Power Plant comprising a thermal storage unit

• Main Authors: Gadoury, Thomas Arthur, Mundra, Kamlesh, Pang, Raymond, Peter, Andrew Maxwell, Chen, Huijuan, Watt, Duncan George
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 02.03.2022
• Subjects: AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; BLASTING; COMBUSTION ENGINES; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES; GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL; HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS,IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT; HEATING; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS; LIGHTING; MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ENGINES; WEAPONS

Thermal energy storage is leveraged to store thermal energy extracted from a bottom cycle heat engine (115). The thermal energy stored in the thermal energy storage (105) is used to supplement power generation by the bottom cycle heat engine (115). In one embodiment, a thermal storage unit (105) storing a thermal storage working medium is configured to discharge thermal energy into the working fluid of the bottom cycle heat engine (115) to supplement power generation. In one embodiment, the thermal storage unit includes a cold tank (140) containing the thermal storage working medium in a cold state and a hot tank (145) containing the working medium in a heated state. At least one heat exchanger (135) in flow communication with the bottom cycle heat engine (115) and the thermal storage unit (105) facilitates a direct heat transfer of thermal energy between the thermal storage working medium and the working fluid used in the bottom cycle heat engine.