A heat storage system (400) comprising a system gas inlet (460), a system gas outlet (470), and at least two thermal stores (401, 402) connected together in series therebetween, wherein each store comprises a chamber having a gas inlet (461,462), a gas outlet (471,472), and a gas-permeable thermal storage media 431 disposed therebetween, the system further comprising flow controllers (451, 452, 453, 454, 457) operatively connected to bypass passageways and so configured that, during operation, the flow path of a gas flowing through the system (400) for transfer of thermal energy to or from the storage media (431) can be selectively altered in respect of which stores (401, 402) in the series are used in response to the progress of the thermal transfer.

Provided is an hybrid solar heat absorption cooling system comprising: an absorption refrigerator; a solar heat steam generator configured to generate steam using solar heat; a daytime steam supplying unit configured to supply steam generated by the solar heat steam generator during the day as a heat source for the absorption refrigerator; a daytime hot water storage tank configured to store hot water discharged from the absorption refrigerator during the day; a nighttime hot water supplying unit configured to supply hot water stored in the daytime hot water storage tank during the night as a heat source for the absorption refrigerator; a nighttime hot water storage tank configured to store hot water discharged from the absorption refrigerator during the night; and a daytime hot water supplying unit configured to supply hot water stored in the nighttime hot water storage tank during the day to the solar heat steam generator.

Heat storage apparatus comprising at least one thermal store (300) comprising a chamber (301) having a gas inlet (306), a gas outlet (307), and a gas-permeable thermal storage media (303) disposed therebetween, the apparatus being configured such that, during operation, the flow path of a gas flowing through the chamber (301) from inlet (306) to outlet (307) for transfer of thermal energy to or from the storage media (303) can be selectively altered in response to the progress of the thermal transfer, thereby enabling the flow path to bypass inactive upstream or downstream regions of the storage media where thermal transfer is complete or minimal, so as to minimize the pressure drop across the storage media. A baffle system (305) in a main flow passageway (312) may be used to control the gas flow path.

This invention relates to a portable or fixed solar powered heating ventilation air conditioner (HVAC) system. The disclosed invention consists of the following major components. 1) Solar Hot Water Tank/Storage Tank, 2) Solar Generator, 3) Solar HVAC Heat Exchanger Unit, 4) Solar Grill, 5) Wireless Network Energy Monitoring System and 6) Supervisor Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. Also included is a list of appliances that the HVAC system can be configured to function as: a) refrigerator, b) air purifier/fan, c) pressure cooker, d) drink dispenser, and e) pressurized hot water supply. The HVAC system and above listed appliances is designed to be used in homes, businesses, camping, military, hospitals, FEMA and in developing countries with very little electrical or plumbing infrastructure. The HVAC is capable of supplying all the above mention functions while being powered solely on solar power, solar hot water/fluid or geothermal and a chilled water source, therefore creating a NetZero Energy Machine that required no power from a utility grid when properly sized.

The present invention discloses a mobile energy storage internet system. The mobile energy storage internet system comprises distributed energy harvesting devices, mobile cold storage/heat storage devices, an energy system dispatching and monitoring center, and cold supply/heat supply terminals. The distributed energy harvesting devices are used for harvesting industrial waste cold energy/heat energy. The energy system dispatching and monitoring center is used for monitoring the residual energy of the distributed energy harvesting devices and the energy demand of the cold supply/heat supply terminals respectively, and mobilizing the mobile cold storage/heat storage devices to the distributed energy harvesting devices to store residual energy or to the cold supply/heat supply terminals to release the stored residual energy. The mobile energy storage internet system disclosed by the present invention can make full use of various waste industrial residual energy, and nest electricity of renewable energy power stations and nuclear power stations, realizes long-distance cold supply and heat supply without pipe network, and reduces energy consumption in construction industries.

In accordance with the present disclosure, a pumped-heat energy storage (PHES) system operable in charge and power generation modes can include a working fluid path circulating a working fluid through, in sequence, at least a compressor system, a hot-side heat exchanger system, a turbine system, a cold-side heat exchanger system, and back to the compressor system; and an intercooler system for providing cooling to the compressor system, the intercooling system including at least one intercooler heat exchanger arranged for transferring heat out from working fluid amid different stages of the compressor system to a power plant. A fluid path can be arranged for providing a power plant fluid to receive heat from the intercooler system. The fluid path can be arranged to pass the power plant fluid to the intercooler system to receive heat and to the power plant for use in heating in power generation.

A system including: a pumped-heat energy storage system (PHES system), wherein the PHES system is operable in a charge mode to convert electricity into stored thermal energy, wherein the PHES system comprises a working fluid path circulating a working fluid through, in sequence, at least a compressor system, a hot-side heat exchanger system, a turbine system, a cold-side heat exchanger system, and back to the compressor system; and (ii) a fluid path directing a hot fluid from a heat source external to the PHES system through a reheater, wherein a portion of the working fluid path through the turbine system comprises circulating the working fluid through a first turbine, the reheater, and a second turbine, and wherein the working fluid thermally contacts the hot fluid in the reheater, thereby transferring heat from the hot fluid to the working fluid.

A thermal battery includes a heat sink material that remains solid across an operating temperature range (i.e., for all operating modes) of the battery, and a heat conductive material in direct heat transfer relationship with the solid heat sink material. The heat conductive material has a melting point below that of the heat sink material so that in use the heat conductive material is a fluid, for example molten when the heat conductive material is a metal, in the operating temperature range of the battery.

A thermal battery includes a heat sink material that remains solid across an operating temperature range (i.e., for all operating modes) of the battery, and a heat conductive material in direct heat transfer relationship with the solid heat sink material. The heat conductive material has a melting point below that of the heat sink material so that in use the heat conductive material is a fluid, for example molten when the heat conductive material is a metal, in the operating temperature range of the battery.