JPS62294723A - Energy storing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To store energy in the form of pressurized air, by making the container of the pressurized air from a flexible watertight film material wherein the container is connected to an air compressor. CONSTITUTION:An air feeding pipe 3 is connected to an air compressor 2, and other end of the air feeding pipe 3 is connected to the container 1 of pressurized air. The container 1 is made from a flexible watertight film material, so that the air volume in the water is made variable. The buoyancy of the container 1 and a weight 11 are balanced so as to hold the container 1 in the water. On the generation of electrical energy, the pressurized air is taken out to obtain driving force. Thus, energy can be stored in the form of pressurized air until the generation of electrical energy.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention 1. Detailed Description of the Invention Industrial Field of Application The present invention generally relates to energy storage (AK), and in particular to energy storage (AK), and in particular to energy storage (AK), in which electric energy is converted to pressure using air as a medium and stored as pressurized air. It is related to a storage facility that stores it in the body.

Conventional technology Electricity has the property of being produced and consumed at the same time (1), and cannot be stored in bulk form.

It looks a little like a storage battery, but a battery is a product that replaces electrical energy with a chemical change, and in any case, it cannot be stored unless it is replaced with a form other than electricity.

The biggest problem with electricity supply and demand lies here. The output of the supply equipment is set according to the maximum load, so a surplus is generated during light loads such as at night, but it is not easy to adjust the supply amount according to the load, especially today when the proportion of nuclear power generation has increased. The difficulties are becoming increasingly rewarding.

To address these problems, various attempts have been made to store surplus power during low loads and release it during peak times. One of these is pumped storage power generation. This uses surplus electricity at night to drive pumps, store water from lower reservoirs in higher reservoirs, and drop the water during peak hours during the day to turn waterwheels and use them to generate electricity. This is a mechanism that converts electric power into potential energy and stores it. In the present invention, such storage will be referred to as "storage" or simply "storage."

As a variation of pumped storage power generation, there are two types known in the United States: a lower reservoir is placed underground, a higher reservoir is placed on the surface of the earth, and an air compressor is installed above the ground to pump the water. A report by the Department of Energy was published in May 1981. According to this report, underground reservoirs are cavities in bedrock, and a compressor is used to send pressurized air to pump water using air pressure instead of a pump. In the same way as described above, the electrical energy applied to the compressor is converted into potential energy.

On the other hand, if we pay attention to this pressure, power generation facilities using pressure storage are known in Europe. In this method, pressurized air is stored in a hollow underground storage tank, and when it is released, a turbine is driven to generate electricity, and the stored energy is converted into air pressure and used as electrical energy.

Such a system uses the usual combination of a compressor and a pressure tank to form an integrated above-ground and underground plant powered by compressed air, which stores initial energy.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In both examples of pumped storage power generation and storage of water in underground tanks, water is used as a medium and is stored until it is used at any time. Although water is easily obtained and easy to handle as a fluid, it has a large mass, requires large-scale facilities to obtain the lifting height for falling water, and is subject to major constraints on location. In other words, in principle, two reservoirs of equal volume are required, and those located at high altitudes are subject to many restrictions due to locational conditions and involve the construction of dams in remote mountainous areas.

On the other hand, energy conversion using air as a medium is well known as compressed air, which requires pressure tanks to store. The energy given to the compressor can be stored by doing work when the pressurized air in the pressure tank is released and driving the generator i(i'3%), but a typical pressure tank has a constant capacity, and the dotted line in Figure 4 As shown in Figure 2, as the amount of discharge increases, the pressure decreases, and not only is it impossible to obtain stable power, but the operating force of the pressurized air has a limit as shown by the perpendicular line in the figure, and a correspondingly larger storage tank is required. Pressure 8
The location of the power generation facility in Kura must be selected based on the geological conditions of the bedrock and the conditions of the groundwater required to maintain airtightness, and even if a suitable site is obtained, the capital investment for construction will be large.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention solves the above problems and reports.
It was completed by attempting a new development, and the purpose is to store electrical energy.Despite the description of the prior art as mentioned above, it is a new technology that does not receive any teachings from each of them. This is a completed energy storage facility with a configuration that stores the given electric power in the form of pressurized air using air as a medium, and the actual air is stored in an air storage container held underwater! The idea is to store the L/L and release it when it is needed, drive a generator on land, and obtain electricity again. The main feature of its structure is that the volume of the tank can be changed freely using a flexible membrane, and by keeping it underwater, the water can be constantly measured. Accordingly, electrical energy is converted into the form of air pressure and stored in a physical object suitable for storage, achieving the desired storage until it is obtained again as electricity when it is needed, electrical energy that places particular importance on operational efficiency. The supply and demand situation can be improved.

Example The storage facility of the present invention will be explained based on an example.

In Fig. 1, 1 is an air storage bag, 2 is an air compressor (hereinafter referred to as an air bag and a compressor, respectively), and 3 is an air pipe that connects the air bag 1 and the compressor 2. arranged in a series facing each other. air·
The bag 1 is a shaped container placed in water, and is made of a flexible airtight membrane material so that its volume can be changed by contraction and expansion. The membrane material itself does not need to be stretchable. This bag has a mass body 11 as a weight against the buoyant force generated when it is filled with air, and is submerged in deep water, preferably on the seabed.

It is economical to aim for a capacity V of 10,000 m' to 100,000 m1, and a water depth of 200 m or more.
It is preferable to choose a location 0 m offshore and avoid shallow coasts on the continental shelf. Since this air bag 1 is subjected to a buoyancy force of up to 100,000 tons when filled with air, a considerable amount of mass body 11
Materials such as steel and concrete are used. For example, adding concrete to the hulls of abandoned ships such as various tankers is more economically advantageous than newly constructed reinforced concrete boxes. Ballast that uses water is convenient for supply and discharge and is suitable for supplementary handling, and can be utilized when towing or sinking the mass body 11.

As will be described later, an amount of water 12 is placed in the air bag 1 in advance.
Contain it. Air bag 1 commensurate with this amount of water
The outer end 31 of the air pipe 3 is connected to the lower connecting portion 13 of the air pipe 3 .

Due to the above conditions, the material of the air bag 1 is installed in water at a depth D1 of, for example, 200 m or more, but it is sufficient that the material is deformable even when inflated by pressure air against a water pressure of 20 atm. There is no need for membrane materials with high tensile strength due to the difference in Membrane materials made of woven or non-woven chemical fibers and treated to be water-resistant are commercially available, and large-sized membranes are airtightly connected to form a bag. Examples of materials include vinylon, polyester, nylon, and Teflon.

In rural areas, it is preferable to use a reinforcing net material in conjunction with the recently developed dome material with an air membrane structure, and to reduce the weight by making the membrane material itself in the mesh portion thinner.

The configuration of the air bag 1 is made to be as close to a spherical shape as possible, which is advantageous in terms of tension. However, when a scrapped ship's hull is selected as the mass body 11, K becomes a cylindrical shape as opposed to a long box-shaped mass body. Regardless of the shape, the air bag 1 should be completely flattened when deflated (without being constrained by the surrounding support and fixing means to leave any empty space.

Accordingly, the means for securing the air bag 1 to the mass are otherwise optional, and the bag 1 is retained in the water.

FIG. 2 shows various types of combinations of the air bag 1 and the mass body 11. FIG. 2(a) shows a balloon-shaped air bag, in which the outer periphery of the air bag 1 is covered with a mesh body, and the outer periphery of the lower end thereof is moored to the mass body 11. (
'b) In the figure, the entire air bag 1 is housed inside a bowl-shaped mass body 11B, which suppresses buoyancy from above and protects the air bag 1 from damage. (C) The figure shows a bell-shaped structure in which a steel frame structure 11C is formed into a box shape, connected to a mass body 11, and a downwardly open air bag IC is housed inside the structure. . This air bag IC
is connected to the air supply pipe 3 at the top 13C, and changes the volume of the contained air depending on the water surface flowing in and out from below without changing the shape of the bag IC itself. Therefore, the bag itself may be made of a metal plate. In this model, the capacity water is 1
2C communicates with external seawater. (d) The diagram is so to speak (
It is a cone type that is a combination of types a) and (C), and the air bag ID is cone-shaped and flexible, and the water 12D inside it enters and exits by supplying and discharging pressurized air, and the bag itself Expand, atrophy.

The storage facility of the present invention is not limited in scale depending on the purpose of use and location conditions, and can be applied to a water depth of 2 mm or less, for example. The air bag 1 can be easily moored using a pile (point 1 in FIG. 1) 14 driven into the seabed.

Next, the compressor 2 is installed on land, compresses the outside air, and sends the compressed air to the air pipe 3 connected through the exhaust port 21 to inflate the air bag 1. Therefore, it is necessary to have the ability to send out air at a pressure equal to or higher than the water pressure on the outer surface of the air bag. The compressor may be of any type, such as a piston type, a turbine type, or a rotor type, and may be driven by a diesel engine, but a turbine type having an electric motor is preferable.

Considering the internal pressure T of the air pipe 3, T at the depth S of the pipe underwater is (D-8)/1o atm, and the deeper S is, the more balanced it is with the external water pressure. Similarly, the material at the outer end 31 may be a hose of the required diameter. The internal pressure T increases as it approaches the upper part of the rod, and compressor 2
Since the connection is equal to the operating pressure of this facility, it is best to use manufactured pipe.

Therefore, the air supply pipe 3 can be used by connecting pipes with graded structural strengths, and in any case, there is no need for special pressure resistance, which is economical.

Function The function of the storage facility of the present invention will be explained based on its operating method.

The air bag 1 is inflated underwater against the water pressure at depth by air supplied from the compressor 2, and the pressure P of the contained pressurized air A becomes %0 atmosphere. In other words, the t% energy given to the motor M of the compressor 2 is converted into the pressure form of the pressure air A in the compressor 2, except for some mechanical loss, and the intangible energy is transferred through the air of the celestial body as a medium. It will be stored. Here, if the surplus power at night is used as the power given to the motor MK, this surplus power will be stored in the form of pressurized air, and the energy that would be wasted when there is no load is saved and stored.

The energy contained in this air pressure can be utilized by sending the air air back to the ground from the air bag 1. This operation will be explained with reference to FIG. In Figure 3, the ground compressor 2 is replaced by an air turbine 4 directly connected to the generator GK.

When the intake port 41 of the turbine 4 is opened to communicate the air supply pipe 3, the pressurized air A flows out from the air bag 1 to the turbine 4. This outflow is caused by the water pressure P that the air bag 1 receives from the outside, and there is no need to provide any driving force for the air bag 1.

The water pressure P flattens the flexible air bag 1, or in the case of air bags Ic and II), allows seawater to enter the bag to reduce its volume, and after the pressure A disappears, the bottom The water 12 or the stored water 12C, 12D is also pushed out to the air pipe 3. Therefore, by storing the above-mentioned water 12 in an amount greater than the volume of the submerged portion of the air pipe 3, all of the pressure air A is transferred to the turbine 4 at the pressure P, as shown by the solid line in FIG. supply air to

During this time, the air bag 1 is a flexible bag body, and the air volume is variable even in other modifications, so as the air pressure A decreases during operation, it contracts due to the external water pressure P, and the bag body Air is completely squeezed out until it becomes flattened or until outside water overflows into the bag, so that no residual air remains in the air bag, and no residual air pressure decreases.

Moreover, the pressurized air in the air pipe 3 is pushed to the sea surface by the stored water 12 or incoming seawater that interacts with the outside water, and is supplied to the turbine 4 with the same pressure as when it is stored, which imposes time constraints on the operation of the turbine 4. No feeding and no additional storage required. Also, since the water pressure inside the air pipe 3 is maintained at the deepest pressure,
The air pipe 3 is not crushed by external pressure.

In this way, the pressurized air A moves through the four turbines, generates electricity in the generator G, and obtains electrical energy.

There is also mechanical loss in turbine 4 and generator G, but most of the pressure energy of pressure air A is converted into electrical energy and can be used 9, and the energy given at the beginning of operation is stored until it is used. It turns out.

In general, when the pressure air storage rIAi is 100,000 at several tens of atmospheres, the power generation capacity is 100,000 KW for several hours.

Effects of the Invention The energy storage facility of the present invention stores intangible energy using a physical object as a medium and is configured so that it can be used at any time.A compressor is operated by an external force to compress air and store it in a container. , the pressure air is extracted to obtain the driving force for power generation. Therefore, in order to convert the temporary energy of pressure energy into the pressure energy of pressure air, we used a variable volume bag as a container for the pressure air, held it under water pressure, and took it out again to generate electricity. , which succeeded in storing the energy given during conversion until it can be used to generate electricity. And, by holding it under water pressure, it is possible to take out as much of the panoramic view as possible through the container and use it as reconverted air energy, and its total conversion capacity (total output) can also be set over a wide range.

Furthermore, air as a medium is more easily obtained than water and is inexhaustible, which can cover the cost of installing a mass to cope with buoyancy in water.

The present invention is characterized by the structure and operation of the air container installed underwater or on the bottom of the water, and other structures are made of special materials.
The goal has been achieved by completing the storage facility without using any equipment. Second, this allows power companies to utilize peak shifts, and in particular allows them to store surplus electricity during the night and regenerate it during the day, thereby improving the τδ supply of electricity and, ultimately, energy economic policy in general. There is a lot to contribute.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional view of the energy storage facility of the present invention installed on the coast, Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of a modified example of the same installation, and Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view illustrating the operation of the same bm facility. cross section,
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of operating pressure. 1... Container, air storage, air bag, 2... Air EE compressor, compressor, 3... Air supply bone, 4...
Air turbine, 11...Mass body, 12...Accommodating water,
13...Lower connection part, 21...Exhaust port, A...Pressure, D...Water depth, P...Water pressure, W...Water surface, M.
...Motor, G... Generator. Agent Masao Miyake (1 other person) Figure 1 1・-m-Container, Air 1
Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 4 - Release amount - 伽

Claims (6)

[Claims] (1) Consisting of an air compressor, an air pipe connected at one end to the air compressor, and a pressurized air container connected to the other end of the air pipe, the pressurized air is released to generate electricity when electricity is required. In an energy storage facility using air as a medium, the container is an air storage bag made of a flexible watertight membrane material, or a hollow body with an opening at the bottom to allow water to enter and exit,
An energy storage facility characterized in that the air volume when underwater is variable, and the energy storage facility is moored and held in water using a mass as a weight to counter the buoyant force received when the air is filled. (2) The storage facility according to claim 1, wherein the air compressor is driven by electric power and stores electrical energy. (3) The storage facility according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mass body is made by adding concrete to the outer shell of a scrapped ship. (4) The storage facility according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mass body is a box made of concrete and having an opening at the top. (5) The storage facility according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the container contains water corresponding to the volume of the air pipe. (6) The air pipe has an internal pressure resistance equal to the operating pressure that is reduced in stages from the air compressor to the container in accordance with the water depth. Storage facility described in .