US 11,788,734 B2
System and method for combined heat and electric power generation
Adam G. Lorimer, Berkeley, CA (US); and Jared William Schwede, Berkeley, CA (US)
Assigned to Spark Thermionics, Inc., Berkeley, CA (US)
Filed by Spark Thermionics, Inc., Berkeley, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 6, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/395,998.
Application 17/395,998 is a continuation of application No. 17/170,748, filed on Feb. 8, 2021, granted, now 11,133,757.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/133,953, filed on Jan. 5, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/971,796, filed on Feb. 7, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0376773 A1, Dec. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. H02N 10/00 (2006.01); F24D 18/00 (2022.01); F24D 103/17 (2022.01); F24D 101/60 (2022.01)
CPC F24D 18/00 (2022.01) [H02N 10/00 (2013.01); F24D 2101/60 (2022.01); F24D 2103/17 (2022.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for combined heat and electric power generation, comprising:
at a heat reservoir, while a heat reservoir temperature of the heat reservoir is greater than a minimum temperature, heating a fluid;
providing the heated fluid to an external heat demand element;
while the heat reservoir temperature is less than a threshold temperature, activating an electric generator thermally coupled to the heat reservoir, wherein, while the electric generator is activated:
a heat source of the electric generator generates heat and provides the heat to a solid-state energy converter of the electric generator;
the solid-state energy converter generates an electric power output and provides the electric power output to a building-scale electrical system; and
the solid-state energy converter rejects waste heat to the heat reservoir; and
after activating the electric generator, while the heat reservoir temperature is greater than the threshold temperature, deactivating the electric generator.