Modelling and Simulation of a Compressed Air Energy Storage System for a Wind Farm
摘要
An adiabatic compressed air energy storage (CAES) system integrated with a thermal energy storage (TES) unit is modelled and simulated in MATLAB. The system uses wind power inputs based on the Enercon E40/600 wind turbine and 24-h actual wind data from Haql, Saudi Arabia. Simulations are conducted for a 500 m3 storage tank with a maximum pressure of 70 bar. The compressor and turbine mass flow rates range between 0.25 and 1.8 kg/s. Four operating scenarios are considered: (i) charging only, (ii) discharging only, (iii) combined charging-discharging, and (iv) fluctuating load. The TES uses crushed silica pebbles and is designed to store up to 3.2 GJ of thermal energy, reaching a maximum temperature of 565 °C under full charge. Charging and discharging durations depend significantly on flow rates. At a compression rate of 1.2 kg/s, the CAES tank charges in approximately 10 h, while the TES reaches full capacity in about 6 h. During discharge, the turbine delivers 216 kW of power continuously for around 5 h at a flow rate of 0.8 kg/s. Increasing the compression rate shortens charging time but demands a larger compressor, while higher expansion rates yield more power over a shorter period. This simulation demonstrates the potential of adiabatic CAES systems, in conjunction with TES, as effective solutions for integrating renewable energy sources, and provides a basis for future research and development in energy storage technologies.