Patents Assigned to Isentropic Limited
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Patent number: 8826664Abstract: An apparatus for storing energy includes a compression chamber for receiving a gas, a compression piston for compressing gas contained in the compression chamber, a first heat store for receiving and storing thermal energy from gas compressed by the compression piston, an expansion chamber for receiving gas after exposure to the first heat store, an expansion piston for expanding gas received in the expansion chamber, and a second heat store for transferring thermal energy to gas expanded by the expansion piston. The cycle used by the apparatus has two different stages that can be split into separate devices or combined into one device.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2010Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: Isentropic LimitedInventors: Jonathan Sebastian Howes, James Macnaghten
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Patent number: 8656712Abstract: Apparatus (10) for storing energy, comprising: compression chamber means (24) for receiving a gas; compression piston means (25) for compressing gas contained in the compression chamber means; first heat storage means (50) for receiving and storing thermal energy from gas compressed by the compression piston means; expansion chamber means (28) for receiving gas after exposure to the first heat storage means; expansion piston means (29) for expanding gas received in the expansion chamber means; and second heat storage means (60) for transferring thermal energy to gas expanded by the expansion piston means. The cycle used by apparatus (10) has two different stages that can be split into separate devices or combined into one device.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2008Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Isentropic LimitedInventors: Jonathan Sebastian Howes, James Macnaghten
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Publication number: 20140014290Abstract: Heat storage apparatus comprising at least one thermal store (300) comprising a chamber (301) having a gas inlet (306), a gas outlet (307), and a gas-permeable thermal storage media (303) disposed therebetween, the apparatus being configured such that, during operation, the flow path of a gas flowing through the chamber (301) from inlet (306) to outlet (307) for transfer of thermal energy to or from the storage media (303) can be selectively altered in response to the progress of the thermal transfer, thereby enabling the flow path to bypass inactive upstream or downstream regions of the storage media where thermal transfer is complete or minimal, so as to minimise the pressure drop across the storage media. A baffle system (305) in a main flow passageway (312) may be used to control the gas flow path.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2011Publication date: January 16, 2014Applicant: ISENTROPIC LIMITEDInventors: Jonathan Sebastian Howes, James Macnaghten, Rowland Geoffrey Hunt
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Publication number: 20140008033Abstract: A heat storage system (400) comprising a system gas inlet (460), a system gas outlet (470), and at least two thermal stores (401, 402) connected together in series therebetween, wherein each store comprises a chamber having a gas inlet (461,462), a gas outlet (471,472), and a gas-permeable thermal storage media 431 disposed therebetween, the system further comprising flow controllers (451, 452, 453, 454, 457) operatively connected to bypass passageways and so configured that, during operation, the flow path of a gas flowing through the system (400) for transfer of thermal energy to or from the storage media (431) can be selectively altered in respect of which stores (401, 402) in the series are used in response to the progress of the thermal transfer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2011Publication date: January 9, 2014Applicant: ISENTROPIC LIMITEDInventors: Jonathan Sebastian Howes, James Macnaghten, Rowland Geoffrey Hunt
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Patent number: 8496026Abstract: A valve comprising a first pan (10?) defining a first array of apertures (20?) and a second part (50) defining a second array of apertures (60?), the first pan (10?) being moveable relative to the second part (50) between a first configuration in which passage of a fluid through the valve is substantially prevented and a second configuration in which passage of fluid is allowed. In one embodiment, the first pan (10?) comprises a flexible plate-like member configured to engage a sealing face of the second part (50) when in the second configuration and lock in the second configuration in response to a pressure differential across the valve. The plate-like member is sufficiently flexible to conform to a profile of the sealing face in response to a pressure differential across the valve.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2008Date of Patent: July 30, 2013Assignee: Isentropic LimitedInventors: Jonathan Sebastian Howes, James Macnaghten
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Patent number: 8453677Abstract: A valve (50) comprising a first part (401) defining a first array of apertures and a second part (2) defining a second array of apertures, the first part (401) being moveable laterally relative to the second part (2) between a closed configuration in which the first and second arrays of apertures are not registered to substantially prevent passage of a fluid through the valve and an open configuration in which the first and second arrays of apertures are registered to allow passage of fluid, wherein the first and second parts (401, 2) are configured to lock in the closed configuration in response to a pressure differential across the valve (50). In one embodiment, the first part (401) is configured to be sealed against the second part (2) by a pressure differential across the valve when the first and second parts (401,2) are locked in the closed configuration.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2008Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: Isentropic LimitedInventors: Jonathan Sebastian Howes, James Macnaghten
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Publication number: 20130118344Abstract: An apparatus (10) for compressing and expanding a gas includes a chamber (22), a positive displacement device (24) moveable relative thereto, first and second valves (26, 28) activatable to control flow of gas into and out of the chamber (22) and a controller (80) for controlling activation of the valves (26, 28) that selectively switches operation between a compression and an expansion mode with selective switching between modes being achieved by selectively changing the activation timing of at least one of the valves during the first mode. An energy storage system including the device may be operatively coupled via a rotary device for power transmission to an input/output device, whereby the direction and speed of rotation are preserved during switching, and the input/output device may be synchronised to the grid.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2011Publication date: May 16, 2013Applicant: ISENTROPIC LIMITEDInventors: Jonathan Sebastian Howes, James Macnaghten
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Publication number: 20120312496Abstract: Apparatus (1) for storing energy includes a high pressure storage vessel (10) for receiving high pressure gas, the high pressure storage vessel (10) including a high pressure heat store including a first chamber housing a first gas-permeable heat storage structure (14); and a low pressure storage vessel (11,12) for receiving low pressure gas, the low pressure storage vessel (11,12) including a low pressure heat store including a second chamber housing a second gas-permeable heat storage structure (16,18. The first heat storage structure (14) has a mean surface area per unit volume which is higher than a mean surface area per unit volume of the second heat storage structure (16,18).Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2011Publication date: December 13, 2012Applicant: Isentropic LimitedInventors: Jonathan Sebastian Howes, James Macnaghten
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Publication number: 20120103004Abstract: Apparatus for use as a heat pump includes compression chamber means, inlet means for allowing gas to enter the compression chamber means, compression means for compressing gas contained in the compression chamber means, heat exchanger means for receiving thermal energy from gas compressed by the compression means, expansion chamber means for receiving gas after exposure to the heat exchange means, expansion means for expanding gas received in the expansion chamber means, and exhaust means for venting gas from the expansion chamber means after expansion thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2012Publication date: May 3, 2012Applicant: Isentropic LimitedInventors: Jonathan Sebastian Howes, James MacNaghten
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Patent number: 8113011Abstract: Apparatus (10?) for use as a heat pump comprising: compression chamber means (40?); inlet means (30?) for allowing gas to enter the compression chamber means; compression means (60?) for compressing gas contained in the compression chamber means; heat exchanger means for receiving thermal energy from gas compressed by the compression means; expansion chamber means (124?) for receiving gas after exposure to the heat exchange means; expansion means (120?) for expanding gas received in the expansion chamber means; and exhaust means (100?) for venting gas from the expansion chamber means after expansion thereof.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2006Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: Isentropic LimitedInventors: Jonathan Sebastian Howes, James MacNaghten
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Publication number: 20100308250Abstract: A valve (50) comprising a first part (401) defining a first array of apertures and a second part (2) defining a second array of apertures, the first part (401) being moveable laterally relative to the second part (2) between a closed configuration in which the first and second arrays of apertures are not registered to substantially prevent passage of a fluid through the valve and an open configuration in which the first and second arrays of apertures are registered to allow passage of fluid, wherein the first and second parts (401, 2) are configured to lock in the closed configuration in response to a pressure differential across the valve (50). In one embodiment, the first part (401) is configured to be sealed against the second part (2) by a pressure differential across the valve when the first and second parts (401,2) are locked in the closed configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2008Publication date: December 9, 2010Applicant: ISENTROPIC LIMITEDInventors: Jonathan Sebastian Howes, James Macnaghten
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Publication number: 20100300554Abstract: A valve comprising a first pan (10?) defining a first array of apertures (20?) and a second part (50) defining a second array of apertures (60?), the first pan (10?) being moveable relative to the second part (50) between a first configuration in which passage of a fluid through the valve is substantially prevented and a second configuration in which passage of fluid is allowed. In one embodiment, the first pan (10?) comprises a flexible plate-like member configured to engage a sealing face of the second part (50) when in the second configuration and lock in the second configuration in response to a pressure differential across the valve. The plate-like member is sufficiently flexible to conform to a profile of the sealing face in response to a pressure differential across the valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2008Publication date: December 2, 2010Applicant: ISENTROPIC LIMITEDInventors: Jonathan Sebastian Howes, James Macnaghten
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Publication number: 20100257862Abstract: Apparatus (10) for storing energy, comprising: compression chamber means (24) for receiving a gas; compression piston means (25) for compressing gas contained in the compression chamber means; first heat storage means (50) for receiving and storing thermal energy from gas compressed by the compression piston means; expansion chamber means (28) for receiving gas after exposure to the first heat storage means; expansion piston means (29) for expanding gas received in the expansion chamber means; and second heat storage means (60) for transferring thermal energy to gas expanded by the expansion piston means. The cycle used by apparatus (10) has two different stages that can be split into separate devices or combined into one device.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2008Publication date: October 14, 2010Applicant: Isentropic LimitedInventors: Jonathan Sebastian Howes, James Macnaghten
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Publication number: 20100251711Abstract: An apparatus for storing energy includes a compression chamber for receiving a gas, a compression piston for compressing gas contained in the compression chamber, a first heat store for receiving and storing thermal energy from gas compressed by the compression piston, an expansion chamber for receiving gas after exposure to the first heat store, an expansion piston for expanding gas received in the expansion chamber, and a second heat store for transferring thermal energy to gas expanded by the expansion piston. The cycle used by the apparatus has two different stages that can be split into separate devices or combined into one device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2010Publication date: October 7, 2010Applicant: Isentropic LimitedInventors: Jonathan Sebastian Howes, James Macnaghten