Gravitational potential energy storage systems and methods
AssigneeAdvanced Rail Energy Storage, LLC
InventorHoward Trott
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gravitational energy storage system is provided that includes one or more tracks extending from a lower storage yard to an upper storage yard, a plurality of mass cars moveable along the track, a conveyance system comprising at least a first tether, and a first power module associated with the first tether to drive a respective one of the first tethers to move the plurality of mass cars from the lower storage yard to the upper storage yard, and to dispatch energy when the plurality of mass cars are moved from the upper storage yard to the lower storage yard.
Claims11
A method of storing energy comprising providing a track extending from a lower storage yard to an upper storage yard, the track having an inclined area between the lower storage yard and the upper storage yard;
- coupling a plurality of mass cars to a conveyance system comprising at least a first tether;
- driving a first power module associated with the first tether to drive the conveyance system and transport the plurality of mass cars along the inclined area from the lower storage yard to the upper storage yard to store energy;
- transporting the plurality of mass cars along the inclined area from the upper storage yard to the lower storage yard to dispatch energy with the first power modules;
- and transferring the energy dispatched by the first power modules to a power grid.
A method of storing energy comprising providing a plurality of tracks extending from a lower storage yard to an upper storage yard, each track having an inclined area between the lower storage yard and the upper storage yard;
- coupling a plurality of mass cars to a plurality of conveyance systems that each comprise at least a first tether;
- driving a plurality of power modules associated with the first tethers to drive the conveyance systems and transport the plurality of mass cars along the inclined area from the lower storage yard to the upper storage yard to store energy;
- transporting the plurality of mass cars along the inclined area from the upper storage yard to the lower storage yard to dispatch energy with the plurality power modules;
- and transferring the energy dispatched by the plurality power modules to a power grid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.