Dehumidification Device Lowers Thermochemical Dehydration Temperature

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current thermochemical wet air energy storage and release systems face inefficiencies due to high dehydration temperatures, leading to increased thermal losses and higher component costs, and are unable to reduce heat loss associated with reactive material stocks effectively.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a dehumidification device to lower the water vapor content of the air flow before it enters the reactive material bed, allowing for dehydration at a lower temperature and reducing thermodynamic temperature, thereby enhancing system efficiency and reducing thermal losses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the dehydration temperature is increased to improve the reaction efficiency, then the energy storage capacity is improved, but the thermal losses increase and component costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy storage capacityVSAvoidthermal losses
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The dehumidification device performs preliminary action by removing water vapor from the air stream before the air contacts the reactive material bed. This pre-treatment lowers the partial pressure of water vapor, shifting the dehydration equilibrium and enabling the reaction to proceed at lower temperatures, thus resolving the contradiction between energy storage capacity and thermal losses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the parameter of water vapor partial pressure in the air stream through dehumidification. By controlling this parameter, the dehydration reaction can occur at lower temperatures while maintaining reaction efficiency, thereby reducing thermal losses and component temperature requirements without sacrificing energy storage capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If the dehydration temperature is increased to improve the reaction efficiency, then the energy storage capacity is improved, but the component costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy storage capacityVSAvoidcomponent costs
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The dehumidification device performs preliminary action by removing water vapor from the air stream before the air contacts the reactive material bed. This pre-treatment lowers the partial pressure of water vapor, shifting the dehydration equilibrium and enabling the reaction to proceed at lower temperatures, thus resolving the contradiction between energy storage capacity and thermal losses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the parameter of water vapor partial pressure in the air stream through dehumidification. By controlling this parameter, the dehydration reaction can occur at lower temperatures while maintaining reaction efficiency, thereby reducing thermal losses and component temperature requirements without sacrificing energy storage capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If the water vapor content of the air stream is not reduced, then the system operates simply, but the dehydration temperature remains high causing increased thermal losses

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidthermal losses
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The dehumidification device performs preliminary action by removing water vapor from the air stream before the air contacts the reactive material bed. This pre-treatment lowers the partial pressure of water vapor, shifting the dehydration equilibrium and enabling the reaction to proceed at lower temperatures, thus resolving the contradiction between energy storage capacity and thermal losses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 dehumidification device lowers the dehydration temperature of the reactive material, improving the system's efficiency and reducing thermal losses, while allowing for modular thermal power control in the energy release mode.

Implementation Method 1

a dehumidification device configured to operate in the energy storage mode by lowering the water vapor content of the air stream

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCondensation: Condensation

Implementation Method 2

a bed of reactive material arranged in the chamber and configured to be endothermically dehydrated to store energy

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSorption: Sorption

Implementation Method 3

configured to be endothermically dehydrated to store energy

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEndothermic Reaction: Endothermic Reaction

Implementation Method 4

configured to be exothermically hydrated to release the previously stored energy

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDesorption: Desorption

Implementation Method 5

configured to be exothermically hydrated to release the previously stored energy

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectExothermic Reaction: Exothermic Reaction

Data Source

PatentEP3674646B1System for thermochemical storage/release of energy with wet air at a thermodynamic dehydration temperature lowered by a dehumidification device
Publication Date: 2021.08.18 COMMISSARIAT A LENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
  • EP3674646B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3674646B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3674646B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A humid air thermochemical energy storage/release system (10) includes a dehumidification device (36) configured to operate in an energy storage mode, dehumidifying an air stream (AF) before its admission into the chamber (14) of a thermochemical reactor, and to be deactivated in an energy release mode. The dehumidification device (36) lowers the humidity level of the air entering the chamber (14), which leads to a reduction in the thermodynamic temperature of a dehydration reaction of a bed of reactive material (24) within the thermochemical reactor (12). This results in improved system performance.