The present disclosure relates to techniques for extracting heat energy from geothermal briny fluid. A briny fluid can be extracted from a geothermal production well and delivered to a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger can receive the briny fluid and transfer heat energy from the briny fluid to a molten salt. The molten salt can be pumped to a molten salt storage tank that can serve as energy storage. The briny fluid can be returned to a geothermal source via the production well. The briny fluid can remain in a closed-loop system, apart from the molten salt, from extraction through return to the geothermal production well.

A heat exchanger (10) is disclosed for providing heat exchange between fluids (24, 25), such as in a solar power plant (1), wherein said heat exchanger (10) comprises a first pipe connector (13) and a second pipe connector (14), and a pipe bundle (17) extending between the first and second pipe connectors (13, 14), wherein said pipes (17a-17n) of the pipe bundle (17) are configured to guide a second fluid (25), wherein said pipe bundle (17) is connected to the first and second pipe connectors (13, 14) at pipe connection points (16) so the inside of the pipes (17a-17n) of the pipe bundle (17) is in fluid communication with the cavities (15) of the first and second pipe connector (13, 14), and wherein pipes (17a-17n) of the pipe bundle (17) are arranged next to each other and extend together between the pipe connectors (13, 14) in a meandering manner providing a plurality of crests (20a, 20b) on the pipes (17a-17n) between the pipe connectors (13, 14), and so that crests (20) of pipes (17a-17n) of the pipe bundle (17) are arranged to extend into recesses (21) provided by one or more crests (20) on other pipes (17a-17n) of the pipe bundle (17).

A body of heat transfer fluid circulates in a first loop through an indirect screw-type thermal processor, a rundown tank, a pump, a heater and a fill tank, continuously heating the processor. With the pump operating, a first vertical distance between the fill tank bottom and the processor under the influence of gravity sets a minimum fluid pressure at the processor; a stem pipe opening in the fill tank at a second vertical distance above the processor sets a maximum pressure. With the pump inactive, the entire body of fluid passively drains to the rundown tank. Supplying the fluid may entail melting a salt, hydrating a salt, or both; such may be done in the rundown tank before circulation through the processor begins. A hydrated salt may be circulated, then heated and dehydrated, to gradually warm the processor. A dehydrated salt may be rehydrated and then stored; this may be done in the rundown tank after ceasing circulation through the processor. Also described: misting hydration and variable-speed-pump pressure regulation.

The present invention relates to a material and process for producing water- and oxygen-free halogen salts of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal, or of a transition metal, or of a metal of groups 13 or 14 of the Periodic Table, in which at least one halogen salt is heated with a heating rate of from 0.2 K/min to 30 K/min, especially from 1.0 K/min to 10 K/min, proceeding from room temperature.

A heat exchanger (10) to provide heat exchange between fluids (24, 25), such as in a solar power plant (1), may include a first and second pipe connectors (13, 14), and a pipe bundle (17) extending between the first and second pipe connectors, with pipes (17a-17n) of the pipe bundle configured to guide a second fluid (25). The pipe bundle may be connected to the first and second pipe connectors at pipe connection points (16) so the inside of the pipes (17a-17n) is in fluid communication with cavities (15) of those connectors. The pipes may be arranged adjacent each other and extending together between the pipe connectors in a meandering manner providing a plurality of crests (20a, 20b) on the pipes between the pipe connectors, so that crests of the pipes are arranged to extend into recesses provided by one or more crests on other pipes of the pipe bundle.

The disclosed technology includes methods of extracting geothermal energy, generally comprising the steps of: insertion of a thermal mass into a Heat Absorption Zone, absorbing heat in thermal mass, raising the thermal mass to a Heat Transfer Zone, and transferring the heat from the thermal mass. The acquired heat can be used to generate electricity or to drive an industrial process. The thermal mass can have internal chambers containing a liquid such as molten salt, and can also have structures facilitating heat exchange using a thermal exchange fluid, such as a gas or a glycol-based fluid. In some embodiments, two thermal masses are used as counterweights, reducing the energy consumed in bringing the heat in the thermal masses to the surface. In other embodiments, solid or molten salt can be directly supplied to a well shaft to acquire geothermal heat and returned to the surface in a closed loop system.

Disclosed are thermal energy storage systems and methods that utilize metal carbonate eutectics that can undergo high temperature reversible reactions to form mixtures of metal oxides. The metal oxides undergo an exothermic reaction with carbon dioxide to form the molten metal carbonate eutectics, and the molten metal carbonate eutectics undergo an endothermic decarbonization reaction to form the metal oxides and carbon dioxide. By carrying out the reversible reactions at a temperature above the melting point of the carbonate eutectic, the systems provide high thermal conductivity and reversible stability for thermal energy storage.

A heat storage and heat release system for molten salt with steam heating is provided. The heat storage and heat release system for molten salt with steam heating includes a low-temperature molten salt tank, a high-temperature molten salt tank, molten salt pumps, a boiler barrel, a fixed tube-plate heat exchanger and a drum. The boiler barrel, the fixed tube-plate heat exchanger and the drum are arranged from high to low and are respectively. At least one molten salt outlet pipe and at least one molten salt returning pipe from the low-temperature molten salt tank are connected with the tube pass of the fixed tube-plate heat exchanger. At least one molten salt outlet pipe and at least one molten salt returning pipe from the high-temperature molten salt tank are connected with the tube pass of the fixed tube-plate heat exchanger.

Energy storage systems are disclosed. The systems may store energy as heat in a high temperature liquid, and the heat may be converted to electricity by absorbing radiation emitted from the high temperature liquid via one or more photovoltaic devices when the high temperature liquid is transported through an array of conduits. Some aspects described herein relate to reducing deposition of sublimated material from the conduits onto the photovoltaic devices.

A system for the production of molten salt. The system can have a preparation tank configured to melt raw salts, and a bubbler system in communication with the preparation tank. The bubbler can be configured to maintain vacuum conditions within the preparation tank and to remove gases from the preparation tank. A method for producing molten salt includes a step of providing a system for the production of molten salt. The system can have a preparation tank configured to melt raw salts, and a bubbler system in communication with the preparation tank. The bubbler can be configured to maintain vacuum conditions within the preparation tank and to remove gases from the preparation tank. Then, the method can include inserting raw salt into the preparation tank, and heating the raw salt to form molten salt. Then filtering the molten salt, and storing the molten salt.