Charging and/or Discharging System and Method for Charging and/or Discharging a Thermal Energy Storage with an Insert Provided Between the Diffuser Plates

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This patent describes a system and method for charging and/or discharging a thermal energy storage device using a liquid. The innovation features a unique radial diffuser design inside the storage tank: two parallel diffuser plates with an insert between them that creates higher flow resistance than a free gap. This arrangement helps more evenly distribute the incoming or outgoing fluid across the tank, promoting stable thermal stratification and minimising fluid mixing of different temperatures.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Thermal energy storage tanks in heating and cooling systems (e.g., hot water or chilled water buffers in buildings)
• District heating and cooling networks using large-scale thermal energy storage
• Industrial processes that require improved control over charging and discharging of heat storage tanks
• Renewable energy applications where excess energy is stored as heat for later use
• Thermal energy management in combined heat and power (CHP) plants

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Improved stratification inside the thermal energy tank, leading to higher system efficiency
• Minimized mixing of fluids at different temperatures, enhancing the quality of thermal storage
• Better and more predictable distribution of flow during both charging and discharging, regardless of flow direction
• Reduces local turbulence and flow instabilities, extending the lifespan and reliability of storage tanks
• Adaptable to various storage tank sizes and configurations
• Can be tailored for both heating and cooling storage applications

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The system has fluid lines opening out in radial diffusers (5, 6). Fluid is guided into or from a fluid tank (4) via the fluid lines. The diffusers include a centrally arranged diffuser connection area (7) connected with the fluid lines. Two diffuser plates (8, 9) are spaced apart from each other, and are radially extended by the diffuser connection area. An insert is provided between the diffuser plates, and includes a flow resistance which is larger than the flow resistance of undisturbed flow between the diffuser plates. An independent claim is also included for a method for loading and unloading a thermal energy storage.