Outcome of compressed air energy storage at Pittsfield, Illinois

Conference · Thu Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6589670

Allen, R D; Doherty, T J

A field experiment to examine feasibility of full-scale compressed air energy storage (CAES) within aquifer reservoirs was sponsored consecutively by the US Department of Energy and the Electric Power Research Institute. Parameters simulated storage and recovery operations within a single well. Testing demonstrated injection, storage, and cycling. A thin lenticular air bubble was injected into a dome-shaped structure involving the permeable, water-saturated St. Peter sandstone overlain by the impervious Joachim dolomite. Water coning during air withdrawal was not a significant problem. Cohesion of the sandface and near-wellbore region was sufficient to prevent serious erosion. No important mineral alterations were detected within the small amount of withdrawn solid particulate material. Well completion technique is extremely important to assure continuing high permeability of the sandface. Relationships among pressure, mass flow rate, temperature, and time are presented for injection and withdrawal experiments. Mass flow rate can be limited by the permeability of the sandface and near reservoir. Air stored for several months became depleted in oxygen, probably because of oxidation reactions with sulfides or suboxides in the reservoir and/or caprock. Heat was not injected into the aquifer at thermodynamically useful levels. Well bore heat loss by conduction and radiation were dominant.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 6589670
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-11884; CONF-840804-51-Draft; ON: DE85000395
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
250200* -- Energy Storage-- Compressed & Liquified Gas
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
AQUIFERS
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATE MINERALS
CARBONATES
COMPRESSED AIR ENERGY STORAGE
COMPRESSED AIR ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPMENT
DOLOMITE
ENERGY STORAGE
EQUIPMENT
FEDERAL REGION V
ILLINOIS
INJECTION
INTAKE
MAGNESIUM CARBONATES
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MINERALS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERMEABILITY
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
STORAGE
USA