Gas storage apparatus and method
AssigneeInnovatium LLP
InventorAdrian Alford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a gas storage apparatus and method, and more specifically to liquid air energy storage and its use to facilitate both Demand Side Reduction (DSR) and the use of reduced-cost electricity by industrial compressed-air users. A related electricity generating apparatus and method is also disclosed. The apparatus and method use a first sensible heat coolth store and second latent heat coolth store to first reduce the gas in temperature and then to change it into a liquid phase. Coolth top up devices are also disclosed.
Claims61
A gas storage apparatus comprising a fluid inlet, a first coolth store, a second coolth store, and at least one storage chamber, wherein the fluid inlet is connected to the first coolth store, and fluid conduits connect the first coolth store to the second coolth store, and the second coolth store to the at least one storage chamber.
A gas storage chamber according to any preceding claim wherein the first coolth store is adapted for sensible heat.
A gas storage chamber according to any preceding claim wherein the second coolth store is adapted for latent heat.
A gas storage apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the gas is air.
A gas storage apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the coolth stores are selected from a group comprising:
- gravel bed;
- phase-changing material;
- glass;
- concrete;
- metal.
A gas storage apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the first coolth store has a first coolth top-up device.
A gas storage apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the second coolth store has a second coolth top-up device.
A gas storage apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the gas storage chamber is a pressure vessel which stores the fluid as a liquid.
A gas storage apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the fluid exiting the first and/or second coolth store is directed through a sub-cooling device.
A gas storage apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the fluid exiting the first and/or second coolth device is directed through a compander.
A gas storage apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the fluid inlet branches into a bypass fluid circuit.
A gas storage apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the apparatus further includes a first heat exchanger.
A gas storage apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the apparatus includes a storage fluid line running from the first and/or second coolth and terminating at the gas storage chamber.
A gas storage apparatus further including a second heat exchanger.
A gas storage apparatus according to any preceding claim further including a Joule-Thomson valve.
A gas storage apparatus of any preceding claim adapted for use with compressed air.
A gas storage apparatus according to any preceding claim adapted such that a charging pressure is above a discharging pressure and a storage pressure is between the charging and discharging pressures.
A gas storage apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein a pressure difference between any two points in the cycle is used via an expansion process to provide refrigeration in order to replenish exergy losses during the coolth recycle process between a discharging and a charging processes.
A gas storage apparatus according to any preceding claim further including a multi-stage compression system having an inter-stage pressure similar or equal to the storage system gas output pressure and a compressor final stage output pressure similar or equal to the storage system gas input pressure during charging.
Energy generating apparatus including at least one gas storage apparatus according to any preceding claim.
A method of storing gas, the method comprising the steps of:
- raising the pressure of the gas to be stored to a first pressure and being at a first temperature;
- passing the gas to be stored through a first coolth store;
- passing the gas to be stored from the first coolth store through a second coolth store;
- passing the gas to be stored from the second coolth store into a storage chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.