Device and Method for Converting Thermal Energy into Chemical Energy and Chemical Energy into Electrical Energy with Intermediate Chemical Storage

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The patent describes a device and method that captures thermal energy (even from low-temperature waste heat), converts it into chemical energy by generating hydrogen using pyrocatalytic materials, and then further converts the stored chemical energy into electrical energy through a fuel cell. The intermediate hydrogen can be stored for later use, enabling flexible and efficient energy use, particularly from thermal energy sources that would otherwise be wasted.

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• Capturing and converting industrial waste heat into electricity in factories or power plants.
• Enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of renewable energy systems such as solar or geothermal installations.
• Providing decentralized or off-grid electricity generation using available heat sources in remote or autonomous locations.
• Improving the energy efficiency of fuel cell systems by recycling their own waste heat.
• Reducing energy losses in data centers, bakeries, laundries, refrigeration installations, or heavy industries by converting surplus heat into usable power.
• Facilitating residential energy savings by harnessing household waste heat sources.
• Enabling hybrid energy storage systems that combine thermal, chemical, and electrical storage for grid load balancing.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Utilizes waste heat, increasing overall energy efficiency and reducing energy losses.
• Allows for chemical intermediate storage (as hydrogen), providing flexibility in energy use and the ability to balance energy supply and demand over time.
• Does not require complex electrical charging systems for intermediate storage; relies on thermal inputs (which can be lower-grade and more available).
• Enables the use of widely available, non-toxic, and potentially inexpensive materials (such as pyroelectric ceramics or polymers).
• Can operate with discontinuous or fluctuating heat sources, making it suitable for various real-world conditions.
• Promotes sustainability by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and enhancing resource efficiency.
• Potentially scalable for small- to large-scale applications, from individual homes to large industrial installations.

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Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a device (20, 29, 36, 38, 40) for converting thermal energy into chemical energy and chemical energy into electrical energy, comprising at least of a fuel cell unit (19), to which there belong at least an anode (21) made of a first gas-permeable current collector (2) and an anode-side catalytic converter (1), a cathode (22) made of a second gas-permeable current collector (4) and a cathode-side catalytic converter (5), an electrolyte (3) located between anode (21) and cathode (22), wherein at least the anode (21), the cathode (22), and the electrolyte (3) are located in a chamber (47), and an oxygen inlet (23) to the chamber (47) for the supply of oxygen or an oxygen mixture to the cathode-side catalytic converter (5), a fluid reservoir (17), to which there belong at least one pyro-catalytically active material (13) having at least one polar axis, a first thermal energy carrier (24) having a high temperature (TH), a second thermal energy carrier (25) having a low temperature (TK), and a gas diffusion channel (18), wherein the chamber (47) of the fuel cell unit (19) is connected to the fluid reservoir (17) via the gas diffusion channel (18), wherein the fluid reservoir (17) contains at least the pyro-catalytically active material (13), which is subjected to temperature changes (ΔΤ/Δt) over time, wherein the temperature change (ΔΤ/Δt) is implemented by means of an alternating transfer of heat via a first thermal energy carrier (24) having a high temperature (TH) and a second thermal energy carrier (25) having a low temperature (TK) on the pyro-catalytically active material (13) for the conversion of thermal energy into chemical energy, wherein, at a high temperature (TH) an adjustable maximum temperature (Tmax) of the pyro-catalytically active material (13) lies below the Curie temperature () of the same, wherein, on the pyro-catalytically active material (13), reduction or oxygenation of a fluid (12) in the fluid reservoir (17) to at least hydrogen as chemical energy carrier takes place, wherein at least the hydrogen in the gas diffusion channel (18) flows from the fluid reservoir (17) to the anode-side catalytic converter (1), on which, in order to convert the chemical energy into electrical energy, oxidation of the hydrogen takes place, and wherein, at least in the gas diffusion channel (18), intermediate chemical storage is possible as part of an arrangement (42, 43, 44, 45, 46) for intermediate storage.