Liquified Air Can Store And Supply Energy Using Cryo-Energy Systems

The demand for energy is ever increasing and to meet the current energy requirements we cannot depend only upon the non-renewable resources. We have to make use of alternative resources like SOLAR, WIND energy. By using solar cells & wind mills, we can trap the energy and use it to produce electricity. But what happens is the wind is not always blowing and the sun is not always shining. So we fail to produce energy as per the requirement. We cannot control these climatic conditions but what we can do is STORE the trapped energy.

For this, some scientists are trying to store the energy by converting it to natural gas. Another effective approach, which is already in use in a pilot project, is found by Britain's Highview Power Storage. They used Cryo-Energy Systems to store the energy. In Cryo-Energy Systems, the excess amount of energy which is obtained through trapping is used to run refrigeration units to liquefy the atmospheric air. The liquid air is stored in insulated tanks at an ambient pressure of 1 bar.

Cryo-Energy Systems (CES) uses basic principles of CRYOGENICS where gas is converted into its liquid form. It is done by cooling the gas well below -150oC. In Cryo-Energy Systems, the air is cooled down to a temperature of -196oC. At higher demand periods, when the direct energy source cannot meet the required need, the liquid air is released in a chamber which connects to the Turbine. Here the effect is similar to that of a Steam Engine. Their, the steam is made to flow to turbine to rotate the blades. In Cryo-Energy Systems, the liquid air boils as soon as it is heated above -196oC. Thus even room temperature superheats the liquid air causing it to regasify.

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The volume increases by 700% approximately and automatically the air stars blowing to turbine blades as it has only way to flow. This high pressure gas spins the turbine blades which in turn powers the generator. Efficiency of CES is 50 - 70 %. The energy which would have been wasted can be used efficiently with CES.

Another more efficient Pumped Hydro method is also used where the excess trapped energy is used to pump water from one body of water up to a reservoir at a higher elevation. When power is required the water is released through dam which spins turbine blades producing power. But initial investment of building a dam is costly affair as compared to that of CES. Also the liquid air stored in insulated tanks can be loaded onto a truck and transported to where power is needed.

When all criteria for energy storage are taken into consideration, use of batteries is inferior to CES. While the high efficiency batteries are used to generate 1 kW of power, they cost about US $4000 which is 4 times the cost that required by CES to produce the same power.

Thus Cryo-Energy Systems gives the most efficient, economical and eco-friendly path for energy storage and conservation.

Source of News: University of Leeds

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