IP Library Granted Patent US 7,677,046
Granted Patent B2
US 7,677,046 · App. 11/889,303 · Granted Mar 16, 2010

Method for starting a pressure storage plant

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,677,046
App. No.
11/889,303
Granted
Mar 16, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

An air storage plant comprises a storage volume for a pressurized storage fluid, a storage fluid expansion machine and a generator which is arranged with the expansion machine on a common power train. During the start up of the air storage plant, the generator is operated at least temporarily electromotively in order to assist the acceleration of the rotor of the expansion machine. This allows a more rapid acceleration of the expansion machine to the rated rotational speed and, consequently, earlier synchronization and an earlier power output than acceleration caused solely by the storage fluid flowing through.

Claims (13)

1. A method for activating a pressure storage plant, the pressure storage plant comprising: a storage volume for a pressurized storage fluid, a storage fluid expansion machine capable of being acted upon solely by the pressurized storage fluid, and a generator which is arranged with the expansion machine on a common power train, and said method comprising bringing the expansion machine to an operating rotational speed, synchronizing the generator with an electricity network and operating the expansion machine for the output of power into the electricity network, a first storage fluid mass flow (m HEX ) being extracted from the storage volume, and at least one partial mass flow of the first storage fluid mass flow being provided as a second storage fluid mass flow (m AT ) for the storage fluid expansion machine and being expanded in the storage fluid expansion machine with the output of power, characterized in that, during the acceleration of the storage fluid expansion machine, the generator is operated at least temporarily electromotively to assist the acceleration of the storage fluid expansion machine.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a minimal second storage fluid mass flow is supplied to the expansion machine when the latter is still at a standstill and/or the rotor is in rotor turning, and the expansion machine is accelerated from standstill or from rotor turning.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the second storage fluid mass flow supplied to the expansion machine is controlled such that the temperature and/or the temperature gradient of the expanded storage fluid at the outlet from the expansion machine remain/remains below a limit value.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the temperature of the second storage fluid mass flow supplied to the expansion machine is controlled such that the temperature gradient of the rotor temperature and/or of the casing temperature at the outlet of the expansion machine remain/remains below a limit value.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the second storage fluid mass flow supplied to the expansion machine is controlled such that the temperature and/or the temperature gradient of the storage fluid at the inlet into the expansion machine remain/remains below a limit value.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the second storage fluid mass flow supplied to the expansion machine is controlled such that the temperature gradient of the rotor temperature and/or of the casing temperature at the inlet of the expansion machine remain/remains below a limit value.

7. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein at least one limit value is defined dynamically as a function of a current thermal state of the expansion machine.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the second storage fluid mass flow supplied to the expansion machine is controlled such that the temperature and/or the temperature gradient of the storage fluid at the inlet into the expansion machine is set at a desired value, and the rotational speed of the expansion machine is increased by means of the electromotively operated generator such that the temperature and/or the temperature gradient of the expanded storage fluid at the outlet of the expansion machine remain/remains below a limit value.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the second storage fluid mass flow supplied to the expansion machine is controlled such that the temperature and/or the temperature gradient of the storage fluid at the inlet into the expansion machine is set at a desired value, and the rotational speed of the expansion machine is set such that the temperature gradient of the casing temperature and/or of the rotor temperature at the outlet of the expansion machine remain/remains below a limit value.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the desired value is defined dynamically as a function of a current thermal state of the expansion machine.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein heat is supplied to the storage fluid prior to expansion in the expansion machine.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the heat is supplied by heat exchange.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the heat is supplied by heat exchange with the exhaust gas of a gas turbo group.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 17, 2016
From: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
Reel/Frame 039714/0578 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 5, 2007
From: ALTHAUS, ROLF; GRUENENFELDER, MARKUS; HENSSLER, CHRISTIAN; MEIER, PATRIK ALFONS; PETERS, HANS-JUERGEN; ZINNIKER, URS
To: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD
Reel/Frame 019952/0753 →