A method of storing hydrogen involves forming an excavation in the earth and constructing a storage tank therein comprised of integrated primary and secondary containment structures. The primary containment structure composed of a plurality of joinable cylindrical segments, or pre-fabricated sections joined to form a cylinder within the excavation. The secondary containment structure formed by pumping a curable, flowable composition into the cylinder, allowing it to flow out the bottom and up the second annulus to the earth's surface, and then hardening; thereby encasing the primary containment structure. The bottom of the cylinder is sealed with the bottom assembly. The top assembly is attached to the cylinder and tubing and packer are run into the cylinder creating a first annulus between the cylinder and tubing. Top assembly is sealed, fluids circulated out, and the tank dried. Thereafter, the tank is capable of safely storing hydrogen gas.

A cryogenic vessel includes an outer vessel at least partially formed from a reinforced concrete. The cryogenic vessel further includes an inner vessel disposed in the outer vessel. The cryogenic vessel further includes an airtight liner disposed between the inner vessel and the outer vessel, wherein the liner is anchored to the outer vessel. The cryogenic vessel further includes a vacuum space disposed between the inner vessel and the liner, wherein an insulation material is disposed in the vacuum space.

A method for constructing a double-shell-structured cylindrical tank having an inner tank and an outer tank includes: a step of, inside the outer tank, assembling a first structure of the inner tank excluding a lowermost level of the inner tank by alternately and repeatedly performing raising of an inner tank lateral plate using a jack-up unit and attaching of a next inner tank lateral plate below the raised inner tank lateral plate; a step of assembling a second structure serving as the lowermost level of the inner tank on an annular portion provided on a base portion of the outer tank and configured to support the inner tank; and a step of assembling the inner tank by joining the first structure and the second structure.

A vacuum heat-insulating material includes: an outer cover material; and a core material which is sealed in a tightly closed and decompressed state on the inside of the outer cover material. Outer cover material has gas barrier properties and satisfies at least one of a condition that a linear expansion coefficient is 80×10.sup.−5/° C. or lower when a static load is 0.05 N within a temperature range of −130° C. to 80° C., inclusive, a condition that an average value of a linear expansion coefficient is 65×10.sup.−5/° C. or higher when a static load is 0.4 N within a temperature range of −140° C. to −130° C., inclusive, a condition that an average value of a linear expansion coefficient is 20×10.sup.−5/° C. or higher when a static load is 0.4 N within a temperature range of −140° C. to −110° C., inclusive, and a condition that an average value of a linear expansion coefficient is 13×10.sup.−5/° C. or higher when a static load is 0.4 N within a temperature range of +50° C. to +65° C., inclusive.

A cryogenic tank includes a heat insulating material layer which is disposed between a concrete wall and a membrane and includes a secondary barrier layer in an inner portion of the heating insulating material, and a membrane anchor mechanism which penetrates the secondary barrier layer, is fixed to the concrete wall, and presses the membrane. The membrane anchor mechanism includes a seal portion which covers a through portion penetrating the secondary barrier layer.

A method of storing hydrogen involves forming an excavation in the earth and constructing a storage tank therein comprised of integrated primary and secondary containment structures. The primary containment structure composed of a plurality of joinable cylindrical segments, or pre-fabricated sections joined to form a cylinder within the excavation. The secondary containment structure formed by pumping a curable, flowable composition into the cylinder, allowing it to flow out the bottom and up the second annulus to the earth's surface, and then hardening; thereby encasing the primary containment structure. The bottom of the cylinder is sealed with the bottom assembly. The top assembly is attached to the cylinder and tubing and packer are run into the cylinder creating a first annulus between the cylinder and tubing. Top assembly is sealed, fluids circulated out, and the tank dried. Thereafter, the tank is capable of safely storing hydrogen gas.

A new procedure for constructing cryogenic storage tanks involves erecting a freestanding metal liner. The liner is sized and configured to withstand the hydraulic forces the concrete wall of the tank being poured without the need for temporary stiffeners on the inside surface of lower portions of the liner. Lateral tension ties can be connected to anchor ties on an outward surface of the liner and used to tie the liner to outer formwork. These ties may be spaced up to about 2 m apart. Studs can also be provided on the outer surface of the liner, and a cylindrical ring of cryogenic steel can be integrated into the liner.

A method of operating a hydrostatically compensated compressed air energy storage system in a first charging mode including conveying the compressed air at a nearly constant first operating pressure which displaces a corresponding volume of compensation liquid from the layer of compensation liquid out of the accumulator, and a second charging mode including conveying additional compressed air into the accumulator while compensation liquid is not displaced from within the accumulator so that the pressure of the layer of compressed air increases to a second operating pressure that is greater than the first operating pressure.

A compressed gas energy storage system may include an accumulator for containing a layer of compressed gas atop a layer of liquid. A gas conduit may have an upper end in communication with a gas compressor/expander subsystem and a lower end in communication with accumulator interior for conveying compressed gas into the compressed gas layer of the accumulator when in use. A shaft may have an interior for containing a quantity of a liquid and may be fluidly connectable to a liquid source/sink via a liquid supply conduit. A partition may cover may separate the accumulator interior from the shaft interior. An internal accumulator force may act on the inner surface of the partition and the liquid within the shaft may exert an external counter force on the outer surface of the partition, whereby a net force acting on the partition is less than the accumulator force.

A precast, prestressed concrete tank and method that facilitates construction of a primary inner tank within a secondary outer tank, and which permits for the construction of the primary inner tank after the secondary outer tank has been erected, but without requiring insertion through a top of the secondary outer tank, or by tunneling underneath the secondary outer tank, is disclosed. The primary inner tank has an inner wall and the secondary outer tank has an outer wall (precast, prestressed concrete) and wire windings. The primary inner tank is disposed inside of the secondary outer tank. The secondary outer tank has a plurality of first precast outer wall panels, and a temporary construction opening frame. The temporary construction opening frame defines an access doorway during construction of the tank. The temporary construction opening frame is disposed on a foundation base slab.