Conceptual design for a pilot/demonstration compressed air storage facility employing a solution-mined salt cavern. Final report

Technical Report · Wed Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7212662· OSTI ID:7212662

Vosburgh, K. G.

A conceptual design was completed for a compressed air energy storage (CAES) plant sited on the McIntosh salt dome in southwestern Alabama. The plant has a peak turbine inlet pressure of 40 atm, with the peak air storage pressure ranging from 44 atm (constant pressure storage) to 86 atm (variable pressure storage). A weekly storage cycle is used, and power is generated at a rate of 800 MW for 2000 h/y. The capital cost of these plants ranges from $196 to 200/kW (mid 1976). The fuel heat rate ranges from 4140 to 4330 Btu/kWh (LHV). Depending on the storage reservoir design, the system delivers between 1.15 and 1.39 kWh for each 1.00 kWh of charging energy. A modification of these designs was developed for 500 h annual duty (peaking application). It would require a capital investment of about $140/kW, with the same heat rates and charging energy ratios as the 2000-hour designs. At the conceptual level of these designs, no technical or environmental barriers to constructing these plants were found. An evaluation was made of the operating economics of the designs of a new method for computing the efficiency of compressed air storage plants, and of experiments which might be performed at a demonstration plant.

• Research Organization: General Electric Co., Schenectady, N.Y. (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7212662
• Report Number(s): EPRI-391
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
COMPRESSED AIR ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPMENT
DESIGN
CAVITIES
ECONOMICS
OFF-PEAK ENERGY STORAGE
PILOT PLANTS
SALT DEPOSITS
UNDERGROUND
ENERGY STORAGE
EQUIPMENT
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
LEVELS
STORAGE
250200* - Energy Storage- Compressed & Liquified Gas
200107 - Fossil-Fueled Power Plants- Off-Peak Energy Storage- (1980-)