Hybrid power system utilizes wind powered compression for operation of expansion turbine. The hybrid power system includes at least one wind turbine that produces mechanical power, a compressor unit that compresses air, and an expansion turbine that receives the compressed air from the compressor unit and produces power to operate an alternator or a generator that produces electricity. The compressor unit includes one or more compressors coupled to the at least one wind turbine to compress air and may optionally include at least one intercooling device configured to cool the air compressed by the compressors. The hybrid power system may optionally include one or more heating devices configured to heat the compressed air flowing from the compressor unit to the expansion turbine.

Hybrid power system utilizes wind powered compression for operation of expansion turbine. The hybrid power system includes at least one wind turbine that produces mechanical power, a compressor unit that compresses air, and an expansion turbine that receives the compressed air from the compressor unit and produces power to operate an alternator or a generator that produces electricity. The compressor unit includes one or more compressors coupled to the at least one wind turbine to compress air and may optionally include at least one intercooling device configured to cool the air compressed by the compressors. The hybrid power system may optionally include one or more heating devices configured to heat the compressed air flowing from the compressor unit to the expansion turbine.

A thermal storage subsystem may include at least a first storage reservoir configured to contain a thermal storage liquid at a storage pressure that is greater than atmospheric pressure. A liquid passage may have an inlet connectable to a thermal storage liquid source and configured to convey the thermal storage liquid to the liquid reservoir. A first heat exchanger may be provided in the liquid inlet passage and may be in fluid communication between the first compression stage and the accumulator, whereby thermal energy can be transferred from a compressed gas stream exiting a gas compressor/expander subsystem to the thermal storage liquid.

A thermal storage subsystem may include at least a first storage reservoir configured to contain a thermal storage liquid at a storage pressure that is greater than atmospheric pressure. A liquid passage may have an inlet connectable to a thermal storage liquid source and configured to convey the thermal storage liquid to the liquid reservoir. A first heat exchanger may be provided in the liquid inlet passage and may be in fluid communication between the first compression stage and the accumulator, whereby thermal energy can be transferred from a compressed gas stream exiting a gas compressor/expander subsystem to the thermal storage liquid.

A renewable energy and waste heat harvesting system is disclosed. The system includes an accumulator unit having a high pressure accumulator and a low pressure accumulator. At least one piston is mounted for reciprocation in the high pressure accumulator. The accumulator unit is configured to receive, store, and transfer energy from the hydraulic fluid to the energy storage media. The system collects energy from a renewable energy source and transfers the collected energy using the pressurized hydraulic fluid. The system further includes one or more rotational directional control valves, in which at least one rotational directional control valve is positioned on each side of the accumulator unit. Each rotational directional control valve includes multiple ports. The system also includes one or more variable displacement hydraulic rotational units. At least one variable displacement hydraulic rotational unit is positioned adjacent each of the rotational directional control valves.

The device of the present invention converts the kinetic energy of compressed air into electrical energy by setting up (N+1)-level wind turbines with same diameter but different rated power and rated speed in a pipeline and passing the high-speed airflow through the multi-levels of the wind turbine to reduce the airflow speed. The device converts wind energy into electrical energy and mixes atomized water when the compressed air flows through the wind turbines to improve the power generation efficiency. The device is a pipeline power generation device and a dedicated compressed air turbine. The pipeline power generation device can be used by multiple devices in parallel connecting with each other to increase the total power of peak-shaving power. As the result, the cost of the peak shaving power is reduced.

The device of the present invention converts the kinetic energy of compressed air into electrical energy by setting up (N+1)-level wind turbines with same diameter but different rated power and rated speed in a pipeline and passing the high-speed airflow through the multi-levels of the wind turbine to reduce the airflow speed. The device converts wind energy into electrical energy and mixes atomized water when the compressed air flows through the wind turbines to improve the power generation efficiency. The device is a pipeline power generation device and a dedicated compressed air turbine. The pipeline power generation device can be used by multiple devices in parallel connecting with each other to increase the total power of peak-shaving power. As the result, the cost of the peak shaving power is reduced.

The invention relates to a system for storing and recovering energy, comprising at least two liquid containers for storing a liquid, the two liquid containers being preferably located at substantially the same level and/or preferably having a substantially identical volume, and a turbine unit for power generation, which connects the two liquid containers to one another and is designed in such a way that the liquid can flow from the one liquid container through the turbine and into the other liquid container and thereby drives the turbine, and a working gas provision unit for providing a working gas, in particular air, having a substantially constant working gas pressure, the working gas provision unit being connected to the two liquid containers and designed in such a way that the working gas having said constant working pressure conveys the liquid from the one liquid container, via the turbine unit and into the other liquid container.

The invention relates to a system for storing and recovering energy, comprising at least two liquid containers for storing a liquid, the two liquid containers being preferably located at substantially the same level and/or preferably having a substantially identical volume, and a turbine unit for power generation, which connects the two liquid containers to one another and is designed in such a way that the liquid can flow from the one liquid container through the turbine and into the other liquid container and thereby drives the turbine, and a working gas provision unit for providing a working gas, in particular air, having a substantially constant working gas pressure, the working gas provision unit being connected to the two liquid containers and designed in such a way that the working gas having said constant working pressure conveys the liquid from the one liquid container, via the turbine unit and into the other liquid container.

A hybrid compressed air energy storage system is provided. A heat exchanger 114 extracts thermal energy from a compressed air to generate a cooled compressed air stored in an air storage reservoir 120, e.g., a cavern. A heat exchanger 124 transfers thermal energy generated by a carbon-neutral thermal energy source 130 to cooled compressed air conveyed from reservoir 120 to generate a heated compressed air. An expander 140 is solely responsive to the heated compressed air by heat exchanger 124 to produce power and generate an expanded air. Expander 140 is effective to reduce a temperature of the expanded air by expander 140, and thus a transfer of thermal energy from an expanded exhaust gas received by a recuperator 146 (used to heat the expanded air by the first expander) is effective for reducing waste of thermal energy in exhaust gas cooled by recuperator 146.