SUMMARY
UCLA researchers in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering have developed a novel method to cost-effectively store energy in a thermal energy storage system.
BACKGROUND
Renewable energy sources are intermittent in their nature, which presents a great challenge in energy generation and load balance maintenance to ensure power network stability and reliability. Low-cost, high-performance energy storage technologies are needed to address the operational flexibility and load leveling problems presented by renewables. Thermal energy storage (TES) technologies have not seen greater adoption for this application because most conventional TES suffers from inflexibility to achieve desired/optimal system performance during operation.
INNOVATION
Equipment used for generating electricity from TES operates at maximum efficiency when the heat transfer fluid is at a specific temperature and flow rate. UCLA researchers have developed a thermal energy storage system that provides a fluid stream with uniform flow and temperature characteristics. By incorporating electric heating elements within sets of tubes, and immersing them in the TES media, the TES media can be thermalized using an external electric power source.
POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS
ADVANTAGES
PATENT STATUS
United States of America Published Patent Application 20190072339 07/03/2019