Thermal energy storage for cogeneration applications

Cogeneration is playing an increasingly important role in providing energy efficient power generation and thermal energy for space heating and industrial process heat applications. However, the range of applications for cogeneration could be further increased if the generation of electricity could be coupled from the generation of process heat. Thermal energy storage (TES) can decouple power generation from the production of process heat, allowing the production of dispatchable power while fully utilizing the thermal energy available from the prime mover. The Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) leads the US Department of Energy's Thermal Energy Storage Program. The program focuses on developing TES for daily cycling (diurnal storage), annual cycling (seasonal storage), and utility applications (utility thermal energy storage (UTES)). Several of these technologies can be used in a cogeneration facility. This paper discusses TES concepts relevant to cogeneration and describes the current status of these TES systems