The present disclosure provides pumped thermal energy storage systems that can be used to store electrical energy. A pumped thermal energy storage system of the present disclosure can store energy by operating as a heat pump or refrigerator, whereby net work input can be used to transfer heat from the cold side to the hot side. A working fluid of the system is capable of efficient heat exchange with heat storage fluids on a hot side of the system and on a cold side of the system. The system can extract energy by operating as a heat engine transferring heat from the hot side to the cold side, which can result in net work output. Systems of the present disclosure can employ solar heating for improved storage efficiency.

A system for readying sub-critical and super-critical steam generator, a servicing method of the sub-critical and the super-critical steam generator and a method of operation of sub-critical and super-critical steam generator is provided. The steam generator includes a first auxiliary heating device disposed on at least one water-steam separator for heating the at least one water-steam separator, and/or a second auxiliary heating device disposed at least on a part of furnace top-end piping for heating the furnace top-end piping. The auxiliary heating devices are heating steam producing components of the steam generator and thus allowing to keep them above the temperature in which materials creating the steam producing components are brittle. The method includes recirculation of the water through the steam generator.

A modification of a power boiler is disclosed, which comprises water walls enclosing the furnace for heating water and producing steam; a superheater system provided above the furnace for superheating steam; an additional superheater mounted in the furnace for further superheating steam from the superheater system. A modifying method of a power boiler is also disclosed, which comprises steps of mounting an additional superheater on water walls in a furnace; connecting an output of a superheater system to an inlet of the additional superheater; and connecting an outlet of the additional superheater to a turbine for producing power at an improved plant heat rate.

A modification of a power boiler is disclosed, which comprises water walls enclosing the furnace for heating water and producing steam; a superheater system provided above the furnace for superheating steam; an additional superheater mounted in the furnace for further superheating steam from the superheater system. A modifying method of a power boiler is also disclosed, which comprises steps of mounting an additional superheater on water walls in a furnace; connecting an output of a superheater system to an inlet of the additional superheater; and connecting an outlet of the additional superheater to a turbine for producing power at an improved plant heat rate.

Steam may be generated using an apparatus that creates shockwaves in a supersonic gaseous vortex. The apparatus includes a chamber configured to receive, pressurize, and heat fuel gas and/or oxygen containing gas. One or more inlets positioned at a first end of the chamber and arranged to emit fuel gas, oxygen containing gas, or water as one or more jet streams tangentially to an internal surface of the chamber may create a gaseous vortex rotating about a longitudinal axis within the chamber. The inlet(s) may include one or more inlet nozzles structured to accelerate the one or more fuel gas, oxygen-containing gas, or water to a supersonic velocity and adjustably control frequency of shockwaves emitted into the gaseous vortex. Water can be injected into the chamber to stabilize internal chamber temperature where it may be converted into steam. An outlet may be configured to emit product gases and/or steam from the chamber.

Steam may be generated using an apparatus that creates shockwaves in a supersonic gaseous vortex. The apparatus includes a chamber configured to receive, pressurize, and heat fuel gas and/or oxygen containing gas. One or more inlets positioned at a first end of the chamber and arranged to emit fuel gas, oxygen containing gas, or water as one or more jet streams tangentially to an internal surface of the chamber may create a gaseous vortex rotating about a longitudinal axis within the chamber. The inlet(s) may include one or more inlet nozzles structured to accelerate the one or more fuel gas, oxygen-containing gas, or water to a supersonic velocity and adjustably control frequency of shockwaves emitted into the gaseous vortex. Water can be injected into the chamber to stabilize internal chamber temperature where it may be converted into steam. An outlet may be configured to emit product gases and/or steam from the chamber.

The present disclosure provides pumped thermal energy storage systems that can be used to store electrical energy. A pumped thermal energy storage system of the present disclosure can store energy by operating as a heat pump or refrigerator, whereby net work input can be used to transfer heat from the cold side to the hot side. A working fluid of the system is capable of efficient heat exchange with heat storage fluids on a hot side of the system and on a cold side of the system. The system can extract energy by operating as a heat engine transferring heat from the hot side to the cold side, which can result in net work output. Systems of the present disclosure can employ solar heating for improved storage efficiency.

A system for providing supercritical steam including a first boiler that generates steam via combusting a first fuel, and a second boiler fluidly connected to the first boiler via a conduit which heats the generated steam to supercritical steam temperatures via combusting a second fuel. A first temperature of the conduit may be below a critical corrosion temperature and a second temperature of the conduit is greater than or equal to the critical corrosion temperature. A combined carbon emission rate of the first boiler and the second boiler may be less than a combined carbon emission rate of generating and heating the steam to supercritical steam temperatures using boilers that only combust the first fuel. The first boiler may be fluidly connected to a heat exchanger that heats the generated steam to a supercritical steam temperature via a flue gas produced by a gas turbine.

A system for providing supercritical steam including a first boiler that generates steam via combusting a first fuel, and a second boiler fluidly connected to the first boiler via a conduit which heats the generated steam to supercritical steam temperatures via combusting a second fuel. A first temperature of the conduit may be below a critical corrosion temperature and a second temperature of the conduit is greater than or equal to the critical corrosion temperature. A combined carbon emission rate of the first boiler and the second boiler may be less than a combined carbon emission rate of generating and heating the steam to supercritical steam temperatures using boilers that only combust the first fuel. The first boiler may be fluidly connected to a heat exchanger that heats the generated steam to a supercritical steam temperature via a flue gas produced by a gas turbine.

A CHP system includes a combustor (heat source), a Rankine cycle apparatus, and a second heat exchanger. The Rankine cycle apparatus includes, as an evaporator, a first heat exchanger that absorbs thermal energy produced in the combustor. The second heat exchanger is located closer to the combustor than is the evaporator, absorbs thermal energy produced in the combustor, and transfers the thermal energy to a heat medium.