Compressed Air Energy Storage

Compressed Air Energy Storage This paper outlines the design of a compressed air energy storage (CAES) system. The goal of this project was to develop a CAES system that could produce 1 MW of power that is both thermally efficient and financially viable. We developed four processes that each contains variations from the preceding process in order to explore different possible arrangements to maximize efficiency and feasibility. The processes described were designed to take advantage of the price differences between off- peak and on-peak electricity. Each process compresses air for 20 hours and expands air over 4 hours, allowing for continuous daily use. The processes contain a four-stage multi-stage compressor to compress air to 1,500 psia. Multiple stages of compression allowed for the air to be cooled between stages, and the heat of compression was captured using pressurized water. In each case, the pressurized air was stored in above-ground storage vessels. The base case process involves four stages of compression followed by four stages of expansion. Multiple stages were chosen so that preheating could take place in heat exchangers before air entered each turbine in order to maximize energy efficiency. The preheating was done with the hot water generated during th