Two-Phase Polytropic Energy Storage

Completed

Other Power and Storage Technologies(Energy storage)

Basic and strategic applied research

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Dr W Rampen
Sch of Engineering and Electronics
University of Edinburgh

Standard

EPSRC

01 May 2015

30 April 2016

12 months

£115,737

Energy

Scotland

Energy : Energy

Dr W Rampen, Sch of Engineering and Electronics, University of Edinburgh

Note this record is the EPSRC part of project, there is another part which is referenced via the InnovateUK record InnUK/102205/01

The University of Edinburgh team will work with engineers at Artemis Intelligent Power Ltd to design a compact grid-scale energy storage facility. The energy storage concept uses a polytropic compression and expansion in a Joule or Brayton cycle to convert mechanical work to heat, and back. For these processes it uses large, slow moving, piston machines, giving adequate time for heat exchange processes to occur with high efficiency. Secondary liquids are introduced into the working gas to absorb and reject heat, so that it can be transferred directly into unpressurised thermal stores (without recourse to large heat exchangers) - one very hot, the other very cold. All of the processes are theoretically fully reversible. Each process is being designed to occur with minimal losses, with the aim of equalling or exceeding the efficiency of pumped hydro storage. Artemis Digital Displacement machines provide the controllable wide motion ratios required to efficiently interface the high-speed electrical generators to the low-speed compressor expander machines such that constant power levels are maintained. This being a first phase programme, it is anticipated that the end goals of this 12 month project will be an outline design, system simulation model, some critical-path component development to verify performance prior to moving onto building a pilot energy storage facility

16/07/15