Patent attributes
A heat reservoir for use in a power plant that burns a dirty fuel such as coal to absorb the heat from the resulting dirty hot gas flow. The heat reservoir includes a number of heat absorbing walls that form dirty hot gas flow passages and clean hot gas flow passages. Cross-over holes are formed in the walls to equalize pressure. The dirty hot gas flow is passed though the dirty passages to heat up the walls. When the heat absorbing walls have absorbed enough heat, the dirty hot gas flow is stopped and compressed air is passed through the clean passages to absorb heat from the walls and is then passed through a turbine to drive an electric generator. The heat reservoir is then recharged again by passing the dirty hot gas flow through the dirty passages to recharge the walls.