Modular thermal energy storage system

Patent · 08 December 2020

OSTI ID:1771711

Wirz, Richard E.; Wells, Parker A.

A thermal energy storage (TES) system includes a plurality of closely packed TES modules, each TES module having a shell enclosing a plurality of sealed tubes that each contain a TES media. A computer-controlled flow control system includes a flow distributor, for example a flow distributor having a plenum configured to receive a heat transfer fluid (HTF), and a plurality of control valves controlled by the computer to controllably distribute the HTF from the plenum to the plurality of TES modules. Sensor data from the TES modules, for example temperature, pressure, and/or flow data, is provided to the computer. In some embodiments the plenum includes two or more compartments with separate HTF flow ports, which may be provided to the controller at different temperatures.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Oakland, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)
• DOE Contract Number: AR0000140
• Assignee: The Regents of the University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): 10,859,324
• Application Number: 16/083,450
• OSTI ID: 1771711
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English