Systems and methods for foam-based heat exchange during energy storage and recovery using compressed gas

Abstract

In various embodiments, foam is compressed to store energy and/or expanded to recover energy.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 .- 348 . (canceled) 
     
     
         349 . A system for efficient power demand response, the system comprising:
 a first energy-storage system for supplying power in response to demand up to a first power-demand level;   connected to the first energy-storage system, a second energy-storage system for supplying power in response to demand greater than the first power-demand level; and   a heat-exchange subsystem for thermally conditioning at least a portion of at least one of the first or second energy-storage systems, thereby increasing a collective efficiency of the first and second energy-storage systems.   
     
     
         350 . The system of  claim 349 , wherein the first energy-storage system comprises at least one of a battery, a flywheel, or an ultracapacitor. 
     
     
         351 . The system of  claim 349 , wherein the second energy-storage system comprises a compressed-gas energy-storage system that supplies power by expanding compressed gas. 
     
     
         352 . The system of  claim 349 , wherein the first and second energy-storage systems are connected in parallel to a power grid. 
     
     
         353 . The system of  claim 349 , wherein the first power-demand level is approximately 500 kW. 
     
     
         354 . The system of  claim 349 , wherein the heat-exchange subsystem recovers thermal energy from the first energy-storage system for thermally conditioning, in the second energy-storage system, at least one of (i) heat-transfer fluid for thermally conditioning gas undergoing at least one of expansion or compression or for mingling with gas to form foam, (ii) gas or foam undergoing at least one of expansion or compression, or (iii) gas or foam stored in a storage reservoir prior to expansion. 
     
     
         355 . The system of  claim 349 , wherein the heat-exchange subsystem comprises a first heat exchanger associated with the first energy-storage system and a second heat exchanger associated with the second energy-storage system that is (i) separate from the first heat exchanger and (ii) selectively fluidly connectable to the first heat exchanger. 
     
     
         356 . The system of  claim 355 , wherein the first heat exchanger is fluidly connected to at least one of a first radiator or a first thermal well and the second heat exchanger is fluidly connected to at least one of a second radiator or a second thermal well. 
     
     
         357 . A method of power delivery, the method comprising:
 detecting a time-varying power-demand level;   supplying power from a first energy-storage system when the power-demand level is less than or equal to a threshold level;   supplying power from a second energy-storage system when the power-demand level is greater than the threshold level; and   thermally conditioning at least a portion of at least one of the first or second energy-storage systems, thereby increasing a collective efficiency of the first and second energy-storage systems.   
     
     
         358 . The method of  claim 357 , when power is supplied from the first energy-storage system only when the power-demand level is less than or equal to the threshold level. 
     
     
         359 . The method of  claim 357 , wherein power is supplied from the second energy-storage system only when the power-demand level is greater than the threshold level. 
     
     
         360 . The method of  claim 357 , wherein thermally conditioning at least a portion of at least one of the first or second energy-storage systems comprises recovering thermal energy from the first energy-storage system and thermally conditioning at least a portion of the second energy-storage system with the recovered thermal energy. 
     
     
         361 . The method of  claim 360 , wherein thermally conditioning the at least a portion of the second energy-storage system comprises thermally conditioning at least one of (i) heat-transfer fluid for thermally conditioning gas undergoing at least one of expansion or compression or for mingling with gas to form foam, (ii) gas or foam undergoing at least one of expansion or compression, or (iii) gas or foam stored in a compressed-gas reservoir prior to expansion. 
     
     
         362 . The method of  claim 357 , wherein power is supplied from the first and second energy-storage systems over a common bus line. 
     
     
         363 . The method of  claim 357 , wherein supplying power from the second energy-storage system comprises expanding at least one of gas or foam to recover energy therefrom. 
     
     
         364 .- 451 . (canceled)