Open-cycle Power Plants

By incorporating a thermal battery, open-cycle power plants can be turned into much more efficient combined-cycle power plants with full decoupling of the two generators. The emitted heat from the power plant is captured by way of a heat recovery unit. This unit heats thermal oil, or steam, which subsequently charges the thermal battery. When opportune, the thermal battery discharges its stored energy through a steam turbine or an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) to produce electricity. Alternatively, the thermal battery can produce steam for a steam consumer, or other industrial energy vectors.