CAES - it's more than hot air

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · Mech. Eng.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5162301

The article describes the compressed air energy storage plant at Huntorf, West Germany, where a 290-MW plant has been in operation since 1978. The system compresses air into two underground caverns, created by leaching a salt dome, at a depth of 650 to 800m below the earth's surface. Total volume of storage space in the caverns is 300,000m/sup 3/. At peak power demands, the compressed air in the caverns is released for use in the combustion cycle of a two-stage gas turbine. When surplus power is generated - normally during the night - it feeds the generator of the air storage plant. This generator, acting as a motor, drives an air compressor. The compressor draws in air from the surrounding atmosphere and forces it into the 150-m-high caverns, where it is stored at pressures of 735 to 1029 psig (5-7 MPa). During peak demands, the compressed air is released. Reduced to a pressure of 676 psig (4.6 MPa), it enters the high pressure combustion chamber of the turbine, where it aids combustion of the natural gas used as fuel. The combustion gases flow into the high-power section of the turbine, which is coupled to the generator. Upon leaving the high-power turbine, the gases feed to the low-combustion chamber, where they are again heated by a natural gas burner, and then flow to the low-power turbine, where they expand to atmospheric pressure. The gases then discharge to the atmosphere through silencers and the chimney stack. Dispatched and controlled remotely, the plant charges for 8 hr and discharges for 2 hr daily.

• OSTI ID: 5162301
• Journal Information: Mech. Eng.; (United States), Journal Name: Mech. Eng.; (United States) Vol. 104:1; ISSN MEENA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200107 -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Off-Peak Energy Storage-- (1980-)
25 ENERGY STORAGE
250200* -- Energy Storage-- Compressed & Liquified Gas
COMPRESSED AIR ENERGY STORAGE
COMPRESSED AIR STORAGE POWER PLANTS
ENERGY STORAGE
OFF-PEAK ENERGY STORAGE
OPERATION
PEAKING POWER PLANTS
PERFORMANCE
POWER PLANTS
STORAGE
UNDERGROUND STORAGE