Energy storage and conversion using fluid energy and electric field to create electric charge

A method of converting energy of a pressurised fluid to electric energy, the method comprising:

• causing the pressurised fluid to maintain a pressure of more than 1 bar inside a pressure vessel;
• applying an electric field to the pressurised fluid in the pressure vessel throughout a time period, wherein applying the electric field throughout the time period causes separation of positive and negative charged species of the pressurised fluid throughout the time period along a field direction of the electric field;
• collecting at least a fraction of one or each of the positive and negative charged species at a respective current collector throughout the time period;
• and
• drawing a current from one of the current collectors to provide electrical energy to a load.

A method of converting energy of a pressurised fluid to electric energy, the method comprising:

• causing the pressurised fluid to flow through a flow chamber along a flow direction between an inlet port and an exhaust portion of the flow chamber, thereby converting the potential energy to kinetic energy of the flowing fluid;
• applying a pulsed electric field to the fluid flowing in the flow chamber throughout a time period with an electric field generator;
• wherein applying the pulsed electric field causes separation of one or each of a positive and negative charged species in the pressurised fluid throughout the time period, and wherein separating the charged species in the pressurised fluid causes conversion of the energy of the pressurised fluid to the electrical energy throughout the time period;
• collecting at least a fraction of one or each of a positive and negative charged species at a respective current collector throughout the time period;
• and
• drawing a current from a current collector to provide electrical energy to a load.