A compressed fluid storage power generation device including a compressor and compressor bodies for compressing a working fluid; a pressure accumulation tank for storing the working fluid compressed by the compressor bodies; a power generator having expanders which are driven by the working fluid and a power generator body which is driven by the expanders; high-temperature heat recovery units for recovering heat from the working fluid flowing from the compressor bodies into the pressure accumulation tank; high-temperature heating units for heating, with the recovered heat, the working fluid flowing from the pressure accumulation tank into the expanders; a low-temperature heat recovery unit for recovering heat generated in a low-temperature heat generation section of the compressor and/or power generator into a low-temperature heat carrier; and low-temperature heating units for heating the working fluid by means of heat exchange with the low-temperature heat carrier carrying the heat recovered by the low-temperature heat recovery unit.

A supercritical carbon dioxide power generation Brayton cycle system and method that employs an alternate heat recuperation method and apparatus that utilizes switched banks of bead filled tanks to accumulate and recover the thermal energy of the two streams of working fluid in such a way that the variable thermal properties of the supercritical carbon dioxide can be accommodated without significant loss of thermal efficiency.

A supercritical carbon dioxide power generation Brayton cycle system and method that employs an alternate heat recuperation method and apparatus that utilizes switched banks of bead filled tanks to accumulate and recover the thermal energy of the two streams of working fluid in such a way that the variable thermal properties of the supercritical carbon dioxide can be accommodated without significant loss of thermal efficiency.

Supply assembly for a turbine of a solar thermodynamic system provided with plural multiple parabolic mirrors for heating a first thermal carrier fluid contained in a tank to a first temperature, comprising a column structure provided at the upper part with an exit. The column structure comprises: a lower portion provided with two inlets connected to the tank to be supplied with the first thermal carrier fluid, the lower portion comprising first and second heat exchangers supplied with a second thermal carrier fluid respectively to an overheated temperature and re-overheating temperature; an upper portion fluidically connected with the lower portion, the upper portion comprising a boiler to bring the second fluid from a pre-heating temperature to a boiling temperature, and a cylindrical body arranged on the boiler; a pre-heating and supplying structure for heating the second thermal carrier fluid to the pre-heating temperature and supply it to the column structure.

Supply assembly for a turbine of a solar thermodynamic system provided with plural multiple parabolic mirrors for heating a first thermal carrier fluid contained in a tank to a first temperature, comprising a column structure provided at the upper part with an exit. The column structure comprises: a lower portion provided with two inlets connected to the tank to be supplied with the first thermal carrier fluid, the lower portion comprising first and second heat exchangers supplied with a second thermal carrier fluid respectively to an overheated temperature and re-overheating temperature; an upper portion fluidically connected with the lower portion, the upper portion comprising a boiler to bring the second fluid from a pre-heating temperature to a boiling temperature, and a cylindrical body arranged on the boiler; a pre-heating and supplying structure for heating the second thermal carrier fluid to the pre-heating temperature and supply it to the column structure.

A method for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy in a thermodynamic cycle includes placing a thermal energy source in thermal communication with a heat exchanger arranged in a working fluid circuit containing a working fluid (e.g., sc-CO2) and having a high pressure side and a low pressure side. The method also includes regulating an amount of working fluid within the working fluid circuit via a mass management system having a working fluid vessel, pumping the working fluid through the working fluid circuit, and expanding the working fluid to generate mechanical energy. The method further includes directing the working fluid away from the expander through the working fluid circuit, controlling a flow of the working fluid in a supercritical state from the high pressure side to the working fluid vessel, and controlling a flow of the working fluid from the working fluid vessel to the low pressure side.

An organic Rankine cycle system (100, 110, 120) with direct exchange and in cascade comprising a high temperature organic Rankine cycle (10) which carries out the direct heat exchange with a hot source (H) and a low temperature organic Rankine cycle (10′) in thermal communication with the high temperature cycle (10). The organic Rankine cycle system (100, 110, 120) is configured in a way that the thermal communication between the cycles (10, 10′) takes place through at least one heat exchanger (3) configured to use at least the condensation heat of the high temperature cycle to vaporize and/or preheat the working fluid of the low temperature organic Rankine cycle fluid and through a heat exchanger (4) configured to operate as working fluid sub-cooler for the high temperature organic Rankine cycle (10) and as a working fluid preheater for the low temperature organic Rankine cycle (10′).

A solar hybrid power plant comprises a combustion turbine generator, a steam power system, a solar thermal system, and an energy storage system. Heat from the solar thermal system, from the energy storage system, or from the solar thermal system and the energy storage system is used to generate steam in the steam power system. Heat from the combustion turbine generator exhaust gas may be used primarily for single phase heating of water or steam in the steam power system. Alternatively, heat from the combustion turbine generator exhaust gas may be used in parallel with the energy storage system and/or the solar thermal system to generate steam, and additionally to super heat steam. Both the combustion turbine generator and the steam power system may generate electricity.

A steam turbine system uses a laser to instantaneously vaporize water in a nozzle within a turbine. This steam is then used to rotate the turbine. Thus, the turbine system does not require an external boiler. The steam turbine system may be used in either an open system, where the steam passing through the turbine is not condensed and reused, or a closed system, where the steam passing through the turbine is condensed and reused.

A method, system, and apparatus for the thermal storage of nuclear reactor generated energy including diverting a selected portion of energy from a portion of a nuclear reactor system to an auxiliary thermal reservoir and, responsive to a shutdown event, supplying a portion of the diverted selected portion of energy to an energy conversion system of the nuclear reactor system.