US 12,173,643 B2
Pumped heat energy storage system with hot-side thermal integration
Benjamin R. Bollinger, Cambridge, MA (US); and Bao H. Truong, Cambridge, MA (US)
Assigned to MALTA INC., Cambridge, MA (US)
Filed by MALTA INC., Cambridge, MA (US)
Filed on Feb. 10, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/108,107.
Application 18/108,107 is a continuation of application No. 17/564,526, filed on Dec. 29, 2021, granted, now 11,578,650.
Application 17/564,526 is a continuation of application No. 16/991,859, filed on Aug. 12, 2020, granted, now 11,454,167, issued on Sep. 27, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0272741 A1, Aug. 31, 2023
Int. Cl. F02C 1/05 (2006.01); F02C 1/00 (2006.01); F02C 1/10 (2006.01); F02C 6/14 (2006.01); F28D 20/00 (2006.01)
CPC F02C 1/005 (2013.01) [F02C 1/007 (2013.01); F02C 1/05 (2013.01); F02C 1/10 (2013.01); F02C 6/14 (2013.01); F28D 20/0056 (2013.01); F05D 2260/213 (2013.01); F28D 2020/0078 (2013.01); F28D 2020/0082 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a pumped-heat energy storage (“PHES”) system, wherein:
the PHES system is operable in a charge mode to convert electricity into stored thermal energy in a hot thermal storage (“HTS”) medium by transferring heat from a working fluid to a warm HTS medium, resulting in a hot HTS medium, and
the PHES system is operable in a generation mode to convert at least a portion of the stored thermal energy into electricity;
a cold thermal storage (CTS) heat exchanger;
a CTS medium fluid path operable to circulate the cold CTS medium through the CTS heat exchanger; and
a first fluid path operable to circulate a first fluid through the CTS heat exchanger in thermal contact with the cold CTS medium to transfer heat from the first fluid to the cold CTS medium to rebalance the CTS medium, resulting in the warm CTS medium,
wherein the PHES system is operable to supply heat in either the charge mode or the generation mode, and
wherein the first fluid path further comprises a power generation plant that is thermally integrated with the PHES system, the power generation plant being operable to direct the first fluid into the first fluid path.