Increased power in compressed-gas energy storage and recovery
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A compressed-gas energy storage and recovery system comprising:
- a cylinder assembly for at least one of compressing gas to store energy or expanding gas to recover energy;
a heat-transfer subsystem for thermally conditioning gas in the cylinder assembly, thereby increasing efficiency of the energy storage and recovery;
selectively fluidly connected to the cylinder assembly, a mechanism for at least one of (i) substantially adiabatically compressing gas prior to its entry into the cylinder assembly, or (ii) substantially adiabatically expanding gas after its exit from the cylinder assembly;
selectively fluidly connected to the cylinder assembly, a compressed-gas reservoir for at least one of storage of gas after compression or supply of compressed gas for expansion thereof; and
selectively fluidly connected to the mechanism, a vent for at least one of exhausting expanded gas to atmosphere or supply of gas for compression thereof.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In various embodiments, energy is stored or recovered via super-atmospheric compression and/or expansion of gas in conjunction with substantially adiabatic compression and/or expansion from or to atmospheric pressure.
628 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A compressed-gas energy storage and recovery system comprising:
-
a cylinder assembly for at least one of compressing gas to store energy or expanding gas to recover energy; a heat-transfer subsystem for thermally conditioning gas in the cylinder assembly, thereby increasing efficiency of the energy storage and recovery; selectively fluidly connected to the cylinder assembly, a mechanism for at least one of (i) substantially adiabatically compressing gas prior to its entry into the cylinder assembly, or (ii) substantially adiabatically expanding gas after its exit from the cylinder assembly; selectively fluidly connected to the cylinder assembly, a compressed-gas reservoir for at least one of storage of gas after compression or supply of compressed gas for expansion thereof; and selectively fluidly connected to the mechanism, a vent for at least one of exhausting expanded gas to atmosphere or supply of gas for compression thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A compressed-gas energy storage and recovery system comprising:
-
a cylinder assembly for at least one of compressing gas to store energy or expanding gas to recover energy; a heat-transfer subsystem for thermally conditioning gas in the cylinder assembly, thereby increasing efficiency of the energy storage and recovery; selectively fluidly connected to the cylinder assembly, a mechanism for at least one of (i) substantially adiabatically compressing gas prior to its entry into the cylinder assembly, or (ii) substantially adiabatically expanding gas after its exit from the cylinder assembly; and fluidly coupled to the mechanism, a pressure vessel for supplying gas at approximately the first super-atmospheric pressure, thereby enabling the mechanism to operate continuously at approximately constant power. - View Dependent Claims (18)
-
-
19. A compressed-gas energy storage and recovery system comprising:
-
a cylinder assembly for at least one of compressing gas to store energy or expanding gas to recover energy; a heat-transfer subsystem for thermally conditioning gas in the cylinder assembly, thereby increasing efficiency of the energy storage and recovery; and selectively fluidly connected to the cylinder assembly, a mechanism for at least one of (i) substantially adiabatically compressing gas prior to its entry into the cylinder assembly, or (ii) substantially adiabatically expanding gas after its exit from the cylinder assembly, wherein the heat-transfer subsystem comprises (i) a circulation apparatus for circulating heat-transfer fluid through the cylinder assembly, and (ii) a mechanism disposed within the cylinder assembly for introducing the heat-transfer fluid into the gas. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
Specification