Device and method for thermal-electrochemical energy storage and energy provision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thermal-electrochemical energy storage devices face challenges with material compatibility between primary heat transport mediums and phase change materials, leading to increased investment costs due to encapsulation and membrane barriers that hinder efficient heat and mass transport.
Innovation Solution
A device and method that integrates a heat transport medium, such as sodium, directly with a thermal energy storage medium like sodium chloride and calcium chloride, eliminating the need for encapsulation and membrane barriers, and utilizing a 3-phase electrode electrochemical cell for efficient energy conversion and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If encapsulation or membrane barriers are used to separate heat transport medium and phase change material, then material compatibility issues are resolved, but heat and mass transport efficiency decreases and investment costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the encapsulation barriers and membrane separators from the system. By eliminating these intermediate layers, the heat transport medium and phase change material are allowed to be in direct contact, thereby removing the barriers to heat and mass transport while maintaining material compatibility through proper material selection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the previously separated components (heat transport medium and phase change material) into a unified system where they directly interact. This combination eliminates the need for separating barriers and enables efficient direct heat and mass transfer between the two media
2Reliability
If encapsulation is used to separate heat transport medium and phase change material, then material compatibility is ensured, but investment costs increase due to additional encapsulation steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the encapsulation step from the manufacturing process. By removing this additional processing step, investment costs are reduced while material compatibility is maintained through direct selection of compatible materials that can coexist without barriers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adopts a simpler, more cost-effective design that eliminates expensive encapsulation components. The system uses straightforward material selection and direct contact design, reducing manufacturing complexity and investment requirements
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
This approach enables high storage density, reduces costs, and allows for long-term energy storage and provision, effectively addressing supply gaps during winter months by converting excess thermal energy into electrical energy, making solar thermal technology more economically viable.
Implementation Method 1
The phase change material can thus change its state of aggregation during thermal storage and thus store an energy required for the phase change without any further increase in temperature
Implementation Method 2
They may latent heat storage materials capable of storing phase change materials with a high thermal storage capacity above and/or below an ambient temperature for an extended period of time
Implementation Method 3
at least one heating device, wherein the heating device is adapted to receive the heat transport medium from the thermal energy storage device, heat it, and return it to the thermal energy storage device
Implementation Method 4
at least one electrochemical cell, the electrochemical cell comprising at least one gas compartment, the electrochemical cell further comprising at least one first electrode and at least one second electrode; wherein the second electrode is configured as a 3-phase electrode
Data Source
AI summary
The invention proposes a method and a device (110) for thermal-electrochemical energy storage and energy provision. The device (110) comprises: at least one thermal energy store (118), wherein the thermal energy store (118) comprises at least one heat transport medium (121) and at least one storage medium (119) selected from the group consisting of: an electromagnetic storage medium, a thermal storage medium; at least one heating device (134), wherein the heating device (134) is designed to receive the heat transport medium (121) from the thermal energy store (118), to heat this medium and return it to the thermal energy store (118); at least one electrochemical cell (146), wherein the electrochemical cell (146) comprises at least one gas chamber (148), wherein the electrochemical cell (146) further comprises at least one first electrode (150) and at least one second electrode (152): wherein the second electrode (152) is designed as a 3-phase electrode (154), wherein the 3-phase electrode (154) has at least one first phase boundary (156) to the gas chamber (148) and at least one second phase boundary (158) to the electrochemical storage medium (119); wherein the electrochemical cell (146) is designed to electrochemically react the electrochemical storage medium (119); and at least one container (160), wherein the container (160) is designed to receive a supply on the heat transport medium (119), wherein the container (160) is further designed to receive the thermal storage medium (119) from the thermal energy store (118).