Method and system for thermochemical heat energy storage and recovery

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system for generating energy, comprising a first heat exchanger in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with a first heat source; wherein the first heat exchanger contacts a transfer fluid that comprises a working fluid and an associating composition; and a first energy conversion device comprising a piston in reciprocatory communication with a cylinder; the cylinder comprising an inlet or an outlet valve in operative communication with a cam having multiple lobes; the cam permitting the expansion or compression of the working fluid in the cylinder two or more times in a single cycle.

1 . A system for generating energy, comprising:
 a first heat exchanger in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with a first heat source; wherein the first heat exchanger contacts a transfer fluid that comprises a working fluid and an associating composition; and   a first energy conversion device comprising:
 a piston in reciprocatory communication with a cylinder; the cylinder comprising an inlet or an outlet valve in operative communication with a cam having multiple lobes; the cam permitting the expansion or compression of the working fluid in the cylinder two or more times in a single cycle. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first absorber, wherein the first absorber is located downstream of the first energy conversion device, and wherein the first absorber is used for promoting association of the working fluid with the associating composition. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a first regenerator in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with the first heat exchanger, wherein the first regenerator heats a transfer fluid after the fluid exits the first absorber and prior to an entry of the transfer fluid into the first heat exchanger. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising a first separator in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and the first energy conversion device, wherein the first separator is located downstream of first heat exchanger, and wherein the first separator facilitates the separation of the working fluid from the associating composition. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first superheater in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and the first energy conversion device. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second energy conversion and optionally a third energy conversion device in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with the first energy conversion device. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second heat exchanger and an optional third heat exchanger, wherein the second heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger are in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with the first heat source; and wherein a first absorber is in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger; and wherein the first absorber is also in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with a first energy conversion device and a second energy conversion device. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising an intercooler; wherein the intercooler is a supplementary heat exchanger adapted to heat a portion of the transfer fluid flowing from the first absorber. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the intercooler is in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with the supplementary heat exchanger. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the supplementary heat exchanger uses heat derived from a braking system, exhaust of an internal combustion engine, exhaust from a chemical reactor, heat from a nuclear reactor, a geothermal source, gas turbine exhaust, incinerators, annealing furnaces, cement kilns, oxidation processes for ammonia, copper reverberatory furnaces, forge heating furnaces, billet-heating furnaces, open-hearth steel furnaces, oxygen furnaces, sulfur ore processors, glass melting furnaces, zinc fuming processors, furnaces, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing processes. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first energy storage unit configured to receive vapor from the first heat exchanger. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat source and the first heat exchanger are part of a closed loop. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the closed loop comprises a first fluid, and wherein the first fluid contacts a geothermal source of heat located below the earth surface. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger is in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with a first energy conversion device via a first separator and a first superheater, and wherein the first heat exchanger is upstream of the first separator and the first superheater. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first energy conversion device is in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with an absorber, and wherein the absorber is downstream of the first energy conversion device. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first energy conversion device is in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with an absorber, via a second separator, a second superheater and a second energy conversion device, wherein the second separator, the second superheater and the second energy conversion device are downstream of the first energy conversion device. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the absorber is in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with a first heat exchanger and/or a second heat exchanger via a regenerator, wherein the regenerator heats the transfer fluid after the transfer fluid exits the absorber. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the absorber is in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with a first heat exchanger via a first regenerator and wherein the absorber is in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with a second heat exchanger via a second regenerator, wherein the first heat exchanger is down stream of the first regenerator and wherein the second heat exchanger is downstream of the second regenerator, wherein the regenerator heats the transfer fluid after the transfer fluid exits the absorber. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cam has at least two lobes. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cam is in operative communication with the inlet and the outlet valve. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cam permits the expansion and compression of the working fluid in the cylinder two or more times in a single cycle. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first fluid comprises an aprotic polar solvent, a polar protic solvent, a non-polar solvents or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing fluids. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first fluid is water. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transfer fluid comprises a complex derived from the absorption, adsorption, chemisorption, ionic bonding, covalent bonding, or the formation of ligands by the working fluid onto the associating composition. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the associating composition comprises a salt and wherein the working fluid comprises a fluid that can undergo a thermally reversible association and/or dissociation with the salt. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the associating composition comprises zeolites, clay, activated coal, room temperature ionic liquids or carbon. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the room temperature ionic liquids are trimethylphenylammonium bistrifluoride, 1,3-butylmethylpyrrolidinium bistriflamide, 1,3-butylmethylimidazolium bistriflamide, 1,3-ethylmethylimidazolium bistriflamide, 1,3-ethylmethylpyrrolidinium bistriflamide, 1,3-trihexyltetradecanephosphonium bistriflate, butylmethylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, butylmethylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, ethylmethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide, ethylmethylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfone, and ethylmethylimidazolium dicyanamide, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, 1-butylpyridinum chloride, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing room temperature ionic liquids. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the salt is strontium bromide, strontium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, ammonium chloride, beryllium chloride, magnesium bromide, magnesium hypochlorite; calcium bromide, sodium bromide, calcium hypochlorite, barium bromide, barium chloride, manganese chloride, manganese bromide, ferric chloride, ferric bromide, cobalt chloride, cobalt bromide, nickel chloride, nickel bromide, nickel hypochlorite, chromium chloride, cadmium bromide, tantalum chloride, rhenium chloride, rhenium bromide, tin chloride, sodium tetrachloroaluminate, ammonium tetrachloroaluminate, potassium tetrachloroaluminate, ammonium tetrachlorozincate, (NH 4 ) 3 ZnCl 5 , potassium tetrachlorozincate, CsCuCl 3 , K 2 FeCl 5 , or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing salts. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the working fluid is ammonia, an alcohol; water; carbon dioxide; hydrogen; an amine; a sebacate; a phthalate; an aldehydes; a formamide; a ketone; acetonitrile; a sulfoxide; a sulfone; an acetate; an amide; or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing working fluids. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the complex is BeCl 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 2 and 4; MgCl 2 .X(NH 3 ) wherein X is between 2 and 6; MgBr 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 2 and 6; Mg(ClO 4 ) 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 0 and −6; CaCl 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 2 and 4; CaCl 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 4 and 8; CaBr 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 2 and 6; Ca(ClO 4 ) 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 2 and 6; SrCl 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 1 and 8; SrBr 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 2 and 8; Sr(ClO) 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 0 and 6; BaBr 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 4 and 8; BaCl 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 0 and 8; MnCl 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 2 and 6; MnBr.X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 2 and 6; FeCl 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 3 and 6; FeBr 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 2 and 6; CoCl 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 2 and 6; CoBr 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 2 and 6; NiCl 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 2 and 6; NiBr 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 2 and 6; Ni(ClO 3 ) 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 0 and 6; CrCl 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 0 and 3 and between 3 and 6; CdBr 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 2 and 6; TaCl 3 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 0 and 7; ReCl 3 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 0 and 6; ReBr 3 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 0 and 7; SnCl 2 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 0 and 2.5; NH 4 AlCl 4 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 0 and 6; NaAlCl 4 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 0 and 6; KAlCl 4 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 0 and 6; (NH 4 ) 2 ZnCl 4 .(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 0 and 4; (NH 4 ) 3 ZnCl 5 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 0 and 6; K 2 ZnCl 4 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 0 and 5; K 2 ZnCl 4 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 5 and 12; CsCuCl 3 .X(MH 3 ), wherein X is between 2 and 5; K 2 FeCl 5 .X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 2 and 5; NH 4 Cl.X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 0 and 3; NaBr.X(NH 3 ), wherein X is between 0 and 5.25; CaCl 2 .XH 2 O, wherein X is between 1 and 4; or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing complexes. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transfer fluid further comprises a carrier fluid. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first energy conversion device comprises a 2-stroke engine and a 4-stroke engine in operative communication with a crankshaft. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first energy conversion device comprises a 2-stroke engine. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first energy conversion device effects an energy conversion without combustion. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first energy conversion device further comprises a plurality of pistons in communication with a plurality of cylinders; and wherein a portion of the pistons are displaced by the working fluid. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein a remaining portion of the pistons are displaced by a hydrocarbon fuel. 
     
     
         37 . A system for generating energy, comprising:
 a first heat exchanger in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with a first heat source, wherein the first heat exchanger heats a transfer fluid that comprises a working fluid and an associating composition, wherein the working fluid and the associating composition are capable of reversible associating with each other and wherein heating of the transfer fluid in the first heat exchanger generates a vapor comprising the working fluid;   a first separator in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and downstream of the first heat exchanger;   a first superheater in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with the first separator and downstream of the first heat exchanger;   a first energy conversion device comprising a piston in reciprocatory communication with a cylinder; the cylinder comprising an inlet or an outlet valve in operative communication with a cam having multiple lobes; the cam permitting the expansion or compression of the working fluid in the cylinder two or more times in a single cycle;   an absorber downstream of the first energy conversion device and in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with the energy conversion device, wherein the absorber is adapted to receive the vapor that has passed through the energy conversion device and to receive the associating composition that has passed through the heat exchanger;   a first regenerator located upstream of the absorber and in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with the absorber, wherein the regenerator is adapted to receive the transfer fluid from the absorber and allows the transfer fluid to return to the first heat exchanger; and   a pump in thermal communication, fluid communication, or a combination of thermal and fluid communication with the first heat exchanger.   
     
     
         38 . A method for the generation of energy comprising:
 dissociating a transfer fluid that comprises a working fluid and an associating composition;   producing a vapor of the working fluid; and   contacting a moving surface of an energy conversion device with the vapor of the working fluid to effect an energy conversion; the energy conversion device comprising a piston in reciprocatory communication with a cylinder; the cylinder comprising an inlet or an outlet valve in operative communication with a cam having multiple lobes; the cam permitting the expansion or compression of the working fluid in the cylinder two or more times in a single cycle.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the dissociating is brought about by heat absorbed in a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger or a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the dissociating comprises desorption, breaking of covalent bonds, ionic bonds, ligands, hydrogen bonds or the overcoming of Van der Waals forces. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising associating the vapor of the working fluid with the associating composition in an absorber. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising associating the vapor of the working fluid with the associating composition in a first heat exchanger or a second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising condensing the vapor of the working fluid into a liquid. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising storing the liquid in a storage device. 
     
     
         45 . A system employing the method of  claim 38 .