Liquid air method and apparatus

Abstract

A method and apparatus in which air is liquefied and stored for later energy recovery during which the liquid air is pumped to high pressure, heated and then expanded to recover the energy. During the recovery of energy, the pumped liquid air is heated within a regenerator that stores the refrigeration within the liquid air. During the liquefaction of the air, part of the refrigeration required is obtained from the refrigeration stored in the regenerator.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a utility application of provisional application Ser. No. 61 / 266,347, filed Dec. 3, 2009.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to a method and apparatus in which air is liquefied and stored for later energy recovery during which the liquid air is pumped to high pressure, heated and then expanded to recover the energy, with possible multiple expansions and reheat between expansions. More particularly, the present invention relates to such a method and apparatus that employs an integrated liquefier-regenerator system in which part of the refrigeration for a liquefier, used in liquefying the air, is provided by a regenerator that stores refrigeration imparted to the regenerator during the heating of the pumped and pressurized air.BACKGROUND[0003]The electric grid is in place to connect and balance electric generation and consumption. Due to the instantaneous variations in consumption and generation and the corresponding ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a method for storing and recovering energy from liquid air. The method involves compressing the air and pumping it through a regenerator to cool it and produce a high-pressure air stream. The high-pressure air stream is then expanded and introduced into a phase separator to produce a liquid phase and a vapor phase. The vapor phase is indirectly exchanged heat with the air cooling in the regenerator and the liquid air stream is introduced into a storage tank. The invention also provides a method for compressing the air and introducing it into a combustor to produce a flue gas stream that can be expanded in a second expander to produce a second exhaust stream that can be introduced into the regenerator to heat the air. The invention also provides a method for purifying the air by removing higher boiling contaminants.

Problems solved by technology

Due to the instantaneous variations in consumption and generation and the corresponding mismatch between them, the grid needs to include means of storing energy during periods of oversupply, and redeploy it during period of over demand.

Due to an increase of non dispatchable generation sources, the mismatch between electricity supply and demand has been growing in the last few years, and it is poised to reach levels that could compromise the stability of the grid.

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