Pumped heat energy storage system with hot-side thermal integration

Abstract

A system including: (i) a pumped-heat energy storage system (“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; (ii) an electric heater in thermal contact with the hot HTS medium, wherein the electric heater is operable to heat the hot HTS medium above a temperature achievable by transferring heat from a working fluid to a warm HTS medium in a thermodynamic cycle.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system comprising:
 a pumped heat energy storage (PHES) system comprising at least two turbomachinery systems, at least one of the at least two turbomachinery systems operable as a compressor system and at least one of the at least two turbomachinery systems operable as a turbine system, and a working fluid cycle system comprising a working fluid circulating in a working fluid cycle path through the at least one turbomachinery system operable as a compressor system, a hot-side heat exchanger (“HTX”) system, the at least one turbomachinery system operable as a turbine system, and a cold-side heat exchanger system;   hot thermal storage path arranged to pass hot-side thermal storage medium through the HTX system in thermal contact with the working fluid, wherein in a charge mode, warm hot-side thermal storage medium flows via the hot thermal storage path through the hot-side HTX system to receive heat from the working fluid to heat the warm hot-side thermal storage medium into hot hot-side thermal storage medium;   an electric heater arranged in thermal contact with the hot-side thermal storage medium to provide heat to the hot-side thermal medium, wherein the electric heater is adapted to heat the hot-side thermal storage medium to a temperature greater than the hot hot-side thermal storage medium.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the electric heater is electrically connected with a power generation plant and receives electricity from the power generation plant for storage as stored thermal energy. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the power generation plant is a thermal plant. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the PHES system, when in the charge mode, receives electricity from the power generation plant, apart from any intervening electrical grid. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the working fluid path of the PHES system, when operating in a generation mode, comprises circulating the working fluid through, in sequence, at least the at least one turbomachinery system operable as a compressor system, the hot-side heat exchanger system, the at least one turbomachinery system operable as a turbine system, the cold-side heat exchanger system, and back to the at least one turbomachinery system operable as a compressor system. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the PHES system further comprises a recuperator heat exchanger, wherein the working fluid path of the PHES system, when operating in a generation mode, comprises circulating the working fluid through, in sequence, at least the at least one turbomachinery system operable as a compressor system, the recuperator heat exchanger system, the hot-side heat exchanger system, the at least one turbomachinery system operable as a turbine system, the recuperator heat exchanger system, the cold-side heat exchanger system, and back to the at least one turbomachinery system operable as a compressor system. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the electric heater is arranged inline to a stream of hot-side thermal storage medium. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the electric heater is arranged to heat hot-side thermal storage medium flowing into a hot-side thermal storage tank for storing hot-side thermal medium. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the electric heater is arranged to heat hot-side thermal storage medium within a hot hot-side thermal storage tank. First Named Inventor Benjamin R. Bollinger 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the electric heater generates heat through resistance. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the electric heater is operable to heat the hot-side thermal storage fluid to a temperature much higher than using the charge cycle alone. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the electric heater is operable to heat the hot-side thermal storage fluid to about 800 C. 
     
     
         33 . A method of operating a pumped heat energy storage (PHES) system comprising at least two turbomachinery systems, at least one of the at least two turbomachinery systems operable as a compressor system and at least one of the at least two turbomachinery systems operable as a turbine system, and a working fluid cycle system comprising a working fluid for circulating in a working fluid cycle path through the at least one turbomachinery system operable as a compressor system, a hot-side heat exchanger (“HTX”) system, the at least one turbomachinery system operable as a turbine system, and a cold-side heat exchanger system;
 passing warm hot-side thermal storage medium through the HTX system in thermal contact with the working fluid, in a charge mode, to receive heat from the working fluid to heat the warm hot-side thermal storage medium into hot hot-side thermal storage medium; and 
 electrically heating the hot-side thermal storage medium to a temperature greater than the hot hot-side thermal storage medium. 
 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein electrically heating comprises receiving electricity from a power generation plant for storage as stored thermal energy. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the power generation plant is a thermal plant. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein recieving electricity from the power generation plant, includes recieving electricity from the power generation plant, apart from any intervening electrical grid.