Hybrid compressed air/water energy storage system and method
A hybrid compressed air/water energy storage system is described. The system includes a series of water containers and a plurality of inflatable bladders held within each container. An air compression facility is used to inflate the bladders upon which water is forced out of the containers to a water storage facility at a higher potential energy. The system includes a water powered turbine and an expansion turbine. Thus, the system can produce power from both the water powered turbine (e.g., as a component of a hydroelectric plant) and from the expansion turbine (e.g., as a component of a CAES plant). The system can be utilized in a subsurface land-based system or a submerged water-based system.
1. A hybrid compressed air/water energy storage system comprising:
a container;
a series of inflatable bladders within the container;
an air compression facility in fluid communication with each of the inflatable bladders;
a water source;
a water flow path between the water source and the container and configured such that water from the water source delivered to the interior of the container surrounds at least a portion of each of the inflatable bladders;
a first turbine in the water flow path; and
an expansion facility incorporating a second turbine in communication with each of the inflatable bladders.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the container is a subsurface land-based container.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the container is a submerged water-based container.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the air compressor is powered by wind or solar energy.
5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a heat source for the expansion facility.
6. The system of claim 5 , the heat source comprising an electrolyzer or a natural gas fired combustor.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the series of inflatable bladders are arranged in a vertically stacked arrangement within the container.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the water source is a man-made reservoir.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first turbine is a reversible turbine.
10. The system of claim 1 , the air compression facility comprising a heat recovery component.
11. The system of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of the containers, each of the plurality of containers holding a series of inflatable bladders.
12. A method for storing energy comprising:
compressing air; and
filling one or more inflatable bladders with the compressed air, the inflatable bladders being retained within a container, the container holding water that surrounds at least a portion of each of the inflatable bladders, wherein upon the one or more inflatable bladders being filled with the compressed air, a first amount of the water is thereby forced out of the container and to a storage location, the first amount of water moving up an energy gradient as it is forced to the storage location.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising utilizing wind or solar energy to compress the air.
14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising turning a motor with the first amount of the water that is forced out of the container.
15. The method of claim 14 , the motor providing energy for compressing the air.
16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising utilizing the stored energy by controllably releasing compressed air from one or more of the inflatable bladders while simultaneously dropping a second amount of water from the storage location to a lower potential energy value.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising generating power by expansion of the compressed air.
18. The method of 17 , further comprising heating the compressed air prior to the expansion.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising electrolyzing water to form hydrogen and utilizing the hydrogen as a fuel for heating the compressed air.
20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising generating power by turning a turbine with the dropping water.