Patent ID: 9608498
Date: 2017-03-28
CPC Classifications: F01K,F02C,F05D,F25J,H02K,Y02E

Claim:
1. A method for generating electrical energy in a system comprising a power plant, a cold air storage system and an air compression system, wherein the air compression system includes a primary air compressor for generating a primary compressed air flow at a first pressure level, the power plant includes a combustion unit for generating a combustion gas for use in generating electrical energy, and the cold air storage system includes a means for generating cold air from the primary compressed air flow, a means for storing the cold air produced by the means for generating cold air and a means for generating a third compressed air flow at a second pressure level using the cold air from the means for storing the cold air, wherein the second pressure level is higher than the first pressure level, the method comprising, operating in a first operating mode, comprising providing the primary compressed air flow as a first compressed air flow from the air compression system to the cold air storage system and charging the means for storing the cold air, operating in a second operating mode, comprising discharging the cold air from the means for storing the cold air to the means for generating the third compressed air flow; generating the third compressed air flow in the means for generating the third compressed air flow; and providing the third compressed air flow to the combustion unit, and operating in a third operating mode, comprising providing all of the primary compressed air flow as a second compressed air flow to the combustion unit, the method further comprising operating the combustion unit at the second pressure level; when operating in the third operating mode, boosting all of the second compressed air flow to the second compressed air pressure level using a first booster included in the air compression system prior to the second compression air flow being provided to the combustion unit; and when operating in the second operating mode, providing a portion of the primary compressed air flow as the first compressed air flow to the cold air storage system for discharging to the means for generating the third compressed air flow and generating the third compressed air flow for use in the combustion unit; wherein the means for generating the third compressed air flow in the cold air storage system includes a cold compressor.