Systems and methods relating to use of external air for inventory control of a closed thermodynamic cycle system or energy storage system, such as a reversible Brayton cycle system, are disclosed. A method may involve, in a closed cycle system operating in a power generation mode, circulating a working fluid may through a closed cycle fluid path. The closed cycle fluid path may include a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg. The method may further involve in response to a demand for increased power generation, compressing and dehumidifying environmental air. And the method may involve injecting the compressed and dehumidified environmental air into the low pressure leg.

In a cryogenic combined cycle power plant electric power drives a cryogenic refrigerator to store energy by cooling air to a liquid state for storage within tanks, followed by subsequent release of the stored energy by first pressurizing the liquid air, then regasifying the liquid air and raising the temperature of the regasified air at least in part with heat exhausted from a combustion turbine, and then expanding the heated regasified air through a hot gas expander to generate power. The expanded regasified air exhausted from the expander may be used to cool and make denser the inlet air to the combustion turbine. The combustion turbine exhaust gases may be used to drive an organic Rankine bottoming cycle. An alternative source of heat such as thermal storage, for example, may be used in place of or in addition to the combustion turbine.

The invention herein relates to a flywheel capable of high speed rotational operation in excess of 15,000 rpm, the flywheel comprising a composite rotor having a polymeric matrix in which are embedded fibers helically wound at an initial angle with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotor of from about 50° to about 80° and increasing in a stepwise or continuous manner to about 90°.

The invention relates to a drive system for interior wind turbines, consisting of a rotatable tower (5) with a rotor mounted at hub height, the generator (16) being located at the foot of the tower (5) on a drive/generator platform (13) and the rotor torque being transferred from above downwards to the generator (16). Particular requirements are placed on such a drive system as the height of the interior wind turbine increases. A steel-wire-cable-reinforced flat belt (18) is used as a transfer element, the ends of which are joined in a particular way to form an endless belt the pretensioning of which is regulated dependent on the properties of the wind, and automatic monitoring is provided which executes an immediate controlled shut-down of the drive system if damage occurs.

A hydroelectric power generation system includes at least one penstock extending through the sea floor a predetermined depth into the ground below the sea floor, a turbine connected to an underground distal end of each of the at least one penstock, and an underground reservoir to collect seawater flowing down through the at least one penstock and the connected turbine. The hydroelectric power generation system may be part of a distributed hydroelectric power generation system which includes a plurality of hydroelectric power generation systems, the distributed hydroelectric power generation system additionally including an underground reservoir to collect seawater flowing down through all of the penstocks and connected turbines in the plurality of hydroelectric power systems.

A method for dispensing a product from an interior volume of a container to which a power assembly is secured, which includes rotating an actuator sleeve of the power assembly in one direction relative to the container to draw an amount of the product from the interior volume into a pump chamber and to pressurize the pump chamber, and temporarily depressing an actuator of the power assembly to dispense a portion of the product from the pump chamber through a nozzle for a duration of time during which the actuator is temporarily depressed. During the duration when the product is dispensed from the container, the power assembly does not rotate relative to the container, and the power assembly is never rotated in an opposite direction.

A system for air compression, storage and expansion may include a low-pressure and a high-pressure compressor, a motor, a heat storage, an air storage volume, a high-pressure and a low-pressure turbine, and a generator. The system may further include a first air path connecting sequentially the low-pressure compressor, the heat storage, the high-pressure compressor, and the air storage volume. The system may further include a second air path connecting sequentially the air storage volume, the high-pressure turbine, the heat storage, and the low-pressure turbine.

An electric drive assembly for a motor vehicle comprises a high-speed electric machine with a nominal rotational speed of at least 20,000 revolutions per minute and with a high-speed rotor that can be used as a flywheel mass for storing kinetic energy; a superimposed transmission having a drive element, a regulating element and a driven element, wherein the drive element is drivable by an electric machine around a drive axis, wherein the regulating element is rotatable around a regulating axis and wherein the driven element is drivingly connected to the regulating element and the drive element; an electromagnetic regulating device having a stator and a rotor that is connected to the regulating element in a rotationally fixed way, wherein by means of magnetic forces acting in the circumferential direction between the stator and the rotor, a regulating moment can be transmitted to the rotor, wherein the magnetic forces are variably adjustable.

Robust electro-static (ES) device embodiments, with application to energy storage flywheels as an example, are described that provide reliable, high-efficiency operation in the presence of thermal and mechanical perturbations, as well as seismic events. Electro-static generators and motors, when augmented with magnetic bearings, passive three-dimensional stabilization techniques and dynamic touch-down bearings, enable robust performance in the face of these environmental concerns, as well as efficient operation during typical operational sequences, including spin-up and steady-state modalities.

A frequency support system arranged for providing frequency support to an AC grid. The system includes an ES arrangement, and a bi-directional DC/AC power electronic converter interface configured for connecting the ES arrangement with the grid. The ES arrangement includes a plurality of series connected ES groups, each ES group including a plurality of parallel connected ES modules, each ES module including an energy storage interfaced by a bi-directional power electronic ES converter configured for connecting the ES with a DC side of the converter interface.