US 11,923,100 B2
Power plant system
John H. Kutsch, Harvard, IL (US); and Anthonius Cornelis Rodenburg, Uitgeest (NL)
Assigned to TERRESTRIAL ENERGY USA, INC., New York, NY (US)
Filed by TERRESTRIAL ENERGY USA, INC., Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed on Aug. 20, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/407,529.
Application 17/407,529 is a continuation of application No. 16/578,364, filed on Sep. 22, 2019, granted, now 11,101,047.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/753,603, filed on Oct. 31, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0084697 A1, Mar. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. G21D 9/00 (2006.01); F28D 20/00 (2006.01); F03G 6/06 (2006.01); G21C 1/22 (2006.01); G21C 1/32 (2006.01); G21C 3/54 (2006.01); G21D 1/00 (2006.01); G21D 5/06 (2006.01)
CPC G21D 9/00 (2013.01) [F28D 20/0039 (2013.01); F03G 6/065 (2013.01); F28D 2020/0047 (2013.01); F28D 2020/0078 (2013.01); G21C 1/22 (2013.01); G21C 1/324 (2013.01); G21C 3/54 (2013.01); G21D 1/00 (2013.01); G21D 5/06 (2013.01); Y02E 10/46 (2013.01); Y02E 60/14 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for handling thermal energy, the method comprising the steps of:
generating a molten heat supply at a first temperature from a source comprising an outlet;
flowing said molten heat supply to a thermocline unit, wherein said thermocline unit comprises:
an insulated tank with a top end and a bottom end;
an initial inlet in fluid connection with said source outlet; and
a plurality of gradient zones within said insulated tank, said gradient zones being stacked from said bottom end to said top end;
stratifying said molten heat supply within said thermocline unit so as to form a plurality of molten heat portions, each molten heat portion having a portion temperature and a corresponding gradient zone,
wherein each portion temperature of a corresponding gradient zone is higher than a respective portion temperature of the respective gradient zone stacked under said corresponding gradient zone;
flowing said molten heat portions in respective gradient zones to a respective phase change heat exchanger of a plurality of phase change heat exchangers,
wherein each phase change heat exchanger is in fluid connection with an adjacent phase change heat exchanger and said source;
generating at least one operative thermal energy supply from said plurality of phase change heat exchangers and said molten heat portions; and
delivering said at least one operative thermal energy supply to at least one process heat system in fluid connection with a corresponding phase change heat exchanger of said plurality of phase change heat exchangers.