Inlet Air Cooling and Moisture Removal Methods and Devices in Advance Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage Systems

Abstract

Systems and methods provide for cooling air in a power generation system. The system includes: an air handling unit configured to receive air, to cool the air and to remove moisture from the air; a first compressor fluidly connected to the air handling unit and configured to receive the air from the air handling unit and to exhaust a first compressed, heated air flow; a vapor absorption chiller connected to the first compressor and configured to transfer heat energy between a plurality of mediums and to cool the first compressed, heated air flow; and a second compressor connected to the vapor absorption chiller and configured to receive the cooled first compressed, heated air flow and to exhaust a second compressed, heated air flow.

1 . A system for cooling air in a power generation system, the system comprising:
 an air handling unit configured to receive air, to cool the air, and to remove moisture from the air;   a first compressor fluidly connected to the air handling unit and configured to receive the air from the air handling unit and to exhaust a first compressed, heated air flow;   a vapor absorption chiller connected to the first compressor configured to transfer heat energy between a plurality of mediums and to cool the first compressed, heated air flow;   a second compressor connected to the vapor absorption chiller configured to receive the cooled first compressed, heated air flow and to exhaust a second compressed, heated air flow;   an energy storage unit connected to the second compressor and configured to store heat energy from the second compressed, heated air flow; and   a storage facility connected to the energy storage unit and configured to store a cooled, compressed air received from the energy storage unit and to selectively release the cooled, compressed air back into the power generation system.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vapor absorption chiller configured to transfer heat energy between a plurality of mediums and to cool the first compressed, heated air flow comprises:
 a first heat exchanger configured to transfer heat energy from the first compressed, heated air flow to a refrigerant;   a second heat exchanger fluidly connected to the first heat exchanger and configured to cool and to condense the refrigerant;   a third heat exchanger fluidly connected to the second heat exchanger and configured to transfer heat energy from a first fluid to the refrigerant, wherein the first fluid then cools the air received by the air handling unit; and   a fourth heat exchanger fluidly connected to the third heat exchanger and configured to transfer heat energy from the refrigerant to a second fluid.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first fluid is one of water or glycol. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the vapor absorption chiller further comprises:
 a pump configured to pump the refrigerant.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first compressor is an axial compressor and the second compressor is a radial compressor. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the third heat exchanger is connected to both the air handling unit and the vapor absorption chiller. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooled first compressed, heated air flow is at a temperature of substantially 180° C. 
     
     
         8 . A system for cooling air in a power generation system, the system comprising:
 an air handling unit configured to receive air, to cool the air and to remove moisture from the air;   a first compressor fluidly connected to the air handling unit and configured to receive the air from the air handling unit and to exhaust a first compressed, heated air flow;   a vapor absorption chiller connected to the first compressor and configured to transfer heat energy between a plurality of mediums and to cool the first compressed, heated air flow; and   a second compressor connected to the vapor absorption chiller and configured to receive the cooled first compressed, heated air flow and to exhaust a second compressed, heated air flow.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the vapor absorption chiller configured to transfer heat energy between a plurality of mediums and to cool the first compressed, heated air flow comprises:
 a first heat exchanger configured to transfer heat energy from the first compressed, heated air flow to a refrigerant;   a second heat exchanger fluidly connected to the first heat exchanger and configured to cool and to condense the refrigerant;   a third heat exchanger fluidly connected to the second heat exchanger and configured to transfer heat energy from a first fluid to the refrigerant, wherein the fluid then cools the air received by the air handling unit; and   a fourth heat exchanger fluidly connected to the third heat exchanger and configured to transfer heat energy from the refrigerant to a second fluid.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the first fluid is one of water or glycol. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the vapor absorption chiller further comprises:
 a pump configured to pump the refrigerant.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first compressor is an axial compressor and the second compressor is a radial compressor. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the third heat exchanger is connected to both the air handling unit and the vapor absorption chiller. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the cooled first compressed, heated air flow is at a temperature of substantially 180° C. 
     
     
         15 . A method for cooling air in a power generation system, the method comprising:
 receiving air at an air handling unit;   cooling the air at the air handling unit to obtain a cooled air;   removing moisture from the cooled air at the air handling unit to obtain a cooled, dry air;   compressing the cooled, dry air by a first compressor;   exhausting a first compressed, heated air flow from the first compressor;   transferring heat energy between a plurality of mediums including the compressed, heated air at an vapor absorption chiller;   cooling the first compressed, heated air flow at the vapor absorption chiller;   compressing the cooled first compressed, heated air flow at a second compressor; and   exhausting a second compressed, heated air flow from the second compressor.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 transferring heat energy from the first compressed, heated air flow to a refrigerant at a first heat exchanger in the vapor absorption chiller;   cooling the refrigerant at a second heat exchanger in the vapor absorption chiller;   condensing the refrigerant at the second heat exchanger in the vapor absorption chiller;   transferring heat energy from a first fluid to the refrigerant at a third heat exchanger in the vapor absorption chiller, wherein the fluid then cools the air received by the air handling unit; and   transferring heat energy from the refrigerant to a second fluid at a fourth heat exchanger in the vapor absorption chiller.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first fluid is one of water or glycol. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 pumping the refrigerant by a pump.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first compressor is an axial compressor. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the cooled first compressed, heated air flow is at a temperature of substantially 180° C.