A thermal regenerator apparatus is disclosed including a regenerator medium having a plurality of flow passages extending between first and second ports, the flow passages facilitating back and forth fluid flow in a generally transverse direction between the first and second ports while the medium alternatively receives thermal energy from and delivers thermal energy to the fluid. The regenerator medium includes a plurality of overlying foils, each foil having a plurality of channels extending through the foil, the channels having beveled sidewalls. The channels have a width and spacing in the transverse direction and channels in each adjacent overlying foil are transversely offset such that each channel spans between and is in fluid communication with a pair of channels in the adjacent foils and the beveled sidewalls of the channels redirect fluid flow between channels in adjacent foils to form the flow passages. The channels are elongated along the foil in a longitudinal direction orthogonal to the transverse direction and divided by foil bridges extending transversely, the foil bridges being sized to reduce thermal conduction through the medium in the transverse direction.

A thermal regenerator apparatus is disclosed including a regenerator medium having a plurality of flow passages extending between first and second ports, the flow passages facilitating back and forth fluid flow in a generally transverse direction between the first and second ports while the medium alternatively receives thermal energy from and delivers thermal energy to the fluid. The regenerator medium includes a plurality of overlying foils, each foil having a plurality of channels extending through the foil, the channels having beveled sidewalls. The channels have a width and spacing in the transverse direction and channels in each adjacent overlying foil are transversely offset such that each channel spans between and is in fluid communication with a pair of channels in the adjacent foils and the beveled sidewalls of the channels redirect fluid flow between channels in adjacent foils to form the flow passages. The channels are elongated along the foil in a longitudinal direction orthogonal to the transverse direction and divided by foil bridges extending transversely, the foil bridges being sized to reduce thermal conduction through the medium in the transverse direction.

A heat regenerating material particle of an embodiment contains a heat regenerating substance having a maximum value of specific heat at a temperature of 20 K or less is 0.3 J/cm.sup.3.Math.K or more, and one metal element selected from the group consisting of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), beryllium (Be), strontium (Sr), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and cobalt (Co). The heat regenerating material particle includes a first region and a second region, the second region is closer to an outer edge of the heat regenerating material particle than the first region, and the second region has a higher concentration of the metal element than the first region.

A heat regenerating material particle of an embodiment contains a heat regenerating substance having a maximum value of specific heat at a temperature of 20 K or less is 0.3 J/cm.sup.3.Math.K or more, and one metal element selected from the group consisting of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), beryllium (Be), strontium (Sr), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and cobalt (Co). The heat regenerating material particle includes a first region and a second region, the second region is closer to an outer edge of the heat regenerating material particle than the first region, and the second region has a higher concentration of the metal element than the first region.

A regenerative post-combustion device which has, along a longitudinal axis, a combustion chamber, a heat exchanger space, which is divided into at least two heat exchanger segments each filled with heat exchanger material, a distribution space which, corresponding to the heat exchanger space, having at least two distribution segments which each communicate with a heat exchanger segment, and a distribution device having at least one exhaust gas passage opening and at least one clean gas passage opening, wherein the exhaust gas passage opening is arranged angularly offset to the clean gas passage opening such that the exhaust gas passage opening communicates with a first distribution segment and the clean gas passage opening communicates with a second distribution segment different from the first distribution segment, and the exhaust gas passage opening and the clean gas passage opening are located at different radial distances from the vertical axis of the post-combustion device. The distribution space has a shut-off device and a bypass line for at least one distribution space segment, the shut-off device being configured such that a partial volume flow can be diverted from the associated heat exchanger segment via the bypass line instead of through the exhaust gas passage opening or/and the clean gas passage opening.

A regenerative post-combustion device which has, along a longitudinal axis, a combustion chamber, a heat exchanger space, which is divided into at least two heat exchanger segments each filled with heat exchanger material, a distribution space which, corresponding to the heat exchanger space, having at least two distribution segments which each communicate with a heat exchanger segment, and a distribution device having at least one exhaust gas passage opening and at least one clean gas passage opening, wherein the exhaust gas passage opening is arranged angularly offset to the clean gas passage opening such that the exhaust gas passage opening communicates with a first distribution segment and the clean gas passage opening communicates with a second distribution segment different from the first distribution segment, and the exhaust gas passage opening and the clean gas passage opening are located at different radial distances from the vertical axis of the post-combustion device. The distribution space has a shut-off device and a bypass line for at least one distribution space segment, the shut-off device being configured such that a partial volume flow can be diverted from the associated heat exchanger segment via the bypass line instead of through the exhaust gas passage opening or/and the clean gas passage opening.

A thermal energy storage system includes a firebrick checkerwork and an electrode. The firebrick checkerwork includes one or more conductive firebrick layers, each including a plurality of electrically conductive doped metal oxide firebricks with one or more airflow vents. The electrode includes one or more electrode firebrick layers, each layer including a plurality of electrode firebricks. The firebrick checkerwork is heated due to application of electrical power to the electrode. Air flowing through the firebrick checkerwork may then be heated for use in heat-related applications (e.g., an industrial application, commercial application, residential application, transportation application, etc.) some of which may relate to electricity production or in other applications which may relate to other purposes that require heat that are unrelated to electricity production.

A pressurized cavity is provided around at least a portion or all of a regenerator, within which gas such as flue gas is maintained at a pressure in excess of the pressure within the regenerator, to protect against leakage of gas through the walls of the regenerator.

A pressurized cavity is provided around at least a portion or all of a regenerator, within which gas such as flue gas is maintained at a pressure in excess of the pressure within the regenerator, to protect against leakage of gas through the walls of the regenerator.

In order to provide a method for the purification of a raw gas stream containing water vapour that is simple and cost-efficient to perform, it is proposed that the method should comprise the following: feeding the raw gas stream to a reforming region in which contaminants in the raw gas stream react chemically with the water vapour in the raw gas stream, as a result of which a reformed raw gas stream is obtained; feeding the reformed raw gas stream and an oxidising agent stream to an oxidation region in which constituent parts of the reformed raw gas stream react chemically with oxidising agent of the oxidising agent stream, as a result of which a clean gas stream is obtained. Moreover, optionally a closed-loop control of the oxygen content is provided. Further, it is optionally provided for the clean gas stream to be fed to a condenser, as a result of which the volumetric flow of the clean gas stream is reduced and/or as a result of which energy can be recovered and used for pre-heating the oxidising agent and for other production processes.