Dual Heat Pump Thermal Storage for Peak Grid Load Shaping
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of unpredictable power sources like wind turbines and solar panels into the electrical grid leads to varying power levels, resulting in excess energy generation during low demand periods, which cannot be efficiently stored or utilized during peak demand times, necessitating costly and inefficient grid adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A plural heat pump and thermal storage system that stores excess energy from the electrical grid as thermal energy using a thermal storage reservoir, allowing for independent operation of multiple heat pumps to provide heating and cooling, reducing grid power requirements and costs by utilizing stored energy during peak demand.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If excess energy from variable power sources is stored in thermal storage reservoirs during low demand periods, then energy can be utilized during peak demand times, but the system complexity and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary energy storage during low demand periods by operating heat pumps to transfer electrical energy to thermal storage reservoirs. This advance preparation allows the stored thermal energy to be utilized during peak demand times, effectively addressing the temporal mismatch between energy generation and consumption without requiring complex real-time balancing mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
Thermal storage reservoirs serve as intermediary energy storage devices between variable power sources and the electrical grid. The reservoirs absorb excess electrical energy during low demand periods and release it during peak periods, acting as a buffer that simplifies grid management while maximizing energy utilization
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple heat pumps operate independently to provide heating and cooling, then system flexibility and reliability improve, but control complexity and operational management increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the heating and cooling function into multiple independent heat pump units, each capable of operating autonomously. This segmentation provides flexibility and reliability as individual units can be maintained or repaired without shutting down the entire system, while the distributed architecture naturally simplifies control compared to a single complex centralized system
Solution Approach 2:
Each heat pump unit is designed to operate independently with its own control capabilities, enabling self-service operation. The units can autonomously manage their own heating and cooling cycles, reducing the operational management burden despite having multiple units, as each unit is self-regulating rather than requiring centralized coordination
3Use of energy by stationary object
If thermal energy is stored in reservoirs during off-peak hours, then peak demand costs are reduced, but the initial infrastructure investment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the temporal parameter of energy consumption by storing thermal energy during off-peak hours and utilizing it during peak demand periods. This time-shifting approach reduces peak demand costs without requiring changes to the fundamental infrastructure, leveraging existing thermal storage capabilities to achieve economic benefits
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 system effectively mitigates peak electric demand by utilizing stored thermal energy, reducing grid power usage and costs, while optimizing energy storage and usage based on time-of-use rates and weather forecasts, thereby enhancing grid stability and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
stores excess power from an electrical power grid in the form of thermal energy
Implementation Method 2
delivering thermal energy to the thermal storage reservoir to heat the liquid in the thermal storage reservoir
Implementation Method 3
The stored energy can be retrieved at a later date for use in providing heating or cooling needs for the premises
Implementation Method 4
a system heat pump coupled to the electrical grid... being coupled to the thermal storage reservoir
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for storing energy from an electrical grid utilizes a system heat pump at a premises for transferring energy from the grid to a thermal storage reservoir and a premises heat pump that can use the stored energy to provide, for example, heat to the premises. The system heat pump and premises heat pump desirably operate independently of one another so that energy can be transferred to the thermal storage reservoir regardless of whether energy is being withdrawn by the premises heat pump. Plural energy storage systems utilizing respective system and premises heat pumps and thermal storage reservoirs can form a part of the utility customer system with the system heat pumps being operable to shape the load on the electrical grid. A system heat pump can be operated to minimize a customer's bill, or the utility's cost and alternatively to achieve other purposes, depending upon the mode of operation of the system.