Systems, apparatus, and methods for storing and discharging thermochemical energy

Abstract

A reactor for charging and discharging a thermochemical energy storage (TCES) material has an inlet for receiving a pelletized TCES material and an outlet for exhausting the pelletized TCES material. A selectively operable heater is configured to heat the material in a charging mode. A blower is configured to urge a stream of air over the material in the charging mode and to urge a stream of another fluid over the material in a discharging mode. A reaction chamber houses the selectively operable heater. The reaction chamber is so configured to receive the material within the reaction chamber from the inlet and configured to exhaust the material from the reaction chamber to the outlet. The reaction chamber is further configured to direct the stream of stream of air over the material in the charging mode and to direct the stream of another fluid over the material in the discharging mode.

We currently claim: 
     
         1 . A reactor for charging and discharging a thermochemical energy storage (TCES) material, the reactor comprising:
 an inlet for receiving a pelletized TCES material and an outlet for exhausting the pelletized TCES material;   a selectively operable heater configured to heat the pelletized TCES material in a charging mode;   a blower configured to urge a stream of air over the pelletized TCES material in the charging mode and to urge a stream of another fluid over the pelletized TCES material in a discharging mode;   a reaction chamber housing the selectively operable heater, the reaction chamber so configured to receive the pelletized TCES material within the reaction chamber from the inlet and configured to exhaust the pelletized TCES material from the reaction chamber to the outlet, the reaction chamber further configured to direct the stream of stream of air over the pelletized TCES material in the charging mode and to direct the stream of another fluid over the pelletized TCES material in the discharging mode.   
     
     
         2 . The reactor according to  claim 1 , further comprising a hopper configured to direct the pelletized TCES material to the inlet. 
     
     
         3 . The reactor according to  claim 2 , further comprising a conveyor configured to convey the pelletized TCES material from a storage container to the hopper. 
     
     
         4 . The reactor according to  claim 2 , further comprising a metering device configured to regulate a rate at which the pelletized TCES material enters the reaction chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The reactor according to  claim 1 , further comprising a conveyor configured to convey the pelletized TCES material exhausted from the outlet away from the reaction chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The reactor according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cyclone or other dust collector so coupled with the reaction chamber as to receive the stream of air in the charging mode, the stream of another fluid in the discharging mode, or both, from the reaction chamber, the cyclone or other dust collector being configured to filter dust from the respective stream. 
     
     
         7 . The reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the reaction chamber is further configured such that, in the discharging mode, the stream of another fluid comprises one or more of air, water vapor, humidified air, CO 2 , H 2 , and O 2 , wherein the reaction chamber is further configured such that, in the discharging mode, the stream of another fluid exhausts from the reaction chamber at a temperature higher than a temperature at which the stream of another fluid enters the reaction chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The reactor according to  claim 7 , wherein the temperature of the stream of another fluid as it exhausts from the reaction chamber is between about 30° C. and about 500° C. 
     
     
         9 . The reactor according to  claim 7 , wherein the stream of another fluid comprises predominately air and exhausts from the reaction chamber at a temperature above about 200° C. 
     
     
         10 . The reactor according to  claim 7 , wherein the stream of another fluid comprises predominately CO 2  and exhausts from the reaction chamber at a temperature above about 500° C. 
     
     
         11 . The reactor according to  claim 7 , wherein the stream of another fluid comprises H 2  and exhausts from the reaction chamber at a temperature above about 250° C. 
     
     
         12 . The reactor according to  claim 7 , wherein the stream of another fluid comprises predominately water vapor and exhausts from the reaction chamber at a temperature between about 120° C. and about 300° C. 
     
     
         13 . The reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the reaction chamber comprises an upper zone vertically positioned above a lower zone and a reaction zone positioned vertically between the upper zone and the lower zone. 
     
     
         14 . The reactor according to  claim 13 , wherein the reaction chamber is configured to add sensible energy to the pelletized TCES material as the pelletized TCES material passes through the upper zone in the charging mode and in the discharging mode. 
     
     
         15 . The reactor according to  claim 13 , wherein the selectively operable heater is positioned in the reaction zone of the reaction chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The reactor according to  claim 13 , wherein the inlet for receiving a pelletized TCES material is configured to convey the pelletized TCES material to the upper zone. 
     
     
         17 . The reactor according to  claim 13 , wherein the outlet for exhausting the pelletized TCES material is configured to convey the pelletized TCES material from the lower zone. 
     
     
         18 . The reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the selectively operable heater is configured to heat the pelletized TCES material in the charging mode to a temperature at least as high as a decomposition temperature of the pelletized TCES material. 
     
     
         19 . The reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the reactor is configured to continuously release about 100 kW from a pelletized TCES material comprising CaO/Ca(OH) 2 . 
     
     
         20 . The reactor according to  claim, 1  where in the reactor is mounted on a hydraulic support configured to move the reaction chamber between a horizontal orientation and a vertical orientation. 
     
     
         21 . The reactor according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more water sprayers positioned in the reaction chamber to provide, in the discharge mode, water in mist form. 
     
     
         22 . The reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein an upper level of the pelletized TCES material in the reactor partially or fully covers the exhaust. 
     
     
         23 . The reactor according to  claim 1  being configured to charge and discharge simultaneously by using the exhaust from the charging to serve a thermal load. 
     
     
         24 . A method of charging and discharging a thermochemical energy storage (TCES) material with a reactor, the method comprising:
 receiving at an inlet to a reaction chamber a discharged formed of a pelletized TCES material;   heating the discharged form of the pelletized TCES material to temperature at least as high as a decomposition temperature of the pelletized TCES material with a selectively operable heater positioned in the reaction chamber;   urging with a blower a stream of air through the reaction chamber, wherein the reaction chamber is configured to direct the stream of air over the pelletized TCES material while the pelletized TCES material is being heated by the selectively operable heater;   exhausting through an outlet from the reaction chamber a charged form of the pelletized TCES material; and   hydrating or oxidizing the charged form of the pelletized TCES material to release energy in the form of heat from the charged form of the pelletized TCES material.