DE102014102922A1 - Gas storage arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a gas pressure accumulator arrangement in which a gas pressure accumulator is integrated into a body of water-limiting structure, for example a dam or a dyke.

Description

The invention relates to a gas pressure accumulator arrangement of a power plant.

Such gas pressure accumulator arrangements can be used for the storage of energy generated in a power plant of any type.

In the course of the current shutdown of nuclear power plants, the realization of concepts for the use of renewable energies has come to the fore.

Wind turbines have prevailed relatively widely, but they meet with resistance from the population, as they have to be exposed to the wind and therefore are visible from afar. Furthermore, the noise emissions of such wind turbines in the vicinity are considerable. The influence on the animal world is also controversial.

In the use of hydropower, the conventional hydropower plants have been used for a long time, which are built on barrages or the like. Recent trends are using wave energy to convert the kinetic energy of a body moving through the waves into electrical energy. There are so-called onshore systems that are built in the surf area and in which a turbine or the like is driven by the incoming into the building shaft.

In other wave power plants floats are assembled in a chain and exploited the relative displacement of the individual floats to each other during the wave motion to drive a generator via a hydraulic machine.

In other solutions floating bodies are anchored to the ground and are moved by the wave motion, the kinetic energy is then converted, for example by hydraulic machines into electrical energy.

So-called pumped-storage power plants, where water is pumped into high-altitude reservoirs, using the stored potential energy at times of high energy demand to power turbines / generators to generate electric power are currently highly controversial. Such pumped storage power plants are particularly easy to implement in the mountains, which in densely populated areas, the resistance in the population is considerable due to the interference with nature.

Also known are power plants in which the Tidenhub is exploited. Other interesting concepts are gradient power plants and glacier power plants.

The disadvantage of all these solutions is that these power plant concepts are either still in the development stage and are prone to failure especially in extreme weather conditions or for the realization of a considerable effort associated with high construction costs. Another disadvantage of many concepts is that they require serious interference with nature, which is not tolerated by the population, so that political problems arise in addition to the previously described business management.

In the DE 102 10 597 A1 a floating power plant is shown, in which a water wheel between two catamaran arranged hulls is arranged. Such a power plant can be anchored in a river with little effort and adapts itself by its buoyant hulls automatically to the water level, so that the risk of damage in high or low water is minimal. The construction of such floating power plants is also very compact, so that the investment costs compared to the prior art described above are low. A disadvantage of such a solution is that the efficiency is comparatively low.

A similar solution is in the DE-AT 384 656 B explained. In this variant, the floats are flooded with water, so that the entire floating power plant rests on the ground. This concept is likely to have an even lower efficiency compared to the prior art described above, since the flow can be significantly disturbed by moving along with the flow of the bottom of the water body such as stones, sand, plants, etc. In addition, no optimized flow of the turbine is possible in this area.

The DE 37 26 275 A1 shows a way to store a waterwheel over a float in a body of water.

Similar floating power plants are also in the pamphlets JP 2009-234555 A and US 7,223,137 B1 disclosed.

Although all of these solutions are relatively flexible with relatively little investment can be used - the efficiency is too low due to the poor flow to ensure cost-covering operation and thus to be of interest to investors.

In the DE 10 2011 052 667 A1 a concept is proposed, with which the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art are eliminated.

The floating power plant has at least two mutually spaced hulls, between which a water turbine (water wheel) is arranged, which is driven by the fluid flowing through between the hulls, preferably water. The floating power plant has a generator that can be powered by the water turbine. The hulls are designed as a diffuser, wherein the flow path delimited by the hulls is constricted in an approximately central region and widens in a diffuser-like manner in the outflow direction. It has been found that the flow of the turbine using such a diffuser-like construction is significantly made uniform and improved, so that the efficiency of the floating power plant compared to conventional solutions is significantly increased. The term "turbine" should be understood to mean any device which is driven by the flow force of the fluid and over which in turn a generator for power generation can be driven.

One problem with all power plants that use renewable energy is that even at times when energy demand is relatively low, they produce energy at night, for example, so that there is a surplus.

In the post-published DE 10 2013 114 032 discloses a floating power plant, in which the water power is used to drive a pump or a compressor, which in turn compresses a gas, preferably air, and promotes in a gas storage. This compressed air can then be used at high energy requirements for driving generators to generate electricity, which is then fed into the grid, while the charging of the gas storage in time periods with low energy requirements, for example, at night, takes place.

For further details, reference is made to the disclosure of the above patent application, which is to be included in the subject of the present application.

Such gas pressure accumulators can only be used economically if sufficient pressure medium can be stored in order to be able to provide sufficient energy over a longer period of time. For example, to provide a power of about 100 megawatts over a period of eight hours, an air storage volume of roughly 160,000 cubic meters at a storage pressure of 80 bar is required. Such large pressure vessels require considerable space, so that the integration into nature or in existing industrial buildings is difficult or not accepted by the population.

In contrast, the invention has for its object to provide a simple way of storing the compressed air or the pressurized medium, which requires as little intervention in nature.

This object is achieved by a pressure accumulator arrangement having the features of patent claim 1.

According to the invention existing or required structures are anyway used to limit a body of water and also serve as flood protection. These structures are preferably dikes or dams that withstand high loads in terms of their structural design. The invention now consists in integrating a pressure accumulator in these already existing dams, so that no additional buildings are required.

This gas pressure accumulator preferably has a tubular pressure vessel.

The stored in the pressure accumulator air can be used to drive an air / gas turbine, which in turn drives a generator, are driven by the electrical load or can be fed via the electrical energy into the network.

To increase the stability of the structure this can be reinforced with concrete, preferably reinforced concrete.

The pressure vessel may have a trapezoidal or tubular cross-section.

Since during the compression of the medium stored in the pressure vessel, a strong warming takes place, this heat can be used in one embodiment to vaporize a medium via a heat exchanger and to drive a motor, such as a rotary engine with the appropriate steam. This secondary circuit can be designed as a closed circuit, for example, methanol is used as a medium to be evaporated. In one embodiment, it is provided to associate the gas pressure accumulator arrangement with a superconducting energy accumulator / generator, the energy being stored by means of a superconducting coil. This is cooled by means of a cryostat below the so-called transition temperature of the superconductor, wherein for cooling on the expansion cold at Relaxation of the medium stored in the pressure vessel can be used.

In a further variant of the invention, the pressure vessel is insulated, so that the heat of compression generated during compression of the medium is not lost and can be used to generate energy. This isolation can be done for example by a vacuum insulation.

In a variant of the invention, the gas pressure storage arrangement is additionally designed with a thermal storage, preferably a solid or salt storage in which the thermal energy of the compressed gas can be stored in order to be able to deliver heat to the gas to be expanded upon discharge of the gas pressure storage arrangement.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings. Show it:

1 a gas pressure accumulator assembly according to the invention with a pressure vessel integrated in a dam;

2 a variant of the embodiment according to 1 with a thermally insulated pressure vessel;

3 a highly schematic side view of a hydroelectric power plant with a gas pressure accumulator assembly according to the invention;

4 a plan view of the hydroelectric power plant according to 3 ;

5 a side view of another embodiment of a gas pressure accumulator assembly and

6 a cross section of the gas pressure accumulator assembly according to 5 ,

A preferred embodiment of the invention is in the 1 shown. This shows a dam 1 who is a flowing body of water 2 limited. This dam 1 has in the cross-sectional view according to the figure has an approximately trapezoidal structure. The dam 1 is designed with a gas pressure accumulator embedded therein, preferably as a tubular pressure vessel 4 lying in the dam 1 is included. In principle, of course, a plurality of gas pressure accumulators can be arranged standing side by side. The cross section of such a pressure vessel is for example about 10 m diameter about 78 m ² , so that very significant volumes can be stored pressure. With a dam length of about 2 km, this results in a pressure accumulator volume of 160,000 m ³ . Using a storage pressure of about 80 bar, it would be possible to provide about 100 megawatts for a period of about eight hours.

The wall of the gas pressure accumulator can be designed comparatively "weak", since the surrounding dam gives the pressure vessel a sufficient pressure stability.

Such a construction does not weaken the dam in any way, so that its protective properties are not diminished. The creation of separate structures or facilities for the gas pressure accumulator is not required.

In the illustration according to 1 is with the reference numeral 6 a greening of the dam, characterized in that its outer contour is optimally adapted to the surrounding nature. The pressure vessel 4 is integrated into the overgrown dam and thus remains hidden.

The caching of energy is particularly easy when such dams 1 as close as possible to the corresponding power plant (for example, wind farm, hydroelectric power plant, coal power plant, nuclear power plant, ...) are arranged.

During the compression of the medium, here preferably air, in the pressure range described (for example, about 80 bar), the air heats up considerably due to the released heat of compression, whereby temperatures up to 1000 ° C can be achieved. This energy can be used in one embodiment of the invention to vaporize a heat transfer medium via a heat exchanger and to drive a motor or a turbine by the resulting steam, preferably wet steam. In this case, a rotary piston engine, for example a Wankel engine, can be used particularly advantageously. Such power-heat couplings are known, so that further embodiments are dispensable. The heat transfer medium, for example methanol, can be guided in a closed circuit.

In principle, the gas pressure accumulator arrangement may also be assigned a superconducting energy store / generator of the type described above.

The 2 to 4 show an embodiment in which the pressure vessel 4 with insulation 8th is provided so that the compressed air does not cool or much slower than the above-described embodiment. The additional use of the stored thermal energy can then be targeted at increased energy requirements.

In principle, it is preferred if the use of the gas pressure storage arrangement according to the invention is controlled centrally via a network operator center, so that in times of high energy consumption stored pressure energy and thermal energy is used to generate electricity.

The insulation 8th may for example contain a vacuum insulation.

3 shows a schematic diagram of a barrage with integrated (not shown) hydroelectric power plant. Such a barrage has a weir 10 , concerning the so-called stowage, in this case the waters 2 , is withheld. The lateral boundary of this body of water 2 is in accordance with the plan view in 4 through two of the above-described dams 1 . 1' educated. The lower water level is denoted by the reference numeral 12 characterized. Such dams 1 . 1' are often several kilometers long, so that considerable space is available, which can be used without other environmental impact for the realization of the pressure accumulator assembly according to the invention.

In 5 Another variant of a barrage with integrated hydroelectric power plant is shown. The basic structure is the same as in the previously described embodiment, so that reference can be made to these statements for the sake of simplicity. In this new variant is along a portion of the pressure vessel 4 a solid storage 14 provided, which is flowed through by the first of the compressed air, before this in the actual pressure vessel 4 arrives. In other words, the solid reservoir 14 is the pressure vessel 4 upstream, of course, however, must also be designed as a pressure vessel. This solid storage 14 forms a thermal storage, wherein the solid storage medium may be, for example, a material that was also used in blast furnaces. Conceivable here is the use of special concrete, a metallic storage or a brine storage. The length of this solid storage 14 is about 100 meters. According to the cross-sectional illustration in FIG 6 This solid storage with a plurality of approximately parallel to each other pipelines 16 be formed, which are flowed through by the compressed, hot gas. These pipelines 16 are then in the actual solid storage 14 embedded so that the heat exchange surface to the solid reservoir 14 optimal. The solid storage 14 itself is in turn with insulation 8th executed, which, similar to the embodiment described above is designed as a vacuum insulation or else by fireclay or the like.

In the inflow upstream lying the pressure accumulator 4 according to 5 with a switching chamber 18 be executed, in which all necessary controls, such as valves and manifolds, etc. are included.

In the inflow downstream of the solid reservoir 14 is a heat exchanger 20 provided on the use of the charged pressure vessel 4 the comparatively cool gas is first heated before leaving the solid reservoir 14 flows through. In this way, a highly effective heating of the pressurized gas is ensured, so that the power generation via the gas turbine and the generator takes place with a high efficiency.

Depending on the operating condition, the gas flow which flows in or out is controlled by the control elements of the switching chamber 18 controlled.

The additional devices described above for controlling and using the energy, such as, for example, the heat exchanger with the heat carrier circuit and / or the superconducting energy storage / generator can be arranged centrally. In principle, it is also possible to arrange a plurality of such additional devices distributed along the length of the dam in order to convert the energy decentrally.

The preferred operating range of the gas pressure accumulator arrangement according to the invention is between 40 and 80 bar.

The gas pressure accumulator arrangements can be associated with particularly advantageous wind energy parks, which are arranged in the coastal area, so that the already existing dams / dikes accommodate the pressure vessels.

To generate the current known per se compressed air turbines can be used, which can be operated in addition with gas support.

Disclosed is a gas pressure accumulator arrangement in which a gas pressure accumulator is integrated into a body of water-limiting structure, for example a dam or a dyke.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1, 1 '

 dam

2

 waters

4

 pressure vessel

6

 greening

8th

 insulation

10

 weir

12

 Lower water level

14

 Solid storage

16

 pipeline

18

 switching chamber

20

 heat exchangers

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 10210597 A1 [0011]
• DE 384656 B [0012]
• DE 3726275 A1 [0013]
• JP 2009-234555 A [0014]
• US 7223137 B1 [0014]
• DE 102011052667 A1 [0016]
• DE 102013114032 [0019]

Claims (9)

Gas pressure accumulator arrangement for a power plant, in which energy can be used to drive a compressor via the gas, preferably compressed air and stored in a gas pressure accumulator, characterized in that the gas pressure accumulator in a water-limiting structure, preferably a dam ( 1 ) or dike, is integrated. Gas pressure accumulator assembly according to claim 1, wherein the gas pressure accumulator a pressure vessel ( 4 ) having a tubular or trapezoidal cross-section extending into the dam ( 1 ) or the dyke is embedded. Gas pressure accumulator assembly according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the structure is reinforced concrete. Gas pressure accumulator arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure vessel ( 4 ) is isolated. Gas pressure accumulator arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the pressure vessel ( 4 ) a vacuum insulation ( 8th ) Has. Gas pressure storage arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a heat exchanger for the evaporation of a heat carrier and a rotary piston engine, which is drivable by the steam. Gas pressure accumulator arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, with a superconducting energy store or generator. Gas pressure storage arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in the gas pressure accumulator, a thermal storage, preferably a solid storage ( 14 ) is arranged. Gas pressure accumulator arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the thermal accumulator, a heat exchanger for preheating the pressure accumulator ( 4 ) is assigned to the outflowing gas.

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