A carbon dioxide energy storage system with high-temperature graded heat storage structure: Thermodynamic intrinsic cycle construction and performance analysis

Abstract

Carbon dioxide energy storage (CES) is an emerging compressed gas energy storage technology which offers high energy storage efficiency, flexibility in location, and low overall costs. This study focuses on a CES system that incorporates a high-temperature graded heat storage structure, utilizing multiple heat exchange working fluids. Unlike traditional CES systems that utilize a single thermal storage at low to medium temperatures, this system significantly optimizes the heat transfer performance of the system, thereby improving its cycle efficiency. Under typical design conditions, the round-trip efficiency of the system is found to be 76.4%, with an output power of 334 kW/(kg·s^‒1) per unit mass flow rate, through mathematical modeling. Performance analysis shows that increasing the total pressure ratio, reducing the heat transfer temperature difference, improving the heat exchanger efficiency, and lowering the ambient temperature can enhance cycle efficiency. Additionally, this paper proposes a universal and theoretical CES thermodynamic intrinsic cycle construction method and performance prediction evaluation method for CES systems, providing a more standardized and accurate approach for optimizing CES system design.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

carbon dioxide energy storage (CES) / high-temperature graded heat storage / thermodynamic intrinsical cycle construction / performance analysis

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Natural Technology Development, China (Grant Nos. ZYYD2022B11 and 2022ZY0048). We also thank Changsha Borui Energy Technology Co., Ltd. for its technical support.

Competing Interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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