Systems and methods for energy storage and recovery using rapid isothermal gas expansion and compression
First Claim
1. A system for substantially isothermal expansion and compression of a gas, and that is suitable for the efficient use and conservation of energy resources, the system comprising:
- a cylinder assembly including a staged pneumatic side and a hydraulic side, the sides being separated by a movable mechanical boundary mechanism that transfers energy therebetween, whereby energy is stored and recovered via compression and expansion of a gas within the cylinder assembly;
a pressure vessel for storage of compressed gas selectively fluidly coupled to the cylinder assembly; and
a heat transfer subsystem in fluid communication with the pneumatic side of the cylinder assembly to thermally condition the gas within the cylinder assembly, thereby increasing efficiency of the energy storage and recovery.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to systems and methods for rapidly and isothermally expanding and compressing gas in energy storage and recovery systems that use open-air hydraulic-pneumatic cylinder assemblies, such as an accumulator and an intensifier in communication with a high-pressure gas storage reservoir on a gas-side of the circuits and a combination fluid motor/pump, coupled to a combination electric generator/motor on the fluid side of the circuits. The systems use heat transfer subsystems in communication with at least one of the cylinder assemblies or reservoir to thermally condition the gas being expanded or compressed.
653 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for substantially isothermal expansion and compression of a gas, and that is suitable for the efficient use and conservation of energy resources, the system comprising:
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a cylinder assembly including a staged pneumatic side and a hydraulic side, the sides being separated by a movable mechanical boundary mechanism that transfers energy therebetween, whereby energy is stored and recovered via compression and expansion of a gas within the cylinder assembly; a pressure vessel for storage of compressed gas selectively fluidly coupled to the cylinder assembly; and a heat transfer subsystem in fluid communication with the pneumatic side of the cylinder assembly to thermally condition the gas within the cylinder assembly, thereby increasing efficiency of the energy storage and recovery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A staged hydraulic-pneumatic energy conversion system that stores and recovers electrical energy using thermally conditioned compressed fluids, and that is suitable for the efficient use and conservation of energy resources, the system comprising first and second coupled cylinder assemblies, wherein:
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the system includes at least one pneumatic side comprising a plurality of stages and at least one hydraulic side, the at least one pneumatic side and the at least one hydraulic side being separated by at least one movable mechanical boundary mechanism that transfers energy therebetween, whereby energy is stored and recovered via compression and expansion of a gas within the at least one pneumatic side; the first cylinder assembly comprises an accumulator that transfers the mechanical energy at a first pressure ratio and the second cylinder assembly comprises an intensifier that transfers the mechanical energy at a second pressure ratio greater than the first pressure ratio; and a heat transfer subsystem in fluid communication with the at least one pneumatic side to thermally condition the gas within the at least one pneumatic side, thereby increasing efficiency of the energy storage and recovery. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for substantially isothermal expansion and compression of a gas, and that is suitable for the efficient use and conservation of energy resources, the system comprising:
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a cylinder assembly including a staged pneumatic side and a hydraulic side, the sides being separated by a movable mechanical boundary mechanism that transfers energy therebetween, whereby energy is stored and recovered via compression and expansion of a gas within the cylinder assembly; and a heat transfer subsystem in fluid communication with the pneumatic side of the cylinder assembly to thermally condition the gas within the cylinder assembly, thereby increasing efficiency of the energy storage and recovery, wherein the heat transfer subsystem comprises a mechanism for introducing a heat transfer fluid in the pneumatic side. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification