Modular Energy Storage Plant Segmentation for Scalability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy storage systems face challenges in scalability, complexity, and control complexity, making it difficult to increase capacity and maintain efficient operation, especially under part load conditions.
Innovation Solution
The energy storage plant is modularized into separate plant modules with independent heat sources, thermal storage devices, and heat exchangers, allowing for independent control and operation, enabling flexible scaling and efficient energy distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple heaters and blowers are connected in parallel to increase system capacity, then the energy storage capacity increases, but the system complexity and control difficulty increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into independent plant modules, each containing its own heater, blower, thermal storage device, and heat exchanger. This segmentation allows each module to operate autonomously, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining scalable capacity. Each module can be controlled independently, avoiding the coordination challenges of parallel-connected components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the thermal storage device, charging flow path, and discharging flow path as separate, self-contained units for each plant module. This extraction eliminates the need for complex manifold systems and inter-module fluid distribution, simplifying the overall architecture while preserving energy storage capacity.
2Quantity of substance
If multiple heaters and blowers are connected in parallel to increase system capacity, then the energy storage capacity increases, but the control coordination and synchronization become difficult and complex
Solution Approach 1:
Each plant module is equipped with its own control system that can independently manage charging and discharging operations. This segmentation of control functions eliminates the need for complex coordination and synchronization between multiple heaters and blowers, as each module operates autonomously based on its own thermal storage state and system demands.
3Area of stationary object
If a single large thermal storage device is used, then the system footprint is reduced, but the system lacks flexibility in scaling and adaptation to different project requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal storage capacity is distributed across multiple plant modules, each with its own thermal storage device. This allows the system to be scaled by adding or removing entire modules rather than modifying a single large storage device. The modular approach provides flexibility to adapt to different project requirements while maintaining a compact footprint through efficient module arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows dynamic configuration by enabling the addition or removal of plant modules based on project-specific energy storage requirements. This dynamic scalability is achieved through standardized module interfaces that allow flexible system architecture adaptation without requiring complete system redesign.
4Power
If a single large heat exchanger is used, then the heat transfer capacity is increased, but the system becomes less adaptable to part load operations and has higher minimum load requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger function is distributed across multiple plant modules, each with its own heat exchanger unit. This allows the system to operate efficiently at part load by activating only the necessary number of modules rather than running a single large heat exchanger at reduced capacity. Each module can be independently controlled to match the actual thermal demand, improving part load adaptability while maintaining sufficient total heat transfer capacity.
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 modular approach reduces control complexity, increases efficiency, allows for easy scaling, and improves adaptability to part load operations, while maintaining system availability during maintenance and reducing the footprint and transport limitations.
Implementation Method 1
a heat source configured to provide heat to a heat transfer fluid (HTF)
Implementation Method 2
a thermal storage device configured to store thermal energy
Implementation Method 3
a heat exchanger (HE) configured to receive heat via the heat transfer fluid and to provide the heat to a working fluid of a heat consuming system
Implementation Method 4
a charging flow path configured to transfer heat from the heat source to the thermal storage device via the HTF
Implementation Method 5
a discharging flow path configured to transfer heat from the thermal storage device to the heat exchanger via the HTF
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An energy storage plant for storing energy is provided, which comprises two or more plant modules (10, 20). Each plant module (10, 20) comprises at least a heat source (11, 21) configured to provide heat to a heat transfer fluid; a thermal storage device (12, 22) configured to store thermal energy; a heat exchanger (13, 23) configured to receive heat via the heat transfer fluid and to provide heat to a working fluid of a heat consuming system (180); a charging flow path configured to transfer heat from the heat source (11, 21) to the thermal storage device (12, 22) via the heat transfer fluid; and a discharging flow path configured to transfer heat from the thermal storage device (12, 22) to the heat exchanger (13, 23) via the heat transfer fluid. The thermal storage device (12, 22), the charging flow path and the discharging flow path of each plant module (10, 20) are separate from the thermal storage device, the charging flow path and the discharging flow path of each of the other of said two or more plant modules (10, 20).