The foregoing are among the objects attained by the invention which provides, in some aspects, a thermal storage system that includes a first block comprising (i) a bonded aggregate material, and (ii) between 0.01% and 10%, by weight, of graphite. A fluid transport via is disposed on or adjacent at least a portion of an external surface of the first block and is in thermal coupling therewith. The fluid transport via presses against the first block with a force of at least 7 Newtons per meter. The graphite is disposed in a vicinity of at least said portion of said external surface so as to increase by at least 50% an aggregate rate of heat transfer between that portion of the external surface and a remainder of the first block, e.g., where that aggregate rate of heat transfer is aggregated over an entire volume of the first block.

The disclosure relates to particle heaters for heating solid particles to store electrical energy as thermal energy. Thermal energy storage directly converts off-peak electricity into heat for thermal energy storage, which may be converted back to electricity, for example during peak-hour power generation. The particle heater is an integral part of an electro-thermal energy storage system, as it enables the conversion of electrical energy into thermal energy. As described herein, particle heater designs are described that provide efficient heating of solid particles in an efficient and compact configuration to achieve high energy density and low cost.

An enclosed storage tank for the simultaneous addition and removal, and storage, of two liquid layers of different density has a bottom wall, a cylindrical side wall, a roof, and a central column extending from the bottom wall to the roof. An upper perforated flexible tensile fabric diaphragm is disposed in the upper portion of the tank, and a low-density liquid conduit extends from outside the tank into communication with the upper portion of the tank above the upper diaphragm. A lower perforated flexible tensile fabric diaphragm is disposed in the lower part of the tank, and a high-density liquid conduit extends from outside the tank shell into communication with the lower portion of the tank below the lower liquid diaphragm. The diaphragms minimize internal mixing through thermoclines as liquid is introduced into and/or discharged from the tank, and reduce overall costs of tank installations and operations.

A heating system configured to be connected to a heating distribution system of a building. The heating system comprises a heat pump arrangement configured to heat a fluid; a stratified heat storage device configured to store the fluid at differentiated temperatures, a mixing arrangement; and a control device for controlling the heating system. The mixing arrangement is configured to subtract fluid from the heat storage device and to regulate the temperature of the fluid entering the heat distribution system and control the temperature of the returning fluid from the heating distribution system. The invention also relates to a method for controlling such a heating system, a computer program, a computer-readable medium, and a control device.

A hot water storage device having a vessel includes a first section formed from a moulded material and a second section formed from a moulded material. An open end of the first section is sealingly engaged with an opposing open end of the second section to form the vessel. The first and second sections each have a generally cylindrical body portion and a closed end, comprising a head portion. The vessel includes a water inlet aperture moulded into the first or second section and a water outlet aperture moulded into the first or second section and wherein the inlet and outlet apertures are located on the body portion proximal to a tangent line between the body portion and the head portion.

A pumped heat energy storage system is provided. The pumped heat energy storage system may include a charging assembly configured to compress a working fluid and generate thermal energy. The pumped heat energy storage system may also include a thermal storage assembly operably coupled with the charging assembly and configured to store the thermal energy generated from the charging assembly. The pumped heat energy storage system may further include a discharging assembly operably coupled with the thermal storage assembly and configured to extract the thermal energy from the thermal storage assembly and convert the thermal energy to electrical energy.

In some embodiments, systems and methods are provided that limit the change in temperature and/or control a temperature of a product during delivery comprising: a plurality of temperature sustaining bags comprises: a product cavity; an interior casing; an exterior casing; and an encapsulation cell encapsulating a temperature sustaining agent; memory; and a product delivery control circuit configured to: obtain dimensions of the first product and a first transport temperature threshold; obtain transport parameters comprising a predicted transport duration and expected environmental conditions; select, based on the dimensions of the first product, the transport parameters and first transport temperature threshold, a first temperature sustaining bag with a first temperature sustaining agent having a loading temperature that is less than or equal to the first transport temperature threshold; and cause a first instruction to be communicated to cause a worker to load the first product into the first temperature sustaining bag.

A heat storage system using a heat storage container having a tubular body, a chemical heat storage material accommodated in the tubular body, and a flow channel that penetrates the tubular body in a longitudinal direction, the heat storage system comprising a diffusion layer for transporting liquid from the flow channel to the chemical heat storage material, the liquid functioning as a reaction medium of the chemical heat storage material, wherein the liquid is transported to the flow channel, the liquid is transported to the diffusion layer, the liquid transported to the diffusion layer reacts with the chemical heat storage material, the chemical heat storage material generates heat, and the liquid is vaporized by the heat to become heat transport fluid.

A modular thermal energy storage system for storing and transferring thermal energy at a wide range of temperatures. The system includes processing control circuitry, heat transfer fluid (HTF), piping, valves, pumps, a thermal energy source, and a reconfigurable thermal energy storage (TES) tank implemented in one or more insulated shipping containers. Different types of replaceable thermal energy storage material in the TES tank can store thermal energy in a range of −30° F. to temperatures greater than +200° F. The system receives HTF from a customer load and charges the HTF to a desired temperature. Charged HTF in the TES tank transfers thermal energy to and from the storage material. When the stored thermal energy is needed, the system passes a non-charged thermal fluid through the TES tank to draw out the thermal energy through the charged HTF, and transfers the thermal energy to the customer load.

A buffer tank for a water heater is provided. The A buffer tank for a water heater may include a storage unit, a first connection pipe, and a second connection pipe. The storage unit has a space for storing water inside, an inlet, to which hot water is flowed from the outside, in the upper part thereof, and an outlet, from which the water stored inside is discharged, in the lower part thereof. The first connection pipe is formed in the inner space of the storage unit, has a tube form, is connected to the inlet, and is extended to a direction of the lower part of the storage unit. The second connection pipe is formed in the inner space of the storage unit, has a tube form, is connected to the outlet, and is extended to a direction of the upper part of the storage unit.