Patent · US9823026B2 · B2 · US
Thermal energy storage with an expansion space
- (11) Publication number
- US9823026B2
- (21) Application number
- 14/439,748
- (22) Filing date
- 2013-11-01
- (30) Priority date
- 2012-11-01
- (43) Publication date
- 2017-11-21
- (45) Date of grant
- 2017-11-21
- (51) IPC
- B65G 5/00; F24J 3/08; F28D 20/00
- (52) CPC
- F28D Heat-exchange apparatus, not provided for in another subclass, in which the heat-exchange media do not come into direct contact: 20/0052, 20/0043, 2020/006
- B65G Transport or storage devices, e.g. conveyors for loading or tipping, shop conveyor systems or pneumatic tube conveyors: 5/00
- E21F Safety devices, transport, filling-up, rescue, ventilation, or draining in or of mines or tunnels: 17/16
- F17C Vessels for containing or storing compressed, liquefied or solidified gases; fixed-capacity gas-holders; filling vessels with, or discharging from vessels, compressed, liquefied, or solidified gases: 3/005
- F24T Geothermal collectors; geothermal systems: 10/00, 10/10
- Y02E Reduction of greenhouse gas [ghg] emissions, related to energy generation, transmission or distribution: 10/10, 60/14, 60/142
- (73) Assignee
- Skanska Sverige AB
- (72) Inventors
- Hans Pilebro
- (54) Title
- Thermal energy storage with an expansion space
- (57) Abstract
An arrangement for storing thermal energy, including a shaft (1) and at least one tunnel (2), the shaft (1) and the tunnel (2) being in fluid communication with each other. The tunnel (2) includes at least a first (2 a), a second (2 b), and a third (2 c) tunnel section. The second tunnel section (2 b) is arranged between and connected to the first (2 a) and third (2 c) tunnel sections. The second tunnel section (2 b) is sealed off at an end (4) connected to the third tunnel section (2 c), and the third tunnel section is further connected the shaft (1). The shaft (1) and first (2 a) and third (2 c) tunnel sections hold fluid for thermal storage. The second tunnel section (2 b) is an expansion space should a volume of the fluid expand beyond a volume of the shaft (1) and the first (2 a) and third (2 c) tunnel sections.
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Claims (13)
- An arrangement for storing thermal energy, comprising a shaft (1) and at least one tunnel (2), said shaft (1) and said at least one tunnel (2) being in fluid communication with each other, said at least one tunnel (2) comprising at least a first tunnel section (2 a), a second tunnel section (2 b) comprising a second tunnel section first end and a second tunnel section second end (4), and a third tunnel section (2 c), said second tunnel section (2 b) being arranged between and connected to said first tunnel section (2 a) at said second tunnel section first end and directly connected to said third tunnel section (2 c) at said second tunnel section second end (4), said second tunnel section (2 b) being sealed off impermeably at said second tunnel section second end (4) such that no fluid can pass directly from said second tunnel section to said third tunnel section (2 c) at said second tunnel section second end (4), and said third tunnel section (2 c) further being connected to said shaft (1), said shaft (1) and first (2 a) and third (2 c) tunnel sections being adapted for holding a fluid for thermal storage, said arrangement further comprising a first transfer means (5) for passing excess fluid from said shaft (1) or said third tunnel section (2 c) into said first tunnel section (2 a), and a second transfer means (6) for passing excess fluid from said first tunnel section (2 a) to said second tunnel section (2 b) so that second tunnel section (2 b) may receive excess fluid from said first tunnel section (2 a); the arrangement further comprising a separate machine room and a third transfer means (7) connecting said machine room (3) to said second tunnel section (2 b).
- The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said first transfer means (5) comprises a pipe or a channel.
- The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said second transfer means (6) comprises a pipe, a channel, a partial wall, or a one-way valve.
- The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said third transfer means (7) comprises a pipe or a channel.
- The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a pump (8) configured to pass an amount of fluid from said second tunnel section (2 b) to said first tunnel section (2 a) should the fluid volume in said first tunnel section (2 a) fall below a predetermined limit value.
- The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said shaft (1) extends vertically and said tunnel (2) is arranged such that it surrounds the shaft (1) in the form of a helix spiral from the top to the bottom of the shaft (1).
- The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said second transfer means (6) comprises a partial wall.
- The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said second transfer means (6) comprises a one-way valve.
- A method of storing thermal energy comprising providing the arrangement of claim 1; disposing fluid for thermal energy storage in said shaft (1) and said third tunnel section (2 c); and maintaining fluid in said first (2 a) tunnel section (2 a) at a predetermined fluid pressure level.
- The method of claim 9, wherein the fluid is not water and the fluid pressure level in tunnel section (2 a) is balanced to a level slightly below the level of the surrounding ground water pressure.
- The method of claim 9, wherein the fluid is water and the fluid pressure level in tunnel section (2 a) is balanced to the level of the surrounding ground water pressure.
- The method of claim 9, wherein the fluid pressure level in said first tunnel section (2 a) is balanced by addition of fluid from said third tunnel section (2 c) or said shaft (1); and removal of fluid from said first tunnel section (2 a) to said third tunnel section (2 c) or said shaft (1).
- The method of claim 9, wherein the fluid pressure level in said first tunnel section (2 a) is balanced by addition of fluid from said second tunnel section (2 b) to said first tunnel section (2 a) by a pump (8), by addition of fluid from said third tunnel section (2 c) or by addition of fluid from said shaft (1); and by removal of fluid from said first tunnel section (2 a) to said third tunnel section (2 c) or said shaft (1).
Description
This application claims benefit from International Application No. PCT/SE2013/051280, which was filed on Nov. 1, 2013, which claims priority to Swedish Patent Application No. 1251239-8, which was filed Nov. 1, 2012, the entireties of said patent applications are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to an arrangement for storing thermal energy, comprising a shaft and at least one tunnel, the shaft and the at least one tunnel being in fluid communication with each other. The shaft and the at least one tunnel are adapted for holding fluid for thermal storage.
There is a need for efficient storage of thermal energy within the area of modern energy technology.
Thermal energy may advantageously be stored in a fluid, such as e.g. water, above ground in insulated tanks, in ground in insulated pits, or underground in excavated caverns, using the surrounding ground as insulation. The thermal energy of the fluid is preserved to a great extent during an extended period of time. Today, these methods are used in different parts of the world in order to satisfy the need for storing thermal energy between different seasons, e.g. storing temporary surplus heat which is used later on when there is a demand for it and, preferably, when its financial value is higher. The main transition of energy is from the summer half, when there is less need for heating, to the winter half, when the need for heating is much higher. However, there is also much to gain by using the storage for short-term variations and always actively storing surplus heat.
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Record as JSON
{
"publication_number": "US9823026B2",
"country": "US",
"kind": "B2",
"title": "Thermal energy storage with an expansion space",
"abstract": "An arrangement for storing thermal energy, including a shaft (1) and at least one tunnel (2), the shaft (1) and the tunnel (2) being in fluid communication with each other. The tunnel (2) includes at least a first (2 a), a second (2 b), and a third (2 c) tunnel section. The second tunnel section (2 b) is arranged between and connected to the first (2 a) and third (2 c) tunnel sections. The second tunnel section (2 b) is sealed off at an end (4) connected to the third tunnel section (2 c), and the third tunnel section is further connected the shaft (1). The shaft (1) and first (2 a) and third (2 c) tunnel sections hold fluid for thermal storage. The second tunnel section (2 b) is an expansion space should a volume of the fluid expand beyond a volume of the shaft (1) and the first (2 a) and third (2 c) tunnel sections.",
"claims": [
"1. An arrangement for storing thermal energy, comprising a shaft (1) and at least one tunnel (2), said shaft (1) and said at least one tunnel (2) being in fluid communication with each other, said at least one tunnel (2) comprising at least a first tunnel section (2 a), a second tunnel section (2 b) comprising a second tunnel section first end and a second tunnel section second end (4), and a third tunnel section (2 c), said second tunnel section (2 b) being arranged between and connected to said first tunnel section (2 a) at said second tunnel section first end and directly connected to said third tunnel section (2 c) at said second tunnel section second end (4), said second tunnel section (2 b) being sealed off impermeably at said second tunnel section second end (4) such that no fluid can pass directly from said second tunnel section to said third tunnel section (2 c) at said second tunnel section second end (4), and said third tunnel section (2 c) further being connected to said shaft (1), said shaft (1) and first (2 a) and third (2 c) tunnel sections being adapted for holding a fluid for thermal storage, said arrangement further comprising a first transfer means (5) for passing excess fluid from said shaft (1) or said third tunnel section (2 c) into said first tunnel section (2 a), and a second transfer means (6) for passing excess fluid from said first tunnel section (2 a) to said second tunnel section (2 b) so that second tunnel section (2 b) may receive excess fluid from said first tunnel section (2 a); the arrangement further comprising a separate machine room and a third transfer means (7) connecting said machine room (3) to said second tunnel section (2 b).",
"2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said first transfer means (5) comprises a pipe or a channel.",
"3. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said second transfer means (6) comprises a pipe, a channel, a partial wall, or a one-way valve.",
"4. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said third transfer means (7) comprises a pipe or a channel.",
"5. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a pump (8) configured to pass an amount of fluid from said second tunnel section (2 b) to said first tunnel section (2 a) should the fluid volume in said first tunnel section (2 a) fall below a predetermined limit value.",
"6. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said shaft (1) extends vertically and said tunnel (2) is arranged such that it surrounds the shaft (1) in the form of a helix spiral from the top to the bottom of the shaft (1).",
"7. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said second transfer means (6) comprises a partial wall.",
"8. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said second transfer means (6) comprises a one-way valve.",
"9. A method of storing thermal energy comprising providing the arrangement of claim 1; disposing fluid for thermal energy storage in said shaft (1) and said third tunnel section (2 c); and maintaining fluid in said first (2 a) tunnel section (2 a) at a predetermined fluid pressure level.",
"10. The method of claim 9, wherein the fluid is not water and the fluid pressure level in tunnel section (2 a) is balanced to a level slightly below the level of the surrounding ground water pressure.",
"11. The method of claim 9, wherein the fluid is water and the fluid pressure level in tunnel section (2 a) is balanced to the level of the surrounding ground water pressure.",
"12. The method of claim 9, wherein the fluid pressure level in said first tunnel section (2 a) is balanced by addition of fluid from said third tunnel section (2 c) or said shaft (1); and removal of fluid from said first tunnel section (2 a) to said third tunnel section (2 c) or said shaft (1).",
"13. The method of claim 9, wherein the fluid pressure level in said first tunnel section (2 a) is balanced by addition of fluid from said second tunnel section (2 b) to said first tunnel section (2 a) by a pump (8), by addition of fluid from said third tunnel section (2 c) or by addition of fluid from said shaft (1); and by removal of fluid from said first tunnel section (2 a) to said third tunnel section (2 c) or said shaft (1)."
],
"description_excerpt": "This application claims benefit from International Application No. PCT/SE2013/051280, which was filed on Nov. 1, 2013, which claims priority to Swedish Patent Application No. 1251239-8, which was filed Nov. 1, 2012, the entireties of said patent applications are incorporated herein by reference.\n\nThe present invention relates to an arrangement for storing thermal energy, comprising a shaft and at least one tunnel, the shaft and the at least one tunnel being in fluid communication with each other. The shaft and the at least one tunnel are adapted for holding fluid for thermal storage.\n\nThere is a need for efficient storage of thermal energy within the area of modern energy technology.\n\nThermal energy may advantageously be stored in a fluid, such as e.g. water, above ground in insulated tanks, in ground in insulated pits, or underground in excavated caverns, using the surrounding ground as insulation. The thermal energy of the fluid is preserved to a great extent during an extended period of time. Today, these methods are used in different parts of the world in order to satisfy the need for storing thermal energy between different seasons, e.g. storing temporary surplus heat which is used later on when there is a demand for it and, preferably, when its financial value is higher. The main transition of energy is from the summer half, when there is less need for heating, to the winter half, when the need for heating is much higher. However, there is also much to gain by using the storage for short-term variations and always actively storing surplus heat.",
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"filing_date": "2013-11-01",
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Record 3,729 of 8,000 in Patents full text (MLC-0201). Request the full dataset.