# US 8,739,522 B2 · Systems and methods for pre-heating compressed air in advanced adiabatic compressed air energy storage systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,739,522 B2 - Document ID: US8739522B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/915,414 - Filed: 2010-10-29 - Published: 2012-05-03 - Granted: 2014-06-03 - Earliest claimed: 2010-10-29 - Assignees: Nuovo Pignone S.p.A. - Applicants: Sanjay Anikhindi; Bhaskara Kosamana - Inventors: Sanjay Anikhindi; Bhaskara Kosamana - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8739522B2 ## CPC - F02C 6/16: for storing compressed air - F02C 1/04: the working fluid being heated indirectly {(in a fluidised-bed combustor F02C3/205)} - Y02E 60/16: Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract Systems and methods provide for capturing heat energy in a power generation system. The system includes: a first compressor configured to exhaust a first compressed, heated air flow; a heat exchanger connected to the first compressor and configured to receive the first compressed, heated air flow and configured to transfer heat energy from the first compressed, heated air flow to an oil; at least one pump connected to the heat exchanger and configured to pump the heated oil in a closed-loop system from the heat exchanger to an insulated storage tank; a second compressor connected to the heat exchanger and configured to exhaust a second compressed, heated air flow; and an energy storage unit connected to the second compressor and configured to store heat energy from the second compressed, heated air flow. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for capturing heat energy in a power generation system, the system comprising: a first compressor configured to exhaust a first compressed, heated air flow; a heat exchanger connected to the first compressor and configured to receive the first compressed, heated air flow and configured to transfer heat energy from the first compressed, heated air flow to an oil; at least one pump connected to the heat exchanger and configured to pump the heated oil in a closed-loop system from the heat exchanger to an insulated storage tank; a second compressor connected to the heat exchanger and configured to exhaust a second compressed, heated air flow; an energy storage unit connected to the second compressor and configured to store heat energy from the second compressed, heated air flow; a storage facility connected to the energy storage unit and configured to store a cooled, compressed air received from the energy storage unit and configured to selectively release the cooled, compressed air back into the power generation system; and an insulated storage tank fluidly connected to the at least on pump configured to store the heated oil and configured to transfer heat energy from the heated oil to the cooled, compressed air. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the storage facility is a cavern. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the closed-loop system for the oil is connected to the insulated storage tank. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a hot oil pump fluidly connected to the heat exchanger and configured to pump hot oil to the insulated storage tank; a cold oil pump fluidly connected to the insulated storage tank and configured to pump cool oil to a cold oil tank; and the cold oil tank fluidly connected to the cold oil pump and configured to contain the cool oil. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the cooled, compressed air is stored in the storage facility when the power generation system is operating during non-peak demand hours. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: an expander connected to the energy storage unit and configured to expand the air flow which drives a shaft and configured to exhaust a cooler, lower pressure air flow. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, further comprising: an air outlet fluidly connected to the expander and configured to exhaust the cooler, lower pressure air flow to atmosphere. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the energy storage unit is also configured to receive a pre-heated, compressed air from the insulated storage tank and to heat the pre-heated, compressed air for use in a turbine. ### Claim 9 A system for capturing heat energy in a power generation system, the system comprising: a first compressor configured to exhaust a first compressed, heated air flow; an insulated storage tank connected to the first compressor and configured to store an oil, to receive the first compressed, heated air flow, to transfer heat energy from the first compressed heated air flow to the oil and to transfer heat energy from the oil after being heated to a cooled, compressed air flow; a second compressor connected to the insulated storage tank and configured to exhaust a second compressed, heated air flow; an energy storage unit connected to the second compressor and configured to store heat energy from the second compressed, heated air flow; and a storage facility connected to the energy storage unit and configured to store the cooled, compressed air received from the energy storage unit and configured to selectively release the cooled, compressed air back into the power generation system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the storage facility is a cavern. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the cooled, compressed air is stored in the storage facility when the power generation system is operating during non-peak demand hours. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, further comprising: an expander connected to the energy storage unit and configured to expand the air flow which drives a shaft and configured to exhaust a cooler, lower pressure air flow. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, further comprising: an air outlet fluidly connected to the expander and configured to exhaust the cooler, lower pressure air flow to atmosphere. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the energy storage unit is also configured to receive a pre-heated, compressed air from the insulated storage tank and to heat the pre-heated, compressed air for use in a turbine. ### Claim 15 A method for capturing heat energy in a power generation system, the method comprising: exhausting a first compressed, heated air flow from a first compressor; storing an oil in an insulated storage tank; receiving the first compressed heated air flow at the insulated storage tank; transferring heat energy from the first compressed, heated air flow to the oil at the insulated storage tank; transferring heat energy from the oil after being heated, to a cooled, compressed air at the insulated storage tank; exhausting a second compressed, heated air flow by a second compressor; storing heat energy from the second compressed, heated air flow at an energy storage unit; storing the cooled, compressed air received from the energy storage unit at a storage facility; and selectively releasing the cooled, compressed air for use in power generation by the storage facility. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the storage facility is a cavern. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: storing the cooled, compressed air in the storage facility when the power generation system is operating during non-peak demand hours. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: expanding, at an expander, the air flow which drives a shaft and configured to exhaust a cooler, lower pressure air flow. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: exhausting the cooler, lower pressure air flow received from the expander to atmosphere by an air outlet. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: receiving at the energy storage unit a pre-heated, compressed air from the insulated storage tank and heating the pre-heated, compressed air for use in a turbine.