Smart Energy System for Power, Heating, and Cooling Grids
This patent describes a complex energy system that combines electricity generation, heating, and cooling with energy storage to help power grids manage their load more flexibly.
Original patent title: “Combined heating power and cooling apparatus with energy storage type adapted to an active distribution network and its method”
This patent describes a complex energy system that combines electricity generation, heating, and cooling with energy storage to help power grids manage their load more flexibly. Granted to Tsinghua University in 2019 with 5 claims and 2 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2035.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent details a combined heating, power, and cooling (CHPC) apparatus designed for an "active distribution network" (a smart power grid). This system includes a "generation apparatus" (like a power plant engine) connected to a "generator" to make electricity. It uses various "flue gas-water heat exchangers" to capture heat from the generation process. Crucially, it incorporates both a "waste heat recovering and absorbing heat pump" and an "energy storing electric heat pump," along with "high temperature energy storing canister" and "low temperature energy storing canister" for storing heat and cold. This setup allows the system to adjust how much electricity it puts onto the grid, helping the grid handle changes in demand, rather than being stuck in older modes where electricity output was solely determined by heating or cooling needs. For example, during times of low electricity demand but high heating needs, the system can store excess heat instead of generating more electricity than the grid requires.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Combined heating, power, and cooling systems that do not include specific energy storage components like "high temperature energy storing canister" and "low temperature energy storing canister."
- Energy systems that do not incorporate both a "waste heat recovering and absorbing heat pump" and an "energy storing electric heat pump."
- Systems that do not use "flue gas-water heat exchangers" to recover heat from the generation apparatus.
- Power generation systems that cannot actively regulate their generated electricity to participate in grid load management.
- Simple combined heat and power (CHP) systems that operate solely by "determining electricity based on heat" or "determining electricity based on cooling."
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The innovation lies in breaking the traditional "determining electricity based on heat" or "determining electricity based on cooling" operation. By integrating specific energy storage and heat pump components, the system gains the flexibility to regulate its electricity output to the grid, allowing it to participate in grid load regulation independently of its immediate heating and cooling demands.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
District heating and cooling networks with integrated power generation
Smart grid energy management systems
Industrial combined heat and power (CHP) plants
Microgrids with thermal and electrical storage
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Modern power grids, especially those integrating renewable energy, need to be more flexible. This patent addresses a key challenge in traditional combined heat and power systems: their inability to easily adjust electricity output independently of heating and cooling demands. By adding sophisticated energy storage and heat pumps, the system can provide stable power to an "active distribution network" while still efficiently providing heating and cooling, which is vital for grid stability and energy efficiency.
Filed
December 10, 2015
Granted
November 19, 2019
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Tsinghua University, as the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is likely involved in further research and development. Companies in the energy sector, such as Siemens Energy, General Electric, and various smart grid technology providers, are active in developing integrated energy solutions and grid management systems. Utilities and district energy providers also implement such systems.
Market impact
This patent contributes to the evolution of combined heat and power systems, moving them from fixed-output energy sources to flexible assets that can support grid stability. It enables better integration of distributed energy resources and improves the overall efficiency of energy use by allowing for the decoupling of electricity generation from immediate thermal demands, which is crucial for grids with increasing renewable energy penetration.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent details a combined heating, power, and cooling (CHPC) apparatus designed for an "active distribution network" (a smart power grid). This system includes a "generation apparatus" (like a power plant engine) connected to a "generator" to make electricity. It uses various "flue gas-water heat exchangers" to capture heat from the generation process. Crucially, it incorporates both a "waste heat recovering and absorbing heat pump" and an "energy storing electric heat pump," along with "high temperature energy storing canister" and "low temperature energy storing canister" for storing heat and cold. This setup allows the system to adjust how much electricity it puts onto the grid, helping the grid handle changes in demand, rather than being stuck in older modes where electricity output was solely determined by heating or cooling needs. For example, during times of low electricity demand but high heating needs, the system can store excess heat instead of generating more electricity than the grid requires.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in breaking the traditional "determining electricity based on heat" or "determining electricity based on cooling" operation. By integrating specific energy storage and heat pump components, the system gains the flexibility to regulate its electricity output to the grid, allowing it to participate in grid load regulation independently of its immediate heating and cooling demands.
What it does not cover
- Combined heating, power, and cooling systems that do not include specific energy storage components like "high temperature energy storing canister" and "low temperature energy storing canister."
- Energy systems that do not incorporate both a "waste heat recovering and absorbing heat pump" and an "energy storing electric heat pump."
- Systems that do not use "flue gas-water heat exchangers" to recover heat from the generation apparatus.
- Power generation systems that cannot actively regulate their generated electricity to participate in grid load management.
- Simple combined heat and power (CHP) systems that operate solely by "determining electricity based on heat" or "determining electricity based on cooling."
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
10/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
3/20
Moderate scope
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$30K – $96K
Midpoint $60K · 9.2 yr remaining · industry baseline
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
5 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
ZHANG, X., Zhang, S., Zhao, X., & Fu, L. (2019). Smart Energy System for Power, Heating, and Cooling Grids (U.S. Patent No. 10,480,867). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10480867/combined-heating-power-and-cooling-apparatus-with-energy-storage-type-adapted-to
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Smart Energy System for Power, Heating, and Cooling Grids cover?
This patent describes a complex energy system that combines electricity generation, heating, and cooling with energy storage to help power grids manage their load more flexibly.
Who owns patent US 10480867?
Tsinghua University owns this patent, granted in 2019.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on December 10, 2035, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 10480867 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 2 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
Modern power grids, especially those integrating renewable energy, need to be more flexible. This patent addresses a key challenge in traditional combined heat and power systems: their inability to easily adjust electricity output independently of heating and cooling demands. By adding sophisticated energy storage and heat pumps, the system can provide stable power to an "active distribution network" while still efficiently providing heating and cooling, which is vital for grid stability and energy efficiency.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Combined heating, power, and cooling systems that do not include specific energy storage components like "high temperature energy storing canister" and "low temperature energy storing canister."
Patent monitoring