Abstract: A hybrid electric gas turbine engine system includes a first compressor and an auxiliary compressor. The first compressor is configured to output first compressed air. The auxiliary compressor is configured to operate in parallel with the first compressor to output second compressed air. A controller is configured to selectively activate the first compressor or the auxiliary compressor based on an operating condition of the hybrid electric gas turbine engine system.

Abstract: Compact and quiet opposed piston engines (OPEs) are provided. Though compact and quiet, the OPEs provide substantial mechanical shaft power that is required for a range of applications. The inventive OPEs may have a plurality of size displacements.

Abstract: A heat transfer device includes a sleeve, which forms an interior in which a working medium and one vaporization element having structural elements, or multiple vaporization elements having structural elements, for converting at least part of the working medium from the liquid to the gaseous state are contained, wherein the vaporization element or the vaporization elements has or have a porosity, and is or are connected to the sleeve.

Abstract: A system for recovery of energy in residue gases, comprising at least two energy conversion units (1), including a combustion chamber (2) having a fuel inlet (9), and a Sterling engine (4) having a heat exchanger (3) with a set of tubes containing working fluid, a portion of the heat exchanger extending into the combustion chamber (2). The system further comprises a pressure control system including a high-pressure reservoir (21) of working fluid, a low-pressure reservoir (22) of working fluid, a pressure pump (23) configured to maintain a pressure difference between the reservoirs, and a control arrangement (31, 32, 33) to regulate a pressure in the fluid circuit.

Abstract: An actuator that includes a shell, a ring structure within the shell, a shape-memory material wire fixed at opposite points of the ring structure to extend in a first direction across a width of the ring structure, and a cooling fluid provided within the shell and in fluid communication with the shape-memory material wire. When the shape-memory material wire is heated, the shape-memory material wire contracts in the first direction to reduce the width of the ring structure and increases a height of the ring structure extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: An energy storage system converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000° C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. An array of bricks incorporating internal radiation cavities is directly heated by thermal radiation. The cavities facilitate rapid, uniform heating via reradiation. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. Gas flows through structured pathways within the array, delivering heat which may be used for processes including calcination, hydrogen electrolysis, steam generation, and thermal power generation and cogeneration. Groups of thermal storage arrays may be controlled and operated at high temperatures without thermal runaway via deep-discharge sequencing. Forecast-based control enables continuous, year-round heat supply using current and advance information of weather and VRE availability.

Abstract: An energy storage system has a pressure vessel that is exposed to ambient temperatures and that contains a working fluid which is condensable at ambient temperatures (CWF); a liquid reservoir in communication with one of the vessels and containing a liquid that is unvaporizable in the reservoir and in the vessel; and apparatus for delivering the liquid from the reservoir to the vessel. The CWF is compressible within the vessel upon direct contact with the liquid and is storable in a liquid state after being compressed to its saturation pressure. In a method, at least some of the liquid located in the vessel is propelled by the CWF towards a turbine to produce power. In one embodiment, a module has a first vessel having at least four ports, a second vessel at ambient temperatures, and a flow control component operatively connected to a corresponding conduit for selectively controlling fluid flow.

Abstract: A method for using a shape memory alloy (SMA) with a non-evaporable getter (NEG) employed in a vacuum device is disclosed. The method comprises coupling a NEG component to a SMA component to form an NEG/SMA assembly pair; heating the NEG/SMA assembly pair to activate the NEG component; and packaging the activated NEG component with the SMA component to form an NEG/SMA package having a gas tight seal. The method further comprises installing the NEG/SMA package in the vacuum device; and heating the installed NEG/SMA package such that the SMA component is actuated to expose the activated NEG component to a vacuum chamber in the vacuum device.

Abstract: A system including: (i) a pumped-heat energy storage system (“PHES system”), wherein the PHES system is operable in a charge mode to convert electricity into stored thermal energy in a hot thermal storage (“HTS”) medium; (ii) an electric heater in thermal contact with the hot HTS medium, wherein the electric heater is operable to heat the hot HTS medium above a temperature achievable by transferring heat from a working fluid to a warm HTS medium in a thermodynamic cycle.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mechanical actuator system for generating a force needed for actuating an actuating member of an EOAT device as required. The actuator system has at least one functional unit which is designed to change the dimension of the functional unit reversibly in a preferred direction (R) of the functional unit when energy is supplied. The invention further relates to an EOAT device, in particular in the form of a gripper or of a cutting tool, having at least one actuating member and an actuator system associated with the at least one actuating member.

Abstract: An energy storage system converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000° C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. An array of bricks incorporating internal radiation cavities is directly heated by thermal radiation. The cavities facilitate rapid, uniform heating via reradiation. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. Gas flows through structured pathways within the array, delivering heat which may be used for processes including calcination, hydrogen electrolysis, steam generation, and thermal power generation and cogeneration. Groups of thermal storage arrays may be controlled and operated at high temperatures without thermal runaway via deep-discharge sequencing. Forecast-based control enables continuous, year-round heat supply using current and advance information of weather and VRE availability.

Abstract: An energy storage system converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000° C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. An array of bricks incorporating internal radiation cavities is directly heated by thermal radiation. The cavities facilitate rapid, uniform heating via reradiation. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. Gas flows through structured pathways within the array, delivering heat which may be used for processes including calcination, hydrogen electrolysis, steam generation, and thermal power generation and cogeneration. Groups of thermal storage arrays may be controlled and operated at high temperatures without thermal runaway via deep-discharge sequencing. Forecast-based control enables continuous, year-round heat supply using current and advance information of weather and VRE availability.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a gas turbine includes: a casing; a rotor shaft penetrating through the casing; a plurality of turbine stages which are in the casing and are arranged along an axial direction of the rotor shaft and through which a working fluid passes; two bearings disposed on outer sides of the casing in terms of the axial direction and supporting the rotor shaft in a rotatable manner; and a plurality of outlet pipes through which the working fluid having finished work in the turbine stages is discharged. The outlet pipes are provided in an upper half and a lower half of the casing.

Abstract: A system and method provide integrated carbon-negative, geothermal-based, energy generation and storage. The embodiments produce dispatchable electricity at grid-scale by storing excess energy from the grid and generating its own energy. The excess energy may be taken from solar and wind sources. In one aspect, the subject technology is energy storage, energy generation, carbon utilization and sequestration, all in one. The technology has very high round-trip efficiency of storing energy and is carbon-negative which makes it far more sustainable than any competing energy storage technology.

Abstract: Broadly speaking, embodiments of the present techniques provide techniques for delivering, when required, higher powers to SMA actuator wires by using a single controller/control circuit that implements pulse width modulation (PWM). Typically, when PWM is used to deliver power, the PWM frequency may be fixed, and power may be applied to each SMA actuator wire during each PWM cycle/period. The present techniques provide a method for delivering higher powers to SMA actuator wires (i.e. increasing the length of individual PWM pulses) without changing the duration of the PWM cycle/period. The present techniques also provide techniques for making accurate resistance measurements to determine position of a moveable component that is moved by the SMA actuator wires.

Abstract: A neutron absorbing insert for use in a fuel rack. In one aspect, the insert includes: a plate structure having a first wall and a second wall that is non-coplanar to the first wall; the first and second walls being formed by a single panel of a metal matrix composite having neutron absorbing particulate reinforcement that is bent into the non-coplanar arrangement along a crease; and a plurality of spaced-apart holes formed into the single panel along the crease prior to bending.

Abstract: A piston apparatus may include a plurality of piston assemblies respectively having a first piston body and a first piston disposed within a first volume defined by the first piston body, a second piston body and a second piston disposed within a second volume defined by the second piston body, and a connection member coupled to the first piston and the second piston. The first and second volume may respectively include an expansion chamber and a compression chamber defined by opposite sides of the corresponding piston. The respective expansion chambers may fluidly communicate with a corresponding compression chamber of another one of the piston assemblies. The first volume of a first piston assembly may fluidly communicate with the first volume and the second volume of a second piston assembly, and the first volume of a third piston assembly may fluidly communicate with the first volume and the second volume of the second piston assembly.

Abstract: An energy storage system converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000° C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. An array of bricks incorporating internal radiation cavities is directly heated by thermal radiation. The cavities facilitate rapid, uniform heating via reradiation. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. Gas flows through structured pathways within the array, delivering heat which may be used for processes including calcination, hydrogen electrolysis, steam generation, and thermal power generation and cogeneration. Groups of thermal storage arrays may be controlled and operated at high temperatures without thermal runaway via deep-discharge sequencing. Forecast-based control enables continuous, year-round heat supply using current and advance information of weather and VRE availability.

Abstract: An assembly is provided for an aircraft propulsion system. This assembly includes an exhaust center body and a duct system. The exhaust center body includes an exterior skin. The duct system is fluidly coupled with a plurality of exterior skin perforations in the exterior skin. The duct system is configured to direct bypass air received from a bypass flow path within the aircraft propulsion system to the exterior skin perforations.

Abstract: A steam turbine having a low-pressure inner housing NDIG and a high-pressure inner housing HDIG within a steam turbine outer housing, a reheater downstream of the HDIG and upstream of the NDIG wherein the first steam inlet section of the HDIG faces the second steam inlet section of the NDIG, a process steam deflection section for deflecting process steam out of the first steam outlet section into a gap between an inner wall of the steam turbine outer housing and an outer wall of the HDIG and of the NDIG, a high-pressure sealing shell for sealing the upstream end-section of the HDIG, a low-pressure sealing shell for sealing the upstream end-section of the NDIG, the high-pressure sealing shell located adjacent to the low-pressure sealing shell, wherein process steam can be drawn from the HDIG and conveyed to a region between the high- and low-pressure sealing shells.