Thermal storage in pressurized fluid for compressed air energy storage systems
AssigneeHydrostor Inc.
InventorsDaniel Stradiotto, Cameron Lewis, Davin Young, Andrew McGillis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thermal storage subsystem may include at least a first storage reservoir configured to contain a thermal storage liquid at a storage pressure that is greater than atmospheric pressure. A liquid passage may have an inlet connectable to a thermal storage liquid source and configured to convey the thermal storage liquid to the liquid reservoir. A first heat exchanger may be provided in the liquid inlet passage and may be in fluid communication between the first compression stage and the accumulator, whereby thermal energy can be transferred from a compressed gas stream exiting a gas compressor/expander subsystem to the thermal storage liquid.
Claims19
A compressed gas energy storage system comprising:
- a) an accumulator having an interior configured to contain compressed gas when in use, wherein the accumulator has a primary opening, an upper wall, a lower wall and the accumulator interior containing a compressed gas being at least partially bounded by the upper wall and lower wall;
- b) a gas compressor/expander subsystem spaced apart from the accumulator and comprising at least a first compression stage having a gas inlet and a gas outlet in fluid communication with the accumulator interior via a gas conduit for conveying compressed gas to the accumulator when in a charging mode and from the accumulator when in a discharging mode;
- and
- c) a thermal storage subsystem comprising:
- i. at least a first storage reservoir configured to contain a thermal storage liquid at a storage pressure that is greater than atmospheric pressure, wherein the first storage reservoir comprises a pressurized layer of cover gas above the thermal storage liquid and the layer of cover gas is formed by a boiling of a portion of the thermal storage liquid within the first storage reservoir whereby the layer of cover gas is pressurized to the storage pressure;
- ii. a liquid passage having an inlet connectable to a thermal storage liquid source and configured to convey the thermal storage liquid to the first storage reservoir;
- and
- iii. a first heat exchanger provided in the liquid passage and in fluid communication between the first compression stage and the accumulator, whereby when the compressed gas energy storage system is in a charging mode thermal energy is transferred from a compressed gas stream exiting the gas compressor/expander subsystem to the thermal storage liquid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.