System and method for storing energy in form of compressed air in tubes integrated in a tank containing water and water vapour

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10190494-B2
Application number	US-201615013256-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2016
Priority date	Feb 2, 2015
Publication date	Jan 29, 2019
Grant date	Jan 29, 2019

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and to a method for storing energy in form of compressed air, having an assembly of connected tubes forming a storage volume, which are confined in a pressure-resistant thermally-insulating tank. The storage system according to the invention comprises a system for storing and releasing the heat of the compressed air to increase the storage system efficiency.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for storing energy in compressed air, water and water vapor comprising:
at least one tube providing a storage volume for the compressed air, water and vapor water, the tube being confined in a sealed pressurized pressure-resistant thermally-insulated tank, means for storing and releasing heat in the compressed air stored in the storage volume and the sealed pressurized pressure-resistant thermally insulated tank includes compressed air, water and water vapor which during heat storage progressively vaporizes until a water-vapor medium in phase equilibrium occurs in the tank which depends on pressure and temperature in the tank.

2. A system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one tube is metallic.

3. A system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the water and water vapor occupies at least part of an inner space of the tank.

4. A system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one task includes connected straight tubes joined in bundles and arranged in parallel.

5. A system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the storage volume comprises a tube in a coil.

6. A system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the storage is disposed on either a ground surface or at least partially buried below the ground surface.

7. A system as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one tube is substantially horizontal.

8. A system as recited in claim 1 , comprising a secondary heat exchanger for heating the means for storing and releasing heat.

9. A system as recited in claim 1 , comprising a heat source external to the tank for heating the means for heating and releasing.

10. A system as recited in claim 1 comprising a tertiary heat exchanges for heating the storage volume.

11. A system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the tank consists of a closed concrete shell having a thermal insulation coating.

12. A system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the water and water vapor occupies at least part of an inner space of the tank.

13. A system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the at least one tube includes connected straight tubes joined in bundles and arranged in parallel.

14. A system as recited in claim 3 , wherein the at least one tube includes connected straight tubes joined in bundles and arranged in parallel.

15. A system as recited in claim 4 , wherein the at least one tube includes connected straight tubes joined in bundles and arranged in parallel.

16. A system as recited in claim 3 , wherein the storage volume comprises a tube in a coil.

17. A system as recited in claim 4 , wherein the storage volume comprises a tube in a coil.

18. A method for storing and recovering energy from compressed air, water and water vapor in at least one tube providing a storage volume for the compressed air, water and water vapor, the tube being confined in a sealed pressurized pressure-resistant thermally-insulated tank, means for storing and releasing heat in the compressed air, water and water vapor stored in the tube and the compressed air including water and water vapor comprising:
a) compressing the air, water and water vapor;
b) storing the compressed air, water and water vapor in the storage volume; and
c) expanding the compressed air from within the storage volume to generate energy; and wherein
the water during energy storage progressively vaporizes until a water-vapor medium in phase equilibrium occurs which depends on pressure and temperature in the tank.

19. A method as recited in claim 18 comprising:
heating the compressed air prior to performing step c).

20. A method as claimed in claim 18 , comprising:
generating electrical energy with at least one turbine.

Assignees

• Ifp Energies Now

Inventors

• Wittrisch Christian
• Constant Michel

Classifications

• F01K3/00

  Plants characterised by the use of steam or heat accumulators, or intermediate steam heaters, therein (regenerating exhaust steam F01K19/00) · CPC title

• F02C1/02 Primary

  the working fluid being an unheated pressurised gas · CPC title

• F22B1/18

  the heat carrier being a hot gas, e.g. waste gas such as exhaust gas of internal-combustion engines · CPC title

• F22B1/028

  Steam generation using heat accumulators (F22B27/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F01K13/00 Primary

  General layout or general methods of operation of complete plants · CPC title