A method is provided for inputting thermal energy into fluidic medium in a thermal energy production and storage process by at least one rotary apparatus comprising: a casing with at least one inlet and at least one exit, a rotor comprising at least one row of rotor blades arranged over a circumference of a rotor hub mounted onto a rotor shaft, and a plurality of stationary vanes arranged into an assembly at least upstream of the at least one row of rotor blades. In the method, an amount of thermal energy is imparted to a stream of fluidic medium directed along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the exit by virtue of a series of energy transformations occurring when said stream of fluidic medium passes through the stationary vanes and the rotor blades, respectively. The method further comprises: integration of said at least one rotary apparatus into a thermal energy production and storage facility configured to carry out thermal energy production and storage at temperatures essentially equal to or exceeding 500 degrees Celsius (° C.), and conducting an amount of input energy into the at least one rotary apparatus integrated into the thermal energy production and storage facility, the input energy comprises electrical energy. A rotary apparatus and related uses are further provided.

A method is provided for inputting thermal energy into fluidic medium in a process or processes related to production of hydrogen. The method comprises generating heated fluidic medium by at least one rotary apparatus comprising a casing with at least one inlet and at least one exit, a rotor comprising at least one row of rotor blades arranged over a circumference of a rotor hub mounted onto a rotor shaft, and a stator configured as an assembly of stationary vanes arranged at least upstream of the at least one row of rotor blades. In the method, an amount of thermal energy is imparted to a stream of fluidic medium directed along a flow path formed inside the rotary apparatus by virtue of series of energy transformations occurring when said stream of fluidic medium passes through stationary and rotating components of said rotary apparatus, respectively. The method further comprises integration of said at least one rotary apparatus into a heat-consuming process facility configured as a hydrogen production facility and further configured to carry out heat-consuming process or processes related to production of hydrogen at temperatures essentially equal to or exceeding 500 degrees Celsius (° C.), and conducting an amount of input energy into the at least one rotary apparatus integrated into the heat-consuming process facility, the input energy comprises electrical energy. Related method, arrangement and facility for hydrogen production are further provided.

Thermal energy storage systems are disclosed in this application. Systems of the inventive subject matter are designed to reduce maintenance requirements by sequestering, for example, corrosive fluids that might otherwise damage difficult-to-fix internal components are kept out of those components by introducing a non-corrosive heat transfer fluid to facilitate heat transfer between a thermal energy storage medium (e.g., molten sulfur) and a potentially corrosive working fluid. Thus, the potentially corrosive fluid is kept out of a thermal energy storage tank containing the thermal energy storage medium, which, by design, is difficult to repair when internal components corrode or otherwise require maintenance.

The power plant system includes a molten salt reactor assembly, a thermocline unit, phase change heat exchangers, and process heat systems. The thermocline unit includes an insulated tank, an initial inlet, a plurality of zone outlets, and a plurality of gradient zones corresponding to each zone outlet and being stacked in the tank. Each gradient zone has a molten salt portion at a portion temperature corresponding to the molten salt supply from the molten salt reactor being stored in the tank and stratified. The molten salt portions at higher portion temperatures generate thermal energy for process heat systems that require higher temperatures, and molten salt portions at lower portion temperatures generate thermal energy for process heat systems that require lower temperatures. The system continuously pumps the molten salt supply in controlled rates to deliver the heat exchange fluid supply to perform work in the corresponding particular process heat system.

The power plant system includes a molten salt reactor assembly, a thermocline unit, phase change heat exchangers, and process heat systems. The thermocline unit includes an insulated tank, an initial inlet, a plurality of zone outlets, and a plurality of gradient zones corresponding to each zone outlet and being stacked in the tank. Each gradient zone has a molten salt portion at a portion temperature corresponding to the molten salt supply from the molten salt reactor being stored in the tank and stratified. The molten salt portions at higher portion temperatures generate thermal energy for process heat systems that require higher temperatures, and molten salt portions at lower portion temperatures generate thermal energy for process heat systems that require lower temperatures. The system continuously pumps the molten salt supply in controlled rates to deliver the heat exchange fluid supply to perform work in the corresponding particular process heat system.

Thermal energy storage systems are disclosed in this application. Systems of the inventive subject matter are designed to reduce maintenance requirements by sequestering, for example, corrosive fluids that might otherwise damage difficult-to-fix internal components are kept out of those components by introducing a non-corrosive heat transfer fluid to facilitate heat transfer between a thermal energy storage medium (e.g., molten sulfur) and a potentially corrosive working fluid. Thus, the potentially corrosive fluid is kept out of a thermal energy storage tank containing the thermal energy storage medium, which, by design, is difficult to repair when internal components corrode or otherwise require maintenance.

Heat transfer/storage fluids that are resistant to oxidation in air at elevated temperatures, and systems that utilize such heat transfer/storage fluids, for example, as part of a concentrating solar power (CSP) system or other electricity-generating systems. The heat transfer/storage fluid is a molten chloride solution comprising two or more chlorides selected from the group consisting of CaCl.sub.2, SrCl.sub.2, BaCl.sub.2, NaCl, and KCl.

The present disclosure provides pumped heat energy storage systems that can be used to store and/or extract electrical energy. A pumped heat energy storage system of the present disclosure can store energy by operating as a heat pump, 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. Such pumped energy storage systems can be beneficially integrated with thermal plants to provided heat transfer to and/or from the thermal plants.

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 heat transfer or storage medium containing a nitrate salt composition including at least one alkali metal nitrate and optionally alkaline earth metal nitrate; and, at least one alkali metal nitrite and optionally alkaline earth metal nitrite in an amount of 1.1 to 15.0 mol %. The molar amount of the alkali metal nitrite and optionally alkaline earth metal nitrite for a desired temperature is calculated by $x_{\mathrm{nitrite}}=\frac{K_6\left(T\right)}{K_6\left(T\right)+\sqrt{P_{O2}}}$
X.sub.nitrite is the mole fraction of nitrite,
K.sub.6(T) is the temperature-dependent equilibrium constant of the reaction nitrate ⇄nitrite+½ oxygen (NO.sub.3.sup.−⇄ NO.sub.2.sup.−+½ O.sub.2),
pO.sub.2 is the oxygen partial pressure and T is the temperature of the nitrate salt composition.