Clean energy storage & management solutions… based on Compressed air

Clean and smart energy storage and management solutions:

Enairys develops a range of clean and affordable energy storage and management solutions, so called HyPES (Hydro-Pneumatic Energy Storage) systems, thanks to its patented technological innovations in the fields of power electronics and hydro-pneumatics. HyPES systems are made up of three (3) main parts as illustrated below:

  • A modular power conversion and management unit (1), which uses the system’s water to efficiently convert the electricity generated by different types of sources into high pressure air; and when needed, it efficiently converts back the compressed air into electricity to supply a load or feed the grid. The size of this unit defines the power rating (kW) of the system.
  • A water tank (2), which contains the system’s water used as heat carrier and “liquid piston”.
  • A modular storage unit in 2 parts:
    • A low-pressure buffer tank (3a) used to interconnect the low-pressure and the high-pressure compression/expansion stages integrated in the conversion unit (1).
    • A high-pressure storage tank (3b): bundles of high-pressure steel cylinders (or carbon/glass fibbers wounded cylinders) used to store the compressed air. These are off-the-shelf industrial products used for the storage of technical gases. The total capacity of the storage unit defines the energy capacity or autonomy of the system (kWh).

This modular design combined with a clear separation of the power part (kW) from the energy part (kWh) provides a great flexibility in the sizing and the operation of these systems.

 

Main Specifications

The mains specifications of the first range of HyPES systems (HyPES-1) currently under development are as follow:

  • Rate electrical power range: 10kW to 100 kW
  • Discharge time range:  hours to days
  • Max operating pressure: 200bar or 250bar

HyPES-1 systems are mainly intended to low power, energy-intensive stationary applications and includes two main product lines currently named:

  • HyPES-R for Renewable energy sources support and,
  • HyPES-G for Grid support

These two products mainly differ by the topology of their electrical power-conditioning module.

Several HyPES-1 systems can be combined to achieve medium power range (up to 500kW). Nevertheless, Enairys intends to further scale up its technologies to produce high power systems (HyPES-2) for utilities’ scale applications.

 

Customers’ benefits

HyPES systems encompass proprietary technologies and designs, which provide many benefits over competing solutions that, are mainly based on electrochemical batteries (Lead acid, Lithium, Sodium sulphur, Vanadium redox flow, etc.):

Effective environmental friendliness: 

Effective environmental friendliness: due to the use of natural principles and components: air compressibility as storage concept, water as active fluid, easy to recycle metals (mainly steel) as main construction material

Multi-energy solution: due to the coexistence of four types of energy (Electricity, Compressed air, Heat, Cold) and the capability to implement smart synergies between them to improve the overall efficiency of the application (co-generation).

Multi-energy solution: due to the coexistence of four types of energy (Electricity, Compressed air, Heat, Cold) and the capability to implement smart synergies between them to improve the overall efficiency of the application (co-generation).

All-in-one, turkey solution: manifested in the integration of energy storage and power management functionalities, easy to use and maintain, and possibility to combine various power sources (Wind, Photovoltaic, Grid. etc). 

All-in-one, turkey solution: manifested in the integration of energy storage and power management functionalities, easy to use and maintain, and possibility to combine various power sources (Wind, Photovoltaic, Grid. etc). 

Long service life (20+ years): related to the proven and well-established hydro-pneumatic and power electronics technological basis, and the absence of aging phenomena. 

Long service life (20+ years): related to the proven and well-established hydro-pneumatic and power electronics technological basis, and the absence of aging phenomena. 

Cost effectiveness: resulting from the combination of a competitive price, a minimum operating and maintenance requirements and a long service life. 

Cost effectiveness: resulting from the combination of a competitive price, a minimum operating and maintenance requirements and a long service life.