Thermal energy storage (TES) includes at least two blocks or zones operated with respect to charging and discharging of thermal energy by flowing a heat transfer fluid (HTF) through the block or zone; an inlet charging manifold, an outlet charging manifold, an inlet pipe arranged from the inlet charging manifold to each block or zone; an outlet from each block or zone; and one or more of the valves: a flow control valve (v.sub.i1; v.sub.a1, . . . v.sub.e1) arranged in at least one of block or zone inlet pipes, inlets, outlets and outlet pipes, for control of flow through the block or zone, a bypass valve (v.sub.i2; v.sub.a2, . . . v.sub.e2) arranged in inlet charging side pipe sections between inlet pipe and serial flow return for the block or zone, for bypassing flow and serial flow control.

A heat store for storing at least 100 MWh of thermal energy of a relatively warmer gas in a charging state and for giving off thermal energy to a relatively colder gas in a discharging state is provided. In the charging state, the heat store has at least one inflow surface, provided with inflow openings, for introducing the gas, and at least one outflow surface, provided with outflow openings, for discharging the gas after giving off heat to a granular heat storage medium, wherein the inflow surface is formed at least in certain portions into a channel which is surrounded, in particular completely, by the outflow surface, and wherein an intermediate space in which the granular heat storage medium is arranged is defined between the inflow surface and the outflow surface.

Methods, systems, and devices are provided for thermal enhancement. Thermal enhancement may include absorbing heat from one or more devices. In some cases, this may improve the efficiency of the one or more devices. In general, a phase transition may be induced in a storage material. The storage material may be combined with a freeze point suppressant in order to reduce its melt point. The mixture may be used to boost the performance of device, such as an electrical generator, a heat engine, a refrigerator, and/or a freezer. The freeze point suppressant and storage material may be separated. By delaying the periods between each stage by prescribed amounts, the methods, systems, and devices may be able to shift the availability of electricity to the user and/or otherwise boost a device at different times in some cases.

Methods, systems, and devices are provided for thermal enhancement. Thermal enhancement may include absorbing heat from one or more devices. In some cases, this may improve the efficiency of the one or more devices. In general, a phase transition may be induced in a storage material. The storage material may be combined with a freeze point suppressant in order to reduce its melt point. The mixture may be used to boost the performance of device, such as an electrical generator, a heat engine, a refrigerator, and/or a freezer. The freeze point suppressant and storage material may be separated. By delaying the periods between each stage by prescribed amounts, the methods, systems, and devices may be able to shift the availability of electricity to the user and/or otherwise boost a device at different times in some cases.

A heat exchanger module unit that provides heat exchange between a fluid and a heat medium by indirect heat exchange through a phase-change material disposed between movement paths of the fluid and the heat medium movement paths, includes: a multiple number of plates having a partition, which is formed with a through-hole through which the fluid and the heat medium move, are stacked with a spacing gap, through which the fluid and the heat medium move, at one side of the partition; the spacing gaps are selectively connected through a connector connecting the respective through-holes so as to form a fluid passage and a heat medium passage through which the fluid and the heat medium move independently respectively; the spacing gap, in which the phase-change material is received, is located and disposed between the spacing gaps forming the fluid passage and the heat medium passage through which the fluid and the heat medium move respectively such that heat exchange is made between the fluid and the heat medium through the phase-change material. One of the fluid and the heat medium is disposed at one side of the phase-change material and another phase-change material is disposed at the opposite side thereof.

An inner power plant portion and a heat exchange station portion. The inner power plant portion includes a heat exchanger, a waste heat recovery electric heat pump, an energy-storing electric heat pump, high/low temperature water storing tanks, a heating network heater, a valve and a circulating water pump; the heat exchange station portion includes high/low temperature water storing tanks, an electric heat pump, a heat exchanger, a valve and a circulating water pump; as for the operating method of the device, the device can operate in periods of an electrical load trough, an electrical load flat and an electrical load peak respectively through combination of different valve switches, the high temperature water storing tank is used for balancing the difference between system heat supply amount and heating load, the low temperature water storing tank is used for stabilizing steam exhaust waste heat recovery amount.

A support structure for a rotary regenerative machine or rotary absorption machine (RAM), the support structure including an upper stator and a lower stator axially spaced apart from one another by a first segment of at least two pedestals, the first segment of each pedestal extending between the upper stator and the lower stator, and an upper rotor bearing housing mount disposed above a lower surface of the upper stator, the rotor bearing housing mount is attached to the upper stator by at least one radially extending bearing support structure, wherein a radially inner end of at least one of the radially extending bearing support structure is attached to the bearing housing mount and a radially outer end of the at least one radially extending bearing support structure is proximate a top portion of the first segment of each of the pedestals.

A regenerative heat exchanger includes an inlet and an outlet in communication with the inlet. The heat exchanger is configured to operate in two modes. A first mode uses only an ambient flow to cool a hot flow and a second mode uses both the ambient flow and a regenerative flow to cool the hot flow.

A regenerative heat exchanger includes an inlet and an outlet in communication with the inlet. The heat exchanger is configured to operate in two modes. A first mode uses only an ambient flow to cool a hot flow and a second mode uses both the ambient flow and a regenerative flow to cool the hot flow.

Methods, systems, and devices are provided for thermal enhancement. Thermal enhancement may include absorbing heat from one or more devices. In some cases, this may improve the efficiency of the one or more devices. In general, a phase transition may be induced in a storage material. The storage material may be combined with a freeze point suppressant in order to reduce its melt point. The mixture may be used to boost the performance of device, such as an electrical generator, a heat engine, a refrigerator, and/or a freezer. The freeze point suppressant and storage material may be separated. By delaying the periods between each stage by prescribed amounts, the methods, systems, and devices may be able to shift the availability of electricity to the user and/or otherwise boost a device at different times in some cases.