A dry-cooling system useful in absorbing heat from a heat source and related dry cooling methods including a depolymerization cooling unit (DCU) in fluid communication with a polymerization heating unit (PHU). The DCU includes a DCU heat exchanger which receives a polymer and a catalyst, wherein contact of the polymer and the catalyst within the DCU heat exchanger causes an endothermic reaction, converting the polymer to a monomer and drawing heat from a first heat source. The monomer is then withdrawn from the DCU. The PHU includes a PHU heat exchanger, which receives the monomer, wherein contact of the monomer with the catalyst causes an exothermic reaction within the PHU heat exchanger, converting the monomer to the polymer. The polymer is then withdrawn from the PHU for conveyance back to the DCU, and the cycle is repeated.

A solar collector energy conversion system has a solar collector apparatus adapted to collect sunlight at a collection location and direct it to one or more light transport guides for transporting the sunlight to a conversion location separate from the collection location, and a solar energy conversion apparatus arranged at the conversion location and adapted to receive sunlight transported by the light transport guides and to convert the transported sunlight to an alternative form of energy.

A device (100) for storing heat/cold, by transfer from a charge fluid, for re-use by transfer to a discharge fluid, comprising: an external rigid container (102) and a storage assembly (118) inside an internal rigid container (116) for calorie/frigorie storage; a cold external interface (104.sub.1) on a wall (106) of the external container (102), communicating with a cold internal interface (110.sub.1) on the storage module (108), for passage of cold fluids between the cold external interface (104.sub.1) and the storage module (108); and a hot external interface (104.sub.2) on a wall (106) of the external container (102), communicating with a hot internal interface (110.sub.2) arranged on the storage module (108), for passage of hot fluids between the hot external interface (104.sub.2) and the storage module (108), the cold and hot external interfaces (104.sub.1, 104.sub.2) being on a single wall (106.sub.1) or on adjacent walls (106) of the external container (102).

Systems and methods are provided for charging a pumped thermal energy storage (PTES) system. A system may include a compressor or pump configured to circulate a working fluid within a fluid circuit, wherein the working fluid enters the pump at a first pressure and exits at a second pressure; a first heat exchanger through which the working fluid circulates in use; a second heat exchanger through which the working fluid circulates in use; a third heat exchanger through which the working fluid circulates in use, a turbine positioned between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, configured to expand the working fluid to the first pressure; a high temperature reservoir connected to the first heat exchanger; a low temperature reservoir connected to the second heat exchanger, and a waste heat reservoir connected to the third heat exchanger.

Systems and methods are provided for generating electricity via a pumped thermal energy storage (PTES) system. A system may include a pump configured to circulate a working fluid within a fluid circuit, wherein the working fluid enters the pump at a first pressure and exits at a second pressure; a first heat exchanger; a second heat exchanger; a turbine positioned between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, configured to expand a first portion of the working fluid to the first pressure; a heat rejection heat exchanger configured to remove thermal energy from a second portion of the working fluid; a high temperature reservoir connected to the first heat exchanger; and a low temperature reservoir connected to the second heat exchanger.

A method of pumping a heat transfer fluid in a thermal energy storage system comprising a first thermal energy storage tank connected to a second thermal energy storage tank via a bi-directional flow member. The first and second thermal energy storage tanks are associated with a pressure vessel system comprising a first and second pressure vessel each pressure vessel being partially fillable with an actuating liquid, wherein, the method for pumping comprises: displacing the actuating liquid from the first pressure vessel to the second pressure vessel, thereby creating a pressure difference in the first thermal energy storage tank with respect to the second thermal energy storage tank, and therein displacing the heat transfer fluid via the bi-directional flow member.

Thermal battery systems for management (e.g., load management) of electrical power sources, and related methods, are generally described. Thermal battery systems in certain embodiments have an electric heater, a thermal storage system, a heat exchange system and an electricity generator. The electric heater is configured to be connected in electrical communication with an electric power source, such as an electric power grid and to heat the thermal storage system. The electric heater may be a separate unit from the thermal storage system and heat the thermal storage system indirectly by heating a first fluid that is circulated through the thermal storage system during charging, or the electric heater may be integrated directly into the thermal storage system to heat it directly. The thermal storage system is configured to store thermal energy from the electric heater during a charging mode of the thermal storage system, and to heat the first fluid, which is then supplied to a heat exchange system during a discharging mode of the thermal storage system. The heat exchange system comprises at least one heat exchanger, and in some cases, at least a first and a second heat exchanger connected in series. The heat exchange system is positioned downstream from the thermal storage system and is configured to transfer heat from the heated first fluid to a second compressed fluid. The electricity generator may comprise at least one gas turbine and compressor. The compressor is configured to supply the second compressed fluid to the heat exchange system. The turbine is positioned with an inlet in fluid communication with and downstream from the heat exchange system so that the heated compressed second fluid is discharged from an outlet of the heat exchange system into the inlet of the turbine so that the turbine is able to generate electrical power therefrom. The power generated can be returned to the electrical power source, e.g., an electrical power grid.

A liquid air energy storage system, the system comprising: a liquid air storage means; an input of a first pump in fluid communication with the liquid air storage means; a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with an output of the first pump; a second heat exchanger in fluid communication first heat exchanger and configured to receive the fluid stream from the first pump and the first heat exchanger; a first expander turbine generator in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger; the first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first expander turbine generator; a third heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and configured to receive the fluid stream from the first expander turbine generator and the first heat exchanger; a second expander turbine generator in fluid communication with the third heat exchanger; the first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the second expander turbine generator; the fluid stream from second expander turbine generator and first heat exchanger in fluid communication with ambient atmosphere; a refrigerant stream in fluid communication with a third expander turbine generator; a fourth heat exchanger in fluid communication with the third expander turbine generator; a fourth expander turbine generator in fluid communication with the fourth heat exchanger; a fifth heat exchanger in fluid communication with the fourth expander turbine generator; the first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the fifth heat exchanger; an input of a second pump in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger, and configured to receive the refrigerant stream from the fifth heat exchanger and the and the first heat exchanger; the first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the output of the second pump; a sixth heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger, and configured to receive the refrigerant stream from the output of the second pump and the first heat exchanger; and the third expander turbine generator in fluid communication with the sixth heat exchanger. A liquid air energy storage system, the system comprising: a liquid air storage means; an input of a first pump in fluid communication with the liquid air storage means; a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with an output of the first pump; a second heat exchanger in fluid communication first heat exchanger and configured to receive the fluid stream from the first pump and the first heat exchanger; a first expander turbine generator in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger; the first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first expander turbine generator; a third heat exc

The present invention provides a regenerator material whose filling rate can be improved and falls within a suitable range, and which can thus easily reduce the pressure loss of a refrigerant gas in the regenerator; and a method for producing the regenerator material. The regenerator material of the present invention comprises a sintered body of rare earth element-containing particles, wherein the sintered body has a porosity of 30 to 40%. The regenerator material production method of the present invention comprises the step of sintering rare earth element-containing starting material particles, wherein D50 and D90/10 of the starting material particles are respectively 100 to 320 m and 1.5 to 2.5; wherein D10, D50, and D90 indicate the average particle sizes that respectively correspond to the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles of the total number of particles in the particle size distribution curve.

A dry-cooling system useful in absorbing heat from a heat source and related dry cooling methods including a depolymerization cooling unit (DCU) in fluid communication with a polymerization heating unit (PHU). The DCU includes a DCU heat exchanger which receives a polymer and a catalyst, wherein contact of the polymer and the catalyst within the DCU heat exchanger causes an endothermic reaction, converting the polymer to a monomer and drawing heat from a first heat source. The monomer is then withdrawn from the DCU. The PHU includes a PHU heat exchanger, which receives the monomer, wherein contact of the monomer with the catalyst causes an exothermic reaction within the PHU heat exchanger, converting the monomer to the polymer. The polymer is then withdrawn from the PHU for conveyance back to the DCU, and the cycle is repeated.