FLEXORCSTORAGE

Artículos científicos

• I. Erro, P. Aranguren, F.J. Sorbet, I. Bonilla-Campos, D. Astrain (2024). Enhancement of the Power-to-Heat Energy Conversion Process of a Thermal Energy Storage Cycle through the use of a Thermoelectric Heat Pump. Applied Thermal Engineering, 246: 122923.
• I. Erro, P. Aranguren, P. Alegría, A. Rodríguez, D. Astrain (2024). Advanced Phase-Change Intermediate Heat Exchanger Development for Multistage Thermoelectric heat Pumps. Thermal Science and Engineering Progress, 47: 102298.
• I. Erro, P. Aranguren, A. Martínez, D. Astrain (2024). Development and Experimental Validation of a Two-stage Thermoelectric Heat Pump Computational Model for Heating Applications. Thermal Science and Engineering Progress, 53: 102721.
• I. Erro, P. Aranguren, I. Alzuguren, D. Chavarren, D. Astrain (2023) Experimental analysis of a one and two-stage thermoelectric heat pumps to enhance the performance of a thermal energy storage. Energy, 285: 129447.

Comunicaciones en congresos

• I. Erro, P. Aranguren, N. Pascual, I. Alzuguren, D. Chavarren, J. Erice, F.J. Sorbet, D. Astrain. Installation of an Optimized Thermoelectric Heat Pump System to enhance a Thermal Energy Storage. 13th National and 4th International Conference in Engineering Thermodynamics (Castellón, España). Diciembre 2023.
• I. Erro, P. Aranguren, P. Alegría, A. Casi, L. Catalán, F.J. Sorbet, J. Erice, A. Martínez, D. Astrain. Experimental Optimization of a Themoelectric Heat Pump System for Heating. The 39th Annual International Conference on Thermoelectrics (Seattle, EEUU). Junio 2023.
• I. Erro, P. Aranguren, P. Alegría, A. Casi, L. Catalán, D. Astrain. Optimization of a Thermoelectric Heat Pump System for Heating. 3rd Iberian Thermoelectric Workhop (Lisboa, Portugal). Marzo 2023.
• I. Erro, P. Aranguren, N. Pascual, I. Alzuguren, D. Chavarren, J. Erice, F.J. Sorbet, D. Astrain. Installation of an Optimized Thermoelectric Heat Pump System to enhance a Thermal Energy Storage. 13th National and 4th International Conference in Engineering Thermodynamics (Castellón, España). Diciembre 2023.
• I. Erro, P. Aranguren, I. Alzuguren, N. Pascual, A. Martínez, D. Astrain. A computational model for Two-Stage Thermoelectric Heat Pump Validated through Experimentation in Heating. 40th International & 20th European Conference on Thermoelectrics (Cracovia, Polonia). Julio 2024.

The goal of the project is to develop concepts of systems for energy storage based on high-temperature thermal storage and Rankine cycles with synchronic turbine generators (steam and ORC), with very high flexibility for self-consumption and also to be incorporated into the renewable energy (RE) electric grid. The novelty of the concept in comparison with the current state of the art is low-temperature storage that reuses condensation heat from the Rankine cycle, making use of all the stored energy. The condensation heat is lost to the environment or absorbed by rivers or other bodies of water in conventional thermal and combined cycle power plants.

In particular, the concept is energy storage in thermal form at a high temperature that can generate either heat or electricity, which has the following advantages.

1. The solution has a very low cost per unit of energy stored, much less than battery systems.
2. The Rankine cycle and the turbine-generator group produces high-quality synchronic power for the grid. It can contribute to balancing the grid to prevent situations like the one that caused the blackout on 28/4/2025.
3. It can be incorporated perfectly into district scale (1-100 MW) thermal – electrical systems.
4. It incorporates the CHP (combined heat and power) concept for making use of all the energy in a combined way with heat + electricity, using nearly all the stored energy (except thermal losses).

These systems are aimed at the self-consumption market and storage/RE surplus management. The project included the following activities, for searching and conceptual research for improvements and innovation as well as design, construction and testing prototypes.

• Concepts aimed at self-consumption of RE in districts were developed.
• Concepts oriented towards storing grid energy at a low cost for industry were developed.
• An innovative distributed energy storage system based on a 3 kW ORC cycle at the UPNA.
• Dissemination and Publications

A graphical concept can be the following, drawn from the proposal

The main subsystems are:

1. High-temperature thermal storage
2. A power block with a steam turbine that produces synchronic electricity
3. Medium/low temperature secondary storage
4. An energy management system

The system is versatile for:

1. Loading electricity from the grid (energy storage) at low cost
2. Storing surplus from RE
3. Selling energy to the grid during high-price times, making the system profitable
4. Improving the quality of the grid by compensating oscillations with the synchronic turbine

The proposed system provides a low-cost future technological solution for RE storage, making 100% renewable districts possible with contained costs for the energy storage part, at the same time as it meets thermal and electric demands year-round.