Arrangement and method for storing thermal energy

Abstract

An arrangement for storing thermal energy, having at least one subterranean chamber for holding a first fluid, wherein a passage holding a second fluid is extended outside at least a part of the at last one chamber. The at least one channel is arranged to allow fluid communication of the first fluid between different sections of the chamber, and/or in that at least one channel is arranged to allow fluid communication of the second fluid between different sections of the passage. A method is also disclosed for improving an arrangement for storing thermal energy having the steps of providing at least one channel within the arrangement.

1 . Arrangement for storing thermal energy, comprising at least one subterranean chamber for holding a first fluid, wherein a passage holding a second fluid is extended outside at least a part of said at last one chamber, wherein at least one channel is arranged to allow fluid communication of said first fluid between different sections of said chamber, and/or in that at least one channel is arranged to allow fluid communication of said second fluid between different sections of said passage. 
     
     
         2 . Arrangement for storing thermal energy according to  claim 1 , wherein said sections of the passage are separated in height, and/or wherein said sections of said at least one chamber are separated in height. 
     
     
         3 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein said passage is surrounding said at last one chamber. 
     
     
         4 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one channel is a plurality of channels forming a fluid curtain outside said at least one chamber. 
     
     
         5 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one channel is vertically arranged between said separated sections of the passage. 
     
     
         6 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one channel is arranged between said separated sections of said passage at an angle relative a horizontal plane allowing thermal natural convection. 
     
     
         7 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein said first and/or second fluid is chosen from a group comprising: water, a mixture of water and a coolant, any liquid fuels, salt solution, ammonia or other refrigerants. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein said passage is configured as a helix. 
     
     
         10 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least a first fluid communication means arranged to extract an arbitrarily portion of said first fluid from the chamber at a suitable vertical level so as to allow processing of said first fluid by means of a first heat exchanger, wherein said first fluid communication means further is arranged to return the processed first fluid to the chamber at a suitable vertical level. 
     
     
         11 . Arrangement according to  claim 10 , further comprising an energy source coupled to said first heat exchanger, which first heat exchanger is arranged to increase thermal energy of the first fluid. 
     
     
         12 . Arrangement according to  claim 11 , wherein said energy source is any of a group of energy sources comprising: a thermal electrical power arrangement for heating and/or cogeneration of electricity and heat, a spare unit, solar panels for heating or solar panels for combined electrical generation and heating, bio fuel heater, oilfired boiler, or a boiler powered by fossil fuel or bio fuel. 
     
     
         13 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein a temperature of said first fluid is within a temperature interval of 4-100 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , comprising two or three chambers, wherein the passage holding the second fluid is extended outside at least a part of at last one chamber. 
     
     
         17 . Arrangement according to  claim 16 , wherein said at least one chamber is a first chamber and a second chamber being separated and vertically arranged relative each other, and wherein at least one of said first and second chamber is surrounded by the passage holding the second fluid. 
     
     
         18 . Arrangement according to  claim 16 , wherein said at least one chamber is a first chamber, a second chamber and a third chamber being separated and vertically arranged relative each other, and wherein at least one of said first, second and third chamber is surrounded by the passage holding the second fluid. 
     
     
         19 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second fluid communication means arranged to extract an arbitrarily portion of said second fluid from the passage at a suitable level so as to allow processing of said second fluid by means of a second heat exchanger, wherein said second fluid communication means further is arranged to return the processed second fluid to the passage at a suitable vertical level. 
     
     
         20 . Method for improving an arrangement for storing thermal energy, wherein said arrangement comprises at least one subterranean chamber for holding a first fluid, wherein a passage holding a second fluid is extended outside at least a part of said at least one chamber, wherein said method includes:
 providing at least one channel to allow fluid communication of said first fluid between different sections of said chamber; and/or   providing at least one channel to allow fluid communication of said second fluid between different sections of the passage.   
     
     
         21 . Method according to  claim 20 , wherein the step of providing at least one channel comprises the step of drilling said channel by means of a drilling unit such as e.g. a rock drilling machine. 
     
     
         22 . Method according to  claim 20 , wherein the step of providing at least one channel comprises the step of:
 applying a pipe constituting said channel by means of pipe jacking.   
     
     
         23 . An arrangement for storing thermal energy, comprising:
 a subterranean passage having a passage wall, the subterranean passage and the passage wall being formed out of an existing subterranean medium, the subterranean passage comprising a plurality of sections and having a fluid therein;   a channel being formed out of the subterranean medium and extending from a first opening formed in the passage wall of one of the plurality of passage sections to a second opening formed in the passage wall of another of the plurality of passage sections such that a fluid connection is created between the passage sections; and   a fluid communication device including a first pipe arranged to extract a portion of the fluid from the subterranean passage, a pump fluidly connected to the first pipe, and a second pipe arranged to return the portion of the fluid to the subterranean passage.