# US 12,110,877 B2 · Systems and methods for compressed air energy storage and control thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,110,877 B2 - Document ID: US12110877B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/800,780 - Filed: 2021-02-25 - Published: 2023-11-02 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-25 - Applicants: Kamyar Rouindej - Inventors: Kamyar Rouindej - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110877B2 ## CPC - F03G 7/0254: {pumping or compressing fluids, e.g. microfluidic devices} - F01K 3/02: Use of accumulators and specific engine types; Control thereof - F01K 3/08: Use of accumulators and the plant being specially adapted for a specific use - F02C 6/16: for storing compressed air - F03G 7/0252: {Motors; Energy harvesting or waste energy recovery} - F03G 7/027: {Control or monitoring} - H02J 15/20: using storage of pneumatic energy, e.g. compressed air energy storage [CAES] - F28D 20/00: Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00 - Y02E 20/14: Combined heat and power generation [CHP] - Y02E 60/16: Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids - F03G: SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (arrangements in connection with power supply in vehicles from force of nature B60K16/00; electric propulsion with power supply in vehicles from force of nature B60L8/00) - F01K: STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES (gas-turbine or jet-propulsion plants F02; nuclear power plants, engine arrangements therein G21D) - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract Systems, methods, and devices for energy storage are provided. A system for energy storage includes a thermomechanical-electrical conversion subsystem for converting energy formats and a mechanical and thermal storage unit for storing energy formats. The thermomechanical-electrical conversion subsystem includes a storage subsystem including a compressor and a first thermal energy exchanger and a generation subsystem including a power generator and a second thermal energy exchanger. The storage subsystem compresses a fluid to generate compressed fluid and thermal energy. The generation subsystem generates power from the compressed fluid and the thermal energy. The mechanical and thermal storage unit includes a pressure vessel for storing the compressed fluid and a thermal energy storage for storing the thermal energy generated by the fluid compression and for providing the thermal energy to the generation subsystem for generating power. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for energy storage, the system comprising: a thermomechanical-electrical conversion subsystem for converting energy formats including: a storage subsystem including a fluid compressor and a first thermal energy exchanger, the storage subsystem for compression of a fluid to generate compressed fluid and thermal energy, wherein the compressed fluid is compressed air; a generation subsystem including a power generator and a second thermal energy exchanger, the generation subsystem for generating power from the compressed fluid and the thermal energy; a mechanical and thermal storage unit for storing energy formats including: a pressure vessel for storing the compressed fluid; and a thermal energy storage for storing the thermal energy generated by the fluid compression and for providing the thermal energy to the generation subsystem for generating power; an electric heater for heating the compressed air after being heated by the second thermal energy exchanger and prior to entering the power generator; a first temperature sensor for recording a first temperature measurement of the compressed air prior to entering the second thermal energy exchanger; a second temperature sensor for recording a second temperature measurement of the compressed air after passing through the second thermal energy exchanger; and a control unit for: receiving the first and second temperature measurements from the first and second temperature sensors, respectively; controlling flow of the thermal energy from the thermal energy storage to the second thermal energy exchanger based on the first temperature measurement; and controlling a heat output of the electric heater based on the second temperature measurement. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the energy formats include any two or more of electricity, thermal energy, and pneumatic energy. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the energy formats include electricity, thermal energy, and pneumatic energy. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the energy formats include electricity and at least one of thermal energy and pneumatic energy. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the compressed air has a pressure between 4 MPa and 70 MPa. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the pressure vessel is located above ground and is composed of high-strength steel or composite. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the pressure vessel is located underground in a borehole. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the borehole includes a first vertical segment housing the pressure vessel and a second vertical segment housing the thermal energy storage. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the pressure vessel comprises an outer casing enclosing an inner compartment for storing the compressed fluid, and wherein the outer casing is composed of a thermally insulating material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the power generator is a microturbine having a capacity range of 250 kW to 25 MW. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the thermal energy storage comprises at least one of an underground thermal energy storage using ground as storage medium, a phase change storage, a thermo-chemical storage, and a cool thermal energy storage. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising an end-use device which is fluidly connected to at least one of the mechanical and thermal storage unit and the thermomechanical-electrical conversion subsystem via a fluid transportation subsystem, and wherein the end-use device receives an energy format generated by the system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the energy format received by the end-use device is electricity, thermal energy, or pneumatic energy. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the end-use device is an air treatment unit or a process heating unit, and wherein the energy format received by the end-use device is thermal energy. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the end-use device is a compressed air-powered device, and wherein the energy format received by the end-use device is pneumatic energy. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system operates at a facility having a demand range of 1 MW to 5 MW. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a flow transportation subsystem for fluidly connecting the thermomechanical-electrical conversion subsystem and the mechanical and thermal storage unit and transportation of a working fluid therebetween. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising an energy management unit including a computing device in communication with at least one control device, the energy management unit configured to: monitor energy format demand data for at least one energy format; determine a control operation based on the energy format demand data; and generate control data encoding instructions for performing the control operation, wherein the control data, when received by the at least one control device, causes the control device to perform at least one of: adjusting a flow of a working fluid between the mechanical and thermal storage unit and the thermomechanical-electrical conversion subsystem; and adjusting an operating parameter of at least one of the storage subsystem and the generation subsystem.