Patent ID: 8733094

Claim:
An energy-conversion system that stores and recovers electrical energy using compressed gas, the system comprising: a cylinder assembly including a cylinder having a first chamber and a second chamber, the chambers being separated by a piston slideably disposed within the cylinder; a drive system coupled to the cylinder assembly, wherein the drive system is configured to convert potential energy to electrical energy during an expansion phase and convert electrical energy to potential energy during a compression phase, movement of the piston in the cylinder assembly compressing gas in one of the first or second chambers during the compression phase, and expanding gas in one of the first or second chambers moving the piston in the cylinder assembly during the expansion phase; a heat-transfer subsystem in fluid communication with at least one of the first chamber or the second chamber of the cylinder assembly; for sensing at least one of a fluid state, a fluid flow, a temperature, a pressure, or a position of the piston, at least one sensor in communication with at least one of the first chamber of the cylinder assembly, the second chamber of the cylinder assembly, or fluid exiting the heat-transfer subsystem; and a control system for receiving telemetry from the at least one sensor to control operation of the heat-transfer subsystem based at least in part on the received telemetry.