Utilization of circulating fluidized bed combustors for compressed air energy storage application
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1. A Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) system comprising:
- an electrical machine for use as a motor during a compression mode and for use as a generator during an expansion mode;
a compression train which compresses air and stores such compressed air in an air storage device during said compression mode, said compression train being selectively coupled to said motor by way of a first clutch means;
a turbine train which expands said compressed air from said air storage device during said expansion mode, said turbine train being selectively coupled to said generator by way of a second clutch means;
a heat recuperator for pre-heating said compressed air from said air storage device prior to expansion in said turbine train; and
an atmospheric fluidized bed combustor (FBC) for further heating said compressed air from said pre-heating means prior to expansion in said turbine train, said atmospheric FBC including a combustion chamber for combustion of low-grade fuel, said combustion chamber having a fuel input, a bed of fluidizable solid particles, an input to receive said fluidizable solid particles, a primary combustion air inlet and a secondary fluidizing air inlet.
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Abstract
A thermal energy peaking/intermediate power plant is disclosed having an atmospheric Fluidized Bed Combustor (FBC) for heating compressed air which is input to a turbine. Low-grade fuels such as coal may be combusted in the FBC, eliminating the need for additional combustors requiring premium fuels.
64 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) system comprising:
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an electrical machine for use as a motor during a compression mode and for use as a generator during an expansion mode; a compression train which compresses air and stores such compressed air in an air storage device during said compression mode, said compression train being selectively coupled to said motor by way of a first clutch means; a turbine train which expands said compressed air from said air storage device during said expansion mode, said turbine train being selectively coupled to said generator by way of a second clutch means; a heat recuperator for pre-heating said compressed air from said air storage device prior to expansion in said turbine train; and an atmospheric fluidized bed combustor (FBC) for further heating said compressed air from said pre-heating means prior to expansion in said turbine train, said atmospheric FBC including a combustion chamber for combustion of low-grade fuel, said combustion chamber having a fuel input, a bed of fluidizable solid particles, an input to receive said fluidizable solid particles, a primary combustion air inlet and a secondary fluidizing air inlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. In a thermal power plant of the type which produces compressed air by use of excess energy generated during off-peak load periods and accumulates such compressed air in a storage device, the stored compressed air being withdrawn from said storage device and delivered to a turbine during peak load periods for generation of additional energy, the improved comprising:
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a heat recuperator for pre-heating said compressed air from said storage device prior to delivery to said turbine, said heat recuperator obtaining heat from a turbine exhaust of said turbine; and an atmospheric fluidized bed combustor (FBC) for heating said compressed air from said heat recuperator prior to expansion of said compressed air in said turbine. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for generating peaking or intermediate electricity from expansion of compressed air comprising the steps of:
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compressing a quantity of air during an off-load period; storing said compressed air in an air storage device; pre-heating compressed air from said air storage device in a heat recuperator; heating said pre-heated compressed air in an atmospheric fluidized bed combustor (FBC) during a peaking or intermediate period, said atmospheric FBC including a combustion chamber for combusting low-grade fuels; expanding said heated compressed air in a high pressure turbine coupled to an electric generator; and supplying said expanded heated air from the turbine to the recuperator to pre-heat the compressed air. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. In a Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) system having a compression train and a turbine train, the improvement which permits the use of low grade fuel comprising the steps of:
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supplying heat in the form of exhaust gas from said turbine train to a heat recuperator; pre-heating, in said heat recuperator, compressed air from a compressed air storage device by transferring heat from said exhaust gas to said compressed air; heating said pre-heated compressed air in an atmospheric fluidized bed combustor during a peak period; and expanding said heated compressed air in a high pressure turbine. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. In a Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) system having a compression train and a turbine train in which the turbine train comprises a high pressure turbine and a low pressure turbine, the improvement comprising the steps of:
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heating compressed air prior to expansion in said high pressure turbine, said heating including heating in an atmospheric fluidized bed combustor (FBC), said atmospheric FBC combusting low-grade fuel in a combustion chamber having a fuel input, a bed of fluidizable solid particles, an input to receive said fluidizable solid particles, a primary combustion air inlet and a secondary fluidizing air inlet; expanding said heated compressed air in said high pressure turbine; heating an exhaust gas output by said high pressure turbine in said atmospheric fluidized bed combustor; and expanding said heated exhaust gas in said low pressure turbine. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) system comprising:
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an electrical machine for use as a motor during a compression mode and for use as a generator during an expansion mode; a compression train which compresses air and stores such compressed air in an air storage device during said compression mode, said compression train being selectively coupled to said motor by way of first clutch means; a turbine train which expands said compressed air from said air storage device during said expansion mode, said turbine train being selectively coupled to said generator by way of said second clutch means; means for pre-heating said compressed air from said air storage device prior to expansion in said turbine train; and an atmospheric fluidized bed combustion (FBC) for further heating said compressed air from said pre-heating means prior to expansion in said turbine train, said atmospheric FBC including a combustion chamber for combustion of low-grade fuel, said combustion chamber having a fuel input, a bed of fluidizable solid particles, an input to receive said fluidizable solid particles, a primary combustion air inlet and a secondary fluidizing air inlet. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. In a thermal power plant of the type which produces compressed air by use of excess energy generated during off-peak load periods and accumulates such compressed air in a storage device, the stored compressed air being withdrawn from said storage device and delivered to a turbine during peak load periods for generation of additional energy, the improvement comprising:
an atmospheric fluidized bed combustor for heating said compressed air from said storage device prior to expansion of said compressed air in said turbine, said atmospheric fluidized bed combustor including a combustion chamber for combustion of low-grade fuel, said combustion chamber having a fuel input, a bed of fluidizable solid particles, an input to receive said fluidizable solid particles, a primary combustion air inlet and a secondary fluidizing air inlet. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
Specification