Utility scale osmotic grid storage
AssigneeOasys Water, Inc.
InventorsRobert McGinnis, Aaron Mandell
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Abstract
Systems and methods for the storage of potential energy that may be readily converted to electrical power delivered to a customer or grid distribution are disclosed. This method may involve the use of salinity gradients, or as they may be also described, osmotic pressure gradients or differences between two solutions, to produce hydraulic pressure in a concentrated solution, allowing for the generation of power.
Claims45
A method of operating an osmotic battery, comprising:
- providing a source of a dilute salt solution;
- separating the dilute salt solution to form a concentrated solution and a substantially dilute working solution;
- storing the concentrated solution in fluid isolation from the substantially dilute working solution;
- and
- maintaining a concentration gradient between the concentrated solution and the substantially dilute working solution to store energy as a chemical energy potential difference between the concentrated solution and the substantially dilute working solution.
An osmotic energy system, comprising:
- a pressure retarded osmosis unit comprising a semipermeable membrane;
- a potential energy storage unit comprising a source of a concentrated solution fluidly connected to a first inlet of the pressure retarded osmosis unit and a source of a dilute working solution fluidly connected to a second inlet of the pressure retarded osmosis unit;
- a turbine fluidly connected downstream of the pressure retarded osmosis membrane unit;
- and
- an electrical generator connected to the turbine unit.
A method of operating an osmotic battery, comprising:
- providing a source of a dilute salt solution;
- using electrical energy to separate the dilute salt solution to form a concentrated solution and a substantially dilute working solution;
- storing the concentrated solution and the substantially dilute working solution;
- maintaining a concentration gradient between the concentrated solution and the substantially dilute working solution to harness potential energy;
- and
- introducing the concentrated solution and the substantially dilute working solution to process which generates electricity from the potential energy in response to a power demand.
A method of operating an osmotic battery, comprising:
- introducing a dilute salt solution to a thermal separation process to form a concentrated solution and a substantially dilute working solution;
- storing the concentrated solution and the substantially dilute working solution;
- maintaining a concentration gradient between the concentrated solution and the substantially dilute working solution to harness potential energy;
- and
- introducing the concentrated solution and the substantially dilute working solution to a pressure retarded osmosis process to generate electricity from the potential energy in response to a power demand.
An osmotic energy system, comprising:
- a grid energy delivery system;
- an electrochemical generator electrically coupled to the grid energy delivery system;
- and
- a potential energy storage unit comprising a source of a concentrated solution fluidly connected to a first inlet of the electrochemical generator and a source of a dilute working solution fluidly connected to a second inlet of the electrochemical generator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.