Patent ID: 11905857
Assignee: ENERGY DOME S.P.A.
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  Y | IPC F

Claim 0:
1. An energy generation and storage plant, comprising:
a working fluid other than atmospheric air;
a casing configured to store the working fluid in a gaseous phase and in equilibrium of pressure with the atmosphere;
a tank configured to store said working fluid in liquid or supercritical phase with a temperature close to the critical temperature;
wherein said critical temperature is close to the ambient temperature;
wherein the plant is configured to perform a closed cyclic thermodynamic transformation, first in one direction in a charge configuration and then in an opposite direction in a discharge configuration, between said casing and said tank;
wherein in the charge configuration the plant stores heat and pressure and in the discharge configuration the plant generates energy;
wherein the plant is further configured to define a closed circuit and to perform a closed thermodynamic cycle in said closed circuit with at least part of said working fluid;
wherein the plant further comprises:
a compressor and a motor mechanically connected to each other;
a turbine and a generator or a driven machine mechanically connected to each other;
said casing externally in contact with the atmosphere and delimiting, at the interior thereof, a volume configured to contain the working fluid at atmospheric pressure or substantially atmospheric pressure, wherein said volume is selectively in fluid communication with an inlet of the compressor or with an outlet of the turbine;
a primary heat exchanger selectively in fluid communication with an outlet of the compressor or with an inlet of the turbine;
said tank in fluid communication with the primary heat exchanger to accumulate the working fluid;
a secondary heat exchanger operationally active between the primary heat exchanger and the tank or in said tank;
an additional heat exchanger operatively interposed between the casing and the compressor and/or between the casing and the turbine; and
a further heat exchanger operatively interposed between the turbine and the primary heat exchanger;

wherein, in the charge configuration, the casing is in fluid communication with the inlet of the compressor and the primary heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the outlet of the compressor, the turbine is at rest, the motor is operating and drives the compressor to compress the working fluid coming from the casing, the primary heat exchanger works as a cooler to remove heat from the compressed working fluid, cool it and store thermal energy, the secondary heat exchanger works as a cooler to remove further heat from the compressed working fluid and store further thermal energy, the tank receives and stores the compressed and cooled working fluid, wherein the working fluid stored in the tank has a temperature close to its own critical temperature;
wherein, in the discharge configuration, the casing is in fluid communication with the outlet of the turbine and the primary heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the inlet of the turbine, the compressor is at rest, the secondary heat exchanger works as a heater to release heat to the working fluid coming from the tank, the primary heat exchanger works as a heater to release further heat to the working fluid and heat it, the turbine is rotated by the heated working fluid and drives the generator and/or the driven machine, generating energy, the working fluid returns in the casing to atmospheric or substantially atmospheric pressure;
wherein, in said closed circuit, the outlet of the compressor is in fluid communication with the further heat exchanger, the outlet of the turbine is in fluid communication with the inlet of the compressor, and said additional heat exchanger is operatively interposed between the outlet of the turbine and the inlet of the compressor; and
wherein the plant further comprises:
a first bypass conduit comprising a respective first valve, wherein the first bypass conduit is configured to connect the outlet of the compressor with the further heat exchanger and to bypass the primary heat exchanger and the tank; and
a second bypass conduit comprising a respective second valve, wherein the second bypass conduit is configured to connect the outlet of the turbine with the inlet of the compressor and to bypass the casing.