Abstract
Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) installations are used for storing electrical power, under the form of potential energy from compressed air. The heat generated during compression can be stored to improve the efficiency of compression-expansion cycle. The solution presented consists of a 100 kW screw compressor driven by a 110 kW asynchronous three-phase motor. The compressor supplies air into vessels which store it until a high electrical energy demand arises. At that time, the compressed air is released into a 132 kW screw expander whose shaft spins a 132 kW asynchronous generator, producing electric power and supplying it into the electrical grid. Before expansion, the air must be preheated in order to avoid the freezing of expansion equipment. If the heat generated during compression is used for air preheating before expansion, the process is adiabatic. A demonstrative model of the installation is currently being developed, with the expander part being completed so far. The maximum power to be produced was calculated to be around 100 kW. During expander commissioning tests with air supply from a 250 kW high pressure compressor, a maximum generated power of 49.7 kW was attained, expected to be higher when releasing air from the reservoirs.
Highlights
Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) installations are used for storing electrical power, under the form of potential energy from compressed air
This paper presents the concept and design of the first Romanian CAES system
In the complete ROCAES application, the compressed air released from the storage vessels is expected to provide a smooth operation stop, as air pressure will decrease gradually in the reservoirs
Summary
Global concerns on climate changes and sustainability have led to recent worldwide approaches towards generating electricity from renewable sources. Compressed air energy storage (CAES) is a technique for supplying electric power to meet peak load requirements of electric utility systems [2], being suitable for wind and solar sources. The Huntorf plant is located on a 300,000 m3 salt dome, in which compressed air is stored, originally to capture excess nuclear power production. Wind turbines plants relying on the intermittent nature of wind power can make CAES an attractive backup solution In such systems, energy is stored during periods of low demand and is converted back into electricity when the demand is high. Large-scale CAES plants heat the air prior to expansion using natural gas fuel, which further deteriorates the system’s efficiency and makes renewable energy storage dependent on fossil fuels [12].
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