Basis for compressed air energy storage (CAES) field test at Pittsfield, Illinois

Conference · Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:5743332

Allen, R D

Aquifer storage for compressed air is attractive because no excavation or solution mining is required. Natural gas storage technology using porous rock formations extended back more than 50 years under conditions similar to those required for CAES. However, CAES requires daily or weekly cycling as compared to annual cycling for natural gas; and air may be injected at elevated temperatures to accelerate near-wellbore dehydration and increase air use efficiency during power generation. The oxidizing potential and relatively high viscosity of moist air also contrast with properties of natural gas. Technical issues related to the stability of porous rock reservoirs include: low frequency fatigue, coupled with cyclic pressure, temperature and humidity influences on porous media and caprock; reservoir material properties under nonambient conditions; effects of reservoir morphology, anistropy, and inhomogeneity; response of wellbore casing and cemetation materials; wellbore desaturation and air-water interface movement; potential for geochemical reactions; generation and transport of fine particulate matter; interactions with ground water; and rapid unscheduled air withdrawal. Field testing of compressed air energy storage within a confined aquifer is essential to qualify this type of geologic reservoir with respect to operating characteristics and long term geotechnical stability. Present technology consists of natural gas aquifer storage information, numerical modeling of CAES in aquifers, and experimental simulation of predicted physical and chemical environments. Of particular importance are: efficiency of energy injection and recovery, prevention of water interference during both injection and recovery, protection of the sand face area from disintegration, and development of injection/withdrawal well technology. A small, relatively shallow geologic reservoir has been identified.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5743332
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-9447; CONF-811066-6; ON: DE82004233
• Resource Relation: Conference: International energy storage conference, Seattle, WA, USA, 19 Oct 1981
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
58 GEOSCIENCES
AQUIFERS
COMPRESSED AIR ENERGY STORAGE
EFFICIENCY
PERFORMANCE TESTING
RESERVOIR ROCK
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
STABILITY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GROUND WATER
ILLINOIS
ROCK CAVERNS
ROCK MECHANICS
UNDERGROUND STORAGE
CAVITIES
DATA
ENERGY STORAGE
GREAT LAKES REGION
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
MECHANICS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
STORAGE
TESTING
USA
WATER
250200* - Energy Storage- Compressed & Liquified Gas
580100 - Geology & Hydrology- (-1989)