An integrated system for thermal power generation, electrical energy storage and CO2 capture.

SUMMARY This work reports a newly proposed system for electrical energy storage. The new system combines a direct open nitrogen (cryogen) expansion cycle with a natural gas-fuelled closed Brayton cycle and the CO2 produced in the system is captured in the form of dry ice. Thermodynamic analyses are carried out on the system under the baseline conditions of 1 kg s−1 natural gas, a combustor operating pressure of 8 bars and a cryogen topping pressure of 100 bars. The results show that the exergy efficiency of the proposed system is as high as 64% under the baseline conditions, whereas the corresponding electricity storage efficiency is about 54%. A sensitivity analysis has also been carried out on the main operating conditions. The results indicate that the baseline performance can be enhanced by increasing the gas turbine (GT) inlet temperature, decreasing the approach temperature of the heat exchange processes, operating the combustor at an optimal pressure of ∼7 bars and operating the cryogen topping pressure at ∼90 bars. Further enhancement can be achieved by increasing the isentropic efficiency of the GT and the liquefaction process. The results of this work also suggest that the power capacity installation of peak-load units and fuel consumption could be reduced by as much as 50% by using the newly proposed system. Further work is suggested for an economic analysis of the system. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]