Spherical Pressure Vessel Assembly for High-Pressure CAES
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional compressed air energy storage methods face challenges such as non-sealed underground reservoirs, geological limitations, low-pressure storage, and high energy requirements for reutilization, making them inefficient and inaccessible in many geographic locations.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a primary spherical pressure vessel and multiple secondary spherical vessels to store compressed air at high pressures up to 15,000 psi, allowing for efficient energy storage and retrieval, with the option to place the vessels above ground for easier maintenance and inspection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional underground reservoirs are used for compressed air storage, then storage capacity is achieved, but sealing reliability and geological suitability are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the compressed air storage function from underground reservoirs and relocates it to above-ground spherical pressure vessels. This extraction eliminates the sealing and geological reliability issues inherent in underground storage while maintaining the required storage capacity through the use of multiple high-pressure vessels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the storage parameter from low-pressure (conventional CAES) to high-pressure storage (up to 15,000 psi). This parameter change enables the use of compact spherical vessels instead of vast underground reservoirs, achieving the same storage capacity in a more reliable above-ground configuration.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional CAES facilities store air at low pressure, then storage simplicity is maintained, but energy density is low and additional compression is required for reutilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the pressure parameter from low-pressure storage to high-pressure storage (up to 15,000 psi). This enables the stored compressed air to be directly utilized in combustion power generators without requiring additional compression, thereby eliminating the energy penalty associated with reutilization while maintaining compact storage volumes.
3Quantity of substance
If spherical pressure vessels are used for high-pressure storage, then energy storage density is increased, but vessel complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the storage system into multiple identical spherical pressure vessels arranged in a pattern around a central point. This segmentation allows each vessel to be manufactured using standardized high-pressure vessel construction techniques, reducing overall system complexity while achieving high energy storage density through the collective capacity of multiple vessels.
4Quantity of substance
If underground reservoirs are used, then storage infrastructure is established, but accessibility for maintenance and inspection is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the storage infrastructure from the difficult-to-access underground environment and relocates it to above-ground spherical vessels. This extraction provides immediate improvement in maintenance and inspection accessibility while maintaining the required storage capacity, allowing personnel direct access to vessel inspection points and maintenance interfaces.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution provides a high-pressure, mechanical storage system that increases energy storage density, reduces energy loss, and enhances power plant efficiency by enabling on-demand energy generation with reduced fuel demand and operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
The primary and one or more secondary spherical pressure vessels are configured to store compressed air up to 15,000 psi (i.e., resulting in compressed air stored at a very high density)
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for improving the efficacy of a wind turbine farm by providing a mechanical compressed air energy storage solution to provide power to the grid when electricity demand requires it. Specifically, a system for storing compressed air energy recovered from a wind turbine driven compressor. The system can include a primary spherical pressure vessel configured for fluid communication with a compressed air source and a secondary spherical pressure vessel in fluid communication with the primary spherical pressure vessel. Air stored in the pressure vessels can then be discharged to a combustion power generator to generate supplemental electrical energy or through a turbo expander to directly generate electricity.