Zhongxuan Liu, PhD, NTNU
Energy storage technologies are required to ensure stability of energy systems when the share of renewable energy forms (wind and solar) is increasing. Liquid air energy storage (LAES) is a promising technology for storing electricity with certain advantages, such as high energy density and being geographically unconstrained. However, one drawback of a standalone LAES is the relatively low round-trip efficiency (RTE). My PhD project mainly focuses on developing process models of the modified LAES for systematic optimisation in order to objectively assess measures for performance improvement. This research work includes the development of different configurations for the cold energy recovery cycles, the investigation of the effect of various combinations between the compression and expansion sections on the LAES, and the utilisation of surplus compression heat in additional thermodynamic cycles, such as Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC), Absorption Refrigeration Cycle (ARC), and High-Temperature Heat Pump (HTHP).