Volume 47

Megawatt Isobaric Compressed Air Energy Storage: an Experimental Study on the Discharge Process Changchun Liu, Zhao Yin, Xu Su, Xuehui Zhang, Zhitao Zuo, Yong Sheng, Xuezhi Zhou, Xudong Wang, Yujie Xu, Haisheng Chen

Abstract

Isobaric compressed air energy storage is a pivotal technology enabling the extensive deployment of renewable energy in coastal regions. Recently, there has been a surge in research integrating isobaric compressed air energy storage with various renewables. However, there remains a significant shortage of experimental verifications. This paper presents an experimental study on the discharge process of a megawatt isobaric compressed air energy storage system, revealing the regulation characteristics of the start-up, isobaric discharge operation, and shut-down processes. Experiments show that the energy storage system has reliable and rapid regulation characteristics, with vibration less than 41um, cold start time not exceeding 5 min, and shut down within 2 min. The storage system with a flexible storage device can fully utilize the stored compressed air while maintaining stable pressure at the compressor outlet and turbine inlet. The findings of this study lay the foundation for the actual application of isobaric compressed air energy storage systems in the development and utilization of renewable energy along coastal areas.

Keywords Isobaric compressed air energy storage, Underwater compressed air energy storage, Constant pressure energy storage, Experimental investigation