Multiphysics modeling of coupling compressed-air energy storage-thermal storage in salt caverns: An approach to insoluble sediment as heat reservoir feasibility analysis

Abstract

A significant number of salt caverns have high proportions of insoluble sediments, but the thermal storage utilization potential of insoluble sediments remains understudied within current research. Therefore, this study aims to explore the feasibility of an integrated compressed-air energy storage (CAES) coupled with insoluble sediment as the thermal storage media for salt caverns. In order to fulfill this objective, this study presents two steps to analyze the insoluble sediment's thermo-mechanical behavior under ordinary CAES conditions and coupled thermal energy storage (TES) conditions separately. A multiphysics-coupled numerical model was developed to investigate the thermal behavior of insoluble sediments at different heights. Then, a dual-cavity model with a sediment-filled channel was constructed to study the heat storage process in long- and short-term modes. Results demonstrated that sediment effectively protected cavern walls from thermal shocks caused by compressed air, maintaining temperature differentials within 1 K. Dual-cavity simulations revealed the sediment's capability to mitigate the temperature fluctuation of compressed air in caverns, achieving a 66% temperature reduction in the outflow interface during operation. The findings confirmed the feasibility of utilizing insoluble sediments for long-term thermal storage applications involving thermal cycles with ΔT = 150 K, attaining a heat storage density of 50 kW·h/m³. The results show that the heat capacity of the sediment contributes to the cavern wall's stability and provide references for developing integrated CAES-TES systems in sediment-filled salt caverns.

Keywords

compressed-air energy storage / insoluble sediment / salt cavern / thermal storage

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2025 The Author(s). Deep Underground Science and Engineering published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of China University of Mining and Technology.