Patent ID: 8534058

Claim:
An energy storage and production system comprising: a compressed air energy storage and energy production apparatus comprising a free piston within a cylinder, the free piston providing both a magnetic piston comprising a permanent magnet, and a compressed air driven piston; a first chamber provided between a first end of the piston and a first end of the cylinder and a second chamber provided between a second end of the piston and a second end of the cylinder, the piston arranged with each end of the cylinder to provide an air compressor and compressed air expander; an electromagnetic coil connectable to an input of electrical power and arranged with the piston to generate a first reciprocating movement of the piston, the first reciprocating movement of the piston arranged with controlled opening and closing of each chamber such that air is introduced into each chamber, compressed in the first and second chambers and the compressed air produced in each chamber is thereafter introduced to a compressed air storage reservoir; and the electromagnetic coil arranged with the piston to convert a second reciprocating movement of the piston to an output of electrical power connectable to a power grid, the second reciprocating movement of the piston generated by bursts of the compressed air from the storage reservoir introduced into the first and second chambers by controlled opening and closing of fluid communication of each chamber to the compressed air in the storage reservoir.