CONTROL OF THE VARIABLE PRESSURE INVENTORY OF THE CLOSED CYCLE SYSTEM WITH A HIGH PRESSURE TANK AND

专利摘要:
systems and methods for controlling the variable pressure stock of a closed thermodynamic cycle power generation system or energy storage system, such as a brayton reversible cycle system, with at least one high pressure tank and an intermediate pressure tank are disclosed. Operating system parameters, such as working fluid pressure, turbine torque, rpm turbine, torque generator, rpm generator, and current, voltage, phase, frequency, and / or amount of electricity generated and / or distributed by the generator it can be the basis to control a quantity of working fluid that circulates through a closed cycle fluid path of the system.
公开号:BR112019013389A2
申请号:R112019013389-5
申请日:2017-11-30
公开日:2020-03-03
发明作者:Apte Raj；Larochelle Philippe
申请人:Malta Inc.；
IPC主号:

专利说明:

CONTROL OF VARIABLE PRESSURE INVENTPARY OF THE CLOSED CYCLE SYSTEM WITH A HIGH PRESSURE TANK AND AN INTERMEDIATE PRESSURE TANK
CROSS REFERENCE FOR RELATED APPLICATION [001] This application claims priority for U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 392,927, filed December 28, 2016.
FUNDAMENTALS [002] In a heat engine or heat pump, a heat exchanger can be used to transfer heat between a thermal storage material and a working fluid for use with turbomachinery. The heat engine can be reversible, that is, it is also a heat pump, and the working fluid and heat exchanger can be used to transfer heat or cold to a plurality of thermal reserves. The thermal energy within a given system can be stored in various forms and in a variety of containers, including pressure vessels and / or insulated containers.
SUMMARY [003] A closed thermodynamic cycle power generation system or energy storage system, such as a reversible Brayton cycle system, can include at least one working fluid circulated through a closed cycle fluid path including at least two heat exchangers, a turbine and a compressor. In some systems, one or more reciprocating heat exchangers may also be included. At least two temperature reservoirs can contain thermal fluids that can be pumped through heat exchangers
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2/158 heat, providing and / or extracting thermal energy from the working fluid. A motor / generator can be used to obtain work from the thermal energy in the system, preferably generating electricity from the mechanical energy received from the turbine.
[004] The system can also include a high pressure tank and an intermediate pressure tank and the fluid connections between the tanks and the closed cycle fluid path can be controlled to vary the amount of working fluid circulating through the path. closed-loop fluid flow. Fluid connections can be controlled based on one or more operating parameters of the system. Beneficially, the variation in the amount of working fluid circulating through the closed loop fluid path can be used to control the energy of the system.
[005] Examples of methods may include in a closed loop system, circulating a working fluid through a closed loop fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger, a turbine and an exchanger cold-side heat, where the closed-loop fluid path comprises a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg; remove a first amount of working fluid from the closed-loop fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the high-pressure leg and a high-pressure tank, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure decreases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank increases; close the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure in the high pressure tank reaches a first value
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3/158 of threshold pressure; and removing a second amount of working fluid from the closed-loop fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the high pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the leg pressure drops and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank increases.
[006] Examples of methods may include in a closed loop system, circulating a working fluid through a closed loop fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger, a turbine and an exchanger cold-side heat, where the closed-loop fluid path comprises a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg; remove a first amount of working fluid from the closed-loop fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the high-pressure leg and a high-pressure tank, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure decreases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank increases; close the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure reaches a first threshold pressure value; and removing a second amount of working fluid from the closed-loop fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the high pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the leg pressure drops and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank increases.
[007] Examples of methods may include in a system of
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4/158 closed cycle, circulate a working fluid through a closed cycle fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot side heat exchanger, a turbine and a cold side heat exchanger, where the closed cycle fluid path comprises a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg; add a first amount of working fluid to the closed-loop fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the low pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, where the intermediate pressure tank contains working fluid at a pressure of storage greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank decreases; close the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank reaches a first threshold pressure value; and adding a second amount of working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the low pressure leg and a high pressure tank, where the high pressure tank contains working fluid to a second storage pressure greater than the first storage pressure and greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank decreases.
[008] Examples of methods may include, in a closed cycle system, circulating a working fluid through a
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5/158 closed cycle fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot side heat exchanger, a turbine and a cold side heat exchanger, wherein the closed cycle fluid path comprises a high leg pressure and a low pressure leg; add a first amount of working fluid to the closed-loop fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the low pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, where the intermediate pressure tank contains working fluid at a pressure of storage greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank decreases; close the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure reaches a first threshold pressure value; and adding a second amount of working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the low pressure leg and a high pressure tank, where the high pressure tank contains working fluid to a second storage pressure greater than the first storage pressure and greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank decreases.
[00 9] Example of non-transient computer-readable medium may include instructions stored therein executable by a computing device to make the computing device perform functions, functions
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6/158 include in a closed cycle system, circulating a working fluid through a closed cycle fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot side heat exchanger, a turbine and a side heat exchanger cold, wherein the closed loop fluid path comprises a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg; remove a first amount of working fluid from the closed-loop fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the high-pressure leg and a high-pressure tank, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure decreases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank increases; close the first fluid connection when the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank reaches a first threshold pressure value; and removing a second amount of working fluid from the closed-loop fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the high pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the leg pressure drops and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank increases.
[0010] Example of a non-transitory computer-readable medium may include instructions stored therein executable by a computing device to make the computing device perform functions, the functions include in a closed loop system, circulating a working fluid through of a closed-loop fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger, a turbine and a heat exchanger
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7/158 cold side, wherein the closed loop fluid path comprises a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg; remove a first amount of working fluid from the closed-loop fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the high-pressure leg and a high-pressure tank, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure decreases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank increases; close the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure reaches a first threshold pressure value; and removing a second amount of working fluid from the closed-loop fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the high pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the leg pressure drops and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank increases.
[0011] Example of non-transient computer-readable medium may include instructions stored therein executable by a computing device to make the computing device perform functions, functions include in a closed-loop system, circulating a working fluid through of a closed-loop fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger, a turbine and a cold-side heat exchanger, wherein the closed-loop fluid path comprises a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg; add a first amount of working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the low pressure leg
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8/158 and an intermediate pressure tank, in which the intermediate pressure tank contains working fluid at a storage pressure greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the work on the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank decreases; close the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank reaches a first threshold pressure value; and adding a second amount of working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the low pressure leg and a high pressure tank, where the high pressure tank contains working fluid to a second storage pressure greater than the first storage pressure and greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank decreases.
[0012] Example of non-transient computer-readable medium may include instructions stored therein executable by a computing device to make the computing device perform functions, functions include in a closed-loop system, circulating a work fluid through of a closed-loop fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger, a turbine and a cold-side heat exchanger, wherein the closed-loop fluid path comprises a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg; add a first amount of fluid from
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9/158 work on the closed-loop fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the low pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, where the intermediate pressure tank contains working fluid at a storage pressure greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank decreases; close the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure reaches a first threshold pressure value; and adding a second amount of working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the low pressure leg and a high pressure tank, where the high pressure tank contains working fluid to a second storage pressure greater than the first storage pressure and greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank decreases.
[0013] Example systems may include in a closed-loop system, means for circulating a working fluid through a closed-loop fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger, a turbine and a cold-side heat exchanger, wherein the closed-loop fluid path comprises a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg; means for removing a first amount of working fluid from the unopened closed-loop fluid path
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10/158 a first fluid connection between the high pressure leg and a high pressure tank, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure leg decreases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank increases ; means for closing the first fluid connection when the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank reaches a first threshold pressure value; and means for removing a second amount of working fluid from the closed-loop fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the high pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, such that the working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg it decreases and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank increases.
[0014] Example systems may include in a closed-loop system means to circulate a working fluid through a closed-loop fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger, a turbine and a cold-side heat exchanger, wherein the closed-loop fluid path comprises a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg; means for removing a first quantity of working fluid from the closed cycle fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the high pressure leg and a high pressure tank, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure leg decreases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank increases; means for closing the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure reaches a first threshold pressure value; and means for removing a second
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11/158 amount of working fluid from the closed cycle fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the high pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, such that the working fluid pressure in the pressure leg high pressure decreases and working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank increases.
[0015] Example systems may include in a closed loop system means for circulating a working fluid through a closed loop fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger, a turbine and a cold-side heat exchanger, wherein the closed-loop fluid path comprises a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg; means for adding a first amount of working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the low pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, wherein the intermediate pressure tank contains working fluid at a storage pressure greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank decreases; means for closing the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank reaches a first threshold pressure value; and means for adding a second amount of working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the low pressure leg and a high pressure tank, wherein the high pressure tank contains working fluid a a second pressure of
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12/158 storage greater than the first storage pressure and greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank decreases.
[0016] Example systems may include in a closed-loop system means to circulate a working fluid through a closed-loop fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger, a turbine and a cold-side heat exchanger, wherein the closed-loop fluid path comprises a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg; means for adding a first amount of working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the low pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, wherein the intermediate pressure tank contains working fluid at a storage pressure greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank decreases; means for closing the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure reaches a first threshold pressure value; and means for adding a second amount of working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the low pressure leg and a high pressure tank, wherein the high pressure tank contains working fluid a a second storage pressure greater than the first storage pressure and greater than the pressure of the
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13/158 working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank decreases.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0017] Figure 1 schematically illustrates the operation of a pumped thermal electrical storage system.
[0018] Figure 2 is a schematic flow chart of working fluid and heat storage medium of a thermal system pumped in a load / heat pump mode.
[0019] Figure 3 is a schematic flow chart of working fluid and heat storage medium of a thermal system pumped in a discharge / heat engine mode.
[0020] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of pressure and temperature of the working fluid as it undergoes the load cycle in Figure 2.
[0021] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of pressure and temperature of the working fluid as it undergoes the discharge cycle in Figure 3.
[0022] Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of a closed working fluid system in the thermal system pumped in Figures 2-3.
[0023] Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of the thermal system pumped in Figures 2-3 with hot and cold side storage tanks and a closed cycle working fluid system.
[0024] Figure 8 shows a heat storage load cycle for a molten salt / water system hc = 0.9 and i) t = 0.95. The dashed lines correspond to η ₀ = ht = 1.
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14/158 [0025] Figure 9 shows a heat storage discharge (extraction) cycle for the molten salt / water system in Figure 8 with i) _c = 0.9 and i] t = 0.95. The dashed lines correspond to η ₀ = ht = 1.
[0026] Figure 10 shows a heat storage cycle in a pumped thermal system with varying compression rates between loading and unloading cycles.
[0027] Figure 11 shows the outward and return efficiency contours for a water / salt system. The symbols © and 0 represent an approximate range of the adiabatic efficiency values of the current turbomachinery. The dashed arrows represent the direction of the efficiency increase.
[0028] Figure 12 shows outlines of round-trip efficiency for a colder storage / salt system. The symbols © and 0 represent an approximate range of the adiabatic efficiency values of the current turbomachinery.
[0029] Figure 13 is a schematic flowchart of working fluid and heat storage medium from a thermal system pumped with a gas-gas heat exchanger to the working fluid in a load / heat pump mode.
[0030] Figure 14 is a schematic flowchart of working fluid and heat storage medium from a thermal system pumped with a gas-gas heat exchanger to the working fluid in a discharge / heat engine mode.
[0031] Figure 15 is a schematic flowchart of working fluid and heat storage medium from a thermal system pumped with a gas-gas heat exchanger to the working fluid in a charge / heat pump mode with rejection of indirect heat to the environment.
[0032] Figure 16 is a schematic flow chart of fluid
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15/158 working and heat storage medium of a thermal system pumped with a gas-gas heat exchanger for the working fluid in a discharge / engine heat mode with indirect heat rejection to the environment.
[0033] Figure 17 shows a heat storage load cycle for a storage system with a gas-gas heat exchanger, a cold-side storage medium capable of descending to temperatures significantly below room temperature and η ₀ = 0.9 er] t = 0.95.
[0034] Figure 18 shows a heat storage discharge cycle for a storage system with a gas-gas heat exchanger, a cold-side storage medium capable of descending to temperatures significantly below room temperature and η ₀ = 0.9 er] t = 0.95.
[0035] Figure 19 is a schematic flowchart of recharging the hot side in a heat cycle pumped in solar mode with heating of a solar salt only by solar energy.
[0036] Figure 20 is a schematic flowchart of a discharge cycle from a thermal system pumped with heat rejection into the environment.
[0037] Figure 21 is a schematic flowchart of a discharge cycle from a thermal system pumped with heat rejection to an intermediate fluid circulated in a thermal bath at room temperature.
[0038] Figures 22 and 23 are thermal systems pumped with separate compressor / turbine pairs for loading and unloading modes.
[0039] Figures 24 and 25 show pumped thermal systems configured in a combustion heat input generation mode.
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16/158 [0040] Figure 26 is a schematic flowchart of hot side recharge in a heat cycle pumped through heating by a combustion heat source or a residual heat source.
[0041] Figure 27 shows an example of a pumped thermal system with pressure regulated energy control.
[0042] Figure 28 shows an example of a pumped thermal system with an encapsulated pressure generator.
[0043] Figure 29 is an example of variable stators in a compressor / turbine pair.
[0044] Figure 30 shows a computer system that is programmed to implement various methods and / or regulate various systems of the present disclosure.
[0045] Figure 31 illustrates a variable pressure inventory control system, according to an example modality.
[0046] Figure 32 illustrates a variable pressure inventory control system, according to an example modality.
[0047] Figure 33 illustrates a variable pressure inventory control method, according to an example modality.
[0048] Figure 34 illustrates a variable pressure inventory control method, according to an example modality.
[0049] Figure 35 illustrates a method of controlling variable pressure inventory, according to an example modality.
[0050] Figure 36 illustrates a method of controlling
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17/158 variable pressure inventory, according to an example modality.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0051] Although various embodiments of the invention have been shown and described here, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes and substitutions can occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. It is to be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the invention described herein can be employed. It should be understood that different aspects of the invention can be appreciated individually, collectively or in combination with each other.
[0052] It should be understood that the terminology used here is used for the purpose of describing specific modalities, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that, as used here, the singular forms of one, one and o include plural references, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, unless otherwise indicated, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as is normally understood by a person skilled in the art to which this invention belongs.
[0053] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown and described herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that such modalities are provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes and substitutions will now occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. It should be understood that several alternatives to the modalities of the invention here
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18/158 described can be employed in the practice of the invention. It is intended that the following claims define the scope of the invention and that the methods and structures within the scope of these claims and their equivalents are hereby covered.
[0054] The term reversible, as used here, generally refers to a process or operation that can be reversed through infinitesimal changes in some process property or operation without substantial entropy production (for example, energy dissipation). A reversible process can be approximated by a process that is in thermodynamic equilibrium. In some instances, in a reversible process, the direction of the energy flow is reversible. As an alternative, or in addition, the general direction of operation of a reversible process (for example, the direction of fluid flow) can be reversed, such as, for example, from clockwise to counterclockwise, and vice versa.
[0055] The term sequence, as used here, generally refers to elements (for example, unit operations) in order. Such an order can refer to the process order, such as the order in which a fluid flows from one element to another. In one example, a compressor, heat storage unit and turbine in sequence include the compressor upstream of the heat exchange unit, and the heat exchange unit upstream of the turbine. In that case, a fluid can flow from the compressor to the heat exchange unit and from the heat exchange unit to the turbine. A fluid that flows through sequential unit operations can flow sequentially through unit operations. A sequence of elements can include one or more elements
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19/158 interveners. For example, a system comprising a compressor, heat storage unit and turbine in sequence may include an auxiliary tank between the compressor and the heat storage unit. A sequence of elements can be cyclical.
I. Overview [0056] An example of a heat engine in which variable pressure inventory control methods and systems can be implemented is a closed thermodynamic cycle power generation system or energy storage system, such as a reversible Brayton cycle. The system can be a closed reversible system and can include a recuperative heat exchanger. A Brayton cycle system can use a generator / engine connected to a turbine and a compressor that act on a working fluid circulating in the system. Examples of working fluids include air, argon, carbon dioxide or gas mixtures. A Brayton cycle system can have a hot side and / or a cold side. Each side can include a heat exchanger coupled to one or more cold storage containers and / or one or more hot storage containers. Preferably, the heat exchangers can be arranged as counterflow heat exchangers for greater thermal efficiency. Liquid thermal storage media can be used and can 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. For an example of a molten salt and hexane system, the molten salt on the hot side can include hot storage
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20/158 at approximately 565 ° C and cold storage at approximately 290 ° C and cold-side hexane can include hot storage at approximately 35 ° C and cold storage at approximately -60 ° C.
[0057] In the Brayton cycle system, the working fluid can circulate through a closed cycle fluid path and the closed cycle fluid path can include a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg. An exemplary mode of variable pressure inventory control may involve removing a first amount of working fluid from a closed-loop fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the high pressure leg and a high pressure tank in such a way. so that the pressure of the working fluid in the closed-loop fluid path decreases and the pressure in the high-pressure tank increases; close the first fluid connection; and removing a second amount of working fluid from the closed cycle fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the high pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, such that the working fluid pressure in the path of closed-cycle fluid decreases and the pressure in the intermediate pressure tank increases.
[0058] Another example of a variable pressure inventory control modality may involve adding a first amount of working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the low pressure leg and a pressure tank intermediate, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the closed-loop fluid path increases and the
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21/158 pressure in the intermediate pressure tank decreases; close the first fluid connection; and adding a second amount of working fluid to the closed cycle by opening a second fluid connection between the closed cycle fluid path and a high pressure tank, such that the working fluid pressure in the cycle fluid path closed increases and the pressure in the high pressure tank decreases.
[0059] The fluid connections between the closed loop fluid path and the tanks can be closed based on the pressure of the working fluid. In some embodiments, the first fluid connection between the high pressure leg and the high pressure tank can be closed when the working fluid pressure in the high pressure tank reaches a threshold pressure value. In addition, in some embodiments, the first fluid connection between the high pressure leg and the intermediate pressure tank can be closed when the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank reaches a threshold pressure value.
[0060] In some embodiments, the threshold pressure value related to the closing of the first fluid connection between the high pressure leg and the intermediate pressure tank may be different from the threshold pressure value related to the closing of the first fluid connection between the high pressure leg and the intermediate pressure tank.
II. Illustrative reversible heat engine
A. Pumped thermal systems [0061] The disclosure provides pumped thermal systems capable of storing electrical energy and / or heat and releasing
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22/158 energy (for example, producing electricity) at a later time. The pumped thermal systems of the disclosure can include a heat engine and a heat pump (or cooler). In some cases, the heat engine can be operated upside down like a heat pump. In some cases, the heat engine can be operated upside down like a refrigerator. Any description of heat pump / heat engine systems or cooler / heat engine systems capable of reversing operation here can also be applied to systems that include heat engine system (s), heat pump system (s) separate and / or reversible heat and / or refrigerator system (s). In addition, since heat pumps and refrigerators share the same operating principles (albeit for different purposes), any description of configurations or operation of heat pumps here can also apply to configurations or operation of refrigerators, and vice versa.
[0062] The systems of the present disclosure can operate as heat engines or heat pumps (or refrigerators). In some situations, the disclosure systems may function alternately as heat engines and heat pumps. In some instances, a system can operate as a heat engine to generate energy and subsequently operate as a heat pump to store energy, or vice versa. Such systems can operate alternately and sequentially as heat engines and as heat pumps. In some cases, such systems operate reversibly or substantially reversibly as heat engines like heat pumps.
[0063] Reference will now be made to the Figures, where
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23/158 similar numerals refer to equal parts throughout. It will be appreciated that the Figures and resources therein are not necessarily drawn to scale.
[0064] Figure 1 schematically illustrates the operating principles of thermal electrical storage pumped using a heat pump / heat engine electricity storage system. Electricity can be stored in the form of thermal energy from two materials or media at different temperatures (for example, thermal energy tanks comprising heat storage fluids or thermal storage media) using a combined heat pump / heat engine system . In a load mode or heat pump, the system can consume labor to transfer heat from a cold material or medium to a hot material or medium, thereby lowering the temperature (for example, sensitive energy) of the cold material and increasing the temperature ( that is, sensitive energy) of the hot material. In a discharge or heat engine mode, work can be produced by the system by transferring heat from the hot material to the cold material, thereby lowering the temperature (ie, sensitive energy) of the hot material and increasing the temperature (ie , sensitive energy) of the cold material. The system can be configured to ensure that the work produced by the system at discharge is a favorable fraction of the energy consumed under load. The system can be configured to achieve high round-trip efficiency, defined here as the work produced by the system at discharge divided by the work consumed by the system under load. In addition, the system can be configured to achieve high round-trip efficiency using components
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24/158 of a desired cost (for example, a reasonably low cost). The arrows H and W in Figure 1 represent directions of heat flow and work, respectively.
[0065] Heat engines, heat pumps and refrigerators of the disclosure may involve a working fluid to and from which the heat is transferred during a thermodynamic cycle. The heat engines, heat pumps and coolers of the disclosure can operate in a closed cycle. Closed cycles allow, for example, a wider selection of working fluids, operation at high cold side pressures, operation at lower cold side temperatures, greater efficiency and less risk of damage to the turbine. One or more aspects of the disclosure described in relation to systems with working fluids subjected to closed cycles can also be applied to systems with working fluids subjected to open cycles.
[0066] In one example, heat engines can operate on a Brayton cycle and heat pumps / coolers can operate on a reverse Brayton cycle (also known as a gas cooling cycle). Other examples of thermodynamic cycles that the working fluid can 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 conjunction with exchange of heat with heat storage fluids of the disclosure.
[0067] The working fluid can undergo a thermodynamic cycle operating at one, two or more pressure levels.
For example, the working fluid can operate in a closed cycle between a low pressure limit on a cold side of the
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25/158 system and a high pressure limit on a hot side of the system. In some implementations, a low pressure limit of about 10 atmospheres (atm) (1.01325 MPa) or greater can be used. In some cases, the low pressure limit may be at least about 1 atm (0.101325 MPa), at least about 2 atm (0.20265 MPa), at least about 5 atm (0.506625 MPa), at least about 10 atm (1.01325 MPa), at least about 15 atm (1.51988 MPa), at least about 20 atm (2.0265 MPa), at least about 30 atm (3.03975 MPa ), at least about 40 atm (4.053 MPa), at least about 60 atm (6.0795 MPa), at least about 80 atm (8.106 MPa), at least about 100 atm (10.1325 MPa), at least about 120 atm (12,159 MPa), at least about 160 atm (16,212 MPa), or at least about 200 atm (20,265 MPa), 500 atm (50,6625 MPa), 1000 atm (101,325 MPa), or more. In some cases, a subatmospheric low pressure limit may be used. For example, the low pressure limit may be less than about 0.1 atm (0.0101325 MPa), less than about 0.2 atm (0.020265 MPa), less than about 0.5 atm (0 , 0506625 MPa) or less than about 1 atm (0.101325 MPa). In some cases, the low pressure limit may be about 1 atmosphere (atm) (0.101325 MPa). In the case of a working fluid operating in an open cycle, the low pressure limit can be about 1 atm (0.101325 MPa) or equal to the ambient pressure.
[0068] In some cases, the low pressure limit value can be selected based on the desired energy output and / or energy input requirements of the thermodynamic cycle. For example, a pumped thermal system with a low pressure limit of about 10 atm (1.01325 MPa)
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26/158 may be able to provide an energy output comparable to an industrial gas turbine with ambient air inlet (1 atm) (0.101325 MPa). The low pressure limit value may also be subject to cost / safety trade-offs. In addition, the value of the low pressure limit can be limited by the value of the high pressure limit, the hot-side operating intervals and the heat storage medium (for example, pressure and temperature intervals over which the heat storage are stable), pressure rates and operating conditions (eg operating limits, optimal operating conditions, pressure drop) achieved by turbomachinery and / or other system components, or any combination thereof. The high pressure limit can be determined according to these system restrictions. In some cases, higher values of the high pressure limit can lead to better heat transfer between the working fluid and the hot-side storage medium.
[0069] 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 a gaseous, liquid, critical, or state supercritical (for example, supercritical CO2). The working fluid can be a gas or liquid of low viscosity (for example, viscosity below about 500x10 ⁶ Poise at 1 atm), satisfying the requirement that the flow be continuous. In some implementations, a gas with a high specific heat rate can be used to achieve greater cycle efficiency than a gas with a low specific heat rate.
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For example, argon (for example, specific heat ratio of about 1.66) can be used to replace air (for example, specific heat ratio of about 1.4). In some cases, the working fluid may be a mixture of one, two, three or more fluids. In one example, helium (with high thermal conductivity and high specific heat) can be added to the working fluid (eg, argon) to improve heat transfer rates in heat exchangers.
[0070] Here, pumped thermal systems can use heat storage materials or materials, such as one or more heat storage fluids. The heat storage means can be gases or liquids of low viscosity, satisfying the requirement that the flow be continuous. Systems can use a first heat storage medium on a hot side of the system (hot side thermal storage medium (HTS) or HTS here) and a second heat storage medium on a cold side of the system (storage medium cold side (CTS) or CTS here). Thermal storage media (for example, low-viscosity liquids) can have high heat capacities per unit volume (for example, heat capacities above 1400 Joule (kilvin Kelvin)!) And high thermal conductivities (for example, conductivity thermal over 0.7 Watt Kelvin) ^x ). In some implementations, several different thermal storage media (also heat storage medium here) or on the hot side, on the cold side or on the hot side and on the cold side can be used.
[0071] The operating temperatures of the media
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28/158 hot side thermal storage may be in the liquid range of the hot side thermal storage medium, and the operating temperatures of the cold side thermal storage medium may be in the liquid range of the cold side thermal storage medium. In some instances, liquids may allow a faster exchange of large amounts of heat for convective counterflow than solids or gases. Thus, in some cases, the liquid HTS and CTS media can be used to advantage. Pumped thermal systems that use thermal storage media here can advantageously provide a safe, non-toxic and geographically independent energy storage alternative (for example, electricity).
[0072] In some implementations, the hot-side thermal storage medium may 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 can be employed. Molten salts can provide numerous advantages as a means of storing thermal energy, such as low vapor pressure, lack of toxicity, chemical stability, low chemical reactivity with typical steels (eg melting point below the steel's creep temperature, low corrosivity, low iron and nickel dissolving capacity) and low cost. In one example, HTS is a mixture of sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate. In some instances, HTS is a eutectic mixture of sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate. In some instances, HTS is a mixture of sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate with a lower melting point than the individual constituents, a melting point
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29/158 higher boiling than individual constituents or a combination of these. Other examples include potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate, sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite, lithium nitrate, mineral oil, or any combination of these. Additional examples include any gaseous media (including compressed gases), liquids or solids (eg powder solids) with adequate thermal storage capacities (eg high) and / or capable of achieving adequate heat transfer rates (eg , high) with the working fluid. For example, a mixture of 60% sodium nitrate and 40% potassium nitrate (also known as solar salt in some situations) can have a thermal capacity of approximately 1500 Joule (Kelvin mole) ¹ and a thermal conductivity of approximately 0 , 75 Watt (Kelvin meter) ¹ within a temperature range of interest. The hot-side thermal storage medium can be operated over a temperature range that structural steels can handle.
[0073] In some cases, water will liquid at temperatures of about 0 ° C to 100 ° C (about 273 K-373 K) and a pressure of about 1 atm (0.101325 MPa) can be used as a medium of cold-side thermal storage. Due to a possible risk of explosion associated with the presence of steam at or near the boiling point of water, the operating temperature can be maintained below 100 ° C or less, maintaining an operating pressure of 1 atm (0.101325 MPa ) (without pressurization). In some cases, the operating temperature range of the cold-side thermal storage medium may be extended (for example, at -30 ° C to 100 ° C at 1 atm)
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30/158 (0.101325 MPa) using a mixture of water and one or more antifreeze compounds (for example, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol or glycerol).
[0074] As described in greater detail elsewhere in this document, improved storage efficiency can be achieved by increasing the temperature difference at which the system operates, for example, using a cold-side heat storage fluid capable of operating at lower temperatures. In some examples, the cold-side thermal storage medium may comprise hydrocarbons, such as, for example, alkanes (for example, hexane or heptane), alkenes, alkines, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids (for example, HCOOH), ethers , cycloalkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols (for example, butanol), other type (s) of hydrocarbon molecules, or any combination thereof. In some cases, the cold-side thermal storage medium may be hexane (for example, n-hexane). Hexane has a wide liquid range and can remain fluid (ie liquid) throughout its liquid range (-94 ° C to 68 ° C in 1 atm (0.101325 MPa)). Low temperature properties of hexanes are aided by their immiscibility with water. Other liquids, such as, for example, ethanol or methanol, may become viscous at the low temperature ends of their liquid ranges due to the pre-crystallization of water absorbed by the air. In some cases, the cold-side thermal storage medium may be heptane (for example, n-heptane). Heptane has a wide liquid range and can remain fluid (ie liquid) throughout its liquid range (-91 ° C to 98 ° C in 1 atm (0.101325
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MPa)). The low temperature properties of heptane are aided by its immiscibility with water. At even lower temperatures, other heat storage media can be used, for example, isohexane (2-methylpentane). In some instances, cryogenic liquids with boiling points below -150 ° C (123 K) or about -180 ° C (93.15 K) can be used as a cold-side thermal storage medium (for example, propane, butane, pentane, nitrogen, helium, neon, argon and krypton, air, hydrogen, methane or liquefied natural gas). In some implementations, the choice of the cold-side thermal storage medium may be limited by the choice of the working fluid. For example, when a gaseous working fluid is used, a cold liquid-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.
[0075] In some cases, the operating temperature range of the CTS and / or HTS media can be changed by pressurizing (ie, increasing the pressure) or evacuating (ie, decreasing the pressure) the tanks and thus changing the temperature at which the storage media undergo phase transitions (for example, going from liquid to solid, or from liquid to gas).
[0076] In some cases, the hot-side and cold-side heat storage fluids of the pumped thermal systems are in a liquid state in at least part of the operating temperature range of the energy storage device. The heat storage fluid
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32/158 hot side can be liquid within a certain temperature range. Likewise, the cold-side heat storage fluid can be liquid within a certain temperature range. Heat storage fluids can be heated, cooled or maintained to reach an adequate operating temperature before, during or after operation.
[0077] Pumped thermal systems of the disclosure can circulate between the loaded and unloaded modes. In some instances, pumped thermal systems can be fully charged, partially charged or partially discharged, or fully discharged. In some cases, the heat storage on the cold side can be loaded (also recharged here) regardless of the heat storage on the hot side. In addition, in some implementations, loading (or part of it) and unloading (or part of it) can occur simultaneously. For example, a first portion of a hot side heat storage can be recharged while a second portion of the hot side heat storage together with a cold side heat storage is being discharged.
[0078] Pumped thermal systems may be able to store energy for a certain period of time. In some cases, a given amount of energy can 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,
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33/158 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 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 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.
[0079] The pumped thermal systems of the disclosure may be able to store / receive input from, and / or extract / supply output of a substantially large amount of energy and / or power for use with power generation systems (eg systems intermittent power generation such as wind or solar energy), energy distribution systems (eg power grid) and / or other grid-scale loads or uses or independent configurations. During a charging mode of a pumped thermal system, electrical energy received from an external power source (for example, a wind power system, a photovoltaic solar system, an electrical grid, etc.) can be used to operate the thermal system pumped in a heat pump mode (that is, transferring heat from a low temperature reservoir to a high temperature reservoir, thus storing energy). During a pumped thermal system discharge mode, the system can supply electrical energy to an external power system or load (for example, one or more electrical networks connected to one or more loads, a
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34/158 load, such as a factory or an energy intensive process, etc.) operating in heat engine mode (ie transferring heat from a high temperature reservoir to a low temperature reservoir, thus extracting energy). As described here, during loading and / or unloading, the system can receive or reject thermal energy, including, but not limited to, electromagnetic energy (for example, solar radiation) and thermal energy (for example, sensitive energy from a medium heated by solar radiation, combustion heat, etc.).
[0080] In some implementations, the pumped thermal systems are synchronized to the grid. Synchronization can be achieved by combining the speed and frequency of a system's motors / generators and / or turbomachinery with the frequency of one or more grid networks with which the system exchanges energy. For example, a compressor and a turbine can rotate at a certain fixed speed (for example, 3600 revolutions per minute (rpm)) which is a multiple of the grid frequency (for example, 60 hertz (Hz)). In some cases, this configuration can eliminate the need for additional power electronics. In some implementations, the turbomachinery and / or engines / generators are not synchronized to the grid. In such cases, frequency matching can be performed using energy electronics. In some implementations, the turbomachinery and / or motors / generators are not directly synchronized to the network, but can be combined through the use of gears and / or a mechanical gearbox. As described in greater detail elsewhere, the pumped thermal systems can also be passable (rampable). Such capabilities can
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35/158 allow these grid scale energy storage systems to operate as peak power plants and / or as load after power plants. In some cases, the disclosure systems may be able to operate as base-load power plants.
[0081] Pumped thermal systems can have a certain energy capacity. In some cases, the energy capacity during charging may differ from the energy capacity during discharge. For example, each system can have a load and / or discharge capacity of less than 1 megawatt (MW), at least about 1 megawatt, at least about 2 MW, at least about 3 MW, at least about 4 MW, at least about 5 MW, at least about 6 MW, at least about 7 MW, at least about 8 MW, at least about 9 MW, at least about 10 MW, at least 20 MW, at least at least about 30 MW, at least 40 MW, at least about 50 MW, at least about 75 MW, at least about 100 MW, at least about 200 MW, at least about 500 MW, at least 1 gigawatt (GW), at least 2 GW, at least about 5 GW, at least about 10 GW, at least about 20 GW, at least about 30 GW, at least about 40 GW, at least about 50 GW at least about 75 GW, at least about 100 GW, or more.
[0082] Pumped thermal systems can have a certain energy storage capacity. In one example, a pumped thermal system is configured as a 100 MW unit operating for 10 hours. In another example, a pumped thermal system is configured as a 1 GW plant operating for 12 hours. In some cases, the energy storage capacity may be less than 1 megawatt-hour
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36/158 (MWh), at least about 1 megawatt-hour, at least about 10 MWh, at least about 100 MWh, at least 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 GWh or more.
[0083] In some cases, a given energy capacity can be obtained with a certain size, configuration and / or operating conditions of the heat motor / heat pump cycle. For example, the size of turbomachinery, ducts, heat exchangers or other components of the system can correspond to a certain energy capacity.
[0084] In some implementations, a given energy storage capacity can be achieved with a certain size and / or number of thermal storage tanks on the hot side and / or thermal storage tanks on the cold side. For example, the heat engine / heat pump cycle can operate at a given energy capacity for a certain period of time defined by the heat storage capacity of the system or plant. The number and / or the heat storage capacity of the hot-side thermal storage tanks may differ from the number and / or the heat storage capacity of the cold-side thermal storage tanks. The number of tanks may depend on the size of the individual tanks. The size of the hot-side storage tanks may differ from the size of the cold-side thermal storage tanks. In some cases, the hot-side heat storage tanks, the hot-side heat exchanger
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37/158 and the hot-side thermal storage medium can be referred to as a hot-side (thermal) heat storage unit. In some cases, cold-side thermal storage tanks, cold-side heat exchanger and cold-side thermal storage medium can be referred to as a cold-side (thermal) heat storage unit.
[0085] 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 about 1,000, at least about 5,000, at least about 10,000, and so on. In some examples, 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.
[0086] A pumped thermal storage facility may 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 at least about 100, at least about 500, at least about 1,000, at least about 5,000, at least about 10,000, and so on. In some examples, 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.
B. Pumped thermal storage cycles
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38/158 [0087] One aspect of the disclosure relates to pumped thermal systems that operate in pumped thermal storage cycles. In some instances, cycles allow electricity to be stored as heat (for example, in the form of a temperature differential) and then converted back into electricity through the use of at least two turbomachinery components, a compressor and a turbine. The compressor is labor intensive and increases the temperature and pressure of a working fluid (WF). The turbine produces work and reduces the temperature and pressure of the working fluid. In some instances, more than one compressor and more than one turbine are used. In some cases, the system may include at least 1, at least 2, at least 3, at least 4 or at least 5 compressors. In some cases, the system may include at least 1, at least 2, at least 3, at least 4 or at least 5 turbines. The compressors can be arranged in series or in parallel. The turbines can be arranged in series or in parallel.
[0088] Figures 2 and 3 are schematic flowcharts of working fluid and heat storage medium of an exemplary pumped thermal system in a load / heat pump mode and in a discharge / heat engine mode, respectively. The system can be designed to simplify the explanation so that there are no losses (that is, generation of entropy) neither in the turbomachinery or in the heat exchangers. The system may include a working fluid 20 (for example, 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. Routes / fluid flow directions for the fluid
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39/158 work 20 (for example, a gas), a hot-side thermal storage medium (HTS) 21 (for example, a low-viscosity liquid) and a cold-side thermal storage medium (CTS) 22 (for example, a low viscosity liquid) are indicated by arrows.
[0089] Figures 4 and 5 are schematic diagrams of pressure and temperature of the working fluid 20 as it passes through the load cycles in Figures 2 and 3, respectively, again simplified in the approach of generation without entropy. The normalized pressure is shown on the y axis and the temperature is shown on the x axis. The direction of the processes occurring during the cycles is indicated with arrows, and the individual processes occurring in the compressor 1, the hot side CFX 2, the turbine 3 and the cold side CFX 4 are indicated in the diagram with their respective numerals.
[0090] Heat exchangers 2 and 4 can be configured as counterflow heat exchangers (CFXs), where the working fluid flows in one direction and the substance with which it is exchanging heat is flowing in the opposite direction. In an ideal counterflow heat exchanger with correctly matched flows (ie balanced capacities or capacity flow rates), the temperatures of the working fluid and the thermal storage medium are reversed (ie the counterflow heat exchanger may have unity effectiveness).
[0091] Counterflow heat exchangers 2 and 4 can be designed and / or operated to reduce the generation of entropy in heat exchangers to insignificant levels compared to the generation of entropy associated with other components and / or processes of the system (eg example, generation
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40/158 compressor and / or turbine entropy). In some cases, the system can be operated so that the generation of entropy in the system is minimized. For example, the system can be operated in such a way that the generation of entropy associated with heat storage units is minimized. In some cases, a temperature difference between the fluid elements exchanging heat can be controlled during operation, such that the generation of entropy in the hot and cold side heat storage units is minimized. In some cases, the entropy generated in the hot and cold side heat storage units is insignificant when compared to the entropy generated by the compressor, the turbine or both the compressor and the turbine. In some cases, the generation of entropy associated with the heat transfer in heat exchangers 2 and 4 and / or the generation of entropy associated with the operation of the hot-side storage unit, the cold-side storage unit or both storage units hot and cold side can be less than about 50%, less than about 25%, less than about 20%, less than about 15%, less than about 10%, less than about 5%, less about 4%, less than about 3%, less than about 2%, or less than about 1% of the total entropy generated within the system (for example, entropy generated by compressor 1, the heat exchanger on its side 2, the turbine 3, the cold side heat exchanger 4 and / or other components described (for example, a stove). For example, entropy generation can be reduced or minimized if the two heat-exchanging substances do so at a local temperature differential ΔΤ -> 0 (that is,
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41/158 when the temperature difference between any two fluid elements that are in close thermal contact in the heat exchanger is small). In some instances, the temperature differential ΔΤ between any two fluid elements that are in close thermal contact may be less than about 300 Kelvin (K), less than about 200 K, less than about 100 K, less than about 75 K, less than about 50 K, less than about 40 K, less than about 30 K, less than about 20 K, less than about 10 K, less than about 5 K, less than about 3 K, less than about 2 K or less than about 1 K. In another example, the generation of entropy associated with the pressure drop can be reduced or minimized by the appropriate design. In some instances, the heat exchange process can occur at constant or near constant pressure. Alternatively, a negligible pressure drop can be experienced by the working fluid and / or one or more means of thermal storage during passage through a heat exchanger. The pressure drop in the heat exchangers can be controlled (for example, reduced or minimized) through the proper design of the heat exchanger. In some instances, the pressure drop in each heat exchanger may be less than about 20% of the inlet pressure, less than about 10% of the inlet pressure, less than about 5% of the inlet pressure, less than about 3% of the inlet pressure, less than about 2% of the inlet pressure, less than about 1% of the inlet pressure, less than about 0.5% of the inlet pressure, less than about 0, 25% of the inlet pressure or less than about 0.1% of the inlet pressure.
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42/158 [0092] Upon entering heat exchanger 2, the temperature of the working fluid can either increase (taking heat from the HTS 21 medium, corresponding to the discharge mode in Figures 3 and 5) or decrease (giving heat to the medium of HTS 21, corresponding to the charging mode in Figures 2 and 4), depending on the temperature of the HTS medium in the heat exchanger in relation to the temperature of the working fluid. Likewise, when entering the heat exchanger 4, the temperature of the working fluid can either increase (taking heat from the CTS medium 22, corresponding to the charge mode in Figures 2 and 4) or decrease (giving heat to the CTS medium) 22, corresponding to the discharge mode in Figures 3 and 5), depending on the temperature of the CTS medium in the heat exchanger in relation to the temperature of the working fluid.
[0093] As described in more detail with reference to the charge mode in Figures 2 and 4, the process of adding heat to the cold side CFX 4 can occur in a different temperature range than the heat removal process to the side CFX hot 2. Similarly, in the discharge mode in Figures 3 and 5, the heat rejection process on the cold side CFX 4 can occur in a different temperature range than the heat addition process on the hot side CFX 2. At least a portion of the temperature ranges of the hot-side and cold-side heat exchange processes may overlap during loading, during unloading or during loading and unloading.
[0094] As used here, the To, Ti,
To + and Ti + are so called because To +, Ti + are the temperatures reached with the output of a compressor with a given compression rate r, adiabatic efficiency g _c and temperatures of
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43/158 input of To, Ti respectively. The examples in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 can be idealized examples where p _c = 1 and where the adiabatic efficiency of the turbine also has the value r] t = 1.
[0095] With reference to the load mode shown in Figures 2 and 4, the working fluid 20 can enter the compressor 1 in position 30 at a pressure P and a temperature T (for example, at Τι, P2). As the working fluid passes through the compressor, work Wi is consumed by the compressor to increase the pressure and temperature of the working fluid (for example, for Ti +, Pi), as indicated by Pf and T | in position 31. In load mode, the Ti + temperature of the working fluid leaving the compressor and entering the hot side CFX 2 in position 31 is higher than the temperature of the HTS 21 medium entering the hot side CFX 2 in position 32 from a second hot-side thermal storage tank 7 at a temperature To ⁺ (i.e., To ⁺ <Ti ⁺ ). As these two liquids pass in thermal contact with each other in the heat exchanger, the temperature of the working fluid decreases as it moves from position 31, position 34, releasing heat Qi to the medium of HTS, while the temperature the HTS medium in turn increases as it moves from position 32 to position 33, absorbing heat Qi from the working fluid. In one example, the working fluid exits the CFX hot side 2 in position 34 at temperature To ⁺ and the HTS medium exits the CFX hot side 2 in position 33 for a first thermal storage tank 6 side at temperature Ti ⁺ . The heat exchange process can take place at a constant or almost constant pressure, so that the
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44/158 work leave CFX hot side 2 in position 34 at a lower temperature, but with the same pressure Pi, as indicated by P and T j, in position 34. Similarly, the temperature of the HTS 21 medium increases in Hot side CFX 2, while its pressure can remain constant or almost constant.
[0096] When exiting the hot side CFX 2 in position 34 (for example, in To ⁺ , Pi), the working fluid 20 undergoes expansion in turbine 3 before leaving the turbine in position 35. During expansion, the pressure and the temperature of the working fluid turbine decrease (for example, for To, P2), as indicated by P j, and T j, at position 35. The working magnitude W2 generated by the turbine depends on the enthalpy of the working fluid that enters the turbine and the degree of expansion. In load mode, heat is removed from the working fluid between positions 31 and 34 (on the hot side CFX 2) and the working fluid is expanded back to the pressure at which it initially entered the compressor in position 30 (for example, P2). The compression ratio (for example, P1 / P2) in compressor 1 is equal to the expansion rate in turbine 3, and the enthalpy of the gas entering the turbine is less than the enthalpy of the gas leaving the compressor, work W2 generated by turbine 3 is less than the work Wi consumed by compressor 1 (ie W2 <Wi).
[0097] Because the heat was removed from the working fluid in the hot side CFX 2, the temperature To at which the working fluid exits the turbine at position 35 is lower than the temperature Ti at which the working fluid initially entered in the compressor in position 30. To close the cycle (that is, to return the pressure and temperature of the
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45/158 working at its initial values Τι, P2 at position 30), heat Q2 is added to the working fluid from the medium of CTS 22 in the cold side CFX 4 between positions 35 and 30 (that is, between the turbine 3 and the compressor 1). In one example, the CTS medium 22 enters the cold side CFX 4 at position 36 from a first cold side thermal storage tank 8 at temperature Ti and exits the cold side CFX 4 at position 37 in a second tank cold-side thermal storage 9 at temperature To, while working fluid 20 enters cold-side CFX 4 at position 35 at temperature To and exits cold-side CFX 4 at position 30 at temperature Ti. Again, the process of heat exchange can take place at a constant or almost constant pressure, so that the working fluid leaves the cold side CFX 2 in position 30 at a higher temperature, but the same pressure P2, as indicated by P and T | in position 30. Similarly, the temperature of the CTS 22 medium decreases in the cold side CFX 2, while its pressure can remain constant or almost constant.
[0098] During charging, heat Q2 is removed from the CTS medium and heat Qi is added to the HTS medium, where Qi> Q2. A net amount of Wi - W2 work is consumed, since the Wi work used by the compressor is greater than the W2 work generated by the turbine. A device that consumes work while moving heat from a cold body or thermal storage medium to a hot body or thermal storage medium is a heat pump; thus, the thermal system pumped in charge mode operates like a heat pump.
[0099] In one example, the discharge mode shown in the
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Figures 3 and 5 may differ from the charging mode shown in Figures 2 and 4 in the temperatures of the thermal storage medium being introduced in the heat exchangers. The temperature at which the HTS medium enters the hot-side CFX 2 in position 32 is Ti ⁺ instead of To ⁺ , and the temperature of the CTS medium which enters the cold-side CFX 4 in position 36 is To instead of Ti. During discharge, the working fluid enters the compressor at position 30 in To and P2, exits the compressor in position 31 at To ⁺ <Ti ⁺ and Pi, absorbs heat from the HTS medium in the hot side CFX 2, enters in turbine 3 in position 34 in Ti + and Pi, it leaves the turbine in position 35 in Ti> To and P2 and finally rejects the heat to the CTS medium in the cold side CFX 4, returning to its initial state in position 30 in To and P2.
[00100] The HTS medium at Ti ⁺ temperature can be stored in a first thermal storage tank on the hot side 6, the HTS medium at temperature To ⁺ can be stored in a second thermal storage tank on the hot side 7, the CTS medium at temperature Ti can be stored in a first thermal storage tank on the cold side 8, and the CTS medium at temperature To can be stored in a second thermal storage tank on the cold side 9 during both loading modes and discharge. In one implementation, the HTS medium inlet temperature at position 32 can be switched between Ti ⁺ and To ⁺ by switching between tanks 6 and 7, respectively. Similarly, the inlet temperature of the CTS medium at position 36 can be switched between Ti and To by switching between tanks 8 and 9, respectively. Switching between tanks can be accomplished by including a valve or a
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47/158 valve system (for example, valve systems 12 and 13 in Figure 7) for switching connections between the hot side heat exchanger 2 and the hot side tanks 6 and 7, and / or between the heat exchanger cold side 4 and cold side tanks 8 and 9 as needed for loading and unloading modes. In some implementations, connections can be connected on the working fluid side, while the connections from storage tanks 6, 7, 8 and 9 to heat exchangers 2 and 4 remain static. In some instances, flow paths and connections to heat exchangers may depend on the design (for example, shell-and-tube) of each heat exchanger. In some implementations, one or more valves can be used to change the direction of the working fluid and the heat storage medium through the counterflow heat exchanger in loading and unloading. Such configurations can be used, for example, due to the high thermal storage capacities of the heat exchanger component, to decrease or eliminate temperature transients, or a combination of these. In some implementations, one or more valves can be used to change the direction of the working fluid only, while the direction of the HTS or CTS can be changed by changing the direction of the pumping, thus maintaining the counterflow configuration. In some implementations, different valve configurations can be used for HTS and CTS. In addition, any combination of valve configurations can be used. For example, the system can be configured to operate using different valve configurations in different situations (for example, depending on the operating conditions of the system).
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48/158 [00101] In the discharge mode shown in Figures 3 and 5, working fluid 20 can enter compressor 1 in position 30 at a pressure P and a temperature T (for example, To, P2) · As As the working fluid passes through the compressor, work Wi is consumed by the compressor to increase the pressure and temperature of the working fluid (for example, for To ⁺ , Pi), as indicated by P ΐ and Tf at position 31. In discharge mode, the To ⁺ temperature of the working fluid that leaves the compressor and enters the hot side CFX 2 in position 31 is lower than the temperature of the HTS 21 medium that enters the hot side CFX 2 in position 32 of a first hot-side thermal storage tank 6 at a temperature Ti + (i.e., To ⁺ <Ti ⁺ ). As these two liquids pass in thermal contact with each other in the heat exchanger, the temperature of the working fluid increases as it moves from position 31 to position 34, absorbing heat Qi from the medium of HTS, while the temperature of the medium of HTS, in turn decreases as it moves from position 32 to position 33, releasing heat Qi into the working fluid. In one example, the working fluid exits the CFX hot side 2 at position 34 at temperature Ti ⁺ and the HTS medium exits the CFX hot side 2 at position 33 for the second thermal storage tank 7 at temperature To ⁺ . The heat exchange process can take place at a constant or almost constant pressure, so that the working fluid leaves CFX hot side 2 in position 34 at a higher temperature, but with the same pressure Pi, as indicated by P and Tf at position 34. Similarly, the temperature of the HTS 21 medium decreases in the hot side CFX 2, while its pressure can remain constant or almost
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49/158 constant.
[00102] When leaving the CFX on the hot side 2 in position 34 (for example, in Ti ⁺ , Pi), the working fluid 20 undergoes expansion in turbine 3 before leaving the turbine in position 35. During expansion, the pressure and the working fluid turbine temperature decrease (for example, for Τι, P2), as indicated by P j, and T | in position 35. The working magnitude W2 generated by the turbine depends on the enthalpy of the working fluid entering the turbine and the degree of expansion. In the discharge mode, heat is added to the working fluid between positions 31 and 34 (on the hot side CFX 2) and the working fluid is expanded back to the pressure at which it initially entered the compressor in position 30 (for example , P2). The compression ratio (for example, P1 / P2) in compressor 1 is equal to the expansion rate in turbine 3 and the enthalpy of the gas entering the turbine is greater than the enthalpy of the gas leaving the compressor, the work W2 generated by turbine 3 is greater than the work Wi consumed by compressor 1 (ie W2> Wi).
[00103] Because heat has been added to the working fluid in the hot side CFX 2, the temperature Ti at which the working fluid exits the turbine at position 35 is higher than the temperature To at which the working fluid initially entered the compressor in position 30. To close the cycle (ie, to return the pressure and temperature of the working fluid to its initial values To, P2 in position 30), heat Q2 is rejected by the working fluid into the CTS medium 22 on the cold side CFX 4 between positions 35 and 30 (that is, between turbine 3 and compressor 1). The CTS medium 22 enters the cold side CFX 4 at position 36 from a
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50/158 second cold-side thermal storage tank 9 at temperature To and exits the cold-side CFX 4 in position 37 to a first cold-side thermal storage tank 8 at temperature Ti, while working fluid 20 enters on the cold side CFX 4 in position 35 at temperature Ti and leave the cold side CFX 4 in position 30 at temperature To. Again, the heat exchange process can take place at a constant or almost constant pressure, so that the working fluid leaves the cold side CFX 2 in position 30 at a higher temperature, but the same pressure P2, as indicated by P and Tj, at position 30. Similarly, the temperature of the CTS 22 medium increases in the cold side CFX 2, while its pressure can remain constant or almost constant.
[00104] During the discharge, heat Q2 is added to the medium of CTS and heat Qi is removed from the medium of HTS, where Qi> Q2 · A net amount of work W2 - Wi is generated, once the work Wi used compressor is less than the W2 work generated by the turbine. A device that generates work while moving heat from a hot body or thermal storage medium to a cold body or thermal storage medium is a heat engine; thus, the thermal system pumped in the discharge mode operates as a heat engine.
[00105] Figure 6 is a simplified schematic perspective view of a closed working fluid system in the thermal system pumped in Figures 2-3. As indicated, working fluid 20 (contained within the pipeline) circulates clockwise between compressor 1, hot-side heat exchanger 2, turbine 3 and cold-side heat exchanger 4. Compressor 1 and turbine 3 can be
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51/158 grouped on a common mechanical rod 10 such that they rotate together. In some implementations, compressor 1 and turbine 3 may have separate mechanical rods. A motor / generator 11 (for example, including a synchronous motor - synchronous generator converter on a single common rod) supplies power to and from the turbomachinery. In this example, the compressor, turbine and engine / generator are all located on a common rod. The tubes in positions 32 and 33 transfer hot-side thermal storage fluid to and from the hot-side heat exchanger 2, respectively. The tubes in positions 36 and 37 transfer the cold-side thermal storage fluid to and from the cold-side heat exchanger 4, respectively.
[00106] Although the system of Figure 6 is illustrated as comprising a compressor 1 and turbine 3, the system can include one or more compressors and one or more turbines, which can operate, for example, in a parallel configuration, or alternatively in a series configuration or a combination of parallel and series configurations. In some examples, a system of compressors or turbines can be assembled in such a way that a certain compression ratio is achieved. In some cases, different compression ratios (for example, over loading and unloading) may be used (for example, connecting or disconnecting, in a parallel and / or in series configuration, one or more compressors or turbines from the compressor or turbine system ). In some examples, the working fluid is directed to a plurality of compressors and / or a plurality of turbines. In some instances, the compressor and / or turbine may have temperature-dependent compression ratios. The arrangement
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52/158 and / or operation of the turbomachinery and / or other elements of the system can be adjusted according to the temperature dependence (for example, to optimize performance).
[00107] Figure 7 is a simplified schematic perspective view of the thermal system pumped in Figures 2-3 with hot and cold side storage tanks and a closed-loop working fluid system. In this example, the HTS medium is a molten salt and the CTS medium is a low temperature liquid. One, two or more first hot-side tanks 6 (at Ti ⁺ temperature) and one, two or more second hot-side tanks 7 (at To ⁺ temperature), both to maintain the HTS medium, are in fluid communication with one valve 13 configured to transfer HTS medium to and from the hot side heat exchanger 2. One, two or more first cold side tanks 8 (at Ti temperature) and one, two or more second cold side tanks 9 ( at temperature To), both to maintain the CTS medium, are in fluid communication with a valve 12, configured to transfer the CTS medium to and from the cold side heat exchanger 4.
[00108] The thermal energy reservoirs or storage tanks can be thermally insulated tanks that can contain an adequate amount of the relevant thermal storage medium (for example, heat storage fluid). Storage tanks can allow relatively compact storage of large amounts of thermal energy. In one example, hot-side tanks 6 and / or 7 can have a diameter of about 80 meters, while cold-side tanks 8 and / or 9 can have a diameter of about 60 meters. In another example, the size of each (or
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53/158 (hot side or cold side) thermal storage for a 1 GW plant operating for 12 hours can be about 20 medium size oil refinery tanks.
[00109] In some implementations, a third set of tanks containing storage media at intermediate temperatures between the other tanks can be included on the hot side and / or on the cold side. In one example, a third storage or transfer tank (or set of tanks) at an intermediate temperature for the temperatures of a first tank (or set of tanks) and a second tank (or set of tanks) can be provided. A set of valves can be provided to switch the storage medium between the different tanks and heat exchangers. For example, the thermal media can be directed to different sets of tanks after leaving the heat exchangers, depending on the operating conditions and / or the cycle being used. In some implementations, one or more additional sets of storage tanks at different temperatures can be added on the hot side and / or the cold side.
[00110] Storage tanks (e.g., hot-side tanks comprising the hot-side thermal storage medium and / or cold-side tanks comprising the cold-side thermal storage medium) can operate at ambient pressure. In some implementations, storing thermal energy at ambient pressure can provide safety benefits. Alternatively, storage tanks can operate at high pressures, such as, for example, at a pressure of at least about 2 atm (0.20265 MPa), at least about 5 atm (0.506625 MPa),
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54/158 at least about 10 atm (1.01325 MPa), at least about 20 atm (2.0265 MPa), or more. Alternatively, storage tanks can operate at reduced pressures, such as, for example, a pressure of at most about 0.9 atm (0.0911925 MPa), at most about 0.7 atm (0.0709275 MPa ), at most about 0.5 atm (0.0506625 MPa), at most about 0.3 atm (0.0303975 MPa), at most about 0.1 atm (0.0101325 MPa), at most about 0.01 atm (0.00101325 MPa), at most about 0.001 atm (0.000101325 MPa), or less. In some cases (for example, when operating at higher / higher or lower pressures or to avoid contamination of the thermal storage medium), the storage tanks can be sealed from the surrounding atmosphere. Alternatively, in some cases,
storage can no to be sealed. In some implementations , the tanks can include an or more adjustments pressure or systems of relief (per example,
valve for safety or system optimization).
[00111] As used herein, the first hot-side tank 6 (at Ti ⁺ temperature) may contain HTS medium at a higher temperature than the second hot-side tank 7 (at To ⁺ temperature ⁾ ), and the first cold side tank (s) 8 (at temperature Ti) can contain CTS medium at a higher temperature than the second cold side tank (s) 9 (at temperature To). During loading, the HTS medium in the first hot side (s) tank (s) 6 and / or CTS medium in the second cold side tank (s) 9 can be refilled. During the discharge, half of HTS can be consumed in the first tank (s) on the hot side 6 and / or half of CTS in the second tank (s) on the cold side 9.
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55/158 [00112] In the previous examples, in both operating modes, two of the four storage tanks 6, 7, 8 and 9 are supplying the thermal storage medium for heat exchangers 2 and 4 at inlets 32 and 36 , respectively, and the other two tanks are receiving thermal storage medium from heat exchangers 2 and 4 from outlets 33 and 37, respectively. In this configuration, the feed tanks may contain a storage medium at a certain temperature due to previous operating conditions, while the temperatures of the receiving tanks may depend on the current system operation (for example, operating parameters, loads and / or inlet). energy). The temperatures of the receiving tank can be adjusted by the conditions of the Brayton cycle. In some cases, the temperatures of the receiving tank may differ from the desired values due to deviations from predetermined cycle conditions (for example, variation in absolute pressure in response to system demand) and / or due to the generation of entropy within the system. In some cases (for example, due to the generation of entropy), at least one of the four temperatures in the tank may be higher than desired. In some implementations, a radiator can be used to reject or dissipate this residual heat into the environment. In some cases, the heat rejection to the environment can be improved (for example, using evaporative cooling, etc.). The wasted heat generated during the operation of the thermal systems pumped here can also be used for other purposes. For example, residual heat from one part of the system can be used in other parts of the system. In another example, it can be
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56/158 residual heat is supplied to an external process or system, such as, for example, a manufacturing process that requires low-grade heat, commercial or residential heating, thermal desalination, commercial drying operations, etc.
[00113] Components of thermal systems pumped from the disclosure may exhibit non-ideal performance, leading to losses and / or inefficiencies. The biggest losses in the system can occur due to inefficiencies of the turbomachinery (for example, compressor and turbine) and of the heat exchangers. The losses due to the heat exchangers can be small compared to the losses due to the turbomachinery. In some implementations, losses due to heat exchangers can be reduced to near zero with adequate design and expense. Therefore, in some analytical examples, losses due to heat exchangers and other possible small losses due to pumps, the engine / generator and / or other factors can be overlooked.
[00114] The losses due to turbomachinery can be quantified in terms of adiabatic efficiencies η ₀ ei) t (also known as isentropic efficiencies) for compressors and turbines, respectively. For large turbomachinery, typical values can vary between η ₀ = 0.85 -0.9 for compressors and i] t = 0.9 - 0.95 for turbines.
The actual amount of work produced or consumed by a cycle can then be expressed as & W = ~ ⁼ , .. (output) 1 (input). . ,
Vt ^ ideai - Wideai ' ^on de, in an example, assuming specific heats constant in the working fluid, ^ rea ^^^ ⁼ CpTentry ^ ~ 1) λ ^ de ^ = ^c p ^T input (l ~ where ψ = T Ύ, r is the compression ratio (that is, the ratio of the highest pressure to the lowest pressure) and γ = c _P / Cv is the heat ratio
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57/158 specific to the working fluid. Due to the inefficiencies of the compressor and the turbine, more work is needed to achieve a given compression ratio during compaction, and less work is generated during expansion for a given compression ratio.
Losses can also be quantified in terms of polytropic or single-stage efficiencies
Sep
St _P , for compressors and turbines, respectively.
Polytropic efficiencies are related to adiabatic rjc and r / t equations 7] _c = with ψ -1 ψί / Vcp ^ efficiencies i - ψ ~ ^{η <:} ν and St = ------ i- ψ ^-1 [00115 ] In examples where
Sc = St
1, pumped thermal cycles of the disclosure can follow identical paths in both loading and unloading cycles (for example, as shown in Figures and 5).
In the examples where r / c <1 and / or increased rate of compression in the compressor can lead to a temperature difference than in compression, and expansion in the largest ideal case for the turbine can even lead to a lower decrease in temperature in the case ideal.
[00116] In some implementations the polytropic efficiency of the compressor can be at least 0.3 at least
0.5, at least 0.6, at least 0.7, at least
0.75 at least
0.8, at least 0.85, at least about
0.9 at least about 0.91, at least about 0.92, at least about 0.93, at least about 0.96, or more. In some implementations, the polytropic efficiency of the r] tp compressor can be at least about 0.3, at least about 0.5, at least about 0.6, at least about 0.7, at least about 0.75, at least about 0.8, at least about 0.85, at least 0.9, at least about 0.91, at least about 0.92, at least about 0.93, at least about
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58/158
0.96, at least about 0.97 or more.
[00117] To +, Ti + were previously defined as the temperatures reached at the outlet of a compressor with a certain compression rate r, adiabatic efficiency p _c and inlet temperatures of To, Ti respectively. In some examples, these four temperatures are related by the equation - = - = ^ ¹ / 7cp. Tb Λ [00118] Figure 8 shows an exemplary heat storage load cycle for a water (CTS) / molten salt (HTS) system with r / _c = 0.9 and r] t = 0.95. The dashed lines correspond to p _c = gt = 1 and the solid lines show the load cycle with r / t = 0.95 and r / c = 0.9. In this example, the CTS medium on the cold side is water, and the HTS medium on the hot side is molten salt. In some cases, the system may include 4 heat storage tanks. In the load cycle, the working fluid in To and P2 can exchange heat with a CTS medium in the cold side heat exchanger 4, so its temperature can increase for Ti (assuming an insignificant pressure drop, its pressure can remain P2). In compressor 1 with η _α = 0.9, the temperature and pressure of the working fluid can increase from Τι, P2 to Ti ⁺ , Pi. The working fluid can then exchange heat with an HTS medium in the hot-side heat exchanger 2, such that its temperature can decrease (the constant pressure Pi, assuming the pressure drop is negligible). If the working fluid enters turbine 3 with r / t = 0.95 at temperature To ⁺ and expands back to its original pressure P2, its temperature when leaving the turbine may not be To. Instead, the working fluid can enter the turbine at a temperature T _o ⁺ and leave the turbine at
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59/158 a temperature To and pressure P2. In some examples, f + temperatures are related by the - = relationship. In some examples, T _o ⁺ is the temperature at which the working fluid enters a turbine inlet with adiabatic efficiency and compression ratio r to exit at temperature To.
[00119] In some implementations, the temperature T _o ⁺ can be incorporated in load cycles of the disclosure by the first heat exchange of the working fluid with the HTS medium from Ti ⁺ to To ⁺ , followed by an additional cooling of the fluid from Tq for T _o ⁺ , as illustrated by section 38 of the cycle in Figure 8.
[00120] Figure 9 shows an exemplary heat storage discharge (extraction) cycle for the molten water / salt system in Figure 8 with r / _c = 0.9 and ft = 0.95. The dashed lines correspond to p _c = ft = 1 and the solid lines show the load cycle with r / t = 0.95 and r / c = 0.9. In the discharge cycle, the working fluid Ti and P2 can exchange heat with a medium of CTS in the cold side heat exchanger 4, where its temperature can decrease To (assuming that the insignificant pressure drop, the its pressure can remain P2). In compressor 1 with q _c = 0.9, the temperature and pressure of the working fluid can increase from To, P2 to To ⁺ , Pi. The working fluid can then exchange heat with an HTS medium in the hot-side heat exchanger 2, such that its temperature can rise (the constant pressure Pi, assuming a negligible pressure drop). The working fluid entering turbine 3 cannot leave the turbine at temperature Ti as in the charge cycle, but can instead come out at a
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60/158 temperature T _lr where, in some examples, =. In some examples, T _± is the temperature at which the working fluid exits a turbine outlet with adiabatic efficiency and compression ratio r after entering the turbine inlet at Ti + temperature.
[00121] In some implementations, the temperature 7Ç can be incorporated in the discharge cycles of the disclosure by first cooling the working fluid that leaves the turbine in T _± to Ti, as illustrated by section 39 of the cycle in Figure 9, followed by exchange of heat from the working fluid with the CTS medium from Ti to To.
[00122] The loading and unloading cycles can be closed by additional heat rejection operations in sections 38 (between To ⁺ and T _o ⁺ ) and 39 (between Ί and Ti), respectively. In some cases, closing the heat rejection cycles in sections of the cycles where the working fluid can reject heat into the environment at low cost can eliminate the need for additional heat to enter the system. The sections of the cycles where the working fluid can reject heat to room temperature can be limited to sections where the temperature of the working fluid is high enough above room temperature for room cooling to be viable. In some instances, heat can be rejected into the environment in sections 38 and / or 39. For example, heat can be rejected using one or more working fluids to aerate radiators, intermediate water cooling, or various other methods. In some cases, the heat rejected in sections 38 and / or 39 can be used for another useful purpose, such as, for example, cogeneration, thermal desalination and / or other
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61/158 examples described herein.
[00123] In some implementations, the cycles can be closed by varying the compression rates between the loading and unloading cycles, as shown, for example, in Figure
10. The ability to vary the compression rate at loading and unloading can be implemented, for example, by varying the rotation speed of the compressor and / or the turbine, by controlling the stator's variable pressure, by deviating a subset of the stages of compression or expansion under load or discharge by using valves, or by using dedicated compressor / turbine pairs for loading and unloading mode. In one example, the compression ratio in the discharge cycle in Figure 9 can be changed in such a way that heat rejection in section 39 is not used, and only heat rejection in section 38 in the load cycle is used. Varying the compression ratio can allow heat (ie entropy) to be rejected at a lower temperature, thereby increasing the overall efficiency of the round trip.
In some examples of this configuration in the rc load, the compression ratio can be adjusted
Tl .il / tfcp that - = ip _c , and not to be adjusted such that the compression ratio ro can discharge γ- = · ^In some cases, temperatures higher than Ti + and Ti can be identical in loading and unloading and no heat removal may be needed in this portion (also leg here) of the cycle. In such cases, the temperature To + at the charge (for example, Tq ^ = and the temperature To + at the discharge (for example, = T _o ip _D ^ ^cp ) may be different and the heat may be rejected (also dissipated or discarded here) for environmental temperatures between ₀ el l ₀ in an implementation where only the storage media exchange
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62/158 heat with the environment, a heat rejection device (for example, devices 55 and 56 shown in Figure 16) can be used to lower the temperature of the CTS from T _o ⁺ ^ to _{10 °} between discharge and charge.
[00124] Figure 10 shows an example of a cycle with variable compression rates. The compression ratio can be higher at discharge (when work is produced by the system) than at load (when work is consumed by the system), which can increase the overall efficiency of the system. For example, during a load cycle 80 with T _o , a lower compression ratio of <3 can be used; during a discharge cycle 81 with T ₀ ⁺ ^ ^d a compression ratio> 3 can be used. The higher temperatures reached in the two cycles 80 and 81 can be Ti and Ti ⁺ , and no excess heat can be rejected.
[00125] The compression rate can vary between loading and unloading, in such a way that the heat dissipation into the environment necessary for closing the cycle both at loading and at discharge occurs between temperatures T _o (the temperature of the before entering the turbine during the load cycle) and Tq ^ (the temperature of the working fluid when it leaves the compressor at discharge), and not above the temperature Ti (the temperature of the working fluid before entering the compressor under load) and / or leaves the turbine in unloading). In some instances, no heat is rejected at a temperature above the lowest temperature in the HTS medium.
[00126] In the absence of system losses and / or inefficiencies, as, for example, in the case of pumped thermal systems comprising heat pump (s) and motor (s)
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63/158 heat operating at the zero / isentropic entropy creation limit, a certain amount of heat Qh can be transferred using a certain amount of work W in the heat pump (load) mode, and the same Qh can be used in the mode heating (discharge) to produce the same work W, leading to a unit return efficiency (ie, 100%). In the presence of losses and / or inefficiencies of the system, the efficiency of round trip of the pumped thermal systems can be limited by how much the components deviate from the ideal performance.
[00127] The round trip efficiency of a pumped thermal system can be defined as η _α Γτηαζβηααο = | iy _c ® ^xtraido | /.
In some examples, with an approximation of the ideal heat exchange, the efficiency of the round trip can be derived by considering the net output of the work during the discharge cycle, Pn · í '«** _K * and the work input, _t , ÇíSi '; SSí liquid during the load cycle, ™ L + fesl __' using the equations for work and temperature given above.
[00128] Round-trip efficiencies can be calculated for different configurations of pumped thermal systems (for example, for different classes of thermal storage media) based on the efficiencies of the turbomachinery components, g _{c and} r / t.
[00129] In an example, Figure 11 shows the outward and return efficiency contours for a water / salt system, such as, for example, the water / salt system in Figures 8 and 9 with To = 273 K ( 0 ° C), Ti = 373 K (100 ° C) and a compression ratio of r = 5, 65 chosen to achieve compatibility with the salt (s) on the hot side. Examples of round-trip efficiency contours in t] _storage values
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64/158 of 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% and 90% are shown as a function of the efficiencies of the components η _{0 and} r] t on the x and y axes, respectively. The © and 0 symbols represent the approximate range of the adiabatic efficiency values of the current turbomachinery. The dashed arrows represent the direction of the efficiency increase.
[00130] Figure 12 shows the round-trip efficiency contours for a cooler salt / storage system, such as, for example, a hexane / salt system with a gas-gas heat exchanger in Figures 13, 14, 17 and 18, with To = 194 K (-79 ° C), Ti = 494 K (221 ° C) and a compression ratio of r = 3.28. Examples of round-trip efficiency outlines in T / _stored values of 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% and 90% are shown as a function of the efficiencies of components g _{c and} r / t on the x and y axis, respectively. The © and 0 symbols represent the approximate range of the adiabatic efficiency values of the current turbomachinery. As discussed in detail elsewhere, the use of hexane, heptane and / or another CTS medium capable of operating at low temperatures can result in significant improvements in system efficiency.
C. Pumped thermal storage cycles with recovery [00131] Another aspect of the disclosure is directed to pumped thermal systems with recovery. In some situations, the terms regeneration and recovery can be used interchangeably, although they may have different meanings. As used here, the terms recovery and recuperator generally refer to the presence of one or more additional heat exchangers where the working fluid exchanges heat with itself during different cycles of a
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65/158 thermodynamic cycle through continuous heat exchange without intermediate thermal storage. The efficiency of round-trip pumped thermal systems can be substantially improved if the permissible temperature ranges of the storage materials can be extended. In some implementations, this can be done by choosing a material or medium on the cold side that can go below 273 K (0 ° C). For example, a CTS medium (eg, hexane) with a lower temperature limit of about To = 179 K (-94 ° C) can be used in a system with a molten salt HTS medium. However, To ⁺ (ie, the lowest temperature of the working fluid in the hot-side heat exchanger) at some compression rates (for example, modest) may be below the freezing point of the molten salt, making the molten salt unviable as the means of HTS. In some implementations, this can be resolved by including a working fluid in the working fluid heat exchanger (eg gas-gas) (also recoverer here) in the cycle.
[00132] Figure 13 is a schematic flowchart of working fluid and heat storage medium of a thermal system pumped in a load / heat pump mode with a gas-gas heat exchanger 5 for the working fluid. The use of the gas-to-gas heat exchanger may allow the use of a cooler heat storage medium on the cold side of the system. The working fluid can be air. The working fluid can be dry air. The working fluid can be nitrogen. The working fluid can be argon. The working fluid can be a mixture of mainly argon mixed with another gas, such as helium. For example, the fluid
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66/158 working hours can comprise at least about 50% argon, at least about 60% argon, at least about 70% argon, at least about 80% argon, at least about 90% argon argon or about 100% argon, with helium balance.
[00133] Figure 17 shows a heat storage load cycle for the storage system in Figure 13 with a cold-side storage medium (eg liquid hexane) capable of descending to approximately 179 K (-94 ° C) ) and a molten salt as the hot side storage, r / c = 0.9 and Rt = 0.95. The CTS medium can be hexane or heptane and the HTS medium can be molten salt. In some cases, the system may include four heat storage tanks.
[00134] In one implementation, during loading in Figures 13 and 17, the working fluid enters the compressor in Ti and P2, leaves the compressor in Ti ⁺ and Pi, rejects heat Qi in the middle of HTS 21 in the hot side CFX 2, which comes out of the hot side CFX 2 to Ti and Pi, rejects heat Qrecup (also Qregen here, as shown, for example, in the attached drawings) for the cold side (low pressure) working fluid in the heat exchanger or stove 5, leaves stove 5 in To ⁺ and Pi, rejects heat to the environment (or another heat sink) in section 38 (for example, a radiator), enters turbine 3 in Tq and Pi, leaves the turbine at To and P2, absorbs heat Q2 from the medium of CTS 22 in the cold side CFX 4, which leaves the cold side CFX 4 to To ⁺ and P2, absorbs Qrecup heat from the hot side working fluid (high pressure) in the heat exchanger or stove 5 and finally leaves stove 5 in Ti and P2, returning to its initial state
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67/158 before entering the compressor.
[00135] Figure 14 is a schematic flowchart of the working fluid and heat storage medium of the thermal system pumped in Figure 13 in discharge / heat engine mode. Again, the use of the gas-to-gas heat exchanger may allow the use of cooler heat storage fluid (CTS) and / or cooler working fluid on the cold side of the system.
[00136] Figure 18 shows a heat storage discharge cycle for the storage system for the storage system in Figure 14 with a cold side storage medium (eg liquid hexane) capable of descending up to 179 K ( -94 ° C) and a molten salt as the hot side storage, r / c = 0.9 and pt = 0.95. Again, the CTS medium can be hexane or heptane and the HTS medium can be molten salt, and the system can include 4 heat storage tanks.
[00137] During the discharge in Figures 14 and 18, the working fluid enters the compressor at To and P2, exits the compressor at To ⁺ and Pi, absorbs Qrecup heat from the cold side working fluid (low pressure) in the heat exchanger or stove 5, it leaves the stove 5 in Ti and Pi, absorbs heat Qi from the medium of HTS 21 in the hot side CFX 2, it leaves the hot side CFX 2 in Ti ⁺ and Pi, it enters the turbine 3 in Ti ⁺ and Pi, leaves the turbine in T _± and P2, rejects heat to the environment (or another heat sink) in section 39 (for example, a radiator), rejects Qrecup heat to the hot working fluid (high pressure) in the heat exchanger or stove 5, enters the cold side CFX 4 in To + and P2, rejects heat Q2 for the CTS 22 medium in the cold side CFX
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4, and finally exits the cold side CFX 4 in To and P2, returning to its initial state before entering the compressor.
[00138] In another implementation, shown in Figure 15, the load cycle remains the same as in Figures 13 and 17, except that the working fluid leaves the stove 5 in T _o ⁺ and Pi (instead of in To ⁺ and Pi , as in Figures 13 and 17), enters turbine 3 at To ⁺ and Pi, exits the turbine at To and P2, absorbs heat Q2 from the medium of CTS 22 having a temperature To ⁺ (instead of at To ⁺ as in Figures 13 and 17) in the cold side CFX 4, and exits the cold side CFX 4 in To ⁺ and P2 (instead of in To ⁺ and P2 as in Figure 13) before re-entering the stove 5. The heat between the temperatures To ⁺ and To ^{+ are} no longer rejected directly from the working fluid into the environment (as in section 38 in Figures 13 and 17).
[00139] During the discharge in Figure 16, the discharge cycle remains the same as in Figures 14 and 8B, except that the temperature of the HTS medium deposited in tank 7 is changed. The working fluid leaves the stove 5 in T _± and Pi (instead of in Ti and Pi, as in Figures 14 and 8B) and absorbs heat Qi from the HTS 21 medium in the hot side CFX 2. The HTS medium comes out of the hot-side CFX 2 having a temperature of 7 ° (instead of Ti as in Figures 14 and 18). The working fluid then leaves the CFX hot side 2 in Ti ⁺ and Pi, enters turbine 3 in Ti ⁺ and Pi, and leaves the turbine in T _± and P2 before re-entering the stove 5. The heat between temperatures T _± e Ti is no longer rejected directly from the working fluid into the environment (as in section 39 in Figures 14 and 18). As in Figure 14, the CTS medium enters tank 8 at temperature T ₀ +.
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69/158 [00140] After the discharge in Figure 16, in preparation for loading in Figure 15, the heat exchange with the environment can be used to cool the HTS 21 medium from the temperature 7Ç used in the discharge cycle to the temperature Ti used in the charge cycle. Likewise, heat exchange with the environment can be used to cool the CTS 22 medium from the temperature To + used in the discharge cycle to the temperature T _o ⁺ used in the charge cycle. Unlike the configuration in Figures 13 and 14, where the working fluid may need to reject a substantial amount of heat (in sections 38 and 39, respectively) at a rapid rate, in this configuration, the hot and cold side storage medium it can be cooled at an arbitrarily slow rate (for example, by radiating away or by other means of releasing heat into the environment).
[00141] As shown in Figure 16, in some implementations, heat can be rejected from the CTS medium into the environment by circulating the CTS medium in tank 8 in a heat rejection device 55 that can absorb heat from of the CTS medium and reject heat into the environment until the CTS medium cools from the To ⁺ temperature to the T _o ⁺ temperature. In some examples, the heat rejection device 55 may be, for example, a radiator, a thermal bath containing a substance such as water or salt water, or a device immersed in a natural body of water such as a lake, river or Ocean. In some instances, the heat rejection device 55 can also be an air-cooling device, or a series of tubes that are thermally connected to a reservoir
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70/158 solid (for example, tubes embedded in the ground).
[00142] Similarly, in some implementations, heat can be rejected from the HTS medium to the environment by circulating the HTS in tank 7 in a heat rejection device 56 that can absorb heat from the HTS medium and reject heat to the environment until the HTS medium cools from temperature T _± to temperature Ti. In some instances, the heat rejection device 56 may be, for example, a radiator, a thermal bath containing a substance such as water or salt water , or a device immersed in a natural body of water such as a lake, river or ocean. In some instances, the heat rejection device 56 may also be an air-cooling device or a series of tubes that are thermally connected to a solid reservoir (for example, tubes embedded in the ground).
[00143] In some implementations, the rejection of heat to the environment through the use of the thermal storage medium can be used in conjunction with load cycles and / or discharge of variable compression rate described, for example, in Figure 10. In this system, only the CTS medium can exchange heat with the environment. Such a system can also be implemented with a stove to extend
the breaks in temperature of the means from HTS and CTS us cycles.[00144] On some implementations, three tanks of storage in cold side separated in respective
To, T _o ⁺ , and T _o ⁺ temperatures can be used (for example, an extra tank can be used in addition to tanks 8 and 9). During the heat exchange on the cold side CFX 4 in the discharge cycle, the heat from the working fluid coming out of the stove 5 can
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71/158 be transferred to the CTS medium at T ₀ ⁺ -tank. The CTS medium can be cooled in / by, for example, the heat rejection device 55 before entering the T0 ⁺ tank. In some implementations, three hot-side storage tanks separated at respective temperatures Ti, Tlr and Tf can be used (for example, an extra tank can be used in addition to tanks 6 and 7). During the heat exchange in the hot side CFX 2 in the discharge cycle, the heat from the working fluid leaving the stove 5 can be transferred to the HTS medium in the Tj-tank. The HTS medium can be cooled in / by, for example, the heat rejection device 56 before entering the -ι-tank. The rejection of heat to the environment in such a way can present several advantages. In a first example, it can eliminate the need for a potentially expensive working fluid for the ambient heat exchanger that is capable of absorbing heat from the working fluid at a rate proportional to the energy input / output of the system. HTS and CTS media can instead reject heat for extended periods of time, thereby reducing the cost of cooling infrastructure. In a second example, it can allow the decision on when heat is discarded to the environment to be delayed, so that the exchange of heat to room can be carried out when the temperature (for example, the room temperature) is more favorable.
[00145] In the loading and unloading cycles of Figures 13 and and Figures 14 and 18, respectively, the same compression rates and temperature values are used for both loading and unloading. In this configuration, the efficiency of the round trip can be about qarado = 74%, as given
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72/158 by To = 194 K (-79 ° C), Τι = 494 Κ (221 ° C), pt = 0.95, pc = 0.9 and r = 3.3.
[00146] Thus, in some examples involving working fluid for recovery of working fluid, heat rejection on the hot (high pressure) side of the closed load cycle can occur in three operations (heat exchange with the HTS medium, followed by recovery, followed by heat rejection to the environment), and heat rejection on the cold side (low pressure) of the closed discharge cycle can occur in three operations (rejection of heat to the environment, followed by recovery, followed by exchange heat with the CTS medium). As a result of the recovery, the higher temperature HTS tank (s) 6 may remain at Ti + while the lower temperature HTS tank (s) 7 may now be at Ti> To ⁺ temperature, and the lowest temperature CTS tank 9 may remain at To while the highest temperature CTS tank (s) 8 may now be at temperature To ⁺ <Ti.
[00147] In some cases, recovery can be implemented using heat exchanger 5 for direct heat transfer between the working fluid on the high pressure side and the working fluid on the low pressure side. In an alternative configuration, an additional pair (or plurality) of heat exchangers together with a heat transfer medium or additional fluid (for example, a thermal heat transfer fluid that is liquid in an appropriate temperature range, such as, for example, Therminol®) can be used to achieve recovery. For example, an additional heat exchanger can be added in series with the heat exchanger
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73/158 cold side and an additional heat exchanger can be added in series with the hot side heat exchanger. The additional heat transfer medium can circulate between the two additional heat exchangers in a closed loop circuit. In other examples, one or more additional heat exchangers can be placed in other parts of the system to facilitate recovery. In addition, one or more additional heat transfer means or mixtures thereof can be used. The one or more additional heat transfer medium fluids can be in fluid or thermal communication with one or more other components, such as, for example, a cooling tower or a radiator.
[00148] In one example, hexane or heptane can be used as a CTS medium and the nitrate salt can be used as an HTS medium. On the low pressure side of the cycle, the operating temperatures of the pumped thermal storage cycles can be limited by the melting point of hexane (178 K or -95 ° C) in To and the melting point of nitrate (494 K or 221 ° C) in Ti. On the high pressure side of the cycle, operating temperatures can be limited by the boiling point of hexane (341 K or 68 ° C) in To + and by the decomposition of nitrate (873 K or 600 ° C) in Ti +. Under these conditions, the high pressure and low pressure temperature ranges can overlap so that recovery can be implemented. Actual To, Ti, To ⁺ and Ti ⁺ temperatures and pressure rates implemented in hexane / nitrate systems may differ from the above limits.
[00149] In some instances, recovery may allow the compression rate to be reduced. In some cases, reducing the compression rate may result in a reduction in
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74/158 compressor and turbine losses. In some cases, the compression ratio can be at least about 1.2, at least about 1.5, at least about 2, at least about 2.5, at least about 3, at least about 3.5, at least about 4, at least about 4.5 at least about 5, at least about 6, at least about 8, at least about 10, at least about 15, at least about of 20, at least about 30 or more.
[00150] In some cases, To can be at least about 30 K, at least about 50 K, at least about 80 K, at least about 100 K, at least about 120 K, at least about 140 K, at least about 160 K, at least about 180 K, at least about 200 K, at least about 220 K, at least about 240 K, at least about 260 K, or at least about 280 K. In some cases, To ⁺ can 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 320 K, at least 340 K, at least 360 K, at least about 380 K, at least about 400 K, or more. In some cases, To and To + temperatures can be restricted by the ability to reject excess heat into the room at room temperature. In some cases, the To and To ⁺ temperatures may be restricted by the CTS operating temperatures (for example, a phase transition temperature). In some cases, the To and To + temperatures may be restricted by the compression ratio used. Any description of the To and / or To + temperatures here can be applied to any system or method of disclosure.
[00151] In some cases, Ti can be at least about
350 K (176.667 ° C), at least about 400 K (204.444 ° C),
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75/158 at least about 440 K (226,667 ° C), at least about 480 K (248,889 ° C), at least about 520 K (271,111 ° C), at least about 560 K (293,333 ° C) at least about 600 K (315,556 ° C), at least about 640 K (337,778 ° C), at least about 680 K (360 ° C), at least about 720 K (382,222 ° C), at least at least about 760 K (404,444 ° C), at least about 800 K (426,667 ° C), at least about 840 K (448,889 ° C), at least about 880 K (471,111 ° C), at least about 920 K (493.333 ° C), at least about 960 K (515, 556 ° C), 1000 K (537.778 ° C), at least about 1100 K (593.3333 ° C), at least about 1200 K (648.8889 ° C), at least about 1300 K (704.4444 ° C), at least about 1400 K (760 ° C), or more. In some cases, Ti ⁺ can be at least about 480 K (248,889 ° C), at least about 520 K (271,111 ° C), at least about 560 K (293,333 ° C), at least about 600 K (315,556 ° C), at least about 640 K (337,778 ° C), at least about 680 K (360 ° C), at least about 720 K (382,222 ° C), at least about 760 K (404,444 ° C), at least about 800 K (426,667 ° C), at least about 840 K (448,889 ° C), at least about 880 K (471,111 ° C), at least about 920 K (493,333 ° C) ), at least about 960 K (515,556 ° C), at least about 1000 K (537,778 ° C), at least about 1100 K (593,3333 ° C), at least about 1200 K (648,8889 ° C), at least about 1300 K (704.4444 ° C), at least about 1400 K (760 ° C), at least about 1500 K (815, 5556 ° C), at least about 1600 K (871.1111 ° C), at least about 1700 K (926.6667 ° C), or more. In some cases, Ti and Ti ⁺ temperatures may be restricted by the HTS operating temperatures. In some cases,
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76/158 Ti and Ti + temperatures can be restricted by the thermal limits of the metals and materials being used in the system. For example, a conventional solar salt can have a recommended temperature range of approximately 560-840 K (293, 333- 448,889 ° C). Various system improvements, such as, for example, greater round-trip efficiency, greater power and greater storage capacity, can be carried out as available materials, metallurgy and storage materials improve over time and allow different temperature ranges to be achieved. Any description of Ti and / or Ti ⁺ temperatures here can be applied to any system or method of disclosure.
[00152] In some cases, the efficiency of round trip harmonizing (for example, the efficiency of electricity storage) with and / or without recovery can be at least about 5%, at least about 10%, at least about 15%, at least about 20%, at least about 25%, at least about 30%, at least about 35%, at least about 40%, at least about 45%, at least about 50%, at least about 55%, at least about 60%, at least about 70%, at least about 75%, at least about 80%, at least about 85%, at least about 90%, or at least about 95%.
[00153] In some implementations, at least part of the heat transfer in the system (for example, heat transfer to and from the working fluid) during a charge and / or discharge cycle includes heat transfer with the environment (for example , heat transfer in sections 38 and 39). The rest of the heat transfer in the system can occur through thermal communication with
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77/158 of thermal storage (for example, thermal storage medium 21 and 22), through heat transfer in the stove 5 and / or through various heat transfer processes within the system limits (that is, not with the surrounding environment). In some instances, the environment may refer to gaseous or liquid reservoirs around the system (for example, air, water), any system or medium capable of exchanging thermal energy with the system (for example, another cycle or thermodynamic system, systems heating / cooling, etc.), or any combination thereof. In some instances, the heat transferred through thermal communication with the heat storage medium can be at least about 25%, at least about 50%, at least about 60%, at least about 70%, at least about 80%, or at least about 90% of all heat transferred in the system. In some instances, the heat transferred through heat transfer in the stove can be at least about 5%, at least about 10%, at least about 15%, at least about 20%, at least about 25% at least about 50%, or at least about 75% of all heat transferred in the system. In some instances, heat transferred through thermal communication with the heat storage medium and through heat transfer in the stove can be at least about 25%, at least about 50%, at least about 60%, at least about 70%, at least 80%, at least about 90%, or even about 100% of all the heat transferred in the system. In some instances, the heat transferred through heat transfer with the environment can be less than about 5%, less than about 10%,
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78/158 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 the heat transferred in the system. In some implementations, the entire heat transfer in the system can be with the thermal storage medium (for example, the CTS and HTS medium), and only the thermal storage medium can conduct the heat transfer with the environment.
[00154] The pumped thermal cycles of the disclosure (for example, the cycles in Figures 13 and 14) can be implemented through various configurations of tubes and valves to transport the working fluid between the turbomachinery and the heat exchangers. In some implementations, a valve system can be used so that the different cycles of the system can be exchanged while maintaining the same or almost the same temperature profile in at least one, through a subset or through all heat exchangers. counterflow in the system. For example, the valve can be configured so that the working fluid can pass through the heat exchangers in opposite flow directions in the loading and unloading and flow directions of the HTS and CTS medium are reversed by reversing the direction of the pumps.
[00155] In some implementations, the system with a stove may have a different rate of compression and / or expansion in loading and unloading. This can then involve heat rejection at just one or both heat rejection locations 38 and 39 as shown in Figure 5C along the
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79/158 lines described above.
[00156] Figure 19 is a schematic flowchart of recharge of hot side in a heat cycle pumped in solar mode with heating of a solar salt only by solar energy. The system may include a solar heater to heat the heat storage on the hot side. The HTS medium 21 in the second hot thermal storage tank 7 of a discharge cycle, such as, for example, the HTS medium of the discharge cycle in Figure 14, can be recharged inside the element 17 using the radiation-supplied heating solar. The HTS medium (e.g. molten salt) can be heated by solar heating from temperature Ti in the second hot thermal storage tank 7 to temperature Ti ⁺ in the first hot thermal storage tank 6.
[00157] In some implementations, such as, for example, for the systems in Figures 19 solar heat for heating the HTS medium (for example, from Ti = 493 K (220 ° C) to Ti ⁺ = 873 K (600 ° C)) can be supplied by a solar concentration installation. In some instances, a small-scale concentration facility can be used to provide heat. In some cases, the concentrated solar installation may include one or more components to achieve high efficiency of solar concentration, including, for example, high performance actuators (for example, adaptive fluid actuators made from polymers), multiplication control system , dense heliostat layout, etc. In some examples, the heat supplied to heat the HTS medium (for example, in element 17) can be a residual heat flow from the installation
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80/158 solar concentration.
[00158] Figure 20 is a schematic flowchart of a pumped thermal system discharge cycle that can be coupled with external heat input (for example, solar, combustion) with rejection of heat to the environment. Such a discharge cycle can be used, for example, in situations where the hot side recharge capacity (for example, using solar heating, residual heat or combustion) is greater than the cold side recharge capacity. Solar heat can be used to load the HTS 21 medium into Ti to Ti ⁺ storage tanks, as described here elsewhere. The discharge cycle can work in a similar way to the discharge cycle in Figure 3, but after leaving the turbine 3, the working fluid 20 can proceed to the cold side CFX 4 heat exchanger 4 where it exchanges heat with a medium intermediate thermal storage (ITS) 61 having a temperature below To at or close to room temperature. The ITS medium 61 enters the cold side CFX 4 from a second intermediate thermal storage tank 59 at temperature To (for example, room temperature) and exits the cold side CFX 4 to a first intermediate thermal storage tank 60 at temperature 7 , while the working fluid 20 enters the cold side CFX 4 at temperature 7 and exits the cold side CFX 4 at temperature To. The working fluid enters the compressor 1 in To and P2, leaves the compressor in To ⁺ and Pi, absorbs heat Qi from the medium of HTS 21 in the hot side CFX 2, leaves the hot side CFX 2 in Ti ⁺ and Pi, enters turbine 3 in Ti ⁺ and Pi, exits the turbine in Ί and P2, Q2 rejects heat Q2 from its medium of ITS 61 in the cold side CFX 4, and leaves the cold side CFX 4 to To e
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81/158 2, returning to its initial state, before entering the compressor.
[00159] In some implementations, the ITS 61 medium can be a liquid over the entire To to range. In other implementations, the ITS 61 medium may not be liquid over the entire To para interval, but it can be supplied to the counterflow heat exchanger 4 at a higher flow rate in order to achieve a lower temperature increase through the exchanger counterflow heat (for example, such that the temperature of the ITS medium at the outlet of the counterflow heat exchanger 4 is less than) while cooling the working fluid from T to To. In this case, the temperature of the ITS medium in the tank 60 may be less than Ti. The ITS medium in tank 60 can exchange heat with the environment (for example, through a radiator or other implementations described here) to cool it back to the To temperature. In some cases, the ITS medium can then be returned to tank 59. In some cases, the heat deposited in the ITS medium can be used for various useful purposes, such as, for example, residential or commercial heating, thermal desalination or other uses described elsewhere elsewhere.
[00160] Figure 21 is a schematic flowchart of a discharge cycle from a thermal system pumped in solar mode or heated combustion mode with heat rejection to an intermediate fluid circulated in a thermal bath at room temperature. The discharge cycle can work in a similar way to the discharge cycle in Figure 20, but after leaving the turbine 3, the working fluid 20 can proceed to the cold side CFX 4 where it exchanges heat with a
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82/158 medium or intermediate fluid 62 circulating through a thermal bath 63 at temperature To at or near room temperature. The medium or intermediate fluid 62 (for example, Therminol®, or a heat transfer oil) can be used to exchange heat between the working fluid 20 and a thermal bath 63 in the cold side CFX 4. The use of the intermediate fluid 62 can provide an advantage over contact with a heat sink or inexpensive medium (eg water) directly with the working fluid. For example, the direct contact of this thermal medium with the working fluid in the cold side CFX 4 can cause problems, such as, for example, evaporation or over-pressurization (for example, explosion) of the thermal medium. The intermediate fluid 62 can remain in the liquid phase throughout, at least a portion of, or a significant portion of the operation on the cold side CFX 4. When the intermediate fluid 62 passes through the thermal bath 58, it can be sufficiently cooled to circulate back to the cold side CFX 4 to cool the working fluid from T _± to To. The thermal bath 63 can contain a large amount of cheap heat sink material or medium, such as, for example, water. In some cases, the heat deposited on the heat sink material can be used for various useful purposes, such as, for example, residential or commercial heating, thermal desalination or other uses described here elsewhere. In some cases, the heatsink material can be rebalanced with room temperature (for example, through a radiator or other implementations described here).
[00161] In some implementations, the discharge cycles
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83/158 in Figures 20 and / or 21 may include a stove, as described in more detail in examples throughout the disclosure. Such systems can be implemented using the temperatures Ti ⁺ , Ti, To ⁺ and To, described in more detail elsewhere.
D. Pumped thermal storage cycles assisted by solar energy with intercooling [00162] In some cases, the pumped thermal system can provide heat sources and / or cold sources for other installations or systems, such as, for example, through colocalization with a liquid gas installation (GTL) or a desalination plant. In one example, GTL installations may make use of one or more cold reservoirs in the system (for example, the CTS medium in tank 9 for use in oxygen separation at the GTL installation) and / or one or more hot reservoirs in the system. system (for example, the HTS medium in tank 6 for use in a Fischer-Tropsch process at the GTL facility). In another example, one or more hot reservoirs or one or more cold reservoirs in the pumped thermal system can be used for operating thermal desalination methods. Other examples of possible uses of heat and cold include colocalization or heat exchange with building / area heating / cooling systems.
[00163] Conversely, in some cases, the pumped thermal system may use residual heat sources and / or residual cold sources from other installations or systems, such as, for example, through colocation with a natural gas import or export terminal. liquefied. For example, a residual cold source can be used to cool the cold storage medium 22. In
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84/158 In some implementations, the cold side load using residual cold can be combined with refilling the hot side thermal storage medium 21 via the external heat input (eg solar, combustion, residual heat, etc.). In some cases, the refilled storage medium can then be used in a discharge cycle, such as the discharge cycles in Figures 14 or 16. In some cases, the pumped thermal system can be used as a heat engine with a residual heat source that serves as a hot side heat input and as a residual cold source serving as a cold side heat sink. In another implementation, the hot-side storage medium can be recharged using a modified version of the cycle shown in Figure 15, where the temperature To is above the ambient temperature T _o ⁺ and corresponds to a temperature above the ambient temperature. In some instances, a residual heat source can be used to provide the necessary heat at a temperature of at least To ⁺ to heat the working fluid and / or the CTS medium to To ⁺ . In another implementation, an intermediate fluid (eg Therminol ®) that can remain liquid between temperatures T _o ⁺ and To can be used to transfer heat from the residual heat source to the working fluid.
E. Pumped thermal systems with dedicated compressor / turbine pairs [00164] In an additional aspect of the disclosure, pumped thermal systems are provided comprising multiple working fluid systems, or working fluid flow paths. In some cases, the components
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85/158 of the thermal system pumped in the loading and unloading modes can be the same. For example, the same compressor / turbine pair can be used for loading and unloading cycles. Alternatively, one or more components of the system may differ between loading and unloading modes. For example, separate compressor / turbine pairs can be used for loading and unloading cycles. In one implementation, the system has a set of heat exchangers, and a common set of HTS and CTS tanks that are loaded or unloaded by two pairs or sets of compressors and turbines. In another implementation, the system has a common set of HTS and CTS tanks, but separate sets of heat exchangers and separate sets of compressors and turbines.
[00165] Pumped thermal systems with recovery, use of external sources of heat, cold and / or residual heat / cold can benefit from having separate compressor / turbine pairs as a result of turbomachinery operation over large and / or different temperature ranges in loading and unloading modes. For example, temperature changes between loading and unloading cycles can lead to a period of thermal adjustment or other difficulties during the transition between cycles (for example, issues or factors related to metallurgy, thermal expansion, Reynolds number, compression rates dependent on temperature, or rolling friction and / or tip clearance, etc.). In another example, turbomachinery (eg turbomachinery used in systems with recovery) can operate at a relatively low pressure rate (for example, with relatively few
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86/158 compression), but over relatively high temperatures during compression and expansion. Temperature ranges can change (for example, change as in Figures 17 and 18) between loading and unloading modes. In some cases, operation over large temperature ranges during compression and / or expansion can complicate the design of a combined compressor / turbine for both loading and unloading. In addition, recovery, incorporation of residual heat / cold and / or other features of the pumped thermal system can reduce the compressor / turbine compression rate in the load cycle and / or the discharge cycle, thus reducing the cost associated with duplication compressor / turbine assemblies.
[00166] Figures 22 and 23 show thermal systems pumped with separate compressor 1 / turbine 3 pairs for load mode C and discharge mode D. Separate compressor / turbine pairs may or may not be grouped on a common mechanical rod . In this example, the compressor / turbine pairs C and D can have separate rods 10. The rods 10 can rotate at the same speed or different speeds. Separate compressor / turbine pairs or working fluid systems may or may not share heat exchangers (for example, heat exchangers 2 and 4).
[00167] In the example in Figure 22, the system has a common set of HTS 6 and 7 tanks and CTS 8 and 9 tanks. The system has separate pairs of heat exchangers 2 and 4 and separate pairs of compressor 1 / turbine 3 for charge mode C and discharge mode D. The flow paths of HTS and CTS storage medium for the charge cycle are
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87/158 shown as solid black lines. The flow paths of HTS and CTS storage medium for the discharge cycle are shown as dashed gray lines.
[00168] In the example in Figure 23, the system, shown in a load configuration, has a set of heat exchangers 2 and 4, and a common set of HTS 6 and 7 tanks and CTS 8 and 9 tanks. HTS and CTS tanks can be loaded by a compressor / turbine assembly C, or discharged by a compressor / turbine assembly D, each assembly comprising a compressor 1 and a turbine 3. The system can switch between assemblies C and D using valves 83. In the example in Figure 22, the system, again shown in a load configuration, has a common set of HTS 6 and 7 tanks and CTS 8 and 9 tanks. The HTS and CTS tanks can be loaded by charge set C including a first set of heat exchangers 2 and 4, compressor 1 and turbine 3. The HTS and CTS tanks can be discharged by switching to a separate discharge set C that includes a second set of heat exchangers heat 2 and 4, compressor 1 and turbine 3.
[00169] In one example, if the compressor and turbine loading and unloading assemblies in Figures 22 and 23 are not operated at the same time, the loading and unloading assemblies may share a common set of heat exchangers that are switched between pairs of turbomachines using valves 83. In another example, if the sets or pairs of loading and unloading turbomachines in Figures 22 and 23 are operated at the same time (for example, for a set to load, after intermittent generation, and the other is discharged at the same time, after loading), then each
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88/158 set of turbomachinery can have a dedicated set of heat exchangers. In this case, the loading and unloading assemblies may or may not share a set of HTS and CTS tanks.
[00170] In some implementations, separate sets or pairs of compressors / turbines can be advantageously used in pumped thermal systems used with intermittent and / or variable electrical inputs. For example, a first compressor / turbine set can be used in a load cycle that follows wind and / or solar energy (for example, electrical input from wind and / or solar power systems) while a second compressor set / turbine can be used in a discharge cycle that follows a charge (for example, output of electrical energy to an electrical grid). In this configuration, pumped thermal systems placed between a power generation system and a load can assist in smoothing out variations / fluctuations in the input and / or output power requirements.
F. Hybrid pumped thermal systems [00171] According to another aspect of the disclosure, pumped thermal systems can be augmented by additional energy conversion processes and / or can be used directly as energy conversion systems without energy storage (ie is, like power generation systems). In some instances, pumped thermal systems can be modified to allow direct generation of energy using natural gas, diesel fuel, petroleum gas (eg propane / butane), dimethyl ether, fuel oil, wood chips, gas
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89/158 landfill, hexane, hydrocarbons or any other combustible substance (for example, fossil fuel or biomass) to add heat to the working fluid on a hot side of a working fluid cycle and a cold heat sink (for example, water) to remove heat from the working fluid on one side of the working fluid cycle.
[00172] Figures 24 and 25 show pumped thermal systems configured in the generation mode. In some examples, the pumped thermal systems can be modified by adding two additional heat exchangers 40 and 41, four additional valves 19a, 19b, 19c and 19d, a heat sink (for example, a water cooling system; water from a freshwater reservoir like a river, a lake or a reservoir, saltwater from a saltwater reservoir like a sea or an ocean, cooling air using radiators, fans / blowers, convection or an environmental heat sink like soil / earth, cold air etc) 42, and a heat source (for example, a combustion chamber with a mixture of fuel oxidant) 43. 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 one second of the two additional heat exchangers 41. The heat source 43 can be used to exchange heat with the working fluid 20.
[00173] The heat source 43 can be a source of combustion heat. In some instances, the combustion heat source may comprise a combustion chamber for combustion of a combustible substance (for example, a fossil fuel, a synthetic fuel, residues
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90/158 urban solids (MSW) or biomass). In some cases, the combustion chamber may be separated from the heat exchanger 40. In some cases, the heat exchanger 40 may comprise the combustion chamber. The heat source 43 can be a source of residual heat, such as, for example, heat wasted from an electrical plant, an industrial process (e.g., oven exhaust).
[00174] In some examples, a solar heater, a combustion heat source, a residual heat source, or any combination of these, can be used to heat the hot side heat storage fluid and / or the working fluid . In one example, the working fluid can be heated directly using any of these heat sources. In another example, the hot-side heat storage fluid (or HTS medium) can be heated using any of these heat sources. In another example, the hot-side heat storage fluid (or HTS medium) can be heated in parallel with the working fluid using any of these heat sources.
[00175] The thermal systems pumped in Figures 24 and 25 can be operated as hybrid systems. For example, valves 19a, 19b, 19c and 19d can be used to switch between two modes. When the valves are in the first position, the system can operate as a pumped thermal storage system (for example, closed system in charge / discharge mode). In this configuration, the working fluid 20 (for example, argon or air) can exchange heat with an HTS medium (for example, molten salt) in the hot side heat exchanger 2 and with a CTS medium (for example, hexane ) in the cold side heat exchanger 4. When the
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91/158 valves are in a second position, the system can operate as a power generation system (for example, open system in generation mode). In this configuration, heat exchangers 2 and 4 can be bypassed, and working fluid 20 can exchange heat with the combustion chamber 43 in the heat exchanger on the hot side 40 and with the heat sink 42 in the heat exchanger on the side. cold 41. The configuration and / or design of heat transfer processes (for example, heat transfer in heat exchangers) described here in relation to pumped thermal systems can also be applied to hybrid pumped thermal systems and vice versa. For example, heat sink 42, heat source 43, heat exchangers 40 and 41 and / or the amount of heat transferred on the cold side and / or the hot side can be configured to decrease or minimize the generation of entropy associated with heat transfer processes and / or maximize system efficiency.
[00176] In some implementations, hybrid systems can operate in storage and generation modes simultaneously. For example, valves 19a, 19b, 19c and 19d can be configured to allow a given division between a working fluid flow rate for heat exchangers 40 and 41 and a working fluid flow rate for heat exchangers. heat 2 and 4. Alternatively, hybrid systems can operate exclusively in storage mode, or exclusively in generation mode (for example, as a peak natural gas plant). In some cases, the division between modes can be selected based on the efficiency of the system, input
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92/158 of available electrical energy (for example, based on availability), desired electrical energy output (for example, based on load demand) etc. For example, thermal efficiency of an ideal system (that is, assuming isentropic compression and expansion processes, ideal heat transfer processes) operating exclusively in the generation mode can be the thermal efficiency of a working fluid subjected to a Brayton cycle ideal. In some instances, thermal efficiencies in hybrid disclosure systems (eg, exclusive and / or split operation) can be at least about 10%, at least 20%, at least about 30%, at least about 40 %, at least about 50%, at least about 60%, or more.
[00177] The heat source 43 can be used to exchange heat with an HTS medium (for example, a molten salt). For example, combustion heat source 43 can be used to heat the HTS 21 medium. In some cases, instead of using combustion heat source 43 to exchange heat in heat exchanger 40 or to exchange heat between gases combustion from the combustion heat source and the working fluid, the combustion heat source 43 can be used to heat the HTS 21 medium between the two HTS tanks 7 and 6.
[00178] Figure 26 is a schematic flowchart of hot side recharge in a heat cycle pumped through heating by heat source 43 (for example, combustion heat source, residual heat source). In one example, heat source 43 is a residual heat source, such as a residual heat source from a refinery or other processing facility. In one example, the heat source
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93/158 is obtained from the combustion of natural gas to guarantee the delivery of electricity even if the pumped thermal system runs out of loaded storage medium. For example, recharging the hot-side storage medium using the heat source 43 can provide an advantage over recharging using electricity or other means (for example, the price of electricity at the moment can be very high). The heat source 43 can be used to heat the HTS 21 medium from the Ti temperature in the tank 7 to the Ti ⁺ temperature in the tank 6. The HTS medium can then be used in the CFX 2 to exchange heat with the cooling fluid. work on a discharge cycle, such as, for example, the discharge cycles in Figures 20 and 21.
[00179] In some examples, such as, for example, when the CTS medium is a combustible substance, such as a fossil fuel (for example, hexane or heptanes), the burning of the CTS medium stored in the CTS tanks (for example, tanks 8 and 9) can be used to provide thermal energy to heat the HTS medium as shown, for example, in Figure 26 or for operating the cycles in the configurations shown, for example, in Figures 24 and 25.
[00180] The disclosure systems may be able to operate both in an electricity storage cycle only (comprising heat transfer with an HTS medium and a CTS medium below room temperature) and in an ambient cycle heat engine , where, in a discharge mode, heat is inserted from the HTS medium into the working fluid and discarded into the environment instead of into the CTS medium. This capacity may allow the use of heating the HTS with combustible substances (for example,
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94/158 example, as shown in Figure 26) or the use of HTS solar heating (for example, as shown in Figure 19). Heat rejection to room temperature can be implemented using, for example, the discharge cycles in Figures 20 and 21. In some cases, heat can be rejected into the environment with the aid of ITS 61 medium or intermediate 62 .
[00181] Aspects of disclosure can be combined synergistically. For example, systems capable of operating in either an electricity storage cycle alone or in an ambient cycle heat engine may comprise a stove. Any description regarding such hybrid systems without a stove can be readily applied to hybrid systems with a stove in at least some configurations. In some cases, hybrid systems can be implemented using, for example, the parallel valve configuration in Figure 24. For example, counterflow heat exchangers 4 in Figures 20 and 21 can be implemented as separate counterflow heat exchangers 67 to exchange heat with the environment, and can be used in combination with cold flow counterflow heat exchangers 4 of the disclosure.
[00182] In some implementations, the systems here can be configured to allow switching between different disclosure cycles using a shared set of valves and tubes. For example, the system can be configured to switch between the electricity-only charge cycle (as shown, for example, in Figure 15), the electricity-only discharge cycle (as shown, for example,
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95/158 example, in Figure 16), and the heat engine for ambient cycle (as shown in Figure 21).
G. Pumped thermal systems with pressure regulating energy control [00183] In one aspect of the disclosure, the pressure of working fluids in pumped thermal systems can be controlled to achieve energy control. In one example, the energy supplied to a closed system in charge mode and / or the energy extracted from the closed system in discharge and / or generation mode (for example, entry / exit of work using rod 10) is proportional to the rate of mass or molar flow of the circulating working fluid. The mass flow rate is proportional to the density, area and speed of flow. The flow speed can be kept fixed in order to achieve a fixed axis speed (for example, 3600 rpm or 3000 rpm according to the requirements of the 60 and 50 Hz electrical grid, respectively). Thus, as the working fluid pressure changes, the mass flow rate and power can change. In one example, as the mass flow increases in a discharge and / or generation mode, more load must be added to the system to maintain a constant speed of the rotating axis, and vice versa. In another example, if the load is reduced during operation in a discharge and / or generation mode, the reduced load can cause the rod speed to increase, thereby increasing the mass flow rate. For some period of time, before the heat stored in the heat capacity of the heat exchangers themselves is dissipated, this increase in the mass flow rate can lead to an increase in the energy supplied, increasing, in turn, the rod speed. Stem speed and energy
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96/158 may continue to increase uncontrollably, resulting in a leakage from the rotary axis. In some instances, pressure regulation may allow leakage control and thus stabilization, by adjusting the amount (for example, density) of the circulating working fluid, according to the system requirements. In an example where the rod speed (and turbochargers, such as a turbine, connected to the shaft) starts to escape, a controller can reduce the mass of the circulating working fluid (for example, mass flow rate) to decrease energy supplied, in turn, decreasing the rod speed. Pressure regulation can also allow for an increase in the mass flow rate in response to an increase in load. In each of these cases, the flow rates of the HTS and CTS media through the heat exchangers can be adapted to the heat capacity of the working fluid that passes through the heat exchangers.
[00184] In some examples, the working fluid pressure in the closed system can be varied using an auxiliary working fluid tank in fluid communication with the closed system. In this configuration, the energy input / output can be decreased by transferring the working fluid from the closed loop circuit to the tank, and the energy input / output can be increased by transferring the working fluid from the tank to the circuit. closed-loop. In one example, when the working fluid pressure is decreased, less heat can be transferred between the thermal storage tanks on the hot and cold sides of the system, as a result of the decreased mass flow rate and less energy can be inserted to / issued by
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97/158 system.
[00185] As the working fluid pressure is varied, the compression rates of the components of the turbomachine can remain substantially unchanged. In some cases, one or more operating parameters and / or configuration (eg variable stators, rod speed) of the turbomachine components can be adjusted in response to a change in working fluid pressure (for example, to obtain performance system). Alternatively, one or more pressure rates may change in response to a change in working fluid pressure.
[00186] In some cases, the reduced cost and / or the reduced consumption of parasitic energy can be obtained using the energy control configuration in relation to others
settings (per example, using a valve in strangulation for to control the flow of the fluid in job). In some examples, the variation pressure in working fluid while maintaining is constant the temperature
and the flow velocity (or almost constant) can lead to the generation of negligible entropy. In some instances, an increase or decrease in system pressure can lead to changes, for example, in the efficiency of turbomachinery.
[00187] Figure 27 shows an example of a pumped thermal system with energy control. The temperature of the working fluid on the hot and cold sides of the system can remain constant or almost constant for a given period of time regardless of the mass flow rate of the working fluid due to the large thermal capacities of heat exchangers 2 and 4 and / or the hot and cold side thermal storage medium in tanks 6, 7, 8 and 9. In
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98/158 some examples, the flow rates of HTS and CTS media through heat exchangers 2 and 4 are varied together with a change in working fluid pressure in order to maintain temperatures in heat and fluid exchangers optimized working times over longer periods of time. Thus, pressure can be used to vary the mass flow rate in the system. One or more auxiliary tanks 44 filled with working fluid 20 (for example, air, argon or argon-helium mixture) may be in fluid communication with a hot side (for example, high pressure) of the pumped and / or thermal system a cold side (eg low pressure) of the pumped thermal system. In some examples, the auxiliary tank may be in fluid communication with the working fluid adjacent to a compressor 1 inlet and / or adjacent to a compressor 1 outlet. In some examples, the auxiliary tank may be in fluid communication with the fluid working area adjacent to a turbine inlet 3 and / or adjacent to a turbine 3 outlet. In additional examples, the auxiliary tank may be in fluid communication with the working fluid in one or more location systems (for example, one or more more locations on the high pressure side of the system, on the low pressure side of the system, or any combination of them. For example, the auxiliary tank can be in fluid communication with the working fluid on one high pressure side and one side closed cycle low pressure. In some cases, fluid communication on the high pressure side can be provided after the compressor and before the turbine. In some cases, fluid communication on the low pressure side can to be supplied after the turbine and before the compressor. In some cases, the tank
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Auxiliary 99/158 may contain working fluid at a pressure intermediate to the high and low system pressures. 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 can be decreased by draining the working fluid from the high pressure side of the closed cycle into the tank via a fluid path containing a valve or mass flow controller 46, thus loading the tank 44. The amount of working fluid circulating in the closed cycle can be increased by draining the working fluid from the tank to the low pressure side of the closed loop circuit through a fluid path containing a valve or flow controller. mass 45, thus unloading the tank 44.
[00188] Energy control over longer time scales can be implemented by changing the working fluid pressure and adjusting the flow rates of the hot 21 and cold 22 thermal storage fluids via heat exchangers 2 and 4, respectively.
[00189] In some examples, the flow rates of the thermal storage means 21 and / or 22 can be controlled (for example, by a controller) to maintain given in and out temperatures of the heat exchanger. In some examples, a first controller (s) can be provided to control the flow rates (e.g., mass flow rates) of thermal storage medium, and a second controller can be provided to control the mass flow rate (for example, by controlling mass, mass flow rate, pressure, etc.) of the working fluid.
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100/158
H. Pumped thermal systems with encapsulated pressure engine / generator [00190] In another aspect of the disclosure, pumped thermal systems with an encapsulated pressure engine / generator are provided. The encapsulated pressure engine / generator can be provided as an alternative to configurations where a rod (also crankshaft) penetrates through a working fluid retaining wall (where it can be exposed to one or more relatively high pressure differentials) to connect to a motor / generator outside the working fluid retaining wall. In some cases, the rod may be exposed to working fluid pressures and temperatures in the low pressure portion of the working fluid cycle, the high pressure portion of the working fluid cycle, or both. In some cases, crankshaft seal (s) capable of containing the pressures to which the crankshaft is exposed within the working fluid containment wall can be difficult to manufacture and / or difficult to maintain. In some cases, a rotating seal between high and low pressure environments can be difficult to achieve. Thus, coupling the compressor and turbine to the engine / generator can be challenging. In some implementations, the engine / generator may therefore be placed entirely within the low pressure portion of the working fluid cycle, such that the outer pressure vessel or working fluid retaining wall may not need to be installed. penetrated.
[00191] Figure 28 shows an example of a pumped thermal system with an encapsulated pressure generator 11.
The motor / generator is encapsulated inside the pressure vessel or working fluid containment wall (shown as
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101/158 dashed lines) and only electric conductors of the feed passage 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 obtaining an adequate seal through the thermal insulation wall may be less stringent because the pressure is the same on both sides of the thermal insulation wall (for example, both sides of the thermal insulation wall may be located in the cycle pressure). In one example, the low pressure value can be approximately 10 atm (1.01325 MPa). In some cases, the engine / generator can be adapted for operation at high 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 at the high pressure portion of the cycle. In some instances, placing the engine / generator on the cold side of the pumped thermal systems can be beneficial for engine / generator operation (for example, cooling a superconducting generator).
I. Pumped thermal systems with variable stator pressure rate control [00192] Another aspect of the disclosure concerns the pressure control in working fluid cycles of pumped thermal systems using variable stators. In some instances, the use of variable stators in turbomachinery components can allow pressure rates in working fluid cycles to be varied. The variable compression rate can be performed using mobile stators on the turbomachinery.
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102/158 [00193] In some cases, pumped thermal systems (for example, the systems in Figures 17 and 18) can operate at the same compression rate in both the loading and unloading cycles. In this configuration, heat can be rejected (for example, to the environment) in section 38 in the charge cycle and in section 39 in the discharge cycle, where the heat in section 38 can be transferred at a lower temperature than the heat in section 39. In alternative configurations, the compression ratio can be varied by switching between the load cycle and the discharge cycle. In one example, variable stators can be added to the compressor and turbine, thus allowing the compression ratio to be adjusted. The ability to vary the compression ratio between loading and unloading modes can allow heat to be rejected only at the lowest temperature (for example, heat can be rejected in section 38 in the load cycle, but not in section 39 of the discharge cycle). In some instances, a greater portion (or all) of the heat discharged into the environment is transferred at a lower temperature, which can increase the efficiency of the system's round-trip.
[00194] Figure 29 is an example of variable stators in a compressor / turbine pair. The compressor 1 and the turbine 3 can have variable stators, so that the compression rate of each can be adjusted. Such an adjustment can increase the efficiency of the round trip.
[00195] The compressor and / or the turbine may (each) include one or more stages of compression. For example, the compressor and / or the turbine may have multiple rows of repeated features distributed along its circumference. Each stage of
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103/158 compression can include one or more feature lines. The lines can be arranged in a certain order. In one example, compressor 1 and turbine 3 each comprise a sequence of a plurality of input guide vanes 51, a first plurality of rotors 52, a plurality of stators 53, a second plurality of rotors 52 and a plurality Exit guide vanes. 54. Each plurality of features can be arranged in a line along the circumference of the compressor / turbine. The configuration (for example, direction or angle) of stators 53 can be varied, as shown in Figure 29.
[00196] The compressor / turbine pair can be combined. In some cases, a compressor outlet pressure may be approximately the same as a turbine inlet pressure, and a compressor inlet pressure may be approximately the same as the turbine outlet pressure; thus, the pressure rate through the turbine can be the same as the pressure rate through the compressor. In some cases, inlet / outlet pressures and / or pressure rates may differ by a certain amount (for example, to account for the pressure drop in the system). The use of variable stators in the compressor and turbine can allow the compressor and turbine to remain compatible as the compression rate is varied. For example, using variable stators, compressor and turbine operation can remain within suitable operating conditions (for example, within a certain range or at a certain point on their respective operating maps) as the compression rate is varied. Operation within specified intervals or at specified points in the
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104/158 turbomachinery operational maps can allow turbomachinery efficiencies (for example, isentropic efficiencies) and the resulting round-trip storage efficiency to be kept within a desired range. In some implementations, the use of variable stators can be combined with other methods to vary the compression ratios (for example, variable shaft rotation speed, turbomachine stage deviation, gears, power electronics, etc.)
J. Pumped thermal system units comprising pumped thermal system subunits [00197] Another aspect of the disclosure concerns the control of the charge and discharge rate over the entire range from maximum energy charge / input to discharge / discharge. maximum energy through the construction of pumped thermal system units composed of pumped thermal system subunits. In some instances, pumped thermal systems may have a minimum energy input and / or output (for example, minimum energy input and / or minimum energy) above 0% of the maximum energy input and / or output (eg, input maximum energy output and / or maximum energy output), respectively. In such cases, a single unit alone may be able to move continuously from the minimum energy input to the maximum energy input and from the minimum energy output to the maximum energy output, but it may not be able to pass continuously from the energy input. minimum energy for the minimum energy output (that is, from the minimum energy input to the zero energy input / output and the zero energy input / output to the minimum energy output). An ability to pass continuously
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105/158 from the minimum power input to the minimum power output can allow the system to move continuously from the maximum power input to the maximum power output. For example, if both the output power and the input power can be turned off to zero during operation, the system can continuously vary the energy consumed or supplied in an interval from the maximum input (for example, acting as a load on the grid) to the maximum output (for example, acting as a generator on the grid). Such functionality can increase (for example, more than double) the continuously passable range of the pumped thermal system. Increasing the continuously passable range of the pumped thermal system can be advantageous, for example, when the continuously passable energy range is used as a metric to determine the value of the grid assets. In addition, such functionality may allow the disclosure systems to follow variable load, variable generation, intermittent generation or any combination thereof.
[00198] In some implementations, compound pumped thermal system units comprising multiple pumped thermal system subunits can be used. In some cases, each subunit may have a minimum energy input and / or output above 0%. The continuous passage of energy from the maximum energy input to the maximum energy output may include the combination of a number of subunits. For example, an adequate number (for example, sufficiently large) of subunits may be necessary to achieve continuous acceleration. In some examples, the number of subunits can be at least about 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, 200, 500, 750, 1000
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106/158 and the like. In some examples, 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 can have a certain energy capacity. For example, each subunit may have an energy 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 approximately 90% of the total energy capacity of the compound pumped thermal system. In some cases, different subunits may have different energy capacities. In some examples, a subunit has an energy 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 passage of energy from the maximum energy input to the maximum energy output may include controlling the input and / or output of each subunit (for example, power input and / or power output) separately. In some cases, the subunits can be operated in opposite directions (for example, one or more subunits can operate in the power input mode, while one or more subunits can operate in the power output mode). In one example, if each subunit of the pumped thermal system can be continuously passed between a maximum energy input and / or output down to about 50% of the maximum energy input and / or output, respectively, three or more system subunits combined thermal in a pumped composite thermal system unit that can be continuously passed from the maximum energy input to the maximum energy output. In some
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107/158 implementations, the composite pumped thermal system may not have a fully continuous interval between the maximum input energy and the maximum output energy, but may have a greater number of operating points in this interval compared to a non-composite system.
K. Energy storage system units comprising energy storage system subunits [00199] Another aspect of the disclosure relates to controlling the charge and discharge rate over a complete range from the maximum charge / energy input to the discharge / maximum energy output through the construction of composite energy storage system units consisting of energy storage system subunits. In some examples, energy storage systems may have a minimum energy input and / or output (for example, minimum energy input and / or minimum energy output) above 0% of the maximum energy input and / or output (for example, maximum energy input and / or maximum energy output), respectively. In such cases, a single unit alone may be able to move continuously from the minimum energy input to the maximum energy input and from the minimum energy output to the maximum energy output, but it may not be able to pass continuously from the energy input. minimum energy for the minimum energy output (that is, from the minimum energy input to the zero energy input / output and the zero energy input / output to the minimum energy output). An ability to pass continuously from the minimum energy input to the minimum energy output can allow the system to pass continuously from the input
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108/158 maximum energy for maximum energy output. For example, if both the output power and the input power can be completely reset to zero during operation, the system can continuously vary the energy consumed or supplied in an interval from the maximum input (for example, acting as a load on the grid) for maximum output (for example, acting as a generator on the grid). Such functionality can increase (for example, more than double) the continuously passable interval of the energy storage system. Increasing the continuously passable range of the energy storage system can be advantageous, for example, when the continuously passable range of energy is used as a metric to determine the value of the grid assets. In addition, such functionality may allow the disclosure systems to follow variable load, variable generation, intermittent generation or any combination thereof.
[00200] In some implementations, composite energy storage system units composed of several energy storage system subunits can be used. In some instances, any energy storage system with energy input / output capabilities that can benefit from a composite configuration can be used. In some instances, systems with energy input and / or output capabilities that can benefit from a composite configuration may include multiple energy storage and / or generation systems, such as natural gas or combined cycle power plants , fuel cell systems, battery systems, compressed air energy storage systems,
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109/158 pumped hydroelectric plants, etc. In some cases, each subunit may have a minimum energy input and / or output above 0%. The continuous passage of energy from the maximum energy input to the maximum energy output may include the combination of a certain number of subunits. For example, an adequate number (for example, sufficiently large) of subunits may be necessary to achieve continuous acceleration. In some examples, the number of subunits can be at least about 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, 200, 500, 750, 1000 and the like. In some examples, 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 can have a certain energy capacity. For example, each subunit may have an energy capacity of 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 energy capacity of the composite energy storage system. In some cases, different subunits may have different energy capacities. In some examples, a subunit has an energy 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 passage of energy from the maximum energy input to the maximum energy output may include controlling the input and / or output of each subunit (for example, power input and / or power output) separately. In some cases, subunits can be operated in opposite directions (for example, one or more
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110/158 subunits can operate in power input mode, while one or more subunits can operate in power output mode). In one example, if each subunit of the energy storage system can be continuously passed between a maximum energy input and / or output up to about 50% of the maximum energy input and / or output, respectively, three or more of these energy subunits Energy storage system can be combined into a composite energy storage system unit that can be continuously passed from the maximum energy input to the maximum energy output. In some implementations, the composite energy storage system may not have a fully continuous interval between the maximum energy input and the maximum energy output, but it may have an increase in the number of operating points in that interval compared to a non-energy system. compound.
L. Control Systems [00201] This disclosure provides computer control systems (or controllers) that are programmed to implement methods of the disclosure. Figure 30 shows a 1901 computer system (or controller) that is programmed or otherwise configured to regulate various process parameters of energy storage and / or recovery systems disclosed herein. Such process parameters can include temperatures, flow rates, pressures and changes in entropy.
[00202] The 1901 computer system includes a central processing unit (CPU, also processor and computer processor here) 1905, which can be a single-core or multiple-core processor, or a
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111/158 plurality of processors for parallel processing. The computer system 1901 also includes memory or memory location 1910 (for example, random access memory, read-only memory, flash memory), 1915 electronic storage unit (for example, hard disk), 1920 communication interface (for example, example network adapter) for communication with one or more other 1925 systems and peripheral devices, such as cache, other memory, data storage and / or electronic video adapters. Memory 1910, storage unit 1915, interface 1920 and peripheral devices 1925 are in communication with the 1905 CPU through a communication bus (solid lines), such as a motherboard. The 1915 storage unit can be a data storage unit (or data repository) for data storage. The 1901 computer system can be operationally coupled to a 1930 computer network (network) with the help of the 1920 communication interface. The 1930 network can be the Internet, an internet and / or extranet, or an intranet and / or extranet that is in communication with the Internet. The 1930 network, in some cases, is a telecommunications and / or data network. The 1930 network can include one or more computer servers, which can allow for distributed computing, such as cloud computing. The 1930 network, in some cases with the aid of the 1901 computer system, can implement a peer-to-peer network, which can allow devices coupled to the 1901 computer system to behave like a client or a server.
[00203] The 1901 computer system is coupled to a 1935 energy storage and / or recovery system,
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112/158 which may be as described above or elsewhere in this document. The 1901 computer system can be coupled with various unit operations of the 1935 system, such as flow regulators (for example, valves), temperature sensors, pressure sensors, compressor (s), turbine (s), electric switches and photovoltaic modules. The 1901 system can be directly coupled, or be part of the 1935 system, or be in communication with the 1935 system through the 1930 network.
[00204] The 1905 CPU can execute a sequence of machine-readable instructions, which can be incorporated into a program or software. Instructions can be stored in a memory location, such as 1910 memory. Examples of operations performed by the 1905 CPU may include searching, decoding, executing and writing back.
[00205] With continued reference to Figure 30, the storage unit 1915 can store files, such as controllers, libraries and saved programs. The 1915 storage unit can store user-generated programs and recorded sessions, as well as output (s) associated with the programs. The 1915 storage unit can store user data, for example, user preferences and user programs. The 1901 computer system may in some cases include one or more additional data storage units that are external to the 1901 computer system, such as located on a remote server that is communicating with the 1901 computer system via an intranet or the Internet.
[00206] The 1901 computer system can communicate with one or more remote computer systems over the network
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1930. For example, the 1901 computer system can communicate with a user's remote computer system (for example, operator). Examples of remote computer systems include personal computers, slate or tablet PCs, phones, smart phones, or personal digital assistants. The user can access the 1901 computer system through the 1930 network.
[00207] The methods described here can be implemented by executable code per machine (for example, computer processor) stored in an electronic storage location of the 1901 computer system, such as, for example, in the 1910 memory or storage unit electronic 1915. Machine-executable or machine-readable code can be provided in the form of software. During use, the code can be executed by the 1905 processor. In some cases, the code can be retrieved from the 1915 storage unit and stored in the 1910 memory for immediate access by the 1905 processor. In some situations, the 1915 electronic storage unit can deleted, and machine executable instructions are stored in 1910 memory.
[00208] The code can be precompiled and configured for use with a machine that has a processor adapted to execute the code, or can be compiled during the execution time. The code can be provided in a programming language that can be selected to allow the code to be executed in a pre-compiled or as-compiled form.
[00209] Aspects of the systems and methods provided here, such as the 1901 computer system, can be
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114/158 incorporated in the programming. Various aspects of technology can be considered as products or articles of manufacture typically in the form of machine executable code (or processor) and / or associated data that are transported or incorporated into a machine-readable type of medium. The machine executable code can be stored in an electronic storage unit, such as memory (for example, read-only memory, random access memory, flash memory) or a hard disk. The Storage medium can include any or all of the tangible memory of computers, processors or the like, or associated modules, such as various semiconductor memories, tape drives, disk drives and the like, which can provide non-transitory storage at any time for storage. software programming. All or part of the software can sometimes be communicated via the Internet or several other telecommunications networks. Such communications, for example, may allow software to be loaded from one computer or processor to another, for example, from a management server or host computer to an application server's computer platform. Thus, another type of medium that may contain the software elements includes optical, electrical and electromagnetic waves, such as those used in physical interfaces between local devices, through terrestrial wired and optical networks and through various aerial links. The physical elements that carry such waves, such as wired or wireless connections, optical connections or the like, can also be considered as means that support the software. As used here, unless restricted to storage media
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115/158 non-transitory tangible, terms such as computer or machine-readable medium refer to any medium that participates in providing instructions to a processor for execution.
[00210] Thus, a machine-readable medium, such as computer executable code, can take many forms, including, but not limited to, a tangible storage medium, a carrier wave medium or physical transmission medium. Non-volatile storage media include, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as any of the storage devices on any computer (s) or the like, as can be used to implement the databases, etc. shown in the drawings. Volatile storage media include dynamic memory, like the main memory on such a computer platform. Tangible means of transmission include coaxial cables; copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that make up a bus within a computer system. The carrier wave transmission means can take the form of electrical or electromagnetic signals, or acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) data communications. Common forms of computer-readable medium include, for example: a floppy disk, a floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD or DVD-ROM, any other optical medium, paper tape perforated cards, any other physical storage medium with hole patterns, a RAM, a ROM, a PROM and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other chip or memory cartridge, a carrier wave carrying data or instructions, cables or links
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116/158 carrying such a carrier wave, or any other means from which a computer can read programming code and / or data. Many of these forms of computer-readable media can be involved in transporting one or more sequences of one or more instructions to a processor for execution.
III Illustrative variable pressure inventory control systems [00211] Figures 31 and 32 illustrate examples of closed-loop systems, such as Brayton systems, and include a working fluid that flows through at least one 3103 compressor, an exchanger hot-side heat exchanger 3107, a turbine 3105 and a cold-side heat exchanger 3109. A thermal storage medium can flow between the hot storage container (HSC) 3113 and the cold storage container (CSC) 3115 through the exchanger hot-side heat exchanger 3107. Another thermal storage medium can flow between the HSC 3117 and CSC 3119 through the cold-side heat exchanger 310 9. The fluid paths are those indicated in the individual Figures and the flow direction of a fluid in a given fluid path is indicated by one or more arrows. Each of the fluids, components and / or fluid paths identified above can be the same or similar to the closed cycle elements described above (for example, Brayton cycle), such as working fluid 20, compressor 1, side heat exchanger hot 2, turbine 3, cold side heat exchanger 4, HTS 21 medium, HTS 7 tank, HTS 6 tank, CTS 22 medium, CTS 8 tank and CTS 9 tank. Figures 31 and 32 are illustrative and others
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117/158 fluids, components and / or fluid paths may be present. Some components, such as a heat exchanger or hot or cold side tanks, can be replaced with other components that have a similar thermal purpose.
[00212] Figure 31 illustrates a variable pressure inventory control system 3100 implemented in a Brayton cycle heat engine. The heat engine may be reversible (ie, operate as a heat pump) and may take the form of other heat engines and / or reversible heat engines described herein and may include additional components in addition to those shown in the illustration. The heat engine may include a 3101 generator / engine that can generate electricity and distribute some or all of the generated electricity to a grid system, including a local, municipal, regional or national grid. When the heat engine is in power generation mode (i.e., discharge mode), the generator / engine 3101 can also practically be referred to only as a generator, since it can function mainly or entirely as a device for generating electricity. The 3101 generator / engine, as illustrated, may include an alternator, a high speed alternator and / or power electronics (eg, power frequency conversion electronics) to manage, convert and / or modify electrical phase, voltage, current and frequency of energy generated and / or distributed. The generator / engine 3101 can be mechanically coupled to compressor 3103 and turbine 3105. Compressor 3103 and turbine 3105 can be coupled to generator / engine 3101 through one or more rods 3123. Alternatively, the
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118/158 compressor 3103 and turbine 3105 can be coupled to the generator / engine 3101 through one or more gearboxes and / or rods.
[00213] The heat engine may include a hot-side heat exchanger 3107 coupled downstream from compressor 3103 and upstream from turbine 3105. In addition, the heat engine may include a cold-side heat exchanger 3109 coupled upstream of compressor 3103 and downstream of turbine 3105. In the heat engine, a working fluid can circulate through a closed-loop fluid path that includes, in sequence, compressor 3103, the 3107 hot-side heat exchanger , turbine 3105 and cold-side heat exchanger 3109. The closed-loop fluid path can include a high-pressure leg 3106 and a low-pressure leg 3108. The high-pressure leg 310 6 can be all or a portion of the closed loop fluid path downstream of compressor 3103 and upstream of turbine 3105. In addition, the low pressure leg 3108 can be all or part of the closed loop fluid path upstream of compressor 3103 and downstream of the turbine3105. The pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure leg 3106 can be greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg 3108. Non-limiting examples of working fluids include air, argon, carbon dioxide or gas mixtures.
[00214] Inside the hot side heat exchanger
3107, the working fluid circulating through the closed-loop fluid path can come in contact with a first thermal fluid. Preferably, the first thermal fluid can be a molten salt. The heat exchanger of
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119/158 hot side 3107 can be a counterflow heat exchanger. The hot HSC 3113 can be coupled to the hot side heat exchanger 3107. In addition, the CSC 3115 can be coupled to the hot side heat exchanger 3107. When the heat engine is in power generation mode, a 3102 pump it can pump the first thermal fluid from HSC 3113, through hot side heat exchanger 3107, and to CSC 3115. As shown, pump 3102 is connected between HSC 3113 and hot side heat exchanger 3107; however, pump 3102 can be connected anywhere in the first thermal fluid path, including between the hot side heat exchanger 3107 and the CSC 3115. For example, when the heat engine operates as a heat pump in a energy storage mode (ie charge mode), a pump, such as pump 3102, can be connected between the hot-side heat exchanger 3107 and the CSC 3115 and can first pump thermal fluid from the CSC 3115 , via the hot-side heat exchanger 3107 and for HSC 3113. Additionally, pump 3102 can be a variable speed pump and / or be one or more pumps. In addition, as used herein, hot storage and cold storage are used to reflect relative temperatures between storage containers that can share a common thermal storage medium and do not necessarily refer to locations within a hot or cold side of an engine heat pump or heat pump.
[00215] Inside the 3109 cold-side heat exchanger, the working fluid circulating through the closed-loop fluid path can come in contact with a second fluid
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120/158 thermal, which may be different from the first thermal fluid. Preferably, the second thermal fluid can be an alkane, such as hexane. The 3109 cold-side heat exchanger can be a counterflow heat exchanger. The CSC 3119 can be coupled to the cold side heat exchanger 3109. In addition, the HSC 3117 can be coupled to the cold side heat exchanger 310 9. When the heat engine is in power generation mode, a 3104 pump it can pump the second CSC 3119, through the cold side heat exchanger 3109, and to the HSC 3117. As shown, pump 3104 is connected between the CSC 3119 and the cold side heat exchanger 3109; however, pump 3104 can be connected anywhere in the second thermal fluid path, including between the cold side heat exchanger 3109 and HSC 3117. For example, when the heat engine operates as a heat pump in the For energy storage, a pump, such as pump 3104, can be connected between the cold-side heat exchanger 3109 and HSC 3117 and can pump the second thermal fluid from HSC 3117, through heat exchanger 3109 and for CSC 3119. Additionally, pump 3104 can be a variable speed pump and / or it can be one or more pumps. A 3121 heat rejection device, for example, a cooling tower, can be connected to HSC 3117 and the second thermal fluid can circulate through the 3121 heat rejection device. The 3121 heat rejection device can be used to reject excess heat in the second thermal fluid to another medium, such as atmospheric air. Heat can alternatively or additionally be rejected by other means or in other places within the
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121/158 system, as described herein with reference to other types of heat engines or reversible heat engines.
[00216] The heat engine can also include at least one high pressure tank 3132 and an intermediate pressure tank 3134. The high pressure leg 3106 can be connected to the high pressure tank 3132 by a hot side valve 3133. In addition in addition, the high pressure leg 3106 can be connected to the intermediate pressure tank 3134 by a hot side valve 3135. As shown, the hot side valves 3133 and 3135 are downstream of the hot side heat exchanger 3107 and upstream turbine 3105; however, the hot-side valves 3133 and 3135 can be connected to the high-pressure leg 3106 in other locations, including downstream of the compressor 3103 and upstream of the hot-side heat exchanger 3107.
[00217] The low pressure leg 3108 can be connected to the high pressure tank 3132 by a cold side valve 3136. In addition, the low pressure leg 3108 can be connected to the intermediate pressure tank 3134 by a cold side valve. 3137. As shown, the cold side valves 3136 and 3137 are downstream from the cold side heat exchanger 3109 and upstream from the compressor 3103; however, the cold side valves 3133 and 3135 can be connected to the low pressure leg 3108 in other locations, including upstream of the cold side heat exchanger 3109 and downstream of the turbine 3105.
[00218] Each of the valves 3133, 3135, 3136 and 3137 can be any suitable valve capable of allowing and blocking the flow of working fluid, including a valve
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122/158 port, globe valve, plug valve, ball valve, butterfly valve, check valve, pinch valve, and diaphragm valve. In some embodiments, valves 3133, 3135, 3136 and 3137 can each be the same type of valve. However, in other embodiments, at least two of the valves 3133, 3135, 3136 and 3137 can be different types of valves.
[00219] The sensors can be located in several places along the heat engine or external to the heat engine. The sensors can be configured to determine and / or report one or more operating conditions inside or outside the system. In the example mode illustrated in Figure 31, pressure sensors can be located at or near several inlets and outlets for components within the system. For example, the 3142 pressure sensor can determine and report the working fluid pressure in the 3106 high pressure leg, the 3144 pressure sensor can determine and report the working fluid pressure in the 3108 low pressure leg, the pressure sensor pressure 3146 can determine and report working fluid pressure in the high pressure tank 3132 and pressure sensor 3148 can determine and report the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank 3134. As illustrative examples, operating conditions may include readings sensor (eg work pressure on the high pressure leg 3106) and / or a combination of sensor readings and / or a derived value based on the sensor readings (eg difference between the working fluid pressure in the tank pressure gauge 3132 and the working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg 3106). In the application
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123/158 In practice, the illustrated sensors can reflect multiple sensors in a fluid path (for example, the 3142 pressure sensor can be two or more pressure sensors on the 3106 high pressure leg).
[00220] Alternatively or additionally, other types of sensors that determine and / or report one or more operating conditions of the system may be located throughout the illustrated system. The 3152a sensor can determine and report the turbine torque, turbine speed, generator torque and / or generator RPM. If stem 3123 is a common stem and not a stem divided between turbine 3105 and compressor 3103, then sensor 3152a can also determine and report the compressor torque and / or compressor RPM. Alternatively, the 3152b sensor can determine and report the compressor torque and / or compressor RPM. The 3154 sensor can be connected to the generator / engine 3101 and several discrete components included in it, such as alternators and / or power electronics. The 3154 sensor can also connect to an electrical connection between the generator / engine 3101 and the electrical grid to which the generator / engine 3101 is supplying electricity. The 3154 sensor can determine and report current, voltage, phase, frequency and / or the amount of electrical energy generated and / or distributed by the 3101 generator / motor and / or its associated discrete components. The 3156 sensor can determine and report the grid phase and the sensors 3154 and 3156 can together or in combination determine and report a phase difference between the generated electrical energy and the grid.
[00221] Each of the valves 3133, 3135, 3136 and 3137 can be connected to one or more control devices.
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For example, the hot side valve 3133 and the cold side valve 3136 can be connected to control devices 3162 and 3166, respectively. Control devices 3162 and 3166 can be configured to operate valves 3133 and 3136 to control the flow of working fluid through the high pressure tank 3132. Thus, the control device 3162 may be able to operate the valve from the hot side 3133 to (i) allow the flow of working fluid from the high pressure leg 3106 to the high pressure tank 3132 and (ii) block the flow of working fluid from the high pressure leg 3106 to the high pressure 3132. Likewise, the control device 3166 may be able to operate the cold side valve 3136 to (i) allow the flow of working fluid from the high pressure tank 3132 to the low pressure leg 3108 and (ii) blocking the flow of the working fluid from the high pressure tank 3132 to the low pressure leg 3108.
[00222] In addition, the hot side valve 3135 and the cold side valve 3137 can be connected to the control devices 3164 and 3168, respectively. Control devices 3164 and 3168 can be configured to operate valves 3135 and 3137 to control the flow of working fluid through the intermediate pressure tank 3134. Thus, the control device 3164 may be able to operate the valve from the hot side 3135 to (i) allow the flow of working fluid from the high pressure leg 3106 to the intermediate pressure tank 3134 and (ii) block the flow of working fluid from the high pressure leg 3106 to the pressure tank pressure
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125/158 intermediate 3134. Similarly, the control device 3168 may be able to operate the cold side valve 3137 to (i) allow the flow of working fluid from the intermediate pressure tank 3134 to the low pressure leg 3108 and (ii) blocking the flow of the working fluid from the intermediate pressure tank 3134 to the low pressure leg 3108.
[00223] Each of the control devices 3162, 3164, 3166 and 3168 can be in communication with one or more controllers 3172, 3174, 3176 and 3178. Each, some or all of the controllers 3172, 3174, 3176 and 3178 can be separate controllers with independent or coordinated control over control devices 3162, 3164, 3166 and 3168. Alternatively, each, some or all of the controllers 3172, 3174, 3176 and 3178 can be considered as a single controller with control over one or more control devices 3162, 3164, 3166 and 3168. Each of the controllers 3172, 3174, 3176 and 3178 may be able to drive one or more control devices 3162, 3164, 3166 and 3168 to operate the valves 3133, 3135, 3136 and 3137 for changing a flow amount of the working fluid. For example, controller 3172 may be able to issue an instruction to control device 3162 to open or close the hot-side valve 3133 by a specified amount (e.g., open, partially open, closed, partially closed). Controllers 3172, 3174, 3176 and 3178 can take any practical form known in the art, including those commonly used in industrial control systems, such as PLC controllers.
[00224] Each of the controllers 3172, 3174, 3176 and 3178
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126/158 can also be in communication with one or more of the sensors. For clarity of illustration, the connections are not shown in Figure 31 between each of the 3172, 3174, 3176 and 3178 controllers and each of the illustrated sensors with which they may be communicating, but it should be understood that each of the 3172 controllers , 3174, 3176 and 3178 may be able to receive sensor data from a relevant sensor. The controllers 3172, 3174, 3176 and 3178 can be in communication and receive data from the sensors in any practical way, including wired electrical data communication, wireless data communication, optical transmission and / or intermediate sources, or through other sources. forms known in the art.
[00225] Each of the controllers 3172, 3174, 3176 and / or 3178 may be able to compare data or calculated data reported from one or more sensors with data reported from one or more other sensors, historical sensor data, internal adjustments or others comparators. For example, a controller 3172, 3174, 3176 and / or 3178 can compare reported data from at least two of sensors 3142, 3144, 3146 and 3148. In addition, controllers 3172, 3174, 3176 and / or 3178 can determine a phase difference between the generated electrical energy and the grid energy comparing the reported data from sensors 3154 and 3156.
[00226] A heat engine may also include one or more reciprocating heat exchangers (or stoves) that can transfer heat between the working fluid at various stages within the closed cycle flow path. Figure 32 illustrates a 3200 variable pressure inventory control system implemented in a
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127/158 Brayton cycle. The 3200 variable pressure inventory control system is similar to the 3100 variable pressure inventory control system, except that the 3200 variable pressure inventory control system includes a 3211 recuperative heat exchanger. Components in the 3200 system with the same reference number that in the 3100 system are of the same configuration and work in a similar way, unless otherwise specified.
[00227] Preferably, the 3211 recuperative heat exchanger is a counterflow heat exchanger. As illustrated in the heat engine example in Figure 32, the recuperative heat exchanger 3211 makes thermal contact with the working fluid downstream from the compressor 3103 and upstream from the hot side heat exchanger 3107 with the downstream working fluid. of the turbine 3105 and upstream of the cold side heat exchanger 3109, preferably in counterflow. In the 3200 system, the working fluid can circulate through a closed cycle fluid path that includes, in sequence, the compressor 3103, the recuperative heat exchanger 3211, the hot side heat exchanger 3107, the turbine 3105, the 3211 recuperative heat exchanger again (in thermal counterflow contact with the previous flow), the cold side heat exchanger 3109, and back to compressor 3103. Further variations are possible and this flow path is for illustrative purposes only. The closed-loop fluid path can include a high-pressure leg 3206 and a low-pressure leg 3208. The high-pressure leg 3206 can be all or part of the closed-loop fluid path downstream of compressor 3103 upstream of the 3105 turbine.
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128/158 low pressure 3208 can be all or part of the closed loop fluid path upstream of compressor 3103 and downstream of turbine 3105. The pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure leg 3206 can be higher than the fluid pressure work on low pressure leg 3208.
[00228] There can be no reciprocating heat exchangers in a heat engine, or there can be more than one recuperative heat exchanger in a heat engine and the one or more reciprocating heat exchangers can be located in alternative locations than the location shown in the circulation scheme illustrated in Figure 32.
A. Example of Removing the Working Fluid from the Closed Cycle Fluid Path [00229] In a Brayton cycle system, it may be desirable to remove an amount of working fluid from the closed cycle fluid path to reduce energy of the system. In some embodiments, removing a quantity of working fluid from the closed cycle fluid path can reduce the mass flow rate of the working fluid in the closed cycle fluid path and thus reduce the speed of a rotating rod compressor and / or rotating turbine rod. Reducing the speed of the rotating rod (s) can, in turn, reduce the amount of electricity generated by the system.
[00230] Using the illustration in Figure 31, a working fluid can be circulated in a closed-loop fluid path that includes, in sequence, compressor 3103, hot-side heat exchanger 3107, turbine 3105 and exchanger 3109 cold-side heat exchanger. The closed-loop fluid path includes the 3106 high-pressure leg and
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129/158 low pressure 3108.
1. Example of removal with a single pressure tank [00231] In some implementations, variable pressure inventory control with a single pressure tank, such as the 3132 high pressure tank, can be implemented to reduce the energy of the 3100 system In one implementation, in the 3100 system, where the compression ratio of compressor 3103 and turbine 3105 is 5, the high pressure leg 3106 has a nominal pressure (for example, initial) of 50 bar (5 MPa), the leg 3108 low pressure valve has a nominal pressure of 10 bar (1 MPa) and the high pressure tank has a nominal pressure of 11 bar (1.1 MPa), opening the hot side valve 3133 with the other valves 3135, 3136 and 3137 closed, can result in a state of the 3100 system in which the working fluid pressure in the 3106 high pressure leg can decrease to 25 bar (2.5 MPa) and the working fluid pressure in the 3132 high pressure tank can increase to 25 bar (2.5 MPa). Correspondingly, the working fluid pressure in the 3108 low-pressure leg can decrease to 5 bar (0.5 MPa). The amount of time for pressures to change in the 3100 system can be based, at least in part, on a volume ratio of the high pressure tank 3132 to the volume of the closed-loop fluid path.
[00232] The control of variable pressure inventory with a single tank has some limitations. For example, a large volume tank may be needed to significantly reduce the pressure in the closed-loop fluid path if a large amount of working fluid is circulated. The large volume tank will have to be
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130/158 rated to operate across the entire 3106 high pressure leg pressure range, and this can be very expensive to build and maintain. In addition, in order to use pressure-based (i.e., non-pumped) inventory control from the tank to manage the circulation of the working fluid mass, the operating pressure point in the 3132 high pressure tank must be between the pressures high pressure leg 3106 and low pressure leg 3108.
2. Example of removal with two pressure tanks [00233] Variable pressure inventory control with two pressure tanks, such as the high pressure tank 3132 and the intermediate pressure tank 3134, can be implemented to further reduce and / or more effectively the energy output of the 3100 system. Benefit, variable pressure inventory control with two tanks can improve the range of energy outputs in which the 3100 system can operate. In discharge mode, variable pressure inventory control with two tanks can be implemented for, among other things, charge following and frequency regulation of electricity generated by the 3100 system. And in charge mode, variable pressure inventory control with two tanks can be implemented for, among other things, variable loading of the 3100 system.
[00234] In an exemplary embodiment, a first amount of working fluid can be removed from the closed-loop fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the high pressure leg 3106 and the high pressure tank 3132, in such a way that the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure leg 3106 decreases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank
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3132 increases. In addition, the first fluid connection can be closed. Furthermore, a second amount of working fluid from the closed-loop fluid path can be removed by opening a second fluid connection between the high pressure leg 3106 and the intermediate pressure tank 3134, such that the fluid pressure working pressure on the high pressure leg 3106 decreases and working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank 3134 increases. In some embodiments, the first fluid connection may take the form of the hot-side valve 3133 and the second fluid connection may take the form of the hot-side valve 3135. However, in other embodiments, the first fluid connection and / or the second fluid connection can take different forms. For example, the first fluid connection and / or the second fluid connection can be two or more valves arranged in series or parallel. As another example, the first fluid connection and / or the second fluid connection can be one or more other components, including flanges, connections, couplings and / or gaskets.
[00235] In an implementation, in the 3100 system, where the compression ratio of compressor 3103 and turbine 3105 is 5, the high pressure leg 3106 has a nominal pressure of 50 bar, the low pressure leg 3108 has a nominal pressure 10 bar (1 MPa), the high pressure tank has a nominal pressure of 10 bar (1 MPa), and the intermediate pressure tank has a nominal pressure of 5 bar (0.5 MPa), opening the valve on the hot side 3133 with the other valves 3135, 3136 and 3137 closed, can result in a first state of the 3100 system in which the working fluid pressure in the 3106 high pressure leg can decrease to 25 bar (2.5 MPa) and the
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132/158 pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank can 3132 can increase to 25 bar (2.5 MPa). In the first state, the working fluid pressure in the 3108 low-pressure leg can decrease to 5 bar (0.5 MPa) and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank 3134 can still be 5 bar (0.5 MPa). Therefore, closing the hot side valve 3133 and opening the hot side valve 3135 with the other valves 3136 and 3137 closed may result in a second state of the 3100 system in which the working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg 3106 can decrease to 10 bar (1 MPa) and working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank 3134 can increase to 10 bar (1 MPa). In the second state, the working fluid pressure in the 3108 low pressure leg can decrease to 2 bar (0.2 MPa) and the working fluid pressure in the 3132 high pressure tank can still be 25 bar (2.5 MPa).
[00236] The control devices 3162 and 3164 can operate the hot side valve 3133 and the hot side valve 3135, respectively. In some implementations, the hot-side valve 3133 can be closed by the control device 3162 when the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank 3132 reaches a first threshold pressure value. The first threshold pressure value can be defined in several ways. In some embodiments, the first threshold pressure value can be defined as an equilibrium pressure between the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure leg 3106 and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank 3132. In addition, in In some embodiments, the first pressure threshold value can be defined as a pressure less than a pressure of
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133/158 balance between the working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg 3106 and the working fluid pressure in the high pressure tank 3132. In addition, in some embodiments, the 3172 controller can determine an operating condition of the 3100 system and the first threshold pressure value can be defined based on the determined operating condition. The first threshold pressure value can be set based on any of the operating conditions described above, including turbine torque, turbine RPM, generator torque and generator RPM; and current, voltage, phase, frequency and / or amount of electrical energy generated and / or distributed by the generator and / or its discrete components. Additionally, in some implementations, the hot side valve 3135 can be opened by the control device 3164 in response to the control device 3162 closing the hot side valve 3133.
[00237] In addition, in some implementations, the hot side valve 3135 can be closed by the control device 3164 when the pressure of the working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank 3134 reaches a second threshold pressure value. The second threshold pressure value can be defined in a similar way to the definition of the first threshold pressure. In some embodiments, the second threshold pressure value can be defined as an equilibrium pressure between the working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg 3106 and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank 3134. In addition, in In some embodiments, the second pressure threshold value can be defined as a pressure less than an equilibrium pressure between the pressure of the working fluid in the pressure leg.
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134/158 high pressure 3106 and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank 3134. In addition, in some embodiments, the controller 3174 can determine an operating condition of the 3100 system and the second threshold pressure value can be set with based on the determined operating condition. The second threshold pressure value can be defined based on any of the operating conditions under which the first threshold pressure value is defined.
[00238] In another example embodiment, the 3133 hot-side valve can be closed by the control device 3162 when the working fluid pressure reaches the first threshold pressure value. Pressure sensors 3142, 3144, 3146 and / or 3148 can determine and report to the 3172 controller working fluid pressures in the 3100 system. The 3172 controller can, based on at least one of the operating conditions reported by the sensors, drive the device control valve 3162 to close the hot side valve 3133. In some embodiments, the hot side valve 3133 can be closed when the working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg 3106 reaches the first threshold pressure value. In addition, in some embodiments, the hot-side valve 3133 can be closed when the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg 3108 reaches the first threshold pressure value. In addition, in some embodiments, the 3133 hot-side valve can be closed when the working fluid pressure in the 3132 high-pressure tank reaches the first threshold pressure value. In addition, the hot-side valve 3133 can be closed by the control device 3162 when a pressure derived from the working fluid reaches the first value of
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135/158 threshold pressure. The derived pressure can be any combination of working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg 3106, working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg 3108, working fluid pressure in the high pressure tank 3132 and working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank 3134.
[00239] In another example embodiment, the hot side valve 3135 can be closed by the control device 3164 when the working fluid pressure reaches the second threshold pressure value. Pressure sensors 3142, 3144, 3146 and / or 3148 can determine and report to the 3174 controller working fluid pressures in the 3100 system. The 3174 controller can, based on at least one of the operating conditions reported by the sensors, direct the device control 3164 to close the hot side valve 3135. In some embodiments, the hot side valve 3135 can be closed when the working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg 3106 reaches the second threshold pressure value. In addition, in some embodiments, the hot side valve 3135 can be closed when the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg 3108 reaches the second threshold pressure value. In addition, the hot-side valve 3135 can be closed by the control device 3164 when a pressure derived from the working fluid reaches the second threshold pressure value. The derived pressure can be any combination of working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg 3106, working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg 3108, working fluid pressure in the high pressure tank 3132 and the working fluid pressure in the tank
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136/158 of intermediate pressure 3134.
[00240] Although the example of removal from the working fluid from the closed cycle fluid path has been described above with reference to the 3100 system, the working fluid can also be removed from the closed cycle fluid path from the 3200 system. The working fluid can be removed from the closed-loop fluid path of the 3200 system in a manner similar to removing the working fluid from the closed-loop fluid path in the 3100 system.
B. Example of Adding Working Fluid to the Closed Cycle Fluid Path [00241] In a Brayton cycle system, it may be desirable to add an amount of working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path to increase the engine energy of heat. For example, it may be desirable to add an amount of working fluid back to the closed cycle fluid path that was previously removed from the closed cycle fluid path.
[00242] In some embodiments, adding an amount of working fluid to the closed-loop fluid path can increase the mass flow rate of the working fluid in the closed-loop fluid path and thus increase speed and / or increase the torque applied to a rotating compressor rod and / or a rotating turbine rod. Increasing the speed of the rotating rod (s) and / or increasing the applied torque can, in turn, increase the amount of electricity generated by the system. In modalities for controlling the variable pressure inventory described here, the removal of a quantity of working fluid from the path
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137/158 closed-loop fluid and adding the amount of working fluid back to the closed-loop fluid path can be reversible processes.
[00243] Using the illustration in Figure 31, a working fluid can circulate a closed-loop fluid path that includes, in sequence, the compressor 3103, the hot-side heat exchanger 3107, the turbine 3105 and the heat exchanger cold side 3109. The closed loop fluid path includes the high pressure leg 3106 and low pressure leg 3108.
[00244] In an exemplary embodiment, a first amount of working fluid can be added to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the low pressure leg 3108 and the intermediate pressure tank 3134, where the tank intermediate pressure valve 3134 contains working fluid at a first storage pressure greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg 3108, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg 3108 increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank 3134 decreases. In addition, the first fluid connection can be closed. Furthermore, a second amount of working fluid can be added to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the low pressure leg 3108 and the high pressure tank 3132, where the high pressure tank 3132 contains working fluid at a second storage pressure greater than the first storage pressure and greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg 3108, such that the pressure of the
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138/158 working fluid in the low pressure leg 3108 increases and the working fluid pressure in the high pressure tank 3132 decreases. In some embodiments, the first fluid connection may take the form of the cold side valve 3137 and the second fluid connection may take the form of the cold side valve 3136. However, in other embodiments, the first fluid connection and / or the second fluid connections can take different forms. For example, the first fluid connection and / or the second fluid connections can be two or more valves arranged in series or in parallel. As another example, the first fluid connection and / or the second fluid connection can be one or more other components, including flanges, connections, couplings and / or gaskets.
[00245] For example, in system 3100, where the compression ratio of compressor 3103 and turbine 3105 is 5, the high pressure leg 3106 has a nominal pressure of 10 bar (1 MPa), the low pressure leg 3108 has a nominal pressure of 2 bar (0.2 MPa), the high pressure tank 3132 has a nominal pressure of 25 bar (2.5 MPa), and the intermediate pressure tank has a nominal pressure of 10 bar (1 MPa) opening the cold side valve 3137 with the other valves 3133, 3135 and 3136 closed may result in a first state of the 3100 system in which the working fluid pressure in the 3108 low pressure leg can increase to 5 bar (0.5 MPa) and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank 3134 can decrease to 5 bar (0.5 MPa). In the first state, the working fluid pressure in the 3106 high pressure leg can increase to 25 bar (2.5 MPa) and the pressure in the 3132 high pressure tank can be 25 bar (2.5 MPa). Then, close the 3137 cold side valve
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139/158 and opening the cold side valve 3136 with the other valves 3133 and 3135 closed may result in a second state of the 3100 system in which the working fluid pressure in the 3108 low pressure leg can increase to 10 bar (1 MPa ) and working fluid pressure in the 3132 high pressure tank may decrease to 10 bar (1 MPa). In the second state, the working fluid pressure in the 3106 high pressure leg can increase to 50 bar (5 MPa) and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank 3134 can be 5 bar.
[00246] The control devices 3166 and 3168 can operate the cold side valve 3136 and the cold side valve 3137, respectively. In some implementations, the cold side valve 3137 can be closed by the control device 3168 when the pressure of the working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank 3134 reaches a first threshold pressure value. The first threshold pressure value can be defined in several ways. In some embodiments, the first threshold pressure value can be defined as an equilibrium pressure between the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg 3108 and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank 3134. In addition, in In some embodiments, the first threshold pressure value can be defined as a pressure less than an equilibrium pressure between the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg 3108 and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank 3134. In addition In addition, in some embodiments, the 3178 controller can determine an operating condition of the 3100 system and the first threshold pressure value can be set based on the condition
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140/158 determined operational. The first threshold pressure value can be set based on any of the operating conditions described above, including turbine torque, turbine RPM, generator torque and generator RPM; and current, voltage, phase, frequency and / or amount of electrical energy generated and / or distributed by the generator and / or its discrete components. Additionally, in some implementations, the cold side valve 3136 can be opened by the control device 3166 in response to the control device 3168 by closing the cold side valve 3137.
[00247] In addition, in some implementations, the cold side valve 3136 can be closed by the control device 3166 when the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank 3132 reaches a second threshold pressure value. The second threshold pressure value can be defined in a similar way to the definition of the first threshold pressure value. In some embodiments, the second threshold pressure value can be defined as an equilibrium pressure between the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg 3108 and the working fluid pressure in the high pressure tank 3132. In addition, in in some embodiments, the second pressure threshold value can be defined as a pressure less than an equilibrium pressure between the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg 3108 and the working fluid pressure in the high pressure tank 3132. In addition, in some embodiments, the 3176 controller can determine an operating condition of the 3100 system and the second threshold pressure value can be defined based on the determined operating condition. The second threshold pressure value can be
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141/158 defined based on any of the operational conditions in which the first threshold pressure value is defined.
[00248] In another example embodiment, the cold side valve 3137 can be closed by the control device 3168 when the working fluid pressure reaches the first threshold pressure value. Pressure sensors 3142, 3144, 3146 and / or 3148 can determine and report to the 3178 controller working fluid pressures in the 3100 system. The 3178 controller can, based on at least one of the operating conditions reported by the sensors, direct the device control 3168 to close the cold side valve 3137. In some embodiments, the cold side valve 3137 can be closed when the working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg 3106 reaches the first threshold pressure value. In addition, in some embodiments, the cold side valve 3137 can be closed when the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg 3108 reaches the first threshold pressure value. In addition, in some embodiments, the cold side valve 3137 can be closed when the pressure of the working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank 3134 reaches the first threshold pressure value. In addition, the cold side valve 3137 can be closed by the control device 3168 when a pressure derived from the working fluid reaches the first threshold pressure value. The derived pressure can be any combination of working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg 3106, working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg 3108, the working fluid pressure in the high pressure tank 3132 and the working fluid pressure. work on the 3134 intermediate pressure tank.
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142/158 [00249] In another example embodiment, the cold side valve 3136 can be closed by the control device 3166 when the working fluid pressure reaches the second threshold pressure value. Pressure sensors 3142, 3144, 3146 and / or 3148 can determine and report to the 3176 controller working fluid pressures in the 3100 system. The controller 317 6 can, based on at least one of the operating conditions reported by the sensors, direct the control device 3166 to close the cold side valve 3136. In some embodiments, the cold side valve 3136 can be closed when the working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg 3106 reaches the second threshold pressure value. In addition, in some embodiments, the cold side valve 3136 can be closed when the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg 3108 reaches the second threshold pressure value. In addition, in some embodiments, the cold side valve 3136 can be closed when the pressure of the working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank 3134 reaches the second threshold pressure value. In addition, the cold side valve 3136 can be closed by the control device 3166 when a pressure derived from the working fluid reaches the second threshold pressure value. The derived pressure can be any combination of working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg 3106, working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg 3108, the working fluid pressure in the high pressure tank 3132 and the working fluid pressure. work on the 3134 intermediate pressure tank.
[00250] Although the example of adding working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path has been described
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143/158 above with reference to the 3100 system, the working fluid can be added to the closed cycle fluid path of the 3200 system as well. The working fluid can be added to the closed cycle fluid path of the 3200 system in a similar way to the way the working fluid is added to the closed cycle fluid path in the 3100 system.
[00251] Although the first and second threshold pressure values are described above in both the example of removing working fluid for the closed cycle fluid and the example of adding working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path, the first and according to threshold pressure values can be different. In some embodiments, at least one threshold pressure value related to the removal of the working fluid for the closed cycle path may differ from at least one threshold pressure value related to the addition of working fluid to the fluid path closed-loop.
C. Quiescent Mode [00252] Referring again to Figure 31, the illustrated heat engine is illustrated in the power generation mode. As discussed in relation to Figures 1-5 and Figures 13-18, Brayton cycle systems can operate in charge or discharge modes, where the discharge mode is generally consistent with the conversion of thermal energy stored in a substantial amount of electrical power for distribution to a grid or other significant power user and charging mode is generally consistent with storing substantial amounts of thermal energy in the system for later use. However, the Brayton cycle system also
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144/158 can operate in quiescent mode, where the system is not producing a significant amount of electrical energy or storing a significant amount of thermal energy.
[00253] Pumps and / or turbomachines not operating in a quiescent mode will cause the temperature profile in a Brayton cycle heat exchanger to be significantly different from the desired temperature profile when the heat exchanger is operating in loading or unloading. This difference can lead to long acceleration times for a Brayton cycle system to go online and start supplying or accepting energy. It can also lead to additional thermal stresses as the temperature changes. Advantageously, the variable pressure inventory control described herein can be implemented to operate the compressor and the turbine at a very low speed to leak heat into or out of the heat exchangers to maintain a desired temperature profile in the heat exchangers that allow for a quick transition to optimized operation in loading or unloading modes. For example, a power system can be operated in a quiescent mode so that the cycle is operated at a level sufficient to circulate working and / or thermal fluids, but is effectively generating negligible or negligible net electrical energy. In quiescent mode, the variable pressure control inventory control described here can be implemented to maintain the desired mass flow rate in the closed-loop fluid path so that when the system transitions to, for example, discharge mode, the heat exchangers are already working in or near
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145/158 of operating temperatures. In this way, the transition from quiescent to discharge modes can take very little, for example, less than 15 seconds.
D. Variable Pressure Inventory Control with Three or More Pressure Tanks [00254] Although the examples described above involve controlling variable pressure inventory with two tanks, in other examples, variable pressure inventory control can be implemented in systems of Brayton cycle that include three or more pressure tanks. Variable pressure inventory control with three or more pressure tanks can be similar in shape to variable pressure inventory control with the high pressure tank and the intermediate pressure tank described above.
[00255] In some implementations, the working fluid can be removed from the closed cycle fluid path by opening a respective fluid connection between each tank of the three or more pressure tanks and a high pressure leg of the cycle fluid path closed in such a way that the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure leg decreases and the pressure of the working fluid in each tank of the three or more pressure tanks increases. In some implementations, opening the respective fluid connections between each tank of the three or more pressure tanks and the high pressure leg of the closed-loop fluid path may involve opening each of the fluid connections sequentially and after pressure have increased in another pressure tank.
[00256] In addition, in some implementations, the working fluid can be added to the fluid path of
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146/158 closed cycle by opening a respective fluid connection between each tank of the three or more pressure tanks and a low pressure leg of the closed cycle fluid path, where each tank contains working fluid at a respective higher storage pressure at the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in each tank of the three or more pressure tanks decreases.
III. Illustrative Methods [00257] Figure 33 is a flow chart that illustrates a 3300 method of variable pressure inventory control, according to an example modality. Illustrative methods, such as the 3300 method, can be performed in whole or in part by a component or components of a closed loop system, such as the 3100 system and the 3200 system.
[00258] As shown by block 3302, method 3300 may involve, in a closed-loop system, circulating a working fluid through a closed-loop fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger , a turbine and a cold side heat exchanger. The closed-loop fluid path can include a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg.
[00259] As shown by block 3304, method 3300 may involve removing a first amount of working fluid from the closed cycle fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the high pressure leg and a high pressure tank , such that the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure leg decreases and the
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147/158 pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank increases.
[00260] As shown by block 3306, method 3330 may involve closing the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure in the high pressure tank reaches a first threshold pressure value.
[00261] As shown by block 3308, method 3300 may involve removing a second amount of working fluid from the closed cycle fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the high pressure leg and a pressure tank. intermediate pressure, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure leg decreases and the pressure of the working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank increases.
[00262] In some embodiments, the closed loop system may include a closed Brayton cycle system. In addition, in some embodiments, the first threshold pressure value can be defined as an equilibrium pressure between the working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg and the working fluid pressure in the high pressure tank. In addition, in some embodiments, the first threshold pressure value can be defined as a pressure less than an equilibrium pressure between the working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg and the working fluid pressure in the high tank. pressure.
[00263] In addition, in some modalities, the 3300 method may also involve the operation of the closed cycle system in a power generation mode, where a generator coupled to the turbine produces electrical energy; determine an operational condition of the power generation system; and define the
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148/158 first pressure threshold value based on the determination of the operational condition of the power generation system.
[00264] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the 3300 method may also involve closing the second fluid connection when the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank reaches a second threshold pressure value. In some embodiments, the second threshold pressure value can be defined as an equilibrium pressure between the working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank. In addition, in some embodiments, the second threshold pressure value can be defined as a pressure less than an equilibrium pressure between the working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank. . In addition, in some embodiments, the 3300 method may also involve operating the closed-loop system in a power generation mode, in which a generator coupled to the turbine produces electrical energy; determine an operational condition of the power generation system; and defining the second threshold pressure value based on the determination of the operational condition of the power generation system.
[00265] Figure 34 is a flow chart illustrating a 3400 method of variable pressure inventory control, according to an example modality. The 3400 method can be carried out in whole or in part by a component or components of a closed loop system, such as the 3100 system and the 3200 system.
[00266] As shown by block 3402, method 3400 can involve in a closed cycle system, circulating a fluid
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149/158 working through a closed-loop fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger, a turbine and a cold-side heat exchanger. The closed loop fluid path can include a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg.
[00267] As shown by block 3404, method 3400 may involve removing a first amount of working fluid from the closed loop fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the high pressure leg and a high pressure tank , such that the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure leg decreases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank increases.
[00268] As shown by block 3406, method 3400 may involve closing the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure reaches a first threshold pressure value.
[00269] As shown by block 3408, method 3400 may involve removing a second amount of working fluid from the closed cycle fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the high pressure leg and a pressure tank. intermediate pressure, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure leg decreases and the pressure of the working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank increases.
[00270] In some embodiments, closing the first fluid connection may involve closing the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg reaches the first pressure value of
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150/158 threshold. In addition, in some embodiments, closing the first fluid connection may involve closing the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg reaches the first threshold pressure value.
[00271] Figure 35 is a flow chart that illustrates a 3500 method of controlling variable pressure inventory, according to an example modality. The 3500 method can be performed in whole or in part by a component or components of a closed loop system, such as the 3100 system and the 3200 system.
[00272] As shown by block 3502, method 3500 may involve, in a closed loop system, circulating a working fluid through a closed loop fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger , a turbine and a cold side heat exchanger. The closed-loop fluid path can include a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg.
[00273] As shown by block 3504, method 3500 may involve adding a first amount of working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the low pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, in that the intermediate pressure tank contains working fluid at a first storage pressure greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank decreases.
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151/158 [00274] As shown by block 3506, method 3500 may involve closing the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank reaches a first threshold pressure value.
[00275] As shown by block 3508, method 3500 may involve adding a second amount of working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the low pressure leg and a high pressure tank, in that the high pressure tank a second storage pressure higher than the first storage pressure and greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank decreases.
[00276] In some embodiments, the first threshold pressure value can be defined as an equilibrium pressure between the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank. In addition, in some embodiments, the first threshold pressure value can be defined as a pressure greater than an equilibrium pressure between the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank .
[00277] In addition, in some modalities, the 3500 method may also involve the operation of the closed-loop system in a power generation mode, in which a generator coupled to the turbine produces electrical energy; determine an operational condition of the power generation system; and define the
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152/158 first threshold pressure value based on the determination of the operational condition of the power generation system.
[00278] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the 3500 method may still involve closing the second fluid connection when the working fluid pressure in the high pressure tank reaches a second threshold pressure value. In some embodiments, the second threshold pressure value can be defined as an equilibrium pressure between the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg and the working fluid pressure in the high pressure tank. In addition, in some embodiments, the second threshold pressure value can be defined as a pressure greater than an equilibrium pressure between the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg and the working fluid pressure in the high pressure tank. . In addition, the 3500 method may also involve operating the closed-loop system in a power generation mode, in which a generator coupled to the turbine produces electrical energy; determine an operational condition of the power generation system; and defining the second threshold pressure value based on the determination of the operational condition of the power generation system.
[00279] Figure 36 is a flow chart illustrating a 3600 method of controlling variable pressure inventory, according to an example modality. Method 3 60 0 can be performed in whole or in part by a component or components of a closed loop system, such as the 3100 system and the 3200 system.
[00280] As shown by block 3602, method 3600 may involve in a closed cycle system, circulating a fluid
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153/158 working through a closed-loop fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger, a turbine and a cold-side heat exchanger. The closed loop fluid path can include a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg.
[00281] As shown by block 3604, method 3600 may involve adding a first amount of working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the low pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, in that the intermediate pressure tank contains working fluid at a first storage pressure greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank decreases.
[00282] As shown by block 3606, method 3600 may involve closing the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure reaches a first threshold pressure value.
[00283] As shown by block 3608, method 3600 may involve adding a second amount of working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the low pressure leg and a high pressure tank, in that the high pressure tank a second storage pressure higher than the first storage pressure and greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the
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154/158 working fluid pressure in the high pressure tank decreases.
[00284] In some embodiments, closing the first fluid connection may involve closing the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg reaches the first threshold pressure value. In addition, in some embodiments, closing the first fluid connection may involve closing the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg reaches the first threshold pressure value.
IV. Illustrative non-transient computer-readable medium [00285] Some or all of the functions described above and illustrated in Figures 33-36 can be performed by a computing device in response to the execution of instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The non-transitory computer readable medium can be, for example, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a flash memory, a cache memory, one or more magnetically encoded disks, one or more disks optically encrypted, or any other form of non-transitory data storage. The non-transitory computer-readable medium can also be distributed among several data storage elements, which can be located remotely from each other. The computing device that executes the stored instructions can be the 1901 computer system as described and illustrated in Figure 30.
[00286] The non-transient computer readable medium can store instructions executable by a processor
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155/158 (for example, 1905 CPU) to perform various functions. Functions may include, in a closed-loop system, circulating a working fluid through a closed-loop fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger, a turbine and a side-heat exchanger cold, in which the closed-loop fluid path comprises a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg; remove a first amount of working fluid from the closed-loop fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the high-pressure leg and a high-pressure tank, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure decreases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank increases; close the first fluid connection when the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank reaches a first threshold pressure value; and removing a second amount of working fluid from the closed-loop fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the high pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the leg pressure drops and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank increases.
[00287] In addition, functions may include in a closed-loop system, circulating a working fluid through a closed-loop fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger, a turbine and a cold side heat exchanger, where the closed loop fluid path comprises a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg; to remove
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156/158 a first amount of working fluid from the closed loop fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the high pressure leg and a high pressure tank, such that the working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg decreases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank increases; close the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure reaches a first threshold pressure value; and removing a second amount of working fluid from the closed-loop fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the high pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the leg pressure drops and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank increases.
[00288] In addition, the functions may include in a closed-loop system, circulating a working fluid through a closed-loop fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger, a turbine and a cold-side heat exchanger, wherein the closed-loop fluid path comprises a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg; add a first amount of working fluid to the closed-loop fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the low pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, where the intermediate pressure tank contains working fluid at a pressure of greater storage pressure than the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the
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157/158 working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank decreases; close the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank reaches a first threshold pressure value; and adding a second amount of working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the low pressure leg and a high pressure tank, where the high pressure tank contains working fluid to a second storage pressure greater than the first storage pressure and greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank decreases.
[00289] Furthermore, the functions can include in a closed cycle system, circulating a working fluid through a closed cycle fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger, a turbine and a cold-side heat exchanger, wherein the closed-loop fluid path comprises a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg; add a first amount of working fluid to the closed-loop fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the low pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, where the intermediate pressure tank contains working fluid at a pressure of greater storage than the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg, such that the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg increases and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank
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158/158 decreases; close the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure reaches a first threshold pressure value; and adding a second amount of working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the low pressure leg and a high pressure tank, where the high pressure tank contains working fluid to a second storage pressure greater than the first storage pressure and greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank decreases.
V. Conclusion [00290] Although several aspects and modalities have been disclosed here, other aspects and modalities will be evident to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and modalities disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to be limiting, the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.

权利要求:
Claims (23)
[1]
1. Method characterized by the fact that it comprises:
in a closed cycle system, circulate a working fluid through a closed cycle fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger, a turbine and a cold-side heat exchanger, where the closed loop fluid path comprises a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg;
remove a first amount of working fluid from the closed-loop fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the high-pressure leg and a high-pressure tank, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure decreases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank increases;
close the first fluid connection when the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank reaches a first threshold pressure value; and removing a second amount of working fluid from the closed-loop fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the high pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the leg pressure drops and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank increases.
[2]
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the closed cycle system comprises a closed Brayton cycle system.
[3]
3. Method according to claim 1, characterized
Petition 870190113040, of 11/05/2019, p. 7/16
2/8 by the fact that the first threshold pressure value is defined as an equilibrium pressure between the working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg and the working fluid pressure in the high pressure tank.
[4]
4. Method according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the first threshold pressure value is defined as a pressure less than an equilibrium pressure between the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure leg and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank.
[5]
5. Method, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that it also comprises:
operate the closed cycle system in a power generation mode, in which a generator coupled to the turbine produces electrical energy;
determine an operational condition of the power generation system; and to define the first threshold pressure value based on the determination of the operational condition of the power generation system.
[6]
6. Method according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that it further comprises closing the second fluid connection when the pressure of the working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank reaches a second threshold pressure value.
[7]
7. Method according to claim 6, characterized by the fact that the second threshold pressure value is defined as an equilibrium pressure between the working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank.
Petition 870190113040, of 11/05/2019, p. 8/16
3/8
[8]
8. Method according to claim 6, characterized by the fact that the second threshold pressure value is defined as a pressure less than an equilibrium pressure between the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure leg and the pressure of the working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank.
[9]
9. Method, according to claim 6, characterized by the fact that it also comprises:
operate the closed cycle system in a power generation mode, in which a generator coupled to the turbine produces electrical energy;
determine an operational condition of the power generation system; and defining the second threshold pressure value based on the determination of the operational condition of the power generation system.
[10]
10. Method characterized by the fact that it comprises:
in a closed cycle system, circulate a working fluid through a closed cycle fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger, a turbine and a cold-side heat exchanger, where the closed loop fluid path comprises a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg;
remove a first amount of working fluid from the closed-loop fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the high-pressure leg and a high-pressure tank, such that the working fluid pressure in the high pressure decreases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank
Petition 870190113040, of 11/05/2019, p. 9/16
4/8 increases;
close the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure reaches a first threshold pressure value; and removing a second amount of working fluid from the closed-loop fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the high pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the leg pressure drops and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank increases.
[11]
11. Method according to claim 10, characterized by the fact that closing the first fluid connection comprises closing the first fluid connection when the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure leg reaches the first threshold pressure value .
[12]
12. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that the closing of the first fluid connection comprises closing the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg reaches the first threshold pressure value .
[13]
13. Method characterized by the fact that it comprises:
in a closed cycle system, circulate a working fluid through a closed cycle fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger, a turbine and a cold-side heat exchanger, where the closed loop fluid path comprises a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg;
add a first amount of working fluid
Petition 870190113040, of 11/05/2019, p. 10/16
5/8 to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the low pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, where the intermediate pressure tank contains working fluid at a storage pressure greater than that pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank decreases;
close the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank reaches a first threshold pressure value; and adding a second amount of working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the low pressure leg and a high pressure tank, where the high pressure tank contains working fluid to a second storage pressure greater than the first storage pressure and greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank decreases.
[14]
14. Method according to claim 13, characterized by the fact that the first threshold pressure value is defined as an equilibrium pressure between the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank.
[15]
15. Method according to claim 13, characterized by the fact that the first pressure value
Petition 870190113040, of 11/05/2019, p. 11/16
6/8 threshold is defined as a pressure greater than an equilibrium pressure between the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg and the working fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure tank.
[16]
16. Method, according to claim 13, characterized by the fact that it further comprises:
operate the closed cycle system in a power generation mode, in which a generator coupled to the turbine produces electrical energy;
determine an operational condition of the power generation system; and to define the first threshold pressure value based on the determination of the operational condition of the power generation system.
[17]
17. Method according to claim 13, characterized in that it further comprises closing the second fluid connection when the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank reaches a second threshold pressure value.
[18]
18. Method according to claim 17, characterized by the fact that the second threshold pressure value is defined as an equilibrium pressure between the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg and the working fluid pressure in the high pressure tank.
[19]
19. Method, according to claim 17, characterized by the fact that the second threshold pressure value is defined as a pressure greater than an equilibrium pressure between the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank.
Petition 870190113040, of 11/05/2019, p. 12/16
7/8
[20]
20. Method, according to claim 17, characterized by the fact that it further comprises:
operate the closed cycle system in a power generation mode, in which a generator coupled to the turbine produces electrical energy;
determine an operational condition of the power generation system; and defining the second threshold pressure value based on the determination of the operational condition of the power generation system.
[21]
21. Method characterized by the fact that it comprises:
in a closed cycle system, circulate a working fluid through a closed cycle fluid path including, in sequence, a compressor, a hot-side heat exchanger, a turbine and a cold-side heat exchanger, where the closed loop fluid path comprises a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg;
add a first amount of working fluid to the closed-loop fluid path by opening a first fluid connection between the low pressure leg and an intermediate pressure tank, where the intermediate pressure tank contains working fluid at a pressure of storage greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the intermediate pressure tank decreases;
close the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure reaches a first pressure value of
Petition 870190113040, of 11/05/2019, p. 13/16
8/8 threshold; and adding a second amount of working fluid to the closed cycle fluid path by opening a second fluid connection between the low pressure leg and a high pressure tank, where the high pressure tank contains working fluid to a second storage pressure greater than the first storage pressure and greater than the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg, such that the pressure of the working fluid in the low pressure leg increases and the pressure of the working fluid in the high pressure tank decreases.
[22]
22. Method according to claim 21, characterized in that the closing of the first fluid connection comprises closing the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure in the high pressure leg reaches the first threshold pressure value .
[23]
23. Method according to claim 21, characterized in that the closing of the first fluid connection comprises closing the first fluid connection when the working fluid pressure in the low pressure leg reaches the first threshold pressure value .

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同族专利:

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公开号 | 公开日

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US20200025042A1|2020-01-23|

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CA3087031A1|2018-07-05|

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CN110325725A|2019-10-11|

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AU2017386955B2|2020-08-20|

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US20180179917A1|2018-06-28|

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US20210164404A1|2021-06-03|

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EP3563049A4|2020-08-12|

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AU2017386955A1|2019-07-18|

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EP3563049A2|2019-11-06|

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AU2020273366A1|2020-12-17|

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US10458284B2|2019-10-29|

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WO2018125511A3|2018-09-20|

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US10920674B2|2021-02-16|

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WO2018125511A2|2018-07-05|

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CA3087031C|2021-10-26|

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法律状态:
2021-10-13| B350| Update of information on the portal [chapter 15.35 patent gazette]|

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2022-01-25| B06W| Patent application suspended after preliminary examination (for patents with searches from other patent authorities) chapter 6.23 patent gazette]|

优先权:

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申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题

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US15/392,927|2016-12-28|

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US15/392,927|US10458284B2|2016-12-28|2016-12-28|Variable pressure inventory control of closed cycle system with a high pressure tank and an intermediate pressure tank|

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PCT/US2017/064076|WO2018125511A2|2016-12-28|2017-11-30|Variable pressure inventory control of closed cycle system with a high pressure tank and an intermediate pressure tank|

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