A power plant with at least one steam cycle and with at least one high temperature thermal energy (heat) exchange system is provided. The high temperature thermal energy exchange system includes at least one heat exchange chamber with chamber boundaries which surround at least one heat exchange chamber interior of the heat exchange chamber. The chamber boundaries include at least one inlet opening for guiding in an inflow of at least one heat transfer fluid into the heat exchange chamber interior and at least one outlet opening for guiding out an outflow of the heat transfer fluid out of the heat exchange chamber interior; at least one heat storage material is arranged in the heat exchange chamber interior such that a heat exchange flow of the heat transfer fluid through the heat exchange chamber interior causes a heat exchange between the heat storage material and the heat transfer fluid.

A method for operating a regenerative heat storage arrangement, wherein the heat storage arrangement has a gas heater for heating a carrier gas; a heat storage row with multiple heat storage modules; and at least one compressor. During a loading cycle, carrier gas heated in the gas heater flows through at least one heat reservoir module, which is thermally charged by the transfer of heat from the heated carrier gas to a heat storage material of the heat reservoir module. The carrier gas is cooled during the charging process. If, after the charging of a heat reservoir module, the carrier gas temperature reaches or exceeds a minimum charging temperature for a subsequent heat reservoir module, the carrier gas is fed to the subsequent heat reservoir module for charging. The carrier gas is recirculated back to the gas heater if the carrier gas temperature falls below the minimum charging temperature.

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.

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.

Disclosed is an air heating apparatus including a burner configured to cause a combustion reaction, a heat exchanging device configured to receive heat from combustion gas generated by the combustion reaction and heat water, a heating heat exchanger configured to receive the water heated by the heat exchanging device and exchange heat with the air for heating, a main passage, in which the heat exchanging device and the heating heat exchanger are disposed, and configured such that the water flows therethrough while circulating, and a fan configured to blow the air to the heating heat exchanger.

Disclosed is an air heating apparatus including a burner configured to cause a combustion reaction, a heat exchanging device configured to receive heat from combustion gas generated by the combustion reaction and heat water, a heating heat exchanger configured to receive the water heated by the heat exchanging device and exchange heat with the air for heating, a main passage, in which the heat exchanging device and the heating heat exchanger are disposed, and configured such that the water flows therethrough while circulating, and a fan configured to blow the air to the heating heat exchanger.

A rotary counter-current solid/fluid contact apparatus is developed to enhance the efficiency of adsorption, ion exchange and regenerative heat exchange. The counter-current apparatus uses a rotor to direct fluids to multiple stationary columns. By the action of the rotor, counter-current flows of a fluid phase and a solid phase can be achieved for a combined adsorption and desorption cycle, or a combined heating and cooling cycle. The apparatus allows not only countercurrent solid-fluid flows based on columns in series, but also countercurrent solid-fluid flows in the length of each individual column. A method is also disclosed.

A rotary counter-current solid/fluid contact apparatus is developed to enhance the efficiency of adsorption, ion exchange and regenerative heat exchange. The counter-current apparatus uses a rotor to direct fluids to multiple stationary columns. By the action of the rotor, counter-current flows of a fluid phase and a solid phase can be achieved for a combined adsorption and desorption cycle, or a combined heating and cooling cycle. The apparatus allows not only countercurrent solid-fluid flows based on columns in series, but also countercurrent solid-fluid flows in the length of each individual column. A method is also disclosed.

An arrangement for receiving and/or releasing, in particular storing, thermal energy, including: a container for holding storage material, the container having a first fluid port and a second fluid port for allowing inflow and outflow of fluid flowing through the container in a substantially horizontal flow direction for charging and/or discharging the storage material; at least two first valves at different vertical positions for the first fluid port; at least two second valves at different vertical positions for the second fluid port; and at least two temperature sensors arranged within the container at different vertical positions, in particular in one plane perpendicular to the flow direction.

An arrangement for receiving and/or releasing, in particular storing, thermal energy, including: a container for holding storage material, the container having a first fluid port and a second fluid port for allowing inflow and outflow of fluid flowing through the container in a substantially horizontal flow direction for charging and/or discharging the storage material; at least two first valves at different vertical positions for the first fluid port; at least two second valves at different vertical positions for the second fluid port; and at least two temperature sensors arranged within the container at different vertical positions, in particular in one plane perpendicular to the flow direction.