Valve activation in compressed-gas energy storage and recovery systems

An energy storage and recovery system comprising:

• a cylinder assembly (i) for, therewithin, at least one of compression of gas to store energy or expansion of gas to recover energy and (ii) having an interior compartment;
• a valve for at least one of admitting fluid into the interior compartment or exhausting fluid from the interior compartment through a gated port, the valve comprising a valve member for occluding the gated port;
• and
• for actuating the valve, an actuation mechanism comprising (i) an actuation cylinder having a lateral surface and first and second opposing end surfaces, (ii) a piston disposed within and dividing the actuation cylinder into first and second chambers, a difference in fluid pressure between the two chambers actuating the valve, (iii) within the first chamber, a first occludable orifice defined by the lateral surface and configured to be at least partially occluded by the piston during movement of the piston within the actuation cylinder, (iv) within the first chamber, a first fixed orifice configured to not be occluded by the piston during movement of the piston within the actuation cylinder, (v) within the second chamber, a second occludable orifice defined by the lateral surface and configured to be at least partially occluded by the piston during movement of the piston within the actuation cylinder, and (vi) within the second chamber, a second fixed orifice configured to not be occluded by the piston during movement of the piston within the actuation cylinder.