Including Heat, Steam, Or Compressed Gas Storage Means Patents (Class 60/659)
  • Patent number: 11971221
    Abstract: A thermal battery includes a heat sink material that remains solid across an operating temperature range (i.e., for all operating modes) of the battery, and a heat conductive material in direct heat transfer relationship with the solid heat sink material. The heat conductive material has a melting point below that of the heat sink material so that in use the heat conductive material is a fluid, for example molten when the heat conductive material is a metal, in the operating temperature range of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: The Sunlands Company Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Sal Catalano, Bruno Ruggiero
  • Patent number: 11952922
    Abstract: Operation of an energy storage system comprising a thermodynamic cycle including first and second thermal reservoirs and a turbomachinery as energy converter for two-way conversion between electrical energy and thermal energy. For controlling the temperature in the system, the compression ratio of the turbomachinery is adjusted in real-time during charging on the basis of temperature measurements downstream of the compression and/or during discharging on the basis of temperature measurements downstream of the expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Stiesdal Storage A/S
    Inventor: Henrik Stiesdal
  • Patent number: 11918967
    Abstract: A method for carrying out a thermochemical process includes injecting one or more feed streams into a reaction chamber. The reaction chamber is maintained at a reaction temperature using heat obtained directly from a subterranean heat source. The method includes maintaining the one or more feed streams in the reaction chamber for a residence time to form one or more product streams from the one or more feed streams. The one or more product streams are removed from the reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: EnhancedGEO Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Greg Lindberg, Kimberly C. Conner
  • Patent number: 11920449
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for centralized monitoring and control of a hydraulic fracturing operation. The system includes an electric powered fracturing fleet and a centralized control unit coupled to the electric powered fracturing fleet. The electric powered fracturing fleet can include a combination of one or more of: electric powered pumps, turbine generators, blenders, sand silos, chemical storage units, conveyor belts, manifold trailers, hydration units, variable frequency drives, switchgear, transformers, and compressors. The centralized control unit can be configured to monitor and/or control one or more operating characteristics of the electric powered fracturing fleet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: U.S. WELL SERVICES, LLC
    Inventors: Joel N. Broussard, Jeff McPherson, Robert Kurtz, Jared Oehring, Brandon Hinderliter
  • Patent number: 11867092
    Abstract: A system includes a combustion power plant for generating power and an electrolysis unit for producing hydrogen. The combustion power plant has a combustion chamber for combustion of a fuel and an offgas conduit for leading off hot offgases formed in the combustion of the fuel. The offgas conduit is thermally coupled to the electrolysis unit. A method for operating the system includes burning the fuel in the combustion power plant, forming the hot offgases in the combustion of the fuel, removing the hot offgases through the offgas conduit, feeding the thermal energy of the hot offgases from the offgas conduit to the electrolysis unit, and producing hydrogen in the electrolysis unit by using the thermal energy from the hot offgases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Alexander Broy, Gerald Franz Giering, Alexander Rentschler
  • Patent number: 11852043
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides pumped thermal energy storage systems that can be used to store and extract electrical energy. A pumped thermal energy storage system of the present disclosure can store energy by operating as a heat pump or refrigerator, whereby net work input can be used to transfer heat from the cold side to the hot side. A working fluid of the system is capable of efficient heat exchange with heat storage fluids on a hot side of the system and on a cold side of the system. The system can extract energy by operating as a heat engine transferring heat from the hot side to the cold side, which can result in net work output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: MALTA INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin R. Bollinger, Mert Geveci, Bao H. Truong, Erhan Karaca, Sebastian W. Freund, David M. Brantzeg, James J. Underwood, John S. Bowen, Roy T. Collins
  • Patent number: 11835265
    Abstract: An apparatus combining a solar tracker and a dual heat source collector includes a heat engine assembly and the solar tracker. The heat engine assembly includes a heat collector, a heat collecting lens, and a heat engine. The heat collector includes a solar heat collecting room and a heat source room. The heat collecting lens is arranged on the heat collector and corresponds to the solar heat collecting room. The heat engine is located in the solar heat collecting room. The solar tracker includes a primary mirror, a secondary mirror, a pivot member, and a driving member. The primary mirror has a first reflective surface and a back surface. The primary mirror has a mounting hole passing through the primary mirror. The secondary mirror is mounted above the primary mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: National Cheng Kung University
    Inventors: Ching-Hsiang Cheng, Tsung-Chieh Cheng, Yen-Fei Chen, Yu-Ting Lin, Shang-Ting Huang
  • Patent number: 11828203
    Abstract: A plant for storing and discharging thermal energy comprises a first heat exchanger coupled to a heat source, a second heat exchanger coupled to a heat user, a fluid configured to store thermal energy, a storage device for the fluid, a circuit configured to couple the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger and the storage device. The storage device comprises N+B storage sections fluidly connected to each other, where N is equal to or greater than two and B is less than N; each of the N+B storage sections has a same containment volume. The fluid occupies a volume substantially equal to N times the containment volume. A separation gas is inserted in the storage device, is in contact with the fluid and is configured to always keep separate a hot portion of the fluid from a cold portion of the same fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: ENERGY DOME S.P.A.
    Inventor: Claudio Spadacini
  • Patent number: 11815023
    Abstract: Power and cooling systems including a drive system, a power generation unit, and a cooled fluid generation unit. A primary working fluid that is expanded within a turbine of the drive system and compressed within compressors in a closed-loop cycle. The power generation unit includes a generator and a heat source configured to heat the primary working fluid prior to injection into the turbine. T cooled fluid generation unit includes an ejector downstream of the compressors and a separator arranged downstream of the ejector and configured to separate liquid and gaseous portions of the primary working fluid. The gaseous portion is directed to the compressors and the liquid portion is directed to an evaporator heat exchanger to generate cooled fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Malcolm MacDonald, Abbas A. Alahyari
  • Patent number: 11815016
    Abstract: Thermal battery systems for management (e.g., load management) of electrical power sources, and related methods, are generally described. Thermal battery systems in certain embodiments have an electric heater, a thermal storage system, a heat exchange system and an electricity generator. The electric heater is configured to be connected in electrical communication with an electric power source, such as an electric power grid and to heat the thermal storage system. The electric heater may be a separate unit from the thermal storage system and heat the thermal storage system indirectly by heating a first fluid that is circulated through the thermal storage system during charging, or the electric heater may be integrated directly into the thermal storage system to heat it directly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: 247Solar Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce N. Anderson
  • Patent number: 11767950
    Abstract: A compressed gas energy storage system may include an accumulator for containing a layer of compressed gas atop a layer of liquid. A gas conduit may have an upper end in communication with a gas compressor/expander subsystem and a lower end in communication with accumulator interior for conveying compressed gas into the compressed gas layer of the accumulator when in use. A shaft may have an interior for containing a quantity of a liquid and may be fluidly connectable to a liquid source/sink via a liquid supply conduit. A partition may cover may separate the accumulator interior from the shaft interior. An internal accumulator force may act on the inner surface of the partition and the liquid within the shaft may exert an external counter force on the outer surface of the partition, whereby a net force acting on the partition is less than the accumulator force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Hydrostor Inc.
    Inventors: Cameron Lewis, Andrew McGillis, Davin Young, Curtis Vanwalleghem
  • Patent number: 11746697
    Abstract: An energy generation plant in which the exhaust gas from a gas turbine is guided into a thermal energy store, wherein the thermal energy store can be used for various purposes. The energy generation plant has at least one gas turbine having an exhaust gas apparatus, at least one generator, at least one thermal energy store, wherein the generator can be driven by the gas turbine, wherein the hot exhaust gas from the gas turbine is passed directly to a thermal energy store via the exhaust gas apparatus, wherein the thermal energy from the thermal energy store can be used to generate power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Matthias Migl, Ronald Schwarz, Denis Tschetschik
  • Patent number: 11728677
    Abstract: Integrated energy storage system including a thermal energy storage coupled with a liquid metal battery storage and a cryogenic energy storage and related methods are described. An example integrated energy storage system includes a liquid metal battery storage, a cryogenic energy storage configured to store energy using a liquefied cryogen, a thermal energy storage, and a control system. The control system is configured to cause selective transfer of heat from the thermal energy storage to at least one battery unit associated with the liquid metal battery storage. The control system is configured to during a first mode associated with the cryogenic energy storage, cause selective transfer of heat from the cryogenic energy storage to the thermal energy storage. The control system is configured to during a second mode associated with the cryogenic energy storage, cause selective transfer of heat from the thermal energy storage to the cryogenic energy storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Ruslan Nagimov, Ehsan Nasr Azadani
  • Patent number: 11662062
    Abstract: A cryogenic energy storage system comprises at least one cryogenic fluid storage tank having an output; a primary conduit through which a stream of cryogenic fluid may flow from the output of the fluid storage tank to an exhaust; a pump within the primary conduit downstream of the output of the tank for pressurising the cryogenic fluid stream; evaporative means within the primary conduit downstream of the pump for vaporising the pressurised cryogenic fluid stream; at least one expansion stage within the primary conduit downstream of the evaporative means for expanding the vaporised cryogenic fluid stream and for extracting work therefrom; a secondary conduit configured to divert at least a portion of the cryogenic fluid stream from the primary conduit and reintroduce it to the fluid storage tank; and pressure control means within the secondary conduit for controlling the flow of the diverted cryogenic fluid stream and thereby controlling the pressure within the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Highview Enterprises Limited
    Inventors: Richard Riley, Miriam Zubizarreta, Nicola Castellucci, Paul Currie
  • Patent number: 11655759
    Abstract: A power generation system comprising a shared hot side thermal store, a shared cold side thermal store, a plurality of power subunits, and an electrical bus is disclosed. Each of the power subunits may connected or isolated from the shared hot side thermal store and/or the shared cold side thermal store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: MALTA, INC.
    Inventors: Raj B. Apte, Philippe Larochelle, Julian Green
  • Patent number: 11643949
    Abstract: An energy generation system for converting combustible fluid from a nontraditional combustible fluid source to useable energy. The energy generation system including a fluid storage system including a compressor and at least one storage tank, the compressor configured to pressurize a combustible fluid from a combustible fluid source for storage in the one or more storage tanks; and an energy recovery system configured to receive the combustible fluid from the at least one storage tank, the energy recovery system including: a turboexpander configured to depressurize the combustible fluid received from the at least one storage tank; a motor-generator configured to input the combustible fluid as depressurized by the turboexpander, and generate electrical energy from the combustible fluid; and an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) system configured to generate electrical energy based on a temperature differential between the combustible fluid input to the motor-generator and a waste heat produced by the motor-generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Sean Day
  • Patent number: 11644150
    Abstract: A thermal storage subsystem may include at least a first storage reservoir configured to contain a thermal storage liquid at a storage pressure that is greater than atmospheric pressure. A liquid passage may have an inlet connectable to a thermal storage liquid source and configured to convey the thermal storage liquid to the liquid reservoir. A first heat exchanger may be provided in the liquid inlet passage and may be in fluid communication between the first compression stage and the accumulator, whereby thermal energy can be transferred from a compressed gas stream exiting a gas compressor/expander subsystem to the thermal storage liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Hydrostor Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Stradiotto, Cameron Lewis, Davin Young, Andrew McGillis
  • Patent number: 11636956
    Abstract: The invention concerns a liquid metal-cooled fast-neutron nuclear reactor (1), comprising a system (2) for removing at least part of both the nominal power and the residual power of the reactor, which ensures, at the same time: removal of the residual power in a totally passive manner from the initial instant of the accident; removal of the heat through the primary vessel; implementation of a final cold source (container with PCM) other than the sodium/air or NaK/air heat exchangers used in the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Paul Gauthe, Alessandro Pantano
  • Patent number: 11611263
    Abstract: An electric power generation system receives a gas flow at a heater, heats the gas flow at the heater with a heated fluid from a waste heat process, and directs the heated gas flow to a turbine wheel of an electric generator. The heated gas flow drives rotation of the turbine wheel, and in response to rotating the turbine wheel, electrical current is generated by the electric generator. Generated electrical current is then directed to power electronics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Sapphire Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Freddie Sarhan, Jeffrey Earl, Jeremy Liu
  • Patent number: 11585243
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Rondo Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: John Setel O'Donnell, Peter Emery von Behrens, Chiaki Treynor, Jeremy Quentin Keller, Matthieu Jonemann, Robert Ratz, Yusef Desjardins Ferhani
  • Patent number: 11560879
    Abstract: A solar-aided coal-fired flexible power generation system and an operating method thereof are provided. The system includes a coal-fired thermal power generation system and a high-temperature heat storage system coupled with solar thermal power generation; wherein a heat storage medium heater is arranged in the boiler flue; the flow rates of heat storage medium entering the solar heat collection device and the heat storage medium heater are adjusted by the regulating valve and the pump, eliminating irradiation fluctuation influences and maintaining stable power; a heat storage medium tank is used for peak shaving to reduce steam turbine output under stable boiler combustion; the flow and temperature of the feedwater entering the heat storage medium and feedwater heat exchanger are adjusted to realize rapid load cycling. The present invention can realize solar and coal-fired generation coupling, reduce coal consumption, and greatly improve the flexibility and economy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: XI'AN JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hui Yan, Ming Liu, Daotong Chong, Jinshi Wang, Weixiong Chen, Junjie Yan
  • Patent number: 11519393
    Abstract: A compressed air energy storage system may have an accumulator and a thermal storage subsystem having a cold storage chamber for containing a supply of granular heat transfer, a hot storage chamber and at least a first mixing chamber in the gas flow path and having an interior in which the compressed gas contacts the granular heat transfer particles at a mixing pressure that is greater than the cold storage pressure and the hot storage pressure and a conveying system operable to selectably move the granular heat transfer particles from the cold storage chamber, through the first mixing chamber and into the hot storage chamber, and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Hydrostor Inc.
    Inventors: Cameron Lewis, Andrew McGillis
  • Patent number: 11499477
    Abstract: A system and method of increasing efficiency and power output of a gas turbine system using a compressed air storage system including delivering a compressed air charge from the compressed air storage system, the compressed air charge having a pressure greater than ambient pressure and a temperature less than ambient temperature, the compressed air charge being delivered to the gas turbine and the compressed air charge operable to cool at least a portion of the gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Inventor: Patrick J. E. Lemieux
  • Patent number: 11473851
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Storenergy Holdings Ltd.
    Inventor: Marko Vuksanovic
  • Patent number: 11459944
    Abstract: There is provided a thermal energy storage system, comprising at least two thermal storage masses, wherein an inner thermal storage mass (48) is contained within an outer thermal storage mass (49). A pump or compressor (42) forces a compressible fluid around the system. A first storage mass heat exchanger (50) has a first side in fluid communication with the pump or compressor (42), and a second side in contact with the outer thermal storage mass (49). A second storage mass heat exchanger (51) has a first side in fluid communication with the first side of the first storage mass heat exchanger (50), and a second side in contact with the inner thermal storage mass (48). A turbine (43) has a turbine inlet in fluid communication with the first side of the second storage mass heat exchanger (51), and a turbine outlet. An electrical generator is driven by the turbine (43). The system further comprises a thermal store (52) containing a thermal store medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY COURT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
    Inventor: Adam Robinson
  • Patent number: 11454167
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: MALTA INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin R. Bollinger, Bao H. Truong
  • Patent number: 11428445
    Abstract: Methods and systems for energy storage and management are provided. In various embodiments, heat pumps, heat engines and pumped heat energy storage systems and methods of operating the same are provided. In some embodiments, methods include controlling thermal properties of a working fluid by virtue of the timing of the operation of cylinder valves. Methods and systems for controlling mass flow rates and charging and discharging power independent of working fluid temperature and system state-of-charge are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: GRIDWORTHY TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventor: Benjamin L. Norris
  • Patent number: 11421329
    Abstract: A hydrogen production system includes: a hydrogen production device connected to an electric power system and configured to produce hydrogen by electrolyzing pure water; an output control unit capable of controlling an amount of power supplied from the electric power system to the hydrogen production device according to request from the electric power system; a first pure water line for supplying pure water to the hydrogen production device; a first adjustment device capable of adjusting an amount of pure water supplied to the hydrogen production device via the first pure water line; and a first control unit configured to control the first adjustment device, based on a power amount signal indicating information on an amount of power supplied from the electric power system to the hydrogen production device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Marushima, Atsushi Tsutsumi, Yoshimasa Ando, Kazunori Fujita, Tadateru Tanioka
  • Patent number: 11396826
    Abstract: A method including: (i) operating a pumped-heat energy storage system (“PHES system”) in a charge mode to convert electricity into stored thermal energy in a hot thermal storage medium (“HTS medium”) by transferring heat from a working fluid to a warm HTS medium, resulting in a hot HTS medium, wherein the PHES system is further operable in a generation mode to convert at least a portion of the stored thermal energy into electricity; and (ii) heating the hot HTS medium with an electric heater above a temperature achievable by transferring heat from the working fluid to the warm HTS medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: MALTA INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin R. Bollinger, Bao H. Truong
  • Patent number: 11352909
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a system for providing heat, cold, and/or electric power comprising: a first and a second compressor; a first and a second expander; and a first heat store and a second heat store. An output of the first compressor is thermally coupled to a first input of the first heat store and to a second input of the second heat store. An output of the second compressor is thermally coupled to a first input of the second heat store and to a second input of the first heat store. An input of the first expander is thermally coupled to a first output of the first heat store and to a second output of the second heat store. An input of the second expander is thermally coupled to a first output of the second heat store and to a second output of the first heat store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Vladimir Danov
  • Patent number: 11319875
    Abstract: In a main flow passage, a first heat exchanger, a first heat storage unit, a second heat exchanger, and a second heat storage unit are connected by a heating medium flow passage. The main flow passage allows a heating medium to be circulated. A sub flow passage includes a shortened flow passage which is a part of the heating medium flow passage and branches from the heating medium flow passage between the second heat exchanger and the second heat storage unit and extends to the first heat storage unit. The sub flow passage allows circulation of the heating medium between the first heat storage unit and the second heat exchanger. A first heating means in a middle of the shortened flow passage, the first heating means heating a passing heat medium, and a switching means conducting switching between the main flow passage and the sub flow passage are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yohei Kubo, Masaki Matsukuma, Yuji Matsuo, Takashi Sato, Ryo Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 11203973
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system and to a method for compressed-gas energy storage and recovery comprising at least a first and at least a second heat exchanger, a cold liquid storage means and a hot liquid storage means, as well as a separation means. The separation means is positioned after at least a first heat exchanger. The system comprises at least one means for feeding the liquid leaving the separation means to the cold liquid storage means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: IFP Energies nouvelles
    Inventors: Patrick Briot, David Teixeira
  • Patent number: 11187114
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for generating mechanical energy, comprising at least: a compressor; an expander; a heat exchanger; said system having a motor operative mode in which said system additionally comprises: means for the intake of pressurised liquid nitrogen in a liquid nitrogen intake inlet of said exchanger, means for the intake of air or gaseous nitrogen in an air or gaseous nitrogen intake inlet of said exchanger, means for discharging vaporised nitrogen at a vaporised nitrogen outlet of said exchanger, and means for discharging air or cooled nitrogen at another outlet of said exchanger for air or cooled gaseous nitrogen; means for the intake of said vaporised nitrogen into the interior of said expander in order to expand same; means for the intake of the air or cooled gaseous nitrogen into said compressor so as to produce compressed air or gaseous nitrogen therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Inventor: Eric Dupont
  • Patent number: 11136905
    Abstract: A power pack for converting waste heat from exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine to electrical energy includes a working fluid loop fluidly connecting an evaporator, an expander, a condenser and a pump. The power pack also includes a working fluid tank fluidly connected to the working fluid loop between an outlet of the condenser and an inlet of the pump. The working fluid tank has a single working fluid port operable to receive working fluid from the outlet of the condenser and to supply working fluid to the inlet of the pump. The power pack also includes a power pack control unit in communication with the working fluid tank. The power pack control unit is operable to change a pressure of the working fluid in the working fluid loop at the inlet of the pump by changing the pressure of the working fluid in the working fluid tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Tenneco GmbH
    Inventor: Vincent Grelet
  • Patent number: 11022381
    Abstract: A heat exchange system with at least two heat exchange chambers is provided. Each of the heat exchange chambers includes heat exchange chamber boundaries which surround at least one heat exchange chamber interior of the heat exchange chamber. The heat exchange chamber boundaries include at least one first opening for guiding in of an inflow of at least one heat transfer fluid into the heat exchange chamber interior and at least one second opening for guiding out of an outflow of the heat transfer fluid out of the heat exchange chamber interior. At least one heat storage material is arranged in the heat exchange chamber interior such that a heat exchange flow of the heat transfer fluid through the heat exchange chamber interior causes a heat exchange between the heat storage material and the heat transfer fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Inventor: Till Andreas Barmeier
  • Patent number: 11015490
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to combined gas and steam power plants. Various embodiments may include methods for operating such plants, such as: generating hot steam with an exhaust gas of a gas turbine; driving a generator with the steam; diverting at least a part of the generated steam and storing the diverted steam in a steam accumulator; then, discharging at least a part of the steam stored in the steam accumulator from the steam accumulator; heating the steam discharged from the steam accumulator with heat released during an exothermic chemical reaction; and feeding the heated steam to drive the turbine device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY GLOBAL GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Stefan Becker, Vladimir Danov, Uwe Lenk, Florian Reißner, Erich Schmid, Jochen Schäfer
  • Patent number: 10995664
    Abstract: In a compressed air energy storage and power generation device, a compressed air energy storage and power generation method defines, as a reference storage value, a storage value indicating that a storage amount of air in an accumulator tank is in a predetermined intermediate state. At the reference storage value, at least one of a motor and a generator rotates at a rated rotation speed. When a storage value indicating a current storage amount in the accumulator tank is larger than the reference storage value, at least one of the motor and the generator is controlled to rotate at equal to or less than the rated rotation speed. When the storage value indicating the current storage amount in the accumulator tank is smaller than the reference storage value, at least one of the motor and the generator is controlled to rotate at equal to or more than the rated rotation speed and equal to or less than a maximum permissible rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Matsukuma, Hiroki Saruta, Kanami Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 10907542
    Abstract: A compressor, a first heat exchanger, a first heat storage unit, a pressure accumulation unit, a second heat exchanger, and a second heat storage unit are provided. The first heat storage unit and the second heat storage unit are connected by a first flow passage and a second flow passage. The first and second flow passages are connected by a third flow passage. A first on-off means is provided in a first region of the first flow passage and a second on-off means is provided in a second region. A third on-off means is provided in a third region of the second flow passage, and a fourth on-off means is provided in a fourth region. A driving means and a heating means are provided in the third flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yohei Kubo, Masaki Matsukuma, Yuji Matsuo, Takashi Sato, Ryo Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 10902160
    Abstract: Methods and Apparatus relating to environmental monitoring and control systems are discussed. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and systems for monitoring temperature and other environmental conditions in a cold storage facility and tracking the locations and environmental conditions of a product throughout its cold storage life cycle using the environmental control system and smart devices in logical communication therewith. Tracked interactions with personnel in relationship to products in cold storage are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Middle Chart, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Wodrich, Michael S. Santarone, Randall Pugh, Jason E. Duff, Frederick Flitsch
  • Patent number: 10892642
    Abstract: A compressed air storage power generation apparatus is provided with a motor, a compressor, a pressure accumulation tank, an expander, a generator, a first heat exchanger and a cold heat extracting unit. The motor is driven by input power generated using renewable energy. The compressor is mechanically connected to the motor and compresses air. The pressure accumulation tank accumulates the compressed air compressed by the compressor. The expander is driven by the compressed air supplied from the pressure accumulation tank. The generator is mechanically connected to the expander. The first heat exchanger exchanges heat between the compressed air supplied from the compressor and a heat medium and cools the compressed air to room temperature. The cold heat extracting unit extracts air serving as working fluid as cold air of the room temperature or lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Matsukuma, Hiroki Saruta, Takashi Sato, Kanami Sakamoto, Masatake Toshima, Yohei Kubo
  • Patent number: 10794279
    Abstract: This compressed air storage power generation device 10 is provided with: a power demand receiving unit 60; a cold heat demand receiving unit 61; a power supply adjustment device 19 which adjusts the amount of power generated by a generator 15; a cold heat supply adjustment valve 22 which adjusts the amount of cold heat supplied from a first heat medium storage unit 21 to consumer equipment 3; and a control device which controls the power supply adjustment device 19 and the cold heat supply adjustment valve 22 so as to supply the consumer equipment 3 with power and cold heat corresponding to the power demand value and the cold heat demand value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Matsukuma, Ayaka Nagahira
  • Patent number: 10788267
    Abstract: A condenser system for steam turbine systems having different loads is disclosed. The condenser system includes a selectively sized outer casing having a variably sized heat exchanger end and an input end for coupling to a steam turbine (ST) system. A condensate vessel sidewall of the casing is positionally uniform relative to the ends regardless of the size of the heat exchanger, and a cooling water sidewall has a position dependent on heat exchanger size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Borislav Dokic, Enrico Lorenzoni, Nemanja Lukovic
  • Patent number: 10724430
    Abstract: A pumped heat energy storage (PHES) system (100) including a charging circuit and a discharging circuit effective to balance or split a total heat rejection of the PHES system between the charging circuit and the discharging circuit. The charging circuit may include thermal storage vessels (102, 104) to store thermal energy generated from a first compressor (110). A first heat rejection system (128) is fluidly coupled with the thermal storage vessels to remove thermal energy from the charging circuit. The discharging circuit may include a first turbine (146) fluidly coupled with the thermal storage vessels to extract thermal energy stored in the thermal storage vessels and convert the thermal energy to mechanical energy via an expansion of a second working fluid. A second heat rejection system (156) is fluidly coupled with the thermal storage vessels and the first turbine to remove thermal energy from the discharging circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: DRESSER-RAND COMPANY
    Inventor: Jason M. Kerth
  • Patent number: 10550765
    Abstract: An energy storage device having: a high-temperature regenerator containing a solid, particularly porous storage material (S); a working gas (A) as the heat transfer medium to transfer heat between the storage material (S) and the working gas (A) flowing through; and a charging circuit and a discharging circuit for the working gas (A). The charging circuit is designed such that starting from a pre-heating unit at least one first heat transfer duct of a recuperator, a first compressor (HO), the high-temperature regenerator, a second heat transfer duct of the recuperator and then a first expander are interconnected, thus forming a circuit, so as to conduct fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Inventors: Peter Ortmann, Werner Graf
  • Patent number: 10480409
    Abstract: The invention is a compressed gas energy storage and recovery system and method, of AACAES type. The system and the method according to the invention heats at constant volume stored compressed gas to increase the pressure of the stored compressed gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventor: David Teixeira
  • Patent number: 10480410
    Abstract: In a compressed air energy storage and power generation device, a compressed air energy storage and power generation method defines, as a reference storage value, a storage value indicating that a storage amount of air in an accumulator tank is in a predetermined intermediate state. At the reference storage value, at least one of a motor and a generator rotates at a rated rotation speed. When a storage value indicating a current storage amount in the accumulator tank is larger than the reference storage value, at least one of the motor and the generator is controlled to rotate at equal to or less than the rated rotation speed. When the storage value indicating the current storage amount in the accumulator tank is smaller than the reference storage value, at least one of the motor and the generator is controlled to rotate at equal to or more than the rated rotation speed and equal to or less than a maximum permissible rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Matsukuma, Hiroki Saruta, Kanami Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 10443952
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an AACAES system and method in which balls make it possible to store heat. The heat exchanges are produced by means of at least one radial heat exchanger, in which the balls and a first fluid circulate, the first fluid passing radially through means for circulating the balls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventor: Christophe Pourima
  • Patent number: 10443953
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an AACAES system and method in which a heat transfer fluid makes it possible to store heat. The heat transfer fluid, which comprises balls of heat storage material, circulates between two tanks: a hot tank and a cold tank, and passes through at least one heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventor: Christophe Pourima
  • Patent number: 10428693
    Abstract: In an example, a system configured to operate in a heat pump mode and heat engine mode is disclosed. The system may comprise a first working fluid path, first hot thermal storage (HTS) fluid path, and first cold thermal storage (CTS) fluid path for operation in the heat pump mode. The first working fluid path may be configured to circulate the working fluid through, in sequence, a first compressor, first hot side heat exchanger, first turbine, first cold side heat exchanger, and back to the first compressor. The system may also comprise a second working fluid path, second HTS fluid path, and second CTS fluid path for operation in the heat engine mode. The second working fluid path may be configured to circulate the working fluid through, in sequence, a second compressor, second hot side heat exchanger, second turbine, second cold side heat exchanger, and back to the second compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Malta Inc.
    Inventors: Robert B. Laughlin, Philippe Larochelle, Nicholas Cizek
  • Patent number: 10399648
    Abstract: A floating platform generating energy produced from wave energy. In one embodiment, the platform may be used to support a roadway to build a floating bridge. The platform may also include a wave break mechanism for additional stability and may submerge for storm survival. The platform may be constructed in modules to permit reconfiguration and management of resources. In other embodiments, the platform may support communities. The bridge may also provide transmission lines for conducting wave generated electricity back to the mainland. In further embodiments, the platform may generate pressurized air from wave energy and may store the pressurized air at depth in a plurality of air tanks arranged in sequence at different depths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Inventor: Paul D. Kennamer, Sr.