Brick Thermal Storage Layout for Continuous High-Temperature Heat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current thermal energy storage systems face challenges in efficiently storing and delivering thermal energy from variable renewable electricity sources, including high costs, thermal runaway issues, and inadequate control over charging and discharging processes, which limits their ability to provide continuous and reliable heat for industrial applications.
Innovation Solution
A thermal energy storage system that uses vertically oriented thermal storage units with stacked bricks and resistive heaters, connected via switching circuitry, and a dynamic insulation system to manage temperature uniformity and airflow, allowing for efficient charging and discharging of thermal energy while minimizing costs and preventing thermal runaway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If thermal energy storage systems use variable renewable electricity sources, then environmental sustainability is improved, but reliability of continuous heat supply deteriorates due to the variable and intermittent nature of wind and solar power
Solution Approach 1:
The system stores thermal energy in advance when renewable electricity is available, preparing heat supply for periods when renewable generation is insufficient. Thermal storage units accumulate heat during periods of high renewable output to ensure continuous supply during low-generation periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temporal parameter of energy supply by storing thermal energy over time, converting intermittent renewable electricity into continuous thermal output. This allows decoupling of generation timing from consumption timing.
2Reliability
If thermal energy storage systems are designed for continuous operation, then reliability of heat supply is improved, but cost of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides thermal storage into multiple independent units that can operate in parallel. This modular approach allows the system to achieve continuous operation capability while controlling costs by only deploying the necessary number of units rather than designing a single oversized system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses switching circuitry to automatically manage charging and discharging of thermal storage units, enabling self-regulated continuous operation without requiring expensive complex control systems or manual intervention.
3Ease of manufacture
If thermal storage units use stacked bricks with resistive heaters, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but thermal runaway risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal storage system is divided into multiple separate stacked brick units, each with its own resistive heater. This segmentation isolates potential thermal runaway events to individual units rather than allowing them to propagate through the entire system, while maintaining manufacturing simplicity of each modular unit.
Solution Approach 2:
Switching circuitry acts as an intermediary between the resistive heaters and the thermal storage bricks, providing precise control over heating cycles. This intermediary component enables the system to achieve desired thermal outcomes while preventing conditions that could lead to thermal runaway.
4Volume of moving object
If thermal storage units are vertically oriented with stacked bricks, then space utilization is improved, but temperature uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by using switching circuitry to control individual resistive heaters in different stacked brick units independently. This allows targeted heating of specific zones to compensate for temperature gradients caused by vertical orientation, maintaining overall temperature uniformity while preserving space-efficient vertical stacking.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enables efficient, cost-effective storage and delivery of high-temperature thermal energy, ensuring continuous operation and extending the lifespan of components by maintaining temperature uniformity and controlling thermal expansion, thus addressing the limitations of existing systems.
Implementation Method 1
vertically oriented thermal storage units with stacked bricks and resistive heaters
Implementation Method 2
A thermal energy storage system that uses vertically oriented thermal storage units with stacked bricks
Implementation Method 3
a dynamic insulation system to manage temperature uniformity and airflow
Data Source
AI summary
An energy storage system converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000° C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. An array of bricks incorporating internal radiation cavities is directly heated by thermal radiation. The cavities facilitate rapid, uniform heating via reradiation. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. Gas flows through structured pathways within the array, delivering heat which may be used for processes including calcination, hydrogen electrolysis, steam generation, and thermal power generation and cogeneration. Groups of thermal storage arrays may be controlled and operated at high temperatures without thermal runaway via deep-discharge sequencing. Forecast-based control enables continuous, year-round heat supply using current and advance information of weather and VRE availability. High-voltage DC power conversion and distribution circuitry improves the efficiency of VRE power transfer into the system.