Investigation on wind energy-compressed air power system

Area of Science:

• Renewable Energy Systems
• Mechanical Engineering
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Wind energy is a clean, abundant resource in China.
• Current electricity reliance limits broader wind energy application.
• Compressed air power offers an alternative energy storage and delivery method.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and analyze a novel wind energy system utilizing compressed air power.
• To investigate the integration of wind energy with compressor capacity.
• To evaluate energy-saving potential in compressed air pressure reduction.

Main Methods:

• Explanation of the wind energy-compressed air power system's principles and characteristics.
• Analysis of the compatibility between wind energy input and compressor capacity.
• Development of a theoretical model and computational simulation for system analysis.
• Investigation into pressure reduction methods for high-pressure compressed air.

Main Results:

• A relationship between compressor capacity and wind power was established for specific wind velocities.
• Computational simulations provided insights into system performance.
• Pressure reduction using an expander demonstrated higher energy efficiency than throttle regulators.

Conclusions:

• The developed theoretical model and simulation are valuable for designing wind energy-compressed air systems.
• Expander-based pressure reduction is more energy-efficient for high-pressure compressed air applications.
• This approach enhances the utilization of wind energy by reducing electricity dependence.