Thermomechanical system with zero pollution footprint for long term energy storage

Abstract

And a thermomechanical system for storing thermal energy which is further converted into electrical energy and hot water. The system comprises two main units: a heat storage unit and a conversion unit for converting the stored energy from heat to electrical energy and hot water.

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The invention disclosed in this patent application relates to the field of energy and electricity. In this article, an innovative method for storing energy by a new thermomechanical energy storage system is described, which is made of renewable natural, easily biodegradable or recyclable materials that are also reusable. The closed system can be operated sustainably to achieve a higher energy storage volume than usual and a longer storage time than usual (long-term storage). The closed system also has the characteristics of low carbon footprint when it is produced and no chemical footprint when it is operated or disposed of at the end of its life cycle.

[0002] Technical Problems Solved by the Invention

[0003] The invention contained in this patent application solves the technical problems well known in the prior art by means of a rational combination of mainly natural materials together with thermomechanical processes:

[0004] That is, today, as humanity attempts to decarbonize society, renewable energy, primarily generated by solar, wind and hydroelectric sources, offers a more sustainable generated energy alternative. In the prior art, problems arise when such energy must be stored due to the limited or non-cost-effective types of storage possibilities available, whereby much of the generated energy is eventually irreversibly lost. When the present invention is in operation, very little energy is lost.

[0005] Thermomechanical systems provide a solution for 5-7 days of energy storage, which classifies the invention as a long-term ESS (Energy Storage System), and thus can provide more efficient storage conditions, but also cheaper final price energy. Due to its long-term storage capabilities, the system of the invention provides energy "where it is needed, when it is needed".

[0006] The following patent inventions are known to the applicant of this patent application:

[0007] -US11,391,181B2,

[0008] and is considered to be the closest to this patent application, at least to the extent known to the applicant.

[0009] US11,391,181B2 describes an energy storage system that converts variable renewable electricity into continuous heat at over 1,000°C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium, and heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously as needed. In this system, brick arrays are used in conjunction with internal radiation cavities, and they are directly heated by thermal radiation.

[0010] Thermomechanical system for long-term energy storage from this application is designed to store the generated energy in the form of thermal energy (heat) which is then further converted into electricity and hot water as final output. In this system, instead of bricks as storage material, the storage material is a pre-calculated volume of material with sufficient properties (latent heat of fusion, specific heat) that stores the thermal energy generated by a heater connected to an energy source (sun, wind, etc.), and thereby uses recycled glass particles of ≤500 microns due to the lower melting temperature (latent fusion).

[0011] -DE202018005659U1

[0012] Thus, since the invention has enough stored electricity to provide electricity and hot water for one or more households, it can even be shared with neighbors. This makes the invention interesting not only for private homeowners and businesses, but also for energy companies. By stacking several storage systems of the invention connected to each other, an operator or energy supplier can store and supply energy (and hot water for heating) for an entire street or business park, which can further smooth energy peaks and loads of the grid during power generation and also during consumption, which is a major problem for energy companies.

[0013] The storage system included in this patent application can be added to and installed on existing or new energy generation systems and therefore does not disrupt the existing power grid and has a low system investment cost: price / KWh ratio.

[0014] In fact, it is a rechargeable system based on the logic of the circular economy and produced from conventional raw materials available around the world. It has an expected lifespan of 25 years in use and requires almost no maintenance.

[0015] The stored energy can be delivered as both electricity and hot water.

[0016] The present invention enables maximum utilization of renewable energy sources.

[0017] The storage system contained in this patent application is an efficient and innovative product for long-term energy storage management that is fully compatible with zero-carbon policies and does not involve any chemical processing or the use of environmentally harmful raw materials such as zinc, silicon, germanium, manganese, lithium or cobalt that are often used in traditional batteries. Prior art

[0018] Today, as humanity attempts to decarbonize society, renewable energy, primarily generated by solar, wind and hydroelectric sources, offers a more sustainable alternative for generating electricity. In prior art, problems arise when this energy has to be stored due to the limited or non-cost-effective types of storage possibilities available, whereby a large portion of the generated energy is eventually irreversibly lost.

[0019] Description of the invention BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 : Schematic diagram of the system of the present invention,

[0022] Figure 2 :The two units of the system: thermal storage unit and conversion unit,

[0023] Figure 3 : Thermal storage unit element,

[0024] Figure 4 :Container / housing

[0025] Figure 5 : Installed converter unit, top view, with components

[0026] Figure 6 : Water pump

[0027] Figure 7 :Heat exchanger

[0028] Figure 8 : Self-designed engine / Tesla turbine

[0029] Fig. 9 :Power-drop Generator with water drop explosion conversion within ms

[0030] Fig.10 : Steam condenser - schematic diagram

[0031] Fig.11 :heat sink

[0032] Fig.12 :Power generator

[0033] Fig.13 :Flow Control Valve

[0034] Fig.14 : Technical specifications of the prototype invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0036] The proposed system as a new type of energy storage system is a device designed to store generated energy in the form of thermal energy (heat) which is then further converted into electrical energy and hot water as final output. Figure 1 A schematic overview is given in .

[0037] The system consists of two main units:

[0038] - a thermal storage unit, and

[0039] - a conversion unit for converting the stored energy from heat into electrical energy.

[0040] These two units are integrated into Figure 2 The heat storage unit and its components are shown in Figure 3 Shown above.

[0041] The first unit of the thermomechanical system includes a well-insulated container (cell) filled with a natural, sustainable, fully recyclable energy storage material that has the ability to absorb a large amount of heat by changing state (solid-liquid, and vice versa) under temperature changes. Due to the high heat resistance of the insulation material (insulation) of the container, heat losses are minimized, and therefore the stored thermal energy can be stored for an extended amount of time. Electrical energy from a variety of natural, non-continuous sources (sun, wind, etc.) is used as input to the energy storage system. An electric heater of a suitable type placed in the container (cell) further converts the generated electrical energy (input) into thermal energy. In the next step, when the energy source is activated, by raising the temperature of the electric heater, the thermal energy from the heater is transferred to the material (for thermal energy storage) placed in the container (cell), which triggers the internal temperature of the material to rise to its melting point temperature in the form of sensitive thermal energy, so the energy storage process occurs. Once the internal temperature of the energy storage material reaches a temperature above the melting point temperature, the material begins to change its state from solid to liquid, which further triggers even greater absorption and storage of thermal energy from the heater. During this process, the material increases its internal temperature only slightly and the energy is stored in the form of latent thermal energy. This process allows to achieve the effect of storing a greater amount of thermal energy in a relatively small mass volume of the thermal storage material.

[0042] The components of the thermal storage unit are

[0043] - Figure 4The container shown above (also called casing or unit), which is made of two parts (a body made of refractory cement and a cover), contains all the components of the storage unit (inside) and the conversion unit (outside, mounted on the outer wall). The container is made of steel, reinforced concrete or any other material or combination of such materials, having stable rigid properties at high temperatures.

[0044] - An isolation or one or more isolation layers which are recyclable and ecological, commercially available, resistant to high temperatures, so as to provide minimal heat losses and extended thermal energy storage.

[0045] - Storage Material - A pre-calculated volume of material with sufficient properties (latent heat of fusion, specific heat) will store the thermal energy generated by a heater connected to an energy source (sun, wind, etc.). Glass, silicon, salt, basalt, silicon carbide are a few of the materials that can act as thermal energy storage materials. For the inventive prototype, recycled glass particles ≤ 500 microns were used due to the lower melting temperature (latent fusion).

[0046] - A high temperature heater of adequate specifications (material SiC) which is connected to an energy source and generates heat which is stored as thermal energy.

[0047] - A cover comprising an upper plate, a rotating butterfly wing and housing a heat exchanger having the function of controlling the amount of thermal energy transferred from the storage material to the heat exchanger.

[0048] - A heat exchanger, the pipes of which are connected to the water reservoir and to the rest of the conversion unit network, have the function of absorbing thermal energy in the form of heat from the storage material and converting the water into dry steam which will further operate the engine located in the conversion unit.

[0049] - A rotating butterfly wing connected to an angular motor which, by rotating through an angle of ±90 degrees, controls the opening / closing of the gap in which the heat from the storage material can be transferred to the heat exchanger, thereby regulating the temperature of the water / steam in the pipes of the heat exchanger.

[0050] The second unit of the system or the unit for converting the thermal stored energy (heat) into electrical energy is Figure 5 Basically, it follows the principle of the Rankine mechanical cycle and includes several basic elements:

[0051] - a reservoir for the working fluid (water),

[0052] - Fluid pumps,

[0053] -Heat exchanger

[0054] - expander,

[0055] - a condenser for the working fluid,

[0056] - Cooler, and

[0057] -Electric generator.

[0058] A pump sends the working fluid from the reservoir to the heat exchanger while raising the pressure of the working fluid up to 8 bar, the pump being regulated by a safety valve. The heat exchanger placed directly above the isolated container (cell) in the cover and separated by a rotating butterfly plate has no physical contact with the stored material (heating material), while thermal energy (heat) is transferred by thermal radiation, i.e. from the material to the working fluid passing through the butterfly plate and received by the heat exchanger. A set of heat-resistant rotating plates acts as a divider and regulates the amount of heat transferred to the working fluid passing through the exchanger by thermal conduction, by opening or reducing the interstitial space between the container and the heat exchanger.

[0059] When the thermomechanical system is in discharge mode (the user's home has an open device), the butterfly plate is positioned "open" and the working fluid enters the heat exchanger, which receives part of the thermal energy by convection and increases its internal temperature and its volume. Due to the constant mass flow rate, typically for the Rankine cycle, a difference in the volume of the working fluid at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger occurs. This difference causes the speed of the movement of the particles of the working fluid at the outlet of the heat exchanger to increase. With such an increased speed, the working fluid then enters the injector placed at the inlet of the expander, obtaining another speed. In this context, a typical expander that produces work is represented by a simple steam engine or turbine. We use a self-designed bladeless turbine with multiple rotating disks as an expander-work generating element to improve efficiency. When the working fluid moves around the rotating disk of the expander / turbine, due to friction, the working fluid transfers part of its kinetic energy to the rotor / rotating disk, and therefore to the rotating shaft.

[0060] When the working fluid transfers its kinetic energy to the rotating disk, it is present in the expander / turbine and enters the piping system, whereby it is finally sucked into the condenser, whereby the excess heat energy is released into the coolant. The working fluid maintains its temperature of about 70°C and then enters the reservoir to be stored until a new cycle occurs. The cooling fluid (coolant), after it has received part of the heat energy from the working fluid in the condenser and its internal temperature has risen, enters the cooler, where the temperature of the cooling fluid is reduced. This small amount of heat energy is released to the environment.

[0061] In order to improve the overall efficiency of the system, the excess thermal energy (heat) that should be completely released to the environment will actually be transported via a separate piping line to the object (residential unit or industrial unit) for further use (in the case of a residential unit, for warm water or heating purposes in winter; and in the case of an industrial unit, for technical processes, etc.).

[0062] The system is also equipped with a bypass pipe that bypasses the expander / turbine and is able to deliver the working fluid directly to the condenser and thus increase the system's ability to produce a larger amount of warm water if necessary. This can be achieved by installing two solenoid valves that regulate the flow of the working fluid in these lines. In this way, the overall parameters of the system can be adjusted as required to the actual situation on site, in order to obtain a greater warm water production or a greater energy storage.

[0063] The elements that comprise the conversion unit are:

[0064] - Figure 6 The water pump shown above. The purpose of the water pump is to increase the pressure of the water before it is injected into the heat exchanger (in this application from 1 bar to 6 bar), ensuring a low mass flow rate (in this application 0.0036 kg / s). Due to the low mass flow rate, the energy consumption of the water pump is very low. (In this application, the inlet and outlet temperatures of the water are 95°C). Any commercial model with the above specifications can be used.

[0065] - Figure 7 The heat exchanger shown above.

[0066] This is a high temperature heat exchanger that produces steam when water from a reservoir (in this application, with a temperature of 95° C. and a pressure of 6 bar) is heated to 350° C. by a water pump. The pressure remains constant throughout, but the velocity of the superheated steam increases until the point to be injected into the steam turbine.

[0067] - Figure 8 The expansion engine shown above,

[0068] As expansion engines, commercially available engines of various types and models can be used, such as: steam turbines, multi-disc turbines, suspended piston engines, droplet generators, acoustic engines, vacuum engines, etc. The purpose of a steam turbine is to convert heat into mechanical energy at the highest possible rate. In the system described in this application, a multi-disc steam turbine (Tesla turbine) of independent design is used. This turbine uses the friction elements of the boundary layer on the smooth disk to generate the rotational force of the shaft and generate energy in this way.

[0069] - Fig. 9 The power-droplet generator shown above. This is a unique generator concept that uses the explosion of a water droplet when inserted into a heated chamber. If a preheated water droplet (85°C) is introduced onto a hot plate (300°C), it will first heat up quickly, but then the droplet will explode, releasing energy. We will use this explosion to set the cylinder in motion. In fact, the principle is the same as in an internal combustion engine, only now the explosion is not caused by ignition, but by an overheated plate. The system can easily be extended to the principle of a rocket engine, so that rotational motion is performed instead of lunar motion.

[0070] - Fig.10 The steam condenser shown above. The function of the steam condenser is to recondense the working fluid (steam) and in this way change the phase from gas to liquid.

[0071] - Fig.11 The radiator shown above. The function of the radiator is to cool the coolant of the steam condenser and release excess heat in the surrounding environment. Any commercially available radiator with corresponding technical specifications is suitable.

[0072] - Fig.12 The electric power generator shown above.

[0073] The generator will be belt connected to the steam turbine (estimated belt reduction rate is about 1:6). The generator will generate electricity for a house or factory. The prototype has 6KW.

[0074] - Fig.13Flow control valve shown above. The flow control valve regulates the flow of steam, sending the steam through the steam turbine or through a bypass line. When electricity generation is required, the steam passes through the steam turbine and then reaches the condenser, where the steam heats the coolant. The coolant is then directed to the user's house heating system or to the battery radiator. When it is necessary to heat the house heating system without electricity generation, the steam is redirected to the bypass line with the help of the flow control valve and the steam is thus sent directly to the steam condenser, where the coolant is heated and subsequently transfers this heat to the house heating system.

[0075] Technical specifications of the thermomechanical system

[0076] The thermomechanical energy storage system has an expected lifespan of 25 years in service and is fully recyclable and reusable. The system is initially capable of storing 2MW of green energy generated by renewable energy sources (sun, wind, etc.) or by charging via simple grid induction (during off-peak low electricity prices) and further utilizing the energy when it is most needed (e.g. during blackouts, peak high electricity prices or industrial-grade electricity prices).

[0077] The system represents an A-system in a solid steel / concrete housing with dimensions of 2.4m x 1.9m x 2.4m (L x W x H). This makes it possible to place the system underground so it does not take up any space in or around the dwelling. The system should be connected to:

[0078] - Input connection: energy source (solar system, wind turbine, biomass plant, etc.);

[0079] - Output connections: power lines of the target (and water inlet connection in case of hot water supply);

[0080] Furthermore, the system can be operated via an app and synced with the rest of your smart home.

[0081] The system has a low voltage connection and a 230 / 415 volt connection as standard. The low voltage connection makes it possible to connect the solar panels directly to the system. The system has a low voltage output and a 230 / 415 volt output. The system also has a hot water connection and a cold water connection that allow hot water to be supplied for domestic use, heating, and even swimming pools. The system can store a total of 2Mw / h of energy for over 5-7 days, putting it in the category of a long-term ESS (Energy Storage System). The system has a projected efficiency of 94%. The maximum power output of the current model is 6Kw / h (continuous). Future models will be adjustable to a maximum of 30kW / h within the same size.

[0082] Prototype System - Operating Temperature Range: Since recycled glass is used as storage material, it is assumed that the contents are granulated glass mainly from bottles, pickle jars and windows, all of which are made of SLS (Soda-Lime-Silica) glass. The temperature at which SLS glass changes from exhibiting solid properties to exhibiting liquid properties is ~580°C. Therefore, the operating range of temperatures is between its softening point and the operating point, which for SLS glass is between 580°C-1000°C. Based on this assumption, the following table will give information on how long thermal energy can be stored in the prototype invention that has used recycled glass as storage material:

[0083] In a winter operating regime, on day 11, accounting for heat losses, the temperature of the storage material drops below the minimum temperature of its operating regime and will therefore need to be recharged. This means that the storage system of the present invention can hold energy for a full 10 days, a period far exceeding current storage systems.

Claims

1. Thermomechanical systems for long-term energy storage, which are designed to store the generated energy in the form of thermal energy (heat), which is then further converted into electrical energy and hot water as final output, and which include two main units: - a thermal storage unit, and - a conversion unit for converting the stored energy from heat into electrical energy, The heat storage unit is composed of: - a container made of two parts (a body and a cover made of refractory cement), which contains all the components of the storage unit (inside) and the conversion unit (outside, mounted on the outer wall), and which is made of steel, reinforced concrete or any other material or combination of such materials, having stable rigid properties at high temperatures, - an insulation or one or more insulation layers which are recyclable and ecological, commercially available, resistant to high temperatures to provide minimal heat loss and extended thermal energy storage, - storage material, which is a pre-calculated volume of material with sufficient properties (latent heat of fusion, specific heat) that stores thermal energy generated by a heater connected to an energy source (sun, wind, etc.) and thereby uses recycled glass particles ≤ 500 microns due to the lower melting temperature (latent fusion), - a high temperature heater of adequate specifications (material SiC), which is connected to the energy source and generates heat, which is stored as thermal energy, - a cover comprising an upper plate, a rotating butterfly wing and housing a heat exchanger, having the function of controlling the amount of thermal energy transferred from the storage material to the heat exchanger, - a heat exchanger, wherein the pipes of said heat exchanger connected to the water reservoir and to the rest of the network of conversion units have the function of absorbing thermal energy in the form of heat from said storage material and converting the water into dry steam which will further operate the engine located in said conversion unit, - a rotating butterfly wing connected to an angular motor, which, by rotating through an angle of ±90 degrees, controls the opening / closing of a gap in which the heat from the storage material can be transferred to the heat exchanger, thereby regulating the temperature of the water / steam in the pipe of the heat exchanger, And the conversion unit consists of: - a reservoir for the working fluid (water), - Fluid pumps, - heat exchangers, - expander, - a condenser for the working fluid, - Cooler, and -dynamo.

2. The thermal storage unit according to claim 1, characterized in that The thermal storage unit comprises a well-insulated container (cell) filled with a natural, sustainable, fully recyclable energy storage material having the ability to absorb large amounts of heat by changes of state (solid-liquid and vice versa) under changes in temperature, and due to the high thermal resistance of the insulating material of the container, heat losses are minimized and thus the stored thermal energy can be stored for an extended amount of time.

3. A thermal storage unit according to the preceding patent claims, wherein electrical energy from a variety of natural, non-continuous sources (sun, wind, etc.) is used as input into the storage system, and an electric heater is placed in the container (unit), which further converts the generated electrical energy (input) into thermal energy, and further, when the energy source is activated, by increasing the temperature of the electric heater, the thermal energy from the heater is transferred to the material (for thermal energy storage) placed in the container (unit), which triggers the internal temperature of the material to increase to its melting point temperature in the form of sensitive thermal energy, so that the energy storage process occurs, and once the internal temperature of the energy storage material reaches a temperature above the melting point temperature, the material begins to change its state from solid to liquid, which further triggers an even greater absorption and storage of the thermal energy from the heater, while during this process, the material only slightly increases its internal temperature, and the energy is stored in the form of latent thermal energy.

4. The conversion unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: the pump sends the working fluid from the reservoir to the heat exchanger while raising the pressure of the working fluid up to 8 bar, the pump being regulated by a safety valve, wherein the heat exchanger placed directly above the isolated container (cell) in the cover and separated by the rotating butterfly plate has no physical contact with the stored material (heating material), while the thermal energy (heat) is transferred by thermal radiation, i.e. from the material to the working fluid passing through the butterfly plate and received by the heat exchanger, and A set of heat-resistant rotating plates acts as a divider and regulates the amount of heat transferred to the working fluid passing through the exchanger by thermal conduction by opening or reducing the interstitial space between the container and the heat exchanger.

5. Thermomechanical system according to the preceding patent claims, characterized in that When the thermomechanical system is in discharge mode (the user's home has the device turned on), the butterfly plate is positioned "open" and the working fluid enters the heat exchanger, the working fluid receives part of the thermal energy by convection and increases its internal temperature and its volume, due to the constant mass flow, typically for a Rankine cycle, a difference in the volume of the working fluid at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger occurs and causes an increase in the speed of movement of the particles of the working fluid at the outlet of the heat exchanger, and with such an increased speed, the working fluid then enters the injector placed at the inlet of the expander, obtaining additional speed.

6. A thermomechanical system according to patent claim 5, wherein a typical expander for generating work is represented by a self-designed bladeless turbine having a plurality of rotating disks as an expander-work generating element to improve efficiency, and when the working fluid moves around the rotating disks of the expander / turbine, due to friction, the working fluid transfers part of its kinetic energy to the rotor / rotating disk and thus to the rotating shaft, and when the working fluid transfers its kinetic energy to the rotating disks, the working fluid is present in the expander / turbine and enters the piping system, whereby the working fluid is eventually sucked into the condenser, whereby the excess heat energy is released into the coolant, the working fluid maintains its temperature of about 70°C and then enters the reservoir to be stored until a new cycle occurs, and in addition, the cooling fluid (coolant) enters the cooler after it has received part of the heat energy from the working fluid in the condenser and its internal temperature has risen, where the temperature of the cooling fluid is reduced.

7. A thermomechanical system according to the preceding patent claims, wherein, in order to increase the overall efficiency of the system, excess thermal energy (heat) which should be completely released to the environment will actually be transported via separate piping lines to a destination (residential unit or industrial unit) for further use (in the case of a residential unit, for warm water or heating purposes in winter; and in the case of an industrial unit, for technical processes, etc.).

8. The thermomechanical system according to the aforementioned patent claims is also equipped with a bypass pipe, which bypasses the expander / turbine and is capable of conveying the working fluid directly to the condenser and thus increasing the system's ability to produce larger amounts of warm water if necessary. This can be achieved by installing two solenoid valves, which regulate the flow of the working fluid in these pipelines, and in this way, the overall parameters of the system can be adjusted as required according to the actual conditions on site to obtain greater warm water production or greater energy storage.

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