Compressed air energy storage systems (CAES) and assessment of expansion cooling as an ancillary process

Abstract

This work introduces compressed air energy storage (CAES) systems and their role in mitigating the lag between energy supply and demand. The concept of energy storage relies on storing energy during periods of low demand to supply it during periods of high demand, where CAES stands as a scalable solution with the ability to house ancillary systems in order to harvest useful effects such as expansion cooling. CAES on its own compares well with electrochemical batteries, while bearing a simpler system design and less stringent operational requirements; however, with the integration of thermal management the role of CAES can be extended to produce chilled water that can be used for cooling applications. Not only does expansion cooling broaden the utilization of CAES, it has also enhanced the energetic efficiency of the system by 4%. Future work within the scope of CAES includes the integration of heat pipes and latent heat energy storage, and experimenting with different working gases.