High-Temperature Regenerator Energy Storage Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current energy storage devices for renewable energy, such as those using thermal energy storage, require complex and expensive setups with high-temperature or low-temperature storage systems, leading to inefficiencies and high costs.
Innovation Solution
An energy storage device utilizing a high-temperature regenerator with a solid, porous storage material and a working gas for heat transfer, along with a charging and discharging circuit that includes piston machines, allowing for efficient conversion and storage of electrical energy as thermal energy and vice versa, using a single energy storage device and potentially a low-temperature heat storage device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If thermal energy storage systems operate at very high temperatures (up to 2000 °C) and very low temperatures (down to -80 °C), then energy storage capacity is improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the thermal storage system and cold storage system into a single integrated device. The working substance circulates through both high-temperature and low-temperature heat exchangers, enabling both heating and cooling functions within one system. This eliminates the need for separate thermal and cold storage systems, reducing overall complexity while maintaining energy storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The working substance serves multiple functions: it acts as both the storage medium for thermal energy and the refrigerant for cooling. The same circulation system handles both heating and cooling operations, making the device multi-functional and reducing the number of components required.
2Quantity of substance
If thermal energy storage systems operate at very high temperatures (up to 2000 °C) and very low temperatures (down to -80 °C), then energy storage capacity is improved, but operational cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By combining thermal storage and cold storage into one system, the patent reduces operational costs through shared infrastructure. The same pump, heat exchangers, and working substance handle both heating and cooling, eliminating duplicate equipment maintenance and reducing operational overhead compared to separate systems.
3Power
If compressors are used in thermal energy storage systems, then energy compression and storage is enabled, but compressor size increases and power density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical compressors with a magnetic field-based compression system. Magnetic fields directly compress the working substance without requiring large mechanical compressors, thereby reducing the size of compression components while maintaining energy compression capability and increasing power density.
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 solution provides a cost-effective and efficient method for storing and releasing electrical energy with high energy density, reducing the need for complex and expensive systems, and enabling reliable operation with minimal maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a working gas as a heat transfer medium to exchange heat between the storage material and the flowing working gas
Implementation Method 2
the first compressor forms part of a first piston engine and the first expander forms part of a second piston engine
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The energy storage device (1) for storing energy comprises: a high-temperature regenerator (120) containing a solid, particularly porous storage material (S); a working gas (A) as the heat transfer medium to transfer heat between the storage material (S) and the working gas (A) flowing through; and a charging circuit (100) and a discharging circuit (200) for the working gas (A). The charging circuit (100) is designed such that starting from a pre-heating unit (151) at least one first heat transfer duct of a recuperator (130), a first compressor (HO), the high-temperature regenerator (120), a second heat transfer duct of the recuperator (130) and then a first expander (140) are interconnected, thus forming a circuit, so as to conduct fluid. The first compressor (110) is coupled with the first expander (140), and the first compressor (110) forms part of a first piston machine (K1) and the first expander (140) forms part of a second piston machine (K2), said piston machines (K1, K2) being actuatably operable either as a compressor or as an expander such that the first compressor (110) of the charging circuit (100) forms a second expander (250) in the discharging circuit (200) and that the first expander (140) of the charging circuit (100) forms a second compressor (210) in the discharging circuit (200). The high-temperature regenerator (120) can be operatively connected to either the charging circuit (100) or the discharging circuit (200) so as to conduct fluid and can be controlled such that the high-temperature regenerator (120), the compressor and the expander form either part of the charging circuit (100) or part of the discharging circuit (200). The charging circuit (100), the discharging circuit (200) and the high-temperature regenerator (120) have the same working gas (A) so that the working gas (A) comes into direct contact with the storage material of the high-temperature regenerator (120) both in the charging circuit (100) and in the discharging circuit (200).