Through the design and construction of the pilot plant, we have identified new IP, some of which we have retained as know-how, and other IP which we have lodged for protection as patents. We now have five patents pending. These broadly include;
- the design and principles of our energy storage system;
- the scavenging and use of system heat to expand the cryogen, reducing plant size and cost as well as increasing power output and round-trip efficiency;
- the use of waste heat to enhance the cycle;
- the recovery of cold energy from expansion to enhance the production of more liquid air or for co-located processes;
- the method of thermal (hot and cold) storage, critically allowing an asymmetric operating regime with different charge and discharge rates, including multiple charge and discharge rates.