Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, LLC

Thomas A Buscheck

Ravindra Shrikrishna Upadhye

The present disclosure relates to a system for storing and time shifting at least one of excess electrical power from an electrical power grid, excess electrical power from the power plant itself, or heat from a heat generating source, in the form of pressure and heat, for future use in assisting with a production of electricity. An oxy-combustion furnace is powered by a combustible fuel source, plus excess electricity, during a charge operation to heat a reservoir system containing a quantity of a thermal storage medium. During a discharge operation, a discharge subsystem has a heat exchanger which receives heated COfrom the reservoir system and uses this to heat a quantity of high-pressure, supercritical CO(sCO) to form very-high-temperature, high-pressure sCOat a first output thereof. The very-high-temperature, high-pressure sCOis used to drive a Brayton-cycle turbine, which generates electricity at a first output thereof for transmission to a power grid. The Brayton-cycle turbine also outputs a quantity of sCOwhich is reduced in temperature and pressure to a heat recuperator subsystem. The heat recuperator subsystem circulates the sCOand re-heats and re-pressurizes the sCObefore feeding it back to the heat exchanger to be even further reheated, and then output to the Brayton-cycle turbine as a new quantity of very-high-temperature, high-pressure sCO, to assist in powering the Brayton-cycle turbine.

Multi-fluid, earth battery energy systems and methods

The present disclosure relates to a method for storing excess energy from at least one energy producing source, as thermal energy, using an existing geologic formation. First and second storage zones formed in a geologic region may be used to store high temperature and medium high temperature brine. When excess energy is available from the energy producing source, a quantity of the medium high temperature brine is withdrawn and heated using the energy supplied by the energy source to form a first new quantity of high temperature brine, which is then injected back into the first storage zone. This forces a quantity of medium high temperature brine present in the first storage zone into the second storage zone, to maintain a desired quantity of high temperature brine in the first storage zone and a desired quantity of medium high temperature brine in the second storage zone.

A geo-energy production system and method extracts thermal energy from a reservoir formation, and stores either thermal waste heat or excess heat in a storage zone of the reservoir formation. A compressed fluid injection injects an unheated, compressed working fluid into the storage zone. A fluid injection well injects a working fluid laden with thermal waste heat or excess heat into the storage zone. The storage zone is located below a caprock layer and above a native brine zone of the reservoir formation and is partially circumscribed by a hot brine storage zone. The compressed working fluid assists with a withdrawal of pressurized brine residing below and/or to the sides of the storage zone. A compressed CO, N, or air production well helps to remove compressed working fluid from the storage zone for use in power production.

Multi-fluid renewable geo-energy systems and methods

A method for extracting geothermal energy from a geothermal reservoir formation. A production well is used to extract brine from the reservoir formation. At least one of nitrogen (N) and carbon dioxide (CO) may be used to form a supplemental working fluid which may be injected into a supplemental working fluid injection well. The supplemental working fluid may be used to augment a pressure of the reservoir formation, to thus drive a flow of the brine out from the reservoir formation.

Systems and methods for multi-fluid geothermal energy systems

A geo-energy production method for extracting thermal energy from a reservoir formation. A production well extracts brine from the reservoir formation. A plurality of working fluid injection ('WFI') wells may be arranged proximate to the production well to at least partially circumscribe the production well. A plurality of brine production ('BP') wells may be arranged in a vicinity of the WFI wells to at least partially circumscribe the WFI wells. A working fluid is injected into the WFI wells to help drive a flow of the brine up through the production and BP wells, together with at least a portion of the injected working fluid. Parasitic-load time-shifting and to storing of excess solar thermal energy may also be performed.

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Pleasanton, CA, United States of America

Thomas A Buscheck