US 11,994,347 B2
Systems for managing thermal energy within a thermal storage solution
Andrew Joseph Ponec, Fremont, CA (US); Justin Briggs, Oakland, CA (US); David Bierman, Oakland, CA (US); and Sam Kortz, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Assigned to Antora Energy, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed by Antora Energy, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed on Jun. 23, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/847,993.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/215,404, filed on Jun. 25, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0412228 A1, Dec. 29, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F28D 20/00 (2006.01); F01K 3/12 (2006.01); F01K 3/18 (2006.01); F01K 13/02 (2006.01)
CPC F28D 20/0056 (2013.01) [F01K 3/12 (2013.01); F01K 3/186 (2013.01); F01K 13/02 (2013.01); F28D 2020/0069 (2013.01); F28D 2020/0078 (2013.01); F28D 2020/0086 (2013.01); Y02E 60/14 (2013.01)] 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for storing energy comprising:
an insulated container comprising a thermal storage medium;
a heating element configured to heat the thermal storage medium;
a heat receiving unit;
a throttle positioned between the thermal storage medium and the heat receiving unit; and
a re-radiator positioned between the throttle and the heat receiving unit such that the re-radiator is configured to receive power radiated from the thermal storage medium through the throttle and the heat receiving unit is configured to receive power radiated from the re-radiator; wherein
the throttle is adjustable between a plurality of configurations including a first configuration and a second configuration, the second configuration being a more closed configuration compared to the first configuration such that less power is received by the re-radiator from the thermal storage medium than in the first configuration, and wherein the second configuration is not a fully closed configuration; and
the throttle is dynamically controlled to maintain the re-radiator at a constant temperature as the temperature of the thermal storage medium changes over time.