Utility scale electric energy storage system
First Claim
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1. An energy storage system comprising:
- a rail system having upper and lower storage yards with interconnecting track connecting the upper and lower yards and a plurality of track routing configuration control elements;
a plurality of shuttle units supported by wheels and operably connected to an electrical motor and an electrical generator, said shuttle units further having a support structure and integral transfer mechanism for removably carrying masses;
an electrical interconnection between the motors and generators and an electrical grid;
a control system in communication with the electrical grid, the plurality of shuttle units and the rail system control elements and said control system executing a first control sequence to store energy and executing a second control sequence for providing power to the electrical grid,said first control sequence causing selected shuttle units to retrieve masses located in the lower storage yard and using the operably connected motor to drive the selected shuttle units from the lower storage yard to the upper storage yard, said control elements configured to route the selected shuttle units, and causing the selected shuttle units to offload the masses in the upper storage yard;
said second control sequence causing selected shuttle units to retrieve masses located in the upper storage yard and using the operably connected generator supplying power to the grid by selective regenerative braking of the selected shuttle units from the upper storage yard to the lower storage yard, said control elements configured to route the selected shuttle units, and causing the selected shuttle units to offload the masses in the lower storage yard.
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Abstract
A potential energy storage system incorporating multiple track mounted shuttle units having motor/generator drive bogies and structure with an integral transfer mechanism for removably carrying energy storage masses from a first lower elevation storage yard to a second higher elevation storage yard employing excess energy from the electrical grid driving the motors, removing the masses in the second storage yard for energy storage, retrieving the masses and returning the masses from the second storage yard to the first storage yard recovering electrical energy through the generators.
19 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An energy storage system comprising:
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a rail system having upper and lower storage yards with interconnecting track connecting the upper and lower yards and a plurality of track routing configuration control elements; a plurality of shuttle units supported by wheels and operably connected to an electrical motor and an electrical generator, said shuttle units further having a support structure and integral transfer mechanism for removably carrying masses; an electrical interconnection between the motors and generators and an electrical grid; a control system in communication with the electrical grid, the plurality of shuttle units and the rail system control elements and said control system executing a first control sequence to store energy and executing a second control sequence for providing power to the electrical grid, said first control sequence causing selected shuttle units to retrieve masses located in the lower storage yard and using the operably connected motor to drive the selected shuttle units from the lower storage yard to the upper storage yard, said control elements configured to route the selected shuttle units, and causing the selected shuttle units to offload the masses in the upper storage yard; said second control sequence causing selected shuttle units to retrieve masses located in the upper storage yard and using the operably connected generator supplying power to the grid by selective regenerative braking of the selected shuttle units from the upper storage yard to the lower storage yard, said control elements configured to route the selected shuttle units, and causing the selected shuttle units to offload the masses in the lower storage yard. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for utility scale energy storage employing a rail system having upper and lower storage yards with interconnecting track connecting the upper and lower yards and a plurality of control elements for configuring track routing in the system with a plurality of shuttle units having a support structure and integral transfer mechanism for removably carrying masses, each shuttle unit operably connected to an electrical motor and an electrical generator comprising:
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connecting the rail system to an electrical grid; upon receiving a command for energy storage, controlling a selected set of the plurality of shuttle units to each load a mass from a selected storage track in the lower storage yard; connecting the storage track to a power track; driving the motor operably connected to each shuttle unit to lift the mass up the power track to the upper storage yard; controlling the selected set of shuttle units to unload the masses to a selected storage track in the upper storage yard; upon receiving a command for energy return, controlling a selected set of shuttle units each to load a mass from a selected storage track in the upper storage yard; connecting the storage track to a power track; regeneratively braking the generator operably connected to each shuttle unit to carry the mass down the power track to the lower storage yard; controlling the shuttle unit to unload the mass to a selected storage track in the lower storage yard.
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16. A shuttle unit for an energy storage system comprising:
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a support structure mounted on wheels and operably connected to an electrical motor and an electrical generator said support structure having an integral transfer mechanism for removably carrying the masses; an electrical interconnection between the motors and generators and an electrical grid; a controller connected to the electrical motor and electrical generator, said controller responsive to a first control sequence to store energy and a second control sequence for providing power to the electrical grid, said first control sequence causing the shuttle unit to retrieve a mass located in a lower storage yard and using the operably connected motor drawing power from the grid to drive the shuttle unit from the lower storage yard to the upper storage yard and causing the shuttle unit to offload the mass in the upper storage yard; said second control sequence causing the shuttle unit to retrieve a mass located in the upper storage yard and using the operably connected generator supplying power to the grid by selective regenerative braking of the shuttle unit from the upper storage yard to the lower storage yard, and causing the shuttle unit to offload the mass in the lower storage yard.
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Specification