How Compressed Air Stores Energy

ANG Sovann

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 Content
1. Introduction 3. Environment
2. Technology 3.1. Advantages
2.1. Basic principles 3.2. Disadvantages
4. Economic of applicable
2.2. Operation process
5. Conclusion
2.2.1. Compression process 6. References
2.2.2. Expansion process
2.2.3. Air storage
2.3. Type of CAES system
2.3.1. Diabatic system
2.3.2. Adiabatic system
2.3.3. Isothermal system
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 1. Introduction

 Compressed Air Energy Storage(CAES) is one among the

other storage plants ( Flywheel, Battery, Superconductor and
so on.
 CAES is combination between pure storage plant and power
plant( consume fuel).
 The underground salt cavern was patented by Stal Laval in
1949.
 In 1978, the first CAES plant of 290-MW capacity was built at
Huntorf in Germany.
 In 1991, another 110-MW plant was built in McIntosh, Albama,
USA.

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 2. Technology

2.1. Basic Principle

The components of CAES is
similar to gas turbine power
2.compressor 7. turbine
plant.
8.combustor
a). Gas turbine configuration
b). CAES configuration 4. clutch

5. Motor/
generator

1. Intercooler 10. valve

11. cavern
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 2. Technology
 CAES process works by pumping air into a vessel or
cavern when off peak demand or low-cost electricity is
available.
 When energy is needed, the pressurized air is released from
the cavern and expanded in the turbine.

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 2.1. Operation process

1. Compression process

Operation process 2. Air storage process

3. Expansion process

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 2.1. Operation process

2.1.1. Compression process

 Electricity is used to run a chain of compressors that
inject air into the reservoir.
 Compression chain use of intercoolers for reducing the
temperature of the injected air.

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 2.1. Operation process

2.1.2. Expansion process

 The air is released from the cavern and then is combusted
with fuel in combustion chamber for rotating the
turbine( normally two stage, HP, LP).

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 2.1. Operation process

2.1.3. Air Storage

 CAES can use both above and underground storage, but
above never use because of high capital cost.
Underground CAES can utilize a variety of geological
formations :
1.Salt cavern
2.Depleted Natural
Gas Caverns
1.Hard Rock
2.Porous Rock

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 2.1.3. Air Storage

2.1.3.1. Above the ground

 Compressed air can be stored in above-ground or near-
surface pressurized air pipelines.
 Above ground air storage plants can only store about 2 to
4 hours.
 It requires the use of more expensive stainless steel tanks
or pipes for storage.

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 2.1.3. Air Storage
2.1.3.2. Underground
i. Salt Cavern
 The technology of 'solution mining' of salt cavities can control
shape well and provides a very cheap method of excavation
for large storage volumes.
CAES plant at Huntorf, Albama
used salt cavern.

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 2.1.3. Air Storage

ii. Depleted Natural Gas Caverns

 Depleted natural gas caverns are very attractive since they
already exist and can withstand the pressure.

But, they may not be readily usable because natural-gas storage

caverns are developed to be subjected to very slow pressure
changes that occur over long periods of time, while CAES storage
requires daily variations between minimum and maximum
pressure.

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 2.1.3. Air Storage

iii. Hard rock

 Although hard rock is an option for CAES, the cost of mining
a new reservoir is often relatively high.
 Hard-rock caverns are more costly to mine (60% higher) than
salt-caverns for CAES purposes.

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 2.1.3. Air Storage
iv. Porous rock
 Porous rock formations such as saline or fresh-water
aquifers offer a good CAES air storage option.
Porous reservoirs have the potential to be the least costly
storage option for large-scale CAES.

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 2.3. Type of CAES system

2.3.1. Diabatic system

 When the air is compressed, the heat is released into
surrounding by multi-stages of intercooler before the air is
compressed in salt cavern.

 When it discharges the air

is reheated by natural gas
and burn in combustion
chamber in order to get
high heated pressure air
for rotating the turbine.
Ex. Huntorf CAES plant.

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 2.3. Type of CAES system

2.3.1. Diabatic system

“Recuperator” is used to recovery the waste heat from LP to
heat the compressed air with fuel in combustion chamber.
It reduce fuel
Consumption by 25%.
Ex. McIntosh CAES
Plant.

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 2.3. Type of CAES system

2.3.2. Adiabatic system

 Heat is not released into the surroundings when compressed
 up to 80% of the charge energy would be recovered without
any additional fuel.

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 2.3. Type of CAES system

2.3.2. Adiabatic system

 key to achieving significant reduction in fuel consumption.
 The heat is stored in Thermal Energy Storage(TES).
 TES stores heat during charge,
and it reheat air before expansion.

TES

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 2.3. Type of CAES system
2.3.3.Isothermal system
 CAES system which eliminates the need for fuel and high
temperature thermal energy storage.
Isothermal CAES can minimize the compression work and
maximize the expansion work done through isothermal
compression/expansion.

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 3. Environment
3.1. Advantages

1. Reduce CO2 emission

2. No fuel consumption(Adiabatic system)

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 3. Environment
3.2. Disadvantages
1. Not pure energy storage
2. Contaminate water
3. The salt waste

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 4. Economic of applicable

 CAES plant is the only technology that can provide

significant energy storage (in the thousands of MWhs).
Its capital cost is low ($400 to $500/kW).

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4. Economic of applicable

400$

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 5. Conclusion

 Although CAES has some problems such as location, not

pure energy.
 CAES is still a good choice for storing energy due to its
capacity, capital cost, and potential.
 According to new technology (Adiabatic), CAES will not
consume fuel any more.

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Thanks for your
paying attention

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