Hydraulic compressed air energy storage system

A method of generating electricity with a hydraulic compressed air energy storage system, wherein the system includes a first group of air and liquid tanks stored within a liquid bath, each of which comprises interdependent volumes of liquid and air, and dedicated passages through which incoming air may be fed forcing outflow of liquid, or incoming liquid may be fed forcing outflow of air, wherein the first group of air and liquid tanks comprises a plurality of tanks configured to store compressed air therein at different pressures ranging between atmospheric pressure and a maximum pressure of the compressed air tanks;

• a plurality of compressed air tanks communicatively connected to the first group of the air and liquid tanks, a pump, and at least one liquid turbine, the at least one liquid turbine electrically connected to a generator for generating electric power, the method comprising:
• charging the system by pumping liquid through the first group of air and liquid tanks in different stages, each having different maximum pressures for the compressed air, to thereby expel air from the first group of air and liquid tanks and compress the air in the plurality of compressed air tanks;
• and
• discharging the system by releasing the compressed air from the compressed air tanks and pumping the liquid through the at least one liquid turbine with the compressed air, thereby generating electricity.

A hydraulic compressed air energy storage system, comprising:

• a plurality of air and liquid tanks, each of which comprises interdependent volumes of liquid and air;
• and dedicated passages through which incoming air may be fed forcing outflow of liquid, or incoming liquid may be fed, forcing outflow of air;
• a plurality of compressed air tanks communicatively connected to a first group of the air and liquid tanks;
• a pump;
• at least one liquid turbine, the at least one liquid turbine electrically connected to a generator for generating electric power;
• wherein the first group of air and liquid tanks comprises a plurality of tanks configured to store compressed air therein at different pressures ranging between atmospheric pressure and a maximum pressure of the compressed air tanks;
• wherein, during charging of the system, liquid is pumped through the first group of air and liquid tanks in different stages, each having different maximum pressures for the compressed air, and air is expelled from the first group of air and liquid tanks and compressed in the plurality of compressed air tanks, and
• during discharging of the system, compressed air is released from the compressed air tanks and said compressed air pumps liquid through the at least one liquid turbine, thereby generating electricity,
• wherein the first group of air and liquid tanks comprises at least three air and liquid tanks, wherein, at any point during charging of the system, at least one air and liquid tank is filling with liquid, and at least another air and liquid tank is emptying of liquid.

A hydraulic compressed air energy storage system, comprising:

• a plurality of air and liquid tanks stored within a liquid bath, each of which comprises interdependent volumes of liquid and air;
• and dedicated passages through which incoming air may be fed forcing outflow of liquid, or incoming liquid may be fed, forcing outflow of air;
• a plurality of compressed air tanks communicatively connected to a first group of the air and liquid tanks;
• a pump;
• at least one liquid turbine, the at least one liquid turbine electrically connected to a generator for generating electric power;
• wherein the first group of air and liquid tanks comprises a plurality of tanks configured to store compressed air therein at different pressures ranging between atmospheric pressure and a maximum pressure of the compressed air tanks;
• wherein, during charging of the system, liquid is pumped through the first group of air and liquid tanks in different stages, each having different maximum pressures for the compressed air, and air is expelled from the first group of air and liquid tanks and compressed in the plurality of compressed air tanks, and
• during discharging of the system, compressed air is released from the compressed air tanks and said compressed air pumps liquid through the at least one liquid turbine, thereby generating electricity.

A method of generating electricity with a hydraulic compressed air energy storage system, wherein the system includes a first group of air and liquid tanks, each of which comprises interdependent volumes of liquid and air, and dedicated passages through which incoming air may be fed forcing outflow of liquid, or incoming liquid may be fed forcing outflow of air, wherein the first group of air and liquid tanks comprises a plurality of tanks configured to store compressed air therein at different pressures ranging between atmospheric pressure and a maximum pressure of the compressed air tanks;

• a plurality of compressed air tanks communicatively connected to the first group of the air and liquid tanks, a pump, and at least one liquid turbine, the at least one liquid turbine electrically connected to a generator for generating electric power, the method comprising:
• charging the system by pumping liquid through the first group of air and liquid tanks in different stages, each having different maximum pressures for the compressed air, to thereby expel air from the first group of air and liquid tanks and compress the air in the plurality of compressed air tanks;
• and
• discharging the system by releasing the compressed air from the compressed air tanks and pumping the liquid through the at least one liquid turbine with the compressed air and pumping liquid with the compressed air through the first group of air and liquid tanks or a second group of air and liquid tanks, thereby generating electricity.

A method of generating electricity with a hydraulic compressed air energy storage system, wherein the system includes a first group of air and liquid tanks, each of which comprises interdependent volumes of liquid and air, and dedicated passages through which incoming air may be fed forcing outflow of liquid, or incoming liquid may be fed forcing outflow of air, wherein the first group of air and liquid tanks comprises a plurality of tanks configured to store compressed air therein at different pressures ranging between atmospheric pressure and a maximum pressure of the compressed air tanks;

• a plurality of compressed air tanks communicatively connected to the first group of the air and liquid tanks, a pump, and at least one liquid turbine, the at least one liquid turbine electrically connected to a generator for generating electric power, the method comprising:
• charging the system by pumping liquid through the first group of air and liquid tanks in different stages, each having different maximum pressures for the compressed air, to thereby expel air from the first group of air and liquid tanks and compress the air in the plurality of compressed air tanks;
• and
• discharging the system by releasing the compressed air from the compressed air tanks and pumping the liquid through the at least one liquid turbine with the compressed air and decompressing the air in a plurality of stages, each having different minimum pressures, thereby generating electricity.

A hydraulic compressed air energy storage system, comprising:

• a plurality of air and liquid tanks, each of which comprises interdependent volumes of liquid and air;
• and dedicated passages through which incoming air may be fed forcing outflow of liquid, or incoming liquid may be fed, forcing outflow of air;
• a plurality of compressed air tanks communicatively connected to a first group of the air and liquid tanks;
• a pump;
• at least one liquid turbine, the at least one liquid turbine electrically connected to a generator for generating electric power;
• wherein the first group of air and liquid tanks comprises a plurality of tanks configured to store compressed air therein at different pressures ranging between atmospheric pressure and a maximum pressure of the compressed air tanks;
• wherein, during charging of the system, liquid is pumped through the first group of air and liquid tanks in different stages, each having different maximum pressures for the compressed air, and air is expelled from the first group of air and liquid tanks and compressed in the plurality of compressed air tanks, and
• during discharging of the system, compressed air is released from the compressed air tanks and said compressed air pumps liquid through the at least one liquid turbine, thereby generating electricity,
• wherein, during discharging of the system, the compressed air pumps liquid through the first and the second groups of air and liquid tanks or a second group of air and liquid tanks and wherein the second group of air and liquid tanks comprises a plurality of tanks configured to store compressed air therein at different pressures ranging between atmospheric pressure and a maximum pressure of the compressed air tanks.