Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
  • F28D20/00—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00
  • F28D20/0056—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00 using solid heat storage material
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
  • F28D20/00—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
  • F28D20/00—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00
  • F28D20/02—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00 using latent heat
  • F28D20/021—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00 using latent heat the latent heat storage material and the heat-exchanging means being enclosed in one container
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02J—ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
  • H02J15/00—Systems for storing electric energy specially adapted for power networks
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
  • F28D20/00—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00
  • F28D20/0034—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00 using liquid heat storage material
  • F28D2020/0047—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00 using liquid heat storage material using molten salts or liquid metals
• • 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
• • 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
  • Y02E70/00—Other energy conversion or management systems reducing GHG emissions
  • Y02E70/30—Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin

Definitions

• This invention relates to a thermal energy storage device .
• thermal energy storage may be used for balancing of energy demand over time .
• some medium is heated electrically when there is a surplus of electrical energy available .
• the stored heat may be used to generate steam which can be used as a power source it self or converted into electricity us ing a steam turbine generator .
• the materials used for storing the thermal energy are preferably inexpensive and safe .
• One of the cheapest , most commonly used options is a water tank , but materials such as molten salts , sand, or metals can be heated to higher temperature s and therefore offer a higher storage capacity or higher levels of useful energy .
• thermal energy storage systems A common drawback of many currently available thermal energy storage systems is that some form of system is needed to convert the electrical energy produced by, e . g . the wind turbine s or solar panels , into thermal energy stored in the storage medium .
• the international patent application WO 2020 /254001 Al describes the use of an electrical heating device for heating the thermal storage medium .
• the storage medium is an electrically conductive medium with a low electrical resistivity of between 10- 4 Qm and 1 Qm .
• the electrical heating device use s an induction coil to store electrical energy in the form of heat .
• the electrical heating device uses contact electrodes to generate an electric current within the material and thereby heat the thermal energy storage medium .
• the heating device of WO 2020 /254001 Al still require s large and expensive trans formers for f irst converting the high voltage of the electrical di stribution grid that is fed by electricity from renewable energy sources to a much lower voltage that can be used for heating the electrically conductive medium with a low electrical resistivity . It is an aim of the current invention to overcome at least some of the disadvantages of the known thermal energy storage systems . Summary of the Invention
• thermo energy storage device compri sing :
• At least one heat transfer tube arranged to contain a heat trans fer fizid, the heat trans fer tube having an inlet and an outlet connectable to a thermal energy consumer, wherein the heat transfer tube and the powder bed are thermally coupled via an electrically insulating material .
• thermo energy storage device a s above comprising at least a powder bed, at least two electrodes , and an electrically insulating material , and at least one heat trans fer tube thermally coupled to the powder bed via the electrically insulating material ;
• Figure 1 schematically illustrates a wind farm, a solar farm, and a thermal energy storage device ;
• Figure 2 schematically shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the thermal energy storage device of Figure 1 ;
• Figure 3 schematically shows an example of a heat trans fer tube for use in the thermal energy storage device of Figure 2 ;
• Figure 4 schematically shows the thermal energy storage device of Figure 2 with added thermal insulation ;
• Figure 5 schematically shows a perspective view of a different embodiment of the thermal energy storage device of Figure 1 ;
• Figure 6 schematically shows the thermal energy storage device of Figure 5 with more added thermal insulation ;
• Figure 7 schematically shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the thermal energy storage device of Figure 1 ;
• Figure 8 schematically shows a close-up of part of the thermal energy storage device of Figure 7 with its external insulation layers removed .
• a thermal energy storage device which comprises a powder bed , at least two electrode s , and at least one heat transfer tube .
• the powder bed has an electrical resi stivity in the range of between 500 Qm and 50 , 000 Qm .
• the at lea st two electrodes are embedded in the powder bed and arranged to heat the powder bed by providing an electrical current between the electrodes .
• the at lea st one heat transfer tube is arranged to contain a heat transfer fluid and ha s an inlet and an outlet connectable to a thermal energy consumer .
• the heat trans fer tube and the powder bed are thermally coupled via an electrically insulating material .
• the electrical resistivity of the powder bed may advantageously be selected such that the thermal energy storage device can be connected directly to an electric energy supply without requiring the use of any trans formers for first converting the high voltage of the electric energy supply to a much lower voltage that can be used for heating the electrically conductive medium between the electrode s .
• Such a direct connection to the electrical energy source allows the powder bed to simultaneously fulfil the functions of energy conversion and energy storage . This results not only in a significant cost reduction , but in better control over local pea k temperatures too , thereby increasing the durability and the lifetime of the system .
• the heating power of the electrode s is proportional to the res istance of the powder bed and the electrical current squared . According to Ohm' s law, this can al so be expre s sed as proportional to the electrical voltage squared and divided by the electrical res istance .
• the electrical resi stance provided by the powder bed is proportional to the resistivity of the powder bed material and the electrode separation . With the above-mentioned preferred resistivity in the range of between 500 Qm and 50 , 000 Qm, practical electrode separations of , for example , f rom 50 cm to 200 cm may be used to achieve a suitable heating power and to heat the powder bed to suitable temperatures .
• semiconducting particles are used for the powder bed .
• the use of semiconductor material in powdered form allows for free thermal expansion of the electrodes and the powder bed during the heating process. When the electrodes contract while cooling down, the powder bed may self-heal under the influence of its own weight. Thus, a good contact between the electrodes and the semi-conductor material is ensured for many repeated energy storage and release cycles.
• the semiconductor material of the powder bed comprises a silicon carbide matrix.
• the silicon carbide matrix may be undoped or doped.
• the silicon carbide matrix may be doped with nitrogen, phosphorus, beryllium, boron, aluminium, or gallium, or combinations thereof.
• An advantage of using silicon carbide particles is that it is a readily available bulk material that can be used in powdered form without requiring any post processing steps like sintering.
• the doped silicon carbide may, for example, have a very suitable electrical resistivity of about 1,000 Qm. It is noted that the resistivity of the powder bed does not only depend on the material of the particles used, but also on, e.g. , particle size, particle shape, and the spacing between the particles.
• the electrodes are in direct contact with the powder bed to ensure an efficient and effective heat transfer.
• the electrodes comprise graphite or sintered silicon carbide which provides for a good conductivity and longevity.
• the electrically insulating material is an electrically insulating layer of a bulk material Suitable bulk materials include selected grades of silicon carbide (preferably undoped) , sand, quartz, and iron ore.
• the heat transfer tube may be embedded in the bulk material.
• particulate bulk material is preferred, alternative solid, possibly porous, materials may be used as an alternative.
• concrete may be a suitable material in terms of cost, electrical insulation, and thermal conduction.
• the thermal energy storage device comprises a plurality of thermally coupled modules, each module including:
• a heat generating layer comprising the powder bed and the at least two electrodes
• thermoelectric layer comprising the heat transfer tube and the electrically insulating material.
• Some of the exemplary thermal energy storage devices described above may further comprise a buffer, thermally coupled to the powder bed and separated from the heat transfer tube by at least the powder bed.
• a buffer may further increase the total storage capacity of the thermal energy storage device and may help to control the maximum temperature of the heat generating powder bed.
• the buffer may comprise a material that stores energy in the form of sensible heat, or in the form of latent heat, or in a combination of both.
• the thermal energy storage device may comprise a plurality of thermally coupled modules, each module including: - a first heat generating layer comprising the powder bed and the at least two electrodes,
• thermoelectric layer comprising the heat transfer tube and the electrically insulating material
• Preferred thermal energy storage devices may further comprise a thermally insulating bottom layer, supporting at least the powder bed, the heat transfer tube, and the electrically insulating material.
• a bottom insulation layer helps to prevent a loss of heat to the soil on which the thermal energy storage device is placed.
• a top insulation layer may be added to prevent a loss of heat to the air above the thermal energy storage device . Additional insulation may be provided at one or more sides of the thermal energy storage device. All insulation layers can be made of any suitable thermally insulating material.
• mineral wool an inexpensive bulk material is used, for example one of the bulk materials already discussed above. Possible materials include, but are not limited to mineral wool, ceramic foams, vacuum panels, or beds of granulated insulation materials, such as sand, quartz, pumice, or volcanic ash.
• the top and/or bottom insulation layers may further comprise a cooling tube, embedded in the thermally insulating bottom layer.
• the cooling tube may be filled with a cooling fluid, such as water, to take up some of the heat that would otherwise have warmed the soil underneath the thermal energy storage device.
• the cooling tube may be connected to a pump for providing a continuous supply of cool cooling fluid.
• the cooling tube may further be connected to the inlet of the heat trans fer tube , such that it can be used to preheat the heat transfer fluid .
• the thermal energy storage devices described herein above may be used in method of heating a heat transfer fluid , wherein pas sing an electrical current between the at least two electrodes whereby generating heat in the powder bed and thereby heating said electrically insulation material , and pas sing the heat trans fer fizid through the at least one heat trans fer tube whereby heating the heat transfer fluid with heat from the electrically insulation material .
• the electric current may be fluctuating over time , such as i s frequently the case when the electric current is derived from a renewable source such as a solar and/or wind power source .
• the electrically insulating material and the optional buffer layer act as a thermal buffer which continues to heat up the heat transfer fluid for a certain amount of time during an interruption of the electric current when no, or insuf ficient , electric power is available to repleni sh the heat that is being extracted from the device .
• FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a wind farm 10 , a solar farm 20 , and a thermal energy storage device 100 .
• the thermal energy storage device 100 When there is a suitable amount of wind, the rotating rotor blades of the wind turbines 11 in the wind farm 10 drive a generator that produces electricity . Similarly, during the day, solar panels 21 in the solar farm 20 absorb light from the sun 50 and generate electricity too .
• the wind farm 10 and the solar farm 20 are both electrically connected to the thermal energy storage device 100 .
• the purpose of the thermal energy storage device 100 is to store the electric energy generated by the wind farm 10 and solar farm 20 by heating up a storage medium. The stored energy is released when needed by heating a heat transfer fluid.
• the heated heat transfer fluid typically water in the form of steam
• a thermal energy consumer here symbolised by a factory 30.
• the consumer may, for example, use the steam directly in some industrial process, or use a steam turbine generator to first convert the steam into electric power before supplying the steam to an industrial process or alternatively a steam condenser.
• a return flow of the heat transfer fluid (at least a portion thereof) may be cycled back to the thermal energy storage device 100 for further extracting heat therefrom.
• FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the thermal energy storage device 100.
• the thermal energy storage device 100 is made up of a series of alternating layers 110, 120, 130 with different functions, materials, and other features.
• the layers may extend vertically and/or form columns.
• An electrical current passing through the electrode layer 110 is converted into thermal energy causing the material in this layer 110 to warm up to temperatures that may, for example, exceed 800°C.
• a tube structure 200 is provided through which a heat transfer liquid, for example water, may be led to receive some of the stored energy and become a heated fluid in the form of, e.g. , steam.
• a heat transfer liquid for example water
• a combination of a single electrode layer 110 and a single heat release layer 120 is enough for obtaining a working thermal energy device 100, a larger storage capacity and improved control over the local peak temperature, and energy storage and release process is obtained by providing a plurality of such layers in an alternating pattern.
• Optional buffer layers 130 may be added for further increasing the total storage capacity of and controlling the maximum temperature and release duty variation in the thermal energy storage device 100.
• the electrode layer 110 comprises a powder bed of a semiconductor material providing the powder bed an electrical resistivity of in the range of 500-50,000 Qm. At least two electrodes are embedded in the powder bed and arranged to heat the powder bed by providing a voltage therebetween.
• the semiconductor material may, for example, comprise silicon carbide (SiC) , optionally doped with a suitable amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, beryllium, boron, aluminium, or gallium to obtain the desired electrical resistivity.
• Doped silicon carbide has excellent electrical and thermal properties (in terms of conductance and storage capacity) for use in the electrode layer 110 of the thermal energy storage device 100. Such doped silicon carbide may, e.g.
• undoped silicon carbide may be suitable for use as the main ingredient of the powder bed too.
• Undoped silicon carbide with a resistivity of up to 50,000 Qm may, for example, be used with a high transmission grid supply voltage .
• the resistivity of the powder bed does not only depend on the material of the powder bed particles used, but also on, e.g. , particle size, particle shape, and the spacing between the particles.
• the electrical resistivity of the powder bed is preferably selected in such a way that the thermal energy storage device 100 can be connected directly to an electric energy supply, such a s the wind farm 10 or the solar farm 20 , without requiring the use of any transformers for first converting the high voltage of the electric energy supply to a much lower voltage that can be used for heating the electrically conductive medium between the electrodes .
• Such a direct connection to the electrical energy source allows the selected semiconductor material to simultaneous ly fulfil the functions of energy conversion and energy storage . This re sults in a significant cost reduction .
• a further advantage of using silicon carbide is that it is a readily available bulk material that can be used in powdered form without requiring any post proces sing steps like sintering .
• the use of semiconductor material in powdered form also allows for free thermal expansion of the electrodes during the heating proces s . When the electrodes contract while cooling down , the powder bed may self-heal under the influence of it s own weight . Thus , a good contact between the electrodes and the semi-conductor material are ensured for many repeated energy storage and relea se cycles .
• Degradation of the electrical propertie s of silicon carbide over time due to the prolonged exposure to high temperatures can be minimised by controlling the peak temperature in the heat generating layer , for example by limiting the peak temperature to about 800 ° C .
• Other ways to limit degradation of the powder bed material include the choice of particle size and periodic inj ection of a protective purge gas ( e . g . , nitrogen , argon , or carbon dioxide ) .
• a preferred choice of material for the electrodes 301 , 302 , 303 i s graphite or sintered silicon carbide . Both graphite and sintered s ilicon carbide electrode s have a good electrical conductivity and longevity.
• the electrodes 301, 302, 303 may be directly connected to a high-voltage power source.
• the voltage of such high-voltage power source may exceed 1 kV (1,000 Volts) , 5 kV, or 10 kV.
• the wind farm 10 and/or solar farm 20 may provide a 33 kV voltage employing a three-phase alternating current.
• a first line of interconnected first electrodes 301 may be connected to a first phase
• a second line of interconnected second electrodes 302 may be connected to a second phase
• a third line of interconnected third electrodes 303 may be connected to a third phase.
• This pattern may the repeat for fourth, fifth, sixth, and subsequent lines of interconnected electrodes.
• lower or higher voltages e.g. , 6kV, 11 kV, 22 kV, 66kV
• a two-phase alternating current e.g. , 6kV, 11 kV, 22 kV, 66kV
• Electrode layer 110 will warm up as a result of its ohmic resistance. The highest heating (and thus temperatures, possibly up to more than 800°C) is expected to occur near the electrodes 301, 302, 303.
• the electrical and heat conducting properties and heat storage capacity of the semiconductor material will determine the further distribution of the generated heat through the electrode layer 110.
• the heat release layer 120 is provided adjacent the electrode layer 110 and either in direct contact therewith or in contact with an intermediate buffer layer that may comprise a different material than the electrode layer 110 and the heat release layer 120.
• the heat conductance and heat storage properties of the material used for this heat release layer are such that heat generated in the electrode layer 110 is effectively transferred to the heat transfer tube 200.
• One function of the heat release layer 120 is to dampen out the daily or hourly intermittency of the renewable energy supply in order to provide an acceptable heat supply variation to the consumer.
• the heat transfer tube 200 is made of a material that shrinks and expands under the influence of a change in temperature, it is preferred that the material used for the heat release layer 120 can accommodate these changes.
• the use of a bulk material consisting of loose particles, such as a powder, is preferred.
• Suitable materials that may be used for the heat release layer 120 include bulk material, such as (nonconducting) silicon carbide, sand, quartz, or iron ore. If the heat transfer tube 200 is made of an electrically conductive material, such as a metal, the material used for the heat release layer 120 is preferably not electrically conductive, such as to electrically insulate the heat transfer tube 200 and to avoid undesirable electrical currents running through it. Alternatively, the heat release layer 120 may comprise the same semiconductor material as is used for the electrode layer 110, or another electrically conductive or semi-conductive material. In that event, an insulation layer may be applied to the heat transfer tube 200 to avoid undesirable electrical currents running through it.
• electrical insulation layers may be provided in between the electrode layer 110 and the heat release layer 120, thereby creating an opportunity to use electrically conductive material for the heat release layer 120.
• an additional buffer layer 130 is provided for further increasing the total storage capacity of the thermal energy storage device 100 and controlling the maximum temperature.
• a material is selected based on, e.g. , cost, heat conductance, and heat storage capacity.
• Suitable materials for use in this buffer layer include bulk material, such as (nonconducting) silicon carbide, sand, quartz, iron ore, or materials capable of storing latent heat, possibly in combination with sensible heat, such as miscibility gap alloys (MGA) , solar salt or low-melting metals, conceivably comingled with a non-melting porous or bulk solid.
• the buffer layer 130 may, as in Figure 2, be sandwiched between two electrode layers 110, but alternative arrangements leaving out one or two of the adjacent electrode layers 110, or adding more electrically insulating layers, are possible too.
• All layers may be purged periodically or continuously, for example, using nitrogen, argon, or carbon dioxide to prevent degradation of desirable properties or moisture accumulation in the layers and/or around the electrodes 301, 302, 303 or heat transfer tubes 200.
• FIG 3 shows an example of a heat transfer tube 200 for use in the thermal energy storage device of Figure 2.
• the heat transfer tube 200 comprises a plurality of substantially parallel straight sections 230 that are connected to each other by interconnecting sections 240.
• the interconnecting sections 240 may, e.g. , be curved, flanged, or executed as cross fittings.
• W water
• S steam
• a pump (not shown) may be provided for pumping the water into the inlet 210.
• the steam After leaving the outlet 220, the steam, typically at a temperature of about 350°C, may be led to one or more consumers.
• the consumer may, for example, use the steam directly in some industrial process, or use a steam turbine generator to first convert the steam into electric power.
• the heat transfer tube 200 and the consumer form a closed circuit, wherein the used steam is condensed into water and pumped back to the inlet 210 of the heat transfer tube 200.
• each inlet 210 may be connected to its own supply of heat transfer fluid and the heat transfer fluid may have a similar temperature at every inlet 210.
• two or more heat transfer tubes 200 may be interconnected such that the outlet 220 of a first heat transfer tube 200 is connected to an inlet 210 of a second heat transfer tube 200, and that the heat transfer fluid passes through the two or more heat transfer tubes before it leaves the thermal heat storage device 100 and is sent to a consumer.
• the heat transfer tube 200 may be made of a metal, such as stainless steel.
• An important property of the material to be used for the heat transfer tube 200 is that it allows for an efficient heat exchange between the heat relea se layer 120 at its out side and the heat transfer fluid at its inside . Permanent contact between the heat trans fer tube 200 and the heat release layer 120 can be promoted by using a granular material that freely expands or contracts relative to the tube .
• the tube material is electrically conductive it is important that some form of electrical insulation is provided to insulate the heat trans fer tube 200 from the electrodes 301 , 302 , 303 .
• earthing and bonding of the heat transfer tube may be provided .
• one or more of the interconnecting sections 240 of the heat transfer tube 200 can easily be demounted from and remounted to the straight sections 230 .
• the interconnecting sections 240 protrude from the main body of the thermal energy storage device 100 , demounting the interconnecting sections 240 allows for maintenance and inspection acce s s to the horizontally placed straight sections 230 of the heat transfer tube 200 .
• FIG 4 shows the thermal energy storage device 100 of Figure 2 with added thermal insulation .
• a bottom insulation layer 410 helps to prevent a los s of heat to the soil on which the thermal energy storage device 100 is placed .
• the bottom insulation layer 410 can be made of any suitable thermally insulating material . Preferably, an inexpensive bul k material with good thermal insulation and load-bearing properties is used . Pos sible materials include , but are not limited to , sand, quartz , pumice , or volcanic a sh .
• the bottom insulation layer 410 may include a cooling tube 412 that can be filled with a cooling fluid , such as water , to take up some of the heat that would otherwise have warmed the soil underneath the thermal energy storage device 100 .
• the cooling tube 412 may be made of similar materials as the heat transfer tube 200 .
• the cooling tube 412 is connected to a pump for providing a continuous supply of cool cooling fluid .
• the cooling tube 412 may be connected to the inlet 210 of the heat trans fer tube 200 , such that it can be used to preheat the heat transfer fucid .
• a similar top insulation layer 420 may be provided on top of the thermal energy storage device 100 in order to prevent exce s sive heat los s to the direct environment .
• the top insulation layer 420 may comprise the same or similar materials as the bottom insulation layer 410 .
• Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a dif ferent embodiment of the thermal energy storage device 100 .
• the main difference with the thermal energy storage device 100 shown in Figure 4 is that it does not comprise any buffer layers 130 , but a repeating pattern of alternating electrode layers 110 and heat relea se layers 120 .
• FIG 6 shows the thermal energy storage device 100 of Figure 5 with more added thermal insulation .
• a thermal insulation sleeve 500 is applied to all s ide walls of the thermal energy storage device 100 .
• Many readily available thermal insulation materials may be used for this thermal insulation sleeve 500 .
• perlite may be used because of its suitability for high temperature s .
• the pos sibility to add such an insulation sleeve 500 is not limited to the embodiment of Figure 5 , but may also be benef icial in other embodiments , such as those of Figures 2 and 4 .
• the sides of the thermal energy storage device 100 may have vertical walls , or may be unwalled , following the natural angle of repose of the bulk material .
• Figure 7 shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the thermal energy storage device 100 .
• Figure 8 shows a close-up of part of the thermal energy storage device 100 of Figure 7 with its external insulation layers 410 , 420 , 430 removed .
• Many features of this embodiment are similar to and perform the same function as corresponding features in the embodiments described above with reference to Figures 2 to 6. Therefore, the same reference numbers are used for such corresponding features.
• the different layers 110, 120, 130, 140 have a substantially horizontal orientation. It is noted that the use of such a layered configuration may be advantageous for reasons of performance and/or ease of construction, but that the invention is not limited to such a configuration. Also, when layers are used, their orientations may differ from the substantially vertical or horizontal orientations shown in the drawings . Likely, the layers may have varying thickness and different shapes. For example, a cylindrical thermal energy storage device may be provided wherein the different layers are provided as concentric rings.
• the first, second and third electrodes 301, 302, 303 are aligned in parallel in a substantially horizontal electrode layer 110 that is sandwiched between two substantially horizontal electrically insulating layers 140, filled with, e.g. , one of the electrically insulating bulk materials described above.
• An important function of these electrically insulating layers 140 is that they allow for the use of electrically conducting materials for the subsequent buffer layer 130 and heat release layer 120.
• the buffer layer 130 and/or heat release layer 120 may be made up of the same or different materials. All materials mentioned above for the corresponding layers 120, 130 in the embodiments described in Figures 2 to 6 can be used in this embodiment too. For reducing the footprint of the thermal energy storage device, a larger heat flux per cubic meter is desirable.
• the maximum temperature fluctuation between day and night in the heat generating electrode layer 110 is about 100°C (e.g. cycling between 700°C and 800 °C) .
• a primary function of the heat release layer 120 is to dampen the day-night variation of the duty output to the consumer. This can be achieved by reducing the temperature swing in the heat generating electrode layer 110.
• one or both layers 120, 130 may comprise a phase change material that can store energy in the form of latent heat. If the layer composition is such that part of it changes phase, e.g. by melting during a heating cycle and solidifying when less renewable energy is produced and the layer cools down, a more constant temperature buffer is obtained. This helps to prevent overheating of the steam tubes during periods of low consumer demand.
• phase change material When using phase change material, it is important that it remains stationary within the layer 120 when in the molten state. This may, for example, be achieved by mixing a low-melting granulate with a non-melting bulk material (i.e. , a bulk material with a melting temperature high enough to avoid melting during normal use of the thermal energy storage device 100) . Possible combinations are 50%-50% mixtures of either magnesium (phase change at 650°C) and iron (phase change at 1538 °C) , or zinc (phase change at 420°C) and graphite (phase change at 3600°C) , or an aluminium magnesium eutectic and either pure or mixtures of sand, silicon carbide, iron ore or graphite.
• a non-melting bulk material i.e. , a bulk material with a melting temperature high enough to avoid melting during normal use of the thermal energy storage device 100.
• Possible combinations are 50%-50% mixtures of either magnesium (phase change at 650°C) and iron (phase change at 15
• phase change materials compri sing metal s are electrically conductive
• the electrically insulating layer 140 i s provided for electrical insulation between the electrode layer 110 and the steam tubes 200 .

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• 2022
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