# US 2020/0399848 A1 · Low density fluid displacement to store or generate power

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- Number: US 2020/0399848 A1
- Document ID: US20200399848A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/932,429
- Filed: 2020-07-17
- Published: 2020-12-24
- Earliest claimed: 2018-05-11
- Assignees: Innovator Energy, LLC
- Inventors: Ethan J. Novek
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200399848A1

## CPC

- F03B 13/06: Stations or aggregates of water-storage type, {e.g. comprising a turbine and a pump}(turbines characterised by having means for functioning alternatively as pumps F03B3/10)
- E02B 9/08: Tide or wave power plants (water-pressure machines, tide or wave motors F03B)
- H02J 15/10: using storage of hydraulic energy
- F05B 2260/422: in the form of potential energy, e.g. pressurized or pumped fluid
- F05B 2280/50: Intrinsic material properties or characteristics
- Y02E 10/20: Hydro energy
- Y02E 10/30: Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient
- Y02E 60/16: Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids
- F03B: MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS (positive-displacement engines for liquid F03C; machines for liquids and gases F01; positive-displacement machines for liquids F04, rotary fluid gearing of the hydrokinetic type F16H41/00)
- E02B: HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING (ship-lifting E02C; dredging E02F)
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for pumping or removing a fluid from a region within or on top of or in contact with a water or liquid body and applications for said systems and methods. Some embodiments may also relate to anti-fouling or reducing fouling structures like docks.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for storing or generating electricity comprising:
a first storage reservoir configured to be near the surface of a body of water and configured to store a low density liquid;
a second storage reservoir configured to be located below the surface of the body of water;
a pump; and
a generator;
wherein the pump, generator, and the first and second reservoir are operatively connected such that electricity is stored by displacing water inside the second storage reservoir by pumping the low density liquid in the first storage reservoir to the second storage reservoir and electricity is generated or discharged by allowing the low density liquid in the second storage reservoir to return to the first storage reservoir;
wherein the second storage reservoir is configured to store the water and the low density liquid and wherein the low density liquid has a density below the density of liquid water.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein said second storage reservoir comprises a rigid tank.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the low density liquid is located above water inside the second reservoir.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the low density liquid floats above water inside the second reservoir.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the system further comprises a hydraulic fluid in the pump and wherein the hydraulic fluid is the same as the low density liquid.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the pump, generator, and the first and second reservoir are operatively connected by a pipe.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6 wherein the low density liquid is transferred between said first reservoir and said second reservoir using said pipe.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 further comprising a physical barrier within the second reservoir for separating the low density liquid and water in the second reservoir.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8 wherein the second reservoir is configured to prevent leakage of the low density liquid in the event of damage to said physical barrier.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8 wherein said physical barrier comprises a material with an average density less than liquid water and more than the low density liquid at a temperature greater than 3° C. and less than 50° C. at the same hydrostatic pressure.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8 wherein at least a portion of said physical barrier is located above water and at least a portion of said physical barrier is located below the low density liquid.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8 wherein said physical barrier comprises a liquid.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8 wherein said physical barrier comprises a solid.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8 wherein said physical barrier is configured to prevent (1) substantial dissolution of the low density liquid in water, (2) substantial dissolution of water in the low density liquid, (3) the formation of substantial low density liquid—water hydrates, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 which further comprises a barrier situated above at least a portion of the second reservoir.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15 wherein said barrier is configured to contain low density liquid, a low density liquid—water composition, or a combination thereof in the event of a breach in the second reservoir.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15 wherein said barrier comprises an instrument for detecting low density liquid.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15 wherein said barrier is configured to funnel low density liquid to facilitate recovery.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15 wherein said barrier is suspended above at least a portion of the second reservoir.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19 wherein the barrier is suspended by a tether connected to a mooring, an anchor, the ocean floor, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 21 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15 wherein said barrier is buoyant, connected to buoyant floats, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the second reservoir is buoyant, connected to buoyant floats, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The system of claim 22 wherein said second reservoir is floating or suspended above the ocean floor.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23 wherein the second reservoir is suspended by a tether connected to a mooring, an anchor, the ocean floor, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 25 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 further comprising a third reservoir operably connected to transfer water displaced by low density liquid during the storing of electricity from the second reservoir to the third reservoir.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The system of claim 25 wherein the water has a density which is within +/−5% the density of ocean water at a temperature greater than 3° C. and less than 40° C. at the same hydrostatic pressure.

### Claim 27 (depends on 25)

The system of claim 25 wherein at least a portion of said third reservoir comprises ocean water.

### Claim 28 (depends on 25)

The system of claim 25 wherein at least a portion of said third reservoir comprises treated ocean water.

### Claim 29 (depends on 26)

The system of claim 26 wherein at least a portion of said third reservoir possesses a pressure within +/−10 atm of the hydrostatic pressure of the ocean water at the depth of the second reservoir.