ASSEMBLY FOR STORING HEAT

Abstract

An assembly for storing thermal energy is provided. The assembly includes a spatial heat reservoir, a solid natural material, which is designed to store heat, and a fluid, which is designed to transfer thermal energy to the heat storage material and to remove thermal energy from the heat storage material. The heat storage material is arranged within the heat reservoir. The heat reservoir has at least one inlet and at least one outlet, through which the fluid is conducted in order to store energy and remove energy. In order to store energy, heated fluid is introduced into the heat reservoir through the inlet, thermal energy is transferred to the heat storage material there, and the fluid is conducted out of the heat reservoir through the outlet. Correspondingly, in order to remove enemy, cool fluid is introduced into the heat reservoir through the inlet, thermal energy is absorbed from the heat storage material there, and the fluid is conducted out of the heat reservoir through the outlet. An igneous rock is used as the heat storage material.

Claims

1. An arrangement for storage of thermal energy, comprising: a heat storage means of three-dimensional configuration; a solid natural material designed for heat storage; and a fluid designed for transfer of thermal energy to a heat storage material and for withdrawal of thermal energy from the heat storage material; the heat storage material is disposed within the heat storage means, and the heat storage means has at least one inlet and at least one outlet through which the fluid for energy storage and for energy withdrawal is guided; wherein heated fluid for energy storage is introduced into the heat storage means via the at least one inlet, transfers thermal energy to the heat storage material therein and is guided out of the heat storage means via the at least one outlet; wherein cool fluid for energy withdrawal is introduced into the heat storage means via the at least one inlet, absorbs thermal energy from the heat storage material therein and is guided out of the heat storage means via the at least one outlet; Wherein the heat storage material is a magmatic rock. wherein:

2. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid is air.

3. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat storage material is vulcanite or plutonite.

4. The arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the heat storage material is basalt or gabbro or anorthosite.

5. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein heat storage material does not include any crystalline quartz component of SiO.sub.2.

6. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat storage material does not include any glassy-amorphous components and allophane.

7. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat storage material does not include any proportions of primary water-containing mineral phases.

8. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat storage material does not include any carbonates.

9. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat storage material does not include any sulfates as salts.

10. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat storage material does not include any chloride- or sulfate-containing salts.

11. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat storage material includes oxidic ore contents with a maximum modal ratio <1.5%.

12. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat storage material does not include any ore cluster enrichments with an ore grain size of greater than 5 μm, where the ore clusters comprise chromium spinels, titanium spinels or iron spinels.

13. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat storage material includes proportions of sulfur-containing ores with the modal ratio <0.1%.

14. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat storage material has a chromium ore content corresponding to a modal ratio <0.1%.

15. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat storage material has a proportion of greater than 90% of inert or unreactive plagioclases having an elevated anorthite content of greater than 50%.

16. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat storage material includes a proportion of greater than 90% of uniformly crystallized pyroxenes and/or olivine, preferably lacking fluid inclusions.

17. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, the heat storage material does not include any metamorphous mineral phases and any extraneous rock inclusions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0064] Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

[0065] FIG. 1 properties, in tabular form, of suitable heat storage material for use in the arrangement of the invention;

[0066] FIG. 2 the chemical and mineralogical composition of the plagioclase solid solution series in a first diagram (on the left), and the solubility of plagioclases with rising Ca content in a second diagram (on the right);

[0067] FIG. 3 a simplified scheme, in an overview, of a calc-alkaline magma differentiation;

[0068] FIG. 4 an overview showing rock types particularly suitable for heat storage;

[0069] FIG. 5 an overview for illustration of the classification of the plutonites according to Streckeisen; and

[0070] FIG. 6 an overview of the plagioclase feldspars and alkali feldspars with a respective transition for better understanding of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0071] FIG. 1 shows collated properties of suitable heat storage material which is used in the arrangement of the invention.

[0072] The overview table quantifies (modal %) the most important rock-forming minerals and the component proportions thereof, and also indices that a theoretically suitable rock must have for heat storage up to 750° C.

[0073] Moreover, important rock indices (dry bulk density, total porosity, water absorption, specific thermal conductivity) are additionally listed with limits.

[0074] Oxidic iron ores that are incorporated in the anorthosite among the plagioclase feldspars are thus partly protected from oxidation processes by atmospheric oxygen.

[0075] By virtue of the percentage of the oxidic iron ores mentioned, chemical reactions with oxygen are attenuated, and so they are negligible.

[0076] A maximum calcium content in the plagioclases (bywtonite, anorthite) generally increases the melting temperature of the heat storage material and hence increases the maximum possible operating temperature thereof and the storage capacity thereof.

[0077] FIG. 2 shows, in a first diagram (on the left), the chemical and mineralogical composition of the plagioclase solid solution series.

[0078] Plotted on a first horizontal axis is the anorthite (An) content in the plagioclase solid solution series from 0 to 100.

[0079] On a second horizontal axis beneath is plotted the respective eponymous concentration transition in the plagioclase solid solution series from left (albite, NaAlSi.sub.3O.sub.8) to right (anorthite, CaAl.sub.2Si.sub.2O.sub.8).

[0080] Plotted on the vertical axis is the main elements in wt %.

[0081] Anorthosites (also plagioclasites) are leucocratic plutonic rocks that feature a very high proportion of plagioclases (90%-100%).

[0082] Ansite (brand name of a Norwegian anorthosite) is marked in the diagram on the horizontal axis as a suitable plagioclase-rich rock.

[0083] The two anorthites of the “Gudvangen” and “Greenland” types are marked in the diagram as particularly suitable rock types for use as heat storage material.

[0084] A second diagram (on the right) shows the solubility of anorthite-rich plagioclase with rising calcium content.

[0085] On a first horizontal axis is plotted the anorthite content in the plagioclase solid solution series from 0 to 100.

[0086] On a second horizontal axis beneath is plotted the respective eponymous concentration transition in the plagioclase solid solution series from left (albite, NaAlSi.sub.3O.sub.8) to right (anorthite, CaAl.sub.2Si.sub.2O.sub.8).

[0087] On the vertical axis is plotted the Leached Al.sub.2O.sub.3 in % of total Al.sub.2O.sub.3.

[0088] The two anorthites of the “Gudvangen” and “Greenland” types are marked in the diagram as particularly suitable rock types for use as heat storage material.

[0089] FIG. 3 shows, in an overview, a simplified scheme of a calc-alkaline magma differentiation.

[0090] Vertical arrows point here to minerals (felsic minerals at the top, mafic at the bottom) that can occur in the respective melt, and the removal of which from the melt results in differentiation of the residual melt.

[0091] Horizontal arrows between minerals show possible crystallization processes in a differentiating melt with decreasing temperature and increasing SiO.sub.2 content.

[0092] FIG. 4 shows an overview of rock types showing rock types particularly suitable for heat storage and their most important mineral phases.

[0093] On a horizontal axis are plotted three rock type ranges (mafic, intermediate, felsic), while mineralogical compositions are plotted on the vertical axis.

[0094] On a third axis, a distinction is made between “fine-grained” and “coarse-grained” structure.

[0095] The result is a three-dimensional block diagram for the mineralogy of magmatites.

[0096] The left-hand third of the cuboid shown shows the “basalt” and “gabbro” heat storage materials that are particularly suitable for heat storage.

[0097] FIG. 5 shows, for illustration, the classification of the plutonites according to Streckeisen.

[0098] Rocks that are potentially suitable as heat storage material lie within the diagram with the vertices of quartz (Q), alkali feldspar and albite (A), plagioclase without albite (P), and foids (F).

[0099] Heat storage materials used are diorites, gabbros, anorthosites and also foid-bearing diorites.

[0100] These are shown in the plagioclase-rich region in the right-hand region of the diagram.

[0101] FIG. 6 shows plagioclase feldspars and alkali feldspars with a respective transition for better understanding of the invention.

[0102] Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of preferred embodiments and variations thereon, it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0103] For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of “a” or “an” throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and “comprising” does not exclude other steps or elements.