IP Library › Granted Patent US 12687120
Granted Patent B1
US 12687120 · App. 19/069,061 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Thermal energy storage systems with an energy emitting surface

Inventors: John Setel O'Donnell (Oakland, CA); Yusef Desjardins Ferhani (Menlo Park, CA)
Assignee: Rondo Energy, Inc.
F01K3/14F01K3/186F01K23/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12687120
App. No.
19/069,061
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B1
Abstract

An energy storage system (TES) converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 900° C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. Heat may be delivered by radiation from one or more emitting surfaces of the solid medium. The delivered heat may be used for processes including power generation, cogeneration, or an industrial process.

Claims (48)

1 . An electrically heated thermal energy storage (TES) system including:

a TES medium having at least one radiant energy emitting surface;

a heater for providing thermal energy to the TES medium for storage;

at least one radiant energy receiving structure configured to receive radiant energy from the emitting surface; and

a heat extraction system for directing a fluid through the TES medium and towards the emitting surface configured to reheat the emitting surface to a temperature within a set temperature range,

wherein the TES system is configured to maintain the emitting surface in predetermined temperature range during operation by delivering heat via a combination of convection and radiation heat transfer from the TES medium to the emitting surface, and

a heat exchanger configured to receive a flow of fluid that has contributed heat to the emitting surface.

2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger has a first stage configured to process the fluid flow at a first temperature and a second stage configured to process the fluid flow at a second, lower temperature.

3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one radiant energy receiving structure includes one or more pipes.

4 . The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one radiant energy receiving structure includes one or more reaction vessels.

5 . An electrically heated thermal energy storage (TES) system including:

a TES medium having at least one radiant energy emitting surface;

a heater for providing thermal energy to the TES medium for storage;

at least one radiant energy receiving structure configured to receive radiant energy from the emitting surface; and

a heat extraction system for directing a fluid through the TES medium and towards the emitting surface configured to reheat the emitting surface to a temperature within a set temperature range,

wherein the TES system is configured to maintain the emitting surface is in a predetermined temperature range during operation by delivering heat via a combination of convection and radiation heat transfer from the TESstorage medium to the emitting surface, and

a heat exchanger configured to receive a flow of fluid that has contributed heat to the emitting surface;

wherein the at least one radiant energy receiving structure includes a thermal photovoltaic device.

6 . The system of claim 1 wherein the heat extraction system includes a blower configured to direct a flow of fluid through the TES medium to maintain the emitting surface at the temperature in the predetermined temperature range.

7 . The system of claim 6 wherein the blower is configured to direct the flow through the TES medium along a vertical axis through the TES medium.

8 . The system of claim 6 wherein the blower is configured to direct the flow through the TES medium along a horizontal axis through the TES medium.

9 . The system of claim 1 includes a heat recovery steam generator configured to receive a flow of fluid that has interacted with the radiant energy receiving structure.

10 . The system of claim 1 further including an inlet configured to introduce a bypass fluid flow to mix with fluid flow from the heat extraction system to create a combined flow to the heat exchanger.

11 . The system of claim 1 further including another TES medium that is configured to provide thermal energy to a common heat exchanger configured to receive thermal energy from the TES medium and said another TES medium.

12 . The system of claim 1 further including an assemblage of TES blocks formed from the TES medium.

13 . The system of claim 1 where the TES medium includes a refractory material.

14 . The system of claim 1 wherein the heater includes an electrical heating element.

15 . The system of claim 1 wherein the heater is positioned within an assemblage of TES blocks formed from the TES medium.

16 . The system of claim 1 further including a pressure vessel configured to enclose the TES medium therein.

17 . The system of claim 1 wherein the radiant energy receiving structure is positioned opposite the emitting surface.

18 . The system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined temperature range is between about 800° C. and about 1900° C.

19 . A method for an electrically heated thermal energy storage (TES) system including:

providing a TES medium having at least one radiant energy emitting surface;

using a heater to deliver thermal energy to the TES medium for storage;

using at least one radiant energy receiving structure to receive the radiant energy from the emitting surface;

using a heat extraction system to direct a fluid through the TES medium and towards the emitting surface configured to reheat the emitting surface to a temperature within a set temperature range;

maintaining the emitting surface of the TES medium in a predetermined temperature range during operation by delivering heat via a combination of convection and radiation heat transfer through the TES medium to the emitting surface, and

using a heat exchanger to receive a flow of fluid that has contributed heat to the emitting surface.

20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the heat exchanger has a first stage for processing the flow at a first temperature and a second stage for processing the flow at a second, lower temperature.

21 . The method of claim 19 further including using a blower in the heat extraction system to direct a flow of fluid through the TES medium to maintain the emitting surface at the temperature in the set temperature range.

22 . The method of claim 21 wherein the blower is used to direct the flow through the TES medium along a vertical axis through the TES medium.

23 . The method of claim 21 wherein the blower is used to direct the flow through the TES medium along a horizontal axis through the TES medium.

24 . The method of claim 19 further including using a heat recovery steam generator to receive a flow of fluid that has interacted with the radiant energy receiving structure.

25 . The method of claim 19 further including mixing a bypass fluid flow with the fluid flow to create a combined flow to the heat exchanger.

26 . The method of claim 19 wherein using the heater includes using an electrical heating element.

27 . The method of claim 19 further including positioning the heater within an assemblage of TES blocks formed from the TES medium.

28 . The method of claim 19 further including using a pressure vessel to enclose the TES medium therein.

29 . The method of claim 19 further including postioning the radiant energy receiving structure opposite the emitting surface.