Chen Chen

US Patent:

20200256587, Aug 13, 2020

Filed:

Apr 29, 2020

Appl. No.:

16/862289

Inventors:

Keith Lovegrove - O'Connor, AU
- Oakland CA, US
Richard Edward Wirz - Los Angeles CA, US
Hamarz Aryafar - Los Angeles CA, US
Chen Chen - Los Angeles CA, US

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

International Classification:

F24S 60/00
F24S 23/74
F28D 20/00
F24S 20/20
F04B 45/04
B65G 5/00

Abstract:

A reservoir for containing a fluid includes a cylindrical wall sized to engage a shaft bored into ground, a bottom end cap fixed to a lower end of the cylindrical wall and a top end cap fixed to an upper end of the cylindrical wall. The top end cap is concave such that the top end cap extends below a top end of the cylindrical wall. The bottom end cap, the top end cap, and the cylindrical wall define a subterranean chamber. A plug made of a composite material is on the top end cap, with a lower face disposed on the concave top end cap and a peripheral face engaging the shaft. At least one pressure port extends downwardly into the shaft and through the plug and the top end cap, defining a fluid path to the subterranean chamber.

US Patent:

20180180325, Jun 28, 2018

Filed:

Jun 27, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/739125

Inventors:

- Oakland CA, US
Richard Edward Wirz - Los Angeles CA, US
Hossein Pirouz Kavehpour - Los Angeles CA, US
Hamarz Aryafar - Los Angeles CA, US
Chen Chen - Los Angeles CA, US
Gopinath Warrier - Reseda CA, US
Dante Adam Simonetti - Redondo Beach CA, US
Keith Lovegrove - O'Connor, AU
Joshua Jordan - O'Connor, AU
Jonathon Kennedy - O'Connor, AU

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

International Classification:

F28D 20/00
B65G 5/00

Abstract:

Thermochemical energy storage (TCES) for concentrating solar power (CSP) systems provides higher energy density than sensible energy storage systems. An ammonia-based TCES system dissociates endothermically into hydrogen and nitrogen. The stored energy is released when supercritical hydrogen and nitrogen react exothermically to synthesize ammonia. Prior ammonia synthesis systems are unable to produce temperatures consistent with modern power blocks requiring a working fluid, for example steam or carbon dioxide, to be heated to greater than 600 C., for example about 650 C. An ammonia synthesis system heats steam from, for example 350 C. to 650 C. under pressure of about 26 MPa. The hydrogen and nitrogen are preheated with a flow of supercritical fluid prior to the synthesis step to provide reaction rates sufficient to heat power block working fluid to the desired temperature.