The principle of long-term energy storage of compressed air

What is compressed air energy storage?

Compressed air energy storage (CAES) is one of the many energy storage options that can store electric energy in the form of potential energy (compressed air) and can be deployed near central power plants or distribution centers. In response to demand, the stored energy can be discharged by expanding the stored air with a turboexpander generator.

How is energy stored in a low demand space?

In low demand periods, energy is stored by compressing air in an air tight space (typically 4.0~8.0 MPa) such as an underground storage cavern. To store energy, air is compressed and sealed in the space. To extract the stored energy, compressed air is drawn from the storage vessel, mixed with fuel, and then combusted. The expanded air is then passed through a turbine.

Where will compressed air be stored?

In a Compressed Air Energy Storage system, the compressed air is stored in an underground aquifer. Wind energy is used to compress the air, along with available off-peak power. The plant configuration is for 200MW of CAES generating capacity, with 100MW of wind energy.

Does compressed air energy storage improve the profitability of existing power plants?

The use of Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) improves the profitability of existing Simple Cycle, Combined Cycle, Wind Energy, and Landfill Gas Power Plants.\n\nNakhamkin, M. and Chiruvolu, M. (2007). Available Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) Plant Concepts. In: Power-Gen International, Minnestota.

What is the efficiency of a compressed air based energy storage system?

CAES efficiency depends on various factors, such as the size of the system, location, and method of compression. Typically, the efficiency of a CAES system is around 60-70%, which means that 30-40% of the energy is lost during the compression and generation process. What is the main disadvantage of compressed air-based energy storage?

What is a-CAES without thermal energy storage?

A-CAES without thermal energy storage (TES) The simplest way to reuse the temperature related part of the exergy of the compressed air is to store the hot air itself inside a combined thermal energy and compressed air storage volume (Fig. 18a).