A core energy storage device with multi-dimensional functional structure and an AI control system thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of multi-dimensional function structure's reactor core energy storage device and AI control system thereof, belong to heat engineering and metallurgical equipment technical field.Device includes from inside to outside sequentially nested smelting cavity, heat release cavity, heat storage cavity, heat collection cavity, heat insulation cavity and cooling cavity, adjacent cavity is separated by high-temperature resistant physical isolation layer, realizes independent regulation and control of thermal parameter.External heat energy is stored into heat storage cavity after being collected by heat collection cavity, and energy is supplied to smelting cavity as needed through heat release cavity;Cooling cavity recovers heat dissipation waste heat in heat insulation cavity and is sent back to heat collection cavity to form heat cycle.Each cavity is equipped with multiple types of sensors, and AI control system is cooperated to realize accurate regulation and control of temperature, pressure and flow, supports solar energy, wind energy, biomass energy and multiple-source heat energy input such as industrial waste heat.The application solves the problems of single function, low energy efficiency, poor control precision and weak green energy adaptability of traditional thermal equipment, and has the significant advantages of compact structure, high energy efficiency, flexible control and compatibility of renewable energy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the interdisciplinary field of thermal energy engineering and metallurgical equipment, and in particular to a core energy storage device with a multi-dimensional functional structure and its AI control system. Background Technology

[0002] The current industrial thermal equipment sector suffers from a severe contradiction between "functional fragmentation" and "strong thermal coupling." Traditional smelting equipment (such as electric arc furnaces, induction furnaces, and reverberatory furnaces) is designed with a single high-temperature smelting objective in mind. Its heat input and output are rigidly coupled—any fluctuation in external power or fuel supply causes a violent oscillation in the furnace temperature field. This makes it unsuitable for the output characteristics of intermittent renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, and also fails to meet the demands of high-purity alloys and special glass processes requiring temperature gradient control accuracy within ±5℃. According to energy consumption statistics from the China Iron and Steel Association in 2023, the average thermal efficiency of smelting processes in key domestic steel enterprises was only 38.7%, with ineffective heat loss due to thermal coupling accounting for as much as 22%, equivalent to wasting over 12 million tons of standard coal annually.

[0003] Existing thermal energy storage technologies are also trapped in an "isolation" dilemma. Mainstream sensible heat storage tanks (such as refractory ball thermal energy storage devices) and phase change thermal energy storage systems mostly adopt independent tank designs, requiring long-distance high-temperature pipelines to connect to the smelting body. Heat loss through these pipelines is typically between 15% and 20%. Even when some research attempts to embed thermal energy storage modules into the furnace body, it only reaches a simple superposition of "thermal energy storage body + insulation layer," failing to achieve active control of heat flow between the thermal energy storage chamber and the smelting chamber, and unable to solve the problem of mutual interference from multiple physical fields (temperature, pressure, atmosphere). For example, a patent for an "embedded molten salt thermal energy storage smelting furnace" published by a university in 2022 uses the same refractory lining between the thermal energy storage chamber and the smelting chamber, resulting in irregular heat penetration into the smelting chamber during the thermal energy storage process, failing to achieve "on-demand heat release," and causing temperature control deviations exceeding ±30℃ under actual operating conditions.

[0004] In terms of thermal management, the traditional "passive insulation" mode of equipment has reached its energy efficiency ceiling. Conventional furnace bodies use a single layer of ceramic fiber blanket or lightweight castable as insulation, with a thermal conductivity of approximately 0.1-0.3 W / (m·K). However, in high-temperature environments above 1500℃, a significant amount of heat is still lost through radiation and conduction. Simultaneously, the waste heat dissipated from the outer layer lacks an active recovery mechanism and is directly released into the environment, further reducing system energy efficiency. For example, in a copper smelter with an annual output of 500,000 tons, the surface temperature of its reverberatory furnace shell can reach 200-300℃, with an annual heat dissipation equivalent to approximately 8,000 tons of standard coal, representing 12% of the plant's total energy consumption.

[0005] More critically, existing equipment generally lacks an intelligent control core. Most equipment is only equipped with a single-point temperature sensor, relying on manual experience to adjust fuel supply or current intensity, failing to achieve coordinated optimization of multi-cavity thermal parameters. Even the few high-end equipment that introduce PLC control systems can only execute preset fixed programs, unable to dynamically adjust operating strategies based on renewable energy output forecasts, electricity price fluctuations, or changes in process requirements. This "mechanical control" mode results in equipment exhibiting significant lag and limitations when facing new industrial demands such as "green energy substitution" and "flexible production."

[0006] The root cause of the aforementioned technical bottlenecks lies in the fact that existing technologies have not broken through the triple barriers of "functional zoning, thermal flux coupling, and intelligent control": firstly, there is a lack of a compact structure that spatially decouples and temporally coordinates the six major thermal functions; secondly, there is no active distribution and recovery mechanism for heat flux across cavities; and thirdly, there is a lack of an AI decision-making system based on multi-source data to achieve optimal global energy efficiency. Therefore, a new type of reactor core energy storage device with structural innovation, functional integration, intelligent control, and adaptability to green energy access is needed to break through the energy efficiency ceiling and technological limitations of traditional thermal equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of this, the present invention provides a core energy storage device with a multi-dimensional functional structure and its AI control system to solve or alleviate one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and at least provides a beneficial option.

[0008] The technical solution of this invention is implemented as follows: a core energy storage device with a multi-dimensional functional structure and its AI control system, including a multi-layer cavity nested core structure and an AI intelligent control system; The core structure, from the inside out, includes: a smelting chamber, a heat release chamber, a heat storage chamber, a heat collection chamber, a heat insulation chamber, and a cooling chamber. Adjacent chambers are separated by a physical isolation layer. The physical isolation layer (7) is a high-temperature resistant rigid partition made of ceramic or composite heat insulation board. The AI ​​control system is connected to a sensor network distributed in each cavity, and dynamically adjusts the core operating status based on multi-source data.

[0009] Furthermore, the smelting chamber is made of a high thermal conductivity refractory material for its inner wall, which is a zirconia ceramic or a silicon carbide composite material with a temperature resistance of ≥1500℃. The cavity is equipped with at least one of a stirring device, an electrode, a combustion nozzle, or a microwave heating unit. Materials enter through the top or side feed inlet, and products are discharged through the bottom discharge outlet; The physical isolation layer between the smelting chamber and the exothermic chamber ensures that the internal pressure and atmosphere are independently controllable.

[0010] Furthermore, the heat release chamber is arranged around the smelting chamber and is filled with high-temperature phase change material or high-heat-capacity solid heat storage body; The high-temperature phase change material is a molten salt. The mixture, wherein the high heat capacity solid heat storage body is magnesium aluminum spinel brick; The heat release chamber transfers heat to the smelting chamber through heat conduction or built-in heat pipes. The chamber wall integrates electric heating auxiliary elements and flow channels to achieve dynamic adjustment of the heat release rate.

[0011] Furthermore, the heat storage chamber is arranged around the heat release chamber and adopts a modular partition design, with the interior divided into multiple independent heat storage units; The heat storage medium can be selected from one or more combinations of sensible heat materials, latent heat materials, or thermochemical heat storage media; The sensible heat material is a refractory ball, the latent heat material is a metal alloy phase variant, and the thermochemical heat storage medium is... system; The heat storage cavity exchanges heat with the heat collection cavity through heat-conducting fins or circulating working fluid, supporting cascaded heat storage management.

[0012] Furthermore, the heat collection cavity is arranged around the heat storage cavity, and its inner wall integrates at least one of the following: a solar heat absorption coating, a waste heat exchange coil, or a biomass combustion chamber interface. It supports one or more of the following sources of input: concentrated solar energy, industrial flue gas, biomass combustion flame, and heat from electrical energy conversion; Heat is transferred to the heat storage chamber through radiation, convection, or conduction. The chamber is equipped with a flow regulating valve and a temperature feedback device to achieve intelligent matching of heat input.

[0013] Furthermore, the heat insulation cavity is arranged around the heat collection cavity and adopts a multi-layer composite heat insulation structure, which includes at least two combinations of vacuum interlayer, nano aerogel felt, ceramic fiber blanket and reflective aluminum foil. The insulation cavity acts as a thermal resistance barrier to suppress heat loss from the heat collection cavity to the external environment, and temperature monitoring points are arranged inside to evaluate the insulation performance.

[0014] Furthermore, the cooling chamber is the outermost cavity, and a spiral flow channel or honeycomb cooling channel is provided inside. The cooling medium is selected from water, air or liquid metal. The cooling medium absorbs the residual heat radiated or conducted from the outer surface of the insulation cavity and then heats up. It is pumped back to the inlet of the heat collection cavity through the pipeline, forming a closed or semi-closed heat circulation loop.

[0015] Furthermore, the sensors include temperature sensors, pressure sensors, vacuum sensors, and fluid flow sensors, covering all cavities and key pipeline nodes; The AI ​​control system dynamically outputs control commands based on real-time collected temperature, pressure, vacuum, and flow data, combined with smelting process requirements, electricity price periods, and renewable energy power generation forecasts, to adjust the heat storage / release power, cooling medium flow rate, and heat source switching parameters.

[0016] Furthermore, the overall shape of the core energy storage structure is any one of circular, spherical, square, arc-shaped, or strip-shaped, and the cross-sectional shape of each cavity is adapted to the overall shape; The physical isolation layer enables each cavity to be independent and individually adjustable in terms of temperature, pressure, and atmosphere, with temperature control accuracy ≤ ±5℃ and pressure fluctuation ≤ ±500Pa.

[0017] Furthermore, the control method of the AI ​​control system includes the following steps: (1) Data acquisition: Real-time acquisition of sensor data from each cavity and external energy market and meteorological data; (2) Status assessment: Calculate the current thermal storage level, heat demand intensity, and energy cost index; (3) Optimization decision-making: Solve the optimal operation strategy based on multi-objective optimization algorithm to balance energy efficiency, cost and process requirements; (4) Command execution: Dynamically adjust the valve opening degree, pumping power, and heat source switching status of each cavity; (5) Feedback correction: The model parameters are updated and optimized online based on the actual operating results to achieve adaptive control.

[0018] The embodiments of the present invention have the following advantages due to the adoption of the above technical solutions: 1. Highly integrated functions and extremely compact structure: Through a six-layer nested cavity design, the six functional units of heat collection, heat storage, heat release, smelting, heat insulation and cooling are integrated into a single core, reducing the volume by more than 60% compared to the traditional "smelting furnace + heat storage tank + waste heat boiler" combined system, greatly reducing the footprint and pipeline heat loss.

[0019] 2. Decoupling of thermal parameters and leapfrog improvement in control precision: The physical isolation layer realizes the complete independence of the temperature field, pressure field and atmosphere of each cavity. With the real-time monitoring of multiple sensors, the AI ​​control system can improve the temperature control precision of the smelting cavity to ±3℃ and control the pressure fluctuation within ±500Pa, meeting the needs of high-end special material preparation.

[0020] 3. Full recovery of waste heat, breaking through the bottleneck of energy efficiency: The closed heat circulation loop formed by the cooling chamber and the heat collection chamber can recover more than 98% of the waste heat that was originally lost to the environment. Combined with the multi-layer composite heat insulation structure, the overall thermal efficiency of the system is increased to 72.3% (33.6 percentage points higher than traditional equipment), and carbon emissions are reduced by more than 40% per year.

[0021] 4. Strong adaptability to green energy and reduced operating costs: The multi-source heat collection design and AI dynamic scheduling strategy enable the device to absorb more than 85% of fluctuating renewable energy. It prioritizes heat storage during peak photovoltaic / wind power output and releases heat during off-peak hours. Combined with the peak-valley electricity price mechanism, the operating cost is reduced by 35%-45%.

[0022] 5. Good process compatibility and wide range of application scenarios: Modular thermal storage units and customizable cavity shapes (circular, spherical, square, arc or strip) support multiple scenarios such as steel smelting, non-ferrous metal smelting, glass manufacturing, and chemical reactions, and have the dual-mode operation capability of "production and storage integration" and "energy storage and power generation".

[0023] The above overview is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the reactor core energy storage device of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a partial enlarged view of the reactor core energy storage device of the present invention.

[0026] The markings in the diagram are as follows: 1-Smelting chamber, 2-Heat release chamber, 3-Heat storage chamber, 4-Heat collection chamber, 5-Insulation chamber, 6-Cooling chamber, 7-Physical isolation layer. Detailed Implementation

[0027] In the following description, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the drawings and description are considered to be exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0028] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] Example 1: Solar-driven high-temperature alloy melting scenario

[0030] This embodiment is designed for the smelting requirements of nickel-based superalloy (GH4169). The overall shape of the core structure is cylindrical, with a diameter of 2.8m and a height of 4.2m. The parameters of each cavity are shown in Table 1 below:

[0031] Operation process: During the heat collection phase (09:00-16:00): the heliostat field focuses solar radiation onto the inner wall of the heat collection chamber 4, and the heat-absorbing coating converts light energy into heat energy, which is then transferred to the heat storage chamber 3 through the heat transfer oil; the AI ​​system adjusts the flow rate of the heat transfer oil (range 0.8-1.5m³ / h) according to the real-time irradiance intensity to ensure that the temperature of the heat storage chamber is stable at 560±5℃.

[0032] Thermal storage stage: The thermal storage chamber has 3 or 4 independent units that are stored in a "high temperature-medium temperature-low temperature" tiered manner. Unit 1 (near the heat collection chamber) is filled with magnesium aluminum spinel bricks with a maximum temperature of 580℃; the temperature of Unit 4 (near the heat release chamber) is controlled at 500℃ to achieve graded management of thermal energy quality.

[0033] During the exothermic and smelting stage (16:00-08:00 the next day): when the smelting chamber 1 requires heat, the AI ​​system controls the heat pipe in the exothermic chamber 2 to start, transferring the heat from the heat storage chamber 3 to the outer wall of the smelting chamber in a directional conduction manner; during the smelting process, the stirring device runs at a speed of 30r / min, and the electrode-assisted heating maintains the furnace temperature at 1620±3℃, shortening the material melting time by 25% compared to the traditional electric arc furnace.

[0034] Cooling and waste heat recovery: After the deionized water in the cooling chamber 6 absorbs the heat loss from the insulation chamber 5, it is heated to 85°C and then flows back to the inlet of the heat collection chamber 4 through the pipeline to participate in the next round of heat cycle. The waste heat recovery rate reaches 98.2%.

[0035] The monitoring data for operational performance are shown in Table 2 below:

[0036] Example 2: Industrial waste heat recovery and off-peak smelting scenario

[0037] This embodiment is applied to the waste heat recovery of annealing furnace flue gas in a stainless steel smelter. The core structure has an overall square shape, with a length of 3.2m, a width of 2.8m, and a height of 3.5m, which is suitable for the existing plant layout. The parameters of each cavity are shown in Table 3 below:

[0038] Operation process: Waste heat collection stage (continuous operation): The 850℃ high-temperature flue gas emitted from the annealing furnace enters the heat exchange coil of the heat collection chamber 4 and transfers heat to the heat storage chamber 3 through counter-current heat exchange; the AI ​​system dynamically adjusts the cooling air volume and the switching strategy of the heat storage unit according to the flue gas flow rate (8000-12000Nm³ / h) and temperature fluctuations.

[0039] Peak-shifting heat release phase (23:00-07:00, low electricity price): When the grid electricity price drops to 0.3 yuan / kWh, the AI ​​system activates heat release chamber 2 and releases the heat from heat storage chamber 3 to smelting chamber 1 for preheating and smelting of stainless steel billets; this phase completely replaces electric heating and only consumes a small amount of pumping power (15kW).

[0040] Cooling and heat circulation: After the compressed air in cooling chamber 6 absorbs waste heat, it is heated to 70°C. Part of it flows back to heat collection chamber 4 to preheat the combustion air, and the rest is used for winter heating in the plant area. The overall waste heat utilization rate reaches 96.8%.

[0041] The operational economic analysis is shown in Table 4 below:

[0042] Example 3: Integrated Energy Station Scenario with Biomass Energy Coupling

[0043] This embodiment constructs an integrated energy station combining biomass combustion, energy storage, and smelting. The core structure has an overall spherical shape with a diameter of 4.5m, balancing structural strength and uniform heat distribution. The parameters of each cavity are shown in Table 5 below.

[0044] Operation process: Multi-source heat collection stage: During the day (08:00-18:00), concentrated solar energy is used to heat the heat collection chamber 4 first; at night, it switches to biomass combustion (straw briquettes, calorific value 16MJ / kg), and the flue gas temperature drops to below 180℃ after heat exchange in the heat collection chamber before being discharged.

[0045] Thermochemical heat storage stage: Heat storage chamber 3 adopts a CaO / Ca(OH)2 thermochemical energy storage system, which absorbs heat at a reaction temperature of 580℃ to generate CaO and With an energy storage density of 1.2 GWh / m³, it can achieve cross-seasonal energy storage.

[0046] Multi-scenario output stage: During peak electricity consumption periods, smelting chamber 1 starts smelting operations (producing cast iron parts); during off-peak electricity consumption periods or when the power grid fails, it switches to steam power generation mode, generating high-temperature steam through heat exchange between heat release chamber 2 and heat storage chamber 3, driving the steam turbine to generate electricity, with a maximum output power of 2.5MW.

[0047] The overall performance indicators are shown in Table 6 below:

[0048] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention, and these should all be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A reactor core energy storage device with a multi-dimensional functional structure and its AI control system, characterized in that, This includes a multi-layered cavity nested core structure and an AI intelligent control system; The core structure, from the inside out, includes: a smelting chamber (1), a heat release chamber (2), a heat storage chamber (3), a heat collection chamber (4), a heat insulation chamber (5), and a cooling chamber (6). Adjacent chambers are separated by a physical isolation layer (7), which is a high-temperature resistant rigid partition made of ceramic or composite heat insulation board. The AI ​​control system is connected to a sensor network distributed in each cavity, and dynamically adjusts the core operating status based on multi-source data.

2. The reactor core energy storage device with a multi-dimensional functional structure and its AI control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The smelting chamber (1) is made of a high thermal conductivity refractory material for its inner wall. The high thermal conductivity refractory material is zirconium oxide ceramic or silicon carbide composite material with a temperature resistance ≥1500℃. The cavity is equipped with at least one of a stirring device, an electrode, a combustion nozzle, or a microwave heating unit. Materials enter through the top or side feed inlet, and products are discharged through the bottom discharge outlet; The physical isolation layer (7) between the smelting chamber (1) and the exothermic chamber (2) ensures that the internal pressure and atmosphere are independently controllable.

3. The reactor core energy storage device with a multi-dimensional functional structure and its AI control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat release chamber (2) is arranged around the smelting chamber (1) and is filled with high-temperature phase change material or high-heat-capacity solid heat storage body; The high-temperature phase change material is a molten salt. The mixture, wherein the high heat capacity solid heat storage body is magnesium aluminum spinel brick; The heat release chamber (2) transfers heat to the smelting chamber (1) in a directional manner through heat conduction or built-in heat pipes. The chamber wall integrates electric heating auxiliary elements and flow channels to achieve dynamic adjustment of the heat release rate.

4. The reactor core energy storage device with a multi-dimensional functional structure and its AI control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat storage chamber (3) is arranged around the heat release chamber (2) and adopts a modular partition design, with the interior divided into multiple independent heat storage units; The heat storage medium can be selected from one or more combinations of sensible heat materials, latent heat materials, or thermochemical heat storage media; The sensible heat material is a refractory ball, the latent heat material is a metal alloy phase variant, and the thermochemical heat storage medium is... system; The heat storage chamber (3) exchanges heat with the heat collection chamber (4) through heat-conducting fins or circulating working fluid, supporting cascade heat storage management.

5. A reactor core energy storage device with a multi-dimensional functional structure and its AI control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat collection cavity (4) is arranged around the heat storage cavity (3), and the inner wall is integrated with at least one of the following: solar heat absorption coating, waste heat exchange coil or biomass combustion chamber interface; It supports one or more of the following sources of input: concentrated solar energy, industrial flue gas, biomass combustion flame, and heat from electrical energy conversion; Heat is transferred to the heat storage chamber (3) through radiation, convection or conduction. The chamber is equipped with a flow regulating valve and a temperature feedback device to achieve intelligent matching of heat input.

6. The reactor core energy storage device with a multi-dimensional functional structure and its AI control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat insulation cavity (5) is arranged around the heat collection cavity (4) and adopts a multi-layer composite heat insulation structure. The multi-layer composite heat insulation structure includes at least two combinations of vacuum interlayer, nano aerogel felt, ceramic fiber blanket and reflective aluminum foil. The insulation cavity (5) acts as a thermal resistance barrier to suppress heat loss from the heat collection cavity (4) to the external environment, and temperature monitoring points are arranged inside to evaluate the insulation performance.

7. A reactor core energy storage device with a multi-dimensional functional structure and its AI control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling chamber (6) is the outermost cavity, and a spiral flow channel or honeycomb cooling channel is provided inside. The cooling medium is selected from water, air or liquid metal. The cooling medium absorbs the residual heat radiated or conducted from the outer surface of the heat insulation cavity (5) and then heats up. It is pumped back to the inlet of the heat collection cavity (4) through the pipeline to form a closed or semi-closed heat circulation loop.

8. A reactor core energy storage device with a multi-dimensional functional structure and its AI control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensors include temperature sensors, pressure sensors, vacuum sensors, and fluid flow sensors, covering all cavities and key pipeline nodes; The AI ​​control system dynamically outputs control commands based on real-time collected temperature, pressure, vacuum, and flow data, combined with smelting process requirements, electricity price periods, and renewable energy power generation forecasts, to adjust the heat storage / release power, cooling medium flow rate, and heat source switching parameters.

9. A reactor core energy storage device with a multi-dimensional functional structure and its AI control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The overall shape of the core energy storage structure can be any one of circular, spherical, square, arc or strip shape, and the cross-sectional shape of each cavity is adapted to the overall shape; The physical isolation layer (7) makes each cavity independent of each other in terms of temperature, pressure and atmosphere and can be controlled separately. The temperature control accuracy is ≤ ±5℃ and the pressure fluctuation is ≤ ±500Pa.

10. A core energy storage device with a multi-dimensional functional structure and its AI control system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The control method of the AI ​​control system includes the following steps: (1) Data acquisition: Real-time acquisition of sensor data from each cavity and external energy market and meteorological data; (2) Status assessment: Calculate the current thermal storage level, heat demand intensity, and energy cost index; (3) Optimization decision-making: Solve the optimal operation strategy based on multi-objective optimization algorithm to balance energy efficiency, cost and process requirements; (4) Command execution: Dynamically adjust the valve opening degree, pumping power, and heat source switching status of each cavity; (5) Feedback correction: The model parameters are updated and optimized online based on the actual operating results to achieve adaptive control.

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