction of the energy consumed on charge.
  • the system may be configured to achieve high roundtrip efficiency, defined herein as the work produced by the system on discharge divided by the work consumed by the system on charge. Further, the system may be configured to achieve the high roundtrip efficiency using components of a desired (e.g., acceptably low) cost.
  • Arrows H and W in FIG. 1 represent directions of heat flow and work, respectively.
  • Heat engines, heat pumps and refrigerators of the disclosure may involve a working fluid to and from which heat is transferred while undergoing a thermodynamic cycle. The heat engines, heat pumps and refrigerators of the disclosure may operate in a closed cycle.
  • Closed cycles allow, for example, a broader selection of working fluids, operation at elevated cold side pressures, operation at lower cold side temperatures, improved efficiency, and reduced risk of turbine damage.
  • One or more aspects of the disclosure described in relation to systems having working fluids undergoing closed cycles may also be applied to systems having working fluids undergoing open cycles.
  • the heat engines may operate on a Brayton cycle and the heat pumps/refrigerators may operate on a reverse Brayton cycle (also known as a gas refrigeration cycle).
  • Other examples of thermodynamic cycles that the working fluid may undergo or approximate include the Rankine cycle, the ideal vapor-compression refrigeration cycle, the Stirling cycle, the Ericsson cycle or any other cycle advantageously employed in concert with heat exchange with heat storage fluids of the disclosure.
  • the working fluid can undergo a thermodynamic cycle operating at one, two or more pressure levels.
  • the working fluid may operate in a closed cycle between a low pressure limit on a cold side of the system and a high pressure limit on a hot side of the system.
  • a low pressure limit of about 10 atmospheres (atm) or greater can be used.
  • the low pressure limit may be at least about 1 atm, at least about 2 atm, at least about 5 atm, at least about 10 atm, at least about 15 atm, at least about 20 atm, at least about 30 atm, at least about 40 atm, at least about 60 atm, at least about 80 atm, at least about 100 atm, at least about 120 atm, at least about 160 atm, or at least about 200 atm, 500 atm, 1000 atm, or more.
  • a sub-atmospheric low pressure limit may be used.
  • the low pressure limit may be less than about 0.1 atm, less than about 0.2 atm, less than about 0.5 atm, or less than about 1 atm.
  • the value of the low pressure limit may be limited by the value of the high pressure limit, the operating ranges of the hot side and cold side heat storage media (e.g., pressure and temperature ranges over which the heat storage media are stable), pressure ratios and operating conditions (e.g., operating limits, optimal operating conditions, pressure drop) achievable by turbomachinery and/or other system components, or any combination thereof.
  • the high pressure limit may be determined in accordance with these system constraints. In some instances, higher values of the high pressure limit may lead to improved heat transfer between the working fluid and the hot side storage medium.
  • Working fluids used in pumped thermal systems may include air, argon, other noble gases, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, oxygen, or any combination thereof, and/or other fluids in gaseous, liquid, critical, or supercritical state (e.g., supercritical CO2).
  • the working fluid can be a gas or a low viscosity liquid (e.g., viscosity below about 500x10 -6 Poise at 1 atm), satisfying the requirement that the flow be continual.
  • a gas with a high specific heat ratio may be used to achieve higher cycle efficiency than a gas with a low specific heat ratio.
  • argon e.g., specific heat ratio of about 1.66
  • air e.g., specific heat ratio of about 1.4
  • the working fluid may be a blend of one, two, three or more fluids.
  • helium having a high thermal conductivity and a high specific heat
  • Pumped thermal systems herein may utilize heat storage media or materials, such as one or more heat storage fluids.
  • the heat storage media can be gases or low viscosity liquids, satisfying the requirement that the flow be continual.
  • the systems may utilize a first heat storage medium on a hot side of the system (“hot side thermal storage (HTS) medium” or “HTS” herein) and a second heat storage medium on a cold side of the system (“cold side thermal storage (CTS) medium” or “CTS” herein).
  • the thermal storage media e.g., low viscosity liquids
  • can have high heat capacities per unit volume e.g., heat capacities above about 1400 Joule (kilogram Kelvin) -1
  • high thermal conductivities e.g., thermal conductivities above about 0.7 Watt (meter Kelvin) -1 ).
  • thermal storage media on either the hot side, cold side or both the hot side and the cold side
  • the operating temperatures of the hot side thermal storage medium can be in the liquid range of the hot side thermal storage medium
  • the operating temperatures of the cold side thermal storage medium can be in the liquid range of the cold side thermal storage medium.
  • liquids may enable a more rapid exchange of large amounts of heat by convective counter-flow than solids or gases.
  • liquid HTS and CTS media may advantageously be used.
  • Pumped thermal systems utilizing thermal storage media herein may advantageously provide a safe, non-toxic and geography-independent energy (e.g., electricity) storage alternative.
  • the hot side thermal storage medium can be a molten salt or a mixture of molten salts. Any salt or salt mixture that is liquid over the operating temperature range of the hot side thermal storage medium may be employed.
  • Molten salts can provide numerous advantages as thermal energy storage media, such as low vapor pressure, lack of toxicity, chemical stability, low chemical reactivity with typical steels (e.g., melting point below the creep temperature of steels, low corrosiveness, low capacity to dissolve iron and nickel), and low cost.
  • the HTS is a mixture of sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate. In some examples, the HTS is a eutectic mixture of sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate.
  • the HTS is a mixture of sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate having a lowered melting point than the individual constituents, an increased boiling point than the individual constituents, or a combination thereof.
  • Other examples include potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate, sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite, lithium nitrate, mineral oil, or any combination thereof.
  • Further examples include any gaseous (including compressed gases), liquid or solid media (e.g., powdered solids) having suitable (e.g., high) thermal storage capacities and/or capable of achieving suitable (e.g., high) heat transfer rates with the working fluid.
  • a mix of 60% sodium nitrate and 40% potassium nitrate can have a heat capacity of approximately 1500 Joule (Kelvin mole) -1 and a thermal conductivity of approximately 0.75 Watt (meter Kelvin) -1 within a temperature range of interest.
  • the hot side thermal storage medium may be operated in a temperature range that structural steels can handle.
  • liquid water at temperatures of about 0oC to 100oC (about 273 K-373 K) and a pressure of about 1 atm may be used as the cold side thermal storage medium.
  • the operating temperature can be kept below about 100oC or less while maintaining an operating pressure of 1 atm (i.e., no pressurization).
  • the temperature operating range of the cold side thermal storage medium may be extended (e.g., to -30oC to 100oC at 1 atm) by using a mixture of water and one or more antifreeze compounds (e.g., ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, or glycerol).
  • improved storage efficiency may be achieved by increasing the temperature difference at which the system operates, for example, by using a cold side heat storage fluid capable of operating at lower temperatures.
  • the cold side thermal storage media may comprise hydrocarbons, such as, for example, alkanes (e.g., hexane or heptane), alkenes, alkynes, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids (e.g., HCOOH), ethers, cycloalkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols (e.g., butanol), other type(s) of hydrocarbon molecules, or any combinations thereof.
  • the cold side thermal storage medium can be hexane (e.g., n-hexane).
  • Hexane has a wide liquid range and can remain fluid (i.e., runny) over its entire liquid range (-94 oC to 68oC at 1 atm). Hexane’s low temperature properties are aided by its immiscibility with water. Other liquids, such as, for example, ethanol or methanol can become viscous at the low temperature ends of their liquid ranges due to pre-crystallization of water absorbed from air.
  • the cold side thermal storage medium can be heptane (e.g., n-heptane). Heptane has a wide liquid range and can remain fluid (i.e., runny) over its entire liquid range (-91 oC to 98oC at 1 atm).
  • Heptane low temperature properties are aided by its immiscibility with water.
  • other heat storage media can be used, such as, for example, isohexane (2- methylpentane).
  • cryogenic liquids having boiling points below about - 150°C (123 K) or about -180 °C (93.15 K) may be used as cold side thermal storage media (e.g., propane, butane, pentane, nitrogen, helium, neon, argon and krypton, air, hydrogen, methane, or liquefied natural gas).
  • choice of cold side thermal storage medium may be limited by the choice of working fluid.
  • a liquid cold side thermal storage medium having a liquid temperature range at least partially or substantially above the boiling point of the working fluid may be required.
  • the operating temperature range of CTS and/or HTS media can be changed by pressurizing (i.e., raising the pressure) or evacuating (i.e., lowering the pressure) the tanks and thus changing the temperature at which the storage media undergo phase transitions (e.g., going from liquid to solid, or from liquid to gas).
  • the hot side and the cold side heat storage fluids of the pumped thermal systems are in a liquid state over at least a portion of the operating temperature range of the energy storage device.
  • the hot side heat storage fluid may be liquid within a given range of temperatures.
  • the cold side heat storage fluid may be liquid within a given range of temperatures.
  • the heat storage fluids may be heated, cooled or maintained to achieve a suitable operating temperature prior to, during or after operation.
  • Pumped thermal systems of the disclosure may cycle between charged and discharged modes. In some examples, the pumped thermal systems can be fully charged, partially charged or partially discharged, or fully discharged. In some cases, cold side heat storage may be charged (also “recharged” herein) independently from hot side heat storage. Further, in some implementations, charging (or some portion thereof) and discharging (or some portion thereof) can occur simultaneously.
  • a first portion of a hot side heat storage may be recharged while a second portion of the hot side heat storage together with a cold side heat storage are being discharged.
  • the pumped thermal systems may be capable of storing energy for a given amount of time.
  • a given amount of energy may be stored for at least about 1 second, at least about 30 seconds, at least about 1 minute, at least about 5 minutes, at least about 30 minutes, at least about 1 hour, at least about 2 hours, at least about 3 hours, at least about 4 hours, at least about 5 hours, at least about 6 hours, at least about 7 hours, at least about 8 hours, at least about 9 hours, at least about 10 hours, at least about 12 hours at least about 14 hours, at least about 16 hours, at least about 18 hours, at least about 20 hours, at least about 22 hours, at least about 24 hours (1 day), at least about 2 days, at least about 4 days, at least about 6 days, at least about 8 days, at least about 10 days, 20 days, 30 days, 60 days, 100 days, 1 year or more.
  • Pumped thermal systems of the disclosure may be capable of storing/receiving input of, and/or extracting/providing output of a substantially large amount of energy and/or power for use with power generation systems (e.g., intermittent power generation systems such as wind power or solar power), power distribution systems (e.g. electrical grid), and/or other loads or uses in grid-scale or stand-alone settings.
  • power generation systems e.g., intermittent power generation systems such as wind power or solar power
  • power distribution systems e.g. electrical grid
  • other loads or uses in grid-scale or stand-alone settings e.g., electrical grid, and/or other loads or uses in grid-scale or stand-alone settings.
  • electric power received from an external power source can be used operate the pumped thermal system in a heat pump mode (i.e., transferring heat from a low temperature reservoir to a high temperature reservoir, thus storing energy).
  • an external power source e.g., a wind power system, a solar photovoltaic power system, an electrical grid etc.
  • the system can supply electric power to an external power system or load (e.g., one or more electrical grids connected to one or more loads, a load, such as a factory or a power- intensive process, etc.) by operating in a heat engine mode (i.e., transferring heat from a high temperature reservoir to a low temperature reservoir, thus extracting energy).
  • the system may receive or reject thermal power, including, but not limited to electromagnetic power (e.g., solar radiation) and thermal power (e.g., sensible energy from a medium heated by solar radiation, heat of combustion etc.).
  • thermal power e.g., sensible energy from a medium heated by solar radiation, heat of combustion etc.
  • the pumped thermal systems are grid-synchronous. Synchronization can be achieved by matching speed and frequency of motors/generators and/or turbomachinery of a system with the frequency of one or more grid networks with which the system exchanges power. For example, a compressor and a turbine can rotate at a given, fixed speed (e.g., 3600 revolutions per minute (rpm)) that is a multiple of grid frequency (e.g., 60 hertz (Hz)).
  • rpm revolutions per minute
  • Hz hertz
  • such a configuration may eliminate the need for additional power electronics.
  • the turbomachinery and/or the motors/generators are not grid synchronous. In such cases, frequency matching can be accomplished through the use of power electronics.
  • the turbomachinery and/or the motors/generators are not directly grid synchronous but can be matched through the use of gears and/or a mechanical gearbox.
  • the pumped thermal systems may also be rampable. Such capabilities may enable these grid-scale energy storage systems to operate as peaking power plants and/or as a load following power plants. In some cases, the systems of the disclosure may be capable of operating as base load power plants. [0075] Pumped thermal systems can have a given power capacity.
  • Pumped thermal systems can have a given energy storage capacity.
  • a pumped thermal system is configured as a 100 MW unit operating for 10 hours.
  • a pumped thermal system is configured as a 1 GW plant operating for 12 hours.
  • the energy storage capacity can be less than about 1 megawatt hour (MWh), at least about 1 megawatt hour, at least about 10 MWh, at least about 100 MWh, at least about 1 gigawatt hour (GWh), at least about 5 GWh, at least about 10 GWh, at least about 20 GWh, at least 50 GWh, at least about 100 GWh, at least about 200 GWh, at least about 500 GWh, at least about 700 GWh, at least about 1000 GWh, or more.
  • a given power capacity may be achieved with a given size, configuration and/or operating conditions of the heat engine/heat pump cycle.
  • a given energy storage capacity may be achieved with a given size and/or number of hot side thermal storage tanks and/or cold side thermal storage tanks.
  • the heat engine/heat pump cycle can operate at a given power capacity for a given amount of time set by the heat storage capacity of the system or plant.
  • the number and/or heat storage capacity of the hot side thermal storage tanks may be different from the number and/or heat storage capacity of the cold side thermal storage tanks.
  • the number of tanks may depend on the size of individual tanks.
  • the size of hot side storage tanks may differ from the size of cold side thermal storage tanks.
  • a pumped thermal storage facility can include any suitable number of hot side storage tanks, such as at least about 2, at least about 4, at least about 10, at least about 50, at least about 100, at least about 500, at least about 1,000, at least about 5,000, at least about 10,000, and the like.
  • a pumped thermal storage facility includes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1,000 or more hot side tanks.
  • a pumped thermal storage facility can also include any suitable number of cold side storage tanks, such as at least about 2, at least about 4, at least about 10, at least about 50, at least about 100, at least about 500, at least about 1,000, at least about 5,000, at least about 10,000, and the like.
  • a pumped thermal storage facility includes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1,000 or more cold side tanks.
  • Pumped thermal storage cycles [0081] An aspect of the disclosure relates to pumped thermal systems operating on pumped thermal storage cycles. In some examples, the cycles allow electricity to be stored as heat (e.g., in the form of a temperature differential) and then converted back to electricity through the use of at least two pieces of turbomachinery, a compressor and a turbine. The compressor consumes work and raises the temperature and pressure of a working fluid (WF). The turbine produces work and lowers the temperature and pressure of the working fluid.
  • WF working fluid
  • FIGs. 2 and 3 are schematic flow diagrams of working fluid and heat storage media of an exemplary pumped thermal system in a charge/heat pump mode and in a discharge/heat engine mode, respectively.
  • the system may be idealized for simplicity of explanation so that there are no losses (i.e., entropy generation) in either the turbomachinery or heat exchangers.
  • the system can include a working fluid 20 (e.g., argon gas) flowing in a closed cycle between a compressor 1, a hot side heat exchanger 2, a turbine 3 and a cold side heat exchanger 4.
  • Fluid flow paths/directions for the working fluid 20 e.g., a gas
  • a hot side thermal storage (HTS) medium 21 e.g., a low viscosity liquid
  • a cold side thermal storage (CTS) medium 22 e.g., a low viscosity liquid
  • FIGs.4 and 5 are schematic pressure and temperature diagrams of the working fluid 20 as it undergoes the charge cycles in FIGs. 2 and 3, respectively, once again simplified in the approximation of no entropy generation.
  • the heat exchangers 2 and 4 can be configured as counter-flow heat exchangers (CFXs), where the working fluid flows in one direction and the substance it is exchanging heat with is flowing in the opposite direction.
  • CFXs counter-flow heat exchangers
  • the temperatures of the working fluid and thermal storage medium flip i.e., the counter-flow heat exchanger can have unity effectiveness.
  • the counter-flow heat exchangers 2 and 4 can be designed and/or operated to reduce entropy generation in the heat exchangers to negligible levels compared to entropy generation associated with other system components and/or processes (e.g., compressor and/or turbine entropy generation).
  • the system may be operated such that entropy generation in the system is minimized.
  • the system may be operated such that entropy generation associated with heat storage units is minimized.
  • a temperature difference between fluid elements exchanging heat can be controlled during operation such that entropy generation in hot side and cold side heat storage units is minimized.
  • the temperature may be incorporated into charge cycles o f the disclosure by first heat exchanging the working fluid with the HTS medium from o f ollowed by further cooling the working fluid from as illustrated by section 38 of the cycle in FIG.8.
  • Such a system can also be implemented with a recuperator to extend the temperature ranges of the HTS and CTS media in the cycles.
  • three separate cold side storage tanks at respective temperatures ⁇ + , ⁇ - + , and ⁇ + may be used (e.g., an extra tank may be used in addition to the tanks 8 and 9).
  • heat from the working fluid exiting the recuperator 5 may be transferred to the CTS medium in the ⁇ + , - tank.
  • the CTS medium may be cooled in/by, for example, the heat rejection device 55 prior to entering the ⁇ - + , -tank.
  • three separate hot side storage tanks at respective temperatures ⁇ ⁇ , ⁇ - and ⁇ ⁇ may be used (e.g., an extra tank may be used in addition to the tanks 6 and 7).
  • heat from the working fluid exiting the recuperator 5 may be transferred to the HTS medium in the ⁇ - ⁇ -tank.
  • the HTS medium may be cooled in/by, for example, the heat rejection device 56 prior to entering the ⁇ ⁇ -tank. Heat rejection to the environment in such a manner may present several advantages.
  • recuperation may be implemented using the heat exchanger 5 for direct transfer of heat between the working fluid on the high pressure side and the working fluid on the low pressure side.
  • ⁇ + may be at least about 220 K, at least about 240 K, at least about 260 K, at least about 280 K, at least about 300 K, at least about 320 K, at least about 340 K, at least about 360 K, at least about 380 K, at least about 400 K, or more.
  • the temperatures ⁇ + and ⁇ + can be constrained by the ability to reject excess heat to the environment at ambient temperature.
  • the temperatures ⁇ + and ⁇ + can be constrained by the operating temperatures of the CTS (e.g., a phase transition temperature).
  • the temperatures ⁇ + and ⁇ + can be constrained by the compression ratio being used.
  • ⁇ may be at least about 350K, at least about 400 K, at least about 440 K, at least about 480 K, at least about 520 K, at least about 560 K, at least about 600 K, at least about 640 K, at least about 680 K, at least about 720 K, at least about 760 K, at least about 800 K, at least about 840 K, at least about 880 K, at least about 920 K, at least about 960 K, at least about 1000 K, at least about 1100 K, at least about 1200 K, at least about 1300 K, at least about 1400 K, or more.
  • heat transferred through thermal communication with the heat storage media and through heat transfer in the recuperator can be at least about 25%, at least about 50%, at least about 60%, at least about 70%, at least about 80%, at least about 90%, or even about 100% of all heat transferred in the system.
  • heat transferred through heat transfer with the environment can be less than about 5%, less than about 10%, less than about 15%, less than about 20%, less than about 30%, less than about 40%, less than about 50%, less than about 60%, less than about 70%, less than about 80%, less than about 90%, less than about 100%, or even 100% of all heat transferred in the system.
  • Such a discharge cycle may be used, for example, in situations where the capacity for hot side recharging (e.g., using solar heating, waste heat or combustion) is greater than the capacity for cold side recharging.
  • Solar heat may be used to charge the HTS medium 21 in the hot side storage tanks from ⁇ ⁇ to ⁇ ⁇ , , as described elsewhere herein.
  • the discharge cycle can operate similarly to the discharge cycle in FIG. 3, but after exiting the turbine 3, the working fluid 20 can proceed to the cold side CFX 4 heat exchanger 4 where it exchanges heat with an intermediate thermal storage (ITS) medium 61 having a lower temperature T0 at or near ambient temperature.
  • ITS intermediate thermal storage
  • the ITS medium 61 enters the cold side CFX 4 from a second intermediate thermal storage tank 59 at the temperature T0 (e.g., ambient temperature) and exits the cold side CFX 4 into a first intermediate thermal storage tank 60 at the temperature , while the working fluid 20 enters the cold side CFX 4 at the temperature ⁇ - ⁇ and exits the cold side CFX 4 at the temperature T0.
  • T0 e.g., ambient temperature
  • the working fluid enters the compressor 1 at T0 and P2, exits the compressor at T 0 + and P 1 , absorbs heat Q 1 from the HTS medium 21 in the hot side CFX 2, exits the hot side CFX 2 at ⁇ , ⁇ and P1, enters the turbine 3 at and P1, exits the turbine at a nd P2, rejects heat Q2 from the ITS medium 61 in the cold side CFX 4, and exits the cold side CFX 4 at T0 and P2, returning to its initial state before entering the compressor.
  • the ITS medium 61 may be a liquid over the entire range from ⁇ + to ⁇ - ⁇ .
  • FIG. 21 is a schematic flow diagram of a pumped thermal system discharge cycle in solar mode or combustion heated mode with heat rejection to an intermediate fluid circulated in a thermal bath at ambient temperature.
  • the discharge cycle can operate similarly to the discharge cycle in FIG.20, but after exiting the turbine 3, the working fluid 20 can proceed to the cold side CFX 4 where it exchanges heat with an intermediate medium or fluid 62 circulating through a thermal bath 63 at the temperature T 0 at or near ambient temperature.
  • the pumped thermal system may provide heat sources and/or cold sources to other facilities or systems such as, for example, through co-location with a gas to liquids (GTL) facility or a desalination facility.
  • GTL gas to liquids
  • the GTL facilities may make use of one or more of the cold reservoirs in the system (e.g., the CTS medium in the tank 9 for use in oxygen separation in the GTL facility) and/or one or more hot reservoirs in the system (e.g., the HTS medium in the tank 6 for use in a Fischer-Tropsch process in the GTL facility).
  • one or more hot reservoirs or one or more cold reservoirs in the pumped thermal system may be used for the operation of thermal desalination methods.
  • Further examples of possible heat and cold uses include co-location or heat exchange with building/area heating and cooling systems.
  • the system has a common set of HTS tanks 6 and 7 and CTS tanks 8 and 9.
  • the system has separate pairs of heat exchangers 2 and 4 and separate compressor 1/turbine 3 pairs for the charge mode C and the discharge mode D.
  • the HTS and CTS storage media flow paths for the charging cycle are shown as solid black lines.
  • the HTS and CTS storage media flow paths for the discharge cycle are shown as the dashed grey lines.
  • the system shown in a charge configuration, has one set of heat exchangers 2 and 4, and a common set of HTS tanks 6 and 7 and CTS tanks 8 and 9.
  • separate compressor/turbine sets or pairs may advantageously be used in pumped thermal systems used with intermittent and/or variable electric power inputs.
  • a first compressor/turbine set can be used in a charge cycle that follows wind and/or solar power (e.g., electric power input from wind and/or solar power systems) while a second compressor/turbine set can be used in a discharge cycle that follows load (e.g., electric power output to a power grid).
  • load e.g., electric power output to a power grid
  • pumped thermal systems placed between a power generation system and a load may aid in smoothing variations/fluctuations in input and/or output power requirements.
  • pumped thermal systems can be augmented by additional energy conversion processes and/or be directly utilized as energy conversion systems without energy storage (i.e., as power generation systems).
  • pumped thermal systems herein can be modified to allow for direct power generation using natural gas, Diesel fuel, petroleum gas (e.g., propane/butane), dimethyl ether, fuel oil, wood chips, landfill gas, hexane, hydrocarbons or any other combustible substance (e.g., fossil fuel or biomass) for adding heat to the working fluid on a hot side of a working fluid cycle, and a cold side heat sink (e.g., water) for removing heat from the working fluid on a cold side of the working fluid cycle.
  • natural gas Diesel fuel
  • petroleum gas e.g., propane/butane
  • dimethyl ether fuel oil
  • wood chips wood chips
  • landfill gas hexane
  • hydrocarbons or any other combustible substance e.g., fossil fuel or biomass
  • a cold side heat sink e.g., water
  • the heat source 43 can exchange heat with a first of the two additional heat exchangers 40, and the heat sink 42 can exchange heat with a second of the two additional heat exchangers 41.
  • the heat source 43 may be used to for exchanging heat with the working fluid 20.
  • the heat source 43 may be a combustion heat source.
  • the combustion heat source can comprise a combustion chamber for combusting a combustible substance (e.g., a fossil fuel, a synthetic fuel, municipal solid waste (MSW) or biomass).
  • the combustion chamber may be separate from the heat exchanger 40.
  • the heat exchanger 40 may comprise the combustion chamber.
  • the heat source 43 may be a waste heat source, such as, for example waste heat from a power plant, an industrial process (e.g., furnace exhaust).
  • a solar heater, a combustion heat source, a waste heat source, or any combination thereof may be used for heating the hot side heat storage fluid and/or the working fluid.
  • the working fluid can be heated directly using any of these heat sources.
  • the hot side heat storage fluid (or HTS medium) can be heated using any of these heat sources.
  • the hot side heat storage fluid (or HTS medium) can be heated in parallel with the working fluid using any of these heat sources.
  • the pumped thermal systems in FIGs. 24 and 25 may be operated as hybrid systems.
  • the heat exchangers 2 and 4 may be bypassed, and the working fluid 20 can exchange heat with the combustion chamber 43 in the hot side heat exchanger 40 and with the heat sink 42 in the cold side heat exchanger 41.
  • Any description of configuration and/or design of heat transfer processes (e.g., heat transfer in heat exchangers) described herein in relation to pumped thermal systems may also be applied to hybrid pumped thermal systems, and vice versa.
  • the heat sink 42, the heat source 43, the heat exchangers 40 and 41, and/or the quantity of heat transferred on the cold side and/or the hot side may be configured to decrease or minimize entropy generation associated with heat transfer processes and/or to maximize system efficiency.
  • the hybrid systems may operate in storage and generation modes simultaneously.
  • the systems of the disclosure may be capable of operating both in an electricity only storage cycle (comprising heat transfer with an HTS medium and a CTS medium below ambient temperature) and in a heat engine to ambient cycle, where, in a discharge mode, heat is input from the HTS medium to the working fluid and rejected to the ambient environment rather than to the CTS medium.
  • This capability may enable the use of heating of the HTS with combustible substances (e.g., as shown in FIG.26) or the use of solar heating of the HTS (e.g., as shown in FIG. 19).
  • Heat rejection to ambient may be implemented using, for example, the discharge cycles in FIGs. 20 and 21.
  • the systems herein may be configured to enable switching between different cycles of the disclosure using a shared set of valves and pipes.
  • the system may be configured to switch between the electricity only charge cycle (such as shown in, for example, FIG. 15), the electricity only discharge cycle (such as shown in, for example, FIG.16), and the heat engine to ambient cycle (such as shown in FIG.21).
  • Pumped thermal systems with pressure regulation power control [0177] In an aspect of the disclosure, the pressure of working fluids in pumped thermal systems can be controlled to achieve power control.
  • the power provided to a closed system in charge mode and/or the power extracted from the closed system in discharge and/or generation mode is proportional to the molar or mass flow rate of the circulating working fluid.
  • the mass flow rate is proportional to density, area, and flow velocity.
  • the flow velocity can be kept fixed in order to achieve a fixed shaft speed (e.g., 3600 rpm or 3000 rpm in accordance with power grid requirements of 60 and 50 Hz respectively).
  • a fixed shaft speed e.g., 3600 rpm or 3000 rpm in accordance with power grid requirements of 60 and 50 Hz respectively.
  • pressure regulation may enable control, and thus stabilization of runaway, through adjustment of the amount (e.g., density) of circulating working fluid in accordance with system requirements.
  • a controller can reduce the mass of circulating working fluid (e.g., mass flow rate) in order to decrease the power delivered, in turn decreasing the shaft speed.
  • Pressure regulation may also allow for an increase in mass flow rate in response to an increase in load. In each of these instances, the flow rates of the HTS and CTS media through the heat exchangers can be matched to the heat capacity of the working fluid passing through the heat exchangers.
  • one or more operating parameters and/or configuration e.g., variable stators, shaft speed
  • one or more pressure ratios may change in response to a change in working fluid pressure.
  • reduced cost and/or reduced parasitic energy consumption may be achieved using the power control configuration relative to other configurations (e.g., using a choke valve for controlling the flow of the working fluid).
  • variation of working fluid pressure while keeping the temperature and flow velocity constant (or near- constant) may lead to negligible entropy generation.
  • FIG. 27 shows an example of a pumped thermal system with power control.
  • the temperature of the working fluid on the hot and cold sides of the system may remain constant or near-constant for a given period of time regardless of working fluid mass flow rate due to large heat capacities of the heat exchangers 2 and 4 and/or the hot and cold side thermal storage media in the tanks 6, 7, 8 and 9.
  • the flow rates of the HTS and CTS media through the heat exchangers 2 and 4 are varied in concert with a change in the pressure of the working fluid in order to keep the temperatures in the heat exchangers and working fluid optimized over longer time periods.
  • auxiliary tanks 44 filled with the working fluid 20 can be in fluid communication with a hot (e.g., high pressure) side of the pumped thermal system and/or a cold (e.g., low pressure) side of the pumped thermal system.
  • the auxiliary tank can be in fluid communication with the working fluid adjacent to an inlet of the compressor 1 and/or adjacent to an outlet of the compressor 1.
  • the auxiliary tank can be in fluid communication with the working fluid adjacent to an inlet of the turbine 3 and/or adjacent to an outlet of the turbine 3.
  • the auxiliary tank can be in fluid communication with the working fluid in one or more locations system (e.g., one or more locations on the high pressure side of the system, on the low pressure side of the system, or any combination thereof).
  • the auxiliary tank can be in fluid communication with the working fluid on a high pressure side and a low pressure side of the closed cycle.
  • the fluid communication on the high pressure side can be provided after the compressor and before the turbine.
  • the fluid communication on the low pressure side can be provided after the turbine and before the compressor.
  • the auxiliary tank can contain working fluid at a pressure intermediate to the high and low pressures of the system.
  • the working fluid in the auxiliary tank can be used to increase or decrease the amount of working fluid 20 circulating in the closed cycle of the pumped thermal system.
  • the amount of working fluid circulating in the closed cycle loop can be decreased by bleeding the working fluid from the high pressure side of the closed cycle loop into the tank through a fluid path containing a valve or mass flow controller 46, thereby charging the tank 44.
  • the amount of working fluid circulating in the closed cycle loop can be increased by bleeding the working fluid from the tank into the low pressure side of the closed cycle loop through a fluid path containing a valve or mass flow controller 45, thereby discharging the tank 44.
  • Power control over longer timescales may be implemented by changing the pressure of the working fluid and by adjusting the flow rates of the hot side 21 and cold side 22 thermal storage fluids through the heat exchangers 2 and 4, respectively.
  • flow rates of the thermal storage media 21 and/or 22 may be controlled (e.g., by a controller) to maintain given heat exchanger inlet and outlet temperatures.
  • a first controller(s) may be provided for controlling the flow rates (e.g., mass flow rates) of thermal storage media
  • a second controller may be provided for controlling the mass flow rate (e.g., by controlling mass, mass flow rate, pressure etc.) of the working fluid.
  • pumped thermal systems with a pressure-encased motor/generator are provided.
  • the pressure-encased motor/generator may be provided as an alternative to configurations where a shaft (also “crankshaft” herein) penetrates through a working fluid containment wall (where it can be exposed to one or more relatively high pressure differentials) in order to connect to a motor/generator outside the working fluid containment wall.
  • the shaft may be exposed to pressures and temperatures of the working fluid in the low pressure portion of the working fluid cycle, in the high pressure portion of the working fluid cycle, or both.
  • crankshaft seal(s) capable of holding back the pressures which the crankshaft is exposed to inside the working fluid containment wall can be difficult to manufacture and/or difficult to maintain.
  • a rotating seal between high and low pressure environments may be difficult to achieve.
  • coupling of the compressor and turbine to the motor/generator can be challenging.
  • the motor/generator can therefore be placed entirely within the low pressure portion of the working fluid cycle, such that the exterior pressure vessel or working fluid containment wall may not need to be penetrated.
  • FIG. 28 shows an example of a pumped thermal system with a pressure encased generator 11.
  • the motor/generator is encased within the pressure vessel or working fluid containment wall (shown as dashed lines) and only feed-through electric leads 49 penetrate through the pressure vessel.
  • a thermal insulation wall 48 is added between the motor/generator 11 and the working fluid in the low pressure portion of the cycle.
  • the technical requirements for achieving an adequate seal through the thermal insulation wall can be less stringent due to the pressure being the same on both sides of the thermal insulation wall (e.g., both sides of the thermal insulation wall can be located in the low pressure portion of the cycle).
  • the low pressure value can be about 10 atm.
  • the motor/generator may be adapted for operation at elevated surrounding pressures.
  • An additional thermal insulation wall 50 can be used to create a seal between the outlet of the compressor 1 and the inlet of the turbine 3 in the high pressure portion of the cycle.
  • placing the motor/generator on the cold side of the pumped thermal systems may be beneficial to the operation of the motor/generator (e.g., cooling of a superconducting generator).
  • Pumped thermal systems with variable stator pressure ratio control [0186] A further aspect of the disclosure relates to control of pressure in working fluid cycles of pumped thermal systems by using variable stators.
  • use of variable stators in turbomachinery components can allow pressure ratios in working fluid cycles to be varied.
  • the variable compression ratio can be accomplished by having movable stators in the turbomachinery.
  • pumped thermal systems e.g., the systems in FIGs. 17 and 18
  • heat can be rejected (e.g., to the environment) in section 38 in the charge cycle and in section 39 in the discharge cycle, wherein the heat in section 38 can be transferred at a lower temperature than the heat in section 39.
  • the compression ratio can be varied when switching between the charge cycle and the discharge cycle.
  • variable stators can be added to both the compressor and the turbine, thus allowing the compression ratio to be tuned.
  • FIG.29 is an example of variable stators in a compressor/turbine pair.
  • the compressor 1 and the turbine 3 can both have variable stators, so that the compression ratio for each can be tuned. Such tuning may increase roundtrip efficiency.
  • the compressor and/or the turbine can (each) include one or more compression stages. For example, the compressor and/or the turbine can have multiple rows of repeating features distributed along its circumference.
  • Each compression stage can comprise one or more rows of features.
  • the rows may be arranged in a given order.
  • the compressor 1 and the turbine 3 each comprise a sequence of a plurality of inlet guide vanes 51, a first plurality of rotors 52, a plurality of stators 53, a second plurality of rotors 52 and a plurality of outlet guide vanes 54.
  • Each plurality of features can be arranged in a row along the circumference of the compressor/turbine.
  • the configuration (e.g., direction or angle) of the stators 53 can be varied, as indicated in FIG.29. [0190]
  • the compressor/turbine pair can be matched.
  • an outlet pressure of the compressor can be about the same as an inlet pressure of the turbine, and an inlet pressure of the compressor can be about the same as the outlet pressure of the turbine; thus, the pressure ratio across the turbine can be the same as the pressure ratio across the compressor.
  • the inlet/outlet pressures and/or the pressure ratios may differ by a given amount (e.g., to account for pressure drop in the system).
  • the use of variable stators on both the compressor and the turbine can allow the compressor and the turbine to remain matched as the compression ratio is varied. For example, using the variable stators, operation of the compressor and the turbine can remain within suitable operating conditions (e.g. within a given range or at a given point on their respective operating maps) as the compression ratio is varied.
  • turbomachinery efficiencies e.g., isentropic efficiencies
  • resulting roundtrip storage efficiency may be maintained within a desired range.
  • the use of variable stators can be combined with other methods for varying the compression ratios (e.g. variable shaft rotation speed, bypassing of turbomachinery stages, gears, power electronics, etc.).
  • Pumped thermal system units comprising pumped thermal system subunits [0191]
  • a further aspect of the disclosure relates to control of charging and discharging rate over a full range from maximum charging/power input to maximum discharging/power output by building composite pumped thermal system units comprised of pumped thermal system subunits.
  • pumped thermal systems may have a minimum power input and/or output (e.g., minimum power input and/or minimum power output) above 0% of maximum power input and/or output (e.g., maximum power input and/or maximum power output), respectively.
  • a single unit by itself may be able to continuously ramp from the minimum power input to the maximum power input and from the minimum power output to the maximum power output, but may not be able to continuously ramp from the minimum power input to the minimum power output (i.e., from the minimum power input to zero power input/output, and from zero power input/output to the minimum power output).
  • An ability to continuously ramp from the minimum power input to the minimum power output may enable the system to continuously ramp from the maximum power input to the maximum power output.
  • the system may be able to continuously vary the power consumed or supplied across a range from the maximum input (e.g., acting as a load on the grid) to the maximum output (e.g., acting as a generator on the grid).
  • Such functionality may increase (e.g., more than double) the continuously rampable range of the pumped thermal system.
  • Increasing the continuously rampable range of the pumped thermal system may be advantageous, for example, when continuously rampable power range is used as a metric for determining the value of grid assets.
  • such functionality may enable the systems of the disclosure to follow variable load, variable generation, intermittent generation, or any combination thereof.
  • composite pumped thermal system units comprised of multiple pumped thermal system subunits may be used.
  • each subunit may have a minimum power input and/or output above 0%.
  • the continuous ramping of the power from the maximum power input to the maximum power output may include combining a given quantity of the subunits.
  • a suitable (e.g., sufficiently large) number of subunits may be needed to achieve continuous ramping.
  • the number of subunits can be at least about 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, 200, 500, 750, 1000, and the like.
  • the number of subunits is 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000 or more.
  • Each subunit may have a given power capacity.
  • each subunit can have a power capacity that is less than about 0.1%, less than about 0.5%, less than about 1%, less than about 5%, less than about 10%, less than about 25%, less than about 50%, or less than about 90% of the total power capacity of the composite pumped thermal system.
  • different subunits may have different power capacities.
  • a subunit has a power capacity of about 10 kW, 100 kW, 500 kW, 1 MW, 2 MW, 5 MW, 10 MW, 20 MW, 50 MW, 100 MW, or more.
  • the continuous ramping of the power from the maximum power input to the maximum power output may include controlling each subunit’s power input and/or output (e.g., power input and/or power output) separately.
  • the subunits may be operated in opposing directions (e.g., one or more subunits may operate in power input mode while one or more subunits may operate in power output mode).
  • each pumped thermal system subunit can be continuously ramped between a maximum power input and/or output down to about 50% of the maximum power input and/or output, respectively, three or more such pumped thermal system subunits may be combined into a composite pumped thermal system unit that can be continuously ramped from the maximum input power to the maximum output power.
  • the composite pumped thermal system may not have a fully continuous range between the maximum input power and the maximum output power, but may have an increased number of operating points in this range compared to a non-composite system.
  • Energy storage system units comprising energy storage system subunits [0193]
  • a further aspect of the disclosure relates to control of charging and discharging rate over a full range from maximum charging/power input to maximum discharging/power output by building composite energy storage system units comprised of energy storage system subunits.
  • energy storage systems may have a minimum power input and/or output (e.g., minimum power input and/or minimum power output) above 0% of maximum power input and/or output (e.g., maximum power input and/or maximum power output), respectively.
  • a single unit by itself may be able to continuously ramp from the minimum power input to the maximum power input and from the minimum power output to the maximum power output, but may not be able to continuously ramp from the minimum power input to the minimum power output (i.e., from the minimum power input to zero power input/output, and from zero power input/output to the minimum power output).
  • An ability to continuously ramp from the minimum power input to the minimum power output may enable the system to continuously ramp from the maximum power input to the maximum power output.
  • the system may be able to continuously vary the power consumed or supplied across a range from the maximum input (e.g., acting as a load on the grid) to the maximum output (e.g., acting as a generator on the grid).
  • Such functionality may increase (e.g., more than double) the continuously rampable range of the energy storage system.
  • Increasing the continuously rampable range of the energy storage system may be advantageous, for example, when continuously rampable power range is used as a metric for determining the value of grid assets.
  • such functionality may enable the systems of the disclosure to follow variable load, variable generation, intermittent generation, or any combination thereof.
  • composite energy storage system units comprised of multiple energy storage system subunits may be used.
  • any energy storage system having power input/output characteristics that may benefit from a composite configuration may be used.
  • systems having power input and/or power output characteristics that may benefit from a composite configuration may include various power storage and/or generation systems such as, for example, natural gas or combined cycle power plants, fuel cell systems, battery systems, compressed air energy storage systems, pumped hydroelectric systems, etc.
  • each subunit may have a minimum power input and/or output above 0%.
  • the continuous ramping of the power from the maximum power input to the maximum power output may include combining a given quantity of the subunits.
  • a suitable (e.g., sufficiently large) number of subunits may be needed to achieve continuous ramping.
  • the number of subunits can be at least about 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, 200, 500, 750, 1000, and the like.
  • the number of subunits is 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000 or more.
  • Each subunit may have a given power capacity.
  • each subunit can have a power capacity that is less than about 0.1%, less than about 0.5%, less than about 1%, less than about 5%, less than about 10%, less than about 25%, less than about 50%, or less than about 90% of the total power capacity of the composite energy storage system.
  • different subunits may have different power capacities.
  • a subunit has a power capacity of about 10 kW, 100 kW, 500 kW, 1 MW, 2 MW, 5 MW, 10 MW, 20 MW, 50 MW, 100 MW, or more.
  • the continuous ramping of the power from the maximum power input to the maximum power output may include controlling each subunit’s power input and/or output (e.g., power input and/or power output) separately.
  • the subunits may be operated in opposing directions (e.g., one or more subunits may operate in power input mode while one or more subunits may operate in power output mode).
  • each energy storage system subunit can be continuously ramped between a maximum power input and/or output down to about 50% of the maximum power input and/or output, respectively, three or more such energy storage system subunits may be combined into a composite energy storage system unit that can be continuously ramped from the maximum input power to the maximum output power.
  • the composite energy storage system may not have a fully continuous range between the maximum input power and the maximum output power, but may have an increased number of operating points in this range compared to a non-composite system.
  • FIG.30 shows a computer system 1901 (or controller) that is programmed or otherwise configured to regulate various process parameters of energy storage and/or retrieval systems disclosed herein. Such process parameters can include temperatures, flow rates, pressures and entropy changes.
  • the computer system 1901 includes a central processing unit (CPU, also “processor” and “computer processor” herein) 1905, which can be a single core or multi core processor, or a plurality of processors for parallel processing.
  • the computer system 1901 also includes memory or memory location 1910 (e.g., random-access memory, read-only memory, flash memory), electronic storage unit 1915 (e.g., hard disk), communication interface 1920 (e.g., network adapter) for communicating with one or more other systems, and peripheral devices 1925, such as cache, other memory, data storage and/or electronic display adapters.
  • the memory 1910, storage unit 1915, interface 1920 and peripheral devices 1925 are in communication with the CPU 1905 through a communication bus (solid lines), such as a motherboard.
  • the storage unit 1915 can be a data storage unit (or data repository) for storing data.
  • the computer system 1901 can be operatively coupled to a computer network (“network”) 1930 with the aid of the communication interface 1920.
  • the network 1930 can be the Internet, an internet and/or extranet, or an intranet and/or extranet that is in communication with the Internet.
  • the network 1930 in some cases is a telecommunication and/or data network.
  • the network 1930 can include one or more computer servers, which can enable distributed computing, such as cloud computing.
  • the network 1930 in some cases with the aid of the computer system 1901, can implement a peer-to-peer network, which may enable devices coupled to the computer system 1901 to behave as a client or a server.
  • the computer system 1901 is coupled to an energy storage and/or retrieval system 1935, which can be as described above or elsewhere herein.
  • the computer system 1901 can be coupled to various unit operations of the system 1935, such as flow regulators (e.g., valves), temperature sensors, pressure sensors, compressor(s), turbine(s), electrical switches, and photovoltaic modules.
  • the system 1901 can be directly coupled to, or be a part of, the system 1935, or be in communication with the system 1935 through the network 1930.
  • the CPU 1905 can execute a sequence of machine-readable instructions, which can be embodied in a program or software.
  • the instructions may be stored in a memory location, such as the memory 1910. Examples of operations performed by the CPU 1905 can include fetch, decode, execute, and writeback.
  • the storage unit 1915 can store files, such as drivers, libraries and saved programs.
  • the storage unit 1915 can store programs generated by users and recorded sessions, as well as output(s) associated with the programs.
  • the storage unit 1915 can store user data, e.g., user preferences and user programs.
  • the computer system 1901 in some cases can include one or more additional data storage units that are external to the computer system 1901, such as located on a remote server that is in communication with the computer system 1901 through an intranet or the Internet.
  • the computer system 1901 can communicate with one or more remote computer systems through the network 1930.
  • the computer system 1901 can communicate with a remote computer system of a user (e.g., operator). Examples of remote computer systems include personal computers, slate or tablet PC’s, telephones, Smart phones, or personal digital assistants.
  • the user can access the computer system 1901 via the network 1930.
  • Methods as described herein can be implemented by way of machine (e.g., computer processor) executable code stored on an electronic storage location of the computer system 1901, such as, for example, on the memory 1910 or electronic storage unit 1915.
  • the machine executable or machine readable code can be provided in the form of software.
  • the code can be executed by the processor 1905.
  • the code can be retrieved from the storage unit 1915 and stored on the memory 1910 for ready access by the processor 1905.
  • the electronic storage unit 1915 can be precluded, and machine-executable instructions are stored on memory 1910.
  • the code can be pre-compiled and configured for use with a machine have a processor adapted to execute the code, or can be compiled during runtime.
  • the code can be supplied in a programming language that can be selected to enable the code to execute in a pre-compiled or as-compiled fashion.
  • aspects of the systems and methods provided herein, such as the computer system 1901 can be embodied in programming.
  • Various aspects of the technology may be thought of as “products” or “articles of manufacture” typically in the form of machine (or processor) executable code and/or associated data that is carried on or embodied in a type of machine readable medium.
  • Machine-executable code can be stored on an electronic storage unit, such memory (e.g., read-only memory, random-access memory, flash memory) or a hard disk.
  • “Storage” type media can include any or all of the tangible memory of the computers, processors or the like, or associated modules thereof, such as various semiconductor memories, tape drives, disk drives and the like, which may provide non-transitory storage at any time for the software programming. All or portions of the software may at times be communicated through the Internet or various other telecommunication networks. Such communications, for example, may enable loading of the software from one computer or processor into another, for example, from a management server or host computer into the computer platform of an application server.
  • another type of media that may bear the software elements includes optical, electrical and electromagnetic waves, such as used across physical interfaces between local devices, through wired and optical landline networks and over various air-links.
  • Non-volatile storage media include, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as any of the storage devices in any computer(s) or the like, such as may be used to implement the databases, etc. shown in the drawings.
  • Computer-readable media therefore include for example: a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD or DVD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards paper tape, any other physical storage medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a ROM, a PROM and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave transporting data or instructions, cables or links transporting such a carrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer may read programming code and/or data. Many of these forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to a processor for execution. III.
  • reversible turbines/compressors can be used in place of one or more conventional compressors 1 and turbines 3.
  • the flow of working fluid 20 may be reversed between charge and discharge cycles, such that the working fluid may flow in one direction through a reversible turbomachine during a charge cycle and flow in the opposite direction through the reversible turbomachine during a discharge cycle, such that the reversible turbomachine is acting as a compressor during one cycle and acting as a turbine during another cycle.
  • the heat rejection devices 55, 56, 57 may be, for example and not limited to, passive or active ambient air coolers, radiators, or heat exchangers in thermal contact with heat sinks.
  • the heat rejection devices 55, 56, 57 are illustrated in specific locations for example purposes only and may be in different locations or not present at all.
  • heat rejection devices may additionally or alternatively be located on cold-side tank(s) 6, hot side tank(s) 8, or at another location or locations along the flow path of working fluid 20.
  • additional components may be included in or along the fluid paths, and/or illustrated components may be sets of components.
  • one or more valved bypass or recirculation paths may be included in or along the fluid paths.
  • relief, drain, or fluid injection valves may be included in or along the fluid paths.
  • an illustrated heat exchanger, heat rejection device, tank, or reversible turbomachine may include a set of heat exchangers, heat rejection devices, tanks, or turbomachines, respectively, operating or capable of operating in series, in parallel, or in some other arrangement.
  • the PHES systems of FIGs 31A, 31B, 32A, and 32B may include an inventory control system in which one or more tanks 64 are connected to, or isolated from, the working fluid 20 flow.
  • the one or more tanks 64 may be connected by one or more valves (e.g., a three-way valve) to working fluid 20 flow at a high-pressure side of the PHES system (e.g., between the outlet of a reversible turbomachine acting as a compressor and the inlet of a reversible turbomachine acting as a turbine).
  • a valve e.g., a three-way valve
  • the one or more tanks 64 may be isolated by one or more valves (e.g., a three-way valve) from working fluid 20 flow at a low-pressure side of the PHES system (e.g., between the outlet of a reversible turbomachine acting as a turbine and the inlet of a reversible turbomachine acting as a compressor), thereby accepting and storing high-pressure working fluid 20 into the one or more tanks 64.
  • valves e.g., a three-way valve
  • the one or more tanks 64 may be isolated from the high-pressure side of the PHES system by the one or more valves (e.g., the three-way valve), while at the same time being connected to the low-pressure side of the PHES system by one or more valves (e.g., the three-way valve), thereby releasing high-pressure working fluid 20 from the one or more tanks 64 into the low-pressure side of the PHES system.
  • the one or more tanks 64 may be isolated from both the high-pressure side of the PHES system and the low-pressure side of the PHES system by one or more valves (e.g., the three-way valve).
  • Fluid connections may be arranged differently in a PHES system with reversible turbomachines than in a PHES system with traditional compressor(s) and turbine(s). For example, in both systems it may be desirable to have heat exchangers 2, 4 configured as counterflow heat exchangers.
  • heat exchangers 2, 4 configured as counterflow heat exchangers.
  • the hot side tanks 6, 7 will swap their thermal fluid 21 path connections to the hot side heat exchanger 2 between charge and discharge cycles, as illustrated by positions 32, 33 swapping between FIGs. 2 and 3. This also occurs with cold side tanks 8, 9 and cold side heat exchanger 4.
  • PHES systems with reversible turbomachines such as turbomachines 101, 103
  • the thermal fluid path connections between the tanks 6, 7, 8, 9 do not need to swap with their respective heat exchangers 2, 4 during changeover from charge mode to discharge mode in order to maintain counterflow because the working fluid is changing flow direction, as illustrated between FIGs. 31A and 31B, and also FIGs. 32A and 32B. Therefore, beneficially, a PHES system with reversible turbomachines can have simplified fluid paths for thermal fluids 21, 22 and potentially avoid the use of valve arrangements for changing the thermal fluid path connections between the tanks 6, 7, 8, 9 and their respective heat exchangers 2, 4 for counterflow heat exchange.
  • Drivetrains for reversible turbomachines may be arranged in various manners.
  • the drivetrains of reversible turbomachines 101 and 103 are shown in FIGs. 31A, 31B, 32A, 32B, and 33 connected by a common mechanical shaft 10 and connected to a motor/generator 11.
  • FIG. 34 shows another example drivetrain arrangement in which reversible turbomachines 101 and 103 are connected to separate mechanical shafts 10A and 10B, and connected to separate motor/generators 11A and 11B.
  • gearboxes, clutches, and other drivetrain components may be included as part of, or in between any of, reversible turbomachines 101, 103, their respective shafts 10, 10A, 10B, and/or their respective motor/generators 11, 11A, 11B.
  • motor/generators 11, 11A, 11B are each illustrated as a single component that can handle both driving the turbomachine(s) as a motor using external power (e.g., electricity) and being driven by the turbomachine(s) as a generator for generating electrical power.
  • the motor/generators 11, 11A, 11B may each include separate motor and generation components and may further include gearboxes, clutches, and other drivetrain components that allow the motor/generators 11, 11A, 11B to act as motors or generators depending on the operating state of the PHES system, such as charge or discharge mode.
  • the aforementioned drivetrain and motor/generator arrangements may be implemented along with the reversible turbomachines in any of the previously described PHES systems.
  • Illustrative Reversible Turbomachinery [0220] Reversible turbomachines (e.g., turbomachines 101, 103) in a PHES system require different designs than a dedicated conventional compressor (e.g., compressor 1) or turbine (e.g., turbine 3).
  • FIG.35 illustrates simplified representations of a pair of reversible turbomachines 101, 103 that can be implemented in PHES systems described herein.
  • Turbomachine 101 is illustrated acting as a turbine, with working fluid entering on the right through inlet diffuser 101C (shown as dashed lines) and exiting on the left through outlet diffuser 101D (shown as dashed lines).
  • Turbomachine 103 is illustrated acting as a compressor, with working fluid entering on the right through an inlet diffuser (shown as dashed lines) and exiting on the left through an outlet diffuser (shown as dashed lines).
  • an illustrative simplified cross-section of the rotor 101A and stator 101B is also depicted.
  • Rotor blades 74A and stator blades 74B are shown as simplified representations only and may have different shapes and quantities in embodiments.
  • the representations of turbomachines 101, 103 are illustrated in FIG. 35 as mirror images of each other, but they be different than each other in some embodiments and/or may have differences not shown in the representations.
  • Stage Loading [0222] Conventional turbine/compressor blades are airfoils designed to work in one way only. Modern conventional compressor blades are quite thin and so nearly symmetrical that it is difficult to distinguish by eye the leading edge from the trailing edge. This near-symmetry results from light loading of the compressor stages, a feature required to suppress surge. A lightly loaded stage is optimized with the blade that is thin, and a thin blade must be relatively symmetric.
  • a relatively sharp leading edge on conventional compressor blades is also desirable for operation in the transonic range for the purpose of controlling bow shocks.
  • modern conventional turbine blades are typically heavily loaded, thick, and asymmetric. This design is favored because it reduces size and weight (critically important in an aircraft engine), and also provides room for internal blade cooling.
  • the operating temperatures can be sufficiently low such that blade cooling is not required.
  • DCA and DCA-like blades with thin t max and slightly blunted tips are particularly good shapes for reversible turbomachine blades, given their symmetry.
  • the turbine and compressor blades in FIGs.43 and 44 respectively, have a sharp tailing edge, as required to minimize drag and a blunt leading edge to allow for attack angle flexibility.
  • the bluntness of the front end of the blade is not actually crucial. Its chief function is to facilitate a wide range of attack angles. In an airplane wing, this is important for maintaining control when the plane’s attitude changes, for example, at the moment of upward rotation at takeoff.
  • the blunt front end has a less critical function of allowing accommodation to changing loads.
  • the reversible blade in FIG.45 is a compromise that can be made if the attack angle is known relatively well in advance and the slight performance degradation of the extra drag due to the moderately blunt tail is not prohibitive.
  • FIGs. 46-49 show that the compressor stage is simply the turbine stage with time reversed (i.e.
  • FIGs.48 and 49 are the same as FIGs.46 and 47, respectively, except with the reversible blade of FIG. 45 substituted for conventional asymmetric airfoils from FIGs.43 and 44.
  • the flow direction of fluid leaving a row of blades is fixed by the blade exit angle, but in the rest frame of the blade.
  • the speed of sound is: Combining Eqns. (8) and (11) provides: or
  • /vs 0.36. This is about half the design rule of thumb
  • /vs 0.7, so the magnitudes of ⁇ and ⁇ in Figs.42 - 47 are about twice that.
  • a reversible turbine/compressor In addition to decreasing the load on the turbine stages and increasing their number, a reversible turbine/compressor also requires a modified blade shape that is more symmetrical. This is shown, e.g., in FIGs. 38-39, 41, 45, and 48-49. With symmetrical blade shapes for the rotor and stator blades, the turbine and compressor become time-reverses of each other, as shown in FIGS. 38-39 and 48-49. Neither of the two key compromises required to make the blade symmetrical is extraordinary in compressor design. The first, a slightly blunted trailing edge, is actually implemented to some extent in all compressor blades because an infinitely thin blade is structurally impossible.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Engine Equipment That Uses Special Cycles (AREA)
  • Central Heating Systems (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne des systèmes et des procédés d'accumulation d'énergie thermique par pompage utilisant des turbomachines réversibles agissant en alternance en tant que compresseur et turbines pour faire circuler de manière réversible un fluide de travail à travers des échangeurs de chaleur, comprenant un échangeur de chaleur côté chaud et un échangeur de chaleur côté froid.
PCT/US2021/016382 2020-02-03 2021-02-03 Turbomachines réversibles dans des systèmes d'accumulation d'énergie thermique par pompage WO2021158639A1 (fr)

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CA3166613A CA3166613A1 (fr) 2020-02-03 2021-02-03 Turbomachines reversibles dans des systemes d'accumulation d'energie thermique par pompage
AU2021217355A AU2021217355A1 (en) 2020-02-03 2021-02-03 Reversible turbomachines in pumped heat energy storage systems
EP21750402.6A EP4100632A4 (fr) 2020-02-03 2021-02-03 Turbomachines réversibles dans des systèmes d'accumulation d'énergie thermique par pompage

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WO2014052927A1 (fr) * 2012-09-27 2014-04-03 Gigawatt Day Storage Systems, Inc. Systèmes et procédés de récupération et de stockage d'énergie
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US20040221603A1 (en) * 2002-12-06 2004-11-11 Mehmet Arik Method and system for cooling high power density devices
US20080178601A1 (en) * 2007-01-25 2008-07-31 Michael Nakhamkin Power augmentation of combustion turbines with compressed air energy storage and additional expander with airflow extraction and injection thereof upstream of combustors
US20100083660A1 (en) * 2007-01-25 2010-04-08 Michael Nakhamkin Retrofit Of Simple Cycle Gas Turbine For Compressed Air Energy Storage Application Having Expander For Additional Power Generation
US20110100010A1 (en) * 2009-10-30 2011-05-05 Freund Sebastian W Adiabatic compressed air energy storage system with liquid thermal energy storage
EP2530283A1 (fr) * 2011-05-31 2012-12-05 Ed. Züblin Ag Centrale d'accumulation d'air comprimé adiabatique

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