Electrical and High Temperature Energy Storage Devices

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electric and high-temperature energy storage device. The object of the present invention is to provide an electric and high-temperature energy storage device that can smoothly store high-temperature energy and electric energy of various qualities, is convenient to operate and manage, and can be used in a much wider range than before. More specifically, the present invention is to provide an electric and high-temperature energy storage device that uses an easy-to-handle working fluid such as water or air, and operates by converting thermal energy immediately or converting electrical energy into a thermal energy form and storing it in a heat storage medium using a high-temperature working fluid, and recovering thermal energy using a low-temperature working fluid when necessary.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric and high-temperature energy storage device, and more particularly to an electric and high-temperature energy storage device that converts high-temperature energy generated from solar heat or the like, or electricity generated from wind power, sunlight, or the like, into high-temperature energy and stores it. [Background technology]

[0002] As energy consumption is maximizing with the development of industry, various researches are being actively conducted to prevent energy waste and use it more efficiently.One of these researches is the Energy Storage System (ESS), which stores excess electricity generated by solar and wind power generation, which are difficult to adjust the load, and transmits it when there is a temporary power shortage.

[0003] One example of a high-temperature energy storage device is the molten salt method. In the solar thermal method, excess solar heat is collected to raise the temperature of synthetic oil or the like, which is then used as a working fluid and stored in the form of thermal energy in molten salt. In other words, thermal energy is stored as thermal energy. On the other hand, in solar and wind power, excess electrical energy is converted into thermal energy, and then this thermal energy is similarly stored in the form of thermal energy in molten salt. Then, when electricity is needed, the energy contained in the stored high-temperature molten salt is used to generate electricity. In this case, the principle is that electrical energy is converted into thermal energy and then stored.

[0004] In addition to the molten salt method, a method of storing electric energy in a battery when electricity is generated, such as from solar or wind power, has also been traditionally used. When the amount of surplus electricity is large, the battery storage method is uneconomical, so a method of converting electric energy into thermal energy and storing it has been further adopted and used. As an example, Korean Patent Publication No. 2007-0022679 ("Method and Apparatus for Storing Thermal Energy", published on February 27, 2007) discloses an apparatus for heating an internal region of a graphite body when thermal energy needs to be stored, and recovering heat by a heat exchanger when thermal energy needs to be used, so as to store electric energy or renewable energy during off-peak supply periods.

[0005] The technology of such energy storage devices is currently in progress, and research and development are actively being carried out, so in most cases, they are designed to be optimized for the purpose of development, and as a result, the scope of application is often somewhat narrow. For example, the above-mentioned molten salt heat storage device is very suitable for storing high-temperature energy, especially solar thermal heat energy, but in order to utilize it for solar power or wind power, a separate device is required to convert electricity into heat, and it is not suitable for storing low-quality electrical energy, so there are many cases where it is not suitable for use. In addition, in the molten salt heat storage device, since the working fluid is molten salt, it is necessary to maintain it in a molten state, which causes the problem of cumbersome operation and management. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Korean Patent Publication No. 2007-0022679 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electric and high-temperature energy storage device that can smoothly store high-temperature energy and electric energy of various qualities, is convenient to operate and manage, and can be used in a much wider range than before. More specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide an electric and high-temperature energy storage device that uses an easy-to-handle working fluid such as water or air, and operates in a manner in which thermal energy is immediately converted by the high-temperature working fluid, or electrical energy is converted into a form of thermal energy and stored in a heat storage medium, and the thermal energy is recovered by the low-temperature working fluid when necessary. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100 of the present invention may include a heat storage medium tank 110 in which a heat storage medium 210 is accommodated, and a heat transfer pipe 120 formed in the form of a pipe, in which a working fluid 220 circulates between a high-temperature energy source 510 in which a relatively high-temperature environment is formed and a low-temperature energy source 520 in which a relatively low-temperature environment is formed, and through working fluid circulation ports 121 at both ends, a portion of which is accommodated in the heat storage medium tank 110, and at least a portion of the portion accommodated in the heat storage medium tank 110 is equipped with a heating device that is heated by electricity.

[0009] In addition, when the electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100 is in an energy storage mode, it transfers thermal energy from the relatively high-temperature working fluid 220 flowing from the high-temperature energy source 510 to the low-temperature energy source 520 via the heat transfer piping 120 to the heat storage medium 210 in the heat storage medium tank 110, or a heating device on the heat transfer piping 120 is heated by externally applied power, and thermal energy is transferred to the heat storage medium 210 in the heat storage medium tank 110.

[0010] Additionally, when the electric and high temperature energy storage device 100 is in an energy recovery mode, it can transfer thermal energy from the thermal storage medium 210 in the thermal storage medium tank 110 to a relatively low temperature working fluid 220 flowing from the low temperature energy source 520 to the high temperature energy source 510 via the heat transfer piping 120.

[0011] In addition, the electric and high temperature energy storage device 100 may include at least one between the high temperature energy source 510 and the low temperature energy source 520.

[0012] In addition, the electric and high temperature energy storage device 100 may include at least one of the heat transfer pipes 120 in one of the thermal storage medium tanks 110 .

[0013] In addition, the electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100 may include at least one connecting pipe 130 that connects the heat transfer pipes 120 to each other when multiple heat transfer pipes 120 are provided between the high-temperature energy source 510 and the low-temperature energy source 520 or multiple heat transfer pipes 120 are provided within one heat storage medium tank 110.

[0014] In addition, when the electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100 is provided with a plurality of heat transfer pipes 120 between the high-temperature energy source 510 and the low-temperature energy source 520, or when a plurality of heat transfer pipes 120 are provided within one heat storage medium tank 110, each of the heat transfer pipes 120 can be configured to transfer thermal energy to the heat storage medium 210 independently of each other by at least one selected from a high-temperature working fluid 220 or electrical heating when in energy storage mode.

[0015] In addition, when a plurality of the heat transfer pipes 120 are provided in one heat storage medium tank 110, the electric and high temperature energy storage device 100 may form at least one partition wall 111 that separates the spaces in which the heat transfer pipes 120 are provided in the heat storage medium tank 110. In this case, the electric and high temperature energy storage device 100 may form at least one through hole 112 on the partition wall 111 so that a fluid can move between adjacent spaces separated from each other.

[0016] The electric and high temperature energy storage device 100 may also include a gas exhaust pipe 140 that is provided at a lower portion of the heat storage medium tank 110 and that exhausts non-reactive gas through at least one gas outlet 141 provided toward the heat transfer pipe 120. The electric and high temperature energy storage device 100 may also include a particle remover 142 that removes heat storage medium particles entrained from the gas exhausted from the gas exhaust pipe 140.

[0017] The electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100 may also include a recirculation compressor 145 that compresses and forcibly blows the gas discharged from the heat storage medium tank 110 to recirculate it, and a gas storage tank 146 that stores surplus gas other than the gas recirculated to the gas discharge pipe 140 among the gas blown by the recirculation compressor 145, or discharges a portion of the stored gas to replenish the gas recirculated to the gas discharge pipe 140.

[0018] The electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100 also includes a salt droplet remover that is provided before the recirculation compressor 145 and removes salt droplets contained in the gas. The salt droplet remover is configured to remove the salt droplets by cooling and solidifying the salt droplets using cooling water, and can be formed as an internal salt droplet remover 143 provided inside the heat storage medium tank 110, or as an external salt droplet remover 144 provided in the gas circulation flow path outside the heat storage medium tank 110.

[0019] Alternatively, the electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100 may include a pump 151 provided in the thermal storage medium tank 110 to pump a portion of the thermal storage medium 210 to another portion so as to force a flow of the thermal storage medium 210 in the thermal storage medium tank 110, or an agitator 152 provided in the thermal storage medium tank 110 to create a flow in the thermal storage medium 210.

[0020] In addition, the heat storage medium tank 110 may be sealed and insulated so as to be isolated from the outside.

[0021] In addition, the heat storage medium tank 110 may be formed to be insulated from the heat transfer pipe 120. In this case, the heat storage medium tank 110 may be formed from an insulating material or a conductive material, and may include an electrical disconnecting part 113 or an electrical disconnecting flange 114 at a portion connected to the heat transfer pipe 120.

[0022] The heat transfer piping 120 may also include a power inlet 122a and a power outlet 122b through which electricity passes, and an electrical disconnect coupling 123 that insulates the portion to which power is applied through the power inlet 122a and the power outlet 122b from other portions.

[0023] In addition, the heat transfer pipe 120 may be formed such that a shutoff valve 126 is provided at the working fluid flow port 121 and a sealing portion of the shutoff valve 126 serves as the power disconnecting joint 123 .

[0024] In addition, the heat transfer piping 120 may have the power inlet 122a and the power outlet 122b formed outside the heat storage medium tank 110, or the power inlet 122a and the power outlet 122b may be formed below the water level of the heat storage medium 210 contained in the heat storage medium tank 110.

[0025] In addition, the heat transfer pipe 120 may be formed of a material that generates heat when power is applied, and the power inlet 122a and the power outlet 122b may be directly connected to the heat transfer pipe 120. In this case, the heat transfer pipe 120 may be formed of a plurality of regions having different electrical resistances.

[0026] Alternatively, the heat transfer pipe 120 may include a separate heating wire 124 that is wound around the outer surface of the heat transfer pipe 120 and is insulated from the outside, and the power inlet 122a and the power outlet 122b may be connected to the heating wire 124.

[0027] Alternatively, the heat transfer pipe 120 may have a direct heating portion A formed of a material that generates heat when power is applied thereto, and an indirect heating portion B having another heating wire 124 wound around the outer surface of the heat transfer pipe 120 and formed to be insulated from the outside, and the direct heating portion A and the indirect heating portion B may be formed in a form in which they are connected in series.

[0028] In addition, the heat transfer pipe 120 may be formed in a meandering flow path so that the contact area with the heat storage medium 210 is increased.

[0029] In addition, the heat transfer pipe 120 may be formed to be extended or bent so that a contact area with the heat storage medium 210 at the lower part of the heat storage medium tank 110 becomes relatively large.

[0030] In addition, the heat transfer pipe 120 may include heat dissipation fins 125 provided on an outer surface thereof to increase a contact area with the heat storage medium 210 .

[0031] In addition, the electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100 may include a piping system 300 connected to each of the heat transfer piping 120 to adjust the flow of the working fluid 220 when multiple heat transfer pipings 120 are provided between the high-temperature energy source 510 and the low-temperature energy source 520.

[0032] In this case, the piping system 300 includes a high-temperature header 310 connected to the high-temperature energy source 510 and through which the relatively high-temperature working fluid 220 flows, a plurality of high-temperature pipes 315 connecting the high-temperature header 310 and the heat transfer pipes 120 provided in each of the plurality of electric and high-temperature energy storage devices 100, at least one high-temperature header valve 310v provided between the plurality of high-temperature pipes 315 on the high-temperature header 310, and a high-temperature pipe valve 310v provided on the high-temperature pipes 315. 5v, a low-temperature header 320 connected to the low-temperature energy source 520 and through which a relatively low-temperature working fluid 220 flows, a plurality of low-temperature piping 325 connecting the low-temperature header 320 and the heat transfer piping 120 provided in each of the plurality of electric and high-temperature energy storage devices 100, at least one low-temperature header valve 320v provided between the plurality of low-temperature piping 325 on the low-temperature header 320, and a low-temperature piping valve 325v provided on the low-temperature piping 325.

[0033] The energy storage and recovery system of the present invention is an energy storage and recovery system 400 including the above-mentioned electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100, the heat storage medium tank 110 is formed to extend horizontally, the temperature of the heat storage medium 210 has a gradient from low temperature to high temperature from one side to the other side of the heat storage medium tank 110, and a steam generation area, a reheating area, and a superheating area are formed in order from the low temperature side to the high temperature side, the energy storage and recovery system 400 includes a condenser 410 that condenses and discharges the working fluid 220, a low-temperature condensate pump 420 that pumps the relatively low-temperature working fluid 220 discharged from the condenser 410, a deaerator 430 that separates the relatively low-temperature working fluid 220 discharged from the low-temperature condensate pump 420 into gas and liquid, a high-temperature condensate pump 440 that pumps the relatively high-temperature working fluid 220 discharged from the deaerator 430, and a high-temperature condensate pump 440 that is disposed in the steam generation area and is disposed in the high-temperature condensate pump 440. A vapor generation region heat transfer pipe 120g through which the working fluid 220 discharged from the condensation pump 440 passes and evaporates, a vapor storage unit 450 for storing the vapor of the working fluid 220 discharged from the vapor generation region heat transfer pipe 120g, an overheating region heat transfer pipe 120s disposed in the overheating region and through which the working fluid 220 discharged from the vapor storage unit 450 passes and is superheated, and a rotating pipe 120s rotated by the relatively high temperature working fluid 220 discharged from the overheating region heat transfer pipe 120s. a reheating area heat transfer pipe 120r disposed in the reheating area and through which the working fluid 220 discharged from the high-temperature turbine 460 is reheated while passing therethrough; and a low-temperature turbine 470 rotated by the relatively low-temperature working fluid 220 discharged from the reheating area heat transfer pipe 120r, and the working fluid 220 discharged from the low-temperature turbine 470 flows into the condenser 410, so that the working fluid 220 is circulated. Effect of the Invention

[0034] According to the present invention, there is a great advantage that both high temperature energy and electric energy can be stored without a separate conversion device. In addition, there is an advantage that low quality electric energy can be stored and electric energy with a drastically changing amount can be smoothly stored because local heating is possible using electric energy. Furthermore, there is an advantage that high quality electric energy can be produced regardless of the quality of the input energy.

[0035] In addition, according to the present invention, since water or air can be used as the working fluid, it has a great effect of fundamentally eliminating the problem of troublesome operation and management to maintain the molten state when the working fluid is molten salt. Furthermore, since the heat storage medium can be selected in various ways, it has an effect of allowing the latent heat of the heat storage medium to be used. In addition, since the heat storage medium acts as an electrical interrupter, it has an effect of being electrically safe.

[0036] Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the device itself has a simple structure, not only is the ease of manufacture and the cost-effectiveness improved, but there is also the effect that a simple increase in capacity is possible by using the concept of a module. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0037] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates an electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the energy storage mode of the electric and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention using high temperature energy. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the energy storage mode of the electric and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention by electric energy. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 illustrates the energy recovery mode of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 illustrates a multiple deployment embodiment of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 6]FIG. 1 illustrates a multiple deployment embodiment of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an additional configuration of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an additional configuration of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an additional configuration of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an additional configuration of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of a heat exchange medium tank of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the heat exchange medium tank of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a third embodiment of the heat exchange medium tank of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a first embodiment of the heat transfer piping of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the heat transfer piping of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a third embodiment of the heat transfer piping of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the heat transfer piping of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a fifth embodiment of the heat transfer piping of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a sixth embodiment of the heat transfer piping of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 20] FIG. 13 is a diagram of a seventh embodiment of the heat transfer piping of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 21]FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an eighth embodiment of the heat transfer piping of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 22] FIG. 13 shows a ninth embodiment of the heat transfer piping of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 23] FIG. 1 shows the electrical resistance of various materials. [Figure 24] 1 is a graph showing electrical conductivity of various materials as a function of temperature. [Diagram 25] 1 is a graph of strength versus temperature for various materials. [Figure 26] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of a large-capacity electric and high-temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 27] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the large-capacity electric and high-temperature energy storage device of the present invention. [Figure 28] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a process using the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0038] Hereinafter, the electric and high temperature energy storage device according to the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] [1] Basic configuration and operating principle of the electric and high-temperature energy storage device of the present invention Fig. 1 shows an electric and high-temperature energy storage device of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100 of the present invention includes a heat storage medium tank 110 in which a heat storage medium 210 is accommodated, and a heat transfer pipe 120 through which a working fluid 220 flows.

[0040] The heat storage medium tank 110 serves to accommodate the heat storage medium 210 capable of storing heat. The heat storage medium 210 is a material that stores thermal energy in the form of sensible heat or latent heat, and may be a solid, liquid, or phase change material. When the heat storage medium 210 is a solid, it may be concrete, metal, solid salt, etc., for example. When the heat storage medium 210 is a liquid, it may be natural oil, synthetic oil, molten salt, etc., for example. When the heat storage medium 210 is a phase change material, it may be solid salt, molten salt, metal, etc., for example. As can be seen from these examples, the heat storage medium 210 may form several hundred degrees Celsius depending on the material, and may not operate smoothly when the temperature changes due to the influence of the external environment. In order to prevent such a problem, it is preferable that the heat storage medium tank 110 is formed to be sealed and insulated so as to be isolated from the outside (a specific configuration of this will be described in more detail in section [2] below).

[0041] The heat transfer pipe 120 not only serves to circulate the working fluid 220 as described above, but also includes a heating device that is heated by power applied from the outside. More specifically, the heat transfer pipe 120 is formed in the form of a pipe, and the working fluid 220 is circulated through the working fluid circulating ports 121 at both ends. At this time, a high-temperature energy source 510 that creates a relatively high-temperature environment and a low-temperature energy source 520 that creates a relatively low-temperature environment are connected to both ends of the heat transfer pipe 120, respectively. That is, the working fluid 220 circulating in the heat transfer pipe 120 ultimately serves to transfer energy between the high-temperature energy source 510 and the low-temperature energy source 520.

[0042] Meanwhile, a portion of the heat transfer piping 120 is accommodated in the heat storage medium tank 110. This allows the working fluid 220 in the heat transfer piping 120 to exchange heat with the heat storage medium 210 in the heat storage medium tank 110 in this portion. In addition, at least a portion of the heat transfer piping 120 that is accommodated in the heat storage medium tank 110 is provided with a heating device that is heated by electricity.

[0043] The operating principle of the electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100 thus formed will now be described in more detail.

[0044] 2 shows the operation of the electric and high-temperature energy storage device of the present invention in an energy storage mode using high-temperature energy. As shown, in the energy storage mode, a relatively high-temperature working fluid 220 flows from the high-temperature energy source 510 to the low-temperature energy source 520 through the heat transfer pipe 120. Then, thermal energy is transferred from the relatively high-temperature working fluid 220 to the thermal storage medium 210 in the thermal storage medium tank 110, so that the thermal energy can be stored in the thermal storage medium 210.

[0045] Here, the high-temperature energy source 510 is, for example, an energy source in which a relatively high-temperature environment is formed, such as a part that directly receives solar heat to obtain thermal energy, or a boiler that generates high-temperature steam. Needless to say, this is an example from the viewpoint of energy storage, and conversely, from the viewpoint of energy recovery, the high-temperature energy source 510 may be a steam turbine, a gas expander, etc. Meanwhile, the low-temperature energy source 520 is, for example, an energy source in which a relatively low-temperature environment is formed, such as a room-temperature water tank, a condenser, etc.

[0046] 3 shows the operation of the electric and high-temperature energy storage device of the present invention in an energy storage mode using electric energy. As shown, when storing energy, the heating device on the heat transfer pipe 120 is heated by power applied from the outside, and thermal energy is transferred to the thermal storage medium 210 in the thermal storage medium tank 110, so that thermal energy can be stored in the thermal storage medium 210.

[0047] When operating in this manner, energy can be stored even without the high temperature energy source 510, but it is particularly useful for collecting and storing electrical energy in power generation facilities that generate irregular power such as wind power generation, tidal power generation, and geothermal power generation.

[0048] 4 shows the operation of the electric and high-temperature energy storage device of the present invention in the energy recovery mode. As shown, in the energy recovery mode, the relatively low-temperature working fluid 220 flows from the low-temperature energy source 520 to the high-temperature energy source 510 through the heat transfer pipe 120, in the opposite manner to the energy storage mode. Then, thermal energy is transferred from the heat storage medium 210 in the heat storage medium tank 110 to the relatively low-temperature working fluid 220. Then, the working fluid 220 flows toward the high-temperature energy source 510 with thermal energy contained therein. As described above, if the high-temperature energy source 510 is a steam turbine, a gas expander, or the like, the thermal energy transferred by the working fluid 220 can be used by converting it into energy, such as by generating electricity.

[0049] In this way, when the electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100 of the present invention is in the energy storage mode, it brings high-temperature thermal energy such as solar heat directly through the working fluid and stores it in the form of thermal energy in the heat storage medium, or converts irregular electric energy such as wind power into thermal energy through a heating device of the heat transfer pipe and stores it in the heat storage medium. Conventional molten salt energy storage systems were designed to store only thermal energy obtained from a high-temperature energy source, so that the generation of renewable energy was almost limited to the solar thermal method. Therefore, in order to apply the system to a renewable energy power generation facility that generates electric energy such as solar power or wind power, a separate device that converts electric energy into thermal energy was required. However, according to the present invention, it is possible to store both high-temperature energy and electric energy as desired without the need to add a separate device or equipment.

[0050] Furthermore, the electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100 of the present invention can smoothly store low-quality electric energy using the heating device of the heat transfer pipe as described above. Conventionally, there have been methods for storing surplus electric energy in large quantities, such as generating hydrogen and liquefying air. However, such conventional methods require a continuous supply of high-quality electric energy. For example, when generating hydrogen, high-quality electric energy needs to be supplied to the water electrolysis device and the ultra-low temperature hydrogen liquefaction device, and a very high level of load must be maintained for safety and economy. If low-quality electric energy is supplied, problems may occur in the water electrolysis device and the hydrogen liquefaction device, and if electric energy is not supplied continuously, problems such as frequent start operation, end operation, pre-cooling, and residual gas treatment are caused. In contrast, the electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100 of the present invention simply converts electric energy into thermal energy, so there is no problem even if the current and voltage of the electric energy are not constant, and there is no problem in storing thermal energy even if the electric energy is supplied discontinuously, which is a characteristic of renewable energy. The ability to store discontinuous electrical energy is a very important advantage in large energy installations for renewable energies.

[0051] In addition, the electric and high temperature energy storage device 100 of the present invention is capable of localized heating using electric energy. When the amount of incoming electric energy is small, a portion of the heat transfer pipes can be heated and the heat can be transferred to other portions using the working fluid. In other words, even when the amount of power supplied changes abruptly, there is no major problem in storing energy. The fact that electric energy with such abrupt changes can be stored is also a very important advantage in large-scale energy devices for renewable energy.

[0052] Furthermore, the electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100 of the present invention can produce high-quality electric energy regardless of the quality of the electric energy input. As described above, in the energy recovery mode of the present invention, the thermal energy stored in the thermal storage medium is transferred to the high-temperature energy source using the working fluid, and if the high-temperature energy source is a device such as a steam turbine, the turbine can be rotated to produce high-quality electric energy. That is, even if low-quality electric energy is input, the quality of the produced electric energy is very high. In summary, according to the present invention, even if irregular electric energy is input, it is stored in the form of thermal energy, and a high-temperature and high-pressure working fluid (steam or high-temperature air) of stable quality can be produced from this thermal energy at a stable flow rate, and such high-quality working fluid can produce high-quality electric energy.

[0053] In addition, since the electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100 of the present invention operates on the above-mentioned principle, the selection of the working fluid material is much more flexible than in the past. In the present invention, water or air may be selected as the working fluid, and when such a material is selected as the working fluid, it is very convenient in operation. In the conventional molten salt heat storage device, the working fluid is molten salt, so it is necessary to maintain the molten state at all times. For example, if the insulation of the piping is poor, the molten salt becomes solid and causes the piping to clog. Therefore, great care must be taken to maintain the entire system at or above the melting point of the salt. In contrast, in the present invention, the working fluid is water or air, so it is completely free from such problems. For example, if the insulation of the piping is poor, there will only be a small amount of energy loss.

[0054] Needless to say, the electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100 of the present invention has a high degree of freedom in the selection of the material of the heat storage medium. That is, various heat storage media can be used in the present invention, and latent heat can also be used. The heat storage medium in the present invention is stored in a storage tank and does not move, so any of liquid, solid, and phase-change materials are possible. For example, when salt is used, it can be in a liquid (molten) state, a solid state, or a state in which both are exchanged. In the conventional molten salt heat storage device, only sensible heat in the molten state can be used, but in the present invention, the latent heat of the liquid-solid can also be used, and the size of the device can be reduced by about half.

[0055] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the heat storage medium serves as an electrical insulator, so the system is electrically safe. Since the present invention uses a large amount of electrical energy, electrical safety is very important. In essence, the heat storage medium (concrete, oil, salt, etc.) is a very strong electrical insulator, so there is no possibility of electrical leakage from the heat transfer pipe to the heat storage medium, making the system very safe. As long as the power inlet and outlet of the heat transfer pipe are properly installed, the system is electrically very safe.

[0056] Furthermore, (as will be described in more detail later) the device of the present invention allows for a simple increase in capacity using a modular concept. By modularizing the thermal insulation piping / heat storage medium / power supply device, it is possible to increase capacity by increasing the number of modules. This is very important for such large-scale energy storage methods. Hydrogen generation and air liquefaction methods do not allow for such a simple increase in capacity using a modular concept, and in order to increase capacity, it is necessary to design / manufacture / operate large-capacity equipment, which carries a high risk of increasing capacity. However, according to the present invention, all of these limitations are fundamentally eliminated, making it possible to achieve a large capacity very easily.

[0057] The following describes configurations for increasing the capacity of the electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100 of the present invention and other additional configurations.

[0058] 1 to 4, the electric and high temperature energy storage device 100 of the present invention may be formed such that one heat transfer pipe 120 is provided between the high temperature energy source 510 and the low temperature energy source 520, or one heat storage medium tank 110 has one heat transfer pipe 120. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the electric and high temperature energy storage device 100 of the present invention may be formed such that a plurality of heat transfer pipes 120 are provided between the high temperature energy source 510 and the low temperature energy source 520, or a plurality of heat transfer pipes 120 are provided in one heat storage medium tank 110.

[0059] In this way, when a plurality of electric and high-temperature energy storage devices 100 are provided between the high-temperature energy source 510 and the low-temperature energy source 520, or when a plurality of the heat transfer pipes 120 are provided in one heat storage medium tank 110, the electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100 may include at least one connection pipe 130 that communicates the plurality of heat transfer pipes 120 with each other, as shown in FIG. 5. In the example of FIG. 5, three first, second and third heat transfer pipes 120_1, 120_2 and 120_3 are provided in one heat storage medium tank 110. The working fluid flow port on one side of the first heat transfer pipe 120_1 is connected to the high-temperature energy source 510, and the working fluid flow port on the other side of the third heat transfer pipe 120_3 is connected to the low-temperature energy source 520, so that the remaining working fluid flow ports are used to connect each other. 5, the first and second heat transfer pipes 120_1 and 120_2 are connected to a first connecting pipe 130_1, and the second and third heat transfer pipes 120_2 and 120_3 are connected to a second connecting pipe 130_2. As such, the first, second and third heat transfer pipes 120_1, 120_2 and 120_3 are connected in series with each other, so that the working fluid 220 flowing from the high-temperature energy source 510 on one side can smoothly flow to the low-temperature energy source 520 on the other side and exchange heat with the heat storage medium 210.

[0060] Meanwhile, Fig. 5 shows the operation in the energy storage mode, and in the example of Fig. 5, the high-temperature working fluid 220 immediately transfers thermal energy to the heat storage medium 210 in the first and second heat transfer pipes 120_1 and 120_2, and the thermal energy is transferred to the heat storage medium 210 by electrical heating when power is applied to the power inlet / outlet 122a_3 and 122b_3 of the third heat transfer pipe 120_3. That is, when a plurality of electric and high-temperature energy storage devices 100 are provided between the high-temperature energy source 510 and the low-temperature energy source 520, or when a plurality of the heat transfer pipes 120 are provided in one heat storage medium tank 110, in the energy storage mode, each of the heat transfer pipes 120 can be appropriately selected to transfer thermal energy to the heat storage medium 210 by at least one selected from the high-temperature working fluid 220 or electrical heating, independently of each other.

[0061] In the example of FIG. 5, for example, if the high-temperature energy source 510 is a solar power generator, the working fluid 220 must absorb a large amount of thermal energy from the high-temperature energy source 510 and become quite hot. The high-temperature working fluid 220 transfers and stores thermal energy in the heat storage medium 210 while passing through the first and second heat transfer pipes 120_1 and 120_2, and the temperature of the working fluid 220 itself gradually decreases. Therefore, the temperature of the working fluid 220 is significantly decreased when it passes through the third heat transfer pipe 120_3. Therefore, it goes without saying that the storage performance of thermal energy using heat transfer in the third heat transfer pipe 120_3 must be significantly decreased. In this case, the third heat transfer pipe 120_3 can be connected to electric power input from a wind power generator. In this way, the working fluid 220 in the third heat transfer pipe 120_3 already has almost no energy to transfer to the heat storage medium 210, so that it flows directly to the low-temperature energy source 520 without any substantial loss in terms of energy storage, and instead, the third heat transfer pipe 120_3 mainly plays a role of converting electric energy into thermal energy and storing it. In this manner, even with only one electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100, both energies obtained from solar and wind power generation can be stored with high efficiency.

[0062] Fig. 6 shows another embodiment of the multiple arrangement of the electric and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 6, when a plurality of the heat transfer pipes 120 are provided in one heat storage medium tank 110, at least one partition wall 111 may be formed in the heat storage medium tank 110 to separate the spaces in which the heat transfer pipes 120 are provided from each other. Fig. 6 shows an example in which first and second heat transfer pipes 120_1 and 120_2 are provided in one heat storage medium tank 110, and one partition wall 111 is formed between them.

[0063] If the heat storage medium 210 is a fluid, the fluid would move naturally without the partition wall 111, and in the long term, the overall temperature distribution would be approximately uniform. However, if necessary, it may be necessary to intentionally form a temperature gradient depending on the region. In this case, the partition wall 111 is used to restrict the movement of the fluid, so that the temperature gradient can be realized more smoothly. With the temperature gradient appropriately formed in this way, the heat transfer pipes are provided separately for each temperature region, and appropriate devices are connected, so that the thermal efficiency of the overall system can be greatly increased (the specific configuration will be described in more detail in the following section [3]).

[0064] Meanwhile, as the partition wall 111 is formed as described above, a temperature difference occurs between the separated spaces, which may cause changes in pressure and water level in each space, which may have a negative effect on structural stability. In order to prevent such a problem, it is preferable to form at least one through hole 112 on the partition wall 111 so that fluid can move between the separated adjacent spaces. In FIG. 5, a liquid heat storage medium 210 is shown as an example, and the through hole 112 formed on the upper part can adjust the pressure by allowing the movement of gas filled in the empty space above the heat storage medium 210, and the through hole 112 formed on the lower part can adjust the water level by allowing the movement of the liquid heat storage medium 210.

[0065] Figures 7 to 10 show additional configuration embodiments of the electrical and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention for improving heat transfer by creating a forced flow in the thermal storage medium 210. In the embodiments of Figures 7 and 8, the forced flow is created by a gas jet, while in the embodiments of Figures 9 and 10, a direct device is used to create the forced flow. In either case, the thermal storage medium 210 is preferably a liquid.

[0066] In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the electric and high temperature energy storage device 100 includes a gas exhaust pipe 140 provided at the bottom of the thermal storage medium tank 110 and exhausting non-reactive gas through at least one gas outlet 141 provided toward the heat transfer piping 120.

[0067] The heat storage medium 210 absorbs thermal energy from the periphery of the heat transfer pipe 120, and thus the side close to the heat transfer pipe 120 is formed at a high temperature, and the side far from the heat transfer pipe 120 is formed at a low temperature. When the heat storage medium 210 is liquid, the movement of the fluid occurs naturally by convection, and the movement of the fluid can be made more active by discharging the gas from the gas discharge pipe 140. The gas discharged from the gas discharge pipe 140 is collected at the top of the heat storage medium tank 110, and is further collected and sent to a gas supply source for circulation, so that the gas can be smoothly supplied. At this time, if the flow rate of the gas is too high, particles of the heat storage medium 210 may be entrained during the gas collection process and collected together, and may accumulate in the gas supply source. In order to prevent such a problem, when the electric and high temperature energy storage device 100 includes the gas discharge pipe 140, it is preferable to also include a particle remover 142 for removing heat storage medium particles entrained from the discharged gas.

[0068] In this case, if the gas reacts with the heat storage medium 210 or the heat transfer pipe 120, etc., and causes corrosion or deformation, it may reduce the efficiency and durability of the system. Therefore, it is preferable that the gas is non-reactive with the materials of the heat storage medium 210 and the heat transfer pipe 120, etc. The presence or absence of reactivity is determined by the chemical and physical properties of the heat storage medium and the discharged gas, so the gas needs to be selected taking this into consideration. For example, nitrates do not have a high reactivity with air, but chlorides are highly corrosive with oxygen in the air. Taking these various factors into consideration, nitrogen, air, steam, etc. can be used as the gas.

[0069] In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the flow of the heat storage medium 210 is generated using the gas discharge pipe 140, but various configurations are further added to make the gas flow smoother. In detail, the embodiment of FIG. 8 shows a specific and detailed example of the "gas supply source" part in the embodiment of FIG. 7. The gas flow from the heat storage medium tank 110 is described in order. First, the gas storage tank 146 includes a recirculation compressor 145 that compresses and forcibly blows the gas discharged from the heat storage medium tank 110 to recirculate it, and a gas storage tank 146 that stores the surplus gas other than the gas recirculated to the gas discharge pipe 140 among the gas blown by the recirculation compressor 145, or discharges a part of the stored gas to replenish the gas recirculated to the gas discharge pipe 140.

[0070] At this time, the recirculated gas has salt droplets entrained therein, and the salt droplets must be removed before the gas flows into the recirculation compressor 145. For this purpose, the electric and high temperature energy storage device 100 preferably includes a salt droplet remover that is provided in front of the recirculation compressor 145 and removes salt droplets contained in the gas. The salt droplet remover is formed to remove salt droplets by cooling and solidifying salt droplets using cooling water, and since it is only necessary to provide the salt droplet remover in front of the recirculation compressor 145, the salt droplet remover may be formed as an internal salt droplet remover 143 provided in the heat storage medium tank 110 as shown in FIG. 8, or as an external salt droplet remover 144 provided in the gas circulation flow path outside the heat storage medium tank 110. The internal salt droplet remover 143 may be formed in the form of a pipe through which cooling water simply flows, and the external salt droplet remover 144 may be formed in the form of a dual-fluid heat exchanger configured to allow two types of fluid to flow independently inside and exchange heat with each other.

[0071] In the embodiments of Fig. 9 and Fig. 10, as described above, forced flow is generated directly in the heat storage medium 210. In the embodiment of Fig. 9, a pump 151 is provided in the heat storage medium tank 110 to send a part of the heat storage medium 210 to another part, and in the embodiment of Fig. 10, an agitator 152 is provided in the heat storage medium tank 110 to create a flow in the heat storage medium 210. It is inferred that the agitator 152 is more effective than the pump 151, and it is most preferable that the agitator 152 is provided at the bottom as shown in the drawings, but it may be modified to be provided on the side, etc., as necessary.

[0072] Additionally, if the heat storage medium 210 is transparent, it may be difficult to absorb radiant heat. In preparation for this case, a radiation absorbing material with a similar density may be added to the heat storage medium 210. In this case, the heat storage medium 210 is liquid, and the radiation absorbing material is formed in the form of fine particles and is mixed and suspended in the heat storage medium 210. Needless to say, the density of the radiation absorbing material and the heat storage medium 210 are not the same, and the radiation absorbing material may be formed in the form of fine particles of a material that is slightly heavier than the heat storage medium 210 so as to maintain a stable suspended state.

[0073] If there is a density difference, the radiation absorber may sink over a long period of time, resulting in uneven distribution. However, if the heat storage medium 210 is liquid, the temperature is not necessarily completely uniform throughout, and natural convection occurs to some extent. Therefore, the radiation absorber can be kept floating without sinking to some extent stably. In addition, as described above, if a forced flow is applied to the heat storage medium 210 using gas ejection or directly generated, the floating state of the radiation absorber can be kept remarkably stable.

[0074] [2] Detailed configuration of the electric and high-temperature energy storage device of the present invention The detailed configuration of each part of the electric and high-temperature energy storage device of the present invention will be described in more detail below.

[0075] The thermal storage medium tank 110 will be described in more detail below.

[0076] As described above, the heat storage medium tank 110 should be sealed and insulated so as to be isolated from the outside. In addition, assuming that the heat storage medium 210 is a molten salt, the heat storage medium tank 110 should further satisfy various conditions such as being stable, strong, and having low reactivity. Basically, the material of the heat storage medium tank 110 is preferably metal, concrete, etc., which are commonly used in general strong tank equipment, and when considering the prevention of corrosion by salt, a stainless steel lining or carbon steel tank method can be applied.

[0077] At the same time, it is necessary to prevent electricity from leaking through the heat storage medium tank 110. Therefore, it is preferable that the heat storage medium tank 110 is formed to be insulated from the heat transfer pipe 120. In this case, if the heat storage medium tank 110 is originally formed of an insulating material such as concrete, this condition is naturally achieved. FIG. 11 shows a first embodiment of the heat exchange medium tank of the electric and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention, in which the heat storage medium tank 110 is formed of an insulating material. In this case, it is not necessary to form a separate power breaking structure between the heat storage medium tank 110 and the heat transfer pipe 120.

[0078] Meanwhile, when the heat storage medium tank 110 is made of a conductive material such as metal, there is a risk that electricity connected to the heat transfer pipe 120 may leak into the heat storage medium tank 110 if the tank is configured as shown in FIG. 11. Therefore, in this case, it is preferable that a disconnecting part 113 is provided on the heat storage medium tank 110 at a connection part with the heat transfer pipe 120 as in the second embodiment of the heat exchange medium tank shown in FIG. 12. The example shown in FIG. 12 shows a case where the disconnecting part 113 is fixedly provided at the manufacturing stage, but in actual operation, there may be a case where the disconnecting part 113 needs to be replaced. In order to more smoothly replace such parts, the heat storage medium tank 110 may be provided with a replaceable disconnecting flange 114 as in the third embodiment of the heat exchange medium tank shown in FIG. 13.

[0079] The heat transfer pipe 120, particularly the configuration of the heat transfer pipe 120 with respect to the transmission of electrical energy, will be described in more detail below.

[0080] As described above, the heat transfer pipe 120 includes a power inlet 122a and a power outlet 122b through which power passes. In this case, in order to prevent electricity from passing to a part connected to the outside when electricity is directly applied to the heat transfer pipe 120 and causing an electrical leakage, it is preferable to provide an electrical disconnection joint 123 for insulating a part to which power is applied through the power inlet 122a and the power outlet 122b from other parts. FIG. 14 shows a first embodiment of the heat transfer pipe 120, in which a shutoff valve 126 is provided at the working fluid flow port 121 of the heat transfer pipe 120 to appropriately adjust the inflow and outflow of the working fluid, and a sealing part of the shutoff valve 126 is formed to play the role of the electrical disconnection joint 123. In general, a valve is required to have a sealing part such as an O-ring to prevent leakage of fluid, and the material of the sealing part is almost always an elastic material such as rubber, which usually has excellent electrical insulation performance. Therefore, when the shutoff valve 126 is provided, electrical isolation can also be achieved naturally.

[0081] Meanwhile, in the heat transfer pipe 120, the power inlet 122a and the power outlet 122b may be formed outside the heat storage medium tank 110 as shown in the various drawings described above. In this case, there is an advantage that replacement and other operations are made convenient, but the present invention is not limited thereto. FIG. 15 shows a second embodiment of the heat transfer pipe, in which the power inlet 122a and the power outlet 122b are formed below the water level of the heat storage medium 210 contained in the heat storage medium tank 110. The configuration of the second embodiment of the heat transfer pipe may make replacement and other operations somewhat inconvenient, but has the advantage that overheating of the parts that do not contact the heat storage medium 210 can be prevented. Therefore, when there is a high need to prevent overheating, the configuration of the second embodiment of the heat transfer pipe in FIG. 15 can be adopted.

[0082] 16 shows a third embodiment of the heat transfer pipe of the electric and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention, and the above-mentioned various drawings also show a form in which this embodiment is applied. In this case, the heat transfer pipe 120 is formed from a material that generates heat when power is applied, and the power inlet 122a and the power outlet 122b are formed in a form in which they are directly connected to the heat transfer pipe 120. In this case, a material that generates a lot of heat in response to the applied power is preferred, but on the other hand, if an excessively high temperature is formed, the heat transfer pipe 120 itself may melt, so various aspects must be fully considered.

[0083] FIG. 17 shows a fourth embodiment of the heat transfer pipe of the electric and high-temperature energy storage device of the present invention, in which the heat transfer pipe 120 is formed from a plurality of regions having different electrical resistances. In the fourth embodiment of the heat transfer pipe of FIG. 17, an example is shown in which the first, second, and third regions 120a, 120b, and 120c of the heat transfer pipe are formed to have different electrical resistances. In this way, the heating degree of each region can be adjusted, and the heat exchange efficiency can be further improved. In order to form the regions with different electrical resistances in this way, the materials of each part can be made different from each other. Needless to say, various other methods for adjusting the electrical resistance can be used, such as forming the parts with different shapes.

[0084] FIG. 18 shows a fifth embodiment of the heat transfer pipe of the electric and high-temperature energy storage device of the present invention, in which the heat transfer pipe 120 is provided with another heating wire 124 wound around the outer surface of the heat transfer pipe 120 and formed to be insulated from the outside. Therefore, it goes without saying that the power inlet 122a and the power outlet 122b are connected to the heating wire 124, not to the heat transfer pipe 120. That is, in this case, the heat transfer pipe 120 is formed by combining the heating wire 124 responsible for electric heating and a piping section responsible for the circulation of the working fluid. In the above example, electricity is immediately passed through the main body of the heat transfer pipe 120 to heat it, that is, the electric heating section and the piping section are integrated. On the other hand, in the fifth embodiment of FIG. 18, the electric heating section and the piping section are independent and separated from each other. Therefore, since the piping portion of the heat transfer piping 120 only needs to be responsible for the circulation of the working fluid 220 and the transfer of heat, it is sufficient that the thermal conductivity is high, and physical properties such as electrical resistance and the amount of heat generated relative to applied power do not need to be considered, which increases the degree of freedom in the selection of materials. However, in this case, the heating wire 124 and the heat transfer piping 120 should be electrically isolated from each other to prevent electrical leakage to the heat transfer piping 120, and for this purpose, it is sufficient that the heating wire 124 is provided with an electrically insulating coating.

[0085] FIG. 19 shows a sixth embodiment of the heat transfer piping of the electric and high-temperature energy storage device of the present invention, which is a case where the above-mentioned various methods are mixed. In this case, the heat transfer piping 120 has a direct heat generating part A formed of a material that generates heat when power is applied, and a part of the heat transfer piping 120 has an indirect heat generating part B having another heating wire 124 wound around the outer surface of the heat transfer piping 120 and formed to be insulated from the outside. Needless to say, the heat transfer piping 120 should basically achieve a mechanical purpose of circulating the working fluid 220, so the direct heat generating part A and the indirect heat generating part B are naturally formed in a form connected in series (the connection here includes not only mechanical connection but also electrical connection). In the sixth embodiment of the heat transfer piping of FIG. 19, a form in which the direct heat generating part A-the indirect heat generating part B-the direct heat generating part A are arranged in this order (according to the flow direction of the working fluid) is shown, but it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to this. It is needless to say that various modifications are possible, such as the indirect heat generating part B being arranged first, as necessary.

[0086] The heat transfer pipe 120, particularly the configuration of the heat transfer pipe 120 with respect to the transfer of high temperature energy, will be described in more detail below.

[0087] As described above, the heat transfer pipe 120 may include a heating device that generates heat when power is applied to transfer electric energy to the heat storage medium 210, and the high-temperature working fluid 220 that has absorbed high-temperature thermal energy from the high-temperature energy source 510 may transfer the thermal energy to the heat storage medium 210 by heat transfer while passing through the heat transfer pipe 120. At this time, it goes without saying that the higher the heat exchange efficiency, the better the heat storage performance, and therefore the shape of the heat transfer pipe 120 may be formed in various ways.

[0088] In the above drawings, the heat transfer pipe 120 is basically formed in a U-shape, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the seventh embodiment of the heat transfer pipe of Fig. 20, the heat transfer pipe 120 is formed in the form of a serpentine flow path so that the contact area with the heat storage medium 210 is increased. In addition, the arrangement direction of the heat transfer pipe 120 does not necessarily have to be such that the working fluid circulation port 121 is formed on the upper side, and various modifications can be made, such as the working fluid circulation port 121 being formed on the side as shown in the lower drawing of Fig. 20.

[0089] Meanwhile, when the heat storage medium 210 is liquid, if more heat is added to the lower heat storage medium 210, the heated heat storage medium 210 rises due to convection, and the less hot upper heat storage medium 210 falls, so that the heat transfer efficiency can be improved. The eighth embodiment of the heat transfer piping of FIG. 21 is for adding more heat to the lower heat storage medium 210 in consideration of this effect. In the eighth embodiment of the heat transfer piping of FIG. 21, the heat transfer piping 120 is formed by extending or bending so that the contact area with the heat storage medium 210 at the lower part of the heat storage medium tank 110 becomes relatively large. The upper drawing of FIG. 21 shows a form in which the lower part of the heat transfer piping 120 extends longer, and the lower drawing of FIG. 21 shows a form in which more bends are formed at the lower part of the heat transfer piping 120.

[0090] In order to further improve the heat exchange efficiency with the heat storage medium 210, the heat transfer pipe 120 may include a heat dissipation fin 125 provided on the outer surface so as to increase the contact area with the heat storage medium 210. An example of such a heat dissipation fin 125 is shown in detail in the ninth embodiment of the heat transfer pipe in FIG. 22. It should be noted that in the above drawings, the disconnecting joint 123 and the like are shown in a side view in order to show the working fluid 220 inside the heat transfer pipe 120, and only the heat transfer pipe 120 itself is shown in a cross-sectional view. In FIG. 22, the heat dissipation fin 125 is coupled to the outer surface of the heat transfer pipe 120, so that such a connection structure can be shown in detail, the heat transfer pipe 120 is also shown in a side view, not a cross-sectional view, in the upper drawing of FIG. 22.

[0091] As described above, the heat transfer pipe 120 may be made of a material that generates heat directly upon application of electric power. In this case, the higher the electrical resistance of the heat transfer pipe 120, the more advantageous it is. FIG. 23 shows the electrical resistance of various materials. Nichrome is known as a material for electric wires that are commonly used as heating resistance wires, and stainless steel and steel are known as materials for components that are commonly used as pipes. As shown in FIG. 23, it can be seen that the order of magnitude of these resistance values ​​is roughly the same. Therefore, it is believed that the heat transfer pipe 120 can be realized using general stainless steel or steel pipes.

[0092] However, the heat transfer pipe 120 should be considered not only in terms of electrical resistance but also in terms of various other factors. For example, when the heat storage medium 210 is salt, the corrosiveness is determined depending on whether the salt contains moisture, and this point should also be considered in the selection of the material (this can also be a condition for selecting the heat storage medium material). In addition, when the heat storage medium 210 is molten salt, it should be kept at several hundred degrees Celsius in order to maintain the molten state, that is, the heat transfer pipe 120 should be placed in a high-temperature environment of several hundred degrees Celsius. It is known that most metals become very weak in high-temperature environments, and the electrical resistance may also change. FIG. 24 shows a graph of electrical conductivity according to temperature for various materials, and FIG. 25 shows a graph of strength according to temperature for various materials. As shown in FIG. 24, the higher the temperature, the higher the electrical conductivity, which means that the higher the temperature, the lower the electrical resistance. Also, as shown in FIG. 25, some materials show a tendency for strength to increase and then decrease as the temperature increases, and some materials show a tendency for strength to continue decreasing as the temperature increases. 24 and 25, it is considered that the temperature of the high temperature environment around the heat transfer pipe 120 is up to about 600° C. as a practical limit. The heat transfer pipe 120 can be appropriately determined in this manner, taking into consideration the various factors as described above.

[0093] [3] Examples of applications of the electrical and high-temperature energy storage device of the present invention As described above, the electric and high-temperature energy storage device of the present invention is basically formed in the form of a module having a simple structure, so that it can be easily increased in capacity. That is, when a plurality of electric and high-temperature energy storage devices are provided between the high-temperature energy source 510 and the low-temperature energy source 520, it is possible to easily increase the capacity by simply providing a piping system 300 connected to each of the heat transfer piping 120 and controlling the flow of the working fluid 220, as in the first embodiment of large capacity shown in FIG. 26. In particular, in the first embodiment of large capacity shown in FIG. 26, for convenience of manufacture and transportation, the entire system may be manufactured separately and then transported by a ship while floating on the water, and if it is too heavy, it may be transported without filling the heat storage medium and then filled after installation, which is advantageous in that the convenience of the user is greatly improved.

[0094] Figure 27 shows a second embodiment of the large capacity electric and high temperature energy storage device of the present invention. In the second embodiment of the large capacity of Figure 27, a more elaborate embodiment of the piping system 300 is disclosed. In this case, the piping system includes a high temperature header 310, a high temperature pipe 315, a low temperature header 320, a low temperature pipe 325, and valves respectively. More detailed description is as follows.

[0095] The high temperature header 310 is connected to the high temperature energy source 510 to allow the relatively high temperature working fluid 220 to flow therethrough, and similarly, the low temperature header 320 is connected to the low temperature energy source 520 to allow the relatively low temperature working fluid 220 to flow therethrough.

[0096] The multiple high-temperature pipes 315 serve to connect the high-temperature header 310 and the heat transfer pipes 120 provided in each of the multiple electrical and high-temperature energy storage devices 100, and similarly, the multiple low-temperature pipes 325 serve to connect the low-temperature header 320 and the heat transfer pipes 120 provided in each of the multiple electrical and high-temperature energy storage devices 100.

[0097] At least one of the high temperature header valves 310v is provided between the plurality of high temperature pipes 315 on the high temperature header 310, and similarly, at least one of the low temperature header valves 320v is provided between the plurality of low temperature pipes 325 on the low temperature header 320. The high temperature pipe valve 315v is provided on the high temperature pipe 315, and the low temperature pipe valve 325v is provided on the low temperature pipe 325.

[0098] When the piping system 300 is provided in this manner, the working fluid 220 can be controlled to flow only through the heat transfer piping 120 at a desired position by selectively opening and closing a number of valves.

[0099] In the second embodiment of the large capacity shown in Fig. 27, black indicates that the valve is closed, and white indicates that the valve is open. With the valve open and closed as shown in Fig. 27, the working fluid discharged from the low-temperature energy source 520 proceeds to the high-temperature energy source 510 following the arrow, that is, passing only through the heat transfer pipes 120 in the portion indicated as "Heat storage medium used area". In other words, the working fluid does not pass through the heat transfer pipes 120 in the portions indicated as "Heat storage medium unused area" and "Heat storage medium used area".

[0100] The "heat storage medium used area" refers to an area where the working fluid has already recovered a lot of energy while passing through it before, and the amount of energy stored is not large. Such an area does not actually have much energy recovery effect, and only unnecessarily increases the flow path length of the working fluid. In reality, there is flow path resistance in the flow path, and the longer the flow path length, the lower the flow rate of the working fluid. Therefore, when actually configuring the equipment, in order to make the working fluid flow smoothly, it is necessary to provide a pump at an appropriate position between the flow paths and further pump the working fluid, which is also an operation that unnecessarily consumes energy. However, by adjusting the opening and closing of the valve as shown in Figure 27, the working fluid does not pass through the "heat storage medium used area", and the flow path length of the working fluid can be appropriately and effectively reduced.

[0101] In addition, the working fluid does not pass through the "heat storage medium unused area", and in this case, the thermal energy stored in the "heat storage medium unused area" can be left without being consumed. The working fluid recovers energy while going from the low temperature energy source 520 to the high temperature energy source 510, and when it reaches the high temperature energy source 510 in the form of a steam turbine, the energy is used, for example, by rotating the turbine to generate electricity. In this case, if the working fluid always passes through the entire heat storage medium, more energy than necessary is used, and there is a risk of unnecessarily consuming the stored energy. According to the example of FIG. 27, the area through which the working fluid passes, i.e., the area from which energy is recovered, can be selectively adjusted by appropriately opening and closing the valve, so that such a problem can be easily overcome.

[0102] FIG. 28 shows an embodiment of a process using the electric and high-temperature energy storage device of the present invention, that is, an embodiment of an energy storage and recovery system 400 including the electric and high-temperature energy storage device 100 as described above. In this case, the heat storage medium tank 110 is formed to extend horizontally, and the temperature of the heat storage medium 210 has a gradient from low temperature to high temperature from one side to the other side of the heat storage medium tank 110, and a steam generation area, a reheating area, and an overheating area are formed in order from the low temperature side to the high temperature side. In addition, the energy storage and recovery system 400 effectively recovers energy by circulating the working fluid 220 in a loop from the condenser 410 to the low-temperature turbine 470. Each part will be described in more detail as follows.

[0103] The condenser 410 condenses and discharges the working fluid 220. The low-temperature condensate pump 420 pumps the relatively low-temperature working fluid 220 discharged from the condenser 410. The deaerator 430 separates the relatively low-temperature working fluid 220 discharged from the low-temperature condensate pump 420 into gas and liquid. The high-temperature condensate pump 440 pumps the relatively high-temperature working fluid 220 discharged from the deaerator 430. The steam generation region heat transfer pipe 120g is disposed in the steam generation region, and the working fluid 220 discharged from the high-temperature condensate pump 440 evaporates while passing through the steam generation region heat transfer pipe 120g. The steam storage unit 450 stores the steam of the working fluid 220 discharged from the steam generation region heat transfer pipe 120g. The overheating region heat transfer pipe 120s is disposed in the overheating region, and the working fluid 220 discharged from the steam storage unit 450 is superheated while passing through the overheating region heat transfer pipe 120s. The high-temperature turbine 460 is rotated by the relatively high-temperature working fluid 220 discharged from the overheating region heat transfer pipe 120s, thereby generating electricity and recovering energy. The reheating region heat transfer pipe 120r is disposed in the reheating region, and the working fluid 220 discharged from the high-temperature turbine 460 is reheated while passing through the reheating region heat transfer pipe 120r. The low-temperature turbine 470 is rotated by the relatively low-temperature working fluid 220 discharged from the reheating region heat transfer pipe 120r, thereby generating electricity and recovering energy again. In this manner, the working fluid 220 discharged from the low-temperature turbine 470 is further flowed into the condenser 410, thereby circulating the working fluid 220, and this circulation allows for effective and smooth recovery of energy.

[0104] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that the scope of application is diverse. It goes without saying that anyone having ordinary knowledge in the field to which the present invention pertains can make various modifications without departing from the gist of the present invention as claimed in the claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0105] According to the present invention, both high-temperature energy and electric energy can be stored without a separate conversion device. In addition, low-quality electric energy can also be stored, and local heating can be performed using electric energy, so that electric energy with a rapidly changing amount can be smoothly stored. Furthermore, high-quality electric energy can be produced regardless of the quality of the energy that is input. In addition, water or air can be used as the working fluid, and various heat storage media can be selected, and the latent heat of the heat storage medium can also be used, and the heat storage medium serves as an electrical cutoff, so that it is electrically safe. In addition, since the device itself has a simple structure, not only is the ease of manufacture and economy improved, but also a simple large capacity can be achieved using the concept of a module. As a result, the ease of installation and economy are dramatically improved compared to conventional energy storage devices, and it has the advantage of being very advantageous in application to industrial sites. [Explanation of symbols]

[0106] 100 Electrical and High Temperature Energy Storage Devices 110 Heat storage medium tank 111 Isolation Wall 112 Through hole 113 Power failure part 114 Electrical disconnection flange 120 Heat transfer piping 121 Working fluid flow port 122a Power inlet 122b Power outlet 123 Power interrupter 124 Heating wire 125 Heat dissipation fin 130 Connecting piping 140 Gas exhaust pipe 141 Gas outlet 142 Particle remover 143 Internal Salt Droplet Remover 144 External salt droplet remover 145 Recirculating Compressor 146 Gas Storage Tank 210 Heat storage media 220 Working Fluid 300 Piping System 310 High Temperature Header 310v high temperature header valve 315 High Temperature Piping 315v High Temperature Pipe Valve 320 Low Temperature Header 320v low temperature header valve 325 Low Temperature Piping 325v low temperature piping valve 400 Energy Storage and Recovery System 410 Condenser 420 Low Temperature Condensate Pump 430 Deaerator 440 Hot Condensate Pump 450 Steam storage unit 460 High Temperature Turbine 470 Low Temperature Turbine 120g Steam generation area heat transfer piping 120s Overheating area heat transfer piping 120r Reheating area heat transfer piping 510 High Temperature Energy Source 520 Low Temperature Energy Sources

Claims

1. a thermal storage medium tank (110) in which a thermal storage medium (210) is contained; a heat transfer pipe (120) formed in the form of a pipe, in which a working fluid (220) flows between a high-temperature energy source (510) for forming a relatively high-temperature environment and a low-temperature energy source (520) for forming a relatively low-temperature environment through working fluid flow ports (121) at both ends, a portion of which is contained in the heat storage medium tank (110), and at least a portion of the portion contained in the heat storage medium tank (110) is provided with a heating device that is heated by electricity; 1. An electrical and high temperature energy storage device comprising:

2. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device (100) comprises: When in energy storage mode, Transferring thermal energy from a relatively high temperature working fluid (220) flowing from the high temperature energy source (510) to the low temperature energy source (520) via the heat transfer piping (120) to a thermal storage medium (210) in the thermal storage medium tank (110); 2. The electric and high temperature energy storage device of claim 1, wherein a heating device on the heat transfer pipe (120) is heated by externally applied electric power and transfers thermal energy to the heat storage medium (210) in the heat storage medium tank (110).

3. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device (100) comprises: When in energy recovery mode, 2. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device of claim 1, wherein thermal energy is transferred from a thermal storage medium (210) in the thermal storage medium tank (110) to a relatively low temperature working fluid (220) flowing from the low temperature energy source (520) to the high temperature energy source (510) through the heat transfer piping (120).

4. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device (100) comprises:

2. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one is provided between the high temperature energy source (510) and the low temperature energy source (520).

5. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device (100) comprises:

2. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the heat transfer pipes (120) is provided in one of the thermal storage medium tanks (110).

6. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device (100) comprises: When a plurality of heat transfer pipes (120) are provided between the high-temperature energy source (510) and the low-temperature energy source (520), or when a plurality of heat transfer pipes (120) are provided in one heat storage medium tank (110), At least one connecting pipe (130) that connects the plurality of heat transfer pipes (120) to each other.

2. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device of claim 1, comprising:

7. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device (100) comprises: When a plurality of heat transfer pipes (120) are provided between the high-temperature energy source (510) and the low-temperature energy source (520), or when a plurality of heat transfer pipes (120) are provided in one heat storage medium tank (110), When in energy storage mode, 2. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device of claim 1, wherein each of the heat transfer pipings (120) is configured to transfer thermal energy to the heat storage medium (210) independently of one another by at least one selected from a high temperature working fluid (220) or electrical heating.

8. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device (100) comprises: When a plurality of the heat transfer pipes (120) are provided in one of the heat storage medium tanks (110), The electric and high-temperature energy storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one isolation wall (111) is formed in the heat storage medium tank (110) to isolate and divide the spaces in which the heat transfer pipes (120) are provided from each other.

9. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device (100) comprises:

9. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device according to claim 8, characterized in that at least one through hole (112) is formed on the partition wall (111) so that fluid can move between adjacent spaces separated from each other.

10. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device (100) comprises: A gas exhaust pipe (140) that exhausts non-reactive gas through at least one gas outlet (141) provided at the bottom of the heat storage medium tank (110) and toward the heat transfer pipe (120).

2. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device of claim 1, comprising:

11. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device (100) comprises:

11. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device of claim 10, further comprising a particle remover (142) for removing entrained heat storage medium particles from the gas discharged from the gas exhaust pipe (140).

12. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device (100) comprises:

11. The electric and high temperature energy storage device according to claim 10, further comprising: a recirculation compressor (145) for compressing and forcibly blowing the gas discharged from the heat storage medium tank (110) to recirculate it; and a gas storage tank (146) for storing surplus gas other than the gas recirculated to the gas discharge pipe (140) among the gas blown by the recirculation compressor (145) or for discharging a portion of the stored gas to replenish the gas recirculated to the gas discharge pipe (140).

13. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device (100) comprises: a salt droplet remover provided in a stage preceding the recycle compressor (145) for removing salt droplets contained in the gas; The salt droplet remover is configured to remove salt droplets by cooling and solidifying the salt droplets using cooling water, 13. The electrical and high-temperature energy storage device according to claim 12, characterized in that it is formed as an internal salt droplet remover (143) provided inside the thermal storage medium tank (110) or as an external salt droplet remover (144) provided in the gas circulation path outside the thermal storage medium tank (110).

14. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device (100) comprises:

2. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device according to claim 1, further comprising: a pump (151) provided in the thermal storage medium tank (110) for pumping a portion of the thermal storage medium (210) to another portion so as to force a flow of the thermal storage medium (210) in the thermal storage medium tank (110); or an agitator (152) provided in the thermal storage medium tank (110) for creating a flow in the thermal storage medium (210).

15. The heat storage medium tank (110) comprises:

2. The electric and high-temperature energy storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is formed to be sealed and insulated so as to be isolated from the outside.

16. The heat storage medium tank (110) comprises:

2. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device of claim 1, characterized in that it is formed to be insulated from the heat transfer piping (120).

17. The heat storage medium tank (110) comprises: Made from insulating material or The electric and high-temperature energy storage device according to claim 16, characterized in that it is made of a conductive material and is provided with an electrical disconnecting part (113) or an electrical disconnecting flange (114) at a connection portion with the heat transfer pipe (120).

18. The heat transfer pipe (120) is a power inlet (122a) and a power outlet (122b) through which power passes; a disconnecting joint (123) for insulating a part to which power is applied via the power inlet (122a) and the power outlet (122b) from other parts; 2. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device of claim 1, comprising:

19. The heat transfer pipe (120) is The working fluid flow port (121) is provided with a shutoff valve (126); 20. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device according to claim 18, characterized in that the sealing part of the shut-off valve (126) is formed to act as the disconnecting joint (123).

20. The heat transfer pipe (120) is the power inlet (122a) and the power outlet (122b) are formed outside the thermal storage medium tank (110); 20. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device of claim 18, wherein the power inlet (122a) and the power outlet (122b) are formed below the water level of the thermal storage medium (210) contained in the thermal storage medium tank (110).

21. The heat transfer pipe (120) is It is made of a material that generates heat when power is applied, 20. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device of claim 18, wherein the power inlet (122a) and the power outlet (122b) are formed in a form directly connected to the heat transfer piping (120).

22. The heat transfer pipe (120) is 22. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device of claim 21, characterized in that it is formed from a plurality of regions having different electrical resistances.

23. The heat transfer pipe (120) is The heating wire (124) is wound around the outer surface of the heat transfer pipe (120) and is insulated from the outside.

20. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device of claim 18, wherein the power inlet (122a) and the power outlet (122b) are connected to the heating wire (124).

24. The heat transfer pipe (120) is A direct heat generating portion (A) is formed of a material that generates heat when power is applied to the direct heat generating portion (A); A part of the indirect heating section (B) is provided by being wound around the outer surface of the heat transfer pipe (120) and is provided with another heating wire (124) formed so as to be insulated from the outside, 20. The electric and high temperature energy storage device according to claim 18, wherein the direct heating part (A) and the indirect heating part (B) are formed in a form connected in series.

25. The heat transfer pipe (120) is 2. The electrical and high-temperature energy storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that the flow paths are formed in the form of serpentine channels to increase the contact area with the heat storage medium (210).

26. The heat transfer pipe (120) is The electric and high temperature energy storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower part of the heat storage medium tank (110) is formed to be extended or bent so that the contact area with the heat storage medium (210) is relatively large.

27. The heat transfer pipe (120) is 2. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device of claim 1, further comprising heat dissipation fins (125) provided on an outer surface thereof to increase the contact area with the heat storage medium (210).

28. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device (100) comprises: When a plurality of low-temperature energy sources are provided between the high-temperature energy source (510) and the low-temperature energy source (520), 2. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device of claim 1, further comprising a piping system (300) connected to each of the heat transfer piping (120) for regulating the flow of the working fluid (220).

29. The piping system (300) comprises: a high-temperature header (310) connected to the high-temperature energy source (510) and through which a relatively high-temperature working fluid (220) flows; a plurality of high-temperature pipes (315) connecting the high-temperature header (310) and the heat transfer pipes (120) provided in each of the plurality of electric and high-temperature energy storage devices (100); At least one high-temperature header valve (310v) provided between a plurality of the high-temperature pipes (315) on the high-temperature header (310); A high-temperature piping valve (315v) provided on the high-temperature piping (315); a low-temperature header (320) connected to the low-temperature energy source (520) and through which a relatively low-temperature working fluid (220) flows; a plurality of low-temperature pipes (325) connecting the low-temperature header (320) and the heat transfer pipes (120) provided in each of the plurality of electric and high-temperature energy storage devices (100); At least one low-temperature header valve (320v) provided between a plurality of the low-temperature pipes (325) on the low-temperature header (320); A low-temperature piping valve (325v) provided on the low-temperature piping (325); 30. The electrical and high temperature energy storage device of claim 28, comprising:

30. 10. An energy storage and recovery system (400) comprising the electrical and high temperature energy storage device (100) of claim 1, The heat storage medium tank (110) is formed to extend horizontally, and the temperature of the heat storage medium (210) has a gradient from low temperature to high temperature from one side to the other side of the heat storage medium tank (110), and a steam generation region, a reheating region, and an overheating region are formed in this order from the low temperature side to the high temperature side, The energy storage and recovery system (400) comprises: A condenser (410) that condenses and discharges the working fluid (210); a low-temperature condensate pump (420) for pumping the relatively low-temperature working fluid (210) discharged from the condenser (410); a deaerator (430) for separating the relatively low-temperature working fluid (210) discharged from the low-temperature condensate pump (420) into gas and liquid; a hot condensate pump (440) for pumping the relatively hot working fluid (210) discharged from the deaerator (430); a steam generation region heat transfer pipe (120g) disposed in the steam generation region, through which the working fluid (210) discharged from the high-temperature condensate pump (440) passes and evaporates; a steam storage section (450) for storing the steam of the working fluid (210) discharged from the steam generation area heat transfer piping (120g); a superheating region heat transfer pipe (120s) disposed in the superheating region, through which the working fluid (210) discharged from the vapor storage unit (450) passes and is superheated; a high-temperature turbine (460) rotated by the relatively high-temperature working fluid (210) discharged from the overheating region heat transfer pipe (120s); a reheating region heat transfer pipe (120r) disposed in the reheating region, through which the working fluid (210) discharged from the high-temperature turbine (460) passes and is reheated; a low-temperature turbine (470) rotated by the relatively low-temperature working fluid (210) discharged from the reheating region heat transfer pipe (120r); The energy storage and recovery system is characterized in that the working fluid (210) discharged from the low-temperature turbine (470) is flowed into the condenser (410) to circulate the working fluid (210).

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