The present disclosure relates to thermochemical heat storage units. The teachings thereof may be embodied in systems and methods for operating, including charging and discharging, a thermochemical heat storage unit. For example, a method for operating a thermochemical heat storage unit may include: producing a first steam and feeding it to a heat exchanger; partially condensing the steam with release of its thermal energy, in the heat exchanger; subsequently pressurizing water condensed from the steam; feeding the pressurized water to the heat exchanger; evaporating the water into a second steam; and storing at least a portion of the second steam in a steam storage unit.

An invention proposes a novel steam accumulator, which is designed as a multilayer reservoir with application of phase change materials (PCM) for alternative steam condensationcondensate's evaporation in cycles of periodic charging-discharging such steam accumulator.

PCM is contained in sealed impermeable packs, which are placed vertically on metal trays; the metal trays are arranged in a multilayer form in a thermo-insulated reservoir.

Fabric or wire netting components, serving as wicks, ensure nearly complete wetting of the sealed packs' exterior surfaces by the condensate during its evaporation, facilitated by the melted PCM within the packs.

A method for energy storage with co-production of peaking power and liquefied natural gas (LNG) which integrates the processes of liquid air energy storage and reduction in pressure of natural gas through expander at the co-located city gate station and includes consumption of excessive power from the grid, mechanical power of the natural gas expander and cold thermal energy of expanded natural gas for charging the storage with a liquid air during off-peak hours and production of peaking (on-demand) power by the expanders of natural gas and highly-pressurized re-gasified air with recovering the cold thermal energy of expanded natural gas and regasified liquid air for liquefying a part of delivered natural gas at the city gate station and energy storage facility.

A method for energy storage with co-production of peaking power and liquefied natural gas (LNG) which integrates the processes of liquid air energy storage and reduction in pressure of natural gas through expander at the co-located city gate station and includes consumption of excessive power from the grid, mechanical power of the natural gas expander and cold thermal energy of expanded natural gas for charging the storage with a liquid air during off-peak hours and production of peaking (on-demand) power by the expanders of natural gas and highly-pressurized re-gasified air with recovering the cold thermal energy of expanded natural gas and regasified liquid air for liquefying a part of delivered natural gas at the city gate station and energy storage facility.

Techniques for subsurface thermal energy storage of heat generated by concentrating solar power enable smoothing of available energy with respect to daily and/or seasonal variation. Solar thermal collectors produce saturated steam that is injected into a producing or wholly/partially depleted oil reservoir that operates as a heat storage reservoir. Some of the saturated steam generated by the collectors is optionally used to generate electricity. Heat is withdrawn from the reservoir as saturated steam and is used to operate an active thermal recovery project (such as a producing thermally enhanced oil reservoir) and/or to generate electricity. Withdrawn heat is optionally augmented by heat produced by firing natural gas. The reservoir is optionally one that has been used for thermally enhanced oil recovery and thus is already warm, minimizing heat losses.

An energy system having a) one or more catalyst sources which store a catalyst; b) one or more water sources which store water; c) one or more heat sources which store a heat storage medium; d) one or more reaction chambers into which the water, the catalyst, and the heat storage medium are introduced, which are configured for an exothermic reaction between the catalyst and the water to take place while in the presence of the heat storage medium, and in which steam is generated from the exothermic reaction; and f) one or more turbines downstream of the one or more reaction chambers which are adapted to be driven by the steam generated within the one or more reaction chambers.

An energy system having a) one or more catalyst sources which store a catalyst; b) one or more water sources which store water; c) one or more heat sources which store a heat storage medium; d) one or more reaction chambers into which the water, the catalyst, and the heat storage medium are introduced, which are configured for an exothermic reaction between the catalyst and the water to take place while in the presence of the heat storage medium, and in which steam is generated from the exothermic reaction; and f) one or more turbines downstream of the one or more reaction chambers which are adapted to be driven by the steam generated within the one or more reaction chambers.

A solar plant including a solar field for production of steam, a turbine using steam, and an excess steam storage and draw off system. The system includes a latent heat thermal storage module and a liquid displacement thermal storage module including a liquid volume and a steam blanket. The modules are connected together so that the steam produced passes through the steam blanket before passing through the latent heat module, condensing, to be injected in the liquid volume, the lower part of the liquid volume being connected to the solar field and to an outlet of the turbine to let in or return cold liquid. The liquid volume acts as a liquid displacement reservoir.

A solar plant including a solar field for production of steam, a turbine using steam, and an excess steam storage and draw off system. The system includes a latent heat thermal storage module and a liquid displacement thermal storage module including a liquid volume and a steam blanket. The modules are connected together so that the steam produced passes through the steam blanket before passing through the latent heat module, condensing, to be injected in the liquid volume, the lower part of the liquid volume being connected to the solar field and to an outlet of the turbine to let in or return cold liquid. The liquid volume acts as a liquid displacement reservoir.

A system for using excess energy of a power generation system and an sCO2 (supercritical carbon dioxide) stream to store and generate power. An air separation unit uses the excess energy to cool and liquify ambient air into liquid nitrogen (L-N2) and liquid oxygen (L-O2). The L-O2 and L-N2 are stored until energy is desired. An L-O2 energy discharge path has an oxygen heat exchanger that vaporizes and heats the oxygen, a combustor that combusts the oxygen and fuel to produce exhaust, and a first turbine is driven by the exhaust to produce energy. An L-N2 energy discharge path has a nitrogen heat exchanger that vaporizes and heats the L-N2, thereby providing expanded nitrogen, and a second turbine is driven by the expanded nitrogen to produce energy. Heat for the heat exchangers on both discharge paths is provided by the sCO2 stream.