Thermal storage unit and methods for using the same to head a fluid

Abstract

A thermal storage unit having at least one annular flow channel formed between an inner and outer member is provided. The thermal storage unit uses conventional mill products to create annular flow channels that economically maximize the surface area of flow in contact with the thermal mass included in the inner and outer members. This enables the thermal storage unit to economically provide heat storage as well as effective heat delivery and pressure containment for a fluid flowing through the annular channel.

1 . A thermal storage unit having a longitudinal axis, said unit comprising: 
 an annular flow channel disposed about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis, said channel being formed between an inner cylindrical surface of a first member and an outer cylindrical surface of a second member, said outer cylindrical surface having a diameter smaller than said inner cylindrical surface;    a tubular inlet coupled to one end of said channel, said inlet for providing fluid in the gas phase to said channel; and    a tubular outlet coupled to the other end of said channel.    
   
   
       2 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second members comprises thermal storage material.  
   
   
       3 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 2 , wherein said thermal storage material comprises a solid mass.  
   
   
       4 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 3 , wherein said solid mass is iron.  
   
   
       5 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 3 , wherein said solid mass is aluminum.  
   
   
       6 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 3 , wherein said solid mass is steel.  
   
   
       7 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 1  further comprising at least one heat source for heating said members.  
   
   
       8 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 7 , wherein said at least one heat source comprises an external radiant heater.  
   
   
       9 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 7 , wherein said at least one heat source comprises an internal radiant heater.  
   
   
       10 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 7 , wherein said at least one heat source comprises a resistive heater.  
   
   
       11 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 7 , wherein said at least one heat source comprises induction heating circuitry for causing current to circulate through said first and second members, whereby the circulating current heats said members.  
   
   
       12 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 7 , wherein said at least one heat source is coupled to control circuitry, said control circuitry for controlling said at least one heat source to maintain said unit at a predetermined temperature.  
   
   
       13 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 1 , wherein said axis parallel to said longitudinal axis comprises said longitudinal axis.  
   
   
       14 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 1 , wherein said annular flow channel is a first annular flow channel, said axis parallel to said longitudinal axis is a first axis, said inner cylindrical surface of said first member is a first inner cylindrical surface, said thermal storage unit further comprising a second annular flow channel disposed about a second axis parallel to said longitudinal axis, said second channel being formed between a second inner cylindrical surface of said first member and an outer cylindrical surface of a third member, said outer cylindrical surface of said third member having a diameter smaller than said second inner cylindrical surface.  
   
   
       15 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 14 , wherein said diameters of said outer cylindrical surfaces of said second and third members are substantially equal. The thermal storage unit of  claim 14 , wherein said first and second inner cylindrical surfaces have diameters that are substantially equal.  
   
   
       16 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 14 , wherein said first and second inner cylindrical surfaces have diameters that are substantially equal.  
   
   
       17 . A backup energy system comprising: 
 the thermal storage unit of  claim 1  for heating a fluid in the gas phase;    a turbine coupled to said thermal storage unit for receiving said heated fluid, said received heated fluid driving said turbine; and    an electrical generator for providing power when said turbine is driven by said heated fluid.    
   
   
       18 . The backup energy system of  claim 17  further comprising a heating system for heating said thermal storage unit.  
   
   
       19 . The backup energy system of  claim 18  further comprising control circuitry coupled to said heating system and said thermal storage unit, said control circuitry for controlling said heating system to maintain said thermal storage unit at a predetermined temperature.  
   
   
       20 . The backup energy system of  claim 17 , wherein said fluid is compressed air, said backup energy system further comprising a compressed air system to provide said compressed air to said thermal storage unit.  
   
   
       21 . The backup energy system of  claim 20 , wherein said compressed air system is a storage tank that contains said compressed air.  
   
   
       22 . The backup energy system of  claim 17  further comprising a bypass valve coupled to said thermal storage unit, said bypass valve for controlling a portion of said fluid provided to said thermal storage unit.  
   
   
       23 - 41 . (canceled)  
   
   
       42 . A thermal storage unit having a longitudinal axis, said unit comprising: 
 a first annular flow channel disposed about a first axis parallel to said longitudinal axis, said first channel being formed between a first inner cylindrical surface of a first member and an outer cylindrical surface of a second member, said outer cylindrical surface of said second member having a diameter smaller than said first inner cylindrical surface; and    a second annular flow channel disposed about a second axis parallel to said longitudinal axis, said second channel being formed between a second inner cylindrical surface of said first member and an outer cylindrical surface of a third member, said outer cylindrical surface of said third member having a diameter smaller than said second inner cylindrical surface, wherein each of said first, second and third members comprises thermal storage material consisting of a solid mass.    
   
   
       43 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 42  further comprising: 
 a tubular inlet coupled to one end of said first and second channel, said inlet for providing fluid to said channel; and    a tubular outlet coupled to the other end of said first and second channel.    
   
   
       44 - 45 . (canceled)  
   
   
       46 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 42 , wherein said solid mass is iron.  
   
   
       47 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 42 , wherein said solid mass is aluminum.  
   
   
       48 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 42 , wherein said solid mass is steel.  
   
   
       49 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 42  further comprising at least one heat source for heating said members.  
   
   
       50 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 49 , wherein said at least one heat source comprises an external radiant heater.  
   
   
       51 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 49 , wherein said at least one heat source comprises an internal radiant heater.  
   
   
       52 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 49 , wherein said at least one heat source comprises a resistive heater.  
   
   
       53 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 49 , wherein said at least one heat source comprises induction heating circuitry for causing current to circulate through said first, second and third members, whereby the circulating currents heat said members.  
   
   
       54 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 49 , wherein said at least one heat source is coupled to control circuitry, said control circuitry for controlling said at least one heat source in order to maintain said unit at a predetermined temperature.  
   
   
       55 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 42 , wherein the diameters of said outer cylindrical surfaces of said second and third members are substantially equal in length.  
   
   
       56 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 42 , wherein said first and second inner cylindrical surfaces have diameters that are substantially equal in length.  
   
   
       57 . A backup energy system comprising: 
 the thermal storage unit of  claim 42  for heating a fluid;    a turbine coupled to said thermal storage unit for receiving said heated fluid, said received heated fluid driving said turbine; and    an electrical generator for providing power when said turbine is driven by said heated fluid.    
   
   
       58 . The backup energy system of  claim 57  further comprising a heating system for heating said thermal storage unit.  
   
   
       59 . The backup energy system of  claim 58  further comprising control circuitry coupled to said heating system and said thermal storage unit, said control circuitry for controlling said heating system in order to maintain said thermal storage unit at a predetermined temperature.  
   
   
       60 . The backup energy system of  claim 57 , wherein said fluid is compressed air, said backup energy system further comprising a compressed air system to provide said compressed air to said thermal storage unit.  
   
   
       61 . The backup energy system of  claim 60 , wherein said compressed air system is a storage tank that contains said compressed air.  
   
   
       62 . The backup energy system of  claim 57  further comprising a bypass valve coupled to said thermal storage unit, said bypass valve for controlling a portion of said fluid provided to said thermal storage unit.  
   
   
       63 . A thermal storage unit, having a longitudinal axis, that heats fluid flowing through said unit, comprising: 
 a first member comprising thermal storage material consisting of a solid mass and having an outer diameter;    a second member comprising thermal storage material consisting of a solid mass and having an inner diameter that is larger than said outer diameter;    an annular flow channel disposed about said axis and formed between said first and second members, wherein said first member is positioned within said second member;    an inlet coupled to one end of said channel that provides fluid to said channel;    an outlet coupled to the other end of said channel; and    at least one heat source that heats said first and second members.    
   
   
       64 . A thermal storage unit, having a longitudinal axis, that heats fluid flowing through said unit, comprising: 
 a plurality of inner members each comprising thermal storage material consisting of a solid mass and having an outer diameter;    an outer member comprising thermal storage material consisting of a solid mass and having a plurality of through-holes bored therethrough, each said through-hole having an axis substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis, and wherein each said through-hole has a through-hole diameter that is larger than said outer diameter;    a plurality of annular flow channels disposed about each said through-hole axis, each said channel being formed between one of said plurality of inner members and one of said plurality of through-holes, wherein said each said inner member is positioned within said outer member;    an inlet coupled to one end of said channels that provides fluid to said channels;    an outlet coupled to the other end of said channels; and    at least one heat source that heats said plurality of inner members and said outer member.    
   
   
       65 . A method for using a thermal storage unit in a backup power delivery system that uses fluid to provide electrical power, the method comprising: 
 preheating first and second members of said unit to a predetermined temperature;    providing fluid in the gas phase to said unit in the event of failure of a primary power source;    heating said fluid as said fluid passes through an annular channel that is formed between said first and second members; and    using said heated fluid to drive a turbine, which drives an electrical generator to provide electrical power.    
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 65  further comprising controlling application of heat to said first and second members to maintain said thermal storage unit at a predetermined temperature.  
   
   
       67 . A thermal storage unit having a longitudinal axis, said unit comprising: 
 an annular flow channel disposed about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis, said channel being formed between an inner cylindrical surface of a first member and an outer cylindrical surface of a second member, said outer cylindrical surface having a diameter smaller than said inner cylindrical surface, said first member comprising thermal storage material consisting of a solid mass;    a tubular inlet coupled to one end of said channel, said inlet for providing fluid to said channel; and    a tubular outlet coupled to the other end of said channel.    
   
   
       68 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 67  further comprising at least one heat source for heating said first member.  
   
   
       69 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 68 , wherein said heat source also heats said second member.  
   
   
       70 . The thermal storage unit of  claim 67 , wherein said solid mass includes a material that is selected from the group consisting of iron, steel, aluminum and any alloys thereof.  
   
   
       71 . A method for using a thermal storage unit in a backup power delivery system that uses fluid to provide electrical power, the method comprising: 
 preheating first and second members of said unit to a predetermined temperature wherein each member comprises thermal storage material consisting of a solid mass;    providing fluid to said unit in the event of failure of a primary power source;    heating said fluid as said fluid passes through an annular channel that is formed between said first and second members; and    using said heated fluid to drive a turbine, which drives an electrical generator to provide electrical power.    
   
   
       72 . The method of  claim 71  further comprising controlling application of heat to said first and second members to maintain said thermal storage unit at a predetermined temperature.