Granted Patent B2

US 12,352,505 · App. 18/633,425 · Granted Jul 8, 2025

Inventor: Peter Emery Von Behrens (Oakland, CA)

Assignee: Rondo Energy, Inc.

F28D20/0043F01K23/10

Abstract

Claims (39)

1. A thermal energy storage (TES) system including:

a thermal energy storage medium including multiple layers of thermal energy storage blocks, each of the layers defining multiple substantially horizontal fluid flow pathways through the storage medium;

one or more heater elements;

one or more receiving channels in the storage medium for receiving the heater elements;

wherein:

at least one first fluid flow channel in one of the storage blocks, at least one first radiation chamber, and at least one first receiving channel are configured to form a first fluid flow pathway positioned in a first layer;

at least one second fluid flow channel in one of the storage blocks, at least one second radiation chamber, and at least one second receiving channel are configured to form a second fluid flow pathway positioned in a second layer; and

the first and second fluid flow channels are fluidically isolated from one another.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the heater elements is positioned in one of the receiving channels to heat the storage medium via thermal energy radiated onto one or more surfaces of the thermal energy storage blocks.

3. The system of claim 1 , including an outer housing configured to enclose the storage medium.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the housing is sealed to provide a pressurized environment for the storage medium.

5. The system of claim 1 , further including a heat exchanger configured to receive thermal output from the storage medium.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the storage blocks include multiple radiation chambers configured to receive thermal energy radiated from the one or more heater elements.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the storage blocks include multiple flow channels extending through at least a portion of the storage blocks.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the storage blocks include multiple air flow channels of different sizes extending substantially horizontally through at least a portion of the storage block.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein at least some of the flow channels in a storage block are in fluid communication with the one or more radiation chambers of the storage block.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein a first storage block in one layer of the storage medium is configured to interlock with a second storage block in a second layer, forming a first interlocking region defining one surface of the heater element receiving channel.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first storage block is configured to interlock with a third storage block in a third layer, forming a second interlocking region defining another surface of the heater element receiving channel.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein a storage block in one layer of the storage medium is configured to interlock with at least two other storage blocks in another layer to maintain a spacing in a predetermined range between rows of storage blocks, wherein the spacing defines the heater element receiving channel.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the storage medium has a substantially trapezoidal cross-sectional shape.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the storage medium has a substantially ziggurat cross-sectional shape.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow channels are defined at least in part by the storage blocks.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the receiving channels extend at an angle that is non-parallel to a longitudinal axis of the thermal energy storage medium.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the receiving channels are distributed in an alternating pattern throughout the storage medium, alternating between receiving channel and thermal storage block.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one radiation chamber is defined by a first thermal storage block and a second thermal storage block positioned adjacent one another, wherein a first side wall of the first thermal storage block and a second side wall of the second thermal storage block define side walls of the radiation chamber.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein one thermal energy storage block in one layer is positioned to interlock with at least four thermal energy storage blocks in another layer.

20. A thermal energy storage block, including:

multiple thermal radiation chambers;

a first set of substantially horizontal flow channels in fluid communication with at least one of the thermal radiation chambers;

a second set of substantially horizontal flow channels in fluid communication with at least another of the thermal radiation chambers; and

one or more protrusions or recesses configured to engage with another energy storage block.

21. The thermal energy storage block of claim 20 , wherein the block has an asymmetrical perimeter shape relative to a longitudinal axis of the storage block configured to complement a substantially similar asymmetrical perimeter shape of another storage block and form connected radiation chambers and fluidly connected horizontal flow channels when positioned together.

22. The thermal energy storage block of claim 20 , further including a third set of horizontal flow channels extending through a portion of the storage block.

23. The thermal energy storage block of claim 20 , further including a fourth set of horizontal flow channels extending through a portion of the storage block.

24. The thermal energy storage block of claim 20 , wherein the thermal energy storage block is formed from a refractory material.

25. The thermal energy storage block of claim 20 , wherein at least some of the flow channels are configured with openings that have a size different from sizes of other openings of other flow channels.

26. The thermal energy storage block of claim 20 , wherein at least one side wall of the storage block is configured to define one wall of a radiation chamber when the storage block is placed adjacent another storage block.

27. The thermal energy storage block of claim 20 , including a first portion defining a first set of air flow passages, a second portion defining a second set of air flow passages, and a radiation chamber defined between the first portion and the second portion.

28. The thermal energy storage block of claim 20 , wherein at least one face of the block is shaped to define a support surface configured to support a heating element.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (5)

References Cited (400)