A compressed-air energy storage (CAES) unit in the U. S
Soyland Power Cooperative, Inc., a Decatur, Illinois-based co-op, could get reasonably priced baseload power from neighboring utilities' coal and nuclear plants, and even had one coal plant of its own planned for the near future, as well as a share in a nuclear plant; but peaking power, generated by costly oil and gas to instantly meet sudden surges in demand, was another story. CAES splits the two basic stages of a conventional gas turbine, making the most of baseload power, while using the least peaking or intermediate fuel. During off-peak periods, inexpensive baseload electricity from coal-fired or nuclear power plants runs a combination motor-generator in a motor mode, which in turn operates a compressor. Air is compressed, cooled, and pumped into an underground storage reservoir hundreds of thousands of cubic yards in volume and about two thousand feet ( about610m) below the surface. There the air remains, at pressures up to about 60 atm (6.1 MPa), until peaking or intermediate power is required. Then, the air is released into a combustor at a controlled rate, heated by oil or gas, and expanded through a turbine. The turbine drives the motor-generator in a generator mode, thereby supplying peaking or intermediate power to the grid.
- OSTI ID:
- 6329980
- Journal Information:
- Energy Eng.; (United States), Journal Name: Energy Eng.; (United States) Vol. 80:4; ISSN EENGD
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
200107 -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Off-Peak Energy Storage-- (1980-)
25 ENERGY STORAGE
250200* -- Energy Storage-- Compressed & Liquified Gas
AIR
COMPRESSED AIR
COMPRESSED AIR ENERGY STORAGE
COMPRESSED AIR ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPMENT
COMPRESSED AIR STORAGE POWER PLANTS
COMPRESSED GASES
ENERGY STORAGE
ENGINEERING
EQUIPMENT
FEDERAL REGION V
FLUIDS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
GASES
ILLINOIS
LOAD MANAGEMENT
MANAGEMENT
MEDIUM PRESSURE
NORTH AMERICA
PEAKING POWER PLANTS
POWER GENERATION
POWER PLANTS
RESERVOIR ENGINEERING
SITE PREPARATION
STORAGE
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
UNDERGROUND STORAGE
USA