ADIABATIC COMPRESSED AIR ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM WITH LIQUID THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE
First Claim
1. An adiabatic compressed air energy storage (ACAES) system comprising:
- a compressor system configured to compress air supplied thereto, the compressor system comprising;
a plurality of compressors; and
a compressor conduit fluidly connecting the plurality of compressors together and having an air inlet and an air outlet;
an air storage unit connected to the air outlet of the compressor conduit and configured to store compressed air received from the compressor system;
a turbine system configured to expand compressed air supplied thereto from the air storage unit, the turbine system comprising;
a plurality of turbines; and
a turbine conduit fluidly connecting the plurality of turbines together and having an air inlet and an air outlet; and
a thermal energy storage (TES) system configured to remove thermal energy from compressed air passing through the compressor conduit and to return thermal energy to air passing through the turbine conduit, the TES system comprising;
a container;
a plurality of heat exchangers;
a liquid TES medium conduit system fluidly coupling the container to the plurality of heat exchangers;
a liquid TES medium stored within the container;
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.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
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.
149 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An adiabatic compressed air energy storage (ACAES) system comprising:
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a compressor system configured to compress air supplied thereto, the compressor system comprising; a plurality of compressors; and a compressor conduit fluidly connecting the plurality of compressors together and having an air inlet and an air outlet; an air storage unit connected to the air outlet of the compressor conduit and configured to store compressed air received from the compressor system; a turbine system configured to expand compressed air supplied thereto from the air storage unit, the turbine system comprising; a plurality of turbines; and a turbine conduit fluidly connecting the plurality of turbines together and having an air inlet and an air outlet; and a thermal energy storage (TES) system configured to remove thermal energy from compressed air passing through the compressor conduit and to return thermal energy to air passing through the turbine conduit, the TES system comprising; a container; a plurality of heat exchangers; a liquid TES medium conduit system fluidly coupling the container to the plurality of heat exchangers; a liquid TES medium stored within the container; 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for adiabatic compressed air energy storage (ACAES) comprising:
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supplying air to a compressor system, the compressor system including a plurality of compressor units fluidly connected by a compressor conduit; compressing the air in the compressor system during a compression stage; storing the compressed air in a compressed air storage unit; supplying the compressed air from the compressed air storage unit to a turbine system, the turbine system including a plurality of turbine units fluidly connected by a turbine conduit; expanding the air in the turbine system during an expansion stage; and during each of the compression stage and the expansion stage, passing the air through a liquid thermal energy storage (TES) system coupled to each of the compressor conduit and the turbine conduit, the liquid TES system comprising; a liquid storage volume; a plurality of heat exchangers fluidly coupled to the liquid storage volume; and a thermal separation unit configured to thermally isolate a liquid in the liquid storage volume on a first side of the thermal separation unit from a liquid in the liquid storage volume on a second side of the thermal separation unit. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. An adiabatic compressed air energy storage (ACAES) system comprising:
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a compressor system configured to compress air supplied thereto, the compressor system comprising; a plurality of compressors; and a compressor conduit connecting the plurality of compressors and having an air inlet and an air outlet; an air storage unit connected to the air outlet of the compressor conduit and configured to store compressed air received from the compressor system; a turbine system configured to expand compressed air supplied thereto from the air storage unit, the turbine system comprising; a plurality of turbines; and a turbine conduit connecting the plurality of turbines and having an air inlet and an air outlet; and a liquid thermal energy storage (TES) system comprising a TES liquid configured to remove thermal energy from compressed air passing through the compressor conduit and to return thermal energy to air passing through the turbine conduit, the liquid TES system further comprising; a storage volume configured to store the TES liquid; a plurality of heat exchangers fluidly coupled to the storage volume; and a thermal separator positioned within the container and configured to thermally separate a hot volume of the TES liquid from a cold volume of the TES liquid within the storage volume. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification