Energy storage and generation systems and methods using coupled cylinder assemblies

• US 8,109,085 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2010
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hydrostor Inc.
• Original Assignee: SustainX, Inc. (General Compression, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cook, Robert, Bollinger, Benjamin R., Doyle, Lee, Shang, Andrew, Wilson, Timothy, Magari, Patrick, Cameron, Benjamin, Deserranno, Dimitri, McBride, Troy O., Scott, Micheal Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazo, Thomas E
• Application Number:
  US12/966,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20110107755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 911/65, 911/66, 915/08, 603/98, 604/12, 604/13
• US Class Current: 60/413
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 1/024 used as a supplementary power source, e.g. to store energy in idle periods to balance pump load

Abstract

In various embodiments, pneumatic cylinder assemblies are coupled in series pneumatically, thereby reducing a range of force produced by or acting on the pneumatic cylinder assemblies during expansion or compression of a gas.

Claims

1. A method for efficient use and conservation of energy resources, the method comprising:

compressing a gas within a plurality of pneumatic cylinders, the pneumatic cylinder assemblies being coupled in series pneumatically, thereby reducing a range of force acting on the pneumatic cylinder assemblies during compression of the gas;

storing the compressed gas in a storage vessel after compression; and

generating electricity with the stored compressed gas.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the force between the pneumatic cylinder assemblies and at least one hydraulic cylinder assembly fluidly connected to a hydraulic motor/pump.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one hydraulic cylinder assembly comprises a plurality of hydraulic cylinder assemblies.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising disabling one of the hydraulic cylinder assemblies to decrease a range of hydraulic pressure produced by or acting on the hydraulic cylinder assemblies.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of hydraulic cylinder assemblies comprises a first hydraulic cylinder assembly telescoped inside a second hydraulic cylinder assembly.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of hydraulic cylinder assemblies are coupled in parallel mechanically.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising disabling a compartment of at least one said hydraulic cylinder assembly to decrease a range of hydraulic pressure produced by or acting on the hydraulic cylinder assembly.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pneumatic cylinder assemblies comprises a first pneumatic cylinder assembly telescoped inside a second pneumatic cylinder assembly.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining the gas at a substantially constant temperature during the compression by exchanging heat with the gas being compressed.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising disabling one of the pneumatic cylinder assemblies during the compressing the gas.

11. A method for efficient use and conservation of energy resources, the method comprising:

at least one of (i) expanding a gas within a plurality of pneumatic cylinder assemblies, the pneumatic cylinder assemblies being coupled in series pneumatically, thereby reducing a range of force produced by the pneumatic cylinder assemblies during expansion of the gas, or (ii) compressing a gas within a plurality of pneumatic cylinder assemblies, the pneumatic cylinder assemblies being coupled in series pneumatically, thereby reducing a range of force acting on the pneumatic cylinder assemblies during compression of the gas; and

transmitting force between the pneumatic cylinder assemblies and a crankshaft coupled to a rotary motor/generator.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising disabling one of the pneumatic cylinder assemblies during the at least one of expanding or compressing the gas.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of pneumatic cylinder assemblies are coupled in parallel mechanically.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising maintaining the gas at a substantially constant temperature during the at least one of expansion or compression by exchanging heat with the gas being expanded or compressed.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein exchanging heat comprises circulating a heat-transfer fluid through at least one compartment of at least one of the pneumatic cylinder assemblies.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein exchanging heat comprises circulating the gas from at least one compartment of at least one of the pneumatic cylinder assemblies through an external heat exchanger.

17. A method for efficient use and conservation of energy resources, the method comprising:

at least one of (i) expanding a gas within a plurality of pneumatic cylinder assemblies, the pneumatic cylinder assemblies being coupled in series pneumatically, thereby reducing a range of force produced by the pneumatic cylinder assemblies during expansion of the gas, or (ii) compressing a gas within a plurality of pneumatic cylinder assemblies, the pneumatic cylinder assemblies being coupled in series pneumatically, thereby reducing a range of force acting on the pneumatic cylinder assemblies during compression of the gas; and

maintaining the gas at a substantially constant temperature during the at least one of expansion or compression.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein maintaining the gas at a substantially constant temperature comprises exchanging heat with the gas being expanded or compressed.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein exchanging heat comprises circulating a heat-transfer fluid through at least one compartment of at least one of the pneumatic cylinder assemblies.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein exchanging heat comprises circulating the gas from at least one compartment of at least one of the pneumatic cylinder assemblies through an external heat exchanger.