FLUID CIRCULATION IN ENERGY STORAGE AND RECOVERY SYSTEMS

• US 20120036851A1
• Filed: 09/16/2011
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SustainX, Inc. (General Compression, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SustainX, Inc. (General Compression, Inc.)
• Inventors: MCBRIDE, TROY O., Bollinger, Benjamin R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,677,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/645
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/16 for storing compressed air
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 6/00 Devices for producing mechanical power from solar energy solar boilers F24
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 6/074 of the non-thermal type, e.g. springs or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/04 using pressure differences or thermal differences occurring in nature F03G7/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/46 Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/14 Combined heat and power generation [CHP]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/16 Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids

Abstract

In various embodiments, heat is exchanged with a gas being compressed or expanded within an energy storage and recovery system without the use of flexible hoses.

Claims

1. A compressed gas energy storage and recovery system comprising:

a cylinder assembly comprising (i) a first compartment, (ii) a second compartment, (iii) a piston, slidably disposed within the cylinder assembly, separating the compartments, and (iv) a piston rod coupled to the piston and extending outside the first compartment, the piston rod comprising a cavity in fluid communication with the second compartment;

a mechanism for introducing heat-exchange fluid within the second compartment; and

a tube, configured for non-flexure and disposed at least partially within the cavity and in fluid communication with the mechanism, for facilitating recirculation of heat-exchange fluid from the second compartment to the mechanism.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the tube is substantially rigid.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the tube extends outside the second compartment.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the tube is coaxially disposed within the cavity.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the tube comprises an internal pump.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the internal pump comprises at least one of a submersible bore pump, an axial flow pump, or an in-line-type pump.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the tube comprises a substantially hollow cylinder.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the mechanism comprises a spray head.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the spray head is annular and disposed around the tube.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a heat exchanger and an external circulation apparatus for circulating heat-exchange fluid from the second compartment through the heat exchanger and back to the second compartment.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a heat exchanger, the tube comprising an internal pump for circulating heat-exchange fluid from the second compartment through the heat exchanger and back to the second compartment.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising, disposed between the mechanism and the tube, a seal for preventing the flow of heat-exchange fluid from the cavity directly into the second compartment.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the tube is configured to remain stationary notwithstanding movement of the piston and piston rod during expansion or compression of a gas in the second compartment.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat-exchange fluid comprises water.

15. A method for energy storage and recovery, the method comprising:

at least one of expanding or compressing a gas within a chamber of a cylinder assembly, the cylinder assembly comprising (i) a piston slidably disposed therewithin and (ii) a piston rod coupled to the piston;

circulating heat-exchange fluid from the chamber, through the piston rod in a plurality of different directions, and back to the chamber.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of different directions comprises two parallel opposite directions.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising thermally conditioning the heat-exchange fluid before it circulates back to the chamber.

18. A method for energy storage and recovery, the method comprising:

at least one of expanding or compressing a gas within a chamber of a cylinder assembly; and

exchanging heat with the gas during the at least one of expansion or compression via continuous recirculation of a heat-exchange fluid through the chamber and an external heat exchanger via piping and without flexure of the piping.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the heat exchange renders the at least one of expansion or compression substantially isothermal.