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.

A solar power generating system for generating electricity and providing heat includes; at least one generator for generating the electricity; a heating element for heating a heat transfer fluid; a turbocharger having at least one turbocharger turbine and at least one turbocharger compressor, wherein the at least one turbocharger compressor is adapted to receive and pressurize the heat transfer fluid, and the at least one turbocharger turbine is coupled to the at least one turbocharger compressor, wherein the at least one turbocharger compressor receiving and expanding a heated compressed heat transfer fluid coming from the heating element to drive the at least one turbocharger compressor and; a control unit configured to control the solar power generating system by comparing thermophysical properties obtained from more than one sensors placed in the solar power generating system with predetermined data in the control unit.

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.

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.

A coal-fired power generation system and a supercritical CO.sub.2 cycle system thereof are provided. The supercritical CO.sub.2 cycle system includes a compressor unit and a turbine unit. The turbine unit includes a preceding stage heater, a preceding stage turbine, a last stage heater and a last stage turbine successively connected in series. An exhaust port of at least one of compressors in the compressor unit is in communication with the turbine unit through a split flow pipe, and a communication position between the split flow pipe and the turbine unit is located downstream of a suction port of the preceding stage turbine. An auxiliary regenerator and an auxiliary heater are provided at the split flow pipe, and the auxiliary regenerator is located upstream of the auxiliary heater.

A thermal management system for an aircraft is provided that includes thermo-acoustic engines that remove and capture waste heat from the aircraft engines, heat pumps powered by the acoustic waves generated from the waste heat that remove and capture electrical component waste heat from electrical components in the aircraft, and hollow tubes disposed in the aircraft configured to propagate mechanical energy to locations throughout the aircraft and to transfer the electrical component waste heat back to the aircraft engines to reduce overall aircraft mass and improve propulsive efficiency.

Systems and methods relating to variable pressure turbines are disclosed. A power generation system may include a closed cycle system configured to generate power, a combustor, and a control system. The closed cycle system may include a working fluid circulating in a closed cycle path. The combustor may provide thermal energy to the working fluid. Further, the control system may be configured to determine to increase an amount of power generated by the closed cycle system, and in response to the determination to increase the amount of power generated by the closed cycle system, cause an increase in pressure of the working fluid in the closed cycle path.

Systems and methods relating to variable pressure turbines are disclosed. A power generation system may include a closed cycle system configured to generate power, a combustor, and a control system. The closed cycle system may include a working fluid circulating in a closed cycle path. The combustor may provide thermal energy to the working fluid. Further, the control system may be configured to determine to increase an amount of power generated by the closed cycle system, and in response to the determination to increase the amount of power generated by the closed cycle system, cause an increase in pressure of the working fluid in the closed cycle path.

An energy storage-combined cooling, heating and power (S-CCHP) system for a building receives energy from a source, for example an intermittent source, and stores the energy in first and second high temperature energy storage (HTES) units. A Brayton cycle using the first HTES unit produces hot and pressurized air that is further heated in the second HTES unit. The heated air drives a turbine to generate electricity for the building. A portion of the compressed air from the Brayton cycle is diverted to a hot water heat exchanger, then to another turbine to produce electricity to the building. The hot water heat exchanger heats water for the building and the other turbine exhaust cools water for building cooling. Heat exchangers are strategically placed to optimize the thermal efficiency of the cycle. In some embodiments the heat transfer fluid is humidified to improve thermal energy transfer properties.

An energy storage-combined cooling, heating and power (S-CCHP) system for a building receives energy from a source, for example an intermittent source, and stores the energy in first and second high temperature energy storage (HTES) units. A Brayton cycle using the first HTES unit produces hot and pressurized air that is further heated in the second HTES unit. The heated air drives a turbine to generate electricity for the building. A portion of the compressed air from the Brayton cycle is diverted to a hot water heat exchanger, then to another turbine to produce electricity to the building. The hot water heat exchanger heats water for the building and the other turbine exhaust cools water for building cooling. Heat exchangers are strategically placed to optimize the thermal efficiency of the cycle. In some embodiments the heat transfer fluid is humidified to improve thermal energy transfer properties.