Closed-loop, dome-shaped, thermal energy storage system

Abstract

A thermal energy storage system comprising a dome-shaped thermal storage medium, a power supply that provides electrical power to an electrical air heater, a heat exchanger, an air blower, a steam generator, a tower, and air return duct. The thermal energy storage system may be designed in such a way that air return ducts are used to allow heat to travel back to the thermal storage medium, thereby improving efficiency and reducing loss of heat or energy of the system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermal energy storage system comprising:
 a thermal storage medium;   a power supply that provides electrical power to an electrical air heater;   a heat exchanger;   an air blower;   a steam generator;   a tower; and an air return duct.   
     
     
         2 . The thermal energy storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the air blower is a reversible air blower to facilitate direction of heat energy. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal energy storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the power supply comes from a renewable energy source. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal energy storage system of  claim 3 , wherein the renewable energy source comes from solar energy. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal energy storage system of  claim 1  wherein said heat exchanger is embedded in the thermal repository. 
     
     
         6 . A thermal energy storage repository comprising:
 a thermal storage medium;   a thermal insulation layer;   an air return duct;   an electrical heater;   a heat exchanger duct;   a central core;   a steam generator;   an air blower;   an impermeable membrane;   a power supply;   a pipe carrying pressurized steam to turbine or industrial process.   
     
     
         7 . The thermal energy storage repository of  claim 6 , wherein the thermal energy storage medium is dome-shaped. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal energy storage repository of  claim 6 , wherein said heat exchanger is embedded in the thermal repository. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal energy storage repository of  claim 6 , wherein the air blower is reversible to facilitate direction of heat flow. 
     
     
         10 . The thermal energy storage repository of  claim 6 , wherein the power supply comes from a wind. 
     
     
         11 . The thermal energy storage repository of  claim 6 , wherein the power supply comes from solar. 
     
     
         12 . The thermal energy storage repository of  claim 6 , wherein the air blower, electrical heater, and steam generator are horizontally positioned in the heat exchanger duct. 
     
     
         13 . The thermal energy storage method of  claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger duct is vertically embedded in the thermal repository and said heat exchanger duct is centrally located in said thermal repository. 
     
     
         14 . A thermal energy storage method comprising:
 predetermining a threshold in which renewable energy source is sufficient to charge a thermal energy storage system;   determining if there is renewable energy source available that meets the predetermined threshold;   using renewable energy source to power an electrical heater;   heating air in the center of an energy storage repository;   turning of an air blower to store energy for the thermal energy storage system;   reversing the air blower and heating steam in a steam generator.   
     
     
         15 . The thermal energy storage method of  claim 14 , further comprising discharging the steam to one or a plurality of other industrial processes. 
     
     
         16 . The thermal energy storage method of  claim 14 , wherein if there is not sufficient renewable energy source available that meets the predetermined threshold, the electrical heater is not powered. 
     
     
         17 . The thermal energy storage method of  claim 14 , further comprising adjusting the speed of the air blower. 
     
     
         18 . The thermal energy storage method of  claim 14 , further comprising adjusting the rate of heating the steam in the steam generator. 
     
     
         19 . The thermal energy storage method of  claim 15 , wherein said one or a plurality of other industrial processes comprise turning a steam turbine and district heating. 
     
     
         20 . The thermal energy storage method of  claim 15 , further comprising re-determining if there is renewable energy source available that meets the predetermined threshold subsequent to discharging the steam to one or a plurality of other industrial processes. 
     
     
         21 . The thermal energy storage method of  claim 14  further including a heat exchanger duct that is vertically embedded in said energy storage repository and said heat exchanger duct is centrally located in said energy storage repository. 
     
     
         22 . The thermal energy storage method of  claim 14 , wherein the air blower, electrical heater, and steam generator are horizontally positioned in the heat exchanger duct.