Staged Cryogenic Storage for Supercritical Compressed Air Energy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current compressed air energy storage systems face challenges with insufficient cryogenic energy recovery, high costs, safety concerns due to flammable chemicals, and limitations in scalability and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A staged cryogenic storage subsystem with intermediate cooling cryogenic energy cycles, using air, nitrogen, argon, or helium as working mediums, and incorporating a cryogenic energy compensation system and heat storage heat exchange for autonomous energy recovery without external inputs, enhancing efficiency and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional compressed air energy storage uses large-scale caverns and fossil fuel combustion, then large-scale energy storage is achieved with low cost and long life, but construction site is limited and pollution is caused
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermodynamic parameters of the compressed air storage system by implementing staged cryogenic storage, transitioning from conventional single-stage storage to multi-stage temperature and pressure control. This enables the system to store compressed air at extremely low temperatures (cryogenic conditions) in staged containers, achieving high-density energy storage without fossil fuel combustion, thus eliminating pollution while maintaining large-scale storage capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite insulation structures for the cryogenic storage containers, combining multiple insulation materials and design layers to maintain extremely low temperatures while preventing heat ingress. This composite approach enables the system to achieve cryogenic storage conditions necessary for high-density energy storage without requiring fossil fuel-based heating systems, thereby eliminating pollution
2Loss of energy
If thermal storage type compressed air energy storage recovers compression heat for reheat in turbine stages, then high efficiency and environmental friendliness are achieved, but application is limited to topography condition of gas storage cavern
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the energy storage function from geography-dependent caverns and relocates it to mobile or modular cryogenic storage containers. By taking out the storage medium (compressed air) and placing it in transportable containers with staged cryogenic insulation, the system achieves high efficiency through compression heat recovery while eliminating topography constraints, enabling deployment in diverse locations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the storage temperature parameter to cryogenic levels with staged temperature control, enabling the system to achieve extremely high energy density in compact containers. This parameter change allows the system to recover compression heat efficiently through staged reheat processes while making the storage units mobile and adaptable to various locations, removing topography limitations
3Adaptability or versatility
If large-scale high-pressure resistance container pipes replace gas storage caverns, then topography condition limitation is removed and wide application is enabled, but container cost increases and ratio of container cost to total cost increases with storage time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements nested staged storage containers where smaller storage units are placed within larger insulated containers, creating a hierarchical multi-stage cryogenic storage system. This nesting approach reduces the total volume and material required for insulation and structural support compared to single large containers, thereby reducing container cost while maintaining the ability to store large quantities of compressed air with high adaptability to various sites
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the energy storage system into multiple staged containers operating at different temperature and pressure levels, rather than using a single large high-pressure container. This segmentation reduces the wall thickness and material requirements for each individual container, lowering manufacturing costs while maintaining overall storage capacity and providing flexibility in deployment configurations
4Quantity of substance
If liquid air technology stores working medium in liquid form at atmospheric or low pressure, then energy storage density increases and construction cost and floor space are reduced, but cryogenic energy recovery is not considered and electricity generation efficiency is very low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the cryogenic energy naturally released during liquid air evaporation is captured and fed back into the system. The staged cryogenic storage containers recover this escape cold energy and use it to pre-cool incoming air before compression or to support the liquefaction process, thereby converting what would be a loss into a useful resource and significantly improving electricity generation efficiency while maintaining high energy storage density
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 improves cryogenic energy recovery efficiency, reduces compressor outlet pressure, and enables large-scale, cost-effective, and safe energy storage, independent of geographical constraints.
Implementation Method 1
storing and/or releasing cryogenic energy in a staged cryogenic storage subsystem when the gaseous air or the liquid air is converted
Implementation Method 2
incorporating a cryogenic energy compensation system and heat storage heat exchange for autonomous energy recovery
Implementation Method 3
the supercritical air in the compressor outlet absorbs cryogenic energy to be cooled down
Implementation Method 4
the liquid air boosted by a cryopump absorbs heat and recovers the cryogenic energy, then it is gasified and reheated
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure provides a supercritical compressed air energy storage system. The supercritical compressed air energy storage system includes a supercritical liquefaction subsystem, an evaporation and expansion subsystem, a staged cryogenic storage subsystem, a heat storage and heat exchange subsystem, and a cryogenic energy compensation subsystem, the staged cryogenic storage subsystem being used for implementing the staged storage and release of cryogenic energy, improving efficiency of recovering cryogenic energy during energy release and energy storage, and thereby improving cycle efficiency of the system. The present disclosure does not need to provide any inputs of additional cryogenic energy and heat energy input externally, and has the advantages of high cycle efficiency, low cost, independent operation, environmental friendliness, and no limitation on terrain conditions, and it is suitable for large-scale commercial applications.