System and process for recovering energy from a compressed gas

An apparatus for recovering energy from a compressed gas, comprising:

• a piston-cylinder assembly that is mounted for movement in a body of water between a first lower position and a second upper position, said piston-cylinder assembly comprising a cylinder positioned in said tank;
• and a piston disposed in said cylinder and cooperating with said cylinder so as to define an expandable chamber therewith and at least one pontoon disposed in said tank to receive the piston-cylinder assembly;
• pressure coupling means, positioned proximate to said lower position, for introducing a compressed gas into said expandable chamber;
• and
• energy recovery means, connected to said piston-cylinder assembly, for recovering energy from said piston-cylinder assembly as said piston-cylinder assembly floats from said first position to said second position, and wherein said energy recovery means comprises at least one endless chain mounted for travel in an endless loop between a first sprocket near said first position and a second sprocket near said second position, and means on said piston-cylinder assembly for engaging said chain.

A process for extracting energy from a compressed gas, comprising steps of:

• (a) submerging a piston-cylinder assembly to a first, lower position wherein the piston-cylinder assembly rests on one or more pontoons;
• (b) holding said piston-cylinder assembly in said first, lower position while introducing a predetermined amount of compressed gas into said piston-cylinder assembly;
• (c) releasing the piston-cylinder assembly;
• (d) mechanically engaging said piston-cylinder assembly with a first endless chain as said piston-cylinder assembly rises toward a second, upper position, thereby causing said first endless chain to move;
• (e) recovering energy from said first endless chain
• (f) mechanically engaging said piston-cylinder assembly with a second endless chain as said piston-cylinder assembly sinks toward the first, lower position, thereby causing the second endless chain to move;
• and
• (g) recovering additional energy from the second endless chain position to said second position.