To successfully transition from traditional energy models to renewable-based energy generation (which implies fluctuations and lack of manageability), the development of efficient energy storage systems is needed. Even though the storage capacity of batteries and pumped hydro storage have improved over the years, the main drawbacks in price and geographic restrictions urge the emergence of alternative technologies, such as Pumped Thermal Energy Storage (PTES). In PTES, a closed Brayton cycle operates as a heat pump (charge) or power cycle (discharge) between a cold and a hot storage media, consisting of two packed beds. As heat transfer along the packed bed is crucial for storage efficiency, the packed bed is analyzed with different models in order to be implemented as part of the PTES simulation. The hot packed bed (20/400ºC) consists of a pressurized (2 bar) cylindrical tank (2 m high and 0.5 m diameter) filled with small alumina spheres. The unsteady energy equations for both solid and fluid have been solved following a two phases continuum model in a 2D geometry using the Ansys Fluent in non-equilibrium porous media, and the 1D, 2 equations Schumann model using Matlab. Comparison with 1D, one equation model is also presented. Based on a literature review, the most appropriate pressure-drop and volumetric heat transfer correlations are selected for each model. The variation of thermophysical properties of both solid and fluid with temperature, the thermal inertia and conductivity of the tank wall, the near-wall increased porosity, as well as the study of the behavior of the insulation according to its placement (internal or external) have been taken into account in these models. Results are obtained for a mass velocity of 0.2 kg/m2.s, charging time ~6 h and NTU~100. The thermal behavior obtained from 2D (Ansys-Fluent) and 1D (Matlab) analysis matches quite well, although the 2D model unveils interesting features. The temperature of fluid and solid at the outlet show a larger thermal diffusion when effective solid conduction is considered (enhanced Singh model). Finally, focusing on cyclic PTES operation, 20 consecutive charge/discharge cycles have also been examined.