A system or method for thermal storage includes a recess or containment unit having a first storage layer and a second storage layer comprising a permeable filler material. An intermediate layer is disposed between the storage layers. A primary well traverses the layer in the recess. The primary well is in thermal communication with the first permeable filler material and the second permeable filler material. A heat source is provided for heating an inlet fluid. An input pump is in fluid communication with the primary well and the heat source. The primary well receives heated inlet fluid from the inlet pump and injects the fluid into the second layers. The heated inlet fluid transfers heat to the respective permeable filler material radially from the primary well toward an outer periphery of the thermocline recess.

High temperature thermal energy storage, distinctive in that the storage comprises: a thermally insulated foundation, at least one self-supported cassette arranged on said foundation, which cassette is a self-supporting frame or structure containing a number of concrete thermal energy storage elements, some or all of said elements comprising embedded heat exchangers, a pipe system, the pipe system comprising an inlet and an outlet for thermal input to and output from the storage, respectively, and connections to said heat exchangers for circulating fluid through said heat exchangers for thermal energy input to or output from said thermal energy storage elements, and thermal insulation around and on top of the at least one self-supported cassette with concrete thermal storage elements. The invention also provides a method of building and methods of operating the storage.

An energy storage device includes a plurality of plates, each having a first and second surface, with at least one of the surfaces having a plurality of grooves formed therein. The device further includes inlet and outlet plenums for providing or receiving a heat transfer medium to or from the grooves. At least one of the first surface and the second surface having the plurality of grooves formed therein of a first plate is disposed in direct contact with the other one of the at least first surface and second surface of an adjacent second plate. Heat from the transfer medium is transferred to the plates in a charging mode of operation or transferred from the plates to the transfer medium in a discharging mode of operation when the heat transfer medium is passed along the grooves.

A method for cooling a mixed beverage formed with one or more beverage components includes circulating a refrigerant through a heat exchanger having a phase change material to cool a beverage component and sensing a temperature of the refrigerant. The method further includes detecting a first instance when the sensed temperature of the refrigerant equals a threshold refrigerant temperature, detecting a second instance when the sensed temperature of the refrigerant equals the threshold refrigerant temperature, and stopping circulation of the refrigerant when the second instance is detected.

An element for an easily scalable thermal energy storage, distinctive in that the element includes an outer shell being a combined casting form and reinforcement, a solid thermal storage medium in the form of hardened concrete, which concrete has been cast and hardened into said outer shell. A method for building and use of the element is also disclosed.

A thermal capacitor includes a shell and a PCM. The shell includes a first major surface that is configured to contact a container including media to be frozen. The shell defines a cavity in which the PCM is disposed. The PCM has a transition temperature in a range of −80 degrees Celsius to −50 degrees Celsius and is configured to rapidly freeze media from room temperature to −60 degrees Celsius with the container including the media in contact with the shell in an enclosed space.

A solar concentrator comprising: a base; a framework, the framework being hingedly joined to the base such that the framework can be rotated relative to the base; and a plurality of mirrors arranged relative to a first axis of the framework, such that all of the mirrors are located on one side of a plane which contains the first axis, each mirror being fixed to the framework and each mirror being arranged to reflect light travelling parallel to the first axis towards a common focus which lies on the first axis.

The present invention relates to a thermal battery (1) comprising an enclosure comprising a fluid inlet and outlet and comprising within it an encapsulated phase-change material in the form of at least one tube (3), at least one tube (3) being wound in a spiral within the enclosure.

A heat storage arrangement for an intermediate storage of thermal energy. The heat storage arrangement includes at least one heat exchanger element which includes a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, and at least one heat storage container which includes a heat storage medium. The at least one heat exchanger is stiff and has a liquid non-aqueous heat carrier having a freezing point of below −10° C. flow therein. The at least one heat storage container is flexible and closed, and is arranged to abut on the at least one heat exchanger element so that a heat transfer occurs between the liquid non-aqueous heat carrier and the heat storage medium.

Supplying thermal energy to a consumer, such as a parked vehicle, e.g., a parked aircraft, while reducing carbon emission and expenditure on electricity, by charging an energy storage unit at a first location to obtain a charged energy unit, and then mobilizing the charged energy storage unit from the first location to a location of a consumer, where the charged energy storage unit can then be connected to the consumer and can be discharged at the location of the consumer, providing the consumer with thermal energy.