Pumped Heat Energy Storage System with Segmented Heat Exchangers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pumped heat electric storage (PHES) systems face challenges in efficiently converting electricity into thermal energy for storage and vice versa, limiting their effectiveness in providing dispatchable power generation and energy storage.
Innovation Solution
The proposed PHES system incorporates a closed cycle fluid path with multiple heat exchangers, a compressor, a turbine, and motor/generators to efficiently transfer heat between a working fluid and thermal storage media, enabling both charge and generation modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a conventional PHES system uses a single heat exchanger for heat transfer between working fluid and thermal storage medium, then the system structure is simple, but the heat transfer efficiency and roundtrip efficiency are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The single heat exchanger is divided into multiple heat exchangers (first heat exchanger and second heat exchanger) that operate in sequence. The working fluid passes through each heat exchanger in turn, allowing staged heat transfer that improves overall efficiency while managing thermal gradients more effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The working fluid circulates continuously through multiple heat exchangers in sequence, maintaining continuous heat transfer action. This continuous passage through multiple exchangers ensures that heat transfer occurs at multiple stages without interruption, improving roundtrip efficiency.
2Productivity
If the PHES system uses a simple single heat exchanger configuration, then the device complexity is low, but the ability to provide dispatchable power generation and rapid cycling is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The heat transfer function is segmented across multiple heat exchangers, allowing the system to handle higher power demands more effectively. Each heat exchanger can be optimized for specific thermal conditions, enabling the system to provide reliable dispatchable power generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes thermal parameters by passing the working fluid through multiple heat exchangers in sequence, creating different temperature and pressure conditions at each stage. This allows the system to operate efficiently across a range of power output requirements.
3Loss of energy
If the working fluid path includes multiple heat exchangers in sequence, then the heat transfer efficiency improves, but the system requires more space and has increased complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The heat transfer process is segmented into multiple stages across different heat exchangers. This segmentation allows for more efficient heat transfer by creating smaller temperature differentials at each stage, reducing the overall system footprint compared to a single large heat exchanger.
Solution Approach 2:
The working fluid (gas or liquid) is circulated through the heat exchangers using pneumatic or hydraulic principles, allowing compact routing and efficient heat transfer. The fluid circulation system enables the heat exchangers to be arranged in a space-efficient manner while maintaining high heat transfer efficiency.
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 configuration allows for high roundtrip efficiency, rapid cycling, and fast mode switching, enhancing grid stability and resilience, and providing a safe, non-toxic, and geography-independent energy storage solution.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger may be employed to transfer heat between a thermal storage material and a working fluid
Implementation Method 2
at least one compressor
Implementation Method 3
at least one turbine
Implementation Method 4
at least one motor/generator may be used to obtain work from the thermal energy in the system, preferably by generating electricity from mechanical energy received from the turbine
Data Source
AI summary
A system including: (i) a pumped-heat energy storage system (“PHES system”), wherein the PHES system is operable in a charge mode to convert electricity into stored thermal energy in a hot thermal storage (“HTS”) medium; (ii) an electric heater in thermal contact with the hot HTS medium, wherein the electric heater is operable to heat the hot HTS medium above a temperature achievable by transferring heat from a working fluid to a warm HTS medium in a thermodynamic cycle.