Wind To Electric Energy Conversion With Hydraulic Storage
OwnerDaniel Kenway, Dwayne Garneauinventors
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Abstract
A system for reversible storage of energy, the system comprising: means for generating energy; first conversion means for converting the energy into stored energy by means of low ratio (3.2:1 or less) high pressure (200 bar minimum) compression of gas; and second conversion means for converting the stored energy by expansion or reversal of the first process into usable energy.
Claims15
A shuttle for an accumulator, the shuttle comprising:
- a hydraulic cylinder having first and second hydraulic chambers,
- a reversibly slidable piston disposed between the first and second hydraulic chambers,
- a first gas reservoir connected to the gas port of the first hydraulic chamber,
- a second gas reservoir connected to the gas port of the second hydraulic chamber.
A shuttle circuit comprising a shuttle having a hydraulic cylinder with first and second hydraulic chambers and a reversibly slidable piston disposed between the first and second hydraulic chambers, a first low-pressure gas reservoir connectable to first or second gas ports corresponding to the first and second hydraulic chambers, and a second high-pressure gas reservoir connectable to first or second gas ports corresponding to the first and second hydraulic chambers.
A method of storing energy in an accumulator having a shuttle circuit, wherein in an initial configuration the first gas reservoir is connected to the first gas port open to the first hydraulic chamber and the second gas reservoir is connected to the second gas port closed to the second hydraulic chamber, the method comprising:
- i) allowing the high-pressure hydraulic fluid to compress the gas in the second chamber and draw gas from the first reservoir into the first chamber until the gas pressure in the second chamber is equal to the gas pressure in the second reservoir;
- ii) opening the gas port valve in the second chamber to permit flow of hydraulic fluid into the second reservoir;
- iii) closing both gas ports;
- iv) reversing the connections of the first and second reservoirs to the first and second chambers and opening the second chamber gas port;
- v) allowing the high-pressure hydraulic fluid to compress the gas in the first chamber and draw gas from the second reservoir into the second chamber until the gas pressure in the first chamber is equal to the gas pressure in the first reservoir;
- vi) opening the gas port valve in the first chamber to permit flow of hydraulic fluid into the first reservoir;
- vii) closing both gas ports;
- viii) repeating steps i) to vii) until a desired amount of energy is stored.
24-38. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.