A turbo-generator is provided including a housing, a plurality of turbine impellers arranged within the housing, a shaft extending between and coupling the plurality of turbine impellers; and a generator mounted within the housing between the plurality of turbine impellers. The generator includes a stator having a stator core including a plurality of windings and a rotor. The rotor is rotationally coupled to the shaft. A cooling system includes at least one cooling passage integrated into the stator core of the generator.

A thermal power station and method for generating includes (a) at least one thermal energy storage having a housing, a storage chamber and a fluid inlet port fluidically connected to the storage chamber and a fluid outlet port connected to the storage chamber, and (b) a Brayton cycle heat engine including gas turbine, a cooler and a compressor connected with each other by a closed cycle containing a second working fluid, (c) the Brayton cycle heat engine further includes a control unit arranged for operating the Brayton cycle heat engine according to a Brayton cycle, (d) the gas turbine is thermally coupled to the at least one thermal energy storage by a first heat exchanger and a first working fluid, the first working fluid being different, and (e) the gas turbine is connected to a generator for producing electrical power by the thermal energy from the thermal energy storage.

Power and cooling systems including a drive system, a power generation unit, and a cooled fluid generation unit. A primary working fluid that is expanded within a turbine of the drive system and compressed within compressors in a closed-loop cycle. The power generation unit includes a generator and a heat source configured to heat the primary working fluid prior to injection into the turbine. T cooled fluid generation unit includes an ejector downstream of the compressors and a separator arranged downstream of the ejector and configured to separate liquid and gaseous portions of the primary working fluid. The gaseous portion is directed to the compressors and the liquid portion is directed to an evaporator heat exchanger to generate cooled fluid.

A pumped heat energy storage (PHES) system, involving an annular ducting arrangement is provided. Disclosed embodiments are believed to resolve the issue of containing a high temperature working fluid at elevated pressure by appropriately compartmentalizing by way of the annular ducting arrangement the functions of temperature management and pressure containment in a cost-effective and reliable manner.

A pumped heat energy storage (PHES) system, involving an annular ducting arrangement is provided. Disclosed embodiments are believed to resolve the issue of containing a high temperature working fluid at elevated pressure by appropriately compartmentalizing by way of the annular ducting arrangement the functions of temperature management and pressure containment in a cost-effective and reliable manner.

An energy conversion system is disclosed with a converging-diverging duct, a first turbine, a compressor, a second turbine, and a return duct. The first converging-diverging duct is configured to receive a working fluid. The first turbine is configured to increase or decrease kinetic energy of the working fluid entering the first converging-diverging duct. The compressor device is configured to receive the working fluid after exiting the converging-diverging duct. The second turbine is in a flow path of the working fluid between the first converging-diverging duct and the compressor device. The second turbine is configured to decrease or increase kinetic energy of the working fluid entering the compressor device. The first and second turbines impart opposite changes to kinetic energy in the working fluid. The return duct is configured to return the working fluid to the first converging-diverging duct after passing through the compressor device.

A rotary liquid piston compressor and a power generation system including a first fluid loop. The first fluid loop includes a pump that circulates a liquid. A second fluid loop that generates power by circulating a supercritical fluid. The second fluid loop includes a turbine that rotates and powers a generator as the supercritical fluid flows through the turbine. A rotary liquid piston compressor fluidly coupled to the first fluid loop and the second fluid loop. The rotary liquid piston compressor exchanges pressure between the liquid circulating in the first fluid loop and the supercritical fluid circulating in the second fluid loop.

Systems and methods relating to use of external air for inventory control of a closed thermodynamic cycle system or energy storage system, such as a reversible Brayton cycle system, are disclosed. A method may involve, in a closed cycle system operating in a power generation mode, circulating a working fluid may through a closed cycle fluid path. The closed cycle fluid path may include a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg. The method may further involve in response to a demand for increased power generation, compressing and dehumidifying environmental air. And the method may involve injecting the compressed and dehumidified environmental air into the low pressure leg.

Systems and methods for variable pressure inventory control of a closed thermodynamic cycle power generation system or energy storage system, such as a reversible Brayton cycle system, with at least a high pressure tank and an intermediate pressure tank are disclosed. Operational parameters of the system such as working fluid pressure, turbine torque, turbine RPM, generator torque, generator RPM, and current, voltage, phase, frequency, and/or quantity of electrical power generated and/or distributed by the generator may be the basis for controlling a quantity of working fluid that circulates through a closed cycle fluid path of the system.

A heat recovery engine (5) including a compressor (15) to increase pressure, density and temperature of a gas stream flowing in a closed loop within the engine, with the gas stream at base system pressure (10) at a compressor inlet; an expander (30) to reduce the pressure of said gas stream when compressed to just above said base system pressure, at the same time receiving power from the gas stream; a recuperator (20) to transfer thermal energy from downstream gas stream of said expander (30) to downstream gas stream of said compressor (15), thereby increasing the temperature of said downstream gas stream of said compressor (15) at approximately constant pressure; a heater (25) to provide further heat energy to said gas stream at approximately constant pressure after exit from said recuperator (20); a heat source (40) and a means (45) for transferring heat energy from said heat source (40) to said heater (25); a cooler (35) to cool said gas stream prior to compression in said compressor; a heat energy transfer device to transfer heat from aid cooler (35) to the environment; an operability device to ensure the operation of said compressor and said expander, and to take off surplus power either mechanically or electrically; a plurality of insulated ducts to transfer said gas stream between said compressor (15), recuperator (20), heater (25), expander (30) and cooler (35).