Energy Storage Science and Technology ›› 2018, Vol. 7 ›› Issue (2): 232-239.doi: 10.12028/j.issn.2095-4239.2017.0149

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Thermodynamic analyses of compressed air energy storage in a underground rock cavern#br#

LIU Liyuan,JIANG Zhongming, WANG Jiangying, HU Wei, LI Peng   

  1. 1School of Hydraulic Engineering , Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha 410114, Hunan, China; 2 Key Laboratory of Water-Sediment Sciences and Water Disaster Prevention of Hunan Province, Changsha 410114, Hunan, China; 3 Power China Zhongnan Engineering Corporation Limited, Changsha 410014, Hunan, China
  • Received:2017-09-23 Revised:2017-12-03 Online:2018-03-01 Published:2018-03-01

Abstract:

A finite difference method has been used for the thermodynamic analyses of compressed air energy storage in a underground rock cavern. This is based on the mass and energy balance equations and done on a FLAC3D software package. The influences of charge and discharge rates, minimum operating pressure, storage temperature and properties of sealing material on temperature and pressure of compressed air during operation were investigated. The results indicate that the temperature and pressure of the compressed air increase during charge due to heat exchange between compressed air and surrounding rock of the cavern, but decrease during high-pressure gas charge process. The air charge and discharge rates, the minimum operation pressure of the cavern, the inlet air temperature, the material characteristics of the sealing layer are found to be the main factors influencing the compressed air temperature and pressure.

Key words: compressed air energy storage, underground rock cavern, compressed air, thermodynamic process, energy loss