A method of processing a stream of compressed air travelling between a gas compressor/expander subsystem and an underground accumulator in a compressed air energy storage system may include directing a thermal storage liquid through the first liquid flow path in a liquid charging flow direction from a thermal source reservoir toward a thermal storage reservoir whereby at least a portion of the thermal energy in the compressed air is transferred from the compressed air into the thermal storage liquid within the first reversible heat exchanger; including redirecting the compressed air through the first gas flow path in a gas discharging flow direction that is opposite the gas charging flow direction and redirecting the thermal storage liquid through the first liquid flow path in a liquid discharging flow direction whereby at least a portion of the thermal energy in the thermal storage liquid is returned into the compressed air.

A method is provided for inputting thermal energy into fluidic medium in a process or processes related to oil refining and/or petrochemical industries 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 casing between the inlet and the exit by virtue of a 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 refining and/or petrochemical facility and further configured to carry out heat-consuming process or processes related to refining of oil and/or producing petrochemicals 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. A rotary apparatus and related uses are further provided.

The invention relates to a system and a method for storing electrical energy which are based on a closed thermodynamic cycle. They make it possible to store electrical energy in a very efficient, cost-effective, and safe manner. No environmentally hazardous or expensive materials are required. The system comprises a compressor, a turbine, and two packed-bed storage units which are operated at different temperature levels. In order to load the packed-bed storage units, the cycle is operated as a counterclockwise heat pump process. In this process, the heat generated at the outlet of the compressor is expanded at a high temperature level into a first packed-bed storage unit and stored therein. The “cold” produced during the subsequent expansion of the gaseous working medium in a turbine is stored in a second packed-bed storage unit. This requires mechanical energy which is provided by an electrical machine. In order to discharge the energy storage system, the cycle is operated in reverse (i.e., as a clockwise cycle). Before entering the compressor, the working medium is cooled with the cold stored in the second packed-bed storage unit and, after compression, absorbs the heat from the high-temperature packed-bed storage system. The hot working medium at high pressure is expanded by means of the turbine and thus energy is generated.

A heat accumulator device is provided having a metal phase-change material as an accumulator material, the heat accumulator device including at least one a holding chamber having a holding space for the accumulator material, a housing for the holding space, at least one heat input apparatus for inputting heat into the at least one holding chamber, and at least one heat output apparatus for outputting heat from the at least one holding chamber. A coupling region of the heat input apparatus, provided for thermal coupling to the accumulator material, and/or a coupling region of the heat output apparatus, provided for thermal coupling to the accumulator material, is arranged, at least in part, at a distance from the accumulator material.

An energy storage system converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000° C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. An array of bricks incorporating internal radiation cavities is directly heated by thermal radiation. The cavities facilitate rapid, uniform heating via reradiation. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. Gas flows through structured pathways within the array, delivering heat which may be used for processes including calcination, hydrogen electrolysis, steam generation, and thermal power generation and cogeneration. Groups of thermal storage arrays may be controlled and operated at high temperatures without thermal runaway via deep-discharge sequencing. Forecast-based control enables continuous, year-round heat supply using current and advance information of weather and VRE availability. High-voltage DC power conversion and distribution circuitry improves the efficiency of VRE power transfer into the system.

Electric power is accumulated in another form without using a storage battery so as to more effectively utilize electric power generated by solar power generation. A cold heat source storage system includes a freezer operated by directly utilizing the output power of a solar power generation device, a cold heat source storage chamber cooled by the freezer, a number of water tanks installed in the cold heat source storage chamber, and a heat exchange device installed in the cold heat source storage chamber. The system can be included in heat source storage system, which includes a heater operated by directly utilizing the output power of the solar power generation device, a heat source storage tank which stores water heated by the heater, and a heat exchange device installed in the hot heat source storage tank.

Thermal energy storage and heat exchanger, distinctive in that it comprises: a number of hardened concrete thermal energy storage elements; a housing, into which said elements have been arranged; an active heat transfer and storage medium in the volume between said elements and said housing, in the form of either: a stagnant liquid or phase change material, or a dynamic fluid arranged to flow in the volume between said elements and said housing; at least one means for delivery of thermal energy to the thermal energy storage; at least one means for taking out thermal energy from the thermal energy storage; and thermal insulation.

A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) system includes a heating fluid circuit, a cooling fluid circuit, and a storage fluid circuit. A thermal system of the HVACR system absorbs energy from the storage fluid circuit and rejects it to the heating fluid circuit. The storage fluid circuit includes thermal storage tanks containing thermal storage material that can provide energy for heating or absorb energy for cooling depending on the state of the thermal storage material. Heating can be provided using the heating fluid circuit and the heat provided by the thermal system. Cooling can be provided using the cooling fluid circuit by absorbing energy from the conditioned space using a cooling fluid and rejecting energy from the cooling fluid to the storage fluid circuit. The thermal storage tanks can have heat added to them using an air source heat pump system to support heating operations.

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.

An energy storage system converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000° C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. An array of bricks incorporating internal radiation cavities is directly heated by thermal radiation. The cavities facilitate rapid, uniform heating via reradiation. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. Gas flows through structured pathways within the array, delivering heat which may be used for processes including calcination, hydrogen electrolysis, steam generation, and thermal power generation and cogeneration. Groups of thermal storage arrays may be controlled and operated at high temperatures without thermal runaway via deep-discharge sequencing. Forecast-based control enables continuous, year-round heat supply using current and advance information of weather and VRE availability. High-voltage DC power conversion and distribution circuitry improves the efficiency of VRE power transfer into the system.