대표
청구항
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1. An arrangement for storing thermal energy, comprising: a subterranean passage having a passage wall, the subterranean passage and the passage wall being formed out of an existing subterranean medium, the subterranean passage comprising a plurality of sections, the subterranean passage having a fluid therein, wherein at least one of the plurality of sections is curved and wherein said subterranean passage is configured as a helix;a channel having a cross-sectional area smaller than a cross-sectional area of the subterranean passage, the channel being f...
1. An arrangement for storing thermal energy, comprising: a subterranean passage having a passage wall, the subterranean passage and the passage wall being formed out of an existing subterranean medium, the subterranean passage comprising a plurality of sections, the subterranean passage having a fluid therein, wherein at least one of the plurality of sections is curved and wherein said subterranean passage is configured as a helix;a channel having a cross-sectional area smaller than a cross-sectional area of the subterranean passage, the channel being formed out of the subterranean medium and extending from a first opening formed in the passage wall of one of the plurality of passage sections to a second opening formed in the passage wall of another of the plurality of passage sections such that a fluid connection is created between the passage sections;a fluid communication device including a first pipe arranged to extract a portion of the fluid from the subterranean passage, a pump fluidly connected to the first pipe, and a second pipe arranged to return the portion of the fluid to the subterranean passage; anda heat exchanger positioned above the subterranean medium and fluidly connected to the pump of the fluid communication device to receive the portion of the fluid extracted by the first pipe of the fluid communication device from the subterranean passage, perform a heat transfer process on the portion of the fluid, and fluidly connected to the second pipe of the fluid communication device to return the portion of the fluid to the second pipe for return to the subterranean passage,wherein the first opening and the second opening are located at different elevations of the subterranean passage such that the channel allows natural thermal convection between the passage sections that are connected by the fluid connection. 2. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a pump separate from the pump of the fluid communication device and fluidly connected to the heat exchanger and configured to pump a fluid from the heat exchanger. 3. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the fluid communication device is configured to extract the portion of the fluid at a first location, deliver the extracted portion of the fluid to the heat exchanger for heating, receive the fluid from the heat exchanger, and deliver the extracted portion of the fluid to the subterranean passage at a second location. 4. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sections of the subterranean passage hold the fluid and are vertically spaced from one another to form a helix or spiral, and wherein the fluid held by the plurality of sections has varying temperatures at different locations. 5. An arrangement for storing thermal energy, comprising: a subterranean passage having a passage wall, the subterranean passage and the passage wall being formed out of an existing subterranean medium, the subterranean passage comprising a plurality of sections, the subterranean passage having a fluid therein, wherein at least one of the plurality of sections is curved;a channel having a cross-sectional area smaller than a cross-sectional area of the subterranean passage, the channel being formed out of the subterranean medium and extending from a first opening formed in the passage wall of one of the plurality of passage sections to a second opening formed in the passage wall of another of the plurality of passage sections such that a fluid connection is created between the passage sections;a fluid communication device including a first pipe arranged to extract a portion of the fluid from the subterranean passage, a pump fluidly connected to the first pipe, and a second pipe arranged to return the portion of the fluid to the subterranean passage;a heat exchanger positioned above the subterranean medium and fluidly connected to the pump of the fluid communication device to receive the portion of the fluid extracted by the first pipe of the fluid communication device from the subterranean passage, perform a heat transfer process on the portion of the fluid, and fluidly connected to the second pipe of the fluid communication device to return the portion of the fluid to the second pipe fluid communication device for return to the subterranean passage,wherein the first opening and the second opening are located at different elevations of the subterranean passage such that the channel allows natural thermal convection between the passage sections that are connected by the fluid connection-first passage section and the second passage section; and,at least one subterranean chamber formed in the subterranean medium, wherein the subterranean passage extends around at least a portion of the at least one subterranean chamber and wherein the at least one subterranean chamber includes a chamber wall formed in the subterranean medium, the at least one subterranean chamber further comprising a first chamber section and a second chamber section. 6. The arrangement according to claim 5, wherein said second channel is a plurality of channels. 7. The arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the fluid in the subterranean passage is a first fluid, and wherein a second fluid is arranged in the chamber. 8. The arrangement according to claim 7, wherein one of the first fluid and the second fluid is chosen from the group consisting of: water, a mixture of water and a coolant, any liquid fuels, hydro carbons of fossil origin or biological origin, salt solution, ammonia and other refrigerants. 9. The arrangement according to claim 7, further comprising another heat exchanger and at least one additional fluid communication device separate from the fluid communication device and configured to extract a portion of said second fluid from the at least one subterranean chamber at a first height within the at least one subterranean chamber so as to allow processing of said second fluid via the another heat exchanger, wherein said additional fluid communication device further is arranged to return the processed second fluid to the at least one subterranean chamber at a second height within the at least one subterranean chamber. 10. The arrangement according to claim 9, further comprising an energy source coupled to said another heat exchanger, wherein the another heat exchanger is arranged to increase the thermal energy of the second fluid. 11. The arrangement according to claim 10, wherein said energy source is one or more of a group of energy sources consisting of: a thermal electrical power arrangement for heating and/or cogeneration of electricity and heat, an emergency electricity generator, solar panels for heating or solar panels for combined electrical generation and heating, bio fuel heater, oilfired boiler, or a boiler powered by fossil fuel or bio fuel. 12. The arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the at least one subterranean chamber is a first chamber and a second chamber being separated and vertically arranged relative each other. 13. The arrangement according to claim 12, wherein said passage extends around at least a portion of the first or the second chamber. 14. An arrangement for storing thermal energy, comprising: a subterranean chamber having a chamber wall formed out of a subterranean medium, the subterranean chamber having a first chamber section and a second chamber section;a channel formed in the subterranean medium and extending from a first opening formed in the chamber wall of the first chamber section to a second opening formed in the chamber wall of the second chamber section such that a fluid connection is created between the first chamber section and the second chamber section;a fluid communication device including a first pipe arranged to extract a portion of a fluid from the subterranean chamber, a pump fluidly connected to the first pipe, and a second pipe arranged to return the portion of the fluid to the subterranean chamber; anda heat exchanger positioned above the subterranean medium and fluidly connected to the pump of the fluid communication device to receive the portion of the fluid extracted by the first pipe of the fluid communication device from the subterranean chamber, perform a heat transfer process on the portion of the fluid, and fluidly connected to the second pipe of the fluid communication device to return the portion of the fluid to the second pipe for return to the subterranean chamber,wherein the first opening and the second opening are located at different elevations of the subterranean chamber such that the channel allows natural thermal convection between the first chamber section and the second chamber section, the arrangement further comprising a pump separate from the pump of the fluid communication device and fluidly connected to the heat exchanger and configured to pump a fluid from the heat exchanger. 15. The arrangement according to claim 14, wherein said channel includes a plurality of channels. 16. The arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the fluid is a first fluid is chosen from the group consisting of: water, a mixture of water and a coolant, any liquid fuels, hydro carbons of fossil origin or biological origin, salt solution, ammonia or other refrigerants. 17. The arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the fluid communication device is arranged to extract a portion of said first fluid from the subterranean chamber at a first height within the subterranean chamber so as to allow processing of said first fluid via the heat exchanger, wherein said fluid communication device further is arranged to return the processed first fluid to the subterranean chamber at a second height within the subterranean chamber. 18. The arrangement according to claim 17, further comprising an energy source coupled to said heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger is arranged to increase the thermal energy of the first fluid. 19. The arrangement according to claim 18, wherein said energy source is one or more of a group of energy sources consisting of: a thermal electrical power arrangement for heating and/or cogeneration of electricity and heat, an emergency electricity generator, solar panels for heating or solar panels for combined electrical generation and heating, bio fuel heater, oil fired boiler, or a boiler powered by fossil fuel or bio fuel. 20. The arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the subterranean chamber is a first subterranean chamber, the arrangement further comprising a second subterranean chamber separated and vertically arranged relative to the first subterranean chamber.