The present invention presents a thermochemical energy storage system. The system includes a membrane-based thermochemical reactor. The reactor includes a solution channel having an absorbent-containing solution flowing therethrough and a refrigerant channel having a refrigerant flowing therethrough along with first and second fluid channels. A porous membrane is positioned between the refrigerant channel and the solution channel; the porous membrane permits flow of vapor molecules therethrough while restricting flow of absorbent molecules. The system further includes a solution storage repository in fluid communication with the solution channel and a refrigerant repository in fluid communication with the refrigerant channel. The system can be used in high-density, high-efficiency, and low-temperature energy storage systems. The membrane-based reactor offers a large specific surface area and integrates solution/refrigerant flows, which enables formation of a highly compact reactor exhibiting strong heat/mass transfer. In some embodiments, direct diffusion of water molecules through the membrane makes it possible to lower the required charging temperatures.

A solar thermochemical processing system is disclosed. The system includes a first unit operation for receiving concentrated solar energy. Heat from the solar energy is used to drive the first unit operation. The first unit operation also receives a first set of reactants and produces a first set of products. A second unit operation receives the first set of products from the first unit operation and produces a second set of products. A third unit operation receives heat from the second unit operation to produce a portion of the first set of reactants.

A heat generating method includes: heating, with a heater, a heat generating element and causing a first heat generating reaction in which the heat generating element generates heat with a first heat generation amount and triggering a second heat generating reaction in which the heat generating element generates heat with a second heat generation amount larger than the first heat generation amount, by imparting a perturbation to an input power to be applied to the heater in a state where the first heat generating reaction is occurring. The heat generating element includes a base made of a hydrogen storage metal, a hydrogen storage alloy, or a proton conductor, and a multilayer film provided on a surface of the base, with a stacked configuration of a first layer and a second layer made of different materials and both having a thickness of less than 1,000 nm.

A method for co-generating electricity in a process plant using feedwater, where the process plant is integrated with a thermal power generator, is provided. The method includes obtaining a pressurized stream of hot feedwater from a feedwater generation unit of the process plant; compressing the pressurized stream of hot feedwater by pumping and splitting the pressurized stream of hot feedwater to obtain a first stream of feedwater and a second stream of feedwater; routing the second stream of feedwater to the thermal power generator; cooling the second stream of feedwater against a process fluid that is used in the thermal power generator to generate a heat in the thermal power generator and to obtain a cooled second stream of feedwater; and co-generating the electricity, using the thermal power generator integrated with the process plant, using the heat.

Provided are a novel heat utilization system and heat generating device that utilize an inexpensive, clean, and safe heat energy source. A heat utilization system 10 includes a heat-generating element 14 configured to generate heat by occluding and discharging hydrogen, a sealed container 15 having a first chamber 21 and a second chamber 22 partitioned by the heat-generating element 14, and a temperature adjustment unit 16 configured to adjust a temperature of the heat-generating element 14. The first chamber 21 and the second chamber 22 have different hydrogen pressures. The heat-generating element 14 includes a support element 61 made of at least one of a porous body, a hydrogen permeable film, and a proton conductor, and a multilayer film 62 supported by the support element 61. The multilayer film 62 has a first layer 71 made of a hydrogen storage metal or a hydrogen storage alloy and having a thickness of less than 1000 nm and a second layer 72 made of a hydrogen a hydrogen storage metal different from that of the first layer, a hydrogen storage alloy different from that of the first layer, or ceramics and having a thickness of less than 1000 nm.

The present disclosure relates to a method of generating energy. The teachings thereof may be embodied in a method comprising: atomizing an electropositive metal; combusting the metal with a reaction gas; mixing the resulting combustion products with water, or an aqueous solution, or a suspension of a salt of the metal; separating a resulting mixture into (a) solid and liquid constituents and (b) gaseous constituents; at least partly converting energy from the separated constituents. Mixing the combustion products may include: atomizing liquid or gaseous water; or atomizing or nebulizing an aqueous solution or a suspension of a salt of the electropositive metal, into the reacted mixture.

Provided are a novel heat utilization system and heat generating device that utilize an inexpensive, clean, and safe heat energy source. A heat utilization system 10 includes a heat-generating element 14 configured to generate heat by occluding and discharging hydrogen, a sealed container 15 having a first chamber 21 and a second chamber 22 partitioned by the heat-generating element 14, and a temperature adjustment unit 16 configured to adjust a temperature of the heat-generating element 14. The first chamber 21 and the second chamber 22 have different hydrogen pressures. The heat-generating element 14 includes a support element 61 made of at least one of a porous body, a hydrogen permeable film, and a proton conductor, and a multilayer film 62 supported by the support element 61. The multilayer film 62 has a first layer 71 made of a hydrogen storage metal or a hydrogen storage alloy and having a thickness of less than 1000 nm and a second layer 72 made of a hydrogen a hydrogen storage metal different from that of the first layer, a hydrogen storage alloy different from that of the first layer, or ceramics and having a thickness of less than 1000 nm.

An energy system having a) one or more catalyst sources which store a catalyst; b) one or more water sources which store water; c) one or more heat sources which store a heat storage medium; d) one or more reaction chambers into which the water, the catalyst, and the heat storage medium are introduced, which are configured for an exothermic reaction between the catalyst and the water to take place while in the presence of the heat storage medium, and in which steam is generated from the exothermic reaction; and f) one or more turbines downstream of the one or more reaction chambers which are adapted to be driven by the steam generated within the one or more reaction chambers.

A chemical plant and operating method therefor; the chemical plant comprises a steam turbine having a shaft, a first pressure turbine stage and a second pressure turbine stage, each being arranged on the shaft and being connected in series in terms of the steam process; steam for driving the steam turbine is obtained from a reactor plant, said reactor plant producing a hydrogen-containing substance from a carbon-containing energy-carrier stream; the steam is heated in an overheating step before being supplied to the second pressure turbine stage; the steam turbine has a third pressure turbine stage which is arranged on the shaft and which is connected between the first pressure turbine stage and the second pressure turbine stage in terms of the steam process; and the steam passes through the overheating step after exiting the third pressure turbine stage.

A low-temperature heat utilization assembly may be configured to decouple low-temperature heat from process gas at temperatures below 200° C. and to provide the process gas at a lowered intermediate temperature or at a still further lowered final temperature for at least one subsequent process. In the low-temperature heat utilization assembly the process gas may be fed to a first unit, by means of which the temperature may be lowered to the intermediate temperature. The process gas may in some cases be provided to a heat exchanger stage for further lowering to the final temperature. The first unit is an ORC unit for energy transformation of the heat energy into electrical energy and may be coupled to an electrical consumer unit. The ORC unit may be configured for energy feedback of electrical energy within the low-temperature heat utilization assembly or to a process upstream of the ORC unit.