Modular electrically heated calcium hydroxide thermo-chemical energy storage and release device

Abstract

The application discloses a modular electric heating calcium hydroxide thermochemical storage and release device, which comprises a reactor shell, a reactor upper cover fixedly connected to the top of the reactor shell, an upper pipe section communicated with the reactor upper cover, a lower pipe section communicated with the bottom of the reactor shell, an electric heater fixedly connected in the reactor upper cover, a bearing structure fixedly connected in the reactor shell, a reaction module arranged on the bearing structure, a plurality of honeycomb units comprising the reaction module, Ca(OH)2 and a tree-shaped gas channel arranged in the honeycomb units, the tree-shaped gas channel being arranged in the Ca(OH)2, a high-pressure pulse cleaning assembly arranged in the reactor upper cover, a vibration assembly arranged at the bottom of the bearing structure, and a controller with a control system, wherein the heater, the high-pressure pulse cleaning assembly and the vibration assembly are electrically connected to the controller. The application realizes efficient thermochemical energy storage and controllable cleaning and maintenance under the premise of ensuring the compactness of the system, and has good engineering practicability and popularization prospect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of thermochemical energy storage technology, and in particular to a modular electrically heated thermochemical energy storage and release device for calcium hydroxide. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous increase in the proportion of renewable energy power generation and the growing demand for stable and efficient thermal energy from industrial processes, the development of large-scale, long-cycle, and low-loss thermal energy storage technologies is crucial. Thermochemical energy storage has attracted widespread attention due to its high theoretical energy density and ability to store thermal energy for extended periods at ambient temperatures. Among numerous thermochemical energy storage material systems, Ca(OH)2 is considered a highly promising medium- and high-temperature energy storage material due to its significant advantages, including wide availability, low cost, non-toxicity, good reversibility, and suitable reaction temperature.

[0003] Current calcium hydroxide energy storage and release systems mainly employ fixed-bed reactor structures, which form a static bed by stacking reactant particles or molded bodies, allowing gas flow through the gaps between materials to achieve heterogeneous reactions. While this type of reactor has the advantages of simple structure and high packing density, the dense material packing results in poor thermal conductivity, making it difficult to uniformly and rapidly transfer heat to the interior of the bed. Especially during the endothermic dehydration stage, high-temperature "hot spots" easily form near the heat source, leading to material sintering and deactivation. At the same time, the gas flow resistance and pressure drop are high in the tortuous channels between the packed particles, and channeling is prone to occur, meaning that the gas preferentially selects the path of least resistance to pass through quickly, resulting in uneven gas distribution across the cross-section of the bed, significantly reducing the reaction rate and the overall material conversion rate.

[0004] In addition, existing systems often lack effective online cleaning mechanisms, making it difficult to remove sintered particles and blockages formed during circulation in a timely manner. This can easily lead to obstructed airflow channels and increased pressure drop, further affecting the system's continuous operation and thermal storage performance.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a novel calcium hydroxide thermochemical energy storage and release device with optimized structure, high heat transfer efficiency, and self-cleaning function, which can integrate the endothermic dehydration and exothermic heat recovery processes in a single reactor, while taking into account modular scalability and long-term operational reliability, so as to promote the engineering application of this type of thermal energy storage technology. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a modular electrically heated calcium hydroxide thermochemical energy storage and release device to solve the problems existing in the prior art.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution: The present invention provides a modular electrically heated calcium hydroxide thermochemical energy storage and release device, comprising:

[0008] The reactor shell has a reactor cover fixedly connected to its top and a frame fixedly connected to its bottom. The reactor cover is connected to an upper pipe section, and the bottom of the reactor shell is connected to a lower pipe section. An electric heater is fixedly connected inside the reactor cover.

[0009] A load-bearing structure is fixedly connected inside the reactor shell. The load-bearing structure is a planar support plate in the form of a honeycomb array, which has a large number of hexagonal openings. A reaction module is set on the load-bearing structure. The reaction module includes several honeycomb units. The honeycomb units are filled with tree-shaped gas channels and Ca(OH)2. The tree-shaped gas channels are located inside the Ca(OH)2. A high-pressure pulse cleaning component is set inside the reactor cover. A vibration component is set at the bottom of the load-bearing structure.

[0010] The controller has a control system, and the heater, the high-pressure pulse cleaning component, and the vibration component are all electrically connected to the controller.

[0011] Preferably, the inner wall of the honeycomb unit is provided with a plurality of non-uniform height fins, wherein the side of the non-uniform height fins closer to the heater is higher than the other side.

[0012] Preferably, the tree-shaped gas channel includes a main gas channel, and three branch gas channels are fixedly connected to the tree-shaped gas channel. The branch gas channels are connected to the tree-shaped gas channel. Both the main gas channel and the branch gas channels are provided with a number of circular micropores. The branch gas channels radiate from the main gas channel to the area between two adjacent non-uniform height fins.

[0013] Preferably, the two adjacent main gas channels are interconnected, the angle between the branch gas channel and the main gas channel is 60°±5°, and the three branch gas channels are distributed circumferentially at equal angles of 120° on the same height section.

[0014] Preferably, the high-pressure pulse cleaning assembly includes a high-pressure air storage chamber, a high-pressure air filling pipe, and several high-pressure pulse nozzles, wherein the high-pressure air storage chamber is connected to an external compressed air source through the high-pressure air filling pipe.

[0015] Preferably, the vibration assembly includes a vibrator, which includes a vibrator base, a vibrator housing, a resonant spring, an armature, an electromagnet, and a vibrating body. The vibrating body is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the load-bearing structure. The vibrator housing is fixedly connected between the vibrator base and the vibrating body. An electromagnet is fixedly connected to the vibrating body. An armature is fixedly connected to the vibrator base. A resonant spring is fixedly connected between the vibrator base and the vibrating body. The resonant spring, the armature, and the electromagnet are all located inside the vibrator housing.

[0016] Preferably, a particle collection chamber is installed inside the reactor shell, and the particle collection chamber is located below the main gas channel.

[0017] Preferably, the reaction module further includes semi-cellular units and triangular units, wherein the semi-cellular units and triangular units are filled with thermochemical materials.

[0018] Preferably, the reactor shell and the reactor cover are fixed and sealed together by a flange, and the electric heater includes a straight cylindrical section and a right-angle elbow section, which are fixedly connected and are also fixedly connected inside the reactor cover.

[0019] Preferably, the operation of the device includes:

[0020] Thermal storage stage: Air enters through the upper pipe section, is heated by the electric heater, and then enters the reaction module. It undergoes an endothermic decomposition reaction with Ca(OH)2 through the tree-shaped gas channel to generate CaO and release water vapor.

[0021] Heat release stage: Water vapor is introduced into the reaction module through the lower pipe section and reacts with CaO to release heat energy through a heat release hydration reaction;

[0022] Cleaning stage: In the non-reaction stage, the controller controls the high-pressure pulse cleaning component and the vibration component to work together to peel off the sintered particles on the bed surface.

[0023] The present invention discloses the following technical effects:

[0024] I. In this device, the reactor shell and the reactor cover are connected to form a closed cavity, providing a closed space for Ca(OH)2 / CaO. The electric heater can heat the gas. The upper and lower pipe sections are used for the introduction and discharge of gas during the heat storage and heat release process. The honeycomb unit is the core reaction unit and the main part for energy storage and energy release.

[0025] II. In this device, the tree-shaped gas channel is used to achieve uniform distribution of gas and efficient heat and mass transfer in the reaction bed. The heated gas is evenly distributed through the tree-shaped gas channel into the Ca(OH)2 reaction material filled in the honeycomb unit. The tree-shaped gas channel design avoids direct contact between the heater and the reaction material, effectively suppressing local overheating, thermal stress accumulation and material sintering.

[0026] 3. In this device, the load-bearing structure is a honeycomb array-shaped planar support plate with a large number of hexagonal openings, which has both good support strength and gas permeability, and can realize heat exchange and airflow penetration, in order to prevent the reaction material from penetrating and falling.

[0027] Fourth, the modular structure design of this invention, with detachable and splicable honeycomb units, is suitable for different application scenarios. It is flexible and convenient to maintain and expand, and achieves high-efficiency thermochemical energy storage and controllable clean maintenance while ensuring system compactness. It has good engineering practicality and promotion prospects. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the modular electrically heated calcium hydroxide thermochemical energy storage and release device of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Sectional view of AA;

[0031] Figure 3 for Figure 1 BB section view;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the electric heater of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a bottom view of the electric heater of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the high-voltage pulse assembly of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the high-voltage pulse assembly of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the internal reaction module of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the honeycomb unit of the internal reaction module of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a semi-cellular unit of the internal reaction module of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the triangular unit of the internal reaction module of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-section of the honeycomb unit of the reaction module of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the tree-like gas channel structure of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the load-bearing structure of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the vibrator of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the particle collection chamber of the present invention.

[0045] The components include: 1. Frame; 2. Reactor shell; 3. Reactor top cover; 4. Reaction module; 5. Load-bearing structure; 6. Tree-shaped gas channel; 7. Vibrator; 8. Sintered particles; 21. Lower pipe section; 31. Upper pipe section; 22. Particle collection chamber; 32. Electric heater; 33. High-pressure gas storage chamber; 41. Honeycomb unit; 42. Semi-honeycomb unit; 43. Triangular unit; 61. Main gas channel; 62. Branch gas channel; 71. Vibrator base; 72. Vibrator shell; 73. Resonance spring; 74. Armature; 75. Electromagnet; 76. Vibrating body; 331. High-pressure gas filling pipe; 332. High-pressure pulse nozzle; 411. Non-uniform height fins. Detailed Implementation

[0046] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0047] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0048] Reference Figure 1-16 This invention provides a modular electrically heated thermochemical energy storage and release device for calcium hydroxide, comprising:

[0049] The reactor shell 2 has a reactor cover 3 fixedly connected to the top of the reactor shell 2 and a frame 1 fixedly connected to the bottom of the reactor shell 2. The reactor cover 3 is connected to an upper pipe section 31 and the bottom of the reactor shell 2 is connected to a lower pipe section 21. An electric heater 32 is fixedly connected inside the reactor cover 3.

[0050] A load-bearing structure 5 is fixedly connected inside the reactor shell 2. A reaction module 4 is set on the load-bearing structure 5. The reaction module 4 includes several honeycomb units 41. The honeycomb units 41 are filled with tree-shaped gas channels 6 and Ca(OH)2. The tree-shaped gas channels 6 are located inside Ca(OH)2. A high-pressure pulse cleaning component is set inside the reactor cover 3. A vibration component is set at the bottom of the load-bearing structure 5.

[0051] The controller has a control system, and the heater, high-pressure pulse cleaning component and vibration component are all electrically connected to the controller.

[0052] In this device, the reactor shell 2 and the reactor cover 3 are connected to form a sealed cavity. The electric heater 32 is preferably a resistance electric heater, whose temperature can be adjusted by the control circuit. It is arranged on both sides inside the reactor cover 3 and indirectly drives the Ca(OH)2 reaction by heating the working gas. The honeycomb unit 41 is the core reaction unit, which integrates a tree-shaped gas channel 6 to achieve uniform gas distribution and efficient heat and mass transfer in the reaction bed. In order to improve the long-term operation stability of the reaction module and solve the problems of increased gas flow resistance and decreased reaction efficiency caused by the sintering and agglomeration of Ca(OH)2 after multiple thermochemical cycles, this invention integrates a high-pressure pulse cleaning component inside the reactor cover 3. The high-pressure pulse cleaning component forms a high-energy impact airflow that acts on the upper bed of the reaction module to peel off the sintered or agglomerated particles on the surface of the bed, preventing them from forming a heat insulation layer or blocking the gas channel during the reaction process, thus affecting the heat and mass transfer efficiency. The vibration component can improve the particle removal effect and prevent local agglomerated particle residue.

[0053] The heated gas is evenly distributed into the Ca(OH)2 reactive material filled within the honeycomb unit 41 through the dendritic gas channel 6. The design of the dendritic gas channel 6 avoids direct contact between the heater and the reactive material, effectively suppressing local overheating, thermal stress accumulation, and material sintering.

[0054] The upper pipe section 31 and the lower pipe section 21 are used for the introduction and discharge of gas during the heat storage and release process. The functions of the upper pipe section 31 and the lower pipe section 21 in different operating stages are as follows:

[0055] Thermal storage stage:

[0056] Air is introduced through the upper pipe section 31 of the reactor cover 3. Before entering the honeycomb unit 41, it is heated to a set temperature by electric heaters 32 installed on both sides of the inner wall of the reactor cover 3. The heated air flows into the Ca(OH)2 material bed filled in the honeycomb reaction module through the tree-shaped gas channel 6, triggering the following endothermic decomposition reaction:

[0057] Ca(OH)₂→CaO+H₂O↑

[0058] During this process, the generated water vapor is discharged along the tree-shaped gas channel 6 and discharged through the lower pipe section 21 at the bottom, thus achieving continuous and smooth airflow.

[0059] Heat release phase:

[0060] Water vapor is introduced into the device through the lower pipe section 21 and enters the honeycomb cell 41 filled with CaO, where it undergoes an exothermic thermal hydration reaction.

[0061] CaO + H₂O → Ca(OH)₂

[0062] Water vapor achieves rapid penetration and uniform contact through the distribution of the tree-like gas channels 6, significantly improving the reaction rate and heat output efficiency.

[0063] Excess gas is discharged through the upper pipe section 31, forming a reverse airflow channel design with the heat storage stage, which helps with reaction control and switching operations under high and low temperature conditions.

[0064] To ensure the structural integrity and stability of the reaction module during operation, a load-bearing structure 5 is installed at the bottom of the reactor shell 2. This structure is a honeycomb array planar support plate with a large number of hexagonal openings, which combines good support strength and gas permeability, enabling heat exchange and airflow penetration. To prevent the reaction material from penetrating and falling, the characteristic size of the openings of the support plate is designed to be significantly smaller than the particle size of the Ca(OH)2 raw material. Preferably, the distance between opposite sides of the hexagonal holes is controlled below 0.3 mm to effectively intercept raw material particles. Before loading, the Ca(OH)2 raw material is screened, and the particle size range is controlled within 0.5–2 mm, thereby ensuring that the particles can be stably stacked and will not penetrate the openings of the support plate due to gravity or airflow erosion, thus ensuring the reliability and long-term stability of the reaction bed operation. The edges of the load-bearing structure 5 are fixedly connected to the shell by welding or bolts, which can effectively bear the weight of the reaction module and prevent it from being misaligned or deformed during long-term operation.

[0065] The modular structure offers excellent scalability. When increased heat storage and release capacity or adaptation to larger reactor volumes is required, the number of honeycomb units can be increased to achieve orderly horizontal or vertical splicing without replacing the entire existing device. Module expansion is typically carried out during the initial design phase of system operation and can also be adjusted later in operation according to changes in energy storage requirements.

[0066] During installation, the honeycomb units 41 can be embedded one by one into the reactor shell 2, assembled in a predetermined order, and stably positioned through mechanical connections such as snaps, threads, or slots, ensuring good airtightness between units and smooth gas passage connectivity. Multiple layers of honeycomb units 41 can be arranged. Figure 2 and Figure 3Only two layers are shown in the figure. Although the snap-fit ​​structure is not shown in detail in the figure, the honeycomb units 41 are preferably connected by mechanical means such as elastic snaps or threads to ensure convenient assembly and reliable airtightness.

[0067] In addition, the modular design facilitates later maintenance and upkeep. After a period of operation, if a cell affects the overall operation due to performance degradation, channel blockage, or structural damage, the cell can be disassembled and replaced or repaired separately without disassembling the entire device, which significantly reduces operation and maintenance costs and improves system reliability and availability.

[0068] In a further optimized design, the inner wall of the honeycomb unit 41 is provided with several non-uniform height fins 411, with the side of the non-uniform height fins 411 closer to the heater being higher than the other side.

[0069] Each honeycomb cell 41 has linearly gradient non-uniform height fins 411 inside, with the fins closer to the electric heater 32 having a relatively higher height. This non-uniform height fin structure can enhance the heat exchange capacity on the side closer to the heater, making the temperature distribution inside the reaction bed more uniform, thereby effectively avoiding local overheating in the high-temperature zone during the heat storage stage. Since Ca(OH)2 has the risk of sintering and agglomeration at high temperatures, this structure reduces the area exceeding the sintering temperature by adjusting the temperature gradient, preventing the degradation of the reaction material structure and improving the reversibility and cycle stability of the reaction.

[0070] The scheme is further optimized. The tree-shaped gas channel 6 includes a main gas channel 61 and three branch gas channels 62 are fixedly connected to the tree-shaped gas channel 6. The branch gas channels 62 are connected to the tree-shaped gas channel 6. The main gas channel 61 and the branch gas channels 62 are provided with several circular micro-holes. The branch gas channels 62 radiate from the main gas channel 61 to the area between two adjacent non-equal height fins 411.

[0071] The main gas channel 61 runs longitudinally through the reactor, serving as the main transport path for high-temperature steam; multiple branch gas channels 62 extend radially from the main gas channel 61 to the middle area of ​​each non-uniform height fin 411, achieving deep penetration and uniform distribution of gas within the heat storage material.

[0072] To further improve mass transfer efficiency and enhance gas-solid contact, circular micropores are uniformly distributed on the channel walls of the main gas channel 61 and the branch gas channel 62. The diameter of these micropores is smaller than the average particle size of the Ca(OH)₂ filling material (typically controlled within 50–80% of the particle size range) to prevent packing material from entering the channel and causing blockage. Simultaneously, it ensures that gas can permeate laterally from the channel sidewalls into the packing layer. The pores are evenly spaced along the channel axis, with the pore spacing typically set to 1.5–2.5 times the channel diameter. Circumferentially, the pores are arranged in three or four spiral rows, forming a circumferential distribution, improving permeation uniformity and effective coverage. This type of microporous structure can be fabricated using processes such as laser drilling, exhibiting good manufacturability and consistency. This circular microporous structure significantly enhances the gas permeation depth and contact area within the Ca(OH)₂ packing layer, thereby improving the reaction rate and system heat exchange efficiency.

[0073] The multi-directional structure of the branched gas channels enhances the efficiency of water vapor discharge, effectively avoiding poor local heat transfer or reaction stagnation caused by steam retention.

[0074] The scheme is further optimized so that the two adjacent main gas channels 61 are interconnected, and the angle between the branch gas channel 62 and the main gas channel 61 is 60°±5°. On the same height section, the three branch gas channels 62 are distributed circumferentially at an equal angle of 120°.

[0075] Each branch gas channel 62 forms a 60°±5° three-dimensional angle with the main gas channel 61, balancing the axial propulsion and lateral diffusion capabilities of the gas. At the same height cross-section, the three branch gas channels 62 are circumferentially distributed at 120° equal angles, ensuring uniform coverage of the channel structure within the cross-section. In the vertical direction, adjacent levels of branch gas channels 62 are staggered at 60°, thus constructing a spatially rotationally symmetric three-dimensional tree-like topology network. This highly symmetrical, multi-directional, and multi-level channel structure, combined with the circumferential microporous design, significantly improves the flow distribution and mass transfer process of water vapor in the packed bed, reduces channel pressure drop, avoids local airflow short-circuiting or dead zones, and ultimately improves the overall energy efficiency and operational performance of the system.

[0076] The solution is further optimized. The high-pressure pulse cleaning component includes a high-pressure air storage chamber 33, a high-pressure air filling pipe 331, and several high-pressure pulse nozzles 332. The high-pressure air storage chamber 33 is connected to an external compressed air source through the high-pressure air filling pipe 331.

[0077] The high-pressure gas storage chamber 33 is connected to an external compressed air source through a high-pressure gas filling pipe 331, and is equipped with a pressure regulating valve and an electromagnetic pulse valve. It can be automatically triggered by the control system in the preset "cleaning stage" to release a short-term high-pressure pulse airflow.

[0078] Multiple high-pressure pulse nozzles 332 face downwards and are positioned below the electric heater 32. They are evenly distributed along the cross-section of the reactor. After the cleaning stage begins, the compressed air in the high-pressure gas storage chamber 33 is rapidly released through the pulse nozzles 332, forming a high-energy impact airflow that acts on the upper bed of the reaction module to peel off the sintered or agglomerated particles on the bed surface, preventing them from forming a heat insulation layer or blocking gas channels during the reaction process, thus affecting heat and mass transfer efficiency.

[0079] This high-pressure pulse cleaning method has the advantages of being non-contact, having a fast response, and a wide impact range. It is suitable for the periodic treatment of surface agglomeration problems in thermochemical reaction beds, and can effectively improve the permeability and reactivity of the reaction bed, ensuring the performance stability of the device during long-term operation.

[0080] The scheme is further optimized. The vibration assembly includes a vibrator 7, which includes a vibrator base 71, a vibrator housing 72, a resonant spring 73, an armature 74, an electromagnet 75, and a vibrating body 76. The vibrating body 76 is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the load-bearing structure 5. The vibrator housing 72 is fixedly connected between the vibrator base 71 and the vibrating body 76. The electromagnet 75 is fixedly connected to the vibrating body 76. The armature 74 is fixedly connected to the vibrator base 71. The resonant spring 73 is fixedly connected between the vibrator base 71 and the vibrating body 76. The resonant spring 73, the armature 74, and the electromagnet 75 are all located inside the vibrator housing 72.

[0081] To further improve particle removal efficiency and prevent localized particle residue, a vibrator 7 is installed below the load-bearing structure 5. The vibrator 7, through a control system and in coordination with a high-voltage pulse assembly, is activated synchronously during the cleaning phase, applying periodic low-frequency vibrations to the load-bearing structure 5 and its supported reaction module 4. This vibration creates vertical disturbances within the bed, which helps to peel off some of the sintered particles 8 adhering to the fin surface or the bottom support surface of the module, thereby improving cleaning efficiency and enhancing bed permeability.

[0082] In a further optimized design, a particle collection chamber 22 is installed inside the reactor shell 2, and the particle collection chamber 22 is located below the main gas channel 61.

[0083] Particles detached from the self-reaction module 4 are guided by the main gas channel 61 and fall into the... Figure 12 The sintered particles 8 are shown in the collection chamber 22. This collection chamber 22 is located below the load-bearing structure 5 and is connected to the main gas channel outlet. The internal particles can be periodically discharged manually or automatically to prevent particle accumulation from obstructing the airflow path of the system.

[0084] In a further optimized design, reaction module 4 also includes a semi-honeycomb unit 42 and a triangular unit 43, which are filled with thermochemical materials.

[0085] The semi-honeycomb unit 42 and triangular unit 43 are edge-filling units used to fill the gaps around the module and help form a rectangular layout of the overall structure. Since the edge-filling units are located relatively close to the inner wall of the reactor shell, and due to space constraints and gas flow path design requirements, it is not advisable to set up the same tree-like gas channel structure as the core unit inside them. Forcing such a structure would not only increase assembly difficulty, but also, given the already low gas flow rate in the edge area, the flow field organization effect of the tree-like channels would be difficult to fully utilize. Therefore, this invention preferably fills the semi-honeycomb unit 42 and triangular unit 43 with thermochemical fillers with a higher porosity than the core reaction unit, such as large-particle-size, loosely structured Ca(OH)2 particles, or porous composite materials prepared by doping with pore-forming agents. These fillers possess stronger natural gas diffusion capabilities and thermal response performance, enabling effective thermochemical reactions in the edge area, thereby avoiding edge dead zones and improving the overall heat and mass transfer uniformity and energy efficiency of the module.

[0086] In a further optimized design, the reactor shell 2 and the reactor cover 3 are fixed and sealed together by a flange. The electric heater 32 includes a straight cylindrical section and a right-angle elbow section, which are fixedly connected and are also fixedly connected inside the reactor cover 3.

[0087] The operation cycle and duration of the cleaning phase can be set according to the actual operating conditions of the unit, the monitoring values ​​of reaction efficiency, or the trend of pressure drop changes. A typical process is as follows:

[0088] 1. After the heat storage and release phase ends, the system enters standby mode, and the control system starts the cleaning phase according to the program;

[0089] 2. Vibrator 7 is started first, providing low-frequency vibration to disturb the bed structure;

[0090] 3. The high-pressure gas storage chamber 33 is supplied with compressed air through the high-pressure gas filling pipe 331. After the gas pressure reaches the set value, the electromagnetic pulse valve opens and the compressed air is released instantaneously through the pulse nozzle 332.

[0091] 4. The pulsed airflow impacts the material at the top of the reaction module, and combined with the vibration, causes some weakly bonded sintered particles 8 to detach and slide down along the main gas channel 61 to the particle collection chamber 22.

[0092] 5. After the cleaning phase is completed, the system automatically shuts off the pulse valve and vibrator, preparing for the next round of heat storage and release operation.

[0093] This device can realize the reversible reaction process between Ca(OH)2 and CaO, corresponding to the heat storage stage and the heat release stage respectively. During the intermittent operation of the device, the system is also equipped with a cleaning stage to remove and discharge sintered particles 8 that may be formed during operation, so as to maintain the long-term activity and smooth flow of the reaction bed.

[0094] During the heat storage stage (endothermic decomposition process), external air is introduced into the device through the upper pipe section 31; the air is heated to the target temperature when it passes through the electric heaters 32 located on both sides of the reactor cover 3; the heated high-temperature air enters the reaction module, runs longitudinally through the main gas channel 61, and diffuses to the surroundings through multiple layered branch gas channels 62, acting evenly on the Ca(OH)2 material filled in the honeycomb unit; the generated water vapor is quickly discharged from the reaction bed under the guidance of the branch gas channels 62, avoiding steam retention that affects reaction efficiency and heat conduction; after the reaction is completed, CaO is retained in the reaction module, completing the thermal energy storage.

[0095] During the heat release stage (exothermic synthesis process), external water vapor is introduced into the device through the lower pipe section 21 as a reaction gas. After entering the reaction module, the water vapor first enters the main gas channel, and then permeates evenly into the CaO-containing bed through multiple branch gas channels 62. The uniform distribution of the branch gas channels increases the penetration depth and reaction contact area of ​​the water vapor, accelerating the hydration reaction rate and heat release efficiency. Finally, Ca(OH)2 is regenerated in the module, waiting for the next heat storage cycle.

[0096] During the cleaning phase, the system automatically switches to the cleaning state according to the control logic or operating cycle. First, the vibrator 7 located at the bottom of the reactor is activated to apply low-frequency mechanical disturbance to the load-bearing structure 5 and the reaction module 4, so as to loosen and detach the sintered particles 8 in the bed. Then, the high-pressure gas storage chamber 33 located inside the reactor cover 3 releases compressed air, which is sprayed out through multiple high-pressure pulse nozzles 332 to form a high-pressure pulse airflow acting on the bed surface, further stripping away the residual sintered particles 8. The detached particles are guided through the bottom of the main gas channel and finally collected in the particle collection chamber 22 arranged below. This cleaning phase can effectively alleviate the problem of sintering of reaction materials, reduce the risk of reaction bed blockage, and ensure the smooth flow of gas channels and the long-term stable operation of the device.

[0097] The above structural design and operation mode take into account efficient heat transfer, uniform gas distribution, clean particles and modular installation, effectively improving energy storage and release performance, system maintainability and long-term operational stability.

[0098] This invention has the following technical advantages and beneficial effects:

[0099] 1. Modular structure design, with detachable and splicable honeycomb units, suitable for different application scenarios, and flexible and convenient maintenance and expansion;

[0100] 2. The gradient fin structure optimizes heat flux distribution, alleviates heat accumulation, inhibits sintering, and improves heat transfer and reaction efficiency;

[0101] 3. The tree-like gas channel system enhances uniform gas distribution and improves heat and mass exchange performance;

[0102] 4. Indirect heating design: The electric heater only heats the gas, avoiding direct contact with the reactants, effectively extending system life and improving safety;

[0103] 5. During the cleaning stage, high-pressure pulses and electromagnetic vibrations are introduced to remove sintered particles 8, maintaining bed activity and smooth airflow;

[0104] 6. The main gas channel also serves as a particle guide path during the cleaning stage, reducing structural complexity and component redundancy;

[0105] 7. The supporting structure has high permeability and load-bearing capacity, maintaining the stable operation of the reaction bed and ensuring unobstructed gas passages.

[0106] This device achieves high-efficiency thermochemical energy storage and controllable clean maintenance while ensuring system compactness, and has good engineering practicality and promotion prospects.

[0107] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this invention, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0108] The embodiments described above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention should fall within the protection scope defined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A modular electrically heated calcium hydroxide thermo-chemical storage and release device, characterized in that, The utility model relates to a reactor, which comprises: a reactor shell (2) fixedly connected with a reactor upper cover (3) at the top and a rack (1) at the bottom, the reactor upper cover (3) being communicated with an upper pipe section (31), the reactor shell (2) being communicated with a lower pipe section (21), and the reactor upper cover (3) being fixedly connected with an electric heater (32) inside; a load-bearing structure (5) fixedly connected inside the reactor shell (2), the load-bearing structure (5) being a planar support plate in the form of a honeycomb array, provided with a large number of hexagonal openings, and provided with a reaction module (4) on the load-bearing structure (5), the reaction module (4) comprising a plurality of honeycomb units (41) filled with Ca(OH)2 and provided with a tree-shaped gas channel (6), the tree-shaped gas channel (6) being located inside the Ca(OH)2, and the reactor upper cover (3) being provided with a high-pressure pulse cleaning assembly, and the load-bearing structure (5) being provided with a vibration assembly at the bottom; a controller having a control system, the electric heater, the high-pressure pulse cleaning assembly and the vibration assembly being electrically connected with the controller.

2. A modular electrically heated calcium hydroxide thermo-chemical energy storage and release device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner wall of the honeycomb unit (41) is provided with a plurality of non-equal-height fins (411), one side of which is higher than the other side close to the electric heater.

3. A modular electrically heated calcium hydroxide thermo-chemical energy storage and release device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The tree-shaped gas channel (6) comprises a main gas channel (61), three branch gas channels (62) fixedly connected with the tree-shaped gas channel (6), the branch gas channels (62) being communicated with the tree-shaped gas channel (6), and a plurality of circular micropores being formed in the main gas channel (61) and the branch gas channels (62), the branch gas channels (62) extending from the main gas channel (61) to the area between two adjacent non-equal-height fins (411).

4. A modular electrically heated calcium hydroxide thermo-chemical energy storage and release device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The main gas channels (61) are communicated with each other between two adjacent main gas channels (61), the included angle between the branch gas channels (62) and the main gas channel (61) ranges from 60°±5°, and the three branch gas channels (62) are distributed at an equal angle of 120° on the same height section.

5. A modular electrically heated calcium hydroxide thermo-chemical energy storage and release device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The high-pressure pulse cleaning assembly comprises a high-pressure gas storage bin (33), a high-pressure gas charging pipeline (331) and a plurality of high-pressure pulse nozzles (332), and the high-pressure gas storage bin (33) is connected with an external compressed gas source through the high-pressure gas charging pipeline (331).

6. A modular electrically heated calcium hydroxide thermo-chemical energy storage and release device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vibration assembly comprises a vibrator (7), the vibrator (7) comprises a vibrator base (71), a vibrator shell (72), a resonance spring (73), an armature (74), an electromagnet (75) and a vibration body (76), the vibration body (76) is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the load-bearing structure (5), the vibrator shell (72) is fixedly connected between the vibrator base (71) and the vibration body (76), the electromagnet (75) is fixedly connected to the vibration body (76), the armature (74) is fixedly connected to the vibrator base (71), the resonance spring (73) is fixedly connected between the vibrator base (71) and the vibration body (76), the resonance spring (73), the armature (74) and the electromagnet (75) are located in the vibrator shell (72).

7. A modular electrically heated calcium hydroxide thermo-chemical energy storage and release device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The reactor shell (2) is provided with a particle collection bin (22) located below the main gas passage (61).

8. A modular electrically heated calcium hydroxide thermo-chemical energy storage and release device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The reaction module (4) further comprises a half-honeycomb unit (42) and a triangular unit (43), and the half-honeycomb unit (42) and the triangular unit (43) are filled with thermochemical materials.

9. A modular electrically heated calcium hydroxide thermo-chemical energy storage and release device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The reactor shell (2) and the reactor upper cover (3) are fixedly and sealingly connected through flanges, the electric heater (32) comprises a straight cylindrical segment and a right-angle elbow segment, the straight cylindrical segment and the right-angle elbow segment are fixedly connected, and the straight cylindrical segment and the right-angle elbow segment are fixedly connected in the reactor upper cover (3).

10. The modular electric heating calcium hydroxide thermochemical energy storage and release device according to claim 1, wherein: The operation process of the device comprises: The heat storage stage: the air in the upper pipe segment (31) enters the reaction module (4) after being heated by the electric heater (32), and the endothermic decomposition reaction of Ca(OH)2 occurs through the tree-shaped gas passage (6), CaO is generated, and water vapor is released; The heat release stage: the water vapor is introduced into the reaction module (4) from the lower pipe segment (21), and the exothermic hydration reaction of CaO occurs, and heat energy is released; The cleaning stage: in the non-reaction stage, the controller controls the high-pressure pulse cleaning assembly and the vibration assembly to work cooperatively to peel off the sintered particles on the surface of the bed layer.

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