929 results about "Compressed air energy storage" patented technology

An adiabatic compressed air energy storage (ACAES) system includes a compressor system, an air storage unit, and a turbine system. The ACAES system further includes a thermal energy storage (TES) system that includes a container, a plurality of heat exchangers, a liquid TES medium conduit system fluidly coupling the container to the plurality of heat exchangers, and a liquid TES medium stored within the container. The TES system also includes a plurality of pumps coupled to the liquid TES medium conduit system and configured to transport the liquid TES medium between the plurality of heat exchangers and the container, and a thermal separation system positioned within the container configured to thermally isolate a first portion of the liquid TES medium at a lower temperature from a second portion of the liquid TES medium at a higher temperature.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for using wind energy to compress air or pressurize a fluid as a means of storing energy. Compressed air or pressurized fluid is generated directly by the wind turbines, thereby avoiding the energy losses that occur when wind power is used first to generate electricity to run an electrically powered air compressor. The compressed air or pressurized fluid is stored by means of expanding a volume at constant or nearly constant pressure. This method avoids energy losses that would otherwise result from compressional heating; while also allowing lower pressures to be employed, reducing the cost of the containment facility and avoiding the need to locate facilities in geographically favored locations where underground storage is available. The invention permits both large and small-scale storage at low cost per unit of energy stored, thereby avoiding the difficulty of using a highly variable and unreliable source of energy such as the wind for electrical power generation. The invention can be used for generation and storage on land, in shallow near-shore waters and in deep-water locations far from shore.

The invention discloses a compressed air energy storage system, in particular to a compressed air energy storage system for an electric power system. The compressed air energy storage system disclosed by the invention has reasonable structure, flexible layout, high energy conversion efficiency, good economical efficiency and peakload regulation performance, rapid startup, safety and reliability. The compressed air energy storage system applying the invention can be used for despicking and valley filling of the electric power system, energy storage of renewable energy source and power supply when the renewable energy source is in supply intermission or in shortage in an electric network, and can be used as an emergency power station, an energy accumulator of distributed energy resource and other equipment for electric power energy storage.

The invention relates to systems for stored compressed air without use of combustion. The systems can be installed on the customer side of the meter and creates electricity during peak hours after it has been stored in off peak hours. The invention creates a financial incentive for conserving energy costs by building compressed air storage systems which heretofore have seen little application.

A power generation plant with a compressed air energy storage system comprises a means to reduce the pressure of air extracted from a compressed air storage cavern for the use in a combustion turbine. The means to reduce the air pressure comprises at least one expansion turbine and means to control the size of pressure reduction. Furthermore, the expansion turbine is arranged on a rotor shaft that drives a generator. The means for pressure redact, according to the invention, avoid power losses and provide an increased overall efficiency of the power generation plant.

An ACAES system operable in a compression mode and an expansion mode of operation is disclosed and includes a compressor system configured to compress air supplied thereto and a turbine system configured to expand compressed air supplied thereto, with the compressor system including a compressor conduit and the turbine system including a turbine conduit. The ACAES system also includes a plurality of thermal energy storage (TES) units positioned on the compressor and turbine conduits and configured to remove thermal energy from compressed air passing through the compressor conduit and return thermal energy to air passing through the turbine conduit. The compressor conduit and the turbine conduit are arranged such that at least a portion of the plurality of TES units operate at a first pressure state during the compression mode of operation and at a second pressure state different from the first pressure state during the expansion mode of operation.

A compressed-air energy storage system according to embodiments of the present invention comprises a reversible mechanism to compress and expand air, one or more compressed air storage tanks, a control system, one or more heat exchangers, and, in certain embodiments of the invention, a motor-generator. The reversible air compressor-expander uses mechanical power to compress air (when it is acting as a compressor) and converts the energy stored in compressed air to mechanical power (when it is acting as an expander). In certain embodiments, the compressor-expander comprises one or more stages, each stage consisting of pressure vessel (the “pressure cell”) partially filled with water or other liquid. In some embodiments, the pressure vessel communicates with one or more cylinder devices to exchange air and liquid with the cylinder chamber(s) thereof. Suitable valving allows air to enter and leave the pressure cell and cylinder device, if present, under electronic control.

A compressed air energy storage system comprises a cavern (1) for stored compressed air and a system for providing the compressed air to a power train (3, 5), this system including a recuperator (7) and a first valve arrangement (8) that controls the flow of the compressed air from the recuperator and to the power train (3, 5). A system for warm-keeping of the power train (3, 5) during stand-by operation of the compressed air energy storage system comprises the recuperator (2) and / or an auxiliary electrical air heater (11) and a second valve arrangement (10, 13) for controlling the airflow for warm-keeping. The system for warm-keeping of the power train allows improved temperature control and avoids disadvantages associated with a warm-keeping system having a combustor.

A compressed-air energy storage system according to embodiments of the present invention comprises a reversible mechanism to compress and expand air, one or more compressed air storage tanks, a control system, one or more heat exchangers, and, in certain embodiments of the invention, a motor-generator. The reversible air compressor-expander uses mechanical power to compress air (when it is acting as a compressor) and converts the energy stored in compressed air to mechanical power (when it is acting as an expander). In certain embodiments, the compressor-expander comprises one or more stages, each stage consisting of pressure vessel (the “pressure cell”) partially filled with water or other liquid. In some embodiments, the pressure vessel communicates with one or more cylinder devices to exchange air and liquid with the cylinder chamber(s) thereof. Suitable valving allows air to enter and leave the pressure cell and cylinder device, if present, under electronic control.

A compressed-air energy storage system according to embodiments of the present invention comprises a reversible mechanism to compress and expand air, one or more compressed air storage tanks, a control system, one or more heat exchangers, and, in certain embodiments of the invention, a motor-generator. The reversible air compressor-expander uses mechanical power to compress air (when it is acting as a compressor) and converts the energy stored in compressed air to mechanical power (when it is acting as an expander). In certain embodiments, the compressor-expander comprises one or more stages, each stage consisting of pressure vessel (the “pressure cell”) partially filled with water or other liquid. In some embodiments, the pressure vessel communicates with one or more cylinder devices to exchange air and liquid with the cylinder chamber(s) thereof. Suitable valving allows air to enter and leave the pressure cell and cylinder device, if present, under electronic control.

A compressed-air energy storage system according to embodiments of the present invention comprises a reversible mechanism to compress and expand air, one or more compressed air storage tanks, a control system, one or more heat exchangers, and, in certain embodiments of the invention, a motor-generator. The reversible air compressor-expander uses mechanical power to compress air (when it is acting as a compressor) and converts the energy stored in compressed air to mechanical power (when it is acting as an expander). In certain embodiments, the compressor-expander comprises one or more stages, each stage consisting of pressure vessel (the “pressure cell”) partially filled with water or other liquid. In some embodiments, the pressure vessel communicates with one or more cylinder devices to exchange air and liquid with the cylinder chamber(s) thereof. Suitable valving allows air to enter and leave the pressure cell and cylinder device, if present, under electronic control.

A combustion turbine power generation system (10) includes a combustion turbine assembly (11) including a main compressor (12) constructed and arranged to receive ambient inlet air, a main expansion turbine (14) operatively associated with the main compressor, combustors (16) constructed and arranged to receive compressed air from the main compressor and to feed the main expansion turbine, and an electric generator (15) associated with the main expansion turbine for generating electric power. A compressed air storage (18) stores compressed air. A heat exchanger (24) is constructed and arranged to receive a source of heat and to receive compressed air from the storage so as to heat compressed air received from the storage. An air expander (28) is associated with the heat exchanger and is constructed and arranged to expand the heated compressed air to exhausted atmospheric pressure for producing additional electric power via an electric generator associated with the expander and to permit only a portion of airflow expanded by the air expander to be injected, under certain conditions, into the combustion turbine assembly.

The invention relates to a liquefied compressed air energy storage system with cold-storage liquid media. The liquefied compressed air energy storage system comprises compressor systems, a cold storage system, a heat storage system, a liquefying system and a turbine power generation system. During energy storage, the multistage compressor system is driven by renewable energy sources, so that compressed air is supercharged to exchange heat with a room-temperature cold-storage liquid medium, the cold quantity stored in the liquid medium is lowered to liquefying temperature, and the compressed air is liquefied through throttling; during energy releasing, the liquid air is supercharged to exchange heat with a high-temperature cold-storage liquid medium, the medium recycles cold energy to give to the liquefying process, and the air is warmed to be vaporized; room-temperature high-pressure air is input into a multi-stage turbine expander for acting, and a power generator is driven to output electric energy; the heat storage system reduces the power consumption of the next stage of compressor, and the stored heat is heated step by step before expansion to raise the intake air temperature; a cold-storage medium with a low freezing point and a high / low boiling point recycles the cold energy of the liquid air, the specific heat capacity of the liquid media is large, and the large-temperature-span heat exchange is realized. The liquefied compressed air energy storage system has the advantages of being simple in structure and stable in performance, can realize integration of energy storage and power generation, and can realize the large-scale grid-connection of renewable energy generation, therefore improving the capacity of a power grid accepting new energy power generation.

The invention discloses a compressed air energy storage system, which comprises a compressor unit, a pre-expansion device, a turbine expansion machine, an intermediate cooler, an electric motor, a power generator, a hot water storage tank and a cold water storage tank, wherein the system utilizes electric energy which is not used up in the user electricity consumption valley period or wind power station power generation peak period for driving the compressor unit to work, the air at the normal pressure is compressed to high pressure, in addition, the part of air with rich pressure energy is stored into a high-pressure-resistance hole, in addition, the stored high-pressure air is released in the user electric consumption peak period or the wind power field generation valley period, an expansion unit is pushed to apply work, and the electric energy is output. The air pre-expansion device is additionally arranged at an outlet of an air storage chamber, so the air inlet pressure of the air turbine expansion machine is stable, the work stability of a power generation system is enhanced, low-temperature air at an outlet of the pre-expansion device is utilized for cooling hot water from the hot water storage tank, the temperature of the low-temperature air is raised through absorption of heat from the hot water, and the cooled water enters the cold water storage tank. The compressed air energy storage system is provided with the hot water storage tank and the cold water storage tank, the water is cyclically utilized in a closed loop, the water is not consumed, in addition, the heat discharged by the compressor is fully utilized and conveyed back to the high-pressure air at the outlet of the pre-expansion device. The high-pressure air at the outlet of the pre-expansion device is recovered through a heat recovering device (HRH).

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for using solar energy to enhance the efficiency of a compressed air energy storage system (and visa-versa). The apparatus comprises a photovoltaic panel to drive a compressor, which provides compressed air energy into an inner vessel housed within a storage tank. Two solar receiving panels are used to heat water which can be circulated and stored within an annulus surrounding the inner vessel, wherein the heated water can help regulate the temperature of the compressed air within the tank. This way, when air is released using a turbo expander, any excess temperature drops that can otherwise result from air expansion can be avoided. The overall system efficiency is enhanced by the chilled air by-product of the turbo expander which is used to generate more electrical power from an associated fuel-driven generator set, and / or by the waste heat from the compressor and from the generator set exhaust which is used in a Combined Heat and Power system (CHP) to power either a steam-driven generator set or an absorption chiller.

The invention relates to a compressed-air energy-storage system. A three-position four-way valve is arranged in a pipeline of a compression part and an expansion part of the system and the flowing condition of air in the system is changed by utilizing the feature of change of a turn-on state of the three-position four-way valve, thus the variation of the manners of serial-connection and parallel-connection between a gas compressor and a turbine is realized, and the overall working efficiency is increased. With the adoption of the three-position four-way valve, on one hand, the overall flexibility of the compressed-air energy-storage system is improved, so that the operating of the system is more targeted, and the use of the compressed-air energy-storage system matched with various types of power stations is facilitated; and on the other hand, the service condition of turbomachinery is improved, and the optimized configuration of the turbomachinery according to the needs of energy storage and power generation can be realized.

A combustion turbine power generation system (10) includes a combustion turbine assembly (11) including a main compressor (12) constructed and arranged to receive ambient inlet air, a main expansion turbine (14) operatively associated with the main compressor, combustors (16) constructed and arranged to receive compressed air from the main compressor and to feed the main expansion turbine, and an electric generator (15) associated with the main expansion turbine for generating electric power. A compressed air storage (18) stores compressed air. A heat exchanger (24) is constructed and arranged to receive a source of heat and to receive compressed air from the storage so as to heat compressed air received from the storage. An air expander (28) is associated with the heat exchanger and is constructed and arranged to expand the heated compressed air for producing additional electric power. Airflow, extracted from the expander, is injected into the combustion turbine assembly upstream of the combustors for combustion turbine assembly power augmentation.

Power-generating units and compressor units are arranged in a compressed-air energy storage power station. According to one aspect of the invention, a common grid connection transformer is arranged, to which the power-generating units and the compressor units can selectively be connected. According to a further aspect of the invention, the power-station installation is subdivided into a power-generating area (I) in which the power-generating units are arranged, a switching and voltage-conversion area (II) in which a grid connection transformer is arranged, and a compressor area (III) in which the compressor units are arranged. The stated areas are arranged physically separately from one another. Power-station installations according to the invention can advantageously be combined to form modular power-station centers, which advantageously have common voltage rails and media rails.

A system and method for a thermal energy storage system is disclosed, the thermal energy storage system comprising a plurality of pressure vessels arranged in close proximity to one another, each of the pressure vessels having a wall comprising an outer surface and an inner surface spaced from the outer surface by a respective wall thickness and surrounding an interior volume of the pressure vessel. The interior volume has a first end in fluid communication with one or more compressors and one or more turbines and a second end in fluid communication with at least one of one or more additional compressors, one or more additional turbines, and at least one compressed air storage component. The thermal energy storage system further comprises a thermal storage medium positioned in the interior volume of each of the plurality of pressure vessels.

A compressed air energy storage system comprises a cavern (1) for stored compressed air and a system for providing the compressed air to a power train (3,5), this system including a recuperator (7) and a first valve arrangement (8) that controls the flow of the compressed air from the recuperator and to the power train (3,5). A system for warm-keeping of the power train (3,5) during stand-by operation of the compressed air energy storage system comprises the recuperator (2) and / or an auxiliary electrical air heater (11) and a second valve arrangement (10, 13) for controlling the airflow for warm-keeping. The system for warm-keeping of the power train allows improved temperature control and avoids disadvantages associated with a warm-keeping system having a combustor.

This invention relates to a Compressed Air Turbine-Generator, or CAT-G that will enable the ability to manage energy gathered from ecologically friendly sources, such as solar and wind power. Compressed Air Energy Storage, (C.A.E.S.), is a promising mode of clean energy storage. A major challenge facing this technology is the need to efficiently convert the compressed air energy into electricity. Conventionally, high-pressure air is used only to improve the efficiency of a conventional jet powered turbine generator. The focus herein is on a new technology that efficiently converts the energy stored in compressed air directly into electrical power without producing greenhouse byproduct gases or other pollutants. This new capability will add important flexibility to the optimization of ecologically friendly energy systems.

The invention discloses a compressed air energy storage system using carbon dioxide as a working medium. The system utilizes the supercritical characteristic of carbon dioxide and the state change characteristic of the carbon dioxide near the critical point, and the assistance by the conditions of outside environments (such as underground and seabed cavities) is not needed, so the switching of the energy storage system among constant-pressure energy storage, constant-pressure energy releasing, constant-capacity energy storage and constant-capacity energy releasing is realized, and the different types of power storage and releasing can be realized. The system utilizes the characteristic of the carbon diode which is converted from the gas state into the supercritical or liquid state, so the carbon dioxide is stored, and compared with the gas storage, the complicated degree and design difficulty of the system are effectively reduced, and the cost of the energy storage system is reduced. Meanwhile, the double-storage device method is adopted, the switching of the system between energy storage and energy releasing is flexibly completed without utilizing the assistance by the outside environments (such as underground and seabed cavities), the energy storage and energy releasing characteristics of the system are changed by controlling the carbon dioxide storage / releasing method, and the flexibility of the system is enhanced. The system can be used together with the renewable energy sources, such as solar energy and wind energy, so the generation of other pollutants is avoided, and the environment-friendly characteristic is good.

The invention belongs to the field of high-capacity industrial energy storage, and particularly relates to a high-capacity compressed air energy storage efficient power generating system. A power generating electromotor is respectively connected with a plurality of air compressors as well as a high-pressure turbine and a low-medium-pressure turbine coaxially through clutches; intercoolers are connected among the air compressors; the last air compressor is connected with a cooler; an air pipeline of the cooler is connected with an air storage chamber; the intercoolers and a hot flow pipeline of the cooler are connected with the hot flow side of a heat storage device; the air storage chamber is respectively connected with the inlets of the air sides of the heat storage device and a heat regenerator; the air sides of the heat storage device and the heat regenerator are sequentially connected with a combustor and the high-pressure turbine; a regenerator is connected between the high-pressure turbine and the low-medium-pressure turbine; the outlet of the low-medium-pressure turbine is connected with the smoke side of the heat regenerator. The system can absorb unstable power load generated by renewable energy sources on a large scale, also can absorb the residual electric power when the power grid load is at a low ebb, and releases the stored energy at the electricity consumption peak so as to meet the requirement of the power grid pitch peak.

The invention discloses a wind power generation, thermal power generation and compressed air energy storage integrated power generation system. The integrated system is mainly composed of a wind power plant, a thermal power plant and a compressed air energy storage power station. The wind power plant and the thermal power plant are connected through a compressed air system to form a wind power, thermal power and energy storage integrated power generation system. The compressed air energy storage system adjusts power output according to a grid load requirement and the output condition of the wind power plant and the thermal power plant to achieve linkage of the wind power plant and the thermal power plant and improve grid load response capability. Under the condition that grid safety is ensured, more clean energies can be connected into a grid. The compressed air energy storage system utilizes high temperature slag generated by the thermal power plant to generate power and replaces the traditional way that a traditional compressed air energy storage system utilizes natural gas to generate power. Therefore, the system has high environment benefit. Meanwhile, the system is high in peak load adjustment capability. By means of the system, the grid can receive wind power in a large scale, and the peak adjustment capability can be improved.

The invention discloses an isothermal-isobaric compressed air energy storage system, and relates to an energy storage technology. Through the adoption of the system, air is compressed into an underwater flexible air storage device by an air compressor at valley of power demand, so that electric energy is converted into internal energy of the air to be stored; and after the heat of high pressure air is absorbed by a heat exchanger, the high pressure air in the air storage device drives a power generator to generate power by an expansion machine at peak of power demand. Through the adoption of the isothermal-isobaric compressed air energy storage system disclosed by the invention, a constant pressure is kept within the air storage device by means of underwater pressure, and approximately isothermal compression and expansion process is achieved by using an interstate cooling and heating measure; therefore, the efficiency of the system is increased. Meanwhile, the isothermal-isobaric compressed air energy storage system disclosed by the invention has the advantages of no limitation from energy storage period, environment friendliness, wide use prospect, and so on, and is suitable for power supplies with various types; and the air storage device is uneasy to be affected by geological disasters such as earthquake and the like.

The invention relates to a wind energy-solar energy combined energy storage generating system, comprising a wind power compressed air energy storage system, a solar energy heat collection heat storage system and a gas-steam combined circulation generating system. In the invention, a compressor set is directly driven by utilizing a wind turbine, a solar energy heat collection device is used for heating compressed air, an air stage compressor is used for preheating fuel, exhaust of a gas turbine is taken as a steam turbine generating heat source to realize gas-steam combined circulation, efficiency of a system is improved, and a stable power supply system is provided. The wind power compressed air energy storage system, the solar energy heat collection energy storage system and the gas-steam combined circulation generating system are integrated, the stable power supply system is provided, and the wind energy-solar energy combined energy storage generating system can be used as a pitch peak; meanwhile, technical support is provided for large-scale development of wind power, and system efficiency is improved compared with the technical scheme of the traditional wind power compressed air energy storage generating system.

The invention provides a compressed air energy storage and power generation integrated system based on wind and light complementation. The compressed air energy storage and power generation integrated system comprises a compressed air energy storage system part, a compressed heat storage system part, an expansion machine power generation system part and a solar heat storage system part; the compressed air energy storage system part comprises multiple stages of air compressors and an air storage tank; the compressed heat storage system part comprises cold tanks, hot tanks, first heat exchangers and second heat exchangers; the cold tanks are connected with the hot tanks through the first heat exchangers; and the hot tanks are connected with the cold tanks through the second heat exchangers. The compressed air energy storage and power generation integrated system further comprises a wind power generation system part; the wind power generation system part drives the air compressors to work, compressed air passes through the first heat exchangers, and then is stored in the air storage tank; the compressed air in the air storage tank is heated by the second heat exchangers and then high-temperature and high-pressure air is provided to expansion machines; and the solar heat storage system part provides heat to the air input to the expansion machines. The compressed air energy storage and power generation integrated system can utilize renewable energy sources, off-peak power is used in a peak period, and the functions of energy conservation and emission reduction are exerted.

A compressed-air energy storage system according to embodiments of the present invention comprises a reversible mechanism to compress and expand air, one or more compressed air storage tanks, a control system, one or more heat exchangers, and, in certain embodiments of the invention, a motor-generator. The reversible air compressor-expander uses mechanical power to compress air (when it is acting as a compressor) and converts the energy stored in compressed air to mechanical power (when it is acting as an expander). In certain embodiments, the compressor-expander comprises one or more stages, each stage consisting of pressure vessel (the “pressure cell”) partially filled with water or other liquid. In some embodiments, the pressure vessel communicates with one or more cylinder devices to exchange air and liquid with the cylinder chamber(s) thereof. Suitable valving allows air to enter and leave the pressure cell and cylinder device, if present, under electronic control.