Systems and methods for efficient pumping of high-pressure fluids for energy

• US 8,733,095 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2012
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SustainX, Inc. (General Compression, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SustainX, Inc. (General Compression, Inc.)
• Inventors: McBride, Troy O., Bollinger, Benjamin R., Scott, Michael Neil, Cook, Robert, Magari, Patrick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): JETTON, CHRISTOPHER M
• Application Number:
  US13/727,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20130160437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 60407-418, 605/08, 60511-515, 60645-681, 417/267, 417/314, 417398-404
• US Class Current: 60/511
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 15/006 in the form of pneumatic energy, e.g. compressed air energy storage [CAES] accumulators for supplying fluid under pressure F15B1/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/16 Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids

Abstract

In various embodiments, a mechanical assembly and/or storage vessel is fluidly coupled to a circulation apparatus for receiving pressurized heat-transfer fluid from an outlet at a first elevated pressure, boosting a pressure of the heat-transfer fluid to a second pressure larger than the first pressure, and returning heat-transfer fluid to an inlet at a third pressure.

Claims

1. A method of energy storage and recovery, the method comprising:

at least one of storing, expanding, or compressing a gas at an elevated pressure within a cylinder assembly having an inlet and an outlet;

circulating a heat-transfer fluid through the gas at the elevated pressure;

increasing a pressure of the heat-transfer fluid to a second pressure higher than the elevated pressure with a pumping system; and

thereafter, introducing heat-transfer fluid into the gas at a pressure ranging from approximately the elevated pressure to approximately the second pressure to thermally condition the gas,

wherein the pumping system comprises a pumping cylinder comprising two separated chambers selectively fluidly connected to the inlet and the outlet of the cylinder assembly.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising thermally conditioning the heat-transfer fluid outside of the cylinder assembly.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the heat-transfer fluid is thermally conditioned after it is compressed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, between the pressure of the heat-transfer fluid being increased and the heat-transfer fluid being introduced into the gas, the pressure of the heat-transfer fluid drops from approximately the second pressure to approximately the elevated pressure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein thermally conditioning the gas comprises heating the gas during expansion thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein thermally conditioning the gas comprises cooling the gas during compression thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein thermally conditioning the gas comprises pre-cooling the gas during storage thereof, and further comprising compressing the gas.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein thermally conditioning the gas comprises pre-heating the gas during storage thereof, and further comprising expanding the gas.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein (i) the pumping cylinder comprises a piston disposed within the pumping cylinder separating the chambers, and (ii) the pumping system comprises an actuator, coupled to the piston, for alternately driving the piston in two opposing directions, thereby alternately increasing a pressure within each of the two chambers.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a manifold assembly selectively fluidly connects both chambers of the pumping cylinder to the inlet and the outlet of the cylinder assembly, such that each chamber alternatively (i) receives heat-transfer fluid from the cylinder assembly and (ii) returns heat-transfer fluid to the cylinder assembly.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the cylinder assembly comprises (i) two separated compartments and (ii) a moveable boundary disposed within the cylinder assembly separating the compartments and comprising a piston and rod assembly defining a fluid passageway therethrough connected to the outlet of the cylinder assembly.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second pressure is at least 10 psi higher than the elevated pressure but no more than 50 psi higher than the elevated pressure.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the elevated pressure is at least 250 psig.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the elevated pressure is at least 1000 psig.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the elevated pressure is at least 3000 psig.

16. A method of energy storage and recovery, the method comprising:

at least one of storing, expanding, or compressing a gas at an elevated pressure within a mechanical assembly;

circulating a heat-transfer fluid through the gas at the elevated pressure;

increasing a pressure of the heat-transfer fluid to a second pressure higher than the elevated pressure with a pumping system; and

thereafter, introducing heat-transfer fluid into the gas at a pressure ranging from approximately the elevated pressure to approximately the second pressure to thermally condition the gas,

wherein the pumping system comprises (i) at least two pumping cylinders, each pumping cylinder comprising (a) two separated chambers selectively fluidly connected to an inlet and an outlet of the mechanical assembly, and (b) a piston disposed within the pumping cylinder separating the chambers, and (ii) an actuator, coupled to a piston, for alternately driving the piston in two opposing directions, thereby alternately increasing a pressure within each of the two chambers separated by the piston.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the mechanical assembly comprises (i) a cylinder assembly comprising (a) two separated compartments and (b) a moveable boundary disposed within the cylinder assembly separating the compartments, and (ii) a storage reservoir for storage of compressed gas.