A seasonal thermal energy storage system for heat supply and removal, including an energy-storage device, a solar collector, a refrigerating unit, and a water supply device in closed-loop connection to a user terminal. The energy-storage device includes at least a heat source storage pond and a cold source storage pond. The heat source storage pond and the cold source storage pond are connected to water source via first water pumps. The water supply device includes a hot water supply pool connected to the heat source storage pond and a cold water supply pool connected to the cold source storage pond. The solar collector is connected to the heat source storage pond and the hot water supply pool via second water pumps. The refrigerating unit is connected to the hot water supply pool and the cold water supply pool via third water pumps.

A geothermal power generation system using heat exchange between working gas and molten salt includes a heat collector. A plurality of molten salt containers is disposed in a heat transferor at predetermined intervals from each other. A heat exchanger transfers a heat source of the heat collector to the molten salt in the plurality of molten salt containers. The heat transferor is disposed in the ground. Working gas which receives the heat source of the molten salt via heat exchange enters and exits the heat transferor. A turbine unit is connected to the heat transferor, and generates mechanical energy using energy of the working gas. A power generating unit is connected to the turbine unit, and generates electrical energy using the mechanical energy.

A thermal energy storage installation including a thermal energy storage tank and a spider diffuser system mounted in said tank. The TES tank comprises an outer wall having a generally cylindrical inner surface surrounding a hollow internal space in the tank. The spider diffuser system comprises a centrally disposed manifold structure that is disposed in vertically spaced relationship relative to a thermocline formed in a temperature stratifiable liquid in the space during operation of the tank. The manifold structure has an internal chamber and includes an opening for introduction of a said liquid into the chamber or discharge of a said liquid from the chamber. The spider diffuser system also includes a diffuser pipe assembly comprising a plurality of elongated diffuser legs. Each of the legs is attached to the manifold structure so as to extend generally radially outwardly from the structure and toward the inner surface of the tank. Each of the legs has an internal channel in fluid communication with the chamber. Each leg also has a plurality of apertures distributed along the length thereof, which apertures intercommunicate the channel with the space.

The present disclosure includes a mining system which comprises ore, waste, and a reservoir which comprises a portion of said waste through which air can flow with low resistance for storing thermal energy from a tempered air source and supplying it to a tempered air consumer, and connections for tempered air flow between said tempered air source and said reservoir and between said tempered air consumer and said reservoir. Note: As used herein, tempered air means air of a temperature sufficiently high to heat, or low to cool, an object to a desired temperature. For example, in a house, the furnace is a source of tempered air for heating in winter, the air conditioner a source of tempered air for cooling in summer, and the house is a consumer of tempered air.

A solar thermal power plant comprises a solar radiation receiver mounted on a tower surrounded by a heliostat field to receive solar radiation reflected by heliostats. A power generation circuit includes a steam turbine for driving an electrical generator to produce electrical power, and water in the power generation circuit is heated directly by solar radiation reflected onto the solar radiation receiver by the heliostat field to generate steam to drive the steam turbine. An energy storage circuit includes a thermal energy storage fluid, such as molten salt, which is capable of being heated directly by solar radiation reflected by the heliostat field. A heat exchanger is also provided for recovering thermal energy from the thermal energy storage fluid. The recovered thermal energy may then be used to generate steam to drive the steam turbine.

A heat storage device is revealed. The heat storage device mainly includes a heat storage tank and a heat conduction unit. A part of the heat conduction unit is arranged in a receiving space of the heat storage tank that is filled with heat storage material. The heat storage material can be material or waste easily got from local sources for saving transportation and manufacturing costs. The heat storage material over both the heat conductor and the heat exchanger is heated by conduction. Thus heavy metals and hazardous chemicals in the heat storage material are evaporated and separated from the heat storage material and then are cooled down and collected in solid/liquid form in a condensing unit. The residual air is flowing back o the heat storage tank along pipelines. Thereby the heat storage material is cleaned up, the waste material can be recycled and environmental pollution is reduced.

A thermal heat storage system is provided, including a storage tank, a heat injection system and a heat recovery system. The storage tank holds a material for thermal storage. The heat injection system is coupled to an intake on the storage tank. The heat recovery system is coupled to an output on the storage tank and also uses vapor under depressurized conditions for heat transfer.

Two sensible thermal energy storage (STES) systems in multiple chambers containing molten eutectic salts have been devised for use at temperatures above 565 C. For the first type, the thermal energy of low specific heat of an immiscible gaseous heat transfer fluid (HTF) at temperatures above 900 C. is readily converted to dispatchable heat of high specific heat in the molten eutectic salt liquid layers operating at high temperatures, which can again produce a gaseous HTF at a constant temperature of 700 C. or higher for the lower electricity generation capacities. For the second type, the molten eutectic salt liquids are used as a thermal energy storage (TES) medium and also a HTF at temperatures above 700 C. for the higher electricity generation capacities. These STES systems provide an effective cushion against the disturbances of heat supply from the sun.

The invention relates to a hybrid solar collector that generates thermal and electrical energy while maintaining a comfortable indoor climate. The hybrid solar collector comprises a thermal energy collector for time-delayed transfer of thermal energy resulting from incident solar energy into building walls having a rear-vented cover arranged so that an air gap is formed between the solid collector portion and the cover, said cover comprising photovoltaic (PV) elements and being at least partially transparent and/or partially translucent so as to allow solar radiation to impinge on the solid thermal collector, wherein the air in the gap between the cover and the collector is sucked by a heat pump preferably for use in heating water or thermal storage The hybrid solar collector of the invention stores thermal energy in and releases thermal energy from the thermal collector portion, while also generating electricity using the PV elements and utilizing thermal energy from the heated air in the air gap. Operating procedures include targeted air flow and heat recuperation. The system may be used to retrofit existing thermal solar cells with incident-angle-selective structure.

A method for operating a solar thermal power plant comprising multiple solar radiation receivers operated using a molten salt as the heat transfer medium, wherein each solar radiation receiver comprises a reflector device and an absorber tube, includes: preheating of the absorber tubes, in the state in which said tubes are empty of the molten salt, to a temperature T by concentrating solar radiation on the absorber tubes by means of the reflector devices, wherein the temperature T is greater than or equal to the melting temperature of the salt; after reaching the temperature T: introduction of the molten salt into the absorber tubes and recirculated conduction of the molten salt through the absorber tubes while simultaneously repositioning the reflector devices depending on the position of the sun; on ending the operation: release of the molten salt out of the absorber tubes.