| 摘要 |
<p>A thermal energy store 100 comprising a chamber 106 having a gas inlet 102 and a gas outlet 104 and a plurality of successive layers 101, each layer comprising gas permeable thermal storage media 112, the store being configured for gas flow from the gas inlet to gas outlet through the layers for transfer of heat to or from the thermal storage media. At least one of the layers has at least one valve 116 to allow or prevent at least some gas flow through the layer to bypass the thermal storage media. A control system may selectively alter the flow path of the gas flowing from inlet to outlet by using the valves to bypass selected layers. The preferred arrangement is for all the layers 101 to be valved and for each layer to include multiple valves 116.</p> |
