Patent ID: 8224495
Filing Date: 2012-07-17
Classification: F01K,F24D,F24H,Y02B,Y02E,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A system for selective allocation of thermal energy between use to generate electricity or a different use, comprising: a heat engine coupled to an electrical generation device; a supply of thermal energy a thermal storage operatively coupled to said heat engine and said supply of thermal energy; and a controller operatively coupled to at least said thermal storage and said heat engine, said controller configured to selectively direct thermal energy from said supply to said thermal storage and/or said heat engine based at least in part on past, present or forecast factors relating to conditions internal and external to the system wherein said controller calculated predictive operational characteristic based at least in part upon the actual operating conditions at a given moment in time and the effect of operating the system in a specific mode based on the conditions of the system upon the end of a period of operation in a mode, to determine an optimal operating paradigm for the system over multiple periods of operation in the same or different modes of operation.