SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FRAGMENTATION AND DISPERSAL OF A COMPRESSED GAS BODY
A method for fragmenting a bubble of compressed gas released from a compressed gas reservoir situated at a depth under a water surface. The method comprises maintaining a grid disposed between the reservoir and the water surface to fragment the bubble into a plurality of fragmented bubble portions, the grid allowing passage therethrough of the fragmented bubble portions of the body of compressed gas generally along a travel path.
1 . A compressed gas energy storage system having at least one compressed gas reservoir situated underwater at a depth below a water surface, the energy storage system comprising:
a bubble fragmentation grid disposed between the compressed gas reservoir and the water surface.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the bubble fragmentation grid is sized to encompass an expected travel path of a compressed gas bubble released from the at least one compressed gas reservoir.
3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the bubble fragmentation grid is located a distance ranging from 3 feet to 80 feet above a top of the at least one compressed gas reservoir.
4 . The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one compressed gas reservoir is secured underwater by tether means, and the bubble fragmentation grid is interconnected [directly or indirectly in mechanical communication] with the tether means.
5 . A compressed gas energy storage system including at least one compressed gas reservoir situated underwater at a depth below a water surface, the energy storage system comprising:
a plurality of bubble fragmentation grids interspersed between the compressed gas reservoir and the water surface.
6 . The system of claim 5 wherein ones of the plurality of bubble fragmentation grids are disposed generally parallel with each other.
7 . The system of claim 5 wherein the plurality of bubble fragmentation grids are sized to encompass an expected travel path of a compressed gas bubble released from the at least one compressed gas reservoir.
8 . The system of claim 5 wherein ones of the plurality of bubble fragmentation grids are interconnected to form a unified bubble fragmentation and dispersal unit.
9 . The system of claim 8 wherein the at least one compressed gas reservoir is secured underwater by tether means, and the unified bubble fragmentation and dispersal unit is interconnected with the tether means.
10 . A method for fragmenting a bubble of compressed gas released from a compressed gas reservoir situated at a depth under a water surface, the method comprising:
maintaining a grid disposed between the reservoir and the water surface to fragment the bubble into a plurality of fragmented bubble portions, the grid allowing passage therethrough of the fragmented bubble portions of the body of compressed gas to travel therethrough generally along the travel path.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the grid is maintained to encompass a travel path of the released bubble of compressed gas.
12 . The method of claim 10 comprising further fragmenting and dispersing the fragmented portions progressively along the travel path.